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Eucalyptus trees genetically modified by a team of Taiwanese and U.S. biologists have proven capable of ingesting up to three times more carbon dioxide than normal strains, indicating a new path to reducing greenhouse gases and global warming, team members said Thursday.

Under the auspices of National Science Council, staff members at the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute (TFRI) under the cabinet-level Council of Agriculture and North Carolina State University in the United States carried out the gene modification project that not only creates eucalyptus with a higher than normal CO2 absorptive capacity, but also causes them to produce less lignin and more cellulose.

TFRI researcher Chen Zenn-zong explained that cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin in trees are all created from carbon elements. "However, only cellulose can be used in commercial processes of pulp manufacturing and bio-ethanol extraction, " he added. "The idea behind the whole project is to increase the value of genetically-modified eucalyptus to related industries, so we adjusted the ratio of cellulose and lignin, " Chen said. "Meanwhile, we enhance the tree's capacity in absorbing CO2 to reduce greenhouse gases, so that more trees planted for production, the more CO2 are consumed."

With every eucalyptus carrying 18 percent less lignin and 4.5 percent more cellulose, Chen estimated that a pulp factory with an annual output of 1 million tons could generate extra revenues of NT$1. 2 billion (about US$36 million) every year.

The pink hibiscus mealybug – which may be of concern to Texas, citrus and ornamental industries – has been found near Port Aransas.

"This mealybug is a potentially serious pest of many ornamental and agricultural crops," said Dr. Carlos Bogran, Texas Cooperative Extension entomologist.

First discovered in the U.S. in Florida in 2002, the pink hibiscus mealybug has also been found in California and Louisiana.

It feeds by sucking plant sap from more than 300 species in 74 plant families, Bogran said.

The total value of ornamentals in Texas was $9.8 billion in 2005 – the latest figures available – placing the state third in the nation behind California and Florida, said Marco Palma, Extension economist. That includes the growers, retailers and landscapers, he said. Grower sales alone were $1.3 billion.

The Texas commercial citrus production of fruit (not juice) was valued at $74 million in 2006 and averaged $81.3 million over the last two seasons, Palma said. Texas is the third largest citrus producing state behind Florida and California.

Pink hibiscus mealybug adults and nymphs look much like other mealybug species but have some distinguishing characteristics that help in identification, Bogran said.

Female adults have no wings and are covered with white wax, and adult males are winged and have two long, waxy tails, he explained.

Females may deposit eggs in waxy ovisacs (egg masses), and young nymph- crawlers emerge to find new feeding sites, especially in tender new plant growth, he said.

Most other mealybugs have a fringe of wax filaments that surrounds their body, he said.

The choices are endless for fall brides. From flowers and colors to decor, fall brides can create the wedding of their dreams simply by using their imagination.

While they may not have spring's tulips or summer's peonies, many flowers and colors are available for fall brides.Florists nationwide agree on chocolate brown's popularity and offer fall brides additional color choices. "For this fall we are planning to use a lot of earth tones [including] ivory and terra cotta," says Luis Collazo, owner of LOTUS, a floral design company in New York.

Cascading bouquets have fallen out of favor in recent years. Tightly wrapped, more uniform bouquets consisting of only two or three types of flowers are now preferred.

Despite this new simplicity, many floral choices still exist even after summer's end. "Freesia, hydrangea, orchids, hypericum berries, winterberries and pepper berries' are all available in the fall and are popular choices," says Inna Lipovsky, president of City Blossoms in New York City.

Collazo suggests also using vanda orchids, chocolate cosmos, white cataelya orchids, and Sahara roses. Additionally, brides can reap the benefits of the season by incorporating fall foliage into their bouquets. 'Oak and maple leaves, wheat, grasses can all be used,' says Cornille. "Bittersweet is big and so are raspberry branches. Also popular is ivy, which traditionally symbolizes fidelity -- important for any marriage."

To personalize their bouquets, traditionally, many brides have wrapped their grandmothers' handkerchiefs around the handle. In order to add "something blue," Cornille always hides a tiny blue bow on the bouquet.

The most popular groom's boutonniere consists of a single flower such as a rose or freesia. Lipvosky suggests using the same flowers as found in the bride's bouquet, and Cornille added that an accompanying acorn or maple leaf lends some seasonal character. Flower girls can also toss these small acorns and brightly colored leaves instead of the typical rose petals.

To remain hands-free, "many mothers of the bride are asking for nosegays, which are very small bouquets," says Cornille. "Nosegays are very, very popular this season."

Kalbarri National Park, famous for its spectacular gorge system and wildflowers, is slowly dying as experts reveal swaths of native trees and bushes have been killed by drought and rare orchids could face extinction.

While the average annual rainfall for the region is 360mm, just 147.2mm fell last year and even less this year, according to the Weather Bureau.

Now, locals say sections of the 250,000ha park are collapsing because of lack of rain, which this year sparked water restrictions in town for the first time and reduced sections of the once thundering Murchison River to a trickle.

Featherflowers, banksias and sand plain cypress trees have been worst hit, with high numbers found stressed or dead, according to Catherine Page, flora expert for the Department of Environment and Conservation in Geraldton.

The first sign of trouble was in July when many trees and bushes failed to bounce back with green shoots from last year’s drought.

Asked to name a particularly troubling example, Ms Page said some of the national park’s 10 native flora species, officially declared rare, appeared to be withering or dead.

There were normally about 500 kneeling hammer orchids and 200 Kalbarri spider orchids in bloom each year, but few had been found this year.

“Orchids are down in numbers and in some areas, species are collapsing but it’s difficult to know what to do because if it’s a long-term trend, how do you change the weather?” Ms Page said. Mike Paxman, senior ranger at Kalbarri National Park, said the park was a victim of global warming and the immediate threat was to the native animals, not tourism.

This was illustrated yesterday when the DEC failed to recapture any of the 100 woylie and 60 chuditch, small native marsupials it had released into the park. From nearly 60 traps they caught just four, including a western spotted frog and a native mouse.

Mr Paxman said about 30 per cent of the park’s trees, shrubs and flowers were dead or dying, ruining natural habitats and depriving animals and insects of food.

Apart from the gum trees on the river bank, none benefited from the recent flood because while the Murchison River swelled to 26m after water gushed down from Meekatharra, the flood didn’t reach the rest of the national park.