Category: soil

‘The Science Is What Sets Us Apart’: How the Rodale Institute Has Spent 77 Years Innovating Regenerative Organic Agriculture

Founded in 1947 by J.I. Rodale, Rodale Institute is a nonprofit dedicated to helping the regenerative organic agriculture movement grow through research, education and farmer training. In his study of regenerative organic farming, Rodale — who came up with the term “organic” — studied Indigenous agricultural practices, including those of communities like the long-lived Hunza […]

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Unexpectedly Deep Plant Roots Raise New Questions About Carbon Storage in Soils: Study

Trees and plants develop vast root networks that extend into the earth to draw water and nutrients from the soil. But how deep do they go? Until now, scientists thought these roots declined as they moved deeper underground. But new research has found that many plants develop another deeper root layer — often over three […]

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Scientists Develop Lower-Carbon Cement Alternative From Recycled Glass and Construction Waste

In a new study, scientists have found a way to turn industrial waste, such as recycled glass and construction waste, into a soil solidifier that is cement-free. By cutting out the cement, the material serves as a lower-carbon material for green construction. According to the UN Environment Programme, the built environment and construction sectors make […]

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Agricultural Soil Can Contain Microplastics at 23x Higher Concentrations Than What Oceans Hold, Study Says

In a new study, scientists have found that soil used for growing crops can contain up to 23 times more microplastics than the concentration found in oceans. In the comprehensive study, published in the journal Environmental Sciences Europe, the study authors set out to explore 1) sources of microplastics in soil, 2) how the microplastics […]

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Mapping of England’s Peatlands Finds 80% Have Become Degraded

Scientists have now comprehensively mapped peatlands in England, and their work has revealed that 80% of the country’s peatlands and peat soils have become dry or degraded. Using a combination of satellite imagery and AI technology along with data analysis of existing and new field data, scientists developed a map of peaty soils known as […]

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Farms Fare Better With Less Intensive Soil Management, Study Finds

The less intensely farmers fuss with soil, the better off that soil could be, according to a new study on soil management practices across the Netherlands. In the study, published in the journal Science, a team led by researchers from the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) analyzed soil management practices and biota at 53 farm […]

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Could Microbes Help Fight Climate Change?

As human-caused climate change continues threatening the way of life for virtually every species on Earth, what if one group of organisms right under (and inside of) our noses could help reverse climate change? That’s what a recent report from the American Society of Microbiology (ASM) and the International Union of Microbiological Societies (IUMS) argues. […]

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Roughly One-Sixth of Croplands Globally Polluted With Toxic Heavy Metals, Researchers Say

Roughly one-sixth of croplands globally — 14 to 17 percent, or approximately 598 million acres — are contaminated by one or more toxic heavy metals like arsenic, cobalt, cadmium, copper, lead and nickel at levels exceeding human health and agricultural safety thresholds, a new study has found. Heavy metals are elements that come from both […]

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