| Hi Everybody,
Here is my second news digest! |
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| Coral reefs benefit from probiotics. Over 30 species of corals in the Atlantic Ocean are being affected by the deadly stony coral tissue loss disease. Current treatments include antibiotics; however, these do not protect from future infections and risks the development of antibiotic resistance. This recent study showed that application of beneficial microbes (probiotics) to whole coral colonies off the Florida coast is effective at treating the disease and may help prevent future infections. |
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| | 📸 Application of probiotics to coral | Credit: Pitts et al. 2025 Figure 2 |
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| | | 📸 Black Rhinoceros in Zimbabwe | Credit: Claire O’Neill, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) |
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Reduction in rhino poaching due to dehorning. Despite decades of effort to stop illegal rhino poaching in southern Africa’s Greater Kruger ecosystem, the practice persists. A recent study evaluated several anti-poaching strategies, including armed rangers, surveillance cameras, and dehorning. They found that dehorning reduced poaching by 78% across eight reserves. While it is unfortunate, the procedure is painless for rhinos, as their horns are made of keratin, like human fingernails, and can grow back after removal. |
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| Soil fungi and bacteria work together to supply nutrients to plants. Mycorrhizal fungi form symbiotic relationships with almost all land plants, providing nutrients like nitrogen in exchange for sugars produced by plants through photosynthesis. This study showed that fungi rely on soil bacteria to access nitrogen in organic matter, such as decaying leaves. Plants had the highest nitrogen levels when both fungi and bacteria were present, highlighting the vital teamwork within soil microbial communities that supports plant health and ecosystem productivity. |
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| CO2 fertilization or forest degradation? While higher CO2 levels can increase plant growth, known as the CO2 fertilization effect, this recent analysis finds it will lead to ecosystem degradation in tropical forests like the Amazon. Elevated CO2 has been shown to lower water availability and increase tree mortality, threatening ecosystem health. The authors argue that countries with high emissions should bear responsibility for the restoration and conservation of these forest ecosystems. |
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| Using microbes as fertilizers. Chemical fertilizers have been instrumental in increasing food production to support our growing population; however, they create nutrient imbalances in the soil, disturb soil microbes, and have led to widespread water pollution. This review paper discusses the application of microbes, known as biofertilizers, as a sustainable alternative for chemical fertilizers. Biofertilizers can increase the availability of essential nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus to plants, improve soil structure, and protect plants from pests without polluting our ecosystems.
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| Thank you for reading my news digest, I hope you learned something! See you all in the field! |
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| | - AmandaEarthwise Aware | Summer Intern |
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