Healthy land
Land has a wide variety of uses: agricultural, residential, industrial, and recreational. Microbes play a key role in the terrestrial ecosystem, providing symbiotic relationships with plants. Human use of land has led to the exhaustion of nutrients in soils, contamination of land, and a reduction in biodiversity. Applying our knowledge of microbes will be essential in restoring the biodiversity of affected ecosystems. Greater research into how microbes impact human life on land could all have a positive impact, by increasing crop production, repurposing areas of land and improving microbial biodiversity in soil, land, and water.
News
Diet determines the bacteria present in microbial gardens cultivated by ants
Researchers studying leafcutter ants have demonstrated how bacteria in the colonies respond to different diets provided by ants to the fungi they cultivate. The study paves the way for a better understanding of how colonies function and may lead to the discovery of new molecules for biotechnological use.
Read story
NewsBird flu risk to Danish cattle – new tool can warn farmers before infection spreads
Researchers have developed a tool that can predict where and when the risk of infection is highest. The tool is based on infection data from the U.S. outbreaks and adapted to a Danish context.
NewsBiochar’s climate benefits may reverse over time in acidic soils, new study finds
A study reveals that biochar can both decrease and increase emissions of nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas, depending on how long it has been in the soil. The findings highlight the importance of considering long-term impacts when evaluating climate solutions.
NewsA newly identified disease of corn and sorghum may be mistaken for iron deficiency
A newly identified bacterial disease affecting corn and sorghum can closely resemble iron deficiency, potentially leading farmers to apply costly nutrient treatments that do not address the underlying problem.
More Healthy Land
News
Long-term biochar use reshapes soil carbon storage through microbial pathways
A new long-term study reveals that biochar, a carbon-rich material derived from crop residues, can significantly enhance soil carbon storage, but its effectiveness depends strongly on land use and soil type.
NewsFantastic fungi found with ability to freeze water
An international group of researchers has discovered the identity of fungal proteins that can catalyze ice formation at high subzero temperatures. One potential application of this discovery could be to engineer weather.
NewsStudy identifies causes of potato dry rot in Colorado
Researchers have identified multiple fungal species causing dry rot in Colorado. By analyzing structural and molecular features, plant pathologists identified four Fusarium species associated with potato dry rot – including one that hadn’t previously been found in the U.S.
NewsScientists discover ‘consortium’ of bacteria cooperating to eat phthalate plasticizers that single microbes can’t stomach
Researchers have discovered a synergistic ‘consortium’ of plastic-eating bacteria, which can eat phthalate esters (PAEs) – plasticizers which are often found in building materials, food packages, and personal care products, but have been implicated in hormonal, metabolic, and developmental disorders and some cancers.
NewsTurning agricultural waste into smarter livestock nutrition tools - and an alternative to antibiotics
A new study has found that biochar made from agricultural waste such as chestnut shells and vine prunings could help deliver beneficial compounds more effectively in animal feed, offering a promising alternative to antibiotics in livestock production.
NewsOcean bacteria team up to break down biodegradable plastic
Researchers uncovered the role of individual ocean bacteria in the breakdown of a widely used biodegradable plastic. They also showed the complementary processes microbes use to fully consume the plastic, with one microbe cleaving the plastic into its component chemicals and others consuming each chemical.
NewsWhen waste becomes fertilizer: Can sludge-derived liquids reshape aquatic life in farmlands?
Hydrothermal carbonization has been proposed as a soil amendment to reduce synthetic fertilizer inputs and enhance crop productivity. Research finds it reshapes community assembly, trophic interactions, and functional expression in periphyton, with network integrity emerging as the primary driver of ecosystem functioning.
NewsPlastic bottles transformed into Parkinson’s drug using bacteria
A drug to treat Parkinson’s disease can be made from waste plastic bottles using a pioneering method. The approach harnesses the power of bacteria to transform post-consumer plastic into L-DOPA, a frontline medication for the neurological disorder.
NewsShell game: How oysters enlist help from microbes
Researchers have discovered that oyster microbes might help with the “heavy lifting” of calcification that forms oyster shells. These microbes and the oysters co-express – or coordinate – the expression of certain genes that hint at a chemical “dialogue” between the host and these microbes.
NewsMicrobial clues uncover how wild songbirds respond to stress
A study of free-living Northern cardinals revealed that even relatively mild challenges can leave a clear mark on the gut microbiome. Birds exposed to social or environmental stressors showed changes in the composition of their gut bacteria, while the total number of microbial types remained stable.
NewsFreshwater alga captures far-red light for photosynthesis by rearranging ordinary chlorophyll
To survive in areas where it is difficult to photosynthesize, some organisms adopt unique strategies. Researchers have found that a freshwater alga captures far-red light as an additional energy source by arranging ordinary chlorophyll in an extraordinary way.
NewsCorpses leave microbial fingerprints behind in the soil long after they’re gone
Researchers have found that trace elements of a cadaver linger at an original dump site even after an extensive amount of time. These elements can provide insights into postmortem processes, helping forensic investigators uncover clandestine burials and relocate the remains of murder victims.
NewsTicks carrying more than one pathogen are on the rise in US Northeast
Tick-borne diseases are on the rise in the northeastern US, with many ticks carrying more than one pathogen. Most commonly found together were Borrelia burgdorferi and Babesia microti. Co-infection with these two pathogens was more frequent than expected, approaching 11% by the end of the study.
NewsScientists design metal-enhanced biochar to boost clean hydrogen production from agricultural waste
A new study reports that specially engineered biochar made from agricultural waste could significantly increase biohydrogen production by improving the way microbes transfer electrons during fermentation.
NewsIsland birds reveal surprising link between immunity and gut bacteria
Scientists have uncovered a hidden link between gut health and the immune system, all thanks to a tiny island bird. They collected the poo of the Seychelles warbler to analyse their gut bacteria – and found that their immune genes influence which gut microbes thrive.
NewsMachine learning reveals when biochar helps or harms soil life
Researchers have shown that biochar can either help or harm soil organisms depending on how it is produced and applied. The research analyzed results from dozens of previous experiments to better understand how biochar affects plants, microbes, and soil animals.
NewsScientists trace crop viruses back to the last Ice Age
Long before humans cultivated crops or sailed between continents, a group of plant viruses was already evolving among wild plants in Eurasia. Tthe ancestors of modern tymoviruses likely emerged before the last Ice Age, a new study reveals.
NewsTiny vesicles, big risk: Environmental sweeteners trigger antibiotic resistance transfer
A new study reveals that mixtures of artificial sweeteners can stimulate soil bacteria to release microscopic extracellular vesicles that carry antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs).
NewsShifting from biotic to abiotic drivers of urban microbial multifunctionality under drought and rehydration
Scientists conducting microcosm experiments on Zoysia japonica, a common urban turfgrass, simulated four drought intensities and recovery by rehydration. They analyzed alteration in microbial communities and biochemical cycling to pinpoint the drivers of urban microbial multifunctionality.