Agronomy, crop, and soil science societies to meet Oct. 31 to Nov. 4 in Seattle
...ience, international agriculture development, soil nutrient management, and sustainable agriculture are scheduled through noon on Thursday, Nov. 4. The event also features exhibits, guided tours, and the ability to earn Continuing Education Units for Certified Crop Adviser and other ARCPACS certification prog...Alaska scientists find Arctic tundra yields surprising carbon loss
...980 a condition thought to simulate the increased nutrient availability expected as a result of a warmer climate. The plots are part of a 20-plus-year project by Terry Chapin of IAB, and Gus Shaver of The Ecosystems Center at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Massachusetts. "One of the greatest values of ...Anthrax enzyme images reveal secrets of antibiotic resistance, suggest new drug design
...t of a biochemical pathway that produces folate, a nutrient these bacteria need to survive. Sulfa drugs are antibiotics that block pABA from binding to the enzyme, and thus block folate production. The St. Jude findings give important clues to how the enzyme binds to DHPP and pABA. They also provide a bluepr...New fruitfly model of diabetes has future implications for pancreatic cell transplantation
...ow this ancient mechanism for cells that sense the nutrient and energy status of an animal can adjust an animal's growth and metabolic state," he says. "Now we have a model for that." Coaxing stem cells to become pancreatic islet cells for transplantation is potentially a permanent treatment for diabetes...The search for a kinder, gentler chemotherapy
...re receptors for folic acid and absorb more of the nutrient than healthy cells. In a process akin to hiding a dog's heartworm pill in a glob of peanut butter, researchers covered the surface of the nanogels with folic acid, disguising the particles as an essential nutrient. Once the cancer cells took the part...Bacteria use 'molecular lasso' to cop copper
...ch the atmosphere use a neat trick to gather a key nutrient for the job. They produce a small organic compound and release it into the surrounding environment, where it "lassos" atoms of copper. The bacteria then reabsorb the compound and use the copper as a weapon against methane, from which they extract ene...New research suggests link between maternal diet and childhood leukemia risk
... looked further and found that glutathione was the nutrient in the protein group with a strong link to lower cancer risk. Glutathione is an antioxidant found in both meat and legumes, and it plays a role in the synthesis and repair of DNA, as well as the detoxification of certain harmful compounds. With...NASA satellites detect 'glow' of plankton in black waters
...f plankton. Scientists can then calculate how much nutrient might be needed to grow those amounts of plankton. Hu and others used this technique to study the nature and origin of a dark plume event in the fall of 2003 near Charlotte Harbor, off the south Florida coast. Moderate concentrations of one of Florid...Unicellular organisms contribute more nitrogen to ocean that reported earlier
... study: Seven milligrams of nitrogen an essential nutrient for the growth of many organisms were being injected into the phytoplankton and other organic materials in every square meter of the ocean surface. "To our surprise, these unicellular nitrogen-fixers are broadly distributed spatially and vertically ...You are what you eat: New insight into autophagy
...ed so that the breakdown products can be used as a nutrient source. Now, adding to information about autophagy...d developmental cues. The well-known regulators of nutrient signaling and cell growth, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and a downstream molecule called TOR, ha...New hypoxic event found off Oregon coast
...he researchers say, which is the movement of cold, nutrient rich water to the surface near the ocean shore. No...ming from the sub-Arctic, and is even colder, more nutrient rich and lower in oxygen than usual. Upwelling-favorable summer winds bring this water closer to sh...Huge market for forest moss raises concerns
...ss samples. And moss may play an important role in nutrient cycling that is not yet fully understood." Moss also holds about 10 times its weight in water, Muir said, and acts as a natural sponge, a hydrologic buffer to help control the flow of water in forests. Some threatened species such as the ma...Pocket gophers serve as 'ecosystem engineers'
... about them, but they change the landscape and the nutrient availability of the soil," said Seabloom. "They act like little rototillers, loosening and aerating the soil. They loosen the soil and the speed at which plants decompose, causing higher production of plants, and they may be important to the biodiver...Lehmann lovegrass won't succumb to fire
...ics of an ecosystem by affecting such processes as nutrient cycling and relationships between species. "Biological invasions usually cause extinction, so we have to assume that Lehmann is not a good thing," he said. Historical records have shown that Lehmann lovegrass is capable of returning w...New England forests at greater risk from air pollution
...anges within the ecosystem, such as less-efficient nutrient cycling or slower forest growth. "While forests are important for timber production, they are also important for maintaining watersheds and protecting biodiversity," says Will-Wolf. "This ability may be impaired under certain conditions." Recognizing...Plant gene discovery could enhance plant growth, reduce fertilizer needs and phosphate pollution
...before plant biologists' meeting. "Phosphorus is a nutrient wherever it goes, and in our lakes and rivers it o...nt. In addition to advancing our understanding of nutrient uptake by plants, this work reveals the molecules behind the scenes of a fascinating example of two ...NSF awards $10 million in grants to ocean sites for long-term ecological research
...ge and diverse communities are fueled by efficient nutrient recycling processes, and by the structure reef-building corals provide," says Phil Taylor, director of NSF's biological oceanography program. "Stony corals are the foundation upon which tens of thousands of other species rely." Research at the new F...Research shows oceans are becoming more acidic
... more stratifed in the high latitudes. In addition nutrient concentrations in surface waters of high-latitude regions would be lower, subsurface waters would be less oxygenated, and phytoplankton would experience increased exposure to sunlight. These changes would affect many species and change the compositio...Researchers discuss revised Food Guide Pyramid and what it will mean for the food industry
...re in planning meals and snacks for their inherent nutrient density, optimal nutrient ratios and bioavailability of those nutrients. A food guide system is important for the purposes of ......an forest restoration more difficult by disrupting nutrient cycles, increasing soil compaction, and consuming needed leaf litter. A study out of Philadelphia describes what can happen when earthworms invade and the most effective soil treatments for flushing them out. After Seismic Surveys, Not All Arctic H...