Revision of the REACH chemical regulation should enable more realistic understanding and management

Common mycorrhizal networks (CMNs) formed by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi interconnect neighbouring plants. New evidence from Zhang et al. demonstrates that CMNs transfer jasmonic acid from necrotroph...

Microplastics (MPs) in soil can paradoxically stimulate microbial biomass in a highly context-dependent manner, potentially inducing decomposition and affecting carbon and nitrogen cycles. We conducted a global meta-analysis with 90 studies (710 observations of microbial biomass carbon (MBC), 354 of microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN)) integrated with machine learning to quantify MPs effects on soil microbial biomass. Field studies showed no significant effects, contrasting with controlled experiments where MPs increased MBC by 9.6% (95% CI: 7.2–11.9%) and MBN by 10.4% (6.8–14.0%). Biodegradable plastics (PBAT, PLA) induced stronger effects (36.1–67.6%) than conventional polymers (PE, PP, PS, PVC). Temperature emerged as the dominant factor, with a contrasting MPs effect on MBC (positive) and MBN (negative) at higher temperatures, suggesting potential decoupling of carbon and nitrogen cycles under warming conditions. Machine learning models (XGBoost, R2 = 0.62) significantly outperformed linear regressions (R2 = 0.02–0.05), revealing nonlinear responses and threshold effects. Stimulatory effects were most significant for medium-sized MPs (30–90 μm), at high concentrations (>10 g kg–1), and in soils with intermediate fertility, highlighting context-dependent risks to soil carbon and nitrogen cycling.

There is uncertainty in whether there is a common pattern of nestedness and modularity in plant–arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi associations, partly because of limitations arising from the use of ...

Data-driven scientific discovery requires iterative cycles of literature search, hypothesis generation, and data analysis. Substantial progress has been made towards AI agents that can automate scient...

ALB initiiert Artist-in-Lab-Residenzen für vier international anerkannte, in Berlin lebende Künstler:innen, unterstützt von der Lottostiftung Berlin. Das neue Projekt ist ein interdisziplinärer Austau...

Can we establish a culture of experiments to try out new forms of collaboration, research, and teaching?

During 2025 and 2026, Art Laboratory Berlin is unfolding the new innovative project CHRYSALIS. ARTISTS IN LABS with an interdisciplinary exchange between art and science in Berlin science laboratories...