Shampoo ingredient could wash diesel out of soil
A plant more commonly used for herbal shampoos could be used to clean oil-contaminated soil, according to a new report......»»
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.....»»
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......»»
Astronomers reveal a new link between water and planet formation
Researchers have found water vapor in the disk around a young star exactly where planets may be forming. Water is a key ingredient for life on Earth and is also thought to play a significant role in planet formation, yet until now, astronomers have n.....»»
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......»»
Tattoo inks found to not match the ingredients listed on the bottle
When you get a tattoo, do you know what you're putting under your skin? According to new Binghamton University research, the ingredient labels on tattoo ink don't match the actual substances in the bottle......»»
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......»»
Black carbon sensor could fill massive monitoring gaps
Black carbon is the most dangerous air pollutant you've never heard of. Its two main sources, diesel exhaust and wood smoke from wildfires and household heating, produce ultrafine air particles that are up to 25 times more of a health hazard per unit.....»»
Danish grasslands are behaving strangely and researchers don"t know why
Nature slowly begins to change if meadows and grasslands are allowed to grow wild without human interference or grazing animals. Weeds do well with disturbance from cows and sheep that graze and tramp on the soil, for example. However, weeds have a h.....»»
Potassium depletion in soil threatens global crop yields
Potassium deficiency in agricultural soils is a largely unrecognized but potentially significant threat to global food security if left unaddressed, finds new research involving researchers at UCL, University of Edinburgh and the UK Center for Ecolog.....»»
Australians are washing microplastics down the drain and it"s ending up on farms
Australian wastewater treatment plants produce thousands of tons of treated sewage sludge every year. This nutrient-rich material is then dried to make "biosolids," which are used to fertilize agricultural soil......»»