Soil Health News

  1. Article snapshot

    Can Soil Microbes Slow Climate Change?

    Mar 29, 2019

    Scientific American recently published a news article discussing the role Microbes may play in Climate Change mitigation. The article showcases work of Dr. David Johnson of New Mexico State University. He reocmmends that "to tip the soil’s fungal-to-bacterial ratio strongly toward the fungi". "As the ratio of fungi to bacteria increases, the soil biome becomes more efficient in utilizing carbon and other nutrients and that the soil therefore releases less CO2 to the atmosphere." In general, good soil health practices promote fungi growth in agroecosystems.

  2. Mining the soil for data: The impact of cropping systems on soil health

    Sep 25, 2017

    Long-term research project to study the impact of cropping system on soil health.

    While the benefits of cover crops for soil health have long been touted by extension staff, it’s been difficult for researchers to determine how exactly cover crops affect the soil. That is until now. In 2016, an elaborate soil health monitoring system – the first of its kind in North America – was installed at the Elora Research Station, near Guelph, Ontario. 

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