Algae blooms create their own favorable conditions, study finds

Fertilizers are known to promote the growth of toxic cyanobacterial blooms in freshwater and oceans worldwide, but a new multi-institution study shows the aquatic microbes themselves can drive nitrogen and phosphorus cycling ...

New view of how ocean 'pumps' impact climate change

Earth's oceans have a remarkable natural ability to pull carbon from the atmosphere and store it deep within the ocean waters, exerting an important control on the global climate.

NASA maps how soil nutrients affect plant productivity

(Phys.org)—A new analysis led by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., has estimated how much the growth of plants worldwide is limited by the amount of nutrients available in their soil. The maps produced ...

Life Underground Critical to Earth's Ecosystems

(PhysOrg.com) -- "I wonder if I shall fall right through the Earth!" mused Alice-in-Wonderland as she tumbled down the rabbit-hole." How funny it'll seem to come out among people that walk with their heads downwards! The ...

Tree rows in modern agriculture reduce damage to environment

Alley cropping is the agricultural practice of planting rows, or alleys, of trees in fields of crops. According to a new study by an international, multidisciplinary research team led by the University of Göttingen, this ...

Earth's life support systems discussed

In the search for life on Mars or any planet, there is much more than the presence of carbon and oxygen to consider. Using Earth's biogeochemical cycles as a reference point, elements like nitrogen, iron and sulfur are just ...

Climate change turns up heat on mushrooms

(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists have discovered that spring-fruiting fungi, including the morel and St George’s mushroom are fruiting nearly three weeks earlier than they did 50 years ago.

Why mosses are vital for the health of our soil and Earth

Some people see moss growing in their gardens as a problem, but what they may not realize is this ancient ancestor of all plants is bringing lots of benefits to our green spaces, such as protecting against erosion.

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