Posts

An estimated 29 million American households are still exposed to dangerous levels of lead. Photo: Joe Mabel ATTRIBUTION-SHAREALIKE 3.0 UNPORTED CC BY-SA 3.0 DeedJoe Mabel ATTRIBUTION-SHAREALIKE 3.0 UNPORTED CC BY-SA 3.0 Deed

American soils are still contaminated with lead

,
For one in four households, the level of lead exposure exceeds the safety threshold set by the Environmental Protection Agency, an Indiana University study has found
Soil respiration, both autotrophic and heterotrophic, is a crucial component of the carbon cycle. Photo: Konstantinos Kourtidis Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)Konstantinos Kourtidis Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

How global warming affects soil respiration

,
A Chinese study makes a new contribution to the issue of soil respiration in the climate change context. Emissions are higher in deciduous forests where the heterotrophic respiration is less prevalent
Worldwide, saline and sodic soils detected at a depth of one metre extend over 833 million hectares. Photo: Rheins ATTRIBUTION 3.0 UNPORTED CC BY 3.0 DeedRheins ATTRIBUTION 3.0 UNPORTED CC BY 3.0 Deed

Saline and alkaline soils can also contribute effectively to agriculture

,
Although subject to fertility loss, saline soils represent an important agricultural reserve when treated with appropriate restoration techniques. A recent Chinese study examines them
Globally, scientists explained, wetlands are rich in biodiversity and provide various services including water supply for agricultural use and carbon storage. Photo: Kelly Fike/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region PUBLIC DOMAIN MARK 1.0 UNIVERSAL PDM 1.0 DeedPhoto: Kelly Fike/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region PUBLIC DOMAIN MARK 1.0 UNIVERSAL PDM 1.0 Deed

Here is how the climate will affect the wetlands in North America

,
Wetlands, a study from the US explains, will experience substantial drying during the summer. Impacting habitat and biodiversity from Florida to Mississippi to southeastern Canada
Practices to reduce the release of nitrogen oxides do not slow down the process of restoring the ozone layer in the stratosphere that has been running for years. Photo: NASA ATTRIBUTION-NONCOMMERCIAL 2.0 GENERIC CC BY-NC 2.0 DeedNASA ATTRIBUTION-NONCOMMERCIAL 2.0 GENERIC CC BY-NC 2.0 Deed

Nitrogen emission cuts do not impact the ozone layer

,
According to a study by the University of Sheffield, nitrogen oxide release reduction practices do not slow down the process of restoring the ozone layer in the stratosphere
Biosolids are a by-product of the wastewater treatment process and can be used as fertilisers as they are rich in nitrogen and phosphorus. Photo: City of Geneva ATTRIBUTION-NONCOMMERCIAL 2.0 GENERIC CC BY-NC 2.0 DeedCity of Geneva ATTRIBUTION-NONCOMMERCIAL 2.0 GENERIC CC BY-NC 2.0 Deed

US bio-fertilisers are useful but watch out for contamination

,
Used as fertilisers, biosolids produced by wastewater treatment can be very beneficial for the soil. This is also why, according to a study, it is important to analyse their content to prevent contamination phenomena
Answers to questions about past and future erosion could be found in the fossil sediments of the Pyrenees. Photo: NASA public domainPhoto: NASA public domain

Answers to questions on climate and erosion are 56 million years old

,
A study by the University of Geneva revealed how erosion in the Pyrenees increased 4-fold during the global warming experienced between the end of the Palaeocene and the beginning of the Eocene. A scenario that could now be repeated
The effectiveness of non-sulphur purple bacteria as fertilisers was tested in spinach cultivation. Photo: RIKEN press releaseRIKEN press release

Marine bacteria may serve as a natural soil fertiliser

,
A Japanese study tested the effectiveness of purple non-sulphur bacteria in providing nutrients to plants. Thanks to their enzymes, these microorganisms take nitrogen from the atmosphere and then incorporate it into proteins
Found in the foams of many products, PFAS are persistent substances in the soil and hard to eliminate. Photo: Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy ATTRIBUTION-NONCOMMERCIAL-NODERIVS 2.0 GENERIC CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 DeedMichigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy ATTRIBUTION-NONCOMMERCIAL-NODERIVS 2.0 GENERIC CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Deed

Australian researchers tested a new method for PFAS decontamination

,
Researchers at the University of New South Wales in Sydney have developed an effective technique to break down the strong carbon-fluorine bonds that make PFAS hard to break do
Grafting mycorrhizal fungi boosts crop yields and is an alternative to chemical fertilisers. Photo: Rajarshi Rit ATTRIBUTION 4.0 INTERNATIONAL CC BY 4.0 DeedRajarshi Rit ATTRIBUTION 4.0 INTERNATIONAL CC BY 4.0 Deed

In acidified soils, fungi are an alternative to chemical fertilisers

,
According to Chinese research, the inoculation of mycorrhizal fungi results in a significant growth of the plant biomass of soybeans as well as the development of an optimal microbiome in the soil

RECEIVE
OUR NEWSLETTER

It’s beneath our feet but we never think about its value. We tread on it, we mistreat it, but a healthy, fertile soil means life. It’s time to take care of the soil and each one of us can and must make a difference.

To receive updates about Re Soil Foundation activities, sign up to our newsletter.


    • Coldiretti
    • Novamont
    • Politecnico di Torino