A logged area in British Columbia, Canada. Protecting the forest floor helps preserve soil carbon even after trees are harvested. Photo: Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0

Protecting the forest floor helps preserve soil carbon

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Preserving the forest floor helps retain soil carbon after logging. Removing it, a Canadian study explains, causes losses that persist for decades
Fish farming cages in Velfjorden, Norway. From sludge to fertilisers, from shells to compostable nets: aquaculture waste becomes a resource for agriculture. Photo: Thomas Bjørkan CC BY-SA 3.0Photo: Thomas Bjørkan CC BY-SA 3.0

From aquaculture to agriculture, waste recovery connects value chains

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From sea to farmland, recovering value from by-products opens up new opportunities for agriculture and other industries. But circularity, an EU report stresses, requires collaboration throughout the value chain
The regeneration of urban soils and the need to make agricultural systems more sustainable are two complementary actions for ensuring soil health. PHOTO: Re Soil FoundationRe Soil Foundation

States general for soil health: cities and agriculture depend on healthy soils

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The fifth edition of the event organised by Re Soil Foundation will take place on 5 November in Rimini, as part of Ecomondo. Discussions will focus on new soil protection policies, urban soil restoration and solutions to make agri-food systems more sustainable
Repurposing agricultural waste by transforming it into biopolymers and other biomaterials for use in farming is a viable solution to counter the excessive use of conventional plastics in agricultural soils. PHOTO: Siggy Nowak from Pixabay

Utilizing agricultural waste to reduce plastic in soils

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The European project SOUL has concluded its first year of activity. Seventeen partners are working to develop 11 innovative products, each composed of at least 95% renewable raw materials. Field trials are planned in five European countries
Mexico City is one of the cities most severely affected by land subsidence. PHOTOS: By Gobierno CDMX - HJ2A4913, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=115335826

Land subsidence: a global map reveals where the ground is sinking and why

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A study published in Nature Cities examines land subsidence in 465 cities across 107 countries. Often driven by excessive groundwater extraction, sinking land threatens buildings and infrastructure and increases vulnerability to flooding. But in some cities, subsidence is slowing down, showing that effective action is possible
Tundra and thaw lakes south of Utqiaġvik in northern Alaska. Soil is warming even at depth, with the fastest increases occurring in the Arctic region characterised by continuous permafrost. Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0

In Alaska, soil is warming faster in regions with continuous permafrost

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A study tracks permafrost temperatures from 1997 to 2023, providing new data to forecast thaw and plan infrastructure. Greater depth does not slow the warming trend
An agrivoltaic installation, different from the one examined in the study. During the construction of agrivoltaic systems, designated routes for machinery, temporary ground protection and working in dry conditions can help protect the soil. Photo: Tobi Kellner, CC BY-SA 4.0obi Kellner, CC BY-SA 4.0

For agrivoltaic systems, soil protection must begin during construction

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A German study finds severe soil compaction even in the areas available for cultivation between solar panels. Soil protection measures during construction are essential, particularly in sandy soils, which struggle to recover
Indigo-colored polluted water in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Removing synthetic dyes from industrial wastewater is complicated by the chemical stability of many of these substances. Photo: Oded Gilad, CC BY-SA 4.0Oded Gilad, CC BY-SA 4.0

Bulrush waste could help remove dyes from wastewater

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Researchers at Doshisha University in Japan have developed a new product that puts plant waste to use and removes dyes from water. A new opportunity for the circular bioeconomy
A study of high-altitude forests in Switzerland highlights the diminishing advantage of elevation in drought resilience and outlines how to strengthen the landscape’s natural defences. Photo: Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 4.0Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 4.0

Higher elevations offer less and less protection against drought in Swiss forests

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A study highlights the declining benefits of higher elevations for forest resilience. The protective function of forests could be at risk in the long term
Exposure to a fungicide promotes antibiotic resistance and, when combined with higher temperatures, reduces soil microbial activity and affects barley growth. Photo: Blonder1984, CC BY-SA 3.0Blonder1984, CC BY-SA 3.0

Fungicides and warming: a double pressure on soil microbes

Two studies from Trinity College Dublin link exposure to a fungicide to antibiotic resistance and show how exposure to the fungicide and higher temperatures together affect soil microbial activity and barley growth

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