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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
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
On hot days, tree cavities are on average 4°C cooler than the outside air. On cold nights, they retain more heat. Photo: Gareth James CC BY-SA 2.0 Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 GenericGareth James CC BY-SA 2.0 Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic

Tree cavities protect animals from extreme temperatures

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Analizzando dati raccolti in cinque continenti, i ricercatori dell’Università dell’Illinois hanno misurato la capacità delle cavità degli alberi di mitigare sia il caldo estremo sia il freddo. Offrendo riparo alla fauna
By examining the case of Lemnaceae, the study showed how root anatomy and metabolism select microorganisms that, in turn, can modify roots. Photo: Mokkie/Wikimedia Commons – CC BY-SA 3.0Mokkie/Wikimedia Commons – CC BY-SA 3.0

Dialogue with microorganisms reshapes roots and helps plants

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The University of Nottingham study: microbial colonisation can reshape roots and help plants cope with nutrient scarcity. A discovery that opens up new prospects for agriculture
A field of common millet in the Odessa Oblast, Ukraine. The crop reached Central Europe in the early 16th century BC, making it possible to cultivate land previously considered unsuitable for agriculture. Photo: Yuriy Kvach/Wikimedia Commons – CC BY-SA 4.0Yuriy Kvach/Wikimedia Commons – CC BY-SA 4.0

Resilient agriculture, a lesson from the Bronze Age

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In the Bronze Age, millet helped agriculture cope with climatic and demographic pressures. A story of diversification that still resonates today
Penn State University tested the use of multispectral imagery and machine learning to estimate pigment, carbon, and nitrogen content in the biocrusts of semi-arid ecosystems. Photo: Penn State. Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 Deed.Penn State. Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 Deed.

AI uses a pigment to reveal the condition of biocrusts

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For the first time, researchers have remotely measured the concentration of scytonemin, an indicator of the development and resilience of biocrusts in arid ecosystems

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