May 8, 2015
Back to the future: quilombos and their potential to protect Brazil’s Atlantic Forest
Waverli Maia Matarazzo NeubergerUniversidade Metodista de São Paulo
Traveling to Barra do Turvo is like going back in time. Located between the two huge southern Brazilian metropolises of São Paulo and Curitiba, the road that leads to Barra do Turvo crosses the Ribeira River valley, and winds its way through the Atlantic Rainforest. According to UNESCO, this forest is one of the worl…
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May 4, 2015
Our Soil-ution: increasing important organic matter in soil
Rhiannon DavisSoil Association
Soil is always at the forefront of the Soil Association’s work, but especially so during 2015’s International Year of Soils: a year designated by the United Nations to highlight how soil - full of life and frequently overlooked - is essential to all human life.
The health of soil is being rapidly degraded, which…
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May 1, 2015
Technology to Help Us Deal with Drought
Dennis O’BrienAgricultural Research Service
With droughts becoming more severe, water tables getting lower and an increasing demand for water from growing suburbs and cities, farmers know they need to use water more sparingly. That’s why recently patented technology developed by USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists in Texas is so important.
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April 30, 2015
The Connection between Biodiversity and Coffee Agriculture
Amanda CaudillSmithsonian Migratory Bird Center
When I tell people about my research with biodiversity and coffee farms, most people look at me confused and ask, “Wait, what does coffee have to do with biodiversity?” I understand that this question is not unfounded. Although about 1 billion cups are coffee are consumed worldwide daily–most people do not link t…
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April 29, 2015
Mapping Restoration Opportunities through Soil Surveying
Stephanie J. ConnollyUSDA Forest Service
Recent collaborative research by West Virginia University (WVU), the USDA-NRCS and USDA-Forest Service has linked spodic soil properties to the historical range of red spruce (Picea rubens) in the Central Appalachians. The data collected has allowed researchers to map the occurrence of these properties to help project …
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April 27, 2015
Felines in trouble: a Brazilian scenario
Francine SchulzRio Grande do Sul State Sanitation CompanyLarissa Rosa de OliveiraUniversidade do Vale do Rio dos SinosRodrigo Cambará PrintesBrazilian Institute for Biodiversity Conservation
Carnivores, such as large cats, are extremely important to maintain the ecological equilibrium in areas because they guarantee the diversity and resiliency of ecosystems. As predators, large cats can help control herbivore populations. Also, large cats usually leave behind a great part of their prey for several reasons…
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