How simulations could help get PFAS out of soil
Michigan State University chemists are discovering new information to help remediate "forever chemicals" by showing for the first time how they interact with soil at the molecular level......»»
Researchers discover new insights hiding above a 60-year-old fire
Microbes are vital to maintaining healthy, fertile soil, which, in turn, is vital to the overall health of ecosystems. But what happens to these microbes when humans cause long-term damage to the environment?.....»»
How nature-based knowledge can restore local ecosystems and improve community well-being
Organizations in the food and agriculture sector have been looking to nature for inspiration to improve soil health, maintain water quality and foster local food security in the places where they operate......»»
Study unveils how plants and soil biota forge ecosystems over time
A study by ecologist Jan Frouz from Faculty of Science at Charles University has unveiled the intricate dynamics of plant-soil feedback across a wide range of spatiotemporal scales, from immediate effects to long-term legacies. Published in Soil Biol.....»»
Scientists reveal effect of land conditions on Asian monsoon climate
Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have used numerical simulations to show how conditions on land impact weather during Asian summer monsoons. Focusing on the Tibetan plateau, they studied how varied land conditions combined with fixed ma.....»»
Researchers: Cultural burning is better for Australian soils than prescribed burning, or no burning at all
Imagine a landscape shaped by fire, not as a destructive force but as a life-giving tool. That's the reality in Australia, where Indigenous communities have long understood the intricate relationship between fire, soil and life. Cultural burning has.....»»
Soil may release more carbon than expected, affecting climate change models
The accuracy of climate models depends on many factors—greenhouse gas emissions from industrial and transportation activity, farm animal "emissions," urban growth and loss of forests, and solar reflections off snow and ground cover. Natural phenome.....»»
Scientists reveal molecular mysteries to control silica scaling in water treatment
Collaborative research that combined experiments at Yale University and molecular dynamics simulations at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory provides new insights into solving a major technical obstacle to efficient and sustaina.....»»
Restoration of degraded areas in semi-arid region contributes to "return" of soil microorganisms, study shows
Strategies deployed for the restoration of degraded land have had promising results in Brazil's semi-arid region, improving the microbial properties of the soil and contributing to a return of native ecosystem services. The techniques include removal.....»»
Soil toxic levels mostly minor after Marshall Fire in Boulder, Colorado
In the weeks following the devastating 2021 Marshall Fire, researchers from CU Boulder sifted through burned and unburned areas to test soils for toxic metals. Today, they report that although concentrations of toxic metals were somewhat higher on bu.....»»
Video: Stashing carbon for the long haul with healthy soils
A key solution for carbon capture and storage is under our feet. We're investigating the interactions between plants, microbes, and geological features in soil with the goal of using healthy soil ecosystems to pull carbon from the atmosphere and stas.....»»
These tiny worm-like creatures in the soil can destroy pests but they can also kill crops—an expert"s guide to nematodes
Whether you're a gardener growing food for your household, a small-scale farmer or a commercial producer, soil matters. You cannot really tell the difference between healthy and unhealthy soil just by looking at it. But there are organisms in the soi.....»»
Stunning footage shows space capsule hurtling toward Earth
Check out this remarkable footage showing a capsule hurtling through Earth's atmosphere for a successful landing on U.S. soil recently......»»
Brown bears digging up artificial forests, study shows
Brown bears foraging for food in the Shiretoko Peninsula of Hokkaido, Japan, have been disrupting tree growth in artificial conifer forests, according to a new study published in Ecology. Researchers compared soil and tree samples from human-forested.....»»
Fabricated ecosystems could lead to better bioenergy crops
A greater understanding of how plants and microbes work together to store vast amounts of atmospheric carbon in the soil will help in the design of better bioenergy crops for the fight against climate change......»»
Study reveals accelerated soil priming under climate warming
A first-of-its-kind study led by researchers at the University of Oklahoma highlights a crucial biosphere feedback mechanism and its effects on releasing soil carbon into the atmosphere......»»
Drying without dying: Tracing water scarcity coping mechanisms from mosses to flowering plants
Imagine you find the dried-up remains of a once green and lush philodendron on your bookshelf and realize you can't remember the last time you watered your houseplants. You soak the soil with water, hoping you can breathe life back into its desiccate.....»»
Increasing soil salinity: New discovery may help make crops more resilient
Salination causes harvests to fail across the globe. Plants die, or their growth is stunted. Researchers of Wageningen University & Research (WUR) have discovered that a local regulator protein encourages root growth in saline soil, which allows the.....»»
Plastic pellets blight Belgian town as EU weighs action
Buried in the soil, dotting riverbanks and bobbing along streams: a small Belgian town has waged a years-long fight against creeping pollution from plastic pellets—which the EU now has in its sights......»»
Assessing soil carbon stocks accurately
Researchers from Teagasc have published an article in Geoderma Regional highlighting the consequences of not measuring soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in Irish grassland soils precisely. Quantifying changes in SOC, either carbon sequestration or los.....»»
Global warming found to increase the diversity of active soil bacteria
Warmer soils harbor a greater diversity of active microbes, according to a new study from researchers at the Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science (CeMESS) at the University of Vienna......»»