Publications
NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.
2021
Authors
A. Astover J. Escuer-Gatius A. Don K. Armolaitis G. Barančíková M. Bolinder S. Cornu M. De Boever R. Farina C. Foldal R. Jandl M. Kasper D. Fornara A. Govednik R. Mihelič Vrščaj B. B. Huyghebaert R. Kasparinskis S.G. Keel P. Laszlo A. Lehtonen S. Madenoğlu G. Maria da Conceição Christophe Moni L. O'Sullivan D. Wall G. Lanigan B. Sánchez Gimeno A. Taghizadeh-ToosiAbstract
Deliverable 2.12. This report presents a picture of the inventory of the different models accounting and monitoring soil quality and soil carbon stocks used in 21 different countries in Europe, and especially for the reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to the UNFCCC (UNFCCC, 2020). The report synthesizes the information collected regarding the use of these models both at national and farm scale, as well as information of other models for soil quality monitoring, by different actors (policy making, farmers, and extension services). The study identified a big variability in the models used at national level and GHG reporting, where the Yasso07 model is currently the most widely used, and with several countries planning its implementation in the future. The number of models used at the farm scale to estimate SOC change presented an even bigger variability than those reported at the national scale, including some of the models included in the national scale, but also incorporating smaller spatial models intended for use at the farm scale, at the field scale or even at smaller scales. Most of the models are intended for mineral soils, both arable or grasslands, and only a few are reported for organic soils and/or other land use. A big heterogeneity was also present in the reported soil quality models (besides those used for accounting for SOC change). Two models included in the national and farm scale are also included here (RothC and Yasso07). The most reported soil quality models focus on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions estimation and leaching, and are mainly related to the nitrogen cycle, but also to other nutrients, and soil physical properties. Our results show that synergies derived from European collaborations are not fully used but offer the possibility to enhance the quality of model applications for national GHG reporting and at smaller scales for the support of farm management.
Authors
Martin Hvarregaard Thorsøe Anna Jacobs Chiara Piccini Dario Fornara Eloïse Mason Frédéric Vanwindekens Frederik Bøe Grzegorz Siebielec Julia Fohrafellner Julia Miloczki Katharina Meurer Martina Kasper Lilian O'Sullivan Michal Sviček Maria Gonçalves Miro Jacob Nádia Castanheira Nils Borchard Olivier Heller Peter Laszlo Raimonds Kasparinskis Sara Mavsar Sevinc Madenoglu Vit Penizek Wieke Vervuurt Žydrė KadžiulienėAbstract
Deliverable 2.7. This report provides a synthesis of stakeholders’ perceptions of knowledge on and use of knowledge on sustainable soil management, as well as the knowledge needs. The report is based on interviews with 791 stakeholders in 23 European countries completed in the summer of 2020 in the context of the EJP SOIL project. The analysis highlights a number of shortcomings in the current use and coordination of knowledge on sustainable soil management. For instance, insufficient communication and coordination between policymakers, researchers and farmers is reported. Most national reports stress that, currently, the promotion of knowledge on sustainable soil management towards stakeholders is ineffective. Challenges, for instance, arise because the theoretical knowledge produced at universities is considered irrelevant or inaccessible to farmers who have a practical approach to soil management. It is also reported that there is too little continuity in soil research due to project dependence, which is a challenge because soil research requires long-term investigations. Furthermore, current research insufficiently supports integrated decision-making of practitioners and policymakers, where different challenges and trade-offs continuously must be balanced. In some countries, this is partly due to insufficient funding for dissemination activities, whereas in other countries funding is not utilized correctly. Additionally, reports broadly agree that there is too little continuity in research due to project dependence, which is challenging because soil research requires long-term investigations. In relation to specific areas, knowledge gaps regarding the loss of soil organic matter, carbon sequestration and exploring the effects of climate change, mitigation and preventive measures. were identified. A range of other areas also appear as highly important in certain regions − for instance, ensuring an optimal soil structure, enhancing soil biodiversity, water storage capacity, soil nutrient retention and use efficiency. To overcome these challenges, stakeholders stress that it is important to improve the coordination between policy, research, industry, advisory services and farmers because knowledge about field activities and sustainable soil management is fragmented and poorly coordinated. Thus, stakeholders stress that it is important to strengthen intermediaries, such as the advisory service and farmers’ associations, as they are important knowledge brokers, both in terms of improving knowledge availability and to provide feedback on knowledge gaps to research institutions. Additionally, the need for strengthening networks and peer-to-peer communication is emphasized because these are useful platforms for knowledge exchange. Furthermore, it is important to provide incentives for farmers and improve the visibility of soil challenges for stakeholders, for instance using decision support tools to highlight the benefit of adopting sustainable soil management.
Authors
Qiuzhen Chen Karlheinz Knickel Mehreteab Tesfai John Sumelius Alice Turinawe Rosemary Emegu Isoto Galyna MedynaAbstract
An important goal across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and globally, is to foster a healthy nutrition. A strengthening of the diversity, sustainability, resilience and connectivity of food systems is increasingly seen as a key leverage point. Governance arrangements play a central role in connecting sustainable, resilient farming with healthy nutrition. In this article, we elaborate a framework for assessing, monitoring and improving the governance of food systems. Our focus is on food chains in six peri-urban and urban regions in SSA. A literature review on food chain governance and a mapping of current agri-food chains in the six regions provide the basis for the elaboration of an indicator-based assessment framework. The framework is adapted to the specific conditions of SSA and related goals. The assessment framework is then used to identify the challenges and opportunities in food chain governance in the six regions. The first testing of the framework indicates that the approach can help to identify disconnects, conflicting goals and tensions in food systems, and to formulate strategies for empowering agri-food chain actors in transitioning toward more efficient, equitable and sustainable agri-food systems. The article is concluded with a brief reflection on the strengths and weaknesses of the framework and suggests further testing and refinement.
Abstract
Purpose Anaerobic digestion produces renewable energy, biogas, from organic residues, but also digestate, a valuable organic fertiliser. Previous studies have indicated that digestate contains ample plant available nitrogen (N), but there are also concerns about greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions after application of digestates to soil. The aim of this study was to compare digestate and undigested feedstock for fertiliser effect as well as greenhouse gas emissions during the next season. Methods Digestate and its feedstock, manure, were compared as N fertilisers for wheat. Mixing digestate with biochar before application was also tested. After harvest, soil samples were frozen and dried. Then GHG emissions immediately after a re-wetting of dry soil and after thawing of frozen soil were measured to determine emissions after a non-growing season (dry or cold). Results All N in digestate was plant available, while there was no significant N fertiliser effect of the undigested manure. N2O emissions were higher after a dry season than after freezing, but the undigested manure showed higher emissions during thawing than those detected during thawing of soils from any of the other treatments. Conclusion Anaerobic digestion makes N available to plants, and when residues with much N that is not plant available the first season are used, the risk of N2O emission next spring is high.
Authors
P.W. Barnes J.F. Bornman K.K. Pandy G.H. Bernhard R.E. Neale S.A. Robinson P.J. Neale R.G. Zepp S. Madronich C.C. White A.L. Andrady P.J. Aucamp A.F. Bais A.T. Banaszak L.S. Bruckman S.N. Byrne Bente Føreid D.-P. Häder A.M. Heikkilä W.-C. Hollenstein W.-C. Hou S. Hylander M.A.K. Jansen A.R. Klekociuk J.B. Liley J. Longstreth R.M. Lucas J. Martinez-Abaigar K. McNeill C.M. Olsen L.E. Rhodes T.M. Robson K.C. Rose T. Schikowski K.R. Solomon B. Sulzberger J.E. Ukpebor Q.-W. Wang S.-Å. Wängberg C.E. Williamson R.S. Wilson S. Yazar A.R. Young R.J. Young L Zhu M. ZhuAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
R.E. Neale P.W. Barnes T. Matthew Robson P.J. Neale Craig E. Williamson R.G. Zepp S.R. Wilson S. Madronich A.L. Andrady Anu Heikkilä Germar Bernhard A.F. Bais P.J. Aucamp A.T. Banaszak J.F. Bornman L.S. Bruckman S.N. Byrne Bente Føreid D.-P. Häder L.M. Hollestein W.-C. Hou Samuel Hylander Marcel A.K. Jansen A.R. Klekociuk J.B. Liley J. Longstreth R.M. Lucas J. Martinez-Abaigar K. McNeill C.M. Olsen K.K. Pandey L.E. Rhodes S.A. Robinson K.C. Rose Tamara Schikowski K.R. Solomon B. Sulzberger J.E. Ukpebor Q.-W. Wang S.-A. Wängberg C.C. White S. Yazar A.R. Young P.J. Young L. Zhu M. ZhuAbstract
This assessment by the Environmental Effects Assessment Panel (EEAP) of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) provides the latest scientific update since our most recent comprehensive assessment (Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences, 2019, 18, 595–828). The interactive effects between the stratospheric ozone layer, solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and climate change are presented within the framework of the Montreal Protocol and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. We address how these global environmental changes affect the atmosphere and air quality; human health; terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems; biogeochemical cycles; and materials used in outdoor construction, solar energy technologies, and fabrics. In many cases, there is a growing influence from changes in seasonality and extreme events due to climate change. Additionally, we assess the transmission and environmental effects of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, in the context of linkages with solar UV radiation and the Montreal Protocol.
Authors
Tamaryn A. Asbury Rhett Bennett Aidan Price Charlene da Silva Markus Bürgener Juliana D. Klein Simo Maduna N. Sidat S. Fernando Aletta E. Bester-van der MerweAbstract
In recent decades, a combination of increasing demand and economic globalisation has created a global market for elasmobranch products, especially the highly prized shark fins for Asian markets. Morphological species identification, as well as traditional cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) barcoding of shark fins and other products, become challenging when in a processed state (such as dried or bleached shark fins). Here a mini-barcoding multiplex assay was applied to determine the species of origin in case studies from southern Africa involving confiscated shark fins in different states of processing. This highlights that the illegal shark fin trade in southern Africa to a large extent comprises threatened species. Matching of sequences of the confiscated fins against public databases revealed several threatened species, including the CITES-listed species Carcharodon carcharias, Carcharhinus longimanus, Isurus oxyrinchus, Rhynchobatus djiddensis and Sphyrna lewini. The findings highlight the need for improved trade monitoring, such as to eliminate illegal trade in shark fins, which can in part be achieved through more widespread genetic sampling of internationally traded products. However, a major limitation to DNA barcoding in general lies in the lack of curated voucher specimens available on public databases. To facilitate the application of molecular methods in a more comprehensive evaluation of elasmobranch trade regionally, a concerted effort to create reliable curated sequence data is recommended.
Authors
Juliana D. Klein Tamaryn A. Asbury Charlene da Silva Kelvin L. Hull Matthew L. Dicken Enrico Gennari Simo Maduna Aletta E Bester-van der MerweAbstract
The common smooth-hound shark, Mustelus mustelus, is a widely distributed demersal shark under heavy exploitation from various fisheries throughout its distribution range. To assist in the development of appropriate management strategies, the authors evaluate stock structure, site fidelity and movement patterns along the species’ distribution in southern Africa based on a combination of molecular and long-term tag-recapture data. Eight species-specific microsatellite markers (N = 73) and two mitochondrial genes, nicotinamide adenine dehydrogenase subunit 4 and control region (N = 45), did not reveal any significant genetic structure among neighbouring sites. Nonetheless, tagging data demonstrate a remarkable degree of site fidelity with 76% of sharks recaptured within 50 km of the original tagging location. On a larger geographic scale, dispersal is governed by oceanographic features as demonstrated by the lack of movements across the Benguela-Agulhas transition zone separating the South-East Atlantic Ocean (SEAO) and South-West Indian Ocean (SWIO) populations. Microsatellite data supported very shallow ocean-based structure (SEAO and SWIO) and historical southward gene flow following the Agulhas Current, corroborating the influence of this dynamic oceanographic system on gene flow. Moreover, no movements between Namibia and South Africa were observed, indicating that the Lüderitz upwelling formation off the Namibian coast acts as another barrier to dispersal and gene flow. Overall, these results show that dispersal and stock structure of M. mustelus are governed by a combination of behavioural traits and oceanographic features such as steep temperature gradients, currents and upwelling systems.
Authors
Hallvard JensenAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Manuel Helbig Tatjana Zivkovic Pavel Alekseychik Mika Aurela Eugénie S. Euskirchen Lawrence B. Flanagan Timothy J. Griffis Carole Helfter Takashi Hirano Elyn Humphreys Gerard Kiely Randall Kolka Paul Leahy Annalea Lohila Ivan Mammarella Masahito Ueyama Mats B. Nilsson Frans-Jan W. Parmentier Matthias Peichl Janne Rinne Daniel T. Roman Oliver Sonnentag Eeva-Stiina Tuittila Timo Vesala Patrik Vestin Simon Weldon Per WeslienAbstract
No abstract has been registered