Why boosting legume production will lift the gloom for African farmers
Increasing legume production can turn the tide for African farmers who struggle with poor soils, declining farm yields and worsening nutrition in one fell swoop
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Articles on Soil
Displaying 1 - 20 of 43 articles
Africa needs to move faster to deliver life-saving soil science solutions
Microbial-based solutions are perhaps the best-kept secret in agricultural innovation.
Veggie is the most low-carbon diet, right? Well, it depends where you live
Eating meat means greenhouse emissions. But the emissions from growing crops may have been underestimated, meaning that a climate-friendly diet isn't as straightforward as simply going vegetarian.
Gone is the solitary genius – science today is a group effort
Where once scientists used to be solitary creatures, today science is a highly collaborative affair, and the latest research in ecology is no exception.
What can be done about badly depleted nitrogen levels in Africa’s soil
Nitrogen inputs in African soil must be carefully used. If they're not, there will be unintended consequences for the environment and human health.
If the world’s soils keep drying out that’s bad news for microbes (and people)
The world's 'drylands' – already home to 38% of the world's people – are set to dry out even more. And that could harm the soil microbes that keep soils healthy and help crops to grow.
Eyes down: how setting our sights on soil could help save the climate
A new bid to boost the amount of carbon stored in the world's soils has been launched at the Paris climate summit.
How understanding microbes can help farmers manage Africa’s soil crisis
Africa’s soil crisis calls for quick and creative action. This includes deepening farmers' knowledge about soil microbes.
France has a great plan for its soil – and it’s not just about wine
Plans to store more carbon in French soil could have a massive impact on the country's emissions – if they can pull it off.
Science can drive the sustainability of our precious soils, water and oceans
There will be increasing demands placed on our soil and water in coming years, so we need greater research into how to preserve and maintain these precious resources.
Australia’s Chief Scientist on getting our research priorities right
The nine science and research priorities will help focus and coordinate our efforts, and aid government departments in supporting the future of Australian science.
The ground exhales: reducing agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions
About 10% of human-generated greenhouse gas emissions come from farming. Researchers are working on ways to address this piece of the global warming puzzle.
Deep but not dead: how tropical subsoil microbes could affect the carbon cycle
It’s no exaggeration to say the tropics drive our planet’s carbon cycle – the constant transfer of carbon back and forth, on a global scale, between living things and the environment. Understanding the…
Michael Jeffery and Helen Szoke on a military plan to improve Australia’s soils
A speech given by Major General Michael Jeffery at Victoria University College of Law and Justice on October 15 was the second of a series of four tapping into the vast experience of eminent Australians…
Excessive use of fertiliser leads to global warming
Excessive use of nitrogen-based fertilisers in agriculture is contributing to nitrous oxide emissions. Leftover nitrogen…
Fossil soils found to have high carbon content
Soils which formed on the Earth’s surface thousands of years ago and are now fossils buried deep underground are rich in…
Rock turns to soil faster than thought
New measurements from New Zealand’s Southern Alps show that rock can transform into soil more than twice as fast as previously…
Impact of plant invasions decreases over time
The impact of non-native plans invading an eco-system has been found to decrease over time. Researchers from the University…
Manufactured nanomaterials are a big deal in the environment
Major advances in technology are being spawned by the synthesis and application of nanoparticles and nanocomposites. The nanotechnology revolution offers great promise for major advances in medicine, manufacturing…
Western Australian surface soils are carbon heavy
Many surface soils in the southwest of Western Australia are already storing as much carbon as they can, a study has found…
Top contributors
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Soil Scientist, University of Melbourne
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Professor of Soil Science, University of Sydney
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Professor in Soil-Landscape Modelling, University of Sydney
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Research Fellow, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University
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Project Manager, Soil Carbon Initiative, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney
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Professor of Tsunami Science, Tsunami and Natural Hazards Research Group, UNSW Australia
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Senior Research Scientist, CSIRO
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Chief Scientist for Australia, Office of the Chief Scientist
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Professor of Economics, University of Wyoming
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Lecturer in Soil and Land Management, School of Geography and Environmental Science, Monash University
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Lecturer in Ecosystem Ecology, University of Oxford
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Chief Executive Officer, Australian Institute of Marine Science
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Postdoctoral Fellow, Technical University of Munich
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Adjunct Professor and Chair, Sir Zelman Cowen Centre, College of Law & Justice, Victoria University
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Science Writer, University of Pennsylvania
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