Scientists trace origins of now extinct plant population from volcanically active Nishinoshima
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 1-Jan-2026 18:11 ET (1-Jan-2026 23:11 GMT/UTC)
Tokyo, Japan – Scientists from Tokyo Metropolitan University have determined the genetic lineage of a now extinct plant population from Nishinoshima, a volcanic island whose frequent eruptions periodically “reset” the vegetation. While they traced the lineage to a nearby island, they discovered distinct genetic quirks due to the rarity of seeds making it there, including a “founder’s effect”. Their findings offer a rare glimpse into the very earliest stages of ecosystem development in an isolated environment.
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