Farm soil can be a secret climate superhero

Farm soil can be a secret climate superhero

Annalisa Stevenson loves soil. Most of us ignore it as dirt. But soil is “literally the foundation of life,” notes this Ph.D. student at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She considers it the “coolest thing to study.” And she plans to make soil science her career. The field of soil science is especially important right now. As Earth’s climate warms, our planet is experiencing more storms, fires, droughts and other disasters than in the recent…

Soil compaction in action

Soil compaction poses a bit of a Goldilocks situation, as U.S. Department of Agriculture soil scientist Devin Rippner found when examining soil in different locations in a new, machine-planted vineyard. He used a technique called X-ray computed tomography to examine the structure of soil minerals, which appear light gray, and the pores, roots and other organic matter that appear darker gray and black. Underneath the heavy machine, the tractor ro…