News articles tagged with 'soil'
Ants and termites boost dryland wheat yields
— 2 Apr 2011 11:19 | EnvironmentAnts and termites have a significant positive impact on crop yields in dryland agriculture, according to a paper published today in the journal Nature Communications by scientists at…
Drier conditions projected to accelerate dust storms in the southwest
— 26 Feb 2011 17:06 | EnvironmentDrier conditions projected to result from climate change in the Southwest will likely reduce perennial vegetation cover and result in increased dust storm activity in the future, according…
World phosphorous use crosses critical threshold
— 15 Feb 2011 15:51 | EnvironmentRecalculating the global use of phosphorous, a fertiliser linchpin of modern agriculture, a team of researchers warns that the world's stocks may soon be in short supply and that overuse…
Soil science: Healing our planet's ills from the ground up
— 10 Feb 2011 19:28 | EnvironmentUnder our feet and ubiquitous, lowly soil can be easily overlooked when it comes to addressing climate change and population growth. But in the January-February issue of the Soil Science…
Tool makes search for Martian life easier
— 9 Feb 2011 17:02 | AstronomyFinding life on Mars could get easier with a creative adaption to a common analytical tool that can be installed directly on the robotic arm of a space rover…
Plants can adapt genetically to survive harsh environments
— 1 Feb 2011 21:42 | EnvironmentA Purdue University scientist has found genetic evidence of how some plants adapt to live in unfavourable conditions, a finding he believes could one day be used to help food crops…
Wealth of orchid varieties is down to busy bees and helpful fungi, says study
— 31 Jan 2011 16:31 | BiologyScientists have discovered why orchids are one of the most successful groups of flowering plants - it is all down to their relationships with the bees that pollinate them and the fungi…
Ants' ecosystem role is 'key'
— 31 Jan 2011 16:19 | BiologyResearch by the University of Exeter has revealed that ants have a big impact on their local environment as a result of their activity as 'ecosystem engineers' and predators…
Spiders adjust courtship signals for maximum effect
— 25 Jan 2011 20:20 | BiologyCommunication is important in any relationship, but for spiders, it can be a matter of life or death…
MU scientists find new farming method to reduce greenhouse gases, increase farm yields
— 14 Jan 2011 16:47 | EnvironmentU.S. agricultural practices create 58 percent of nitrous oxide in the world, which is the third most prevalent greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. Scientists believe nitrous oxide contributes…