Symbiotic fungi in plant roots store and release carbon, with certain types leading to 70% more carbon storage. This discovery challenges current understanding of soil carbon pools and their impact on climate predictions.
A team of scientists used advanced mathematical modeling techniques to understand the precise role of soil structure in water uptake by crops. They found that flow properties near the surface of aggregates are a key factor determining overall flow properties in soil.
The productivity of many lands has been dramatically reduced due to soil erosion, salinity accumulation, and nutrient depletion. A sustainable approach to agriculture is needed to maintain soil fertility and address climate change and biodiversity loss.
A global study of 224 dryland sites in 16 countries predicts that increasing aridity will disturb the balance of nutrients in the soil, leading to a reduction in carbon and nitrogen and an increase in phosphorus. This imbalance will have severe effects on essential soil processes, particularly in areas with reduced plant cover.
A study has found that potassium chloride (KCl) fertilization is seldom effective in increasing grain yield and can even lead to significant yield reduction. The research also highlights the potential negative impacts of KCl on soil health, including increased cadmium accumulation and changes in soil physical properties.
In Tacoma, Washington, community gardens have increased by 14 to 34 in three years despite initial concerns about contaminated soils. Experts like Kristen McIvor use soil testing and provide biosolid-based products to educate growers and reduce contamination fears.
Researchers discover sodium lignosulfonate can immobilize and remove toxic chromium compounds from contaminated soil and water. The compound reduces chromium mobility, making it less likely to leach into waterways.
Invasive plant species alter soil chemistry and nutrient cycling, facilitating their establishment. Microbial agents associated with invasive plants change soil biogeochemistry and enable their continued growth.
A new study reveals that earthworms can survive for up to three weeks without water by entering a state of estivation, where they reduce their surface area exposure and seal themselves in a mucus-lined chamber. After rewetting, the earthworms were able to recover and regain their weight.
A recent study of hundreds of soil samples from Rhode Island found that surface lead concentrations do not always accurately reflect contamination at depths below the soil surface. The research highlights the need for more comprehensive sampling methods to ensure public safety, particularly in areas with legacy lead-painted water towers.
A team of researchers found multiple roundworm eggs in soil samples taken from Richard III's pelvis, indicating a genuine infection. The presence of no eggs in skull soil and few in surrounding grave soil suggests the infection was internal, not from external contamination.
Research by scientists at The University of Manchester and Lancaster shows maintaining healthy soil biodiversity can play a key role in optimising land management programmes. The study found consistent links between soil organisms and ecosystem functioning on a large scale, across European countries.
A new computer model developed by a UCI-led team accurately accounts for bacteria and fungi's impact on soil carbon, leading to more reliable forecasts. The model suggests two novel scenarios: soil accumulating or releasing carbon due to microbial growth changes with temperature.
Researchers discovered that soil microbial biomass and fungal activity increased as the soil aged, with correlations between microbial respiration and soil nitrogen content indicating a community-wide influence on the environment. Yellow mountain avens, which support nitrogen fixation, took 40 years to impact soil microbial biomass.
A new study reveals that changing crop species massively alters the content of microbes in the soil, helping plants acquire nutrients and regulate growth. Soil grown with peas was highly enriched for fungi, while oat and pea cultivation shifted the balance towards protozoa and nematode worms.
A Dartmouth-led study finds that logging can release large amounts of carbon stored in deep forest soils, potentially offsetting the benefits of using wood for energy. The research suggests that increased reliance on forest biomass may actually increase atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.
Researchers compared nutrient and sediment loss from no-till, conventional tillage, and reduced-input rotation watersheds, finding that no-till reduces soil erosion but may increase dissolved phosphorus. Reduced-input rotations strike a balance between conventional tillage and no-till, but led to higher levels of soil loss.
A recent study published in Nature found that the Arctic tundra's carbon storage has remained relatively stable despite two decades of slow and steady warming. The researchers attributed this unexpected resilience to increased plant growth and changing soil conditions, which facilitated stabilizing feedbacks to offset soil carbon loss.
A recent study found that fertilizers with inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus increase soil organic carbon stocks, but do not enhance soil aggregate stability. Researchers tested continuous corn plots under conventional tillage and high water inputs for 50 years, revealing a mixed picture of fertilizer benefits.
A new study found that large, hot fires do not necessarily lead to scorched soil. Instead, the soil temperature is affected by factors such as fire speed, heat travel direction, and landscape moisture content. This counterintuitive result could help forest managers plan controlled burns more effectively.
Research finds that a significant proportion of black carbon in soil dissolves into rivers and flows to the ocean, undermining efforts to use soil as a carbon sink. The study estimated that 27 million tons of black carbon flow from rivers to oceans annually.
New research found that planting trees on non-forested lands significantly increases soil carbon levels. This effect is most pronounced after surface mining and industrial processes have been terminated, leading to doubling of soil carbon within two decades.
A study in Montana found that grazing sheep during fallow seasons can improve soil chemistry, increasing calcium, sulfur, and electrical conductivity. Grazing also had no negative effects on soil organic matter and crop yields, with the sheep returning phosphorus and potassium to the soil through their feces and urine.
Researchers found that simple measures of labile soil organic matter, such as nitrogen mineralization and carbon mineralization, can predict corn performance. These inexpensive tests reflect long-term management and short-term seasonal changes.
A new protocol has been developed to measure soil organic carbon sequestration more accurately. The protocol considers the impact of tillage practices on soil organic carbon storage and loss over time.
Researchers from Oklahoma State University created a reliable 'calendar' of seasonal drought patterns that can help farmers avoid costly losses to drought conditions. By considering soil properties and water deficits, the study found that traditional atmospheric measurements underestimated drought probabilities.
The loss of hemlock trees due to exotic pests and pathogens has an unexpected benefit: it allows hardwood species to thrive by releasing phosphorus into the soil. However, this shift also leads to increased nitrogen leaching from the soil, which can harm aquatic organisms.
Researchers found that 40% of microbial biomass is converted to organic soil components, contradicting the long-held view that plant material is the primary source. The study discovered that bacterial cell wall fragments contribute significantly to soil fertility and carbon storage.
Researchers have discovered a soil bacterium that degrades the common veterinary antibiotic sulfamethazine and uses it for growth. This finding challenges existing theories on antibiotic resistance and suggests that soil bacteria may be capable of breaking down antibiotics more rapidly, potentially reducing their impacts.
Soil respiration in China varies significantly across regions, with the highest rates found in southeastern China and lowest in northwestern China. Precipitation and temperature also play a crucial role in controlling soil respiration, with increasing variability expected under warming scenarios.
A CU-led effort is transplanting biological soil crusts onto damaged military lands in the American West. The goal is to decrease erosion and increase water retention and soil fertility in these areas. The research team will evaluate the effectiveness of such soil inoculations and determine the optimal dosage for field test sites.
A team of researchers used advanced soil analysis to uncover evidence of ancient Maya maize production in lowland areas, but also found signs of erosion in steeper soils. This study demonstrates the power of modern soil science in understanding past civilizations' treatment of the land and its impact on food security.
Scientists will investigate connections between soil microorganisms and the carbon cycle, with potential implications for global warming. The project aims to understand how changes in soil carbon levels trigger chain reactions that convert stable carbon into atmospheric CO2.
Researchers found that alfalfa growth stops when soil copper sulfate levels exceed 500 ppm and beneficial bacterial activity declines above 50 ppm. Crops irrigated with cattle footbath wastewater can accumulate plant-available copper levels up to 63 ppm, posing potential harm to grazing livestock.
The Soil Science Society of America has announced its 2012 class of fellows, comprising 26 soil scientists from around the world. These distinguished professionals have made significant contributions to the field of soil science through their research, teaching, and extension work.
Researchers found at least seven shared antibiotic-resistance genes between soil bacteria and disease-causing pathogens, suggesting recent gene transfers. The discovery highlights the potential for environmental bacteria to contribute to human health risks.
Underground organisms like arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi play a dual role in soil carbon sequestration, both storing and releasing carbon as atmospheric carbon levels rise. The study challenges assumptions about their protective effects on organic carbon.
Agricultural Research Service scientist David Huggins found that standing crop residues on no-till farms increase snow cover uniformity, leading to more uniform soil water distribution and higher soil water recharge rates. This can result in increased winter wheat yield potential by up to 13 bushels per acre.
The Soil Science Society of America announced its 2012 award recipients, honoring their research and service in the field. The awards recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to soil science, including Susan Brantley, Daniel Hillel, Pedro Sanchez, and Johannes Lehmann.
Researchers at ORNL have developed a new carbon cycling model that accounts for microbes' role in releasing CO2 from the ground, improving scientists' understanding of future climate change. The MEND model simulates carbon cycle processes and estimates parameters based on comprehensive literature review.
A Purdue University study found that soil microbes can affect how glyphosate affects plants, potentially making resistant weeds more resistant to disease pressure. This discovery challenges existing understanding of glyphosate resistance and highlights the importance of considering soil microbes in weed management.
Deep cracks in soil can remain open underground even after they have visibly sealed on the surface, a new study has found. This persistence of cracks affects the flow of water and nutrients through the soil, leading to reduced crop productivity.
A new study reveals that wind erosion can carry away beneficial microbes from soil, reducing microbial diversity and depleting topsoil of essential bacteria. However, certain groups of microbes, such as Actinobacteria, remain in the parent soil despite erosive conditions.
Researchers found genetically modified Bt corn has lower colonization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal roots compared to non-Bt corn, but no impact on root biomass or shoot growth. This study contributes to understanding the effects of GM crops on non-target soil organisms and highlights the need for further research.
Soil arsenic levels and cancer rates have been linked by researchers, highlighting the need for recorded monitoring of environmental sources. Ongoing exposure to arsenic in soil is thought to contribute to childhood cancers in the Goldfields region of Victoria.
A 12-year experiment found increased soil carbon storage under elevated carbon dioxide concentrations, with deeper soil showing even greater gains. The study suggests that processes such as root dynamics and microbial decomposition contribute to this effect.
A four-year Iowa State University study on cover crops between corn rows reveals higher yields and improved soil health. The study shows that planting living mulch, or ground cover, can maintain soil moisture, slow erosion, and sequester carbon.
Researchers analyzed Martian soil samples and found no microscopic clay particles, suggesting the soil has had a very arid history. The team estimated that liquid water on Mars was present for at most 5,000 years since its formation, making it unlikely for life to maintain a foothold on the surface.
Researchers develop a new method to reduce erosion in areas ravaged by forest fires using an organic polymer. The treatment, tested on burnt soils in Israel, shows promise in reducing erosion by up to 50%.
Research by University of Warwick finds that changes in soil temperature trigger sensitivity to plant hormones in seeds, altering dormancy depth. This regulation can help predict the impact of climate change on native flora and crop competition.
Researchers analyzed soils in Cedar Rapids for industrial pollutants like PCBs and chlordanes, finding levels similar to other urban/industrial sites globally. The study highlights the need for caution regarding contaminated soil as a source of exposure to persistent organic pollutants.
Researchers at the USDA's Agricultural Research Service found that biochars produced from switchgrass and hardwoods increased soil moisture storage in sandy soils. The study also showed that biochars can extend the window of soil water availability for crops by 1-3 days.
Researchers are developing a new approach to predict water uptake by roots in soils using X-ray scanning and mathematical modelling. This will help understand how different wheat root architectures affect water movement and crop growth.
A study published in Nature suggests that soil environment, not molecular structure, determines the degradation rate of humus, a key factor in the global carbon cycle. The researchers propose new experiments and models to improve forecasting of soils' response to climate changes.
Researchers found significant soil carbon sequestration under Miscanthus on former tilled land and grasslands after two years of planting. This study suggests that Miscanthus can help limit the release of greenhouse gases without adding to the carbon debt.
Soil nitrogen can remove pollutants from the atmosphere by forming hydroxyl radicals, which oxidize and wash out pollutants. The amount of nitrous acid released depends on soil acidity and water content.
A new study reveals that enhanced tree growth in tropical forests can stimulate soil micro-organisms, leading to the release of stored soil carbon. Researchers found that extra litterfall triggers a process called priming, which stimulates the decomposition of carbon stored in the soil.
Researchers have cultured and identified a new type of fungus, Archaeorhizomycetes finlayi, found in soil for millions of years. The fungus, which is slow-growing and produces spores only in soil, may play a role in breaking down dead plants.
Researchers at Iowa State University discovered that a perennial cover crop can be used on corn fields to achieve similar yields to traditional farming methods while also improving soil quality and reducing erosion. The study found that using Kentucky bluegrass as the perennial cover crop resulted in yields of over 200 bushels per acre.
Researchers at USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have created a unique fingerprinting method to identify the source of soil, distinguishing between soils from rural roads and agricultural fields. This innovation has significant implications for managing wind erosion and promoting sustainable agriculture.