The author is a research ecologist with the USDA-Agricultural Research Service in Raleigh, N.C.

May 27, 2025
We are all familiar with the three primary nutrients required by plants: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K)...

April 25, 2025
One of the soil functions of widespread interest to country and city dwellers alike is providing a firm foundation, either for growing plants or for the variety of buildings that we house our livestock, harvested grain, or families in...

March 17, 2025
Is it safe to assume that we all look forward to a bit of spring green up?...

Jan. 7, 2025
Have you ever wondered how all those cattle dung patties simply disappear from one year to the next?...

Nov. 25, 2024
When evaluating the quality of land for farming, one of the key features of interest will be its organic matter content...

Sept. 26, 2024
In the February 2023 issue of this column, I introduced the forces binding soil into water-stable aggregates...

May 28, 2024
In the March 2024 issue of this column, it was questioned whether pastures were just right in maturity or too old and in need of renovation...

March 26, 2024
Do fresh, newly planted pastures provide better nutritional quality for grazing livestock than older pastures?...

Feb. 24, 2024
Out of sight, out of mind! This adage can certainly apply to our view of soil and the organisms that live in it...

Jan. 25, 2024
This edition of Sunrise on Soil offers some ethical and spiritual musings of soil...