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

Analyzing long-term impacts of biofuel on the land

Study simulates long-term effects of biofuel production on soil

2011-02-04
(Press-News.org) Madison WI, FEBRUARY 03, 2011 – The growing development and implementation of renewable biofuel energy has considerable advantages over using declining supplies of fossil fuels. However, meeting the demands of a fuel-driven society may require utilizing all biofuel sources including agricultural crop residues.

While a useful biofuel source, crop residues also play a crucial role in maintaining soil organic carbon stock. This stock of organic carbon preserves soil functions and our global environment as well ensures the sustainable long-term production of biofuel feedstock.

In a study funded by the USDA Agriculture Research Service, scientists analyzed five classical long term experiments. Using a process-based carbon balance model, researchers simulated experiments lasting from 79 to 134 years to predict the potential of no tillage management to maintain soil organic carbon.

Analysis of the experiments indicates that predicted potential long-term effects of changes in management from conventional tillage to no tillage practices provided insights on proposed management options that were not feasible either due to cost or other factors.

"Harvesting substantial amounts of crop residue under current cropping systems without exogenous carbon (e.g., manure) addition would deplete soil organic carbon, exacerbate risks of soil erosion, increase non-point source pollution, degrade soil, reduce crop yields per unit input of fertilizer and water, and decrease agricultural sustainability," says Hero Gollany, the author of the study.

Management practices in these experiments ranged from single cropping to two or three year crop rotations; manure, no fertilizer or fertilizer additions; crop residue returned, and crop residue removed. The predictions also factored diverse climates, soil conditions, fertility management, cropping systems, and crop residue removal practices.

INFORMATION:

The study is available in the January/February 2011 issue of Agronomy Journal.

The full article is available for no charge for 30 days following the date of this summary. View the abstract at https://www.agronomy.org/publications/aj/abstracts/103/1/234.

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

New drought record from long-lived Mexican trees may illuminate fates of past civilizations

2011-02-04
WASHINGTON — A new, detailed record of rainfall fluctuations in ancient Mexico that spans more than twelve centuries promises to improve our understanding of the role drought played in the rise and fall of pre-Hispanic civilizations. Prior evidence has indicated that droughts could have been key factors in the fates of major cultures in ancient Mexico and Central America (Mesoamerica). But there have been many gaps in the paleoclimate record, such as the exact timing and geographic extension of some seemingly influential dry spells. The new, 1,238-year-long tree-ring ...

Helping feed the world without polluting its waters

2011-02-04
A growing global population has lead to increasing demands for food. Farmers around the world rely, at least in part on phosphorus-based fertilizers in order to sustain and improve crop yields. But the overuse of phosphorus can lead to freshwater pollution and the development of a host of problems, such as the spread of blue-green algae in lakes and the growth of coastal 'dead zones'. A further issue is that phosphorus comes from phosphate rock, a non-renewable resource of which there are limited supplies in such geopolitically charged areas as Western Sahara and China. Now, ...

New discoveries improve climate models

2011-02-04
New discoveries on how underwater ridges impact the ocean's circulation system will help improve climate projections. An underwater ridge can trap the flow of cold, dense water at the bottom of the ocean. Without the ridge, deepwater can flow freely and speed up the ocean circulation pattern, which generally increases the flow of warm surface water. Warm water on the ocean's surface makes the formation of sea ice difficult. With less ice present to reflect the sun, surface water will absorb more sunlight and continue to warm. U.S. Geological Survey scientists looked ...

Coffee, energy drinkers beware: Many mega-sized drinks loaded with sugar, MU nutrition expert says

2011-02-04
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Starbucks recently announced a new-sized 31-ounce drink, the "Trenta," which will be in stores this spring. The mega-sized coffee joins the ranks of other energy drinks that can pack plenty of caffeine and calories. Ellen Schuster, a University of Missouri nutrition expert, says that Americans should be wary of extra calories and sugar in the quest for bigger, bolder drinks. "The sheer size of new coffee and energy drinks increases consumers' potential for unhealthy calorie and sugar consumption," said Schuster, state specialist for MU Extension and the ...

New model by University of Nevada for how Nevada gold deposits formed may help in gold exploration

New model by University of Nevada for how Nevada gold deposits formed may help in gold exploration
2011-02-04
RENO, Nev. – A team of University of Nevada, Reno and University of Nevada, Las Vegas researchers have devised a new model for how Nevada's gold deposits formed, which may help in exploration efforts for new gold deposits. The deposits, known as Carlin-type gold deposits, are characterized by extremely fine-grained nanometer-sized particles of gold adhered to pyrite over large areas that can extend to great depths. More gold has been mined from Carlin-type deposits in Nevada in the last 50 years – more than $200 billion worth at today's gold prices – than was ever mined ...

Scientists find part of New Zealand's submerged 'Pink Terraces'

Scientists find part of New Zealands submerged Pink Terraces
2011-02-04
They were called the Eighth Wonder of the World. Until the late 19th century, New Zealand's Pink and White Terraces along Lake Rotomahana on the North Island, attracted tourists from around the world, interested in seeing the beautiful natural formations created by a large geothermal system. But the eruption of Mt. Tarawera on June 10, 1886, buried the terraces in sediment and caused the lake basin to enlarge, engulfing the land where the terraces stood. For more than a century, people have speculated whether any part of the Pink and White Terraces survived the eruption. This ...

Brains need love, too

Brains need love, too
2011-02-04
Mom's touch and diet – Claire-Dominique Walker, PhD, director, Neuroscience Research Division, Douglas Institute. The quality and quantity of maternal milk and maternal-infant contact impact the stress response of the adult offspring, according to recent research published in Developmental Psychobiology. "This manuscript reviews and highlights how critical factors early in life can shape the physiology and behaviour of adult offspring," says Claire-Dominique Walker, Douglas research scientist and study senior author. "For example, we have shown that, in rodent models, ...

Homeless people without enough to eat are more likely to be hospitalized

2011-02-04
Homeless people who do not get enough to eat use hospitals and emergency rooms at very high rates, according to a new study. One in four respondents to a nationwide survey reported not getting enough to eat, a proportion six times higher than in the general population, and more than two thirds of those had recently gone without eating for a whole day. The report will appear in the Journal of General Internal Medicine and has been released online. "The study is the first to highlight the association between food insufficiency and health care use in a national sample ...

Early infusion of donor T cells prevents graft versus host disease in blood cancer patients

2011-02-04
(WASHINGTON, February 3, 2011) – For blood cancer patients at high risk of relapse, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), the transplantation of blood-forming stem cells, is one of best options for treatment and a potential cure. Unfortunately, the most common complication of HSCT is graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a serious and often deadly post-transplant complication that occurs when the newly transplanted donor cells recognize the recipient's own cells as foreign and react by attacking the cells in the patient's body. A study published today in Blood, the ...

GSA supports new US call for improved nutrition and physical activity

2011-02-04
The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) — the nation's largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging — commends the federal government's recent release of the "2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans" and particularly applauds its inclusion of specific advice for older adults. Because more than one-third of children and more than two-thirds of adults in the U.S. are overweight or obese, the 7th edition of "Dietary Guidelines for Americans," issued by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services, places stronger ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Children fast from clear liquids much longer before surgery than guidelines recommend, large study shows

Food insecurity, loneliness can increase the risk of developing chronic pain after surgery

Cesarean delivery linked to higher risk of pain and sleep problems after childbirth

New global burden of disease study: Mortality declines, youth deaths rise, widening health inequities

Chemobiological platform enables renewable conversion of sugars into core aromatic hydrocarbons of petroleum

Individualized perioperative blood pressure management in patients undergoing major abdominal surgery

Proactive vs reactive treatment of hypotension during surgery

Different types of depression linked to different cardiometabolic diseases

Ketogenic diet may protect against stress experienced in the womb

Adults 65 years and older not immune to the opioid epidemic, new study finds

Artificial intelligence emerging as powerful patient safety tool in pediatric anesthesia

Mother’s ZIP code, lack of access to prenatal care can negatively impact baby’s health at birth, new studies show

American Society of Anesthesiologists honors John M. Zerwas, M.D., FASA, with Distinguished Service Award

A centimeter-scale quadruped piezoelectric robot with high integration and strong robustness

Study confirms that people with ADHD can be more creative. The reason may be that they let their mind wander

Research gives insight into effect of neurodegenerative diseases on speech rhythm

Biochar and plants join forces to clean up polluted soils and boost ecosystem recovery

Salk scientist Joseph Ecker awarded McClintock Prize for Plant Genetics and Genome Studies

ADHD: Women are diagnosed five years later than men, despite symptoms appearing at the same age.

Power plants may emit more pollution during government shutdowns

Increasing pressures for conformity de-skilling and demotivating teachers, study warns

Researchers develop smarter menstrual product with potential for wearable health monitoring

Microwaves for energy-efficient chemical reactions

MXene current collectors could reduce size, improve recyclability of Li-ion batteries

Living near toxic sites linked to aggressive breast cancer

New discovery could open door to male birth control

Wirth elected Fellow of American Physical Society

The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Ahead-of-Print Tip Sheet: October 10, 2025

Destined to melt

Attitudes, not income, drive energy savings at home

[Press-News.org] Analyzing long-term impacts of biofuel on the land
Study simulates long-term effects of biofuel production on soil