In soils the right balance of fungi and bacteria is very important to maintain a healthy soil for both forests as well as agricultural lands. Due to intensive farming practices, we see that the fungal diversity and the population in soils have come down drastically.
In England, conservationists are pioneering an innovative ecosystem restoration project by transferring fungi-rich soil from ancient woodlands to newly created forests.
Led by Forestry England, the initiative involves transplanting soil cores containing up to 300 species of fungi from Hagg Wood to York Community Woodland, a new 78-hectare site. These fungi, particularly mycorrhizal fungi, form symbiotic relationships with trees, enhancing their growth, nutrient uptake, and resilience to disease and extreme weather. However, these crucial organisms are often absent in newly established woodlands due to soil degradation.
The experiment, to be monitored over the next decade, aims to demonstrate how fungi translocation can restore soil health and biodiversity. If successful, it could serve as a global model for combating soil degradation, a growing crisis highlighted by the UN's World Soil Day.
A recent UN-backed study warns that land degradation is threatening Earth's ability to sustain humanity, with over 15 million square kilometers already affected and the problem worsening each year. Soil erosion alone could lead to a 10% drop in global crop production by 2050, exacerbating risks of malnutrition and famine amid a rising global population.
Experts like environmental campaigner Anand Ethirajalu stress that restoring the balance of fungi and bacteria in soils is vital not only for forests but also for agriculture and human health.
The project underscores the urgent need to value and restore soil ecosystems as a cornerstone of climate resilience, biodiversity, and food security.
Iran has rejected claims it has been weakened, vowing instead “more crushing” attacks against the United States and ...
In a highly unusual move highlighting shifting narcotics diplomacy, the U.S. has handed over a Chinese fugitive accus...
International law experts from across the U.S., including Harvard, Yale and Stanford, have signed an open letter saying the strikes on Iran may amo...
The global commodities market is facing a severe structural supply shock after a series of coordinated military strikes in the Middle East de...
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top storie...
Britain said on Thursday that around 40 countries are exploring ways to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil shipping route effectively blocked by Iran amid ongoing conflict. The U.S. did not take part in the discussions.
Australia’s move to ban social media access for children under 16 has intensified a global debate, as governments around the world weigh tougher rules amid growing concerns over mental health, safety and screen addiction.
Double world champion Max Langenhan delivered a dominant performance to win men’s luge singles gold on Sunday (8 February), breaking the track record four consecutive times as Germany extended its grip on the sport, now winning four of the past five Olympic titles.
A London court has sentenced Russian captain Vladimir Motin to six years in prison for gross negligence over a 2025 ship collision that killed Filipino crew member Mark Pernia, whose body was never found.
Fears of wider escalation grow despite President Donald Trump saying U.S. strikes on Iran could end within weeks. Meanwhile missile attacks, tanker incidents and rising casualties across Israel, Lebanon and the Gulf heighten risks to regional stability and energy routes.
There are fears of an oil spill after a drone strike hit a Kuwaiti oil tanker near Dubai on Tuesday, while U.S.-Israeli strikes in Iran reportedly killed at least two people. A loud explosion was heard in Beirut in southern Lebanon early Wednesday, as oil prices climbed above $100 a barrel.
Four astronauts blasted off from Florida on Wednesday on NASA's Artemis II mission, a high-stakes voyage around the moon that marks the United States' boldest step yet toward returning humans to the lunar surface later this decade in a race with China.
An earthquake of magnitude 7.6 struck in Indonesia's Northern Molucca Sea on Thursday, killing one person, damaging some buildings and triggering tsunami waves, authorities and witnesses said.
President Donald Trump staunchly defended his handling of the month-old U.S.-Israeli war on Iran in a prime-time address on Wednesday, saying the U.S. military was nearing completion of its mission while also reinforcing his threats to bomb the Islamic Republic back to the Stone Age.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned that the Earth’s climate system is becoming increasingly unstable, with new evidence showing a growing imbalance in how the planet absorbs and releases energy.
China is preparing for a year of extreme weather in 2026, with authorities warning the country could face both severe flooding and widespread drought, underscoring mounting climate pressures.
Heavy rain, flash floods and lightning strikes across Afghanistan have killed 28 people and destroyed hundreds of homes in Kabul, Herat and other provinces.
Central Asia is stepping up efforts to address rapid glacier melt, following United Nations warnings of unprecedented climate pressure on mountain ecosystems.
Europe's aviation sector hit - and may well have surpassed - a 2% mandate for green jet fuel use in 2025, a regulatory official and a source told Reuters, bolstering airlines' green credentials as the region seeks to cut reliance on hydrocarbons.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment