When it does rain in Queensland, soil washes into the Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest barrier reef.

NPR: Pacific Island Cultures Brace for Climate Change

But Egypt has been building an iron barrier, sunk deep into the sandy soil, to thwart this subterranean traffic.

ECONOMIST: Israel and Gaza

"The big barrier as far as bioenergy crops are concerned is a fear of the unknown in terms of soil carbon losses or gains - this is the gap we are trying to fill, " explained lead researcher Niall McNamara.

BBC: Measuring bioenergy crops' carbon footprint credentials