Scientists at Technical University of Munich create constructed soils by mixing excavated soil with compost and biochar, resulting in improved fertility and carbon accrual. These new urban soils can be tailored to specific use cases, such as protecting groundwater or enhancing plant growth in green areas.
Engineered biochar shows promise in boosting crop yields, suppressing soil-borne diseases, and remediating contaminated land. Purpose-specific design is essential for optimal performance.
A study found that biodegradable plastic films increase the formation of smaller, thinner film-like fragments in soil microorganisms, promoting efficient degradation and altering microbial community composition. Microbial gene sequencing revealed changes in functional genes and genus distributions related to polymers' degradation.
A study published in Environmental and Biogeochemical Processes reveals that soil warming during heatwaves does not lead to an increase in arsenic levels in rice grains. Rice physiology and seasonal factors play a bigger role than previously thought in determining the risks of food safety under climate extremes.
A five year field study shows biochar can boost sugarcane growth while reshaping soil life around the roots and reducing carbon dioxide emissions from the field for years without additional fertilization. The treatment improved soil fertility, nutrient use efficiency and beneficial bacterial groups in the rhizosphere.
Researchers found that adding biochar with beneficial microorganisms like Trichoderma significantly reduced cadmium stress in crops while improving soil health. The combination restored photosynthetic capacity, biomass production, and enzyme activity, making it a promising solution for sustainable agriculture and soil remediation.
Researchers found that fungal denitrification dominates soil N2O emissions after vegetation restoration in the Karst region, with higher sand content and acidic environment favoring fungal growth. This unique 'cross-scale' survival strategy gives fungi a competitive advantage over bacteria in coarse-textured soils.
A new deep learning method uses YOLOv8 to automate Collembola identification, reducing identification time from hours to seconds. This innovation enables ecologists and policymakers to make data-driven decisions on soil management, while opening doors for studying other cryptic soil fauna.
A new international study discovers that combining biochar with straw can reduce carbon emissions, boost soil health, and encourage microbes to work together. The research bridges Moscow and Guangzhou, delivering one of the clearest pictures yet of how organic amendments shape the hidden world beneath our feet.
A study found that warming and increased precipitation weaken soil multifunctionality in semiarid grasslands by intensifying competition between bacteria and fungi. The researchers' findings showed a decline in microbial diversity, changes in fungal community structure, and reduced network complexity.
A study reveals that livestock grazing leads to an increase in soil bacterial diversity despite altering soil properties, while disrupting the competitive hierarchy of fungi. The researchers found that grazing suppresses dominant fungal phylum Basidiomycota, releasing subordinate microbial groups.
Research in Chile's national parks shows that wildfires significantly alter soil structure and nutrient cycles, affecting ecosystem resilience. Humid temperate forests recover faster than mediterranean woodlands due to fire-adapted trees and higher rainfall.
Researchers found that soil priming intensity peaks in the early stage and declines later, with different mechanisms driving each phase. Nitrogen addition had no effect on carbon-induced priming intensity, but did suppress microbial biomass and SOC mineralization.
A 27-year field study reveals protists' crucial role in forming soil organic carbon through differential control of fungal and bacterial necromass. Protists suppress fungal necromass while enhancing bacterial necromass, with soil total nitrogen impacting bacterial persistence.
A new study reveals that maize roots can absorb CO2 from the soil atmosphere, contributing to plant biomass and challenging traditional views on carbon balances in croplands. The root system plays an active role in regulating carbon flows between soil, plants, and the atmosphere.
New research reveals biochar's impact on autotrophic soil microbes that fix carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle. In paddy soils, these microbes are active capturing carbon dioxide, while in upland soils, microbial biomass and labile carbon pools play a larger role.
Research reveals beech trees adjust roots to short-term changes in soil moisture, improving drought readiness and survival in fluctuating environments. Fine root traits vary more in upper 10 cm of soil due to nutrient availability.
Heavy metals in soil can overestimate real risk to crops, ecosystems, and human health due to low bioavailability. A new review provides a practical framework using tools such as chemical extractants, biological assays, and models to estimate the accessible fraction of metals.
A new study found that iron fortified hemp biochar can significantly cut the amount of 'forever chemicals' that move from contaminated soil into edible radish bulbs. The treatment lowered PFAS levels in radish tissues and reduced overall plant uptake compared to unamended soil.
A new study found that acid rain can destabilize soil microbiomes, making it easier for disease-causing microbes like E. coli O157:H7 to invade and persist. The researchers discovered that acid rain accelerates the evolution of high-risk pathogens, which can lead to severe foodborne illness and increased mortality rates in animals.
Researchers discovered that plants respond to compacted soil by thickening their roots and changing their structure, allowing them to penetrate harder. This mechanism is similar to basic engineering principles, such as a pipe's diameter and outer wall strength affecting its ability to resist buckling.
The Soils for Europe conference in 2026 will bring together experts to discuss soil health and sustainability in Europe. The event aims to bridge the gap between science, policy and societal action, and features a range of sessions and activities focused on the latest research and innovations.
The SOLO project has identified key knowledge gaps for improving EU soil health by 2030. The study highlights the need for research and innovation to address these gaps, with a focus on bottlenecks and drivers of current approaches. The project aims to support the transition towards healthier soils by proposing novel approaches.
A new study found that the rate of organic carbon decomposition in soil samples collected across the US differed by up to tenfold, with factors like fungi and iron levels strongly associated with variation. This could improve the accuracy of soil carbon feedback estimates in climate models, leading to more refined projections.
Researchers have developed a new hybrid model that combines physical radiative transfer equations with neural networks to accurately retrieve soil moisture across China. The model achieved outstanding accuracy and generalization at a 1-km resolution, providing a powerful approach for global hydrological and climatic monitoring.
A comprehensive Hungarian study reveals that pharmaceutical residues in soil are shaped by interacting processes, including root exudates, organic matter, and temperature. Organic acids can enhance sorption of certain residues, while temperature influences energetic relationships between soil and molecules.
A Chinese research team found that earthworms reduce adverse effects of microplastics on plant growth by promoting soil nutrient cycling, improving microbial communities, and regulating plant gene expression. Earthworms upregulate genes involved in protein synthesis, nutrient accumulation, and energy metabolism, enhancing plant resista...
A novel technique using BONCAT revealed that microbial activity matters more than abundance in determining which microbes colonize plant roots. Active microbes were 10 times higher inside the plant than nearby soil, suggesting proximity to plant roots may help them become active.
Researchers found that combining organic manure with synthetic fertilizer increases soil organic carbon and total nitrogen, leading to better fertility and improved crop performance. The integrated approach also produced lower nitrous oxide emissions by stimulating microbes that can break down N2O.
Researchers found that carefully managed applications of woody biochar significantly improved soil quality, crop yield, and carbon balance in red pepper fields. Optimal biochar application levels ranged from 7 to 11 metric tons per hectare when crop residues were removed after harvest.
Researchers develop a refined retrieval algorithm that leverages Diurnal Amplitude Variation in L-band brightness temperature to capture soil FT dynamics more precisely. The enhanced approach demonstrates stronger consistency with ERA5-Land and SMAP data.
Sugarcane intercropping improves soil health by breaking up compacted soil, enhancing nutrient use, and promoting microbial diversity. Practical cases in southern China show expanded applications with legumes, maize, vegetables, and green manure crops, improving land use efficiency and organic matter content.
Researchers found that biochar improves soil health by increasing microbial diversity, capturing carbon, and enhancing nutrient cycling. Biochar acts as a long-lasting carbon sink, storing carbon for hundreds to thousands of years.
Researchers found that biochar can dramatically reduce erosion by 45% and improve soil's ability to store water, even under intense rainstorms. Biochar also improved soil structure and increased infiltration, making vineyard soils more resilient to extreme weather.
A new study found that combining reduced nitrogen fertilizer with nitrogen-fortified nanobiochar enhances soil properties and crop performance in nitrogen-deficient soils. The treatment increased soil moisture, infiltration rate, and aggregate stability by up to 42 percent compared to conventional fertilization.
Researchers found that certain soil minerals can trap dissolved organic matter released from biochar, keeping more carbon in the soil. Low-intensity rainfall helps retain this dissolved carbon within mineral-rich soils, limiting its downward movement and loss.
A study by Pusan National University researchers found that soil properties control arsenic behavior and toxicity, with mobile fractions posing a stronger threat to juvenile springtails. The findings support targeted ecosystem management and remediation strategies to protect ecosystems from arsenic contamination.
A decade-long field study reveals that biochar improves soil structure, fertility, and microbial activity, leading to higher soybean yields. Biochar also reshapes soil microbial communities, promoting beneficial groups and suppressing potential pathogens.
Researchers found that soil viruses selectively infect denitrifying microbes, reducing nitrous oxide emissions by up to 20%. The study suggests viral regulation as a potential method for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture. Viruses may play a critical role in supporting sustainable food production and protecting the planet.
A new type of biochar, phosphorus/iron-doped biochar, has been developed to address both problems at once—immobilizing toxic cadmium in soil while helping trap carbon. The study found that it significantly reduced cadmium mobility and improved carbon retention in the soil.
Current methods for measuring soil carbon sequestration are limited by small-plot experiments that lack external validity, making it difficult to generalize findings to diverse farms and climates. Collecting large-scale data at the scale of commercial agriculture is necessary to validate models and underpin trustworthy carbon markets.
Biochar enhances soil life and locks away carbon for decades, even centuries. The study found that biochar works better in red soils, where its alkaline nature helps fight acidification and teams up with iron to lock in carbon.
A long-term study in Northeast China's fertile black soils found that biochar improves soil health, stabilizes microbial communities, and increases crop yields when applied at the right rate. The optimal application rate enhances microbial stability and organic matter content, leading to better yields.
A study reveals that warming temperatures alone do not lead to increased carbon dioxide emissions from soil. Instead, adding more carbon and nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus triggers higher CO2 levels released from the soil. This finding highlights the crucial role of microbes in regulating soil carbon cycling.
Researchers are analyzing leaf and soil samples from diverse areas to determine beneficial or harmful roles of different microbes. The study aims to improve crop production practices and overall yield by assessing the health of soil rhizosphere.
Researchers found that combining arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi with biochar can reshape soil microbiomes, reduce cadmium uptake, and improve plant growth. The treatment resulted in up to 320% greater shoot biomass compared to untreated controls.
The NISAR mission's multi-scale algorithm retrieves soil moisture at resolutions as fine as 100 meters, improving agricultural productivity and water resource management. Validation results show the algorithm met accuracy goals, with a root mean square error of less than 0.06 m³/m³.
The review proposes a working definition of regenerative agriculture centered on ecological cycles and farm system outcomes, emphasizing observable outcomes such as improved soil function and resilience. Regenerative practices like cover cropping and biological inputs tap into biological processes to rebuild the 'soil food web' and res...
Maize in densely planted plots releases linalool, which triggers roots of neighbors to release compounds altering soil bacteria composition. This plant-soil communication helps plants defend against increased pest risk.
Researchers found biochar improved soil's ability to hold nutrients and moisture, giving cotton plants better growth conditions. Biochar also helps improve water quality by keeping nitrates in the soil and out of groundwater.
Research found that high-elevation tropical forests in the Colombian Andes store significant amounts of pyrogenic carbon (PyC) due to past fires. The study analyzed soil samples from different elevations and land-use types, revealing PyC stocks nine to ten times higher in High Andean forests than in warmer regions.
A new method harnessing CYGNSS significantly improves soil moisture retrieval by eliminating vegetation interference and removing dependency on external datasets. The technique enables standalone, high-frequency monitoring of soil moisture, offering a transformative tool for climate research, agriculture, and disaster management.
Researchers found that changes in pH levels result in three distinct metabolic states of the community, driven by indigenous biomass activity and nutrient availability. The simple model predicts the activity with just two parameters, offering insights into how soil microbiomes adapt to climate change.
Research on oxo-degradable plastics reveals they have a limited degradation efficiency in soil, causing significant changes in soil quality and corn growth. Microplastics exhibit more pronounced effects than macroplastics, altering soil structure and chemical environment.
A three-year study found that biodegradable plastic mulch films increased crop yields by 43%–46%, while maintaining stable soil organic matter content. The 'mini-greenhouse effect' created by the mulch film accelerated nutrient mineralization and reduced moisture evaporation, creating an ideal microenvironment for crop growth.
Researchers discovered that oak trees adjust their root systems to access more soil nutrients under elevated CO2, employing both 'do it yourself' and 'outsourcing' strategies. This adaptation enables the trees to optimize growth and maintain nutrient supplies.
Researchers found that agro-pastoral activities increased soil erosion rates 4-10 times faster than natural formation over 3,800 years. The study reveals the degradation of high-altitude soil first, followed by medium- and low-altitude soils with agricultural development.
Researchers developed an AI-powered microscope system to measure soil fungi presence and quantity, providing insights into soil health and fertility. The low-cost optical microscopy with machine learning technology can be used by farmers and land managers worldwide.
A new study reveals that abandoned termite mounds serve as microhabitats for a wide range of insects and other invertebrates in Bornean tropical rainforest. The team found five to nine times higher abundance of insects in unoccupied mounds compared to surrounding soil, with ants being the most commonly found insect group.
Researchers developed an AI model using FELA and machine learning techniques to assess uplift resistance in cohesive-frictional soils. The model identified embedment depth ratio, load inclination angle, and soil strength ratios as key factors affecting pipeline stability.