Search results for “Soil”

Forest diversity and terrain shape how carbon is stored in southern Brazil’s Atlantic Forest

A new study reveals that forest structure, tree species evenness, and terrain slope jointly influence how carbon is divided among living vegetation, forest litter, and soil. The research found that soil contained the largest share of total carbon in most locations, while vegetation stored more carbon than soil in several plots.

Environmental effectiveness of the national action plan to contain antimicrobial resistance: evidence from Chinese soil

A study analyzing Chinese and global soil metagenomes found substantial declines in antimicrobial resistance genes after China implemented its AMR control plan. The research suggests a close association between soil resistomes and antimicrobial use patterns across human and animal sectors.

Biochar should be evaluated by how it performs in soil, not only by what it looks like in the laboratory, according to a new perspective published in Biochar X

Biochar's performance in soil depends on its feedstock, production conditions, interactions with microorganisms, and aging processes. Practical measurements are needed to assess its functionality.

Soil organic carbon increases crop yield but can’t help with extreme drought

Research by CSU scientists found that soil organic carbon benefits crops the most during moderate water supply conditions, not extreme drought. Increasing soil organic carbon makes crops more stable and resilient from year to year.

Biochar helps earthworms cope with combined copper and glyphosate contamination

Combined exposure to copper and glyphosate causes stronger stress responses in earthworms than individual contaminants. Biochar reduces these effects, improving soil habitability and reducing earthworm response to contamination.

Biochar’s hidden chemistry may help protect soil carbon, but the effect depends on soil type

New research reveals biochar's reactive chemistry can slow soil organic carbon decomposition by suppressing enzymes, particularly in acidic soils. The protective effect varies among different soils, with some biochars increasing carbon dioxide emissions.

Soil nitrogen levels determine how biochar helps store carbon, global study finds

A global analysis of 932 observations shows that biochar delivers stronger carbon gains in nitrogen-poor soils and follows different carbon storage pathways depending on soil fertility. Biochar effectiveness varies greatly from one field to another, with the amount of nitrogen already present in soil controlling how much carbon it stores.

[Research Article] Publicly available soil moisture datasets: An overview and the UB-SMDC portal

A new catalog centralizes publicly available soil moisture content datasets, streamlining data discovery and comparison. The UB-SMDC portal provides a unified platform for researchers to efficiently access and analyze global soil moisture data.

Soil type determines whether added carbon and nitrogen curb or intensify nitrous oxide emissions

A new study found that soil acidity, nutrient conditions, and microbial function significantly impact nitrous oxide emissions. Fluvo-aquic soil consistently produced the lowest proportion of nitrous oxide, while red soil displayed limited denitrification potential due to its acidic conditions.

Green manure and biochar help farmers cut nitrogen use while rebuilding soil health

A new study published in Biochar shows that combining green manure with biochar can improve soil quality, support maize yield, and reduce dependence on nitrogen fertilizer. The research found that soil microbial diversity emerged as a central driver of improved soil quality.

South African fynbos soil delivers a new species of soil bacterium

Scientists from Stellenbosch University have isolated a new species of soil bacterium, Dedyshia acidiphilia, from the Kogelberg Nature Reserve. The discovery provides significant advances in understanding rare bacterial species contributing to soil health and nutrient cycles.

Biochar “switches on” natural oxygen chemistry to suppress soil-borne pathogens and reshape healthier microbial communities

A new study reveals how biochar can directly suppress destructive soil-borne pathogens like Ralstonia solanacearum, while helping rebuild a richer and more stable soil bacterial community. Biochar's reactive oxygen species profile changes with pyrolysis temperature, making it a powerful tool for precision agriculture.

Public invited to online Forum on Biochar Research exploring 30 years of progress in soil, crops and climate solutions

The online forum will synthesize evidence from 30 years of biochar research on its interactions with soil and plants. Biochar can increase phosphorus availability, reduce plant uptake of heavy metals, build soil organic carbon, lower non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions and improve crop yields.

Soil moisture may decide whether fertilizer nitrogen feeds crops or fuels hidden soil pollution

A new study published in Environmental and Biogeochemical Processes shows that changing soil water levels can disrupt the balance between two key steps of nitrification, a central process in the soil nitrogen cycle. Soil moisture and nitrogen availability jointly control the microbial 'handoff' in agricultural soil nitrogen cycling.

Sunlight supercharges soil superfoods: Boosting fertility and microbes with aged hydrochar

Researchers used solar radiation to enhance hydrochar, a carbon-rich material derived from biomass, to create a more effective soil amendment. The study found that aged hydrochars delivered impressive results, increasing soil organic carbon content by up to 110% and enhancing beneficial microbial taxa.

Biochar helps paddy soils lock away carbon by reshaping microbial life underground

A new study reveals that biochar increases soil organic carbon more efficiently than straw by guiding microbes towards stable carbon formation. Biochar promotes a slower but more stable carbon pathway, reducing native soil carbon mineralization.

Elucidating the mechanism by which soil contributes to pest outbreaks

Researchers found that rice stink bugs acquire beneficial symbiotic bacteria from soil and that high soil pH suppresses acquisition. The study reveals that mildly acidic soils facilitate the establishment of symbiosis, providing a potential tool for environmentally sustainable pest control strategies.

Mountainous landscapes store far more carbon than previously thought, new research shows

A new study reveals that mountainous landscapes can store significantly more carbon in the soil than previously believed. Researchers found that soils in landslides can be up to 5 meters deep and contain twice as much carbon as predicted by previous global models.

Biochar may help stop antibiotics from escaping through hidden soil highways

A new study reveals that biochar can regulate antibiotic movement in structured soils, helping reduce contamination risks. By shifting transport into the slower soil matrix, biochar reduces pollutant export and increases retention.

Fungi help biochar and compost lock more carbon in nutrient-poor urban soils

A new study found that soil fungi play a key role in supporting carbon retention and improving fertility in nutrient-poor urban soils. Biochar and compost increased soil carbon and nitrogen storage most strongly in these soils, with amendment effects up to 14.4 times greater than those observed in nutrient-rich soils.

Biochar triggers a five-year soil recovery cascade in acidifying rice paddies

A five-year field study reveals that biochar reshapes soil chemistry, microbes, viruses, and metabolites to support healthier agricultural ecosystems. Biochar improves soil organic matter, cation exchange capacity, and nutrient availability while reducing metal bioavailability.

Degradable sensors reveal hidden soil secrets by being nibbled on by microbes

New degradable sensors developed by Lancaster University researchers track biological activity in soil using a biodegradable substrate nibbled on by microbes. This technology offers insights into soil's response to climate events and storage of carbon, providing a better understanding of soil health and microbial processes.

World’s leading soil science congress opens in Nanjing for the first time in China

The 23rd World Congress of Soil Science, held in Nanjing from June 8-12, marked the first time this premier global event was hosted in China. Experts discussed urgent challenges like soil health, food security, climate change, and biodiversity conservation.

A greener fertilizer: Biogas slurry boosts soil health and carbon storage

Researchers found that biogas slurry enhances soil fertility and increases active carbon levels by up to 13.4% compared to conventional chemical fertilizer topdressing. The treatment also promotes cooperative microbial interactions, supporting nutrient cycling and climate change mitigation.

Two types of biochar help alfalfa survive salty soils in different ways

Researchers found that acid-modified and alkaline biochars helped reduce stress from saline-alkali soil, improving soil conditions and supporting alfalfa performance. Alkaline biochar promoted biomass growth, while acid-modified biochar improved soil chemistry and root defense in highly alkaline soils.

Biochar can reshape how soils respond to warming, but the effect depends on the soil

A new study found that biochar can lower the temperature sensitivity of nitrous oxide emissions in agricultural soil but increase it in forest soil. Researchers tested different soils and biochar treatments and found that temperature was the dominant driver of nitrous oxide emissions, while biochar acted as a secondary modulator.

Straw and biochar work together to reshape the molecular “architecture” of soil organic matter

A new study reveals how combining crop straw with biochar may help soils build humic substances that are both chemically active and structurally persistent. The research found that straw and biochar do more than just add carbon to soil, reorganizing the molecular building blocks of humic acid.

Biochar and beneficial fungi work together to restore soils damaged by coal mining

A three-year field study shows that pairing biochar with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi can improve soil health, nutrient supply, microbial diversity, and maize productivity. The treatment also increased soil water content, porosity, organic carbon, available phosphorus, and enzyme activity.

Long-term biochar use can help cropland soils store more microbial carbon, but depth matters

Long-term biochar study reveals that topsoil benefits from biochar's effect on microbial necromass carbon, with significant increase in fungal necromass carbon. In contrast, subsoil shows reduced microbial necromass carbon due to lower nitrogen availability and increased microbial nutrient mining.

Moderate biochar use may help ants strengthen soil ecosystem functions, study finds

A new study found that rice straw biochar applied at moderate levels improved several colony behaviors linked to soil health in ants. Ants showed stronger habitat preference, built larger nests, and maintained more effective social recognition. However, high doses of biochar were detrimental, causing ant survival to drop sharply.

Iron-modified biochar turns soil oxygen into a cleaner for antibiotic pollution

A new iron-modified biochar catalyst activates natural oxygen and iron cycling in farmland soil, breaking down sulfamethoxazole at a 4.2-fold increase under laboratory conditions. The material also achieved strong pollutant removal, with degradation reaching 81.2% under favorable soil moisture conditions.

Modelling life beneath our feet: A new step towards realistic soil ecology at the landscape scale

A new spatially explicit population model for springtails in soil simulates dynamic environmental conditions, linking development and reproduction to temperature and moisture. The model provides a realistic assessment of ecosystem health under changing environments.

Magnetic biochar gel helps keep arsenic and antimony out of rice

Researchers developed a magnetic silicon-enriched biochar gel that effectively immobilized arsenic and antimony in contaminated paddy soil, reducing their accumulation in rice grains. The material also improved root growth and plant productivity, supporting healthier plant resilience.

Saltier soils may help biochar last longer, new study finds

Researchers found that higher soil salinity can slow biochar's aging process, preserving its carbon content and reducing microbial activity. This study provides new insights for sustainable management of saline farmland and highlights the importance of microorganisms in shaping biochar's environmental functions.

Biochar could help make tea farming cleaner, safer, and more climate resilient

Biochar can restore acidic tea soils, reduce toxic metal uptake, and support climate-smart cultivation. It also improves fertilizer use efficiency, supports biochemical pathways linked to tea quality, and reduces heavy metal exposure risks for consumers.

Hydrochar turns agricultural waste into a powerful tool for healthier, carbon-rich soils

Researchers found that hydrochar improves soil structure while increasing soil organic carbon, with different feedstocks showing varying benefits. The study suggests hydrochar could become a customizable amendment for climate-smart soil management.

Soil vapor transport improves soil moisture simulations in drylands

Researchers introduced a simplified soil vapor transport scheme to address a common issue in conventional land-surface models, which struggle to realistically represent soil drying in arid regions. The revised model produces more realistic drying in near-surface soil layers by representing the movement of water vapor through soil pores.

Plants predictably select growth boosting microbes regardless of soil type

A recent study by Rothamsted Research found that plant species determine the beneficial functions provided by root-associated microbes, regardless of soil type. The research used soil from nine UK locations to cultivate six key arable crops and discovered consistent patterns of microbial selection across different soils and locations.

Machine learning helps farmers use biochar more precisely to manage soil phosphorus

A new study uses machine learning to predict how pristine biochar affects soil phosphorus availability under different conditions. The model identifies key factors such as pyrolysis temperature and application rate that influence phosphorus regulation, suggesting a more precise approach to biochar use.

Weathering changes the long-term role of biochar in soil carbon storage and pollution control

A new review highlights how biochar weathers over time, affecting its benefits and risks in soil health, carbon sequestration, and pollution control. Weathered biochar can improve nutrient retention and metal binding but also fragment and reduce long-term carbon storage potential.

Frontiers in Science Deep Dive webinar series | Soil science: how AI could help scientists secure a vital global resource

A new Frontiers in Science article explores how AI can accelerate scientific discovery in soil science by creating digital soil twins and trialing climate adaptation strategies. Researchers will discuss the potential of multi-agent AI systems to enable autonomous hypothesis generation, experimental design and data analysis during a fre...

How AI can help soil scientists secure a vital global resource

New AI tools can accelerate soil science by speeding up early-stage work, improving predictions to support decisions on land-use, carbon, and climate adaptation. The system successfully mimicked key parts of the scientific process, with outputs beyond what's currently being used that strongly align with expert research.

Soil science: How AI could help scientists secure a vital global resource

A new study highlights the potential of AI tools in soil science, enabling researchers to better understand soil ecosystems and adapt to climate change. The system successfully generated hypotheses on how soils store carbon and what controls their storage limits, with outputs aligning with expert research.

Digging deeper: The hidden carbon bank beneath our farmlands

A comprehensive review reveals that deep soil contains a colossal amount of carbon, estimated at over 850 petagrams worldwide, and is significantly more stable than surface layers due to strong interaction with clay minerals. The review outlines several agricultural strategies to protect and enhance deep soil carbon stocks.

Digging deeper: The overlooked carbon fortress beneath our feet

A comprehensive review reveals that deep soil layers store over 50-60% of the total carbon in top meter of soil. The subsoil environment is characterized by low oxygen and limited microbial activity, making it a stable target for long-term carbon removal strategies.

Soil also suffers from heat waves: organic waste used to boost its tolerance to 50 degrees Celsius

Researchers found that adding organic matter can increase soil resistance to heat waves and preserve phosphorus reserves. Organic amendments like olive pomace proved effective in boosting soil resilience.

No-till, new rules: Soil microbes thrive in conservation farming

Machine learning facilitates the development of China's 1-km daily soil moisture dataset

A new study developed China's high-precision, 1 km resolution soil moisture dataset using machine learning techniques. This dataset enables daily monitoring of soil dryness and wetness conditions across the country, providing critical support for drought early warning, flood forecasting, and agricultural management.

Milk production carbon footprint may be larger than thought

A new study by the University of Helsinki finds that the carbon footprint of milk production is 41% higher when soil carbon changes are included. Soil organic matter can either sequester or release carbon, and its impact on climate change should not be ignored.

One in five assessed soil species at risk of extinction, data needed for thousands more - study

A new report warns that over 40% of soil-dependent species are at risk of extinction. The study highlights the importance of conserving these species for food security and mitigating global warming.

Global forum highlights new strategies to balance soil health and carbon sequestration

The session discussed the complex relationship between organic carbon inputs and long-term carbon storage in soils. Emerging strategies were presented to optimize organic amendments and enhance both soil function and carbon retention.

Intelligent monitoring pipe detects and predicts 3D soil settlement

Researchers developed an intelligent monitoring pipe combining optical sensing and machine learning to monitor and predict 3D soil settlement. The system provides precision 3D measurements, capturing dynamic changes in soft or unstable soils like loess.

Biochar triggers long-term soil recovery by reshaping microbes and metabolism, five-year field study shows

A five-year field study reveals that biochar can reorganize entire soil ecosystems, creating lasting benefits for agriculture and environmental sustainability. Biochar triggers a coordinated transformation across the entire soil system, improving soil acidity and reducing metal toxicity.

Fungi hold the key to boosting urban soil health with biochar and compost

A new study reveals that combining biochar and compost can restore urban soil health, but only under the right conditions. Fungi play a crucial role in determining success, and their diversity is linked to improvements in soil health.

Biochar acts as a “sorption pump” to curb antibiotic pollution in structured soils

Researchers found that biochar can actively regulate the movement of antibiotics in soil, reducing cumulative fluxes by up to 15%. Biochar creates a concentration gradient at the interface between macropores and surrounding soil, pulling contaminants into the soil matrix for retention.

Biochar reshapes climate-driven soil emissions, but effects depend on soil type

Researchers found that biochar can either dampen or amplify temperature sensitivity of nitrous oxide emissions in soils. Biochar's effects depend on soil properties and environmental conditions.

Biochar reshapes ant societies, revealing hidden ecological trade-offs in soil restoration

A new study reveals that biochar significantly enhances ant ecological functions as ants' social behaviors and nest site selection specificity improve with moderate levels of biochar. However, higher doses lead to reduced survival, weakened nest construction, and decreased social interactions.

Biochar offers climate-smart pathway to healthier soils and safer tea production

A new scientific review highlights how biochar can transform tea farming by restoring soil health, reducing pollution risks, and improving both yield and quality. Biochar can increase tea yields by 10 to 40 percent while enhancing quality traits such as amino acids and polyphenols that influence flavor.

Hydrochar boosts soil carbon storage and structure more effectively than biochar, study finds

A new study finds that hydrochar significantly enhances soil organic carbon and aggregation, offering a promising strategy for sustainable soil management. Hydrochar can simultaneously improve soil structure and increase carbon sequestration, making it a versatile solution for improving soil health in agriculture.

Biochar from peanut shells boosts soil health and crop quality over the long term

A six-year field study reveals that biochar made from peanut shells improves soil fertility and enhances crop quality by reshaping soil microbial communities. The study shows that biochar acts as both a habitat and a nutrient source for beneficial microbes, promoting plant growth and increasing soluble sugar content in tobacco leaves.