A decades-long experiment in a Massachusetts forest is uncovering unexpected behavior in soil carbon. After…
Browsing: Soil
Soil is a complex mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and microorganisms that together support life on Earth. It forms the upper layer of the Earth’s crust and is crucial for the growth of plants, which in turn sustain animal life and contribute to the global food web. Soil composition varies widely depending on factors such as climate, landscape, and biological activity, which in turn influences its texture, structure, and nutrient content. Apart from its vital role in agriculture and ecology, soil also plays a key role in the carbon cycle and as a regulator of atmospheric gases. Soil conservation is increasingly important as issues such as erosion, contamination, and loss of soil fertility pose challenges to sustainable agriculture and the natural environment.
Recycling waste nutrients could cut fertilizer use, but coordination and infrastructure are key. Nutrients recovered…
Researchers report that methane absorption has increased under shifting climate conditions, based on a long-term…
Scientists have uncovered a hidden molecular process that helps soils retain water. From large-scale farmers…
A two-year field experiment conducted in the world’s northernmost cultivated peatland, in Pasvik in Finnmark,…
Life beneath the surface of one of the driest places on Earth may be far…
Using a resilience theory approach could help reveal practical solutions and clarify their potential trade-offs.…
Forests store microplastics carried in from the air. These particles accumulate in soils through rain,…
A study shows that the contrast between wet and dry areas can increase rainfall by…
Deep soils vital for life host an active new microbial phylum, CSP1-3. These microbes may…
Terrestrial carbon sinks grew by 30% from 1992 to 2019, with most carbon stored in…
Aridity, an “existential crisis” reshaping life on Earth, could impact five billion people by 2100.…
The AI-RACS system, developed by Chinese Academy of Sciences researchers, automates the isolation of aluminum-tolerant…
A novel technique separates living (iDNA) and dead (eDNA) microbial DNA, enabling precise analysis of…
Easter Island’s supposed population collapse is debunked by recent findings, showing it supported a stable…
Eco-acoustic studies at Flinders University indicate that healthier soils have more complex soundscapes, pointing to…
Fungi and lichens threaten Negev Desert’s petroglyphs, eroding ancient artworks through chemical and mechanical means.…
The World Health Organization has identified Aspergillus fumigatus as a critical public health threat due…