Nature is rife with symbiotic relationships, some of which take place out of sight, like the rich underground exchange of nutrients that occurs between trees and soil fungi. But what happens in the dark may have profound implications above ground, too: A major new study reveals that soil fungi could play a significant role in the ability of forests to …

While it may be the era of supercomputers and “big data,” without smart methods to mine all that data, it’s only so much digital detritus. Now researchers at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and UC Berkeley have come up with a novel machine learning method that enables scientists to derive insights from systems of previously …

Landscape genetics branches out to help conserve riverside forests The conservation of river floodplain ecosystems is one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century. Forests on the banks of rivers or along streams often support a rich and unique array of plant and animal life, due, in part, to the high soil moisture. These areas are important in maintaining …

Forest plantations are a potent blend for coffee production Climate change is threatening Europe’s coffee supplies, but the impacts could be diluted by planting the crops amongst trees – a technique known as agroforestry, which is also being revived in European farming. The distinctive waft of freshly brewed coffee is a familiar wake-up smell but, next time the aroma tickles your senses, …

Slash and build: Study aids forestry biofuel industry By Siddharth Vodnala, intern, Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture PULLMAN, Wash. – Researchers from Washington State University, along with those from Oregon State University and the University of Montana, have recently devised refined methods to estimate the amount of forest residue — the leftovers from trees after logging — that is …