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.
2025
Authors
Alexandra Kruse Csaba Centeri Elena Athanasiadou Deborah Bartlett Sebastian Eiter Martina Kaup Zdenek Kucera Mateja Smid Hribar Martina Slamova Jana Spulerova Hans Renes Pierre-Francois ToulzeAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Jana Špulerová Debbie Bartlett Alexandra Kruse Hannes Bürckmann Sebastian Eiter Mateja Šmid Hribar Drago Kladnik Zdeněk Kučera Jakub Melicher Sophia Philipp Kerstin Potthoff Hans Renes Michael Roth Maurizia SiguraAbstract
Traditional orchards are one of the most well-known examples of multifunctional farming. They have a long history of providing different fruits and combining various other agricultural activities, such as extensive animal farming, with cultural significance that reflect the different regional landscapes of Europe. Objectives This study investigates the extent of traditional orchards and addresses their cultural significance and their contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals in the context of multifunctional agricultural landscapes. Method The presented work combines an expert survey conducted in ten EUCALAND network member countries by means of both a standardised and a more detailed questionnaire to compare and summarize the situation of traditional orchards in these countries. Results The results show that traditional orchards are diminishing on the European scale but still have huge significance in many regions. Provisioning ecosystem services, such as fruit production, are valued in terms of disease resistance and genetic diversity which is likely to be of increasing importance in the context of future climate change and concerns over food security. The most important drivers for maintaining traditional orchards appears to be based on cultural ecosystem services and the benefits they provide to society, including the preservation of traditions and regional identity, attractive places for recreation, aesthetic appreciation, inspiration for artists. The examples of best practices from the contributing countries all reveal the close connection of these orchards to local communities and to often specific traditional knowledge. Conclusion The presented review of the current situation for these important components of the agricultural landscape as well as country-specific management characteristics has the potential to inspire other countries to maintain their traditional orchards.
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Zahra Bitarafan Wiktoria Kaczmarek-Derda Rafael De Andrade Moral Pierre-Adrien Rivier Therese With Berge Christian AndreasenAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Rasmus Bang Stine Samsonstuen Bjørn Gunnar Hansen Mario Guajardo Hanne Møller Jon Kristian Sommerseth Julio C. Goez Ola FlatenAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Jana Spulerova Deborah Bartlett Alexandra Kruse Hannes Bürckmann Sebastian Eiter Mateja Smid Hribar Drago Kladnik Zdenek Kucera Jakub Melicher Sophia Philipp Kerstin Potthoff Hans Renes Michael Roth Maurizia SiguraAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Yinghua Yin Shufang Guo Qiyu Xu Jian Liu Hongyuan Wang Yanhua Zhuang Zhen Wang Lingling Hua Hongbin Liu Limei ZhaiAbstract
Optimizing manure use and reducing chemical fertilizers are crucial for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. However, optimal manure redistribution for cropland yield, nitrogen emissions, and greenhouse gas benefit remains unclear at large spatial scales. Here, we employed genetic algorithms and meta-analysis to obtain an optimal substitution rate for major crops in China. This could reduce synthetic nitrogen use and reactive nitrogen pollution by 13.3 and 2.0 Tg, cut ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions by 15.6% and 16.2%, and lower nitrogen runoff and leaching by 32.9%. The yield of eight major upland crops could be increased by 2.0-19.5%. The strategy involves relocating about 255 million pig equivalents, with 32.3% moved across provinces, mainly from central to northern and northeastern China. An estimated US$6.1 billion investment in livestock relocation could yield US$25.9 billion in benefits.
Abstract
Water quality degradation is a major issue in Mediterranean regions, but identifying the key natural and human drivers remains challenging, requiring large–scale studies for meaningful synthesis and comparison. This study analyzed a vast Mediterranean dataset spanning 89,015 across 15 Iberian river basins along a climate gradient (cooler-wetter north to warmer-drier south), 3 decades, 3441 stations, 19 parameters, and 15 million observations. It is the first study of this scale in the region, utilizing custom scripts for automated data compilation and processing. The study revealed an evident north–to–south water quality decline, with rising electric conductivity, pH, total suspended solids, nitrogen, phosphorus, organic carbon, and sulphate, alongside reduced dissolved oxygen and transparency. This pattern correlated with the latitudinal climate gradient and intensified agriculture in the south (Pearson correlation coefficient: 0.1 to 0.53; Spearman's rank correlation coefficient: 0.17 to 0.56), while increased forest cover had a mitigating effect (Pearson: −0.50 to −0.07; Spearman: −0.51 to −0.10). Multidecadal trend analysis revealed a shift around 2005 with most parameters decreasing, except for nitrate and phosphate, which rose likely due to the 2004/05 drought reducing river dilution and expanded irrigated agriculture, especially in Alentejo with the Alqueva reservoir. These findings are crucial for guiding future national management actions and pollution reduction initiatives in Mediterranean regions, aligning with the European Commission's “European Green Deal” that targets a 50 % reduction in nutrient losses to make agriculture more environmentally sustainable, and also provide a valuable reference to many other regions with similar challenges for water quality management.