A study by the University of Cordoba shows that Mediterranean soils in southern Spain lose their properties when temperatures exceed 40 degrees Celsius, and proposes strategies to increase their resilience

Converting crop straw into stable soil organic matter (SOM) is essential for sustainable farming and climate resilience—but it's notoriously inefficient in saline-alkaline soils. 

Many secrets lie deep beneath the Earth’s surface. Researchers from Tohoku University uncovered one of them when they discovered a hidden natural lubricant inside an active fault. Their findings may explain why the Atotsugawa Fault System produces surprisingly few large earthquakes despite being located in a tectonically active region.

It has been assumed that warming temperatures under climate change will boost agricultural pests. But a new study by UC Davis researchers based on field data from California and Spain suggests the effects will be more nuanced, depending on species, crop and location as well as temperature.

Soils are home to some of the most diverse animal communities on Earth. These animals – including nematodes, springtails, mites, earthworms, spiders and other arthropods – drive decomposition, regulate microbial communities and contribute to nutrient cycling. However, little is known about how these animals’ “trophic diversity” – meaning the variety of feeding activities – is affected by land use and climate. An international research team led by the University of Göttingen has now shown that soil animal communities have greater trophic diversity in agricultural ecosystems and in tropical regions. The study analysed carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios from over 17,000 soil samples, covering 28 major groups of organisms from 456 sites across 19 countries. The results were published in Nature Ecology & Evolution.

Clay minerals have long been thought too large for plant absorption, but new research turns that assumption on its head. 

Microbes beneath our feet quietly orchestrate the health of ecosystems, but their seasonal rhythms remain a mystery—especially in coastal wetlands.