Articles tagged with Soil Science
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.
Colorado State University researchers propose strategies to immobilize toxic metals and prevent plant uptake in rice grains, protecting food security and public health. The approach aims to reduce arsenic, cadmium, and mercury contamination in rice paddies using nanomaterials and chemical reactions.
Researchers have discovered a previously unknown mechanism by which microbes boost plants' ability to survive in salty conditions. Pseudomonad bacteria stimulate the production of lignin, a tough substance found in plant cell walls, helping plants withstand environmental stress.
Researchers found that plants primarily absorbed simpler forms of nitrogen, while microbes preferred complex organic forms, allowing coexistence in nutrient-poor soils. Nitrogen cycling is dynamic, with microbes breaking down large molecules and influencing what becomes available to plants.
A new study shows that liquid biochar mineral complex fertilizers can substantially improve pasture yield, nutrient balance and farm-level economic returns. The nitrogen-enriched formulation delivered the strongest performance, increasing pasture yield by 42.20 t ha⁻¹.
A new process-based model predicts how biochar affects crop yields, soil carbon, and greenhouse gas emissions. The DLEM-Ag-Biochar model performed well against field observations, capturing patterns in agricultural systems across different environmental and management conditions.
A study found wide variation in contamination by lead and arsenic in soil and ash from California homes burned by the Eaton and Palisades wildfires. Cleanup efforts reduced concentrations of these contaminants, but the study highlights a need for technical review and more effective cleanup methods.
A new study reveals that thiol-modified biochar can maintain long-term mercury immobilization in contaminated soils even when subjected to repeated drying and rewetting. The research found that TMB strongly reduced mercury mobility, lowered bioavailable mercury, and redistributed mercury into less available forms.
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.
A new study found that plants can reveal recent PFAS contamination linked to airborne deposition, suggesting direct exposure from the atmosphere rather than uptake through roots alone. The research suggests that vegetation can serve as a valuable tool for tracking emerging environmental contaminants and complement traditional soil-base...
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A new review highlights the potential of biochar-immobilized microbes (BIMs) to improve soil quality, increase crop yields, and remediate pollutants. BIMs have shown strong potential to support sustainable agriculture by enhancing nutrient cycling, root development, stress tolerance, and pathogen suppression.
A new global analysis suggests that biochar's ability to store carbon in agricultural soils may be overestimated due to increased carbon dioxide emissions from warming. The study found that warming significantly increased CO2 emissions from biochar-amended soils by an average of 77%, with effects strongest in croplands.
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.
A new study presents a greener way to make slow-release fertilizers that reduce nutrient loss and improve crop growth. The tea-based fertilizer, made with iron nanoparticles, biochar, and biodegradable materials, slows down nutrient release, retains soil moisture, and improves fertilizer efficiency.
A new study by UTEP researchers found that photovoltaic panels in Alamogordo, New Mexico, lose only 2-3% of their power output to dust accumulation, significantly lower than comparable desert regions worldwide. This suggests that the region's wind patterns and responsiveness to rain make it an ideal location for solar energy facilities.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Researchers argue that biochar's long-term carbon storage potential and its soil improvement benefits should not be conflated. The authors call for a 'designer biochar' approach, tailoring products to specific end uses rather than marketing them as universally beneficial.
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.
Couradeau will investigate how biocrust microbiomes adapt to thermal fluctuations, with implications for soil stability, fertility, and ecosystem services. Her research project includes novel components such as mesocosm experiments, global survey datasets, and citizen-science education.
A new study found that pairing biochar with beneficial Bacillus bacteria can improve phosphorus availability in soil, reshape the root-zone microbial community, and strengthen root architecture. This leads to increased fruit-cluster branching and a 23.53% increase in cherry tomato yield.
A new study found that excavated urban soils in South Korea emit measurable amounts of CO2 and CH4, highlighting a previously overlooked climate cost. Researchers suggest simple practices like soil capping and biochar amendment could be integrated into construction workflows to mitigate these emissions.
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.
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.
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...
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.
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.
A new study reveals that more than half of critical underground fungal species are less protected in conservation areas. These mycorrhizal fungi form networks that help plants absorb nutrients, making ecosystems more resilient to stress and climate change.
A pilot study discovered over 100 different algae species in German farmland, with blue-green and green algae prevalent during summer, and yellow-green algae during spring and autumn. The research highlights the importance of soil algae in maintaining soil health and fertility.
Researchers developed a new tool to track ancient climate from wetland sediments, revealing turbulent environmental past in the Mediterranean. People adapted creatively, developing new technologies and strategies, such as floodwater farming and herd animal management.
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.
A study by Ohio State University found that certain tree species, such as red maple and northern catalpa, are more resilient to heat and water stress. Urban forests can provide natural cooling, reducing summer electricity usage, but require careful management and investment in irrigation systems.
Researchers at UTEP found strong connections between Valley fever and extreme weather, wind, and airborne dust, with the disease risk anticipated based on environmental signals. The study identified seasonal patterns, with peak cases in summer months.
A four-decade long study found that even 'stable' carbon in forest soils can break down as temperatures rise, releasing more CO2. Microbial communities play a critical role in soil ecosystems and their changes can speed the loss of carbon from soils.
Researchers found that integrating a mix of shade trees improves soil health and plant physiology, leading to stronger plant growth and consistent early fruit development. Proper management through spacing, pruning, and natural mulch can also make cacao farms more resilient to climate stress.
Research in Amazonas reveals that small amounts of Amazonian dark earth can increase the height and diameter of two tree species by up to 55% and 88%, respectively. The study attributes this growth to the reorganization of beneficial microorganisms around plant roots.
A new study led by Prof. YAN Xiaoyuan finds that most nitrogen gas emissions from rice paddies originate from soil organic nitrogen, rather than applied fertilizers. The researchers propose a novel mechanism to explain this phenomenon, suggesting that fertilizer activates soil nitrogen pools, indirectly driving larger nitrogen losses.
A new study uses a process-based model to predict biochar's effectiveness in various agricultural systems worldwide. The research highlights that biochar can improve soil health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but its benefits vary depending on climate, soil conditions, and management practices.
Researchers developed liquid biochar mineral complex fertilizers that significantly increase crop yields and improve nutrient efficiency. The nitrogen-enriched formulation delivered the strongest results, achieving positive nitrogen and phosphorus balances while reducing labor and cost.
Researchers found that thiol-modified biochar reduces mercury mobility by up to 80% in soils exposed to dry-wet cycles. The material promotes natural weathering processes, traps mercury in stable forms, and alters the soil microbial community, creating a resilient ecosystem.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.