Experts discuss how fossil fuels and biofuels will affect the world's economy and environment in the changing global energy market. Speakers will discuss climate change effects on agriculture, as well as effective means of measuring remaining fossil fuel resources.
Water is a fundamental need of all life on our planet; however in this age, the issue of fresh water has become one of conflict and tension. Global water policies are failing to meet the needs of populations, while ecosystems are paying a severe price for the lack of innovation.
Houston hosts a global scientific conference, Oct. 5-9, with more than 8,000 international scientists presenting research and trends in energy, water, agriculture, and more.
A line of massive boulders on the western shore of Tonga may be evidence of the most powerful volcano-triggered tsunami found to date.
Small white stalagmites lining caves in the Midwest may help scientists chronicle the history of the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) "“ and even predict when the next big earthquake may strike.
Counting on wetlands restoration projects to protect storm buffeted infrastructure along the Louisiana Coast is likely to be a "losing battle" that provides "false hope" and prevents endangered communities from clearly planning for their future, says a researcher from Western Carolina University.
"The major issue the Apollo astronauts pointed out was dust, dust, dust," says Larry Taylor, Planetary Geosciences Institute, University of Tennessee. Fine as flour and rough as sandpaper, Moon dust caused "˜lunar hay fever,' problems with space suits, and dust storms in the crew cabin upon returning to space.
James Hansen, NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, and one of the world's leading authorities on present-day climate change, will speak as part of a slate of activities planned in recognition of the International Year of Planet Earth. A robust technical program supports climate change research at Joint Annual Meeting.
A thermal and electrical conductivity probe (TECP) designed by a team of research scientists at Decagon Devices, Inc. is mounted on the robotic arm of NASA's Phoenix Scout Lander. It is helping in the search for water on Mars
New ways of teaching today's agriculture is the topic of a new article written by Nicholas Jordan and colleagues, featured in the 2008 Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education. With the increasing importance of agriculture in developing biofuels, bioproducts and other goods and services, new methods are needed to teach the resulting intellectual, moral, and practical challenges.
A nationwide study of nitrate trends in the ground water of the United States was recently completed by scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey. Nitrate is the most common chemical contaminant found in ground water, and is related to infant health and possible cancer risks. The study focused on 24 well networks in the U.S. from 1988 to 2004, of which 7 well networks showed statistically significant increases in concentrations of nitrate during this period.
A new study funded by the European Union has demonstrated that unsafe levels of selenium, sometimes referred to as an "essential toxin", can be reduced by a microbiological treatment. With this method, microorganisms reduce selenate to the less-toxic elemental selenium, which can potentially be recovered from the process. An estimated 0.5 to 1 billion people worldwide suffer from selenium deficiency, even though many live near areas where levels of selenium have reached toxic levels.
Representatives Norman Dicks (D-WA) and Ralph Regula (R-OH) will be presented with the first USGS Coalition Leadership Award on Monday evening, September 15, 2008. The USGS Coalition is an alliance of 70 organizations united by a commitment to the continued vitality of the unique combination of biological, geological, hydrological and mapping programs of the U.S. Geological Survey.
The Soil Science Society of America has released a new field guide created to provide a clear guidance on how to conduct specific activities related to improved soil management. Soil Science: Step-by-Step Field Analysis is designed to be carried in the field by professionals, including agronomists, crop consultants, government officials, environmental consultants, teachers and students, and features water-resistant pages and a spiral binding.
As a lesson to teach upper-level undergraduate students and graduate students how herbicides are developed, a new interactive website has been developed by William E. Dyer of Montana State University. The lesson teaches that almost all herbicides on the market today were developed by companies that make dyes, plastics, or other industrial compounds, who simply sprayed their chemicals on plants and the ones that killed the weeds were made into commercial products.
Scientists with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have determined that varying the rate of crop production inputs such as fertilizer and seed makes intuitive sense. With recent substantial increases in grain and fertilizer prices, even small changes in management may have the potential to significantly impact profit from a field and reduce the environmental impact associated with over-application of fertilizer or pesticides.
Scientists at the University of California in Davis present results from a newly developed non-invasive technique that uses thermal neutron attenuation to measure spatial and temporal distribution of water in soils. The study, published in the September-October 2008 issue of Soil Science Society of America Journal, focuses on the McClellan Nuclear Radiation Center (MNRC) in Sacramento, CA, developed by the U.S. Air Force.
A number of current issues related to water availability and climate change are giving impetus to new research aimed at roots and their functioning. The research is producing new experimental methods, data acquisition, and theoretical understanding. Recently, scientists from the U.S. Salinity Laboratory, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, assembled a collection of new research in the form of 13 papers that are published as a special section of the August issue of Vadose Zone Journal.
Serpentine soils contain highly variable amounts of calcium, making them marginal lands for farming. Successful management of serpentine soils requires accurate measurement of the calcium they hold. Research published this month in the Soil Science Society of America Journal shows that multiple measurement techniques are needed to accurately measure calcium content in serpentine soils.
With oil prices skyrocketing, the search is on for efficient and sustainable biofuels. Research published this month in Agronomy Journal examines one biofuel crop contender: corn stover. Corn stover is made up of the leaves and stalks of corn plants that are left in the field after harvesting the edible corn grain. Corn stover could supply as much as 25% of the biofuel crop needed by 2030.
More than 10,000 international scientists, professionals, educators, and students will gather in Houston on 5-9 October 2008 at a historic, first-ever Joint Annual Meeting of several scientific societies to discuss the latest research and trends in energy, water resources, climate change, agriculture, science education, earth sciences, and related disciplines.
An informational booth at Pennsylvania's Ag Progress Days will feature, "Dig It! The Secrets of Soil" -- a behind-the-scenes look at the Smithsonian soils exhibit in DC and the upcoming Traveling Tour. Also highlighted is Pennsylvania's "Hazleton" soil as a featured component.
An interactive web lesson teaches students about fatty acids and how they play a role in how plants grow. Read more in the Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education.
A research team from the University of Tennessee (UT) has completed a study on an East Tennessee river to determine the connection between watershed hydrology and fecal bacteria statistical time series analysis. The article presents a study of the temporal patterns and statistical persistence of total coliform based on data gathered from the Little River near an intake at a public water supply plant.
New research from Agronomy Journal shows that no-till management combined with a winter cover crop is most effective in retaining nutrients in tropical soils.
Three studies demonstrate that C storage capacity of soils in different regions of the Western Hemisphere respond similarly to a diverse range of management practices to increase soil C input.
Media Advisory: A three-person panel of experts will discuss the new "Dig It! The Secrets of Soil" exhibition that features Arizona's state soil, "Casa Grande." The panel is the featured Opening Plenary Session - Pritchard Lecture on Monday morning, July 28 as part of the Soil and Water Conservation Society annual conference in Tucson, AZ.
Recognizing his strong support for agriculture and the conservation of Colorado's and the nation's lands, Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO), received the 2008 Excellence in Soil Stewardship Award presented by the Soil Science Society of America on July 17.
Marvin Druger, Syracuse University, shares his college teaching experiences and how to deal with inappropriate behavior in an article published in the 2008 Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education.
A new book from the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) digs in the dirt to educate kids about the living world of soil. Soil! Get the Inside Scoop explores how soil is part of our life -- the food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink, the houses we live in, and more.
Special preview of new soils exhibition at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History Thursday July 17, 9:30 a.m.
Use of biosolids (treated municipal sewage sludge) on crops is a common practice because biosolids are a rich source of plant nutrients and organic matter. However, these biosolids can contain dangerous dioxins. Scientists investigated the effects of continuous and long-term application of biosolids on the levels of dioxins in soil and corn tissues.
On Wednesday, 9 July, three prominent scientific societies sponsored briefings on Capitol Hill to inform lawmakers about how to manage natural areas after they have been impacted by wildfire.
The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) applauds the visionary action taken by Senator Sherrod Brown and his colleagues in the Senate who helped usher in legislation to recognize soils as an "essential" natural resource, placing soil on par with water and air.
Swine production generates large amounts of waste. While this waste contains nutrients that may serve as fertilizer when applied to agricultural fields, the ratio of nutrients in the waste is different than what a crop requires.
The use of on-the-go crop and soil sensors has greatly increased the precision with which farmers can manage their crops. Recently released research in Agronomy Journal finds that more precise management is not necessarily more efficient.
Recent research confirmed that--up to a point--liming the soil ameliorates the nitrogen "burn" from the urine, as well as the plant scorching effects of the urine's concentrated salts and organic acids. The researchers found that one or two urinations supplied enough nitrogen to actually help fescue grass growth. But the third application of urine was deadly.
Crop yield is highly dependent on soil plant-available water, the portion of soil water that can be taken up by plant roots. Research published in the May-June issue of Agronomy Journal showed that measured plant-available water capacity correlated with corn yield better in dry years than in normal or wet years.
Numerous studies over the past four decades have established that pesticides can move downward to reach the water table at detectable concentrations. This study found that the pesticides detected most frequently in shallow ground-water samples were predominantly from two classes of herbicides"”triazines and chloroacetanilides.
Dave Saville, Lincoln Research Centre, New Zealand, and Jacqueline Rowarth, Massey University, New Zealand, present a flow chart of common statistical techniques in the 2008 Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education. This easy to use reference has improved understanding of statistical presentation, and hence interpretation, for students and researchers.
Nitrogen is a key component of agricultural fertilizers and is crucial to the world's food supply. A comprehensive review of the principles and management implications of nitrogen in the soil-plant-water system is now available in a new book by the American Society of Agronomy, the Crop Science Society of America, and the Soil Science Society of America.
Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey studied diverse agricultural settings using a whole-system approach to assess how environmental processes and agricultural practices interact. Their goal was to determine the transport and fate of agricultural chemicals in the environment, focusing on surface and ground waters.
Researchers investigated different components of variation in soil at diverse scales ranging from the nanoscale to entire biomes in order to improve predictions of soil processes. Scientists used a variety of mathematical approaches to explore patterns of soil properties including water content, water movement, corn yields, and remote sensing data.
Researchers investigated the impact of increasing crop rotation length and complexity on crop yields in organic agricultural systems over a ten year period. They found that longer, more complex rotations using corn, soybean, wheat, and hay offered up to 30% greater corn yield than a simple corn-soybean rotation. The additional crop variety and rotation time helps provide adequate nitrogen and decrease weed competition, thereby increasing production.
In a Sustainable Agriculture course at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, students were asked to agree or disagree with 17 statements related to sustainable agriculture and biotechnology during the first class session and again during the last session. Throughout the course of the class, students became less neutral in their opinions and tended to develop a stronger stance for or against a particular statement.
A study of Florida beaches has shown that wet sand (in the intertidal zone) and dry sand above the intertidal zone have significantly more fecal bacteria than near-shore seawater. Scientists researched whether indicator bacteria survive longer in sand relative to open water and found that all feces-derived bacteria were capable of enhanced growth and survival in sand, while in seawater the bacterial populations steadily decreased over time.
Researchers investigated whether yield, weed suppression, and profit characteristics of low-external-input (LEI) farming systems could match or exceed those of conventional farming systems. Yields and profits were similar or higher in the LEI systems as in the conventional system, and lower herbicide inputs did not lead to increased weed problems.
Researchers investigated the potential of no-tillage agricultural soils for increasing the soil organic carbon pool. The results of the study revealed that no till farming impacts on soil carbon sequestration depended on soil type and sampling depth, with greater sequestration evident only in surface (0-10 cm) no till soils.
The American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America announce new society presidents and officers for the upcoming year.
Hands-on activities can help instructors to communicate difficult scientific concepts and stimulate student thinking. In the 2008 Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education, instructors describe a candy exercise used to explain the complexity and importance of the soil microbial world to undergraduates at Oregon State University.
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