Root-filled soils are hot spots of nutrient cycling and carbon storage. New research finds that the world has lost millions of cubic meters of rooted soil volume—and we’re on track to lose much more.
Critical Zone
Posted inNews
Groundwater May Fix as Much Carbon as Some Ocean Surface Waters
Microbes from wells as deep as 90 meters created organic carbon at a rate that overlaps with some nutrient-poor spots in the ocean.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Impact of Climate on River Chemistry Across the United States
Findings of a new study have implications for water quality, aquatic ecosystem health, and water treatment and management as the world warms.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Small Catchments Sustain Silicon Signatures Following Storms
Watersheds have unique patterns of silicon export due to differences in subsurface water routing and biogeochemical reactions.
Posted inNews
Biocrust “Probiotics” Can Aid Dryland Restoration Efforts
Bacteria can speed up the growth of biocrust-forming organisms in nurseries, providing more material for restoration of degraded dryland soil.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
New Theory Connects Tree Uprooting and Sediment Movement
Tree throw from extreme wind events plays an important role in the movement of sediment and erosion on forested hillslopes. A new theory offers a novel way to measure its impact.
Posted inEditors' Vox
Evaluating the Impact and Reach of Biogeochemical Cycles
A new book examines flow of the elements in the biosphere from biological drivers to human influences, and explores the analytical and computational methods used to access biogeochemical cycles.
Posted inScience Updates
A New Focus on the Neglected Carbonate Critical Zone
Studies of Earth’s critical zone have largely focused on areas underlain by silicate bedrock, leaving gaps in our understanding of widespread and vital carbonate-dominated landscapes.
Posted inEditors' Vox
The Future of Critical Zone Science: Call for Papers
Contributions are invited to a new cross-journal special collection that describe novel advances in critical zone research, with specific consideration for transferable and broadly applicable science.
Posted inNews
Turf’s Dirty Little Secret
Greenhouse gas emissions from sports fields may be scoring points for climate change.