Abigail Swann
March 31, 2021
Thicker-leaved tropical plants may flourish under climate change, which could be good news for climate

As carbon dioxide continues to rise, multiple changes in the leaves of tropical plants may help these ecosystems perform better under climate change than previous studies had suggested.
October 2, 2019
Abigail Swann on Science News’ list of 10 young scientists to watch

The University of Washington’s Abigail Swann is honored by Science News on its list of 10 promising early- and mid-career scientists.
May 15, 2018
Forest loss in one part of US can harm trees on the opposite coast

If an entire forest dies, new research shows, it has ricocheting effects in the atmosphere that can affect vegetation on the other side of the country.
November 16, 2016
Large forest die-offs can have effects that ricochet to distant ecosystems

Major forest die-offs due to drought, heat and beetle infestations or deforestation could have consequences far beyond the local landscape. Wiping out an entire forest can have significant effects on global climate patterns and alter vegetation on the other side of the world.
August 29, 2016
Plants’ future water use affects long-term drought estimates

Many popular long-term drought estimates ignore the fact that plants will be less thirsty as carbon dioxide goes up. Plants’ lower water use could roughly halve some current estimates for the extent of future drought, especially in central Africa and temperate Asia.