http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/keyword/soil Inquiries Journal provides undergraduate and graduate students around the world a platform for the wide dissemination of academic work over a range of core disciplines. en-us Sun, 16 Aug 2026 13:53:03 -0400 Sun, 16 Aug 2026 13:53:03 -0400 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1509/commercialization-of-biochar-and-the-benefits-for-climate-change-and-agriculture By Nate D. Van Beilen - Biochar is biomass that has been converted into charcoal through the pyrolysis process. Biochar is applied into soils for carbon sequestration or for improving soil fertility. The carbon bonds in biochar are very stable and do not break down easily which makes biochar a long term carbon storage solution. The physical structure of biochar improves soil fertility by decreasing soil tensile strength and bulk density. Biochar also acts as a soil aggregate which provides habitat for microorganisms. Additionally, the porosity of biochar improves nutrient and water retention in soils thereby improving... Wed, 21 Dec 2016 11:58 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1509/commercialization-of-biochar-and-the-benefits-for-climate-change-and-agriculture http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1529/effects-of-conventional-and-organic-agricultural-techniques-on-soil-ecology By Nate Van Beilen - This paper explores the differing effects that conventional and organic agriculture have on soil ecosystems. The findings are primarily based on a review of published literature found in journal articles and government reports. Conventional agriculture is found to generally have higher yields than organic agriculture. However, the monetary benefits of high yielding conventional agriculture systems use monoculture cropping, tilling, pesticides, and fertilizers that have a significant negative effect on the natural processes soil ecosystems. As a result, these natural process need to be replaced... Sun, 31 Jan 2016 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1529/effects-of-conventional-and-organic-agricultural-techniques-on-soil-ecology http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/868/soil-pollution-from-recycling-centers-case-study-analysis-from-the-campus-of-michigan-state-university By Kaycee Morra Et. Al. - Soil composition greatly affects the health of the entire ecosystem, making it useful to investigate how anthropogenic processes impact soil chemistry. Industrial facilities are common sources of known soil contaminants. In this study, we hypothesized that the Michigan State University recycling center would alter the soil composition of the surrounding area. Soil samples were taken at various distances from the center’s dropboxes, including those from the adjacent Baker Woodlot. Analysis of the samples for aluminum, phosphorus, pH, nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, and ferric iron revealed a number... Mon, 17 Mar 2014 11:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/868/soil-pollution-from-recycling-centers-case-study-analysis-from-the-campus-of-michigan-state-university