Strips of land planted with flowers between fields are the most popular environmental measure in agriculture. They attract pollinators such as butterflies and wild bees, look beautiful and can be achieved quickly. However, the goal of creating and maintaining a structurally diverse and therefore particularly species-rich landscape will not be achieved if flower strips are the only measure taken. Researchers at the University of Göttingen have described how agricultural landscapes need to be designed to accommodate many species and to ensure other social and ecological functions such as providing nature for human recreation and climate protection. The perspective article was published in the journal Biological Conservation.

A team of researchers from the Soft Robotics for Human Cooperation and Rehabilitation Lab at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT-Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia) in Genova has conceived and developed Frasky, a new robotic prototype able to navigate and perform operations autonomously within vineyards. Coordinated by IIT researcher Manuel G. Catalano, the project results from the collaboration with the partners involved in “JOiiNT LAB,” the joint lab aiming at creating a synergy between research and industry, thus comprising IIT and the industrial ecosystem in the Bergamo area, including Consorzio Intellimech, Confindustria Bergamo, the University of Bergamo, and Kilometro Rosso Innovation District. Frasky’s main goal is to address the challenges that the agricultural sector is facing nowadays, such as environmental sustainability and labor shortages, by combining robotics and artificial intelligence.

A new study has revealed the 3D structure of a barley root protein that protects plants from toxic aluminum in acidic soils. Unlike most transporters, this protein exports citrate—an anion that binds to harmful aluminum ions—thereby shielding the roots. The findings offer fresh insights into how plants adapt to hostile soils and could help guide the breeding of crop varieties capable of thriving on acidic farmland worldwide.

Wildfires, storms, and bark beetle are putting increasing pressure on Europe’s forests. Beyond their ecological toll, these events also carry major economic consequences. Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have now quantified the potential financial losses climate change could cause for European forestry. Their findings reveal significant regional differences: while Northern Europe may even benefit, Central and Southern Europe will need to adapt quickly.

In a groundbreaking study that combines innovative material science with environmental engineering, researchers are exploring how phosphorus-modified bamboo biochar can effectively immobilize Cd(II) ions in solution. The study, titled "Immobilization of Cd(II) by Phosphorus-Modified Bamboo Biochar from Solution: Mechanistic Study from Qualitative to Quantitative Analysis," is led by Prof. Guangcai Chen from the Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry at the Chinese Academy of Forestry in Hangzhou, China, and Prof. Zhengguo Song from the Department of Materials and Environmental Engineering at Shantou University in Shantou, China. This research offers a detailed examination of the adsorption mechanisms and soil amelioration potential of this novel biochar.

Researchers, led by a team at Bigelow Laboratory, have developed environmental DNA tools to measure kelp deposition and examine the biological communities living in sediments below Gulf of Maine kelp farms, which could help inform carbon dioxide removal efforts.