Biogeosciences

GeoTalk: Meet Soil Microbiologist and Early Career Scientist Biogeosceinces Representative, Elsa Abs!

Simon Clark February 6, 2026

Elsa Abs

Hello Elsa & welcome to GeoTalk! Before we dig deeper, could you introduce yourself to our readers? Hi! I’m Elsa (they/them). I’m a microbiologist/biogeochemist, and I just started a permanent position at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) one month ago. I work with one PhD student, Elisa Richard, and two postdocs, Mathilde Bourreau and Thomas Cortier, on my ERC Starting ...[Read More]

Geoscientific perspectives on global wetland systems: Between traditional knowledge and cultural heritage

Asmae Ourkiya February 2, 2026

The kidneys of the Planet by Elisa Palazzi Source: Imaggeo

Today marks World Wetlands Day, and this year, the theme is Wetlands and traditional knowledge: Celebrating cultural heritage. Each year, February 2 is a day dedicated to recognising wetlands as places that store carbon, protect water, and hold complex cultural meaning. Wetlands such as mangroves, salt marshes, seagrass beds, peatlands, and floodplains are extremely good at taking carbon out of th ...[Read More]

The living skin of our planet: Why a world soil health index is our next great global scorecard

Asmae Ourkiya November 28, 2025

Soil water repellency by Antonio Jordán Source: Imaggeo

Next time you’re outdoors, in a park or anywhere where there is no pavement, look down at the patch of earth beneath your feet. To many people, it’s just mud, dirt, or maybe soil, something passive that things grow in. But to a soil scientist, that handful of soil represents a dynamic ecosystem that supports an incredible 95% of all the food we eat, filters every drop of our drinking water, ...[Read More]

Mangroves: Our coastal guardians of soil, biodiversity, and climate

Asmae Ourkiya July 25, 2025

Mangroves, Kilim Geological park Penang, Malaysia Source: Imaggeo

Mangrove forests, rare tidal woodlands at the interface of land and sea, are extraordinary ecosystems that bridge freshwater and marine environments. These forests support rich biodiversity and invaluable nursery habitat for fish and crustaceans, while also providing food, shelter, and cultural resources to millions of coastal communities. Think of mangroves as sea walls: their dense, prop-root ne ...[Read More]