Biomass production, as a biological process, refers to the net accumulation of organic matter generated by living organisms through metabolic activities, predominantly via primary production (e.g., photosynthesis in plants, algae, and some bacteria) and, to a lesser extent, chemoautotrophy. It encompasses the assimilation of inorganic nutrients and carbon into cellular components such as carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids, balanced by losses through respiration, excretion, and mortality. In ecological and biogeochemical research, biomass formation and turnover are quantified to characterize energy flow, trophic dynamics, and carbon cycling within and across ecosystems at cellular, population, and community scales.
Soil biologist Eric Slessarev has some advice for conservationists, landscapers, and farmers with fallow fields: Go touch deep-rooted grass. Or better yet, go plant some. Slessarev, an assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary ...
Earth Sciences
Apr 21, 2026
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In efforts to better understand how plant photosynthesis is regulated, scientists are studying how Rubisco activity responds to light. In a new meta-analysis study, a team from the Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 15, 2026
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Field margins where hedges have been planted attract twice as many insects as those without hedges. This holds true even in agricultural areas that already contain plenty of natural habitat, according to research published ...
Ecology
Mar 31, 2026
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A research team from the Center for Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM), the Department of Environmental Process Engineering (UVT) at the University of Bremen and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) has made significant ...
Space Exploration
Mar 20, 2026
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The larvae of the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) are considered a promising source of sustainable protein, as they contain high-quality protein comparable to soy protein. They can produce this protein from a wide variety ...
Agriculture
Mar 11, 2026
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Highly detailed 3D scans of dense tropical rain forest plots are enabling precise estimates of tree structure, volume and stored carbon, as part of a first-of-its-kind pilot initiative, led by UCL researchers. Published in ...
Earth Sciences
Feb 24, 2026
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Agricultural waste that is usually burned or left to rot could play a far bigger role in tackling climate change if it were instead used in long-lasting building materials, according to new research from the University of ...
Environment
Jan 31, 2026
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Record forest fires, under-utilized agricultural residues like straw and husks and struggling sawmills have left Canada with an abundance of undervalued biomass. If carefully and strategically managed, this resource could ...
Environment
Jan 27, 2026
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To meet ambitious U.S. Department of Energy targets for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), production of purpose-grown energy crops must ramp up significantly. Although researchers have made substantial progress in understanding ...
Biotechnology
Dec 8, 2025
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17
Sorghum bicolor is a deep-rooted, heat- and drought-tolerant crop that thrives on marginal lands and is increasingly valued for its applications in biofuel, bioenergy, and biopolymer production.
Molecular & Computational biology
Oct 29, 2025
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