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Soil science

Soil science deals with soil as a natural resource on the surface of the earth including soil formation, classification and mapping; physical, chemical, biological, and fertility properties of soils per se; and these properties in relation to the use and management of soils.

Note: The above text is excerpted from the Wikipedia article "Soil science", which has been released under the GNU Free Documentation License.

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Ghosts of Past Pesticide Use Can Haunt Organic Farms for Decades

Mar. 3, 2021 — Although the use of pesticides in agriculture is increasing, some farms have transitioned to organic practices and avoid applying them. But it's uncertain whether chemicals applied to land ...

Plant Roots Fuel Tropical Soil Animal Communities

Mar. 7, 2023 — A research team has shed new light on the importance of plant roots for below-ground life, particularly in the tropics. Millions of small creatures toiling in a single hectare of soil including ...

We Need to Change How We Think About Soil

Aug. 2, 2022 — With record temperatures this summer along with dry conditions, ongoing concerns about food security, wildlife habitats and biodiversity, having a healthy soil system is more vital and challenging ...

Soil Microbiota Can Boost the Growth of Invasive Plant Species and Provide Defense Against Herbivores

Sep. 8, 2022 — Soil microbes can have a great impact on the spread of harmful invasive species as they can either hinder or facilitate the plant's growth. Researchers studied the role of soil microbiota in the ...

Grass Rings: How the Spinifex Got Its Hole

Apr. 7, 2021 — Researchers have long been curious about the striking growth form of spinifex and now scientists say soil microbes are the ...

Controlled Burning of Natural Environments Could Help Offset Our Carbon Emissions

Dec. 23, 2021 — Planting trees and suppressing wildfires do not necessarily maximize the carbon storage of natural ecosystems. A new study has found that prescribed burning can actually lock in or increase carbon in ...

Moisture the Key to Soils' Ability to Sequester Carbon, Research Shows

Feb. 13, 2023 — Soil is the Earth's second-biggest carbon storage locker after the ocean, and a research collaboration has shown that it's moisture, not temperature or mineral content, that's the key ...

No-Till Practices in Vulnerable Areas Significantly Reduce Soil Erosion

Jan. 12, 2021 — Soil erosion is a major challenge in agricultural production. It affects soil quality and carries nutrient sediments that pollute waterways. While soil erosion is a naturally occurring process, ...

Bacteria Help Plants Grow Better

Apr. 8, 2021 — A current study by scientists sheds light on an unusual interdependence: Maize can attract special soil bacteria that, in turn, help the plants to grow better. In the long term, the results could be ...

Increased Droughts Are Disrupting Carbon-Capturing Soil Microbes, Concerning Ecologists

Apr. 12, 2023 — Soil stores more carbon than plants and the atmosphere combined, and soil microbes are largely responsible for putting it there. However, the increasing frequency and severity of drought, such as ...

Plants & Animals News

December 3, 2023

Twin Research Indicates That a Vegan Diet Improves Cardiovascular Health

Nov. 30, 2023 — A recent trial of identical twins comparing vegan and omnivore diets found that a vegan diet improves overall cardiovascular ...

Brittle Stars Can Learn Just Fine -- Even Without a Brain

Nov. 29, 2023 — We humans are fixated on big brains as a proxy for smarts. But headless animals called brittle stars have no brains at all and still manage to learn through experience, new research reveals. These shy marine creatures have no brain to speak of -- ...

Evolution of Taste: Early Sharks Were Able to Perceive Bitter Substances

Nov. 13, 2023 — New genetic data show that humans and sharks share bitter taste receptors, even though their evolutionary pathways separated nearly 500 million years ...

Found at Last: Bizarre, Egg-Laying Mammal Finally Rediscovered After 60 Years

Nov. 9, 2023 — A long-beaked echidna named after Sir David Attenborough and last seen by scientists in 1961 has been photographed for the first time in an Indonesian tropical forest. An international team of ...

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The Waxy Surface Protecting Plants Might Hold the Key to Developing Stronger Crops

Nov. 30, 2023 — Researchers have discovered that the waxy protective barrier around plants might play a role in sending chemical signals to other plants and ...

Armed to the Hilt: Study Solves Mystery Behind Bacteria's Extensive Weaponry

Nov. 30, 2023 — A new study tackles the mystery of why bacteria often carry diverse ranges of weapons. The findings show that different weapons are best suited to ...

Public Gardens Contribute to Invasives Problem

Dec. 1, 2023 — Some nonnative plants cultivated in public gardens or arboretums are escaping to become invasive in wild ...

Unlocking the Secret Strength of Marine Mussels

Dec. 1, 2023 — How do you create strong, yet quick-release connections between living and non-living tissues? This is a question that continues to puzzle bioengineers who aim to create materials that bond together ...

How Does Neonatal Listeriosis Impact Children's Health?

Dec. 1, 2023 — Maternal-fetal listeriosis is a severe disease that can lead to miscarriage, premature birth or serious neonatal infection. But what are the long-term consequences of neonatal listeriosis on the ...

Pathogens Use Force to Breach Immune Defenses, Study Finds

Dec. 1, 2023 — New research has revealed a previously unknown process through which pathogens are able to defeat a cell's defense mechanisms with physical force. The discovery represents a potential game-changer in ...

Harnessing the Power of a Parasite That Can Stop Pain

Nov. 30, 2023 — For the first time, scientists have begun to figure out why the disfiguring skin lesions caused by cutaneous leishmaniasis don't ...

Researchers Have Taught an Algorithm to 'Taste'

Dec. 1, 2023 — Incorporating human tastes into artificial intelligence makes it easier for wine buyers thirsting for the right wine. Researchers have shown that AI can accurately predict individual wine ...

Study Identifies Key Algae Species Helping Soft Corals Survive Warming Oceans

Nov. 30, 2023 — During a two-year survey of soft corals in the Florida Keys, scientists identified three species of octocorals that have survived heat waves. ...

Genomic Study Sheds Light on How Carnivorous Asian Pitcher Plants Acquired Signature Insect Trap

Nov. 30, 2023 — Scientists sequenced the genome of the East Asian pitcher plant, Nepenthes gracilis, a species of carnivorous plant related to Venus flytraps, as ...