With 3 new reference materials, NIST gets the dirt on soil
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has issued three new certified reference materials for soil. Intended for use as controls in testing laboratories, the new Standard Reference Materials (SRMs)-gathered from the San Joaquin Valley in California and from sites near Butte and Helena in Montana-will aid in determining soil... view more... (2009-08-27)
Agriculture of Conservation proves to be best for cereal crops in Navarre
The application of conservation agriculture techniques to cereal crops in the semiarid zones of Navarre-57% of the surface area given over to crop cultivation in Navarre, is most profitable for conventional agriculture and improves the quality of the soil, apart from contributing to the sustainability of the environment. view more (2005-11-29)
An unexpected outcome of atmospheric CO2 enrichment
Unseen belowground interactions impact the composition of natural plant communities. Mycorrhizae, symbiotic associations between soil fungi and plant roots, help plants acquire soil nutrients but also drain substantial carbon from plants. Whether mycorrhizae help or hinder plant growth depends upon the balance between nutrient benefits and carbon... view more... (2003-05-22)
Impact of Floods on Soils
A recent study conducted in the Midwestern United States examined the effects of harsh wet conditions on both cultivated and uncultivated soils, vastly advancing the knowledge of water's effects on aggregation. view more (2009-04-09)
Predicting the species diversity of large herbivores in nature reserves
The number of species of large herbivores that can live in a nature reserve can be easily calculated using just rainfall and soil fertility data. The Wageningen ecologist Dr Han Olff can use this to indicate on a worldwide basis where nature reserves that protect large mammals are needed. On a map of the world, the researcher from Wageningen... view more... (2002-02-19)
Nitrogen Applied
Combating soil erosion is a primary concern for agricultural producers in the United States, and many have incorporated conservation tillage systems in their effort to maintain a profitable crop output. view more (2008-10-02)
Estimate Soil Texture-by-Feel
The ability to estimate soil texture-by-feel is an important skill that students and registered soil scientists should learn. view more (2008-10-16)
Spreading antibiotics in the soil affects microbial ecosystems
Antibiotics used extensively in intensive livestock production may be having an adverse effect on agricultural soil ecosystems. view more (2009-03-30)
Where Is Your Soil Water? Crop Yield Has the Answer
Crop yield is highly dependent on soil plant-available water, the portion of soil water that can be taken up by plant roots. view more (2008-07-02)
Dust storms may carry bacteria to Japan from China
Bacteria found in soil around Tokyo are not indigenous to the area. A study published in the open access journal Saline Systems reveals a large proportion of salt-loving bacteria in non-saline soil around Tokyo. The researchers suggest that dust storms may have carried the bacteria from their natural habitats in China. view more (2005-10-20)
3-D Laser Scanning: A New Soil Quality Measurement
Soil researchers pay close attention to bulk density, as it is one of the most common soil measurements and it is often used as a measure of soil quality. view more (2008-12-04)
Where Have All the Students Gone?
Why are the number of students studying soil science as a major declining across the United States? view more (2008-11-04)
The effect of transgenic nematode resistance on non-target organisms in the potato rhizosphere
A paper published today in the December Issue of Journal of Applied Ecology by Cowgill et al describes the results of small-scale field trials that were used to assess the effect of PI-expressing potatoes on non-target soil organisms. The impact of a currently used PCN management option, the nematicide, aldicarb, on soil organisms was also studied. view more (2002-11-26)
Experts support call for new focus on soil management
Professor Mark Kibblewhite, Director of the recently launched National Soil Resources Institute, today strongly supported calls by the Environment Agency for a new focus on environmentally-friendly soil management practices. This comes after publication by the Agency of a report on Agriculture and Natural Resource Problems. NSRI is a department on... view more... (2002-06-18)
Glass fibre predicts uptake in earthworms
Dutch researchers have discovered that glass fibres absorb the same types and quantities of toxic substances from damp soils as earthworms, which form the basis of the current methods soil researchers use for toxicity analyses. The Institute for Inland Water Management and Waste Water Treatment (Dutch acronym: RIZA) now uses glass fibres to... view more... (2003-06-24)
Landfill Cover Soil Methane Oxidation Underestimated
Landfilled waste decomposes in the absence of oxygen and results in the production of methane. Landfills are classified as the second-largest human-made source of CH4 in the U.S. Additionally, landfill gas contains numerous non-methane hydrocarbons that are either volatilized directly from waste materials or produced through biochemical reactions... view more... (2009-04-28)
Manipulating biotope space can enhance beneficial biodiversity effects
Using diverse plant mixtures instead of monocultures can increase yield and other ecosystem goods and services on which humans depend. Recent studies showed that such beneficial effects of biodiversity depend on complementarity between species in resource use, as is the case if species root in different soil depths. This knowledge led to the... view more... (2004-06-10)
Can hemp help the everglades?
Within Southern Florida, soil and water conditions indicate potential for leaching from the use of atrazine-based herbicides in corn crops. Scientists from USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and University of Florida conducted studies to evaluate the specific groundwater risk from atrazine use by focusing on a specific cover crop that seems... view more... (2007-08-07)
Changing climate will lead to devastating loss of phosphorus from soil
Crop growth, drinking water and recreational water sports could all be adversely affected if predicted changes in rainfall patterns over the coming years prove true, according to research published this month in Biology and Fertility of Soils. view more (2009-04-15)
New Sighting of Soil-Borne Wheat Mosaic Virus (SBWMV)
Following investigation of a sample sent to NIAB and Central Science Laboratory (CSL), two new sites in Kent have been identified with soil-borne wheat mosaic virus (SBWMV). The virus was identified in the UK in Wiltshire for the first time in 1999 and this occurrence appears to have no connection with the Wiltshire site. The work is part of a... view more... (2000-08-08)
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