Farms with more intensive management have lower soil functionality

Summary author: Walter Beckwith

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

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Soil health hinges more on how agricultural land is managed than whether the farming system is organic or conventional, according to a new study showing that farms with more intensive management have lower overall soil functionality. The findings argue that optimizing yield whilst lowering management intensity – what the authors call "productive deintensification" – may be a more sustainable path forward that could boost soil health across diverse farming practices. Soils play a critical role in supporting both human well-being and ecological stability. In agricultural soils, efforts to maximize crop yields can come at the cost of essential soil functions such as water retention and nutrient cycling. Intensive farming practices often degrade soil health by reducing organic carbon content and biodiversity, which are key to maintaining soil functionality. Organic farming is often considered to be more sustainable than conventional farming and is seen as a way to enhance soil health. However, benefits to soil health are likely driven by specific management practices – such as crop diversification, reduced tillage, and manure use – rather than by the overarching organic or conventional system used. Given the complexity of real-world farming, simply comparing these systems is insufficient. According to the authors, measuring management intensity as a continuous variable offers a more accurate and useful framework for promoting sustainable agriculture.

 

Here, Sophie van Rijssel and colleagues assessed how both farming type (organic vs. conventional) and management intensity affect soil multifunctionality (soil’s ability to perform multiple ecological functions) and the potential drivers underlying the effects. Sampling soils from 53 organic and conventional agricultural fields from across the Netherlands, van Rijssel et al. measured and combined various soil health and function indicators into a single score tailored to each soil type. Additionally, farm management intensity was quantified through farmer interviews and reflected practices like fertilizer use, tillage, and crop rotation. The analysis revealed that management intensity is a better predictor of soil multifunctionality than whether a farm was labeled organic or conventional. According to the findings, higher management intensity was associated with reduced multifunctionality, particularly in organic systems. The authors show that specific practices – particularly reduced use of inversion tillage and increased use of grass-legume cover crops – were key drivers of improved soil multifunctionality, with total soil organic carbon and bacterial biomass identified as the primary mechanisms underlying these effects.

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Journal

Science

DOI

10.1126/science.adr0211 

Article Title

Conventional and organic farms with more intensive management have lower soil functionality

Article Publication Date

25-Apr-2025

 

Tracing the emergence and spread of H5N1 in U.S dairy cattle

Summary author: Walter Beckwith

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

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The spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in U.S. dairy cattle can be traced to a single spillover event from a wild bird, researchers report, raising concern over growing pandemic risks as the virus evolves and leaps between species. HPAI viruses pose serious threats to animal health, agriculture, and potentially human health due to their ability to cross species barriers. A specific strain, H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b, has spread globally, infecting wild birds, poultry and, mammals – including a small number of humans – underscoring its pandemic potential. Notably, in 2024, this strain was detected in dairy cattle across multiple U.S. states, marking an unusual and concerning expansion into a previously uncommon host. Here, Thao-Quyen Nguyen and colleagues investigated how this H5N1 strain evolved and spread following its arrival in North America in late 2021. Nguyen et al. analyzed genetic data from over 100 virus variants that emerged through mixing with local, low-pathogenicity bird flu strains. By combining these data with newly sequenced genomes and outbreak information from infected U.S. dairy cattle, the authors discovered that the outbreak originated from a single spillover from an avian source – likely in mid-to-late 2023 in Texas – followed by several months of undetected cow-to-cow transmission. The movement of infected or presymptomatic dairy cattle facilitated the rapid spread of the virus from Texas to several other states, including North Carolina, Idaho, Michigan, Ohio, Kansas, and South Dakota. According to the findings, after the avian influenza virus was introduced into cattle, it not only persisted but also spread from cattle to other species, including poultry, raccoons, cats, and wild birds such as grackles, blackbirds, and pigeons. Moreover, genetic analysis revealed mutations associated with mammalian adaptation, some of which have already become fixed in the viral population. “Our study demonstrates that [influenza A virus] is a transboundary pathogen that requires coordination across regulatory agencies and between animal and public health organizations to improve the health of hosts and reduce pandemic risk,” Nguyen et al. write.

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Journal

Science

DOI

10.1126/science.adq0900 

Article Title

Emergence and interstate spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) in dairy cattle in the United States

Article Publication Date

25-Apr-2025

CDC taps Texas A&M School of Public Health to assess avian flu among dairy farm workers

The United States has seen 70 human cases and one death from avian flu to date

Texas A&M University

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In April 2024, a month after avian influenza (HPAI H5N1) was detected in dairy cows in several states, the first known human case was reported in an individual in Texas who had been exposed to dairy cows.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) believes this was the first case of H5N1 being spread from birds to cattle to a human—and the risk to humans remains low. Since H5N1 was first found in dairy herds, there have been 70 human cases, with four of these cases linked to exposure to sick dairy cows.

To find out more, the CDC has awarded a more than $3 million, one-year grant to a multidisciplinary research team led by experts at the Texas A&M University School of Public Health to assess the presence of avian influenza among dairy farm workers in Texas.

Unique Expertise And Teamwork

“Our School of Public Health is part of the largest land-grant institution in the nation,” said David Douphrate, PhD, who leads the project. “We are uniquely positioned to address agricultural health and safety issues, especially given our long track record of working within the dairy industry.”

Douphrate has more than 20 years of experience conducting research that addresses worker health and safety issues in agriculture, and dairy farms specifically.

“I am privileged to work with an outstanding team of experts in the School of Public Health,” he said. “Rebecca Fischer, PhD, is an infectious disease epidemiologist; Loni Taylor, PhD, is also an infectious disease epidemiologist as well as large animal veterinarian; Anabel Rodriguez, PhD, is an occupational epidemiologist; Timothy Erickson, PhD, is a brilliant biostatistician, and Jason Moats, PhD, has a long track record in emergency preparedness in farming operations.”

Douphrate added that others on the team are Robert Hagevoort, PhD, professor and extension dairy specialist at New Mexico State University, Matthew Nonnenmann, PhD, an industrial hygienist at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and numerous research support personnel.

“Shoe Leather Epidemiology” Tackles The Virus At Its Source

“There is very little information about how many people have been affected by H5N1 and who they are,” Moats said. “Our goals are to first identify the scope of exposure and how many people have been exposed and—more importantly—to understand the workplace factors involved so we can reduce transmission.”

Douphrate said the team first sought input on how to conduct this research from dairy owners and dairy associations. The key to success, he said, is “protecting our trusted relationships with dairy owners and workers and taking all measures to ensure that confidentiality is maintained.”

Douphrate first meets with dairy owners to discuss the project and obtain their approval to collect data on their farms. At the site, researchers meet with dairy workers, explain the project, answer questions and obtain their consent to participate. A bilingual research team member then administers a questionnaire to each worker, and blood samples and nasal and eye swabs are collected from each worker for subsequent lab analysis. The process takes one to three days, depending on the number of workers.

Working with those affected where they live and work is what Fischer called active surveillance, or “shoe leather epidemiology,” a critically important capability that many public health organizations cannot offer. Instead, those organizations rely only on data they get from doctors and medical labs on those who have tested positive for a disease.

“To encounter a disease and determine how to stop it, we have to load up all of our stuff and go to the people affected,” Fischer said. “We have longstanding relationships with dairy farmers. and they know they can trust us even in the most sensitive situations—for farmers and workers who do not want the publicity associated with avian flu.”

Fischer said the blood test reveals if a worker has antibodies to avian flu, which indicate previous exposure to the virus. Swabs, on the other hand, determine if the worker “has avian flu today,” in which case the team facilitates the worker on where to receive health care services for treatment.

Relationships Built On Trust

“We are working with people who are largely ignored but who help make day-to-day life possible in this country,” Fischer said. “Our research is completely anonymous—we don’t collect names or birthdates, for example. We don’t take photos or ever talk to anyone about any aspect of what we do. That takes the fear out of being tested and helps ensure that our data are accurate and complete.”

The researchers learn how workers may have been exposed to the virus by combining the questionnaire data with the lab analysis. The test results and questionnaire answers tell the team what strain of flu they are dealing with and what to tweak to improve worker health and safety. If H5N1 is identified, the researchers help the farmers prevent its spread and keep the workers and cattle herds safe. Their findings are reported in aggregate so that individual farms cannot be identified.

“A former U.S. president once stated that a nation which cannot provide for itself through agriculture production is a nation at risk due to a reliance on external food sources,” Douphrate said. “Our nation’s ability to produce healthy foods is dependent on a healthy agricultural workforce. Researchers at the Texas A&M University School of Public Health are uniquely positioned to make a significant contribution to public health by responding to the recent H5N1 challenge.”

By Ann Kellett, Texas A&M University School of Public Health

 

Carnivorous “bone collector” caterpillar patrols spiderwebs while adorned in body parts of its insect prey

Summary author: Walter Beckwith

Peer-Reviewed Publication

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

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A rare carnivorous caterpillar, previously unknown to biologists, stalks spiderwebs for food whilst dressed in the remains of its prey, researcher report. This unique new species, dubbed the “bone collector,” is found only on a single mountainside on the Hawai’ian island of Oa’hu. 

Hawai’i’s geographic isolation has given rise to uniquely adapted invertebrates, including several species of carnivorous caterpillars like the Hawaiian inchworm (Eupithecia spp.). However, the vast majority of Lepidoptera species are herbivorous; predatory caterpillars comprise roughly 0.1% of the nearly 200,000 moth and butterfly species currently known. Here, Daniel Rubinoff and colleagues describe a newly discovered Hawai’ian predatory caterpillar species –the “bone collector” – which lives exclusively within spider webs tucked into tree hollows and rock crevices. According to Rubinoff et al., bone collector caterpillars – part of the genus Hyposmocoma, an ancient and diverse group of moths found only in Hawai’i – are opportunistic scavengers and predators that live in enclosed spider webs, where they consume weakened or dead insects, including cached spider prey. They will also occasionally cannibalize one another. What’s more, they meticulously decorate their portable silk cases with inedible insect body parts, selecting, sizing, and fitting them with care – likely as a form of macabre camouflage to avoid detection by their spider hosts. Notably, these caterpillars are extremely rare and only 62 individuals have been observed in more than 20 years of fieldwork. Although this elusive species is likely 5 million years older than the oldest Hawai’ian island, today it survives in just a small, 15 square kilometer patch of mountain forest on the island of O‘ahu. And, while it has adapted to use non-native spider hosts, its extreme rarity and confinement to a single location make it susceptible to many of the same threats, including invasive predators and habitat loss, driving other native Hawai’ian insects toward extinction. Without targeted conservation efforts, this last living representative of this ancient lineage of carnivorous, body part–collecting caterpillars may quietly vanish, the authors warn.

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Journal

Science

DOI

10.1126/science.ads4243 

Article Title

Hawaiian caterpillar patrols spiderwebs camouflaged in insect prey’s body parts

Article Publication Date

25-Apr-2025

 

New approach to silicone waste recycling closes the loop

Summary author: Walter Beckwith

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

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A new low-energy chemical recycling method using boron and gallium can convert common silicone waste into useful chlorosilanes with high efficiency and yield. The method offers a promising new chemical pathway toward circularity in silicone materials, addressing both resource sustainability and emissions reductions in the industry. Prized for their durability, heat and chemical resistance, and low toxicity, silicone polymers are found in countless everyday products, ranging from medical devices to car parts. Each year, millions of tons of silicone are produced globally. Producing silicones is highly energy-intensive, with over 70% of their carbon footprint stemming from the extraction and subsequent chemical processing of component materials. Thus, improving silicone recycling is critical – not only to conserve valuable raw materials like quartz but also to significantly reduce energy use and environmental waste. However, while recycling of carbon-based polymers has advanced, recycling silicone polymers remains challenging due to their complex chemical makeup and robust material properties. Here, Nam Duc Vu and colleagues present a versatile chemical recycling strategy to break down a wide range of silicone-based materials, including those commonly used in consumer and industrial products. Vu et al.’s approach uses a gallium catalyst and boron trichloride reagent to depolymerize silicone, at a mild 40° Celsius, into quantitative amounts (~97% yields) of high-purty chlorinated silane monomers, which are key building blocks in silicone manufacturing. According to the authors, the method is scalable and closes the loop on silicone materials by enabling re-synthesis of fresh silicones from waste. In a related Perspective, Koushik Ghosh discusses the study in greater detail.

 

For reporters interested in research integrity issues, Perspective author Koushik Ghosh notes, “recent efforts in my field have made strides toward addressing science integrity-related issues, particularly through initiatives aimed at improving transparency, reproducibility, and ethical research practices. However, one area I believe requires greater emphasis is prioritizing quality over quantity in scientific output. The current landscape often incentivizes the production of numerous publications, sometimes at the expense of originality and rigor. I would like to see a stronger focus on fostering truly innovative research, with an honest acknowledgment of the value of "failure experiments."

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Journal

Science

DOI

10.1126/science.adv0919 

Article Title

Gallium-catalyzed recycling of silicone waste with boron trichloride to yield chlorosilanes

Article Publication Date

25-Apr-2025

A new recycling process for silicones could greatly reduce the sector’s environmental impacts

CNRS

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A study conducted by CNRS1 researchers describes a new method of recycling silicone waste (caulk, sealants, gels, adhesives, cosmetics, etc.). It has the potential to significantly reduce the sector’s environmental impacts. This is the first universal recycling process that brings any type of used silicone material back to an earlier state in its life cycle where each molecule has only one silicon atom. And there is no need for the raw materials currently used to design new silicones. Moreover, since it is chemical and not mechanical recycling, the reuse of the material can be carried out infinitely. The associated study is to be published in Science on 24 April 2025.

The raw material used to make silicones is naturally occurring quartz2. Its constituents are decomposed using metallurgy at high temperature to obtain pure silicon. That then reacts with methyl chloride to form chlorosilanes, molecules essential to all silicone-based polymers. These first two transformations are very energy intensive and emit CO2, the main greenhouse gas causing climate change. Consequently, this new recycling technique would make it possible to circumvent one of the most harmful impacts of the silicone sector. Moreover, as this chemical recycling process gives direct access to (methyl)chlorosilanes, which can be separated and purified industrially, it guarantees the quality of silicone materials from recycling, and can do that infinitely without loss of properties.

At a time when key chemical elements – and the associated mineral resources – are increasingly sought after, a recycling process like this also opens up a path to easing potential tensions around the crucial quartz resource, and the resulting silicon that is one of the key components used by the electronics industry. Together with their scientific and industrial partners3, the authors continue their research, both on improving this process to make it industrially applicable, and by proposing recycling methods for other stages of silicone processing. Finally, they are also working on recycling other materials to make their use more sustainable.

Notes

1 – From the « Catalyse, Polymérisation, Procédés et Matériaux » laboratory (CNRS/CPE Lyon /Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1).

2 – Critstalline silica with fewer impurities than sand.

3 – This study was conducted alongside the Centre de RMN à très haut champs at Lyon (CNRS/ENS de Lyon/Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1), the Institut de chimie et biochimie moléculaires et supramoléculaires (CNRS/Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1) and private companies Activation and Elkem Silicones.
 

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Journal

Science

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Gallium-catalyzed recycling of silicone waste with boron trichloride to yield key chlorosilanes

Article Publication Date

24-Apr-2025

News Release 24-Apr-2025