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Stakeholders' Perspectives on the Current State and Transition to Sustainable Soil Management Across Europe
No full textImplementing sustainable soil management practices to enhance soil health is a priority in research and policymaking across Europe. There is a need to identify the main soil challenges faced by different European stakeholders and the critical threats limiting the adoption of sustainable management of agricultural soils. The present study analyses stakeholders' perspectives on key soil challenges, knowledge gaps, and priorities for agricultural soil research across partner countries that participated in the European Joint Programme on Soil (EJP SOIL) 2020–2025. Two complementary stakeholder activities—a survey and a workshop—were conducted across 24 partner countries (divided into four regions: Central, Northern, Southern, and Western Europe) of the EJP SOIL consortium in 2024. Among 10 pre-identified soil challenges, the findings highlight that maintaining or increasing soil organic carbon, avoiding soil sealing, and avoiding soil erosion are the top three priorities across Europe. However, the perceived prioritisation of soil challenges differed both between and within regions, reflecting each country's specific soil health context. Divergences in perceptions between practitioners and other stakeholder groups underscore the need to develop actions aimed at better understanding the rationale behind such discrepancies and how to overcome them. In addition, other key challenges for achieving sustainable soil management across Europe include limited funding, policy incoherencies, poor knowledge dissemination and co-creation, and insufficient soil monitoring. Environmental factors influencing soil health, including climate change, together with governance and economic models, were perceived to be critical limitations to the adoption of sustainable management of agricultural soils. This study also emphasises the need for a diversity of engagement methods, policies, and system approaches to support a transition towards sustainable soil management. These findings underscore the need for future research agendas that focus on integrated knowledge and participatory approaches, and strategies involving societal awareness and policy alignment—key elements that have also informed broader strategies involving societal awareness and engagement towards sustainable soil management in Europe
Carcass Traits and Meat Quality of Surgically Castrated and Immunocastrated Pigs at Two Slaughter Weights
No full textSimple Summary This study compares two methods of pig castration, surgical castration and immunocastration, focusing on their effects on growth, carcass traits, and meat quality at two slaughter weights. Surgical castration has been widely used to prevent unpleasant odours and aggressive behaviour in male pigs but raises animal welfare concerns and leads to fattier carcasses. Immunocastration is a vaccine-based alternative that improves welfare by avoiding surgery and is widely recognized to reduce the risk of boar taint and aggressive behaviour. Our results show that immunocastrated male and female pigs have carcass and meat quality traits generally between those of surgically castrated males and intact females. Differences in fat content, meat pH, and colour were influenced by castration method and sex. In addition to surgically and immunocastrated males, the study included uncastrated and immunocastrated females to provide novel comparative data relevant for production systems finishing both sexes. While data on females remain limited, including these groups allows a broader evaluation of immunocastration effects. The findings support immunocastration as an approach that maintains pork quality, providing valuable information for pig producers and consumers.Abstract Surgical castration of male piglets is a common practice to prevent boar taint and reduce aggressive behaviour. However, it raises welfare concerns and alters carcass fat deposition. Immunocastration, a vaccine-based alternative targeting gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), mitigates these welfare issues. This study evaluated carcass traits and meat quality in surgically and immunocastrated pigs slaughtered at two weight classes (approximately 116 kg and 136 kg). We compared growth performance, carcass composition, fat quality, and key meat quality indicators among surgically castrated males, immunocastrated males, and immunocastrated females. Inclusion of uncastrated and immunocastrated females provides novel comparative data for mixed-sex production systems, where such information is scarce. This broader evaluation helps fill current gaps in knowledge about immunocastration effects in female pigs. Surgically castrated males showed higher backfat thickness and fat content, particularly at the heavier weight, while immunocastrated pigs exhibited intermediate traits. Ultimate pH, colour, marbling, water-holding capacity, and moisture loss varied with castration method, sex, and slaughter weight, though many differences were subtle. The findings confirm that immunocastration offers a favourable balance between animal welfare and production traits, producing pork quality comparable to surgical castration. These results provide valuable insights for optimizing pork production systems, balancing welfare, efficiency, and meat quality
Rewetting drained forested peatlands: A cornerstone of Sweden's climate change mitigation strategy
No full textPeatland rewetting has developed into a key strategy to limit greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, enhance carbon uptake, and restore biodiversity. With an increasing political ambition to enhance rewetting across many countries, there is a risk of prioritizing peatlands that are most readily available before the ones that result in the largest climate and biodiversity benefits. Based on the best current understanding, we provide a conceptual model of the climate impact and discuss some key steps of progress needed. We focus on Swedish conditions, but also use relevant studies from similar hydroclimatic conditions elsewhere. We argue that the large political interest and investments now made to rewet large areas of peatlands, in combinations with the many unknowns, make it more important than ever to start new rewetting research studies that includes various key aspects of GHG, hydrology, and biodiversity along large climate, land-use history, and nutrient gradients
Feed Rations in Dairy Production and Their Climate Footprint
No full textDairy production delivers nutrient-dense food but it also constitutes a major source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Feed formulation plays a central role in shaping both productivity and the climate footprint of dairy systems. This thesis investigated how feed ration formulation can reduce GHG emissions from Swedish high-producing dairy production whilst maintaining productivity. This was addressed across multiple system levels, from the individual animal to the regional food system. Two feeding trials with dairy cows and heifers evaluated animal performance and enteric methane (CH4) emissions. Study I compared two pelleted concentrate mixes, formulated with low-carbon-footprint (CF) by-products (BYP) and/or domestically sourced (DOM) ingredients, to a commercially available mix (COM). Both reduced feed-related GHG emissions without compromising feed intake, milk yield, or enteric CH4 emissions from high-producing (43.3 ± 5.4 kg ECM/d) Swedish Holstein cows. Study II tested a ration designed for forage scarcity, where whole-crop wheat silage was partially incorporated (50:50 DM basis) in grass-clover silage-based diets fed to Holstein and Nordic Red heifers. This substitution did not negatively affect feed intake, growth rate, or enteric CH4 emissions. Results from these trials were integrated into a farm-level life cycle assessment (Study III). At the farm level, when compared to COM, BYP decreased total farm-level GHG emissions (-6%) and land use (-3.8%), whilst DOM achieved smaller reductions in farm-level GHG emissions (-2.1% to -2.6%) but increased land use (up to +6.8%). At the regional level (Study IV), scenario modelling of dairy production in northern Sweden illustrated trade-offs among climate footprint, land use, feed self-sufficiency, and milk output. This thesis demonstrates that feed rations based on low-CF ingredients can reduce GHG emissions from high-yielding Swedish dairy production without compromising animal performance. However, the environmental outcomes depend on ingredient choice and system boundaries, highlighting the need to evaluate feeding strategies at multiple system levels to inform sustainable dairy development
Urinary biomarkers in healthy dogs and dogs with kidney disease
No full textUrinary analytes can act as biomarkers and indicate renal tubular injury before elevations in traditional markers of decreased glomerular filtration rate, such as serum creatinine and SDMA (symmetric dimethyl arginine), occur. Acute kidney injury (AKI) in dogs has a mortality rate of up to 50%, and early detection may allow treatment before irreversible damage. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is often diagnosed late, but early-stage diagnosis enables interventions that may slow progression. Knowledge about urinary biomarkers in healthy dogs, dogs in various stages of CKD, and grades of AKI, is needed.Overall aim of this thesis was to study biological variation and reference intervals of urinary analytes in healthy dogs (Study I), investigate selected urinary analytes in dogs at various stages of CKD (Study II) and in dogs with, or at risk for, AKI (Study III). Healthy privately owned dogs and dogs presented to referral veterinary hospitals in Uppsala and Stockholm were included. Studied urinary analytes were urinary cystatin C (uCysC), gamma-glutamyl transferase (uGGT), N-acetyl-β-Dglucosaminidase (uNAG), glucose, urea, and electrolytes, all measurable with standard biochemical analyzers. Urinary analytes were normalized to urinary creatinine (uCr), and fractional excretion (FE) of electrolytes calculated.The results provide data on biological variation and reference intervals (Study I). Urinary CysC/uCr increased with IRIS stage, and uCysC/uCr and uGGT/uCr were higher in dogs with early-stage CKD compared to healthy dogs (Study II). In Study III, uCysC/uCr, uGlu/uCr, and uGGT/uCr were markedly increased in the dogs with clinically apparent AKI. These analytes were also higher in the groups with critically ill and snake envenomated dogs compared to healthy dogs, suggesting non-azotemic tubular injury. In conclusion, uCysC/uCr, uGlu/uCr, and uGGT/uCr show promise as early markers of AKI and CKD in dogs
Serum Markers as predictors for treatment benefit in castration-resistant prostate cancer
No full textPurpose: While most prostate cancer patients initially respond to androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT), they will develop castration-resistance leading to progressing to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Different treatment options are available for CRPC, including androgen receptor pathway inhibitors (ARPIs) and docetaxel (DOC). As tissue samples are difficult to access at this stage, blood-based analyses offer a more feasible approach. Therefore, we examined whether serum markers could potentially support treatment decisions in CRPC. Materials and Methods: Overall survival (OS) was examined in 208 CRPC patients treated with either ARPIs or DOC. Serum markers were chosen to reflect relevant tumor properties: serum thymidine kinase 1 (sTK1) as a proliferation-associated marker, TPS (tissue poly-peptide specific antigen) as an epithelial marker, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Results: A median OS (mOS) time of 19.6 (IQR: 9.5-35.4) months was observed for the whole cohort. Patients with sTK1high/TPShigh levels treated with ARPIs showed a mOS time of 6.8 (IQR: 4.2-9.5) months, compared to 14.6 (IQR: 8.7-48.9) months for patients receiving DOC (P = 0.024). Patients with sTK1low and/or TPSlow levels showed similar mOS times irrespective of treatment. Combinations of sTK1 and TPS with PSA yielded similar findings for ARPI-treated patients and longer OS in DOC-treated patients. Conclusions: This study introduces the concept of identifying proliferating carcinomas using a combination of the serum biomarkers sTK1 and TPS. The results suggest that sTK1high/TPShighCRPC patients derive more benefit from DOC, consistent with known mechanisms of drug action. Further randomized studies will be required to prove the therapy-predictive value of these tumor markers in CRPC. (c) 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Benefit of the snout: wild boar rooting disturbance has downstream impacts on species diversity in local vascular plant communities
No full textChanges in land-use, climate and legislations, have shifted ungulate ranges throughout Europe. Ungulates can strongly impact local vegetation structure and composition, creating effects that can cascade throughout the ecosystem. Wild boar (Sus scrofa) may be particularly impactful as their feeding, nesting and rooting activities reduce plant cover and change local soil conditions. Quantifying these impacts is becoming increasingly important as wild boar continue to recolonize throughout Europe. In a comparative analysis, we investigated the short-term plant community response to wild boar rooting in a recently recolonised, boreal ecosystem. We explored how vascular plant species richness, diversity and the composition of species traits varied along a gradient of disturbance intensity over a 5-year period. We found higher overall vascular plant species richness and diversity with increasing rooting intensity. Plots with high-rooting intensity had, on average, 27 % more species diversity than plots in low-rooting intensity. Rooting intensity was also linked to a number of traits fundamental to interactions across trophic levels, including insect pollination, and nectar production. Importantly, we demonstrated that the ecological effects of rooting disturbance varied with forest stand age. In young forests, species richness was 61 % higher in high-intensity rooting plots than low-intensity rooting plot, however the effect reduced with stand age. This suggests that rooting and environmental conditions could have diverging impacts on different plants species. In a managed boreal forest, rooting by wild boar has the potential to alter local plant community composition, thereby shifting the local ecosystem, and potentially contributing to broader ecological community change
Influence of nutrient medium supply rate and liquid recirculation regime on syngas biomethanation in thermophilic trickle-bed reactor
No full textSyngas biomethanation enables the use of recalcitrant biomass or waste for methane production. To reveal knowledge on the importance of nutrient medium supply rate (NMSR) and liquid recirculation regime, a thermophilic 5 L trickle-bed reactor was operated for 283 days. Efficient and stable operation with >99 % H-2 and CO conversion rates was achieved at a minimum NMSR of 14 mL/(L-pbvd) and 1 h gas retention time, yielding a maximum methane evolution rate (MER) of 4.3 L/(L-pbvd). Reduced intermittent liquid recirculation resulted in lowered MERs (max. 3.4 L/(L-pbvd)) with CO conversion more affected by low recirculation frequencies than H-2 conversion. The microbial analysis revealed a similar microbial community structure across all experimental phases, dominated by Methanothermobacter in both liquid and carrier biofilm. CO was likely converted to methane and acetate, with syntrophic acetate-oxidizing bacteria metabolizing acetate to H-2 and CO2, supporting efficient hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis
Incorporating Machine Learning Techniques to Enhance Rodent Surveillance in Marginalized Urban Communities
No full textEffective management of rodent pests necessitates efficient population surveillance. Many of the available methods currently used for estimating rodent populations are either costly or time-intensive. Rodent trapping demands significant resources, while tracking plates (TP) require high technical expertise and weeks to months of dedicated effort to satisfactorily interpret the plates. Here, we propose integrating Machine Learning techniques to evaluate plates with signs of rodent marks and compare their accuracy with that of conventional human-interpreted plates. We employed the Otsu method to transform plates from RGB color images to grayscale images, highlighting regions of interest. Subsequently, we applied a global threshold to create binary images, assigning values above a globally determined threshold as 1s and others as 0s. The original images were transformed into new versions with 25 small samples, highlighting regions of interest based on the binary images. We used dimensionality reduction methods to identify the fundamental structure of high-dimensional data and determined the most important patterns of interest on the plates. Among the methods, Principal Component Analysis, Independent Component Analysis, and Legendre Moments methods were used to visualize patterns and conduct exploratory data analysis. The k-nearest neighbors, a versatile and intuitive classification method relying on the similarity principle, predicted the feature vector of PCA, ICA, and LM () results. Ultimately, results from PCA and LM compared favorably against the conventional labur-intensive manual method, thus proffering those in the field of disease ecology a better alternative for conducting timely and cost-effective rodent surveillance to monitor rodent distribution hotspots during rodent management programs. We propose a novel approach that could significantly enhance the protocols of rodent surveillance programs, particularly in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, where expertise in interpreting TPs may be limited to enhance rodent surveillance evaluation and timely rodent management while contributing to the indirect control of rodent-borne zoonoses
Divergent Trends in Insect Disturbance Across Europe's Temperate and Boreal Forests
No full textOngoing shifts in climate and land use have altered interactions between trees and insect herbivores, changing biotic disturbance regimes. However, as these changes are complex and vary across host species, insect taxa, and feeding guilds, they remain poorly understood. We compiled annual records of forest insect disturbance from 15 countries in temperate and boreal Europe, spanning the period from 2000 to 2022. The dataset comprises 1361 time series characterizing the dynamics of 50 herbivorous insects. We used this dataset to test whether insect disturbance has systematically changed during the 23-year period across host trees and feeding guilds, whether it varies along latitudinal and climatic gradients, and whether synchrony exists among species in the same guild or among species sharing the same host. Since 2000, borer disturbance was predominantly concentrated on gymnosperms, while defoliators impacted gymnosperms and angiosperms more evenly. While 85.8% of gymnosperm disturbance was inflicted by a single species, Ips typographus, the majority of disturbances to angiosperms were caused by six different species. Borer impact on gymnosperms has increased in the 21st century, while defoliator impact has decreased across both clades. In contrast to diverging temporal trends, disturbance was consistently greater in warmer and drier conditions across feeding guilds and host types. We identified significant synchrony in insect disturbance within host types and feeding guilds but not between these groups, suggesting shared drivers within guilds and host types. Increasing insect disturbance to gymnosperms may catalyze adaptive transformations in Europe's forests, promoting a shift from historical conifer-dominated management to broadleaved trees, which are less affected by insect herbivores. Our findings reveal a diversity of trends in insect herbivory, underscoring the need to strengthen monitoring and research in order to better understand underlying mechanisms and identify emerging threats that may not be apparent in currently available data