Protists: The Soil Ecosystem’s Unsung Heroes
A new study highlights the lesser-known protists as champions of soil health and resilience.
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Soil
Managing soil carbon for short and long-term benefits: Have we cracked the code?
Increasing carbon in soils has potential to help fight climate change and support crop growth, but researchers are still figuring out if and how we can do both at the same time. Read on to find out if they’ve discovered a solution!
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The secret’s in the soil: Can soil organic matter protect crops from drought?
Global climate change means that droughts are becoming more frequent and intense in many agricultural areas. Recent evidence suggests that the secret to protecting crops against drought may lie beneath our feet – read on to learn more about how farmers can manage their soil as a way to help protect their crops against droughts!
Read MoreFrom Food Waste to Roadways: Using Compost to Improve Soil Conditions and Tree Success Along Highways
Planting trees along highway roadsides is a good way to increase tree coverage in cities, but getting trees to grow here and maintaining these plantings over time can be difficult. Reducing soil compaction and adding organic material, such as compost, can improve roadside soils and support tree growth in these areas. A 5-year study in Ontario recently found that loosening up the soil and mixing in 10-25% food waste compost relative to soil can help improve tree growth along roadsides, possibly reducing the need to follow up and maintain these trees over time.
Read MoreLegacies of human impacts linger in longleaf pine
Historically humans have tilled the land for agriculture. Now, in the longleaf pine forests in the Southeastern United States, many are working to restore the land. Restoration is used to bring back the pre-agriculture plant communities but how do these interventions change the soil microbes?
Read MoreA Matter of Mulch: Restoring Post-Fire Pine Forests in the Western United States
Following severe fires, forest soils can erode, depositing sediment into nearby waterways after it rains and threatening local water quality as a result. Mulch is often used to reduce soil erosion in forests following wildfire. Following the High Park Fire in Colorado, scientists tested several types of mulch to determine which was most effective. Thanks to this study, we now know that wood mulch is better than wheat-straw mulch at promoting the return of pine trees and excluding non-native species from taking over, while also stabilizing the soil, probably because wood mulch persists longer and holds more moisture.
Read MoreThe Forest-Fungi Loop
The ground under our feet might have more say in the landscape than we realize– researchers are studying the feedback loops between fungi and trees.
Read MoreKeeping carbon in the ground
A new long-term study shows that switching to no-till practices may help restore cropland soils to pre-disturbance conditions, letting farmers join the fight against climate change.
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