PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Researchers to train farmers on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve soil health

Researchers to train farmers on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve soil health
2023-06-21
(Press-News.org)

EL PASO, Texas (June 21, 2023) — In 2021, agricultural activities contributed to 10 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. Now, researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso will help reduce these emissions by training farmers across the nation on climate-friendly agricultural practices.

The project is supported by a new $2 million, four-year grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The team behind the Carbon SMART (Soil Monitoring, Assessment, Research and Training) project includes soil scientists and geochemists from UTEP as well as geomorphologists, landscape ecologists, sociologists, and environmental anthropologists from Boise State University in Idaho. The researchers will train farmers and ranchers in Idaho and the surrounding region to monitor carbon levels in soil and practice climate-smart conservation practices.

Increasing carbon in soil is key to increasing soil health, according to the team. Carbon is a key ingredient in photosynthesis, the process by which plants absorb and convert carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen. Once absorbed from the atmosphere, carbon is stored in the surrounding soil as decaying plant matter. 

“On a global scale, soil collectively holds about twice as much carbon as the atmosphere,” said David Huber, Ph.D, the project’s principal investigator and a research assistant professor in the UTEP Department of Earth, Environmental and Resource Sciences.

But certain farming practices, like tilling and lack of cover crops, can disrupt soil structure and cause carbon to be released into the atmosphere faster than it is stored naturally, which contributes to atmospheric warming, climate change and reduced soil health. According to Huber, maintaining stable levels of carbon in soil is in the best interest of farmers and critical to preventing further warming.

In addition to training producers to measure carbon levels in soil, the Carbon SMART team will monitor the success of various conservation methods at maintaining stable carbon levels. 

“This project will offer farmers and ranchers a practical toolset to assess for themselves the virtues of climate-smart conservation practices.” said Huber. “It will also provide important insight into why producers adopted one set of conservation practices but not others.” 

The team that received the grant will primarily work with farmers and ranchers from underserved communities. They plan to begin outreach with non-governmental agencies that work with these producers, as well as partner with state and federal agencies, state agricultural boards and industrial farms.

“The Carbon SMART project will generate crucial knowledge about conservation practices that enhance carbon storage in soil and can be used to help agricultural producers improve soil health throughout the western U.S.,” said Robert Kirken, Ph.D., dean of the UTEP College of Science. “I’m very proud of the team for earning this grant that helps prevent further climate change while simultaneously helping historically underserved communities, and I’m looking forward to what they accomplish.” 

Additional investigators on the project include UTEP Professor of Earth, Environmental and Resource Sciences Lixin Jin, Ph.D. and Boise State University faculty members Jen Pierce, Ph.D.; Jodi Brandt, Ph.D.; Lisa Meierotto, Ph.D.; and Rebecca Som Castellanos, Ph.D. 

 

About The University of Texas at El Paso 

The University of Texas at El Paso is America’s leading Hispanic-serving University. Located at the westernmost tip of Texas, where three states and two countries converge along the Rio Grande, 84% of our 24,000 students are Hispanic, and half are the first in their families to go to college. UTEP offers 169 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs at the only open-access, top-tier research university in America.

END


[Attachments] See images for this press release:
Researchers to train farmers on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve soil health

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

A novel solution to safeguard Japan's unique citrus cultivars and their breeders’ rights

A novel solution to safeguard Japans unique citrus cultivars and their breeders’ rights
2023-06-21
Citrus cultivation holds significant importance in Japan and has recently attracted both domestic and global attention. With an agricultural production value of approximately 201 billion yen, citrus is the third most important agricultural product in Japan. The success of the Japanese citrus industry is attributed to the development of new cultivars that are free of pests and diseases, climate-resilient, and exhibit superior fruit quality. Notable examples include 'Asumi', 'Asuki', 'Ehimekashidai28go', 'Ehimekashidai48go', 'Himekoharu', 'Kanpei', 'Rinoka', and 'Mihaya', all of which display improved agricultural ...

Study examines the use of silver diamine fluoride as an early childhood caries management strategy in Indigenous communities

2023-06-21
Alexandria, VA, USA – A study seeking to understand the perspectives of decision-makers (DMs) working within health fields in First Nations (FNs) communities in Canada regarding the use of Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) as an early childhood caries (ECC) management strategy will be presented at the 101st General Session of the IADR, which will be held in conjunction with the 9th Meeting of the Latin American Region and the 12th World Congress on Preventive Dentistry on June 21-24, 2023, in Bogotá, ...

IOP Publishing extends co-review policy to entire owned journal portfolio, delivering a collaborative and supportive experience for all reviewers

IOP Publishing extends co-review policy to entire owned journal portfolio, delivering a collaborative and supportive experience for all reviewers
2023-06-21
IOP Publishing (IOPP) is rolling-out a new co-review policy across its entire owned journal portfolio as part of its commitment to ensuring an inclusive and supportive review process.   Early career researchers (ECRs) often support more experienced academics by contributing ideas or comments to peer review reports. Yet, according to a survey, 70% of ECRs say that their name was withheld from the editorial staff after they served as a reviewer or co-reviewer on a report, and they received no official recognition for their work.   IOPP’s ...

Can light therapy treat atrial fibrillation?

2023-06-21
New research published in the Journal of Internal Medicine demonstrates that optogenetics—which uses light-sensitive proteins to control the activity of targeted cells—is a promising shock-free approach to treating atrial fibrillation (AF), or an irregular, often rapid heart rate, for immediate restoration of regular rhythm. Current treatments for AF—including medications and shocks to restore a regular heart rhythm—come with low success rates and/or serious side effects. ...

Can humor help treat depression and anxiety?

2023-06-21
An analysis of published studies suggests that humor therapy may lessen symptoms of depression and anxiety. For the analysis, which is published in Brain and Behavior, investigators identified 29 relevant studies that included a total of 2,964 participants and were conducted in nine different countries. Participants had depression or anxiety and included children undergoing surgery or anesthesia; older people in nursing homes; patients with Parkinson's disease, cancer, mental illness, or receiving dialysis; retired women; and college ...

Could bamboo be the next source of renewable energy?

2023-06-21
An article in GCB Bioenergy describes why bamboo may be an attractive resource in efforts to develop environmentally friendly renewable energy to replace fossil fuels. The authors note that bamboo grows rapidly, absorbs carbon dioxide, and releases large amounts of oxygen into the atmosphere. They describe various processes—such as fermentation and pyrolysis—that can be performed to convert its raw material into bioethanol, biogas, and other bioenergy products. A tool with limitations is currently available for selecting the most appropriate bamboo species ...

How does household water insecurity affect children’s health and well-being?

2023-06-21
The global burden of disease associated with water insecurity has traditionally focused on diarrheal disease as the most significant driver of infant and child mortality. However, a review in WIREs Water notes that there are many other ways that water insecurity can have adverse health and social consequences for children. Inadequate or unsafe household water can have a range of health effects in children from infancy to late adolescence. Household water insecurity can spread disease, cause interruptions to growth and development, lead to school absenteeism and interpersonal violence, and contribute to other aspects of children’s mental and physical health. “Because ...

Are health professionals in India adequately supporting breastfeeding?

2023-06-21
A review in Clinical & Experimental Allergy highlights a problematic relationship between the infant formula industry and allergy health professionals. The authors express concern that this could undermine breastfeeding in countries such as India, whose allergy management practices are often extrapolated from guidance developed in high-income countries with low breastfeeding rates. The article by international experts in infant nutrition and allergy health documents the high rate of breastfeeding in India, where one-quarter ...

How do testosterone’s effects on the brain change from adolescence into adulthood?

2023-06-21
Higher testosterone levels during adolescence are associated with increased involvement of the brain’s anterior prefrontal cortex (aPFC) in emotion control, but the opposite effect occurs during adulthood. In a study published in Developmental Science, researchers investigated this switch by conducting brain imaging scans in the same individuals during middle adolescence, late adolescence, and young adulthood. The study, which included 71 participants, demonstrated that the positive effect of testosterone ...

Climate change could lead to "widespread chaos" for insect communities

Climate change could lead to widespread chaos for insect communities
2023-06-21
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- New species continue to evolve the world over, as different groups of organisms separate and take divergent paths. What happens when you add climate change to the mix? That’s the question Thomas H.Q. Powell, assistant professor of biological sciences at Binghamton University, State University of New York, and his lab seek to answer in “Contrasting effects of warming in diverging insects,” recently published in Ecology Letters. In the 1850s, the apple maggot fly — a major agricultural pest ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Demystifying gut bacteria with AI

Human wellbeing on a finite planet towards 2100: new study shows humanity at a crossroads

Unlocking the hidden biodiversity of Europe’s villages

Planned hydrogen refuelling stations may lead to millions of euros in yearly losses

Planned C-sections increase the risk of certain childhood cancers

Adults who have survived childhood cancer are at increased risk of severe COVID-19

Drones reveal extreme coral mortality after bleaching

New genetic finding uncovers hidden cause of arsenic resistance in acute promyelocytic leukemia

Native habitats hold the key to the much-loved smashed avocado’s future

Using lightning to make ammonia out of thin air

Machine learning potential-driven insights into pH-dependent CO₂ reduction

Physician associates provide safe care for diagnosed patients when directly supervised by a doctor

How game-play with robots can bring out their human side

Asthma: patient expectations influence the course of the disease

UNM physician tests drug that causes nerve tissue to emit light, enabling faster, safer surgery

New study identifies EMP1 as a key driver of pancreatic cancer progression and poor prognosis

XPR1 identified as a key regulator of ovarian cancer growth through autophagy and immune evasion

Flexible, eco-friendly electronic plastic for wearable tech, sensors

Can the Large Hadron Collider snap string theory?

Stuckeman professor’s new book explores ‘socially sustainable’ architecture

Synthetic DNA nanoparticles for gene therapy

New model to find treatments for an aggressive blood cancer

Special issue of Journal of Intensive Medicine analyzes non-invasive respiratory support

T cells take aim at Chikungunya virus

Gantangqing site in southwest China yields 300,000-year-old wooden tools

Forests can’t keep up: Adaptation will lag behind climate change

Sturgeon reintroduction initiative yields promising first-year survival rate

Study: Babies’ poor vision may help organize visual brain pathways

Research reveals Arctic region was permafrost-free when global temperatures were 4.5˚ C higher than today

Novel insights into chromophobe renal cell carcinoma biology and potential therapeutic strategies

[Press-News.org] Researchers to train farmers on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve soil health