A new study has spurred further research into the impacts of soil formation on modern-day problems like heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils.
agriculture
Posted inFeatures
The Nutrient-Rich Legacy in the Amazon’s Dark Earths
Fertile terra preta soils were created through centuries of carefully managed land use. Scientists are taking cues from these soils to better sequester carbon and improve soil for agriculture.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Coastal Aquaculture Can Reduce Nutrient Transport
High-resolution simulations of China’s Sanggou Bay show that suspended aquaculture alters hydrodynamics and weakens transport of nutrients to the area from offshore bottom water.
Posted inNews
Pollination Plummeted 31% in Polluted Fields
Air pollution levels below “safe” limits (and lower than those commonly found in cities) led to a significant decrease in pollination by 10 common insects.
Posted inNews
Satellite and on-the-Ground Data Help Monitor Groundwater in India
Village volunteers use remote sensing and manual measurement to help farmers use groundwater more efficiently.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
The Flowers that Bloom in the Spring (but Later)
Mismatch between the pace of climate change and crop phenology may signal a new challenge for climate change adaptation.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Modeling Mulch to Understand Agricultural Soil
A new model helps shed light on residue mulch, an important regulator of surface soil conditions.
Posted inNews
Ancient Eruptions Reveal Earliest Settlers on the Faroe Islands
Lake sediment is helping scientists resolve a decades-long historical mystery.
Posted inNews
Settlement of Rapa Nui May Have Been Doomed by a Dearth of Dust
Rapa Nui and Hawai‘i offer a tale of two island settlements: Hawai‘i was close enough to Asia for continental dust to help replenish soil nutrients depleted by agriculture. Rapa Nui wasn’t.
Posted inNews
Midwest Livestock Operations Linked to Rise in Ammonia Pollution
For the first time, scientists have linked high-density animal operations in the U.S. Midwest to rising air pollution from ammonia, suggesting need for increased regulation from the EPA.