The soil’s early warning system: microbes can predict desertification before plants start to die

By Marc Van Goethem, Microbial ecologist, University of Pretoria

Microbial ecology (the study of how tiny microbes interact with each other and their environment) underpins the health of every ecosystem on Earth. The microbes living in soil recycle nutrients, support plant growth and help ecosystems respond to environmental change. In this explainer, microbial ecologist Marc Van Goethem tells us why microbes are critical to human life. They can…

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~	What happens to strength, balance, stamina and reflexes as you age – and what you can do about it

~	Jason Arday’s tragic death reveals the intense skepticism Black scholars face

~	US ICE to Deploy Dangerous ‘Electric Shock Gloves’

~	Politics with Michelle Grattan: One Nation’s David Farley on the migrants his party wants

~	Governments shouldn’t rely on AI to decide who gets a social grant: inside a South African court case

~	More than 5,000 little penguins will be vaxxed against bird flu. How will this protect them?

~	Your back cracked, but what does the sound mean? A physio explains

~	Long-awaited gambling reform bill is an improvement, but does not go nearly far enough to reduce harm

~	What should the AFL do when players face sexual assault allegations?

~	Who are the M23 Rebels in eastern DRC?