Articles tagged with Soil Science
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.
A Yale-led team developed a new process for removing PFAS from agricultural land at a fraction of the current remediation costs. The approach involves spreading crushed rock, which accelerates PFOS removal via plant growth, followed by biochar generation to destroy both PFAS chemicals.
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.
Researchers at Lancaster University have discovered nanoplastics in remote soils of Antarctica, raising concerns about plastic pollution's global reach. The finding highlights the urgent need for reduced plastic emissions and improved waste management practices.
A global review of 411 studies found that river sand and gravel mining is removing sand faster than it can be replenished, threatening rivers, infrastructure, and communities. The study recommends better tracking, measurement, and regulation to manage extraction and protect the environment.
A new study in Nature Communications reveals a hidden source of antibiotic resistance in Australian soil. The mcr-12 gene was found in contaminated freshwater sediment and provides bacteria with resistance to polymyxin, a critical last line antibiotic.
The report provides an ecological characterisation of two contrasting habitat groups: inland peat-forming wetlands and coastal lagoons. Hydrology is identified as the dominant control on ecosystem functioning, with a persistently high water table sustaining anoxic conditions in peatlands.
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.
Researchers found that chitosan-functionalized biochar reduced plant-available arsenic by 21.1% and lowered arsenic concentrations in rice grains by 43.1%. The modified biochar continued to reduce arsenic accumulation after six months of natural aging, supporting healthier root development.
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.
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.
Understanding plant microbiome interactions could transform crop production and improve sustainability. Researchers are exploring how plants shape their microbial partners to acquire nutrients, defend against disease, and respond to environmental stresses.
Researchers develop a comprehensive framework to predict drilling instability in backfilled ground, considering strength differences and asymmetry. The proposed design criterion aims to reduce inclined drilling deviations by at least 10 millimeters per meter of depth.
Researchers found that variable-rate seeding (VRS) can help farmers strike a better balance in corn and soybean fields. However, soybeans proved to be more complicated due to their adaptability to weather conditions. The study aims to make farming more accessible and efficient for small land holders using digital tools and data-driven ...
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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 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 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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 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 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 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...
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 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.
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.
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.
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 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.