Biology professor Paul Barnes and Loyola alumna Michele Abbene, A’05, recently published a paper titled “Soil Coverage Reduces Photo degradation and Promotes the Development of Soil-Microbial Films on Dryland Lead Litter,” which was published in Ecosystems, an international science journal.
The journal reports findings on fundamental ecosystem ecology, environmental ecology and environmental problem-solving. The article discusses how ultraviolet light, together with soil erosion, influence the decomposition of dead plant material. Decomposition determines how quickly nutrients move from plants to the soil, as well as how much carbon is stored in the soil and atmosphere. This process can influence both the atmosphere and climate change.