Back from the grave

Plants discovered in England’s ‘ghost ponds’ are being revived after lurking beneath the ground for up to 150 years. New Scientist reports these wetlands were filled in with uprooted hedgerow plants and soil to make way for agricultural land expansion. University College of London scientists believe the seeds survived because the ponds were filled in while wet. So far, eight aquatic plant species have been resurrected from three ghost ponds, and it is estimated there are 600,000 ghost ponds across England. Scientists are excited about resurrecting rare and extinct plant and animal species. Ponds are overlooked compared with rivers and lakes, but they punch above their weight for the number of species they contain.