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.
2026
Abstract
Aims Ethiopian soils are severely degraded and nutrient depleted, calling for effective remediation strategies. Enhancing soil biological activity through the cultivation of perennial forages may improve soil nutrient cycling and ameliorate soils. The aim of this study was to evaluate specific forage species as to their ability to improve soil biological functions. Methods We set up a fully factorial greenhouse experiment with Ethiopian soils from two regions differing in mineralogy, soil type and climate and tested the effect of two grass species Urochloa cv. ‘Cayman’, Megathyrsus maximus (Mombassa), and two legumes, Desmodium intortum (Greenleaf), Stylosanthes guianensis (Ubon) grown in single stands and mixtures on soil chemical and microbial variables. After 12 weeks of unfertilized growth, we measured soil mineral nitrogen (N), respiration, exoenzyme activities, microbial biomass N and phosphorus and the symbiotic performance of legumes. Results Soils from lower altitude Sidama region had 24% higher soil microbial activity than those from higher altitude Amhara. Aboveground N yield and shoot:root ratios were good indicators for stimulating effects on soil microbial functions, with S. guianensis having the strongest effect. Mixtures did not perform better than single stands. Legumes induced a 15% increase in acid phosphatase (AP) and 34% increase in N-enzyme activity which improved P-supply in three of the four soils. Conclusions AP-activity was stimulated by legumes in all soils but the overall ameliorative effect of perennial forage species appeared to be highly soil dependent. Plant effects on soil biological functions are more pronounced in less acidic soils with higher extractable P.
Authors
Julia Szulecka Ingrid Nesheim Federica Monaco Anne-Grete Buseth Blankenberg Veronika Čápová Natalja Čerkasova Jovita Mėžinė Joana Eichenberger Kinga Farkas-Iványi Marie Anne Eurie Forio Petr Fučík Martyn N. Futter Marek Giełczewski Wiesława Kasperska-Wołowicz Piroska Kassai Gregor Kramberger Dominika Krzeminska Tatenda Lemann Michael Strauch Brigitta Szabó Artūrs Škute Felix Witing Antonín ZajíčekAbstract
There is strong evidence that ecosystem-based approaches, such as Natural/Small Water Retention Measures (NSWRMs) can be an important solution to problems associated with managing water quality and quantity, soil erosion, and nutrient loss. Moreover, they deliver multiple co-benefits such as increased biodiversity, climate change adaptation and mitigation, alongside aesthetic and recreational functions. However, despite their apparent advantages and significant political momentum for their expanded deployment, implementation of NSWRMs remains slow. This study asks why this is the case and employs a methodologically rigorous variant of the SWOT framework combining qualitative and quantitative (scoring and cluster analysis) elements to assess the exact barriers and potentials for increasing the NSWRMs’ implementation across Europe. The empirical analysis draws on case studies of fourteen small watersheds distributed across twelve European countries to explore the factors affecting the NSWRMs adoption, evaluate their relative importance, and identify necessary intervention areas for their better uptake. Our findings indicate that the main drivers for NSWRMs implementation are high knowledge availability through formal and informal networks, as well as support through advisory services. On the other hand, the main hindrances are inadequate financing schemes but also uncertain societal attitudes and perceptions. Financing schemes rarely account for indirect costs, and bureaucratic procedures further discourage practitioners from pursuing these measures. Negative attitudes are linked to mismatched time horizons as well as the gap between theoretical benefits and practical implementation challenges.
Authors
Durrotun Nashihin Sumarni Sumarni Ratu Mauladaniyati Khoirul Islam Saifudin Yahya Faustine Kasongi EnosAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Abstract
High-throughput and reproducible genotyping platforms are critical for advancing genetic research and breeding in horticultural crops. Here, the development and validation of a custom single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) panel using the Flex-Seq genotyping platform for red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) is described. SNPs were derived from existing linkage maps and RNA-seq data, resulting in a panel of 5,639 high-confidence, bi-allelic markers distributed across the seven chromosomes of the R. idaeus ‘Malling Jewel’ reference genome. The panel was used to genotype 457 red raspberry accessions including 161 individuals from a bi-parental mapping population (Paris×486), enabling the construction of high-density linkage maps and the identification of quantitative trait loci (QTL) for fruit size, leaf colour, plant vigour, and thorn density. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) identified a major QTL for thornlessness on chromosome 4, co-locating with a candidate HOX3 gene, and multiple QTLs associated with anthocyanin biosynthesis genes for leaf colour. The SNP panel demonstrated utility for linkage mapping and trait association analyses, offering a powerful resource for marker-assisted selection and genetic improvement in red raspberry.
Abstract
Algal-based wastewater treatment (phycoremediation) relies on microbial interactions within the algal phycosphere that are associated with algal growth and nutrient removal. However, the temporal dynamics of these communities under operational conditions remain poorly resolved. Using 16S and 18S rRNA gene metabarcoding, this study characterized bacterial and eukaryotic communities across alga-attached and free-living size fractions and over time in a raceway-based, pilot-scale phycoremediation system using a filamentous algal co-culture under semicontinuous municipal wastewater flow. Bacterial community composition in the phycosphere overlapped substantially with that observed in a previous laboratory-scale study using the same algal co-culture, with many highly abundant ASVs shared across studies, supporting consistency of key community members across scales. Phycosphere community dynamics were temporally aligned with algal growth, with bacterial alpha diversity in the alga-attached fraction highest during periods of active algal growth and declining with the onset of algal phosphorus limitation. During this high-diversity phase, several orders within Alphaproteobacteria were enriched, followed by declines as the algal culture progressed toward reduced growth. Eukaryotic communities also showed clear successional trends, with Perkinsids (Alveolata) increasing during peak algal biomass before giving way to diverse protists and rotifers. These findings demonstrate coordinated temporal patterns between algal growth dynamics and phycosphere microbial succession in pilot-scale wastewater raceways, providing operational insight into microbial community structure under phosphorus-limited phycoremediation.
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Xing Wu Tatiana Bellagio Yunru Peng Lucas Czech Meixi Lin Patricia Lang Ruth Epstein Mohamed Abdelaziz Jake Alexander Carlos Alonso-Blanco Heidi Lie Andersen Modesto Berbel Joy Bergelson Oliver Bossdorf Liana Burghardt Mireille Caton-Darby Robert Colautti Carolin Delker Panayiotis G. Dimitrakopoulos Kathleen Donohue Walter Durka Gema Escribano-Avila Steven J. Franks Felix B. Fritschi Alexandros Galanidis Alfredo Garcia-Fernández Ana García-Muñoz Elena Hamann Allison Hutt José M. Iriondo Thomas E. Juenger Stephen R. Keller Karin Koehl Arthur Korte Pamela Korte Alexander Kutschera Carlos Lara-Romero Laura Leventhal Daniel Maag Arnald Marcer Martí March-Salas Juliette de Meaux Belén Méndez-Vigo Javier Morente-López Timothy C. Morton Zuzana Münzbergova Anne Muola Hanna Akiko Nomoto Meelis Pärtel F. Xavier Picó Brandie Quarles-Chidyagwai Marcel Quint Niklas Reichelt Agnieszka Rudak Johanna Schmitt Gregor Schmitz Merav Seifan Basten L. Snoek Remco Stam Marc Stift John R. Stinchcombe Mark A. Taylor Peter Tiffin Irène Till-Bottraud Anna Traveset Jean-Gabriel Valay Martijn Van Zanten Vigdis Vandvik Cyrille Violle Detlef Weigel Maciej Wódkiewicz François Vasseur J. F. Scheepens Moises Exposito-AlonsoAbstract
Climate change forces species to adapt rapidly to avoid extinction. To directly observe rapid adaptation and extinction, we conducted synchronized evolution experiments with Arabidopsis thaliana in 30 locations across Western Europe, the Mediterranean, the Levant, and North America. Whole-genome pooled sequencing of ~70,000 surviving plants revealed repeatable allele frequency shifts in similar climates but divergent shifts across contrasting ones, indicating evolutionary adaptation. We identified genetic variants linked to climate adaptation, including genes involved in processes ranging from thermal-stress sensing to spring-flowering timing. Evolutionary trends were often predictable, but variable, across environments. In warmer climates, evolutionary predictability correlated with population survival over 5 years, whereas erratic changes preceded extinction. These results show that rapid climate adaptation is possible, but understanding its limits will be crucial for biodiversity forecasting.
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Lumbani Benedicto Banda Frank Thomas Ndjomatchoua Ritter Atoundem Guimapi Komi Mensah Agboka Abdelmutalab G.A. Azrag Wezi G. Mhango Trust Kasambala Donga Chikondi Makwiza Karl Thunes Elfatih M. Abdel-RahmanAbstract
The cassava whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) greatly constrains cassava production across Africa due to its role as a vector of viral diseases that cause substantial yield losses. Effective management of this insect pest requires detailed knowledge of its spatio-temporal distribution, however long-term datasets are scarce. Mechanistic models circumvent these long-term data needs by modelling temperature-dependent processes that govern population dynamics. Nevertheless, their application to B. tabaci remains poorly explored. Here, we developed a mechanistic model to derive a risk index (RI) for B. tabaci across Africa, focusing on Malawi. The model integrates the effects of temperature on the life stages of B. tabaci to predict temporal risk dynamics and assess climate change impacts. Validation against historical data demonstrated strong agreement, with high cosine similarity values (0.95 in 1988 and 0.96 in 1990) and high correlation coefficients (0.73 and 0.78 in 1988 and 1990, respectively), supporting its suitability as a proxy for whitefly population dynamics. Areas with temperatures between 20.2 °C and 32.5 °C are conducive to B. tabaci population increase, with suitability peaking near 27.5 °C. Cassava-growing regions in central and western Africa experience year-round higher RI values, whereas southeastern Africa experiences peak RI values from October to March. In Malawi, the lakeshore and southern regions were most vulnerable, with RI peaking in these areas during the rainy season. At continental and national scales, climate change is projected to increase RI values. These findings underscore the importance of timing pest control interventions to align with peak risk periods and highlight the utility of mechanistic models for informing region-specific whitefly management strategies.
Authors
Getachew Birhanu AberaAbstract
Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a biological process where microorganisms degrade organic waste under anaerobic condition and produce biogas consisting of 50–75% methane (CH4), 25–50% carbon dioxide (CO2), and other trace gases. However, the presence of non-methane gases reduces the heating value of biogas and impurities, such as H2S, reduces its desirability. To improve the quality, biomethanation could upgrade biogas via converting CO2 using green hydrogen (H2) into additional CH4 by the action of methanogenic archaea. Despite this potential, the presence of process inhibitors like H2S and NH3-N can impact the efficiency of this environmentally friendly method. To address this challenge, the application of biofilm has emerged as a promising approach to improve system performance and stability under varying operational parameters and inhibitory conditions. For instance, a case study from a Norwegian full-scale biofilm plug flow reactor (BPFR) included in this study demonstrated the potential of biofilm-based AD in maintaining stable CH4 yield, even under a higher FOS/TAC ratio of greater than 0.4 and NH3-N concentration of 5500 ppm. Based on this foundation, this PhD study investigated the impact of H2S and NH3-N on biomethanation and the role of biofilm-based biomethanation in mitigating these effects.