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Disentangling dispersion from mean reveals true heterogeneity-diversity relationships
No full textUnderstanding the effect of heterogeneity is fundamental to numerous fields. In community ecology, classical theory postulates that habitat heterogeneity determines niche dimensionality and drives biodiversity. However, disparate heterogeneity-diversity relationships have been empirically observed, generating increasingly complex theoretical developments. Here we show that spurious heterogeneity-diversity relationships and subsequent theories arise as artifacts of heterogeneity measures that are mean-biased for bounded continuous variables. To solve this, we derive an alternative mean-independent measure of heterogeneity for beta and gamma distributed variables that disentangles statistical dispersion from mean. Using the mean-independent measure of heterogeneity, true monotonic positive heterogeneity-diversity relationships, consistent with classical theory, are revealed in data previously presented as evidence for both hump-shaped heterogeneity-diversity relationships and theories of an area-heterogeneity trade-off for biodiversity. This work sheds light on the source of conflicting results that have hindered understanding of heterogeneity relationships in broader ecology and numerous other fields. The mean-independent measure of heterogeneity is provided as a solution, essential for understanding true mean-independent heterogeneity relationships in wider research
Mitigation Measures in Hydropower-Regulated Lakes and Reservoirs
No full textWater levels in hydropower-managed lakes and reservoirs frequently fluctuate in response to demands for electricity. These sudden and occasionally extreme variations tend to severely degrade littoral zones, the shallow nearshore areas that provide vital habitats for many aquatic organisms. When these habitats are altered or disappear, many species struggle to survive, leading to a decline in biodiversity. As awareness of these ecological impacts increase, so too does interest in finding practical, targeted measures to improve conditions for the species that depend on these environments.Among the measures being explored is the use of Lake-in-Reservoirs (LiRs), which aim to buffer the effects of water level regulation on littoral habitats. LiRs are small and sheltered areas within reservoirs that are intended to uphold more stable hydrological conditions, even as the surrounding water body experiences fluctuations. By recreating the relatively stable conditions of natural littoral zones in lakes, LiRs may provide a refuge for species that are sensitive to hydrological disturbances.This essay examines the feasibility and potential of using LiRs to enhance biodiversity in regulated aquatic systems. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify documented LiR implementations, resulting in seven confirmed cases, all located in Sweden and Norway. This essay draws from these cases, as well as a broader range of scientific studies, industry reports, and technical documentation. It focuses on how LiRs function under different environmental and regulatory conditions, as well as the factors that affect their effectiveness.The findings suggest that LiRs can help preserve key ecological functions and partially offset the biodiversity loss. However, losses associated with hydropower operations and site-specific conditions, such as reservoir morphology, substrate composition, and local climate, appear to affect both the practical implementation of LiRs and the ecological outcomes they can achieve.In sum, LiRs appear to be a promising yet insufficiently explored method for supporting local biodiversity and lake productivity in regulated lakes and reservoirs. While they may not be suitable for every given setting, strategic planning and adaptation to specific local conditions can increase their effectiveness as a conservation measure. Nevertheless, more research is needed to identify where LiRs are most effective and how they can best support long-term ecosystem health and resilience
Effects of walnut shell biochar feed additive on rumen fermentation, nutrient utilization, and performance in fattening lambs
No full textConverting agricultural waste into biochar offers a promising approach to improve animal nutrition and mitigate environmental impacts. This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with walnut shell-derived biochar on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and rumen fermentation characteristics in fattening male lambs. Twelve lambs (initial body weight: 34.4 kg) were randomly assigned to two dietary treatments: a control diet and a diet supplemented with 1 % walnut shell biochar, over a period of 60 days. The inclusion of 1 % walnut shell biochar did not significantly affect dry matter intake (DMI) (p = 0.08), average daily gain (ADG) (p = 0.06), or feed conversion ratio (FCR) (p = 0.47). However, lambs fed the walnut shell biochar diet had a higher final body weight compared to the control group (p = 0.05). In contrast, lambs fed the walnut shell biochar -supplemented diet showed significantly higher digestibility coefficients of organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) (p < 0.05). Rumen fermentation parameters were also influenced by the walnut shell biochar supplement, with increased total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration (p = 0.03), higher propionate levels (p = 0.054), and reduced protozoa counts (p = 0.0003), while rumen pH (p = 0.76) and ammonia nitrogen (NNH3) concentrations (p = 0.64) remained unaffected. These findings suggest that walnut shell biochar may improve fiber and organic matter digestibility and beneficially modulate rumen fermentation without compromising growth performance in lambs
Black soldier fly larvae composting of plant-based food and agro- industry waste
No full textBlack soldier fly larvae (BSFL) composting is becoming increasingly recognised as a sustainable bioconversion technology aligned with circular economy principles. However, when applied to plant-based food and agro- industry waste—such as cucumber plant residuals, orange peels, and vegetable mixes—its biological efficiency and economic viability remains unclear. This study evaluated the effects of various pre-treatments (ammonia, fungal, enzymatic) and co-substrate additions (e.g., frass) on BSFL process efficiency, greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions, and larval biomass yield across both small- and large-scale systems. Whilst fungal and enzymatic pre-treatments improved material reduction, their impact on biomass conversion efficiency (BCE) was substrate- and scale-dependent. The addition of both enzymes and frass significantly enhanced BCE and larval yield in small-scale systems but was less effective at larger scales. Direct emissions of CH4 and N2O were low relative to CO2, however, ammonia pre-treatment increased NH3 emissions. Despite reduced larval yields, BSFL composting achieved substantial waste volume reduction and partial degradation of pesticide residues. These environmental benefits suggest that the technology may still offer a viable treatment pathway for nutritionally imbalanced, fibrous waste streams, particularly where conventional composting or anaerobic digestion is unsuitable. For successful large-scale implementation, system modifications—such as improved environmental control, passive harvesting strategies, and decentralised processing models—will be essential. Overall, BSFL composting presents a promising waste management solution for plant-based residues, with potential value lying more in environmental services than in larval biomass production
Reducing annotation dependency in automated rumen-fill scoring through pairwise comparisons and curvature analysis
No full textCreatine kinase B regulates glycolysis and de novo lipogenesis pathways to control lipid accumulation during adipogenesis
No full textWhite adipocyte differentiation or adipogenesis requires coordination of metabolic sensing and transcriptional modifications to orchestrate lipid storage. Creatine and its kinases are implicated in adipose energy buffering, but the roles of cytosolic (CKB) and mitochondrial (CKMT2) creatine kinases in adipogenesis are unclear. We find that both CKB and CKMT2 are progressively upregulated during differentiation. Functional studies show that CKB restrains de novo lipogenesis (DNL) by limiting activation of carbohydrate-responsive element-binding protein (ChREBP), a key regulator of lipogenic genes. Mechanistically, CKB interacts with AKT and regulates its activation in response to insulin. Loss of CKB causes persistent AKT-mTORC1 signaling, increases glycolytic flux, and enhances ChREBP activation, thereby promoting glucose-derived lipid synthesis. Thus, CKB acts as a metabolic rheostat linking creatine-kinase activity to insulin signaling and nutrient-responsive transcription. We propose a CKB-AKT-ChREBP regulatory axis that contributes to metabolic remodeling and lipid homeostasis during adipocyte differentiation
Can information framing increase farmers' uptake of Eco-schemes? a randomised controlled trial
No full textThe overall success of voluntary agri-environmental programmes often hinges importantly on the level of farmer participation. Their enrolment decisions are shaped by a complex set of behavioural factors, which can be targeted by designing specific behavioural interventions-such as nudges-that aim to improve farmers' uptake of these schemes. However, the effectiveness of these approaches in real-world settings remains understudied. Here, we use two subsequent randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effect of information treatments on farmers' enrolment rates and enrolled area in a new Eco-scheme for establishing Skylark plots, which has been implemented as part of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy in Slovenia. The first trial framed enrolment as an environmental gain or loss, while the second trial framed enrolment as a negative or positive descriptive norm. In both trials, interventions had no direct effect on enrolment rates nor on the area enrolled. However, for large farms and for farms with prior enrolment in agri-environmental measures, interventions influenced the enrolment decision and the area enrolled. Our results imply that the provision of untargeted information framing alone may be insufficient to boost enrolment of all farmers in agri-environmental measures. However, such interventions may affect the behaviour of some groups of farmers. To improve enrolment, we recommend better targeting of behavioural interventions, coupled with system-level changes
Maize yield responses to soil organic carbon under integrated soil fertility management in tropical environments
No full textTo ensure the sustainable management of tropical cropping systems, tracking changes in soil fertility and distinguishing long-term crop yield trends from season-to-season fluctuations are essential. However, a scarcity of long-term datasets for tropical systems has left a gap in understanding how soil organic carbon (SOC, used as a proxy for soil fertility) and yield co-evolve in these systems. Here, we present a unique analysis of maize yield and SOC trends in four long-term experiments in Kenya, conducted under contrasting pedo-climatic conditions. Experimental treatments consisted of yearly applications of organic resources with different C:N ratios (12 to 200) at two quantities (1.2 and 4 t C ha-1 yr-1), with and without mineral nitrogen fertilizer (240 kg ha-1 yr-1). At sites with adequate rainfall (475-600 mm in-season rainfall), long-term Maintenance of Maize yields and SOC were strongly correlated. Specifically, 74% of the variation in long-term yield trends across sites was explained by the interaction between site and the trend in SOC, increasing to 84% when adding the interaction with the mineral nitrogen fertilizer treatment. In contrast, no significant correlation between yield and SOC trends existed at the driest site (300 mm in-season rainfall). Differences in the strength of the SOC-yield relationships between treatments with and without mineral N fertilizer were significant at only one of the four sites. In addition, seasonal maize yield variability at three of the four sites was strongly influenced by seasonal mean temperature and total rainfall, overriding the effect of site fertility and SOC in any given season. However, the strength of climate effects varied between sites. We conclude that maintaining SOC is important for sustaining maize yields, but this potential can only be fully realized under favorable climatic conditions, particularly sufficient rainfall
Restructuring lucerne planting can improve production and environmental co-benefits in Northwest China
No full textAs China's cornerstone lucerne production region, Gansu Province plays a pivotal role in sustaining national forage security and livestock systems, yet the climate resilience of this strategic crop remains critically unassessed. Here we present a multi-objective optimization framework integrating process-based modeling and climate change projections under SSP245 and SSP585 scenarios to reconcile lucerne biomass and protein production, irrigation water productivity, and global warming potential from field (GWP-field) trade-offs. We project that lucerne biomass and protein production in Gansu will increase 5.7 %-25.3 % by the 2090 s, but with a 6.0 %-10.1 % decrease in protein concentration, primarily as temperature-affected biomass increases mask the declines in protein concentration. Strategic spatial restructuring of cultivation could achieve synergistic benefits-elevating biomass and protein yield by 1.4 %-2.0 % while simultaneously diminishing irrigation and GWP-field by 1.4 %-3.9 %. The new planting patterns identified 4238-5521 ha of priority expansion in Longzhong and Longdong, where phased cultivar deployment could maximize benefits of production (1.4-2.0 % increase), resource use (3.4-3.9 % decrease), and environmental impact (1.4-1.9 % decrease). However, increasing lucerne production to expand cattle and sheep feeding would result in an additional 17.9-20.0 thousand CO2-eq of emissions due to enteric fermentation and manure management, even taking into account the benefits of restructuring lucerne planting and irrigation saving on GWP. Our findings underscore the imperative of multidimensional optimization in balancing agronomic gains against environmental impacts in cropping systems of arid regions
Protocol paper for healthy ageing for Indigenous communities in India and Sweden with focus on nutritious and culturally adequate food provision
No full textBackground and purpose of studyThe elderly care regime for Indigenous peoples differs between India and Sweden. In India, the family cares for the elderly, while the responsibility in Sweden lies with the authorities. Food insecurity is the main problem in India, while lack of culturally adapted food is a problem in Sweden. In both cases, little knowledge exists on the importance of traditional food in Indigenous elderly care. By examining the use and significance of traditional food in elderly care for the Mal Paharia people in India and the Sami in Sweden, we focus on the following questions: What is the significance of nutritious and culturally adequate food? How are the elderly care regimes for food constituted? How can these regimes be improved using participatory methods? What policy recommendations can be created based on our study?. Our study focuses on the health, organization and welfare aspects of aging from an Indigenous perspective.MethodsA consistent perspective on this study is the decolonialized and liberating action research with Indigenous peoples (so-called PAR). The method is based on a triangulation and mixed-methods design and is made up of four different sub-studies: WP1 on Indigenous life stories about food; WP2 on quantitative surveys and nutrition index; WP3 on care regimes and WP4 on participatory implementation. The research groups in India and Sweden, which include both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people from each country, will collaborate through a consortium. Focus group interviews will be conducted both with the elderly (WP1) and with government representatives and recipients (WP3). The quantitative study (WP2) is based on already collected data material from more than 1000 elderly Sami in Sweden, the Sami Health on Equal Terms study and on data to be collected among 200 older Mal Paharia (two-stage clustering) in India. Interpreters will be offered for people who communicate best in their mother tongue. The implementation study (WP4) will be carried out with a bottom-up perspective, with a focus on food safety in India and food sovereignty in Sweden.DiscussionOur study focuses on the health, organization and welfare aspects of aging from an Indigenous perspective. Older Indigenous peoples have knowledge about nutritious diets that are important to utilize, both from a care perspective, and from a longer-term self-sufficiency perspective, where their knowledge can give us keys to a more sustainable, culturally richer and biotope-wise more well-adapted future food system