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State servants, cash, and credit market modernizations in early modern Stockholm
Full text linkThis study examines the credit market in seventeenth-century Stockholm, a rapidly growing city whose credit market is an early example of a market with both private and institutional actors. Using a sample of 1,500 probate inventories from 1679 to 1708, we focus on the practices and experiences of municipal and state servants, and we examine in detail the probate inventories of employees of the royal court. The latter group had their wages paid by the king in a world where being in arrears was the norm, and their spatial and social proximity to the Bank of the Estates made them potential pioneers in the movement towards an institutionalized and formalized capital market. The credit market has a mixed character, both in terms of the opportunities available to investors and in terms of their behavior. For people with a surplus of cash and good connections, money lending could be a way to increase their income. The court servants and many others moved seamlessly between institutional and private, as well as formal and informal, credit. The article shows that wage earners and state servants were central to the transformation of the early modern credit market. For them, the credit market and the bank offered investment opportunities that matched their skills and circumstances
Interaction of Perfluorooctanoate and Perfluorohexanoate with Moringa oleifera Seed Protein
Full text linkPer- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent and potentially toxic pollutants found widely in the environment; however, there is a lack of understanding how these materials interact with many interfaces that are important for remediation. The association of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorohexanoate (PFHxA) with Moringa oleifera seed protein was investigated using neutron reflectometry. The seed protein is known to associate with many materials and adsorbs irreversibly to silica surfaces, and it was shown that it was not removed by rinsing with water. PFHxA and PFOA were found to adsorb to the previously bound protein, forming mixed layers of protein, surfactant, and water that expanded to incorporate the extra material. On rinsing with water, PFOA was removed from the layer, leaving the protein bound to the silica surface. An almost three-times larger volume fraction of PFOA than PFHxA was observed in the protein layer. At the critical micelle concentration, the layer consisted of 1.8 mg m-2 PFOA and 1.3 mg m-2 of protein. Comparison of the relative amounts of each surfactant and protein suggests that hydrophobic interactions play a significant role in the coadsorption. The results indicate that the seed protein could be used to adsorb PFAS reversibly as a step toward remediation of contamination. This quantification of association with an albumin-like protein is important for understanding of transport both in human bodies and in the environment
Bioconversion of aquaculture waste blended with vegetable by-products using Hermetia illucens larvae: Process parameters and larval quality
Full text linkThe constantly increasing aquaculture production generates high amounts of biowaste worldwide, which must be properly treated in order to keep aquaculture’s footprint low. This study aimed at evaluating the bioconversion of aquaculture waste streams (RAS sludge, fish trimmings, and harvest macroalgae waste) using black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens, BSF) larvae and the quality of the resulting larval biomass. The study was conducted in a modified shipping container simulating a large-scale setting and the diets were formulated using brewery spent grains and cabbage as base, mixing in aquaculture waste, aiming to treat the highest inclusion rate possible. A bioconversion efficiency of above 20 %DM and a material reduction generally above 55 %DM were observed, while generating a larval biomass that was rich in protein (> 35 %DM), essential amino acids and fatty acids. The larvae reared on fish trimmings (from an anchovy processing plant) had the highest crude fat content (29.0 ± 1.1 %DM) in relation to other treatments, while the macroalgae waste dietary inclusion generated larvae with low fat content (14.7 ± 1.5 %DM on average). Interestingly, it was observed that the addition of aquaculture wastes, even in small inclusion levels (between 15 % and 25 % on wet basis), reduced the concentration of saturated fatty acids in the larvae (especially lauric acid and pentadecanoic acid). It was concluded that BSF larvae are able to bioconvert varied aquaculture waste streams and it is possible to produce tailored larval biomass by adding such waste streams in their diets, enabling the production of a protein ingredient with specific traits to be used in aquafeeds
Cropping system redesign for allelopathy: A vision for the 'post-herbicide era'
Full text linkArable weed management faces an uncertain future. A climate of tightening regulations and widespread herbicide resistance has led to suggestions that we are entering the 'post herbicide era', but successful weed management with no, or fewer, herbicides will require a diversification and de-intensification of management strategies. One underappreciated strategy is to utilise the natural chemical interactions between plants, both antagonistic (allelopathy), and benign (allelobiosis). The prevailing, reductionist approach to allelopathy is as a substitution for synthetic herbicides, which has had the effect of limiting our ecological understanding of these plant-plant interactions. I posit here that allelopathy and allelobiosis will only be effective in regulating arable weeds through ecological redesign, inspired by the ecosystems outside of agricultural land in which these interactions affect plant growth. Increased integration of concepts from studies of these ecosystems should therefore be prioritised in allelopathic weed management. Research should, for instance, consider recognition interactions, the stimuli which can induce allelopathic responses, and the effects of plant community diversity on these interactions. In short, researchers should consider the desired outcome of allelopathic weed management and the context in which it would be required to operate. As such, management of agricultural land should prioritise reductions in disturbance and especially tillage, to foster the development of a benign, self-regulatory weed community based on low-level competition and allelopathic inhibition, which does not require intensive management efforts
Belowground Interactions in a Barley Cultivar Mixture: Root Distribution and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Contributions to Uptake of Heterogeneous Phosphorus
Full text linkCultivar mixtures have the potential to mitigate abiotic stress and stabilize crop yields, but their belowground dynamics remain poorly understood. We evaluated phosphorus (P) uptake by two contrasting spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars ("Anneli" and "Feedway"), grown either in 50:50 mixture or as pure stand. The cultivars were grown in mesocosms under four P fertilization treatments: low-P, homogeneous high-P (90 mg P/kg), and localized P hotspots (100 mg P) placed either in the topsoil (5 cm) or subsoil (35 cm). To trace P uptake pathways, the hotspots were labeled with 33P and enclosed in mesh bags allowing only mycorrhizal hyphae (25 mu m) or both roots and hyphae (2 mm) to access the hotspot. After 35 days, we measured aboveground biomass, total P content, P-33 specific activity, and root biomass, length, diameter, and arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) root colonization. In the mixture, reduced P uptake by "Feedway" led to lower overall performance compared to pure stand. Root modifications in the mixture did not enhance biomass or P acquisition, potentially due to decreased AMF colonization. Although different P placements altered P uptake patterns, they did not increase total P uptake. Roots accessed the P hotspots and acquired P-33 without notable proliferation in the enriched zones. Our findings underscore the complexity of belowground interactions involving root distribution, competition for P, and AMF, and highlight the need for future research to optimize nutrient acquisition and performance in cultivar mixtures
Sensory screening of pea (Pisum sativum L.) seeds and correlations to seed quality
Full text linkGrowing demand for environmentally sustainable protein sources is shifting dietary preferences toward plantderived alternatives such as legumes. Pea (Pisum sativum L.) seeds offer great potential for expanded human consumption, but sensory quality is key for consumer acceptance and cultivar development. In this study, a diversity panel of 15 pea accessions was evaluated for nutrients and phytochemicals (protein, resistant and nonresistant starch, fatty acids, choline, phytate, saponins, and sucrose) and their sensory attributes (taste, aroma, mouthfeel, and aftertaste). Among the sensory attributes, mouthfeel and aroma contributed most to the variation. Principal component analysis revealed two large, distinct clusters, primarily separated by seed coat (testa) colour. Accessions with a dark-coloured testa were generally perceived more odour intense and with more texture, while accessions with light-coloured testa were sweeter and juicier. Accessions with wrinkled seeds stood out in their content of non-resistant starch, sucrose, total choline, and phytate, when compared to smooth and dimpled seeds. Shorter cooking times were positively correlated to the perception of higher bitterness. This study highlights the potential in combining seed compositional analysis and sensory evaluations for screening pea accessions suitable for the development of future food products
Human excreta recycling in Sweden: a PESTEL-SWOT framework analysis-Review
Full text linkSource-separating sanitation systems can maximise resource recovery from wastewater and mitigate the environmental impacts of conventional wastewater treatment plants, including eutrophication and climate change. This study conducts a comprehensive review of the literature on source-separating sanitation systems in Sweden, aiming to identify the challenges hindering their diffusion and potential expansion opportunities. Employing a rapid evidence synthesis approach, we extracted data from the Web of Science and supplemented findings through hand-searches in additional electronic databases. Of the 713 studies initially identified, 24 met our stringent inclusion criteria. The analysis was structured around a combined PESTEL (Political, Economic, Technical, Social, Environmental, Legal) and SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) framework to synthesise the existing body of work and discern main patterns. The findings underscore the untapped strengths in these technologies' potential in enhancing nutrient recovery and food security, in addition to reducing eutrophication and greenhouse gas emissions. The studies analysed reported Sweden's strengths in source separation, highlighting organisational diversity, market benefits, social acceptance, technological readiness, and nutrient recovery, all contributing to the SDGs and addressing challenges such as eutrophication and limited sanitation access. The primary challenges were identified as social and cultural taboos towards the recycling of human excreta, disbelief in its quality as a fertiliser, concerns about hazardous substances like pharmaceuticals, and a preference for using it to grow non-food crops. Our article main contribution lies in proposing 12 structured upscaling strategies addressing these barriers and leveraging the opportunities identified including policy measures to incentivise circular practices, building support through stakeholder engagement, updating building codes to require double piping, and enhancing municipal-utility cooperation. While grounded in Sweden, our study contributes to research on the broader shift towards sustainable food systems by leveraging internal strengths and external opportunities in circular wastewater systems
Female Brown Long-Eared Bats (Plecotus auritus) Delay Roost Emergence at Elevated Natural Light Conditions
Full text linkNocturnal animals inhabiting northern latitudes face prolonged periods of reduced foraging times in summer due to short light nights. The energetic challenges of reduced foraging times are further heightened in reproductive mammals that allocate substantial resources to offspring care with peak energy demands in mid-summer. However, little is known about responses to variation in natural light conditions at high latitudes in light-averse species, such as slow-flying gleaning bats, especially during reproduction. Here, we investigate the impacts of natural light levels and other environmental conditions (i.e., temperature, rain and wind) on individual-level activity patterns (emergence time, return time, proportion of night utilised) in reproductive and non-reproductive female brown long-eared bats, Plecotus auritus (Nind = 27) in Norway (60.1 degrees N) collected across three summers (2019-2021). We found that bats delayed the start of evening foraging trips on lighter nights, typically emerging from the roost only when light levels decreased below 5 lux, likely because higher light levels are associated with increased predation risk. However, no such effect was found in morning return times to the roost, for which bats showed greater light tolerance. Lactating females took apparently higher risks and left the roost approximately 20 min earlier than non-reproductive females, presumably because of their greater energetic requirements. They also spent a larger proportion of the night away from the roost compared to pregnant and non-reproductive individuals, although this proportion was influenced by variation in environmental conditions, such as temperature, rainfall and windspeed. Our results highlight the dynamic nature of responses in light-averse bats balancing risks of predation against foraging gains during reproduction at northern latitudes. Reduced foraging times during short northern nights may thus represent a hard constraint to range expansion in slow-flying gleaning bats, even if other environmental conditions improve with climate change
Spectroscopic solutions for generating new global soil information
Full text linkWhile global efforts to operationalize soil spectroscopy are progressing, cooperation is needed to fully leverage its potential for generating digital soil information to support sustainable soil management worldwide. The Global Soil Laboratory Network's soil spectroscopy initiative (GLOSOLAN-Spec), led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) through its Global Soil Partnership (GSP), is dedicated to the further development and adoption of soil spectroscopy by fostering international collaboration via a scientific community of practice to produce accurate and reliable soil information for sustainable soil management and decision-making. To support this effort, we, a global consortium of soil scientists under the auspices of the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) and GLOSOLAN-Spec, aim to address seven key challenges hindering the adoption of soil spectroscopy worldwide. Here, we offer perspectives on what is needed to advance soil spectroscopy as a routine soil analysis method, emphasizing its potential to generate new and reliable spatial and temporal soil data
Arginine-iron–hexametaphosphate complex as a novel nitrogen plant nutrition reducing nitrate leaching in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) seedling production
Full text linkThe industrial production of conifer seedlings in nurseries uses large amounts of fertilizers to ensure their proper growth and accurate nutrient status. However, inorganic nitrogen fertilization leads to nitrate leaching, which has negative environmental consequences. An alternative solution could be the use of controlled-release fertilizers that supply nutrients over longer periods and hence have a lower environmental impact. This study analysed the performance of a novel arginine–iron– hexametaphosphate complex on Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) seedlings. The complex was characterized using a wide range of analytical tools, indicating that it is a precipitated complex rather than a crystalline compound. Plant growth on arginine–iron–hexametaphosphate was comparable to a commercial inorganic nitrogen controlled-release fertilizer but with significantly lower nitrate leaching. A nitrogen budget of seedlings and growth substrate showed that seedlings had acquired nitrogen in excess of the amount of nitrogen present at the start of the experiment, and this excess nitrogen was smaller in seedlings grown on the inorganic fertilizer. Measurements of acetylene reduction in seedlings indicated low but measurable rates of nitrogen fixation, potentially contributing to the excess nitrogen. Together, the results showed that the arginine–iron–hexametaphosphate complex is a good alternative to commonly used fertilizers and can contribute to sustainable seedling production