Priceless biodiversity The adaptation of living organisms to their environment never ceases to amaze. Deciphering the mechanisms underlying the adaptive capacities of species will help to preserve biodiversity, which is of vital importance for humankind. 14 The living world This Rampion (Phyteuma hemisphaericum) is one of the species analyzed in a study on high-altitude plants, aimed at comparing species diversity and genetic diversity within each species. How plants stand up straight To keep standing up straight, terrestrial plants constantly correct their position. Researchers have found that they do not remain upright solely through their perception of gravity but also that of the curvature of their stems and the ability to correct this curvature. Like animals, higher plants are therefore capable of proprioception. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences December 2012 online Genetic diversity: a reality to be reckoned with Contrary to the prevailing view, genetic diversity within a species does not depend on the abundance of species in the surrounding ecosystem. Field studies carried out in the Alps and Carpathians have shown that this generally accepted idea is wrong. The findings suggest that criteria for the creation of protected areas should be re-examined in order to avoid underestimating diversity within species. Ecology Letters September 2012 online A year at CNRS 2012
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