Erin E. Sparks

Reading with comprehension is critical for academic achievement. Proficiency in language comprehension and word reading during early childhood lays a foundation for reading comprehension into middle and high school (Cunningham & Stanovich, 1997; Hjetland et al., 2017). In several prominent models of reading, language comprehension interacts with readers' word recognition and general knowledge in building representations of a text's meaning (e.g., Connor, 2016; Kim, 2023).

Abstract Toxic metal contamination in the environment is pervasive and of significant concern due to its high abundance in agricultural lands across the globe. Future engineering of plants tolerant to toxic metals requires a detailed understanding of plant responses to these toxins, which are currently poorly understood.

Plants respond to changing and variable environments with molecular and physiological changes that enable adaptation. Many of these responses depend on available energy pools which means trade-offs between prioritised processes are inevitable. The flexibility in these switches can influence plant success in responding to extreme weather events.