Researchers discovered that ferns, like flowering plants, evolved nectaries to attract ant bodyguards around 135 million years ago. This evolutionary adaptation occurred as ferns moved from the forest floor to tree canopies, demonstrating parallel evolutionary paths with flowering plants.
Collaborations between different research fields can result in surprising breakthroughs and discoveries. Similarly, collaborations between DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48646-x
The study was funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation.