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Utvärdering av slutrapporterade EIP-Agri projekt
Get PDFDenna utvärdering av slutrapporterade EIP-Agri projekt syftar till att ge insikter om projektens framgång och framgångsfaktorer, och utförs på uppdrag av Jordbruksverket. Metoden har utgått från en webbaserad enkät och kvalitativa intervjuer med projektledarna. Korrelationsanalyser har använts för att studera projektens resultat och framgångsfaktorer. Framgång har studerats på tre nivåer; 1) programnivå, 2) projektnivå och 3) individnivå.På programnivå har EIP-Agri varit framgångsrikt i att bidra till målen om ökad lönsamhet, konkurenskraft och användning av innovativ teknik. Omvänt har EIP-Agri visat jämförelsevis mindre bidrag till målen om ökad användning av förnybar energi, korta livsmedelskedjor, markerosion/markskötsel, samt diversifiering. Det öppnar upp för frågan om prioriteringar inom EIP-Agri i relation till de svenska målen, framöver.På projektnivå gavs höga värden för framgångsindikatorer som gäller de tänkta användarnas fördelar; konkurrensfördelar, effektivitet och tillväxt, samt marknadsexpansion och kundengagemang. När det gäller måluppfyllelse på projektnivå ansåg 75% av projektledarna att de uppnått eller överträffat sina mål, medan 50% uppgav att den utvecklade innovativa idén var redo för andra att använda. För variablen budget fanns en signifikant negativt korrelation med måluppfyllelse, och mycket nära signifikant negativ korrelation med redo att använda, vilket innebär att projekt med större budgetar hade svårare att nå sina egna mål, och något svårare att få de egna innovativa idéerna färdigutvecklade till projekttidens slut. Sannolikheten att den innovativa idén är allmänt använd inom 3 år, hade ett starkt samband med (potentiella) användares nytta och fördelar med att använda innovationen. Resultaten visar också att grupper som skaffat sig mycket goda kunskaper om sin marknad och sina kunder, behövde kortare tid för att utveckla sina innovativa idéer.Vidare på projektnivå framkommer två faktorer i studien som gör att vissa projekt inte lyckas nå sina egna förväntningar; att innovationen inte är färdgutvecklad vid projekttidens slut, samt svårigheter vid marknadsintroduktionen eller motsvarande tillgängliggörande. Det innebär att bedömare av ansökningar skulle kunna prioritera exempelvis genomtänkta planer för utveckling och marknadsintroduktion, samt att policyansvariga för EIP-Agri skulle kunna överväga ett samarbete med företagsinkubatorer eller andra affärsrådgivningsorganisationer.På individnivå har EIP-projekten haft en positiv inverkan på de inblandade individernas innovationskultur. De uppger att det har blivit mer sannolikt att de kommer att driva innovativa idéer i framtiden och de är mer benägna att samarbeta med andra. Detta gäller oavsett om de ingått i projekt som nått sina mål eller inte, vilket indikerar att innovationskultur handlar mer om att delta i innovationsprocesser, än om huruvida dessa processer nått sina mål. Främjandet av en innovationskultur är ett av målen på EU-nivå och skulle kunna nämnas framöver även bland svenska mål
Artificial light at night reduces emergence and attracts flying adults of aquatic Diptera
Get PDFArtificial light at night (ALAN) is a widespread, human-induced alteration of the landscape that affects insect dispersal and potentially contributes to insect decline. We used an experimental area with streetlights installed adjacent to an agricultural drainage ditch to experimentally assess the abundance and diversity of emerging and flying aquatic Diptera over a period of six months in summer and autumn. Emergence was two-fold lower in the lit site, while flying adults were eight-fold more abundant at traps under lights. Results were taxon- and sex-specific. Males of nine taxa were less abundant in lit emergence traps, and females of most taxa were more abundant in lit air-eclector traps than in controls. We developed an empirical model based on emergence and capture rates and used this model to estimate that the majority of the 54 flying Diptera taxa we identified were attracted to light from the adjacent water body, and that a few taxa were attracted from a distance of up to 1800 m. This work provides evidence that artificial light in riparian areas can reduce emergence in aquatic Diptera and hinder dispersal, with effects that vary depending on the taxon. Because many riparian predators rely on adult aquatic insects as prey, these changes can cascade across aquatic-terrestrial ecosystem boundaries. Given the large number of streetlights that are installed along freshwater shorelines, the observed effects are likely to be of relevance to freshwater bodies around the globe
Genomic prediction of bone strength in laying hens using different sources of information
Get PDFBone damage in laying hens remains a significant welfare concern in the egg industry. Breeding companies rely on selective cross-breeding of purebred birds to produce commercial hybrids, which farmers raise for table-egg production. Genomic prediction is a potential tool to improve bone quality in laying hens. Because commercial layers are crossbred and kept in different environments than pure lines, the question arises whether to use within-line purebred selection or whether to use crossbred data. While selection based on pure line data is common, achieving optimal bone strength in hybrids may require incorporating hybrid data to account for heterosis and housing-specific effects. This study aims to evaluate how combining pure line and hybrid data could affect the accuracy of breeding values for bone strength. Genotypes and phenotypes were available from two types of white hybrids (Bovans White and Lohmann Selected Leghorn Classic) housed in two housing systems (furnished cages and floor housing). This resulted in four hybrid-housing combinations (n similar to 220 for each). Tibia strength and genotypes for pure breeding lines of White Leghorn (WL, n = 947) and Rhode Island Red (RIR, n = 924) were also included. Each of the hybrid-housing combinations and pure lines was fitted separately into (1) singletrait Genomic Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (GBLUP), then simultaneously via multitrait GBLUP, (2) within hybrids across housing, (3) across hybrids within housing, (4) across hybrids and housing, (5) the latter in combination with WL and/or RIR data. Including hybrid data slightly increased the accuracy of the genomic estimated breeding value (GEBV) of other hybrids, but not that of pure lines. Pure line data increased the GEBV accuracy of hybrids over and above that of combining hybrid information. Combining data from two pure lines improved the GEBV accuracy of both. In comparison to the combination of data across lines and/or houses, combining tibia strength and BW within-lines increased tibia strength GEBV accuracy. The maximum GEBV accuracy obtained for tibia strength ranged from 0.42 to 0.65 for hybrids and from 0.63 to 0.78 for pure lines. Further study is required to test whether modelling the interactions of genotype by environment could help to breed hybrids for specific housing systems. (c) 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of The animal Consortium. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Biologisk recipientkontroll för Ringhals kärnkraftverk
Get PDFRinghals kärnkraftverk är en av Sveriges största elproducenter. På grund av intag och utsläpp av havsvatten som kyler reaktorerna i kraftverket sker en påverkan på den omgivande kustvattenmiljön. Denna påverkan övervakas och analyseras i ett biologiskt recipientkontrollprogram. Föreliggande årsrapport presenterar resultat av undersökningarna inom kontrollprogrammet för 2024. Fokus i årsrapporten ligger på sammansättningen av fisk och skaldjur, förluster av fiskägg, -larver och - yngel i kylvattenvägarna samt förekomsten av främmande arter.I kylvattenintaget utförs årligen under våren två olika provtagningar för att övervaka förlusterna av olika fiskstadier i kraftverket: En provtagning av fiskägg och fisklarver med en Bongohåv samt en provtagning av yngel och juvenil fisk med en modifierad Isaacs-Kiddtrål. I ägg- och larvprovtagningen för 2024 var de vanligaste förekommande fiskäggen stora plattfiskägg (rödspätta) och torsk, och de vanligaste fisklarverna tobis och skrubbskädda. Provtagningarna i kylvattenintaget efter juvenil fisk och yngel ger värdefull data för populationsutveckling för bland annat ål (glasål). Fångsterna med Isaacs-Kiddtrålen under 2024 dominerades av sillyngel, som kan vara tecken på god rekrytering under hösten 2023. Andra vanliga arter i kylvattenkanalen var klarbult, tobisyngel och ål (glasål).Effekten av utgående uppvärmt kylvatten undersöks genom årliga provfisken med ryssjor på tre lokaler: recipientområdet vid Ringhals som direkt påverkas av kylvattnet, ett referensområde vid Vendelsö som är opåverkat av kylvatten samt ett område vid Norra Horta som är delvis påverkat av kylvattnet. Provfisket genomförs under två perioder per år, i april och augusti. Tätheterna av fisk var generellt större under augusti med sommartemperaturer i vattnet. Artsammansättningen i kustområdena utgörs i högre grad av varmvattengynnade arter. I undersökningarna under 2024 var skärsnultra den vanligaste fiskarten vid provfiskena, som förekom i höga tätheter i samtliga områden i augusti. I april återfanns skärsnultra främst i Ringhals, som tyder på att arten aktivt söker sig till uppvärmt kylvatten. Under april månad var kallvattengynnade arter som torsk och rötsimpa mer vanliga i fångsterna. Generellt sett var arter som föredrar varmare vatten vanligare i recipientområdet och arter som föredrar kallare vatten vanligare i referensområdet. Totalfångsten av strandkrabba var hög inom samtliga områden och under båda fiskeperioder, med störst tätheter i recipientområdet i augusti.Området vid renshusledningens utlopp undersöktes med ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) för att visuellt inspektera påverkan på havsbotten. Utsläpp och sedimentation av skaldelar från musslor och krabbor var under 2024, likt tidigare år, på låga nivåer. För att undersöka eventuell förekomst av invasiva främmande arter utanför Ringhals, genomfördes dykkarteringar på fem lokaler: Ringhals kylvattenutsläpp, Norra Horta, Vendelsö samt två lokaler i Båtafjorden. Sammantaget för de fem lokalerna observerades det tre främmande arter: rödalgen agaralg, brunalgen japansk sargassotång samt stillahavsostron. Samtliga främmande arter är kända på svenska västkusten sedan tidigare. Utöver dykkarteringen hittades även småprickig penselkrabba under provfisket i april vid recipienten för första gången i undersökningen, även denna är tidigare funnen i svenska vatten. Förekomst av främmande arter undersöktes även i Ringhals kylvattenvägar genom en kartering i svallbassäng T2 och en i kylvattentunneln R4. Dessa undersökningar resulterade i allmänt färre arter och lägre biomassa jämfört med tidigare år på grund av att svallbassängen, sedan 2023, har klorerats varje vecka från april till oktober
Farm diversification strategies and their relations to farm financial performance: evidence from Swedish agriculture
Get PDFPurposeThis paper aims to provide empirical evidence of the relationship between diversification strategies in farm businesses and farm financial performance. We distinguish diversification into agricultural diversification and farm diversification into non-agricultural activities, depending on the source of farm business revenues.Design/methodology/approachWe used panel data from 2016 to 2020 for Swedish farms and estimated two-way fixed-effects models across the different farm types to control for farm-level unobserved heterogeneity and eliminate potential bias that can be caused by excluding unobserved variables that evolve over time.FindingsThe results indicate a heterogeneous relationship between agricultural and farm diversification and farm financial performance across farm types. In particular, agricultural and farm diversification are related to farm financial performance for dairy farms, and agricultural diversification is associated with farm financial performance for granivore farms. Regarding mixed, other grazing livestock and field-crop farms, we find no relationship between either type of diversification and financial performance.Originality/valueThe results are important because they highlight that farmers may not have the necessary financial incentives or financial means to adopt diversification strategies, although such strategies are considered desirable from a societal point of view, as they may contribute to positive environmental effects (agricultural diversification) and more prosperous rural areas (farm diversification). Consequently, from a policy perspective, our findings suggest that public support may be needed to strengthen farmers' possibilities to engage in diversification activities. For farmers and their advisors, our results may also contribute to more informed decision-making regarding diversification activities
The role of habitat in predator-prey dynamics with applications to restoration
Get PDFHabitat is a powerful force in ecosystems, and the quantity and quality of habitat can shape ecosystem structure and function. Among the many important roles that habitat plays is as a mediator of ecological interactions, including predator-prey dynamics. In the context of ecosystem restoration, there is great potential to better understand how predator-prey dynamics are influenced by habitat and whether this has implications for how ecosystems are managed. We consider the ways in which habitat serves as an important mediator of interactions between predators and their prey and present four ways in which habitat acts as an intermediary that enhances or diminishes this relationship. We found that habitat provides refuge from predators and shapes the physical traits of prey as they use their surroundings to protect themselves. We also discuss how habitat creates physical resistance and sets the cost of predation for predators and how habitat facilitates apparent competition within a community context. These roles of habitat are well established in ecology, but we believe they are underdeveloped from an applied perspective. We conclude that habitat must be appropriately considered in the context of how it mediates predation. Given the ways that habitat influences predation, restoration efforts should consider if and how physical measures may positively or negatively affect species interactions and whether this could lead to success or failure of overall programs
Rare fish species in European lakes - patterns and processes
Get PDFAccording to differences in life history and species niches, community assembly processes are predicted to differ between common and rare species. While neutral processes, in particular dispersal, should contribute strongly to assembly of rare species, environmental filtering (species sorting) should dominate the community assembly of common species. We analysed commonness and rarity by occurrence, abundance and geographic range among 82 fish species in 1871 European lakes and reservoirs. The common 25% (21 species) were excluded, and structure and assembly processes of the 75% rare (61 species) species occurring in 348 lakes were evaluated. General linear latent variable models indicated that environmental variables related to lake type (lakes vs. reservoirs), climate and ecosystem size predicted a large proportion of variance for both rare species presence/absence and abundance models, while spatial variables (co-occurrence in watersheds) contributed little to the models. To link community structure with assembly processes, the contribution of seven fish traits related to life history, feeding and habitat preference to predicting the geographic range of the rare species was analysed by boosted regression trees. Intermediate average fecundity and high maximum body length of species predicted smaller geographic range and hence a higher level of rarity, but the response curves of the variables were mostly non-linear and difficult to interpret. In contrast to our assumption, the results of the dominant assembly processes and predictors for rare species were very similar to those predicted for the common fish species in lakes at the continental scale
Downstream guidance performance of a bubble curtain and a net barrier for the European eel, Anguilla anguilla, in an experimental flume
Get PDFPopulations of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla), a critically endangered species, have been severely impacted by migration barriers, as losses due to turbine-induced mortality can be substantial. To prevent eels from entering turbines, effective guidance systems are needed to redirect downstream-migrating eels towards safer alternative passage routes. Although physical guidance screens may have very high guidance efficiencies, these generally come with high construction and maintenance costs and are difficult to scale up to large rivers. Behavioural guidance systems are typically less costly, but have often been ineffective. Hence, more work is needed to identify more effective behavioural solutions or physical barriers that are less costly to upscale. In this study, we assessed the performance of a physical net barrier (23 mm mesh size) and a behavioural bubble curtain guidance solution, for downstream-migrating eels and compared these with a guidance-free control at four different water velocities (0.1, 0.4, 0.7 and 1 m/s) in a large experimental flume using PIT-telemetry and video. The overall passage rate with the net barrier was 68 % higher than during the control treatment, whereas there was no significant difference between the bubble curtain and the control. We also found an effect of eel body size, where larger eels were less likely to enter the bypass than smaller eels. Velocity did not influence passage rate. Video data, in addition, revealed that b guidance along the barrier was greater, and passes through the barrier fewer, for the net barrier than for the bubble curtain and the control. The results suggest that net guidance solution for downstream guidance of eels should be explored further, whereas the bubble curtain does not appear appropriate for eel guidance
Long-Term Demography of Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta) in a Lion-Depleted but Prey-Rich Ecosystem
Get PDFInterspecific competition has strongly shaped the evolution of large carnivore guilds. In Africa, the lion (Panthera leo) and spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta, hereafter hyena) exert direct and indirect competitive impacts on each other and on subordinate guild members. The impacts of competition on demography are complex and not well understood. With carnivore guilds now ubiquitously impacted by humans, disentangling the effects of interspecific competition and other drivers of hyena demography is important. Western Zambia's Greater Liuwa Ecosystem (GLE) provides a unique natural experiment where lions were functionally eliminated from the system. Hyenas are the apex predator, with an abundant prey base and low levels of human-hyena conflict. We measured GLE hyena survival and density using mark-recapture models fit to 10 years of data from 663 known individuals in 11 clans. GLE hyena densities were high, though slightly lower than other wildebeest-dominated systems, and stable over 10 years. Survival rates were high for all age-sex classes, and higher than those of other systems with high lion density, suggesting the possibility of competitive release from lion competition. These findings provide insights into long-term hyena demography in the absence of their top competitor but with an abundant prey base. As humans continue to alter ecosystems and fundamental ecological relationships such as interspecific competition, altered dynamics such as competitive release are likely to be widespread and should be a focus of future research
