http://www.physorg.com/ en-us Physorg.com internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. According to climate change experts, our planet has a fever -- melting glaciers are just one stark sign of the radical changes we can expect. But global warming's effects on farming and water resources is still a mystery. A new Tel Aviv University invention, a real-time "Optical Soil Dipstick" (OSD), may help solve the mystery and provide a new diagnostic tool for assessing the health of our planet. http://www.physorg.com/news173611636.html Space & Earth Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:29:32 EST news173611636 Contrary to the prevailing view, cereal crops derive the majority of their nitrogen from the soil, not fertilizer. Soils differ considerably in microbial activities that determine nitrogen-supplying power, and these differences must be taken into account if nitrogen fertilizers are to be used efficiently. http://www.physorg.com/news161256687.html Space & Earth Mon, 11 May 2009 10:31:51 EST news161256687 A recent study conducted in the Midwestern United States examined the effects of harsh wet conditions on both cultivated and uncultivated soils, vastly advancing the knowledge of water's effects on aggregation. Soil aggregation is an important soil attribute that is related to the physical-chemical state of the soil, and is one of the essential processes that determine soil quality. During the wet season in the U.S. Midwest, upland soils are often under water for days or weeks, causing oxygen depletion, or reducing conditions, which may in turn affect the chemistry of the soil-water system and, consequently, soil aggregation. Loss of soil aggregation impacts agriculture by decreasing soil quality and crop production. http://www.physorg.com/news158419600.html Space & Earth Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:27:10 EST news158419600 Phosphorus is one of the key nutrients that can cause algal blooms and related water quality problems in lakes, rivers, and estuaries worldwide. Phosphorus entering waters originates from a variety of sources. Agricultural land receiving long term applications of organic by-products such as animal manure is one of the major contributors. Such soils often become enriched with P, leading to elevated P loss through erosion and runoff. Information on the chemical characteristics of P in these soils is essential to improving our understanding of how P behaves in soils and how it is transported in runoff to devise better management practices that protect water quality. http://www.physorg.com/news152975509.html Space & Earth Wed, 04 Feb 2009 13:12:55 EST news152975509 Following the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1970 and 1990 acidic deposition in North America has declined significantly since its peak in 1973. Consequently, research has shifted from studying the effects of acidic deposition to the recovery of these aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Regional-scale studies have focused primarily on aquatic systems and while many of these ecosystems are showing signs of chemical recovery (increases in acid neutralizing capacity and pH, decreases in sulfate and aluminum concentrations), recovery is slower than expected based on the magnitude of the decline in acid deposition. http://www.physorg.com/news150988084.html Space & Earth Mon, 12 Jan 2009 13:08:04 EST news150988084