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Soil carbon stock decreases in forests dominated by arbuscular-mycorrhizal fungi and increases in those where ectomycorrhizal species dominate. Photo: Nicolas Raymond CC BY 2.0 DEED Attribution 2.0 GenericPhoto: Nicolas Raymond CC BY 2.0 DEED Attribution 2.0 Generic

This is how fungi regulate the carbon cycle in forests

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Chinese research highlights how different categories of mycorrhizal fungi record different nutrient uptake while impacting biomass and soil carbon
Soil conservation maximizes the potential of agriculture while limiting emissions. Photo: Matthias Ripp CC BY 2.0 DEED Attribution 2.0 GenericPhoto: Matthias Ripp CC BY 2.0 DEED Attribution 2.0 Generic

“Soil care is crucial to ensure food security”, WEF says

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To meet growing food demand while capturing proper volumes of greenhouse gases, soil health must be a priority, says the World Economic Forum. Precision agriculture is essential
A spreader unloads crushed metabasalt rock on a fallowed corn field in the Central Valley. Photo: Amy Quinton/ UC Davis, for media useAmy Quinton/ UC Davis, for media use

Crushed volcanic rock helps soil capture carbon

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A new study highlights the effectiveness of rock dust in aiding the process. Even under severe drought conditions
There are still nearly 377 million acres of intact grasslands in the Great Plains of North America. Photo: Ammchale CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 InternationalAmmchale CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International

Canada and U.S. have lost 130,000 km2 of grasslands in ten years

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According to WWF's latest study, in the past year, grasslands have ceded nearly 6,500 km2 of soil to conversion. With obvious consequences for carbon release
The NISAR satellite will enable the collection of important data on forests using a radar system. Photo: NASA Public DomainPhoto: NASA Public Domain

A radar signal from space is going to show the state of the forests

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Starting in 2024, a new space project will remotely analyze Earth's forests and soil. The initiative involves NASA and the Indian space agency ISRO
Plant diversity assessment at a survey site in the prairies of the northwestern United States. Photo: Mary Ellyn DuPre / Press release (May be published without charge in articles about this press release.Mary Ellyn DuPre / Press release (May be published without charge in articles about this press release.

Declining biodiversity reduces carbon sequestration in grasslands

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A Swedish study shows that the soil carbon content of global grasslands increases with plant diversity and that this relationship is particularly strong in warm, arid climates
Rain causes a reset of the soil ecosystem, triggering the activity of bacteria and viruses. Photo: 2140261AishwaryaShinde CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International2140261AishwaryaShinde CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International

New insights into the relationship between viruses and soil bacteria

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According to UC Davis researchers, soil viruses appear to act "like lawnmowers, culling older cells and giving space for new growth"
The term "permafrost" refers to the type of perennially frozen (but not necessarily ice-covered) soil found in some cold regions. Photo: NPS Climate Change Response CC BY 2.0 DEED https://www.flickr.com/photos/npsclimatechange/27759123542Photo: NPS Climate Change Response CC BY 2.0 DEED

Superficial permafrost could (almost) disappear by 2100

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By the end of the century, near-surface permafrost may exist only in the highlands of eastern Siberia, the High Arctic and northern Greenland. As was the case 3 million years ago
The influence exerted on the population composition of microorganisms comes from the ability of earthworms to influence soil structure, pH, nutrient availability and organic matter. Photo: benketaro Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)benketaro Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

Earthworms are changing Canadian forests

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Invasive species of earthworm affect microbial composition by altering overall soil conditions, Canadian research explains. Influencing nutrient and carbon cycling
Increasing urbanization results in the conversion of natural ecosystems into residential areas that incorporate green areas such as parks or lawns. Photo: Md. Nabial Haramian Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)Md. Nabial Haramian Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Urbanization promotes increasing emissions from the soil

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As a result of urbanization, soil nitrous oxide emissions increase 153%, according to a new study. At the same time, the ability to absorb methane is reduced