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Soil microorganisms perform critical services for plant and human health. Photo: pxhere CC0 Public Domain Free for personal and commercial use No attribution requiredpxhere CC0 Public Domain Free for personal and commercial use No attribution required

Microorganisms are the common thread between soil and human health

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Spread throughout the soil, bacteria, fungi and archaea make up 18 percent of the Planet's biomass. Their services are critical for humans and plants, a new research explains. But some critical factors put their resilience at risk
Ants play an effective role in counteracting plant pests. Photo: Abdulmominbd Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)Abdulmominbd Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Ants better than pesticides in protecting soil health and increasing agricultural yields

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According to a research ants provide crucial services for crops such as decreasing pest activity and plant damage while leading to higher yields
High fertilizers prices threaten agricultural productivity in some countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, such as Ethiopia, and Central America. Photo: ©2015CIAT/GeorginaSmith Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)©2015CIAT/GeorginaSmith Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Soil mapping means more information and less fertilizers

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An FAO project aims to gather information on soil nutrients to optimize the use of fertilizers in Sub-Saharan Africa and Central America. An initiative aimed at countering the impact of rising market prices
Soil is a complex system, say three British researchers. Today, a unified method for assessing its health still doesn't exist. Photo: Soil Science Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)Soil Science Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

British researchers propose a new theory of soil health

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If we want to analyze soil health, we cannot rely on single indicators, says a new paper by Cranfield and Nottingham Universities. Instead, we need to focus on the relationships among the components of the system to get a complete picture. At the center of the new approach are four different dimensions
Peatlands in the Congo Basin cover more than 167 thousand square kilometers, 15 percent more than previously estimated. Photo: Dicklyon Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)Dicklyon Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Congo’s peatlands are a barrier against climate change

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More than a quarter of the carbon stored in the Planet's peatlands is found in the Congo River Basin, says a research released by Nature. But these environments are threatened by land use
Contaminated land in Verdun, northern France. The effects of soil contamination in World War I battlefields are still clear more than a century later. This a precedent that scares Ukraine and global agriculture. Photo: public domainpublic domain

Ukraine will have to deal with war damages to agriculture for a century (at least)

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Ukraine farmland could suffer the same consequences as the soils of northern France, which are still contaminated with the munitions waste from World War I. A severe problem for the global food supply chain
Forty years after the last survey, China aims to complete its national land census. Photo: olly301 Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)olly301 Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)

China will provide an updated soil survey by 2025

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Forty years after the last study, Beijing aims to complete its land census. While waiting for the data, however, the scenario looks grim. Pollution, erosion and fertility loss remain the main problems
Protected areas in Brazil amount to 220 million hectares, or 51 percent of the Amazon. Extending protection over another 130 million hectares would cost no more than $2.8 billion a year. Photo: Andre Deak Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)Andre Deak Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

Protecting the Amazon would require minimal spending, a study says

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In the Brazilian Amazon, costs per hectare of anti-deforestation policies are hundreds of times lower than in protected areas in Europe. But government commitment remains largely weak
European demand for African rubber contributes to deforestation in the continent's west-central area. Photo: Simon Law Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)Simon Law Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Europe under fire as rubber industry is destroying African forests

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In 21st century, the development of rubber tree plantations has led to the destruction of more than 500 km2 of native forests in Africa, says Global Witness. EU regulation is still weak
A FAO study in Lesotho found erosion in 30 percent of the wetlands surveyed. Photo: Paramente Phamotse Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)Paramente Phamotse Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Land degradation is threatening wetlands in Lesotho

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About one-third of wetlands in Lesotho show soil degradation. A FAO-sponsored study releases first useful information to start restoration efforts

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