Credit: Colin/Flickr

Healthy soil may be easier to detect by sound than by sight

Ever thought about listening to the soil under your feet? New research reveals that the sounds of soil-dwelling critters can indicate the health of the land, offering a new way to monitor and restore ecosystems.

Ayurella Horn-Muller reports for Grist.

In short:

Ecoacoustics, the study of environmental sounds, can be used to monitor soil health by detecting the presence and diversity of underground organisms.
Researchers found that soils with richer soundscapes, indicating more biodiversity, are healthier and less degraded.
Scientists are exploring whether playing recordings of healthy soil sounds can aid in the restoration of degraded lands.

Key quote:

“You can actually use sound to listen to the soil, and get an indication of soil health, based on the little critters moving around.”

— Jake Robinson, microbial ecologist at Flinders University

Why this matters:

This method is groundbreaking, not just for the science community but for anyone concerned about the environment. Healthy soils are the bedrock of agriculture, climate stability, and even human health. Read more: Growing veggies in the city this year? You may want to check your soil.

grist.org

Healthy soil may be easier to detect by sound than by sight

Newsom and lawmakers weaken key California environmental law to speed housing and infrastructure builds

How a global network of grassroots leaders is getting cities to ride more bikes

Texas court rules oil companies own fracking wastewater, not landowners

Saudi oil official’s role in climate science report raises conflict of interest concerns

World leaders stall as Cop30 looms and climate pledges remain unfinished

Ocean salinity shifts are melting Antarctic sea ice faster, scientists find

Solar farms and sheep grazing show how farming and clean energy can share land

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Pennsylvania health advocates say Trump’s first 100 days in office have caused “100 harms” to local communities

“They're terrorizing these scientists because they want to keep them silent.”

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.