Rachel Calder

Rachel Calder

Rachel Calder will soon be embarking on a PhD studying mycorrhizal fungi in woodland, but is also an inveterate dabbler with a wide enthusiasm for all things Science. Having started out studying history herself, she’s also a big advocate for transcending the arts/sciences divide.


Farming vehicle rakes through a field of dirt, where soil carbon may be stored

Soil Carbon in a Warming World

Climate change's effects can be reduced by soils storing carbon. But the soil carbon sink is itself vulnerable to climate change ...

How Do Plants Harness Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria?

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria help plants obtain a usable form of nitrogen. But what’s the science behind it, and how can it benefit crops? ...
Green plant is sprouting out of dark soil

How Do Soil Microbial Communities Recover from Wildfires?

Scientists examine how soil microbial communities resume ecosystem functioning after a wildfire, with a focus on the effects of dispersal ...
Bee Phenology: How Are Bees Feeling the Heat?

Bee Phenology: How Are Bees Feeling the Heat?

Rising temperatures in recent years have been linked to observed shifts in bee phenology. These changes may impact pollination ...
A wheat field in the Mpika District, Muchinga Province, Zambia, showing symptoms of wheat blast during the outbreak of March 2018. Credit: Batiseba Tembo, Zambia Agriculture Research Institute; license CC by 4.0

Genomics Takes On Crop Disease

Genomics opens the way for scientists to track where and which plants are affected most by rapidly spreading pathogens ...

Water Quality Monitoring by Bacterial Biosensors

Water quality may be headed for a rise as scientists work to develop new technology that uses bacteria to detect harmful heavy metals in water ...