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<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">By </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Stuart Wagenius, </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jared
Beck, and </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Gretel Kiefer</span><br>
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Significance:</div>
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We address a critical conservation concern: the loss of native plant species in fire-dependent ecosystems. Reduced fire frequency in ecosystems such as the North American prairie contributes to local extinctions. The leading hypothesis is that woody and large
herbaceous species outcompete other species in the absence of fire. However, alternative mechanisms have not been investigated. In our 21-y study of a model prairie plant, Echinacea angustifolia, we demonstrate that fires synchronize reproduction, leading
to increased mating opportunities and improved reproduction. Fire synchronizes flowering both among and within years, nearly doubling seed production. These findings demonstrate a potentially widespread mechanism by which fire can enhance plant reproduction,
promote population growth, and maintain plant diversity in fire-dependent ecosystems worldwide.</div>
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<div>See online: <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2020/01/21/1907320117" id="LPlnk575500">https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2020/01/21/1907320117</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: inline !important">See also, a short video created by the Chicago Botanic Garden to accompany the paper: </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTLXwNQ-BYI&feature=youtu.be" style="margin: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255)">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTLXwNQ-BYI&feature=youtu.be</a><br>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: inline !important">The article was picked up by the New York Times as well, s</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ee
online: </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/27/science/fire-coneflowers-echinacea-pollination.html" id="LPNoLP946321" style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/27/science/fire-coneflowers-echinacea-pollination.html</a></div>
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<span style="color:rgb(136,136,136); font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:small; text-align:start; background-color:rgb(255,255,255); display:inline!important">--</span><br style="color:rgb(136,136,136); font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:small; text-align:start; background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">
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<div dir="ltr"><font color="#0c343d" style="font-size:12.8px">Leah Prescott</font>
<div style="font-size:12.8px"><font color="#0c343d" style="font-size:small"><span style="font-size:12.8px">Seeds of Success</span><br style="font-size:12.8px">
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<div><font color="#0c343d">National Collection Curator (Contractor)</font></div>
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<div style="font-size:12.8px"><font color="#0c343d">202-912-7232</font></div>
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<div style="font-size:12.8px"><a href="https://www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/native-plant-communities/native-plant-and-seed-material-development/collection" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)">Seeds of Success</a><br>
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<div style="font-size:12.8px"><a href="https://www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/native-plant-communities/national-seed-strategy" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)">National Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration</a><br>
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<div style="font-size:12.8px"><a href="http://www.plantconservationalliance.org/" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)">Plant Conservation Alliance</a></div>
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