A new study has investigated the effects of set-aside management —when fields are taken out of agricultural production — on common invertebrate decomposers in soil. The diversity of woodlice species was higher in set-aside fields compared to neighbouring wheat fields and this effect increased in older set-asides. This study highlights the importance of set-aside areas as habitats for soil invertebrates, which are important for soil health.

Woody networks in agricultural landscapes are known to harbour high intrinsic biodiversity (i.e. diversity of plant species) and functional biodiversity (i.e. ecosystem services that arise from biodiversity). In order to clarify the drivers of intrinsic and functional biodiversity in woody networks, researchers analysed the plant species diversity, pollinator resource value (PRV), and potential edibility value (PEV) of a woody network in northern Belgium. The analysis confirmed that woody elements are a rich source of intrinsic and functional biodiversity and identified several important drivers. From a policy perspective, this research highlights the value of protecting existing woody elements and thoughtfully designing and locating new ones to maximise intrinsic and functional biodiversity in the countryside.

Pesticides and biocides can cause serious harm to aquatic ecosystems. A study by Swiss researchers has found that the levels of some common biocides entering wastewater and rivers from urban environments are similar to those of pesticides from agricultural land. Although smaller quantities are used in urban areas, similar total amounts escaped into surface waters.

Nutrient leaching, the movement of plant nutrients from soil to water, can have negative effects on aquatic ecosystems due to eutrophication, which reduces the oxygen available in water, causing species and habitat loss. Ecological Recycling Agriculture (ERA), which is based on ecological principles and integrates crop production and animal husbandry, may limit this effect. This study investigated the impact of ERA on agricultural fields in Finland, showing that the practice can reduce nitrogen leaching and may help to achieve agricultural nitrogen-reduction targets.

Farming fish together with seaweed and other species could help improve the sustainability of aquaculture and reduce pollution. A new study provides a tool for designing sustainable fish farming systems and calculates their potential to recycle waste. An example of a salmon farming system incorporating seaweed and sea urchins could reduce nitrogen releases to the environment by 45%.

What has been the impact of Agricultural Environment Schemes (AES) on European farming? These schemes provide payments to farmers in return for the implementation of agri-environmental measures to encourage positive environmental outcomes and as a counterbalance to the profit incentive. The schemes might concentrate on low-intensity production, organic or integrated management or enhancement of biodiversity on farmland. This Thematic Issue presents recent peer-reviewed research examining the impacts AES have had on European farm ecosystems, biodiversity and farmers – and to what extent AES have benefited a range of animals and plants by increasing the number of individuals and species.

Copper (Cu) is frequently used in agricultural practices, particularly in fungicides, used extensively in the management of permanent crops, such as vineyards, olive groves, and fruit orchards — all crops of significant economic importance to the EU. An investigation into the factors influencing Cu distribution in the topsoils of 25 EU Member States has identified that, in conjunction with other factors such as topsoil properties, land cover, and climate, such agricultural management practices play a role in influencing Cu concentration. The analysis used 21 682 soil samples from the EU-funded Land Use and Coverage Area frame Survey (LUCAS)¹ and found that vineyards, olive groves, and orchards had the highest mean soil Cu concentrations of all land use categories. The findings highlight the major impact of land use and agricultural practices on soil Cu concentrations and emphasise a need for more sustainable land management practices.

Agriculture is a significant source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Researchers have developed a framework for estimating emissions of methane and nitrous oxides from agriculture, by updating the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) approach, which captures more detail about differences between locations.

Ammonia released by nitrogen fertilisers in Spanish agriculture could be reduced by up to 82% with only a very minimal impact on crop yield, finds new research. This could be achieved by combining optimised management of manure with the use of non-urea synthetic fertilisers.

Researchers have assessed the phyto-toxic effects of copper nanoparticles on vegetables grown within urban gardens, comparing increasing doses of these nanoparticles to simulate potential aerial deposition to extreme pollution of CuO-NP in a range of increasing exposure periods. Lettuce and cabbage absorbed high amounts of copper nanoparticles, after 15 days of exposure, which interfered with photosynthesis, respiration and also reduced growth. Under the specific exposure conditions of the study the researchers indicate that metal nanoparticles could lead to potential health risks to humans from the contamination of crops from pollution.

Small streams are important refuges for biodiversity, yet knowledge of the effects of agricultural pesticides on these freshwater bodies is limited. Researchers have used national monitoring data to determine the number of small streams in Germany where regulatory acceptable concentrations (RACs) of pesticides are exceeded. An analysis of data covering almost 500 pesticides and over 2 000 small streams suggests that agricultural land use is a major contributor of pesticides to streams. Overall, RACs were exceeded at 26% of sampled streams, and exceedances were 3.7 times more likely if a stream was near agricultural land. This finding may have implications for environmental monitoring and agri-environmental measures.

Ahead of the 2016 Paris Agreement on climate change, various climate and energy policy actions were proposed to target pledged 'nationally determined contributions' (NDCs). Now, researchers have quantified the global impact of implementing these actions on air quality, and determined that they have the potential to substantially reduce air pollution worldwide, with significant co-benefits for human health and agriculture — including the prevention of up to 99 000 premature deaths annually by 2030. These co-benefits could offset the global costs of climate policy; this study thus calls for an integrated policy perspective that aims to maximise the benefits of NDCs for climate and health.

Aquaculture is the fastest growing sector of worldwide food production and is facing a new era of expansion in Europe. What are the environmental implications of this, and can the sector expand sustainably? This Future Brief presents an overview of research into aquaculture’s impacts, and considers how it could develop in balance with environmental goals.

Wiki culture, concepts and principles General concept and idea of wikis What is a wiki? "A wiki is a page or collection of Web pages designed to enable anyone who ... (last changed by ProjectContributor)

Richard Johnson believes that it is a tall order for any top-flight club, not just Watford, to hand homegrown players from the academy a chance to play in the Premier League due to what is at stake in financial and sporting terms.

A new study shows that 20 percent of UNESCO World Heritage Sites are at risk, bringing to light the cultural implications of climate change.

With a Global Alliance dedicated to Climate-Smart Agriculture, you’ll be hearing more about this effort with a goal to improve agriculture and food security.

UNESCO protects more than landmarks and culturally-significant sites. There are intangible parts of culture that are important, too.

This year's open category winners of the Sony World Photography competition range from a Chinese shadow puppet show to a mesmerizing underwater dance.

Food Tank and The James Beard Foundation have released the first annual guide that celebrates more than 400 U.S.-based groups.

Michael Pollan explains that if farmers are only growing one or two crops, that means people are only eating one or two crops, which does not make for a healthy

Michael Pollan explains how a variety of plants and animals make for healthy farms, which make for healthy people.

Michael Pollan discusses how people need rethink how they eat and remember to teach children healthy eating.

From a man wearing a minotaur mask to a collection of taxidermy, these fascinating images were the 2018 Sony World Photography winners.

What if dilithium crystals were an alternative energy solution? Here are 7 fictional energy sources.

With money from the government to spend on culture, Italian teens have another reason to celebrate their milestone 18th birthday.

British tech startup Seawater Greenhouse makes the impossible feat of growing crops in arid regions possible with the help of plenty of sunshine and saltwater.

A regular marathon will sound like an easy warm-up compared to these crazy yet compelling endurance races.

During a live webcast, Walmart reveals its new global sustainable agriculture goals.

A tarantula's toxic brew could serve as an insecticide against agricultural pests that consume the venom orally.

A food cart that uses real food ingredients like grass-fed beef, tallow and coconut milk is a winner in this household.

Lush, lovely and totally invasive, running bamboo has been branded as public enemy number one in several towns in the Northeast.

Vanessa has a beef with meat, again.

Pot growers have traditionally had a negative impact on the environment — but that may be about to change.

If you've ever had trouble finding something online, a new website is here to help.

Margaret Roach, high-powered Manhattan media player turned solitude-seeking garden blogger, releases a memoir, 'And I Shall Have Some Peace There.'

Social marine mammals provide a 'unique and striking parallel' to our own species, scientists say.

Non-native nutria have made their way to the Golden State, and Californians are rushing to find a solution to this ROUS-sized problem.

Cartagena, Colombia's Caribbean port city, might not enjoy the name recognition of Bogota or even Medellin, but it has many of the features of a bona fide mains

I have some hobbies I take seriously, but I have others I do for the sheer joy of doing it. An essay celebrates dabbling.

Donald Trump's ego is extreme, he may be a bellwether for politicians as a whole, and the U.S. public as a whole.

Wired's video series, 'Five Levels of Difficulty,' challenges an expert to explain a complicated concept to people at five levels of expertise — and it's cool.

Many cultures have end-of-growing-season holidays that are similar to Thanksgiving.

When you grow more food per acre, it makes room for more forests. At least that's what one group of researchers is proposing.

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Jonah Berger and Stefan Berger offer listeners a sneak preview of their latest book, Cultural Velocity: Making Ideas Move. Together, they explain the five routes that brands can take to harness the power of culture to build relevance, drive conversat

Scott Stratten, co-owner of UnMarketing and co-author of The Jackass Whisperer, shares tips for addressing bad behavior at work, at home, and online.

Bihar Government implemented Mantra Softech's Fingerprint & Iris Scanners for Farmer's Registration under PM Kishan Yojana

If only being called a "nobody" stopped the now Award-Winning Entrepreneur, CEO, Investor, Humanitarian, Speaker and Author, Velma Trayham

IDS Vancouver, 28th September - 1st October 2017