Mosses are one of oldest land plants. They can be found all over the world, from dense rainforests to the driest deserts and even on the windswept hills of Antarctica.

They are everywhere; grows in cracks along roads and paths, on tree trunks, on rocks and buildings, and, last but not least, on soil.

Yet despite this omnipresence, we have relatively little understanding of how important they are, especially the types of mosses that thrive in the soil.

New global soil moss study published today in NatureGeoscience shows that they play a crucial role in sustaining life on our planet. Without soil mosses, the Earth’s ability to produce healthy soils, provide a habitat for microbes, and fight off pathogens would be greatly reduced.

Global overview of soil mosses

The results of a new study show that we may have underestimated the importance of soil mosses.

Using data from 123 sites on every continent, including Antarctica, we show that soil under mosses contains more nitrogen, phosphorus, and magnesium, as well as higher soil enzyme activity, than bare surfaces without plants.

In fact, mosses affect all major soil functions by increasing carbon uptake, nutrient cycling, and the breakdown of organic matter. These processes are critical to sustaining life on Earth.

Our simulations have shown that soil mosses cover a huge area of ​​the planet, about 9 million square kilometers, which is equivalent to the area of ​​China. And that’s not counting boreal forest mosses, which were not included in the study.

The strength of the influence of mosses on the soil depends on the conditions of their growth. They operate most strongly in natural unproductive environments such as deserts. They are also more important in sandy and saline soils, and where rainfall varies greatly.

Not surprisingly, mosses have the strongest impact on soils where vascular plants– those containing specialized tissues for carrying water and minerals are rare.

Intimate connection

Mosses do not have plumbing, which allows vascular plants to grow tall and draw water from beneath the soil. This makes them relatively short and means they are closely connected to the topmost layers of the soil.

Mosses are extremely absorbent and can attract airborne dust particles. Some of these particles are included in the soil below. It is not surprising, therefore, that they have such a strong effect on soils.

Our simulations show that globally, mosses store 6.4 gigatons more carbon than bare soils.

The loss of just 15% of the global soil moss cover would be equivalent to global carbon dioxide emissions from all land-use changes during the year, such as clearing and overgrazing.

Not all mosses are the same

We have also found that some mosses are more effective at improving soil health than others. Long-lived mosses tended to be associated with more carbon and better control of soil pathogens.

The ability of mosses to provide ecosystem services and support a diverse community of microbes, fungi, and invertebrates was strongest in areas with high matting and sod moss cover, such as sphagnumwhich are widely distributed in boreal forests.

Soils are a huge reservoir soil pathogens, however, there were fewer plant pathogens in the soil under the mosses. Mosses can help reduce pathogens in the soil. This ability could have arisen when the mosses developed like land plants.

Desert Task Force

A special kind of moss thrives in deserts. They either live hard (perennial mosses) or die young (annual mosses).

mosses in the family Pottiaceae uniquely suited to life in dry and harsh environments. Many have special structures that allow them to survive when water is scarce. These include boat-shaped leaves with long hairy tips that help direct water to the center of the plant. Some mosses wrap around their stem to reduce the area exposed to the sun and retain moisture.

Desert mosses also protect the soil from erosion, affect how much water moves through the upper layers and even ages chances of survival of plant seedlings.

Other mosses have special moisture-absorbing cells (papillae) that swell and provide them with a supply of moisture in dry conditions.

Our global study has shown that matting and turf mosses such as Sphagnum have the strongest positive impact on a variety of microbes, fungi and invertebrates, as well as important functions such as nutrient supply. As expected, long-lived mosses contained more soil carbon and were better at controlling plant pathogens than short-lived mosses.

Protect the mosses

Overall, our work shows that mosses influence important soil processes and function in the same way as vascular plants. Their impact may not be as strong, but their overall coverage means mosses are potentially just as significant when added up across the globe.

But mosses are under growing threat around the world; livestock anxiety, overharvestingland clearing and changing of the climate are the biggest threats.

We need greater recognition of the services that soil mosses provide to all life on this planet. This means communicating more about their positive benefits, identifying and mitigating the main threats they face, and including them in regular monitoring programs.

Soil mosses are everywhere, but their future is far from certain. They are likely to play an increasingly important role as vascular plants decline in a predicted hotter, drier and more variable global climate.

This article has been reprinted from Talk under a Creative Commons license. Read original article.

The first images from the new European weather satellite Meteosat-12 have just been published.

The spacecraft, which is located at an altitude of 36,000 km above the equator, was launched in December and is currently in a testing phase that will last for most of this year.

When the Meteosat-12 data is finally released to the meteorological agencies, it is expected to lead to a dramatic change in forecasting skills.

Warnings about imminent dangerous conditions should improve significantly.

This is what is called “nowcasting” – the ability to say with greater certainty that a strong wind, lightning, hail or heavy rain is about to hit a particular area.

Part of this progress will come from Meteosat-12’s increased resolution. For previous generation satellites, storm element detection needed to be at least 1 km across. The new spacecraft will track objects up to 500 meters in diameter.

“Now we can see very beautiful structures,” said Jochen Grandell of Eumetsat, the intergovernmental agency that operates Europe’s weather satellites.

“You may have heard, for example, the term ‘high peak’ which is part of the development of a thundercloud where you can see very strong updrafts and downdrafts. They change very fast and they are also very small. But they are also very strong,” he told BBC News.

Since 1977, Europe has had its own meteorological spacecraft, which is located high above the planet. The new thermal imager is the third iteration in this series.

Meteosat-12 is in a “stationary” position, constantly monitoring Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

It will return a complete picture of weather systems rushing across the surface of the Earth at a speed of one every 10 minutes, five minutes faster than it has been so far. It also views the planet in more wavelengths of light. Sixteen instead of the previously available 12.

Additional strips of light allow for true color images. In other words, the images are much closer to what the human eye can perceive when looking down from the same vantage point.

The story goes on

“The first time we received the data, there were huge emotions because we could see the high quality of the sensor,” recalls Eumetsat colleague Alessandro Burini.

“The optical quality of images, radiometry, navigation – in other words, the accuracy of the position of individual pixels in the image – is really very good.”

The new third-generation system will eventually consist of three spacecraft operating in unison.

The second thermal imager will appear in 2026 in order to get images of only Europe faster – every 2.5 minutes. Before that, in 2024, a “probing” spacecraft will be launched to measure temperature and humidity in the atmosphere.

Since spare satellites have already been ordered for the first operational trio, Europe is guaranteed coverage until the 2040s.

The total cost is expected to be around €4.3bn (£3.7bn).

If that sounds like a lot of money (and it is), it pales in comparison to the value society derives from accurate weather forecasting in preventing loss of life, damage to infrastructure and economic disruption.

Repeated analyzes have shown that the benefits are in the tens of billions of dollars a year across Europe.

BBC Weather presenter and meteorologist Simon King was thrilled to see the new images.

“It’s like going from standard definition to 4K,” he said. “The increase in resolution is quite noticeable. When you zoom in, you can actually see the structure of the clouds. And it’s not just clouds, you can also see the dust in the atmosphere very clearly, which is important, for example, for the development of hurricanes.”

Natasha Strelets Makhovich works at Eumetsat teaching people how to use data from space. She previously worked as a meteorologist in Croatia.

“Another example that I would call a consequence of higher resolution is fog detection, because now we can see fog even in very narrow valleys,” she explained. “And perhaps another application that I would highlight is the monitoring of forest fires, since [Meteosat-12] will not only see much smaller fires better and see smoke, but also channels on [Meteosat-12] will allow us to see differences even in the intensity of the fire.”

Testing of the satellite and terrestrial systems will continue throughout this year. National forecasting agencies such as the UK Met Office, Météo-France and DWD (German Meteorological Service) are scheduled to enter Meteosat-12 information into their supercomputers regularly in early 2024.

Since its launch in 1973 IEEE Foundation raised over $135 million for more than 250 IEEE programs that improve access to technology, increase technology literacy, and support education.

The IEEE charitable partner is celebrating its 50th anniversary with several events that showcase the tremendous impact donors around the world have had. It has also introduced new ways to recognize its donors and added a priority area where donations will go.

“As the IEEE Foundation celebrates its 50th anniversary, the global need for sustainability, Internet access, STEM education, and inspiring a new, diverse generation of technologists to such worthy endeavours, has never been greater.” Ralph FordPresident of the Foundation, said in news release about the anniversary. “Generous donors and members are the lifeblood of the IEEE Foundation’s world-changing initiatives that have positively impacted thousands of communities.”

Here is a look at some of the events and a range of programs that have benefited from donor generosity.

Celebration with technology pioneers

The celebration began in February with an event held in Sheraton New York Times Square hotel.

“Over the past 50 years, the leaders, volunteers, and donors of the IEEE Foundation have impacted the lives of so many people around the world,” John Macdonald– said the chairman of the committee for the celebration of the 50th anniversary in his welcoming speech. He and his wife have been donors for decades. “I have personally witnessed how these contributions have had a meaningful and lasting impact. I look forward to working with all of you to increase our impact, expand our network, and forge even more partnerships with IEEE members, volunteers, and philanthropists.”

“I look forward to partnering with the IEEE Foundation to make meaningful philanthropic investments that encourage holistic and intelligent ways to use technology to improve the lives of people around the world,” added Saifur Rahman, IEEE President. “As we continue this quest, we will create a wider range of technological capabilities and continue to address global challenges.”

In one highlight of the event, the actors pose as engineering pioneers. Marie Curie, Thomas Alva Edison, Lewis Latimer, Nicholas TeslaAnd George Westinghouse talked to those present and talked about how the inventions of technologists have changed the world.

Curie, Tesla and Westinghouse reappeared on March 1 during virtual party organized by McDonald, Rahman and Ford.

“Generous donors and members are the lifeblood of the IEEE Foundation’s world-changing initiatives that have positively impacted thousands of communities.”

Rahman and Tesla discussed IEEE Foundation supported programs that have improved living conditions. “Contributions to the IEEE and the IEEE Foundation expand our capabilities beyond our own beliefs and improve people’s lives both professionally and personally,” Rahman said.

Ford and Curie spoke about the important contributions made by the Nobel Laureate and other women engineers. Ford mentioned IEEE Women in Engineering and as the IEEE Foundation supports program and finance it scholarships.

“We inspire girls around the world to pursue their academic interests and pursue careers in engineering, computer science, technology, and related tech fields,” Ford said. “We want to do more and take bold steps to help WIE members and families move up the career ladder and ensure women who study these fields find meaningful careers.”

According to the executive director of the Fund, other festive events and events are planned throughout the year. Karen A Galucci.

Anniversary Foundation, which was originally created to receive and manage donations in support of IEEE Awards The program will be covered throughout IEEE Vision, Innovation and Challenges Summit and Awards Ceremonyofficials say.

during IEEE Power & Energy Society General MeetingThe Foundation plans to celebrate the success PES Scholarship Plus Initiative another IEEE Smart Village and host a property planning session for visitors.

The Foundation plans to continue its proud history of investing in IEEE grassroots leadership by sponsoring the IEEE Sectional Congress. in August, the Foundation is set to host a post-opening reception, give charity classes, and present its 50-year history at an exhibition.

Thanks to donations made to the IEEE Smart Village Program, IEEE Senior Member Tunde Salihu [third from left] and his staff were able to install a microgrid at a medical facility in Illorina, Kwara, Nigeria. SHAYBIS NIGERIA LLC

New donor recognition programs

During a virtual event on March 1, Ford also announced that the Foundation has added six tiers of philanthropy to IEEE Legacy Circle, including one named after Curie. The Donor Recognition Scheme has various levels of donations named after innovators in science and technology. The Curie level is awarded to members who donate between $150,000 and $249,999. The remaining five new levels reflect the pioneering engineering work of women, people of color, and members of the LGBT+ community: Hertha Ayrton (from 25,000 to 49,999 USD), Jagadish Chandra Bose (from 750,000 to 999,999 USD), Edith Clark ($5 million or more), Lewis Latimer (from $75,000 to $99,999) and Alan Turing (from $2.5 million to $4,999,999).

Another way the Foundation celebrated its anniversary was to add a fifth area, a pillar, to help guide philanthropy. One example is known as future supportThe Foundation will fund educational, inspiring and foundational programs for future generations. The other four pillars are labeled illuminate, bring up, attractAnd to fill with energy.

Women’s support and STEM education

Generous donors support these ongoing programs:

• IEEE History Center. In 1979, the center was one of the first partnership programs with the newly created IEEE Foundation. Created in preparation for the 1984 IEEE Centenary celebration, the Center preserves and promotes the history of technology, the engineering profession, and the IEEE. Donations have contributed to the oral histories of nearly 1,000 technology icons; over 200 milestones celebrating significant technical advances around the world; and over 5000 articles published on Wiki on the history of engineering and technology.
• IEEE Life Members Foundation. This program, which preceded the IEEE Foundation, was one of the first funds added to the Foundation in 1979. It supports life members as well as fellowships and fellowships for students.
• IEEE Women in Engineering. This global network is dedicated to advancing women engineers and scientists and inspiring girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM. WIE has 30,000 members, including men, in over 100 countries and 950 local around the world.
• IEEE Try Engineering. This STEM outreach program is designed to empower a new generation of technology innovators. Donations support IEEE TryEngineering Portal, which provides educators and students with free resources, 135 lesson plans, and hands-on STEM labs. More than 562,000 people use the portal every year.
• IEEE Smart Village.ISV supports business development projects that combine renewable energy, educational opportunities and entrepreneurship development to empower poor communities around the world. More than 1.4 million people have benefited from the program through nearly 200 projects in sub-Saharan Africa, India, Latin America and Southeast Asia.
• IEEE This Kappa Well.This honorary society has received support from the Foundation since its merger with the IEEE in 2010. Its members are over 200,000 electrical engineers, computer engineers, computer scientists and other professionals and students in related fields. It has over 250 undergraduate and graduate chapters in 29 countries.
• IEEE VISION.Members of the IEEE Humanitarian Technology Task Force partner with communities to share ideas, gain experience, and implement technology projects to solve local problems. The initiative has 18,000 members from over 130 countries.

“Technology brings and will continue to bring benefits to humanity, and this is the mission that the IEEE has,” Rahman said in his speech. news release about the anniversary. “Making our world more just, sustainable and sustainable is critical for every community.

“Five decades of generous donor support… have been invaluable to resource-poor communities around the world.”

To find out how you can support important IEEE Initiativesconnect with IEEE Foundation. You can also just do donation online.