Natural History Wanderings

Volcanic eruptions on the remote island of Nishinoshima repeatedly wipe the land clean, giving scientists a rare chance to study life’s earliest stages. Researchers traced the genetic origins of an extinct purslane population to nearby Chichijima but found striking quirks—evidence of a founder’s effect and genetic drift. These discoveries shed light on how plants recolonize harsh environments and how ecosystems evolve from scratch.
— Read on www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250915202828.htm