To restore our soils, feed the microbes
Healthy soil teems with bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microorganisms that help store carbon and fend off plant diseases. To restore soil, scientists are finding ways to foster its microbiome.
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Articles on Soil
Displaying 1 - 20 of 51 articles
Make our soil great again
To help feed a growing world population, restore biodiversity and slow climate change, a geologist calls for a moon shot effort to restore healthy soil around the world.
How healthy soils make for a healthy life
We're in danger of losing the health benefits of soils faster than they are replaced.
Why microbes are key to solving Africa’s food security crisis
Microbial-based solutions for agriculture are among some of the new innovations having an impact on the sector in the developed world.
From flask to field: How tiny microbes are revolutionizing big agriculture
Researchers are developing biological tools that can boost crop yields to feed a growing world population without harming human health or the environment.
Elevated lead levels in Sydney back yards: here’s what you can do
Lead contamination remains a persistent issue in urban soils.
Microbes: Our tiny, crucial allies
Long viewed simply as 'germs,' the hidden half of nature turns out to be crucial to the health of people and plants.
Fertile ground: what you need to know about soil to keep your garden healthy
Soil is more than just dirt. It's a complex ecosystem and if it's healthy your plants will be happier.
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
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.
Top contributors
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Soil Scientist, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
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Professor of Soil Science, University of Sydney
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Research Fellow, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University
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Professor in Soil-Landscape Modelling, University of Sydney
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Professor of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington
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Associate Professor and Director, Innovation Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Colorado State University
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Project Manager, Soil Carbon Initiative, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney
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Honorary Professor of Tsunami Research, PANGEA Research Centre, UNSW Australia, UNSW
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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 Environmental Science, Macquarie University
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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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Researcher of Environmental Science, Macquarie University
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