All Agricultural runoff and eutrophication articles
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NewsClimate change may increase the spread of neurotoxin in the oceans
Climate-driven oxygen loss in the Black Sea thousands of years ago triggered the expansion of microorganisms capable of producing the potent neurotoxin methylmercury. That is shown in a new study which suggests that similar processes could occur in today’s warming oceans.
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NewsNew biochar technology promises breakthrough in soil clean-up and crop safety
Scientists have unveiled a pioneering method that could help farmers reclaim lands blighted by toxic metals and boost the safety of crops grown in contaminated soils. Phosphorus-modified biochar can reduce the threat posed by heavy metals in agricultural soils near mining areas.
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NewsMicrobial DNA sequencing reveals nutrient pollution and climate change reinforce lake eutrophication
A new study using DNA sequencing of lakebed microbes reveals that nutrient pollution from agricultural runoff and climate change amplify each other in ways that profoundly affect the health of lake ecosystems.
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NewsRivers’ hidden helpers: microbes that clean up nitrogen pollution across China
A new study has revealed how tiny microbes in rivers and wetlands across China help clean up excess nitrogen pollution, offering fresh insights into the health of freshwater ecosystems and the global nitrogen cycle.
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NewsScientists show how to grow more nutritious rice that uses less fertilizer
Scientists have shown that nanoscale applications of selenium can decrease the amount of fertilizer necessary for rice cultivation while sustaining yields, boosting nutrition, enhancing the soil’s microbial diversity and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
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NewsImperfect underground processes help filter wastewater in Florida Keys
Researchers find that microbial and other processes do not completely clear wastewater shallowly injected into groundwater of potentially harmful contaminants.
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NewsNitrogen may limit natural climate solutions
A global inventory reveals nitrogen is in shorter supply than previously thought in natural areas, which could limit carbon storage in plants and soils.
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NewsSimple rules govern soil microbiome responses to environmental change
New research shows that a deceptively simple mathematical model can describe how the soil responds to environmental change. Using just two variables, the model shows that changes in pH levels consistently result in three distinct metabolic states of the community.
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NewsResearchers to harness the power of fungi for water filters
A groundbreaking project exploring the power of fungi to combat agricultural pollution is making significant strides, with researchers looking to begin live field trials later this year.
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NewsClimate change is turning coastal lagoons into ‘salty soup’
The impacts of human activity and climate change are coalescing to make coastal lagoons saltier, changing the microbial life they support and the function they play in their ecosystems, according to new research.
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NewsScientists link a phytoplankton bloom to starving dolphins in Florida
In 2013, 8% of the bottlenose dolphins living in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon died. Investigations have now revealed that the dolphins may have starved because key habitats for nutritious prey were destroyed by a phytoplankton bloom driven by the accumulation of fertilizer, effluent from septic tanks, and other by-products of human activity.
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NewsResearch reveals hidden risks from plastic-coated fertilizers in soil
A study focuses on the microplastic pollution generated by polymer-coated, control-release fertilizers, highlighting the need for biodegradable alternatives.
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NewsGene-edited soil bacteria could provide third source of nitrogen for corn production
If corn was ever jealous of soybean’s relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, advancements in gene editing could one day even the playing field. A recent study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign shows that gene-edited bacteria can supply the equivalent of 35 pounds of nitrogen from the air during early corn ...
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NewsManure management in China cuts river antibiotic pollution but raises groundwater contamination risks
A study of antibiotic pollution patterns in China’s water systems over the past decade found a 59% decrease in antibiotic pollution in rivers, primarily due to reduced direct manure discharge, but antibiotic leaching into groundwater has increased by 15%.
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NewsFlu virus remains infectious in refrigerated raw milk
Influenza or flu virus can remain infectious in refrigerated raw milk for up to five days, a new study reveals. The findings come at a time when outbreaks of bird flu in dairy cattle have raised concerns about the potential for a new pandemic.
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NewsBacteria ‘doing their job’, as nitrogen fertilizer for soybeans offers limited yield benefits
Researchers tested whether modern high-yielding soybeans benefit from nitrogen fertilizer, with results suggesting additions are largely unnecessary.
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NewsNewly discovered ability of comammox bacteria could help reduce nitrous oxide emissions in agriculture
An international research team has discovered that comammox bacteria can grow using guanidine, a nitrogen-rich organic compound, as their sole energy and nitrogen source, opening new avenues for targeted cultivation of these enigmatic microbes.
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NewsStudies explore converting wastewater to fertilizer with fungal treatment
Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) converts biomass into biocrude oil through a high-temperature, high-pressure process. Two new studies explore the use of a fungal treatment to convert the leftover wastewater into fertilizer for agricultural crops.
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NewsWarming climate could turn plankton microbes into carbon emitters
New research finds that a warming climate could flip globally abundant microbial communities from carbon sinks to carbon emitters, potentially triggering climate change tipping points.
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NewsHundreds of newly discovered microbes could be used as natural fertilizer for poor soil
The discovery of hundreds of previously unknown microbes in a Brazilian ecosystem could potentially form a basis for the development of biological substitutes for the chemical fertilizers used by farmers, especially those containing phosphorus.