Managing Megafires: an experiment in participatory governance yields new management strategies (06/11/2023)
This study explores participatory fire-management strategies, including landscape values from experts and local people, to strengthen wildfire-prone regions by creating resilient landscapes that protect ecological and social functions. The Montseny Biosphere Reserve (MBR) in Catalonia, Spain, is a fire-prone region. The area has become warmer over the last few decades (average of 1.2–1.4°C), increasing the risk of intense ‘megafires’.
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Marine plastic: new method for choosing the best clean-up technologies (06/11/2023)
Researchers have developed a framework for evaluating technologies that reduce marine plastic pollution. The method could help decision-makers find the best solutions for meeting the objectives of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Decision-makers face a host of challenges in tackling marine pollution.
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Researchers find landscape features around reserves are key to increasing freshwater-reliant species diversity (06/11/2023)
Species that rely on freshwater habitat are declining in Europe. This study finds that biodiversity within smaller sites in the European Natura 2000 network is highly impacted by the land use of surrounding areas. The Birds and Habitats Directives are fundamental to Europe's nature conservation policy, with the Natura 2000 reserves covering 18% of the EU’s land area and more than 8% of its marine territory.
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Keep up to date with the latest environmental policy developments (08/11/2023)
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More circular, less carbon: chemical recycling holds promise for wind-turbine blade waste (18/10/2023)
Disposing of complex and cumbersome wind turbine blades at the end of their lives is a key challenge facing the renewable energy sector. Researchers now identify a form of chemical recycling as the most circular and low-carbon solution.
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Copper from industrial pollution increases antibiotic resistance in forest floor soil bacteria (18/10/2023)
Industrial heavy metal pollution in a Swedish forest induces resistance to metals in soil microbial communities, but also to tetracycline antibiotics, a new study concludes. Emerging antibiotic resistance is a central threat to global food security and health. It has been well established that metal pollution can cause antibiotic resistance in agricultural settings, but data is lacking on most other habitats.
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Higher energy security and economic complexity may hamper renewable energy development (18/10/2023)
This study highlights the resilience of renewable energy in the face of unpredictability such as climate change and suggests that large-scale production could not only help with climate change mitigation but also protect the environment. During recent decades there has been a major increase in environmental problems such as climate change and pollution, resulting from human use of energy for socio-economic activities.
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Health and environmental impacts prompt a call for strict ruling on ubiquitous ‘forever chemicals’ (18/10/2023)
The characteristics and widespread effects of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances demand their replacement with fluorine-free alternatives, say the writers of a comprehensive review on their use. Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic chemical compounds where the hydrogen atoms have been largely or completely replaced by fluorine.
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Passive restoration can help former farmlands in Minnesota, USA, to recover their biodiversity, but even 80 years is not enough for full recovery (18/10/2023)
Passive restoration can recover plant biodiversity on former farmland at low cost, say researchers. But active restoration could bring better results. This study measured plant biodiversity in once-farmed fields that had been left to nature up to 80 years earlier. The researchers show how recovery varies by the size of the plot to help guide better active restoration.
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Keep up to date with the latest environmental policy developments (27/09/2023)
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EU satellites reveal how bio-fertiliser can protect the olive groves of southern Italy (02/10/2023)
The bacterium Xylella fastidiosa (Xfp) has attacked olive trees in Italy since 2013, with severe impacts. However, researchers have now used satellite data to show that bio-fertiliser is proving effective in restoring the agro-ecosystem. In olive groves, Xfp can cause ‘olive quick decline syndrome’ (OQDS), which incites leaf, twig and branch die-back followed by final tree collapse.
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Non-native species assessment of Spanish transitional waters (between land and sea) recommends proactive management (02/10/2023)
Invasive species can harm native ecosystems and impose a high cost on society. This study reports 129 non-native species at 30 sites in Spain at the fresh/saltwater interface and suggests prioritising monitoring and response efforts. Colonisation of natural habitats by non-native species has played a role in 33% of all recent animal extinctions and can cause substantial ecological and economic damage.
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A bird’s eye view of boreal forests: using satellite remote sensing to monitor biodiversity richness (02/10/2023)
Remote mapping shows promise as a cost-efficient way to roughly predict lichen communities in European boreal forests, finds a study of aspen trees in southern Finland. The European aspen (Populus tremula L.) is a keystone species in boreal forests and increases forest biodiversity by hosting accompanying species such as fungi, mosses, woodpeckers, small mammals and invertebrates.
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More consistent policy support needed for urban agriculture to flourish (02/10/2023)
Urban agriculture needs to be formally recognised in policy agendas to incentivise and regulate growing practices at different scales, suggests a new analysis of progress in four European cities. Sustainable food supply has become one of the most pressing issues of the age.
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Could treated biowastes be a sustainable solution to the worldwide need for phosphorous fertiliser? (02/10/2023)
Phosphorous (P) fertiliser from rocks is a limited resource with rising prices. This study investigates ways to enhance P release from biowaste materials to soil, to increase viability of these alternative sources. Phosphorus (P) is a critical raw material in Europe due to rock phosphate reserves being finite, depleted, and in geographical regions which may limit accessibility.
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Local support for protected areas linked to social impacts and personal attachment (02/10/2023)
This study across five European countries identifies key factors that influence local community support for protected areas and considers how stated support is also associated with compliance with regulations and the decision to volunteer. Designating and managing protected areas is one of the main approaches to protecting biodiversity worldwide.
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The evidence base for plastic pollution policies (11/09/2023)
Over the last decade policymakers across the world have implemented measures to counter plastic pollution. This independent study analyses these key policy initiatives and concludes that they are backed by science. Risks to human health and the environment caused by the widespread use of plastics and resulting plastic pollution are a major concern to both citizens and scientists.
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Renewable energy storage from second-life batteries is viable but may benefit from subsidies (11/09/2023)
Using recovered electric vehicle batteries to create storage for energy surpluses from wind farms in Tenerife is technically and economically feasible, says a study, although, if energy prices are too low, this would impair profitability. Transitioning public energy supplies to renewable sources poses several challenges.
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Restoration offers the biggest ecological benefits to grasslands (11/09/2023)
Abandoning grassland, as well as a focus on monocultural plantation forests on the habitat, hurts biodiversity and affects its capacity to provide services which enable effective ecosystem functioning, suggests research from Estonia. Grasslands are some of the most biodiverse ecosystems in Europe, and also play a considerable role in providing ecosystem services vital to agriculture and society, such as pollination, the maintenance of soil quality and natural pest control.
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Benefits of organic fertiliser and crop rotation for beetles and soil-dwelling creatures (05/09/2023)
Farmers could boost ecosystem services on their cropland by practicing traditional diversification methods that support arthropods, suggests a new study from Sweden. The researchers found that cropland treated with organic fertiliser, and which included perennial ley (legumes and grasses for feed or fallow) in the crop rotation, had more soil-dwelling creatures than cropland treated with mineral fertiliser.
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Anti-worm drug used by farmers on livestock detected in Scottish red foxes, Vulpes vulpes (05/09/2023)
Red foxes are ingesting closantel, a veterinary drug. A study suggests that it is useful to monitor red foxes for veterinary residues in the environment as they are at risk of developing drug-resistant parasites. Contamination of the environment by veterinary medicines is a concern because of its impact on wild animals and because of the possible development of drug-resistant parasites.
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Coppicing deciduous woodland promotes diversity of spider species (05/09/2023)
Field data from a Czech woodland shows how a coppicing regime affects spider diversity over time, providing evidence to suggest the effectiveness of this declining practice for enhancing woodland biodiversity. Coppicing is a traditional woodland management activity that involves cutting mature trees at the base and allowing them to regrow, with multiple trunks, from the stump.
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Meat, spices and stimulants are key contributors to Vienna’s ‘biodiversity footprint’ (09/08/2023)
A key driver of global biodiversity loss is land use, which involves converting or modifying natural ecosystems to produce biomass for human consumption. A new study explores how land used to supply biomass to Vienna impacts biodiversity.
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Mussels exposed to polyester microfibres in seawater grow at a slower rate than unexposed mussels. This study examines whether cotton microfibres could have same impact (09/08/2023)
Polyester microfibres in seawater have been found to slow the growth of juvenile mussels by 36%. Understanding how these ocean pollutants impact shellfish could inform regulatory measures in areas such as textile design. Microfibres of plastic and cotton are ubiquitous in the sea worldwide, and are known to be readily ingested by a range of marine organisms.
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Dredging near holiday homes is driving biodiversity loss in Finland’s archipelago (09/08/2023)
Small-scale dredging to improve access to new second homes on the Finnish shoreline poses a threat to coastal biodiversity, which could undermine the pivotal roles these ecosystems play, according to a large-scale modelling study. Finland’s archipelago system of more than 98 500 islands is one of the most iconic in the world, and harbours great biodiversity in a complex mix of habitats.
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Air pollution to blame for one-fifth of the global burden of newborn health disorders (09/08/2023)
In 2019, exposure to small particle air pollution (PM2.5) caused one-fifth of the global burden of neonatal disorders. New research suggests the impact from ambient (outdoor) pollution is rising – especially in lesser developed regions. Neonatal disorders bring a huge economic and medical burden; of the 135 million infants born globally in 2019, 2.42 million (1.79%) died within 28 days of birth.
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Distance and communication style affect usage of a battery disposal scheme (09/08/2023)
Various factors influence participation in recycling actions. This study of a battery disposal scheme reports higher participation where households are near drop-off points and where information about wastage is provided using metaphors. Safe and sustainable disposal of technical and electronic waste is important as it can contain hazardous substances including lead, mercury and acids.
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Major rise in forest disturbances over the past 70 years (01/08/2023)
A comprehensive study of European forests has revealed a sharp rise in forest disturbance across 34 countries between 1950 and 2019. Damage caused by bark beetles, fire, and other causes of disturbance are undermining climate and biodiversity policy targets, warn the authors of a recent study.
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Biodiversity and production of wine can be optimised simultaneously, where organic management is enhanced with other regenerative practices (01/08/2023)
New study indicates that vineyard biodiversity and production can be optimised simultaneously, combining organic management practices with other regenerative practices, such as lower pesticide use, tillage and mowing – which enhance organic management.
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Power pylons offer pockets of habitat for mammals in intensively farmed landscapes (01/08/2023)
Hares, deer and foxes regularly visit and forage in unfarmed patches of land under power pylons. A new study offers guidance for conservation managers to enhance the nature value of these habitats further. Around 10 million kilometres of power lines are spread across the EU, and research has shown that the lines and their pylons can both benefit and harm wildlife.
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