October 16, 2008
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Soil & Groundwater Newsletter October 16, 2008 |
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| This Week´s Featured News Stories |
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Food Security - an issue for the UK too, says Soil Association
For its annual World Food Day (Thurs 16 Oct), the UN Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO) rightly focuses on the 923 million people suffering from malnutrition in the South - highlighting climate change as the key factor threatening their long-term food security. In the short-term, rising oil prices have led to increasing food costs and scarcities, provoking riots in over a dozen countries from Burkina Faso, Haiti, to Mexico. The diversion of land for biofuel crops has also been a factor - with the world’s largest grain producer and exporter, the US, diverting nearly 20% of its harvest to ... |
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Do nanoparticles affect the health of the soil ecosystem?
New research reveals that many microorganisms, including bacteria and protozoa, show little sensitivity to fullerene nanoparticles applied to soil samples. However, fast-growing bacteria decreased in number and the genetic diversity of bacteria and protozoa altered slightly. This could affect the bottom of the food chain, which may have long-term implications for the overall health of the soil ecosystem. Nanotechnology collectively describes technology and science which utilises nanoscale particles. Despite their benefits, introduction of nanoparticles into the environment might have significant ... |
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