Use of a metal detector is the most common technique when searching for landmines, which litter the soil in approximately 90 countries around the world. Many of these countries are located in the tropics where intensively weathered soils are prevalent.
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Metagenomic analysis of microbial biodiversity in soil samples suggest that non-bacterial species greatly outnumber bacterial species. This means the majority of microorganisms on the Earth remain undiscovered, according to researchers from the University of Colorado, University of South Florida, San Diego State University and Duke University.
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The common practice of adding nitrogen fertilizer is believed to benefit the soil by building organic carbon, but four University of Illinois soil scientists dispute this view based on analyses of soil samples from the Morrow Plots that date back to before the current practice began.
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Within Southern Florida, soil and water conditions indicate potential for leaching from the use of atrazine-based herbicides in corn crops. Scientists from USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and University of Florida conducted studies to evaluate the specific groundwater risk from atrazine use by focusing on a specific cover crop that seems to have the potential to greatly reduce that risk.
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The growth of most plants depends on the presence of sufficient amounts of nitrogen contained in the soil.
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The rogue proteins that cause chronic wasting disease (CWD) exhibit a dramatic increase in their infectious nature when bound to common soil particles, according to a new study.
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If you were looking for fertile soil, it's doubtful you'd begin your search in most U.S. cities. After all, urban soils are often viewed as drastically disturbed soils with low fertility. However, new research by a team of scientists working in Baltimore discovered that surface soil characteristics were not necessarily infertile and varied widely, making it difficult to define or describe a "typical urban soil."Â
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High-speed images of interaction between individual raindrops and soil particles provides new insights into the physics of water erosion
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Raindrops can wreak havoc on Earth. They just do it on a microscopic scale. At that scale, raindrops hitting bare ground have nearly the force of a hammer hitting a mound of dirt. What happens when the water hits the soil is the micro-ballistic effect of displaced soil splattering around in all directions. In arid regions, such as central Arizona, this is an important process that shapes the landscape.
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Tropical forests are among the most diverse plant communities on earth, and scientists have labored for decades to identify the ecological and evolutionary processes that created and maintain them. A key question is whether all tree species are equivalent in their use of resources - water, light and nutrients - or whether each species has its own niche.
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A research project underway at Rutgers University's Camden campus could help revolutionize agriculture through the use of fungi as "biofertilizers"Â that reduce the farming industry's reliance on phosphate and nitrogen fertilizers that pollute water supplies.
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