Geu @es
Excessive nitrogen fertilization of wheat crops may explain the high prevalence of celiac disease
From 1960s since today, the use of nitrogen to fertilize wheat crops has multiplied by 10 in the world, because it improves soil yield. This practice may be directly linked to the high prevalence of celiac disease, a human autoimmune condition.
When the spring is warm and dry, seed production is increased in forests across Western Europe
Large continental-scale atmospheric phenomena such as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) can be a much better predictor of the quantity of seeds produced by a large portion of Europe's forests, as well as the synchronicity of their production
Volatile Organic Compounds, the language of plants
Not only humans have the capacity for communication. Queen bees emit pheromones in order to control workers, and abortions can be provoked in pregnant female mice just by their smelling of odors produced by a male distinct to that which fertilized them. Plants also communicate with chemical signals which they release into their surroundings, helping them to interact with other plants and living beings, including microorganisms.
Close to 50% of phosphorus emitted to the atmosphere is a result of human activities
According to the study in which CREAF participated, China contributes 43% of this amount. For decades it had been thought that human activities were responsible for only around 5% of atmospherically-circulating phosphorus. More phosphorus in the air means more phosphors deposited on the ground. This can boost plant growth and the capacity to sequester atmospheric CO2; for that reason human activities may be altering the phosphorus and carbon cycles to a degree which was previously unknown