Soil systems play a key role in the fight against climate change. A paper, produced by Rubio et al., 2024, highlights the importance of soil management and land conservation for sustainable use of resources. It calls for a comprehensive vision recognizing soil's socio-economic benefits and ecological functions, urging for radical environmental, social, and economic shifts to address climate change responsibly for present and future generations, in alignment with initiatives like the European Green Deal and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Areas prone to drought and land degradation need effective water management plans to secure food production. Methods such as hydrological modelling and digital soil mapping can aid in evaluating water availability (water content and water stress). A study by Horta et al., 2023 examined the use of a global and local soil hydraulic properties (SHP) dataset to simulate soil-water balance at a regional scale in Portugal and found that the SHP dataset is a key factor to consider. The results showed that the choice between global and local SHP datasets significantly impacts the accuracy of soil-water balance simulations, influencing irrigation schedules and potentially jeopardizing crop production and soil quality, particularly in Mediterranean conditions.
The paper addresses the urgency of communicating the worsening anthropogenic-driven species extinction crisis to diverse audiences and proposes a threatened species recovery report card as a tool to showcase conservation progress, emphasizing the need for immediate action to prevent further biodiversity loss.
Elsevier,

Trends in Ecology and Evolution, Volume 39, February 2024

How to reduce human-wildlife conflixt through education
Shows behavioural and physiological responses to habitat change
Images relating to how RELX supports the SDGs including image of 3D anatomy model
As we pass the halfway point for the SDGs, many of the goals are worryingly off track and progress on 85% of the target indicators has stalled or even reversed. Through our information, products and people, RELX remains committed to advancing the Goals. Here are some of the ways that we continue to support their achievement.
Image of front cover of Elsevier report The Power of Data in Advancing the SDGs
Access to information is critical in achieving the SDGs - empowering the public to make decisions, informing policy making and enabling effective implementation and monitoring. RELX businesses regularly produce and publish free to download reports and analytics that draw upon vast amounts of information and data in support of the SDGs. Explore some of the reports and tools developed to date.
Elsevier,

Current Research in Microbial Sciences, Volume 6, January 2024

Plants have a microbiome, a diverse community of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, living inside and on their tissues. This review article contains deeper insight in endomicrobiome related research work in last years, recruitment, niche development, nutrient dynamics, stress removal mechanisms, bioactive services in plant health development, community architecture and communication, and immunity interplay in producing stress resilient future crop.
Strigolactones (SLs) are a new class of plant hormones that play a significant role in regulating various aspects of plant growth promotion, stress tolerance and influence the rhizospheric microbiome. GR24 is a synthetic SL analog used in scientific research to understand the effects of SL on plants and to act as a plant growth promoter.
A discussion on how well Emojis reflect biodiversity, and how this should be improved to contribute to public engagement and communication.

Pages