A recent study investigates the contrasting patterns of symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF) and asymbiotic nitrogen fixation (ANF) along altitudinal gradients in subtropical forests. The research found that SNF rates declined with increasing altitude due to higher soil nitrogen availability and lower air temperatures, while ANF rates showed a hump-shaped pattern, influenced by soil properties at lower altitudes and climatic factors at higher altitudes. The study underscores the importance of distinguishing between SNF and ANF in ecological studies and Earth system models, providing valuable insights for improving global BNF estimates and refining model predictions.

A review has explored the pathways, business models and drivers for youth employment in Africa’s agricultural sector by gaining research and insights from young people and stakeholders involved in youth empowerment activities in Uganda.

The CABI-led review, published in the journal CABI Agriculture and Bioscience, identified six key employment pathways: primary production, agri-service provision, market facilitation, value addition, agro dealership, and green entrepreneurship.

Some species of fig trees store calcium carbonate in their trunks – essentially turning themselves (partially) into stone, new research has found. The team of Kenyan, U.S., Austrian, and Swiss scientists found that the trees could draw carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere and store it as calcium carbonate ‘rocks’ in the surrounding soil.