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Agronomic performance and GHG emission profile of rice and koronivia grass cultivated in a tropical environment
Get PDFManaged forage grazing alongside flood-irrigated rice cultivation is recognized as a significant contributor to GHG emissions into the atmosphere. Forage grazing releases large amounts of nitrous oxide emissions, which can be reduced using species such as koronivia grass (Brachiaria humidicola), a forage grass known for its biological nitrification inhibition capacity through the root exudate called brachialactone. Rice cultivation releases large amounts of methane into the atmosphere, which is why greenhouse gas emissions from flood-irrigated rice paddies have been extensively studied in Asia; however, few studies have been conducted in Latin America, including Colombia, highlighting the need to understand the topic in this region better.
Rice cultivation and forage grazing are two of Colombia's most important agricultural activities; therefore, assessing GHG emissions from these activities is of utmost importance since no GHG emission factors are available for these two cropping systems under Colombian conditions.
This study aims to provide insight into the key characteristics of greenhouse gas emissions and yield-related components of different rice and koronivia grass cultivars in Colombia through a field trial of two rice and two koronivia grass cultivars, contributing to a better understanding of the environmental effects of cultivation in tropical areas of South America. To achieve this goal, biomass and yield components were evaluated, along with CH4 and N2O emissions and emission factors, with a specific focus on differences in root biomass between cultivars.
The rice and koronivia grass field trials were conducted at the CIAT Research Center in Colombia, where soil samples were collected before the trial started. The experimental layout consisted of a randomized block design with three replications of each rice and koronivia grass cultivar. Within each replication, three closed static chambers were placed and used as subsamples, with gas concentrations quantified using gas chromatography. An automatic weather station was used to gather environmental data during the sampling period.
Rice cultivar HL23 had a higher grain yield and greater daily methane emissions during the beginning of the sampling period. Meanwhile, cultivar FE60 displayed a larger variance in daily CH4 emissions from flowering to the end of the sampling period. This study presents the first reported field-emitted methane emissions from a koronivia grass field experiment. The koronivia grass cultivar CI67 displayed a significantly higher variance in daily CH4 emissions during the beginning of the sampling period, and a trend was observed where cultivar CI67 had higher cumulative CH4 emissions. This study also provides insight into the key characteristics of CH4 and N2O emissions and yield-related components of different rice and koronivia grass cultivars
In the wake of the pandemic
Get PDFOne Health is a concept that recognises the link between human, animal, and environmental health, and that to achieve optimal health an interdisciplinary approach is needed to tackle the major threats to global health. Two important areas within One Health are antibiotic resistance and zoonoses. The aim of this study was to investigate pet owners’ knowledge about One Health for further use when designing guidelines and knowledge-raising measures. For this study, a survey was designed and distributed to pet owners who were visiting the participating clinics in Sweden to investigate their knowledge of zoonoses and antibiotic resistance. The results of this study show that many pet owners have relatively good knowledge of antibiotic treatment and its risks, and to some extent that antibiotic-resistant bacteria can spread between animals and humans. However, they have less knowledge of zoonotic infections such as rabies and echinococcosis. The majority of pet owners know how rabies is spread and know that it is important to quickly seek medical attention if you are bitten by an unknown dog abroad, but at the same time the majority do not know that seemingly healthy animals can carry the infection or that Sweden is free from rabies. These results can be useful for veterinarians in their daily interactions with pet owners during consultation.One Health är ett koncept som bygger på att människans, djurens och naturens hälsa hänger ihop. Interdisciplinärt samarbete krävs för att tackla de stora hoten mot den globala hälsan. Två viktiga områden inom One Health är antibiotikaresistens och zoonoser. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka djurägares kunskap om One Health för vidare användning vid utformning av riktlinjer och kunskapshöjande åtgärder. Resultaten i denna studie visar att många djurägare har relativt god kunskap om antibiotikabehandling och dess risker, och till viss grad också om att antibiotika-resistenta bakterier kan spridas mellan djur och människor. Däremot har de mindre kännedom om zoonotiska infektioner såsom rabies och rävens dvärgbandmask. Majoriteten av djurägarna känner till hur rabies sprids och känner till att det är viktigt att snabbt söka vård om man blir biten av en okänd hund utomlands, men samtidigt känner majoriteten inte till att till synes friska djur kan bära på smittan eller att Sverige är fritt från rabies. Väldigt få kände till begreppet One Health. Resultaten kan vara användbara för veterinärer i deras dagliga interaktion med djurägare som kommer för konsultation
Agriculture-based Hydrogen Production through Reforming of Biogas : technical and Economic Evaluation of Local Hydrogen Production in Agriculture
Get PDFSveriges jordbruk har potential att bidra till energiomställningen genom lokal produktion av biogas och vidareförädling till vätgas. Denna studie undersöker den tekniska och ekonomiska genomförbarheten av att införa ett system för vätgasproduktion via ångreformering av biogas på enskilda jordbruk. Genom en modell utvecklad i Excel utvärderas fyra representativa gårdar med olika substratsammansättningar (gödsel och skörderester), och resultaten visar att lönsamheten i stor grad beror på gårdens storlek och typ av verksamhet.
Resultaten visar att gårdar med stor djurhållning i kombination med odlingsmark har bäst förutsättningar för lönsam produktion, medan småskaliga verksamheter eller gårdar med begränsad mängd substrat har svårigheter att nå ekonomisk lönsamhet. Den tekniska analysen visar att betydande mängder vätgas kan produceras, vilket motsvarar stora volymer fossilt dieselbränsle. Miljöanalysen indikerar minskade växthusgasutsläpp samt produktion av biogödsel som kan ersätta konstgödsel.
Studien belyser även möjliga synergier, såsom nyttjande av restvärme från reformeringsprocessen och potential för koldioxidinfångning. För att ytterligare stärka lönsamheten föreslås saminvesteringar mellan flera gårdar, stöd från statliga investeringsprogram samt breddade användningsområden för vätgas inom jordbruket.Swedish agriculture has potential to contribute to the energy transition through local biogas production and subsequent hydrogen generation. This study investigates the technical and economic feasibility of implementing a system for hydrogen production via steam reforming of biogas on individual farms. Using an Excel-based model, four representative farms with varying substrate compositions (manure and crop residues) are evaluated. The results show that profitability largely depends on the scale and type of agricultural operation.
Farms with large-scale animal husbandry combined with farmable land demonstrate the best economic potential, while smaller operations with limited substrate availability struggle to profit economically. The technical analysis shows that substantial amounts of hydrogen can be produced, equivalent to significant volumes of fossil diesel. The environmental assessment indicates reduced greenhouse gas emissions and the production of biofertilizer that can substitute synthetic fertilizers.
The study also discusses possible synergies, such as utilizing waste heat from the reforming process and the potential for carbon capture and storage (CCS). To improve profitability further, joint investments between farms, public support schemes, and expanded on-farm hydrogen use are recommended
Energy analysis and proposals for energy efficiency of the Fyrishov swimming facility
Get PDFDetta arbete identifierar områden med stor energiförbrukning och källor till energiförluster hos badanläggningen i Fyrishov i Uppsala. Då kommunen planerar att förlänga Fyrishovs livstid ska anläggningen upprustas och renoveras och i denna rapport ges förslag på hur anläggningen kan energieffektiviseras utifrån de områden som undersöks. Fokuset ligger på ventilation, transmissionsförluster, bassänger och värmeåtervinning då dessa områden identifierats ha störst möjligheter till energieffektivisering. Inledningen tar upp hur det ser ut med badhus i hela Sverige och att de är byggnader som förbrukar mycket energi på grund av inomhusklimatet som ställer höga krav på ventilation, uppvärmning och klimatskal då det råder hög temperatur och hög luftfuktighet i simhallarna. Arbetet avgränsar sig mot ekonomiska aspekter och miljömässiga konsekvenser av renoveringar samt förändrad energianvändning. Modellering av bassängerna, ventilationen och klimatskalet gjordes i Python för beräkning av energiförbrukning före och efter åtgärder. Resultatet visar de potentiella energibesparingarna som kan göras för respektive område om åtgärder tillämpas. Genom att byta ut nuvarande ventilationsaggregat till nya kan energibesparingar på 4590 MWh/år göras. Förbättring av anläggningens klimatskal beräknades spara ungefär 1112 MWh/år och genom att utnyttja värmen från duschvatten kan cirka 2330 MWh/år besparas. Användning av bassängtäcke på utomhusbassängen för att minska energiförluster i form av vattenavdunstning kan spara ungefär 160 MWh/år. I samtliga beräkningar gjordes antaganden och uppskattningar på grund av brist på data vilket ger en viss osäkerhet i resultaten och till följd av detta genomfördes känslighetsanalyser på en del av parametrarna för att undersöka rimligheten av resultaten som erhölls. Trots osäkerheter bedöms de lösningar som utreds i rapporten leda till betydande energibesparingar och en mer energieffektiv badanläggning.This report identifies the areas with the highest energy consumption, and sources for energy losses at the swimming facility Fyrishov, located in Uppsala. Since the county of Uppsala has decided to renovate Fyrishov with the purpose of increasing its longevity, this report will discuss how and in which areas the facility can further increase its energy efficiency. Ventilation, transmission losses, pools and heat recycling were identified to have the largest potential for effectivization, hence the report will mainly focus on these areas. The following work will not include economic aspects or environmental consequences of the proposed solutions or energy sources. The models of the pools, ventilation system and climate shells were made in Python, which were also used when calculating the energy consumption before the proposed solutions would have been implemented, as well as after. The results show the potential energy savings for each area if each proposed solution were to be implemented. By replacing old ventilation units with new ones, Fyrishov is estimated to save 4590 MWh/year. Upgrading the facility’s climate shell would result in an estimated saving of 1112 MWh/year, and by utilizing the heat from shower water 2330 MWh/year is estimated to be saved. Using a pool cover on the outdoor pool to reduce energy losses due to water evaporation can save approximately 160 MWh/year. Due to insufficient data, several assumptions and approximations were made in all calculations, which gives rise to uncertainties in the results. As a result, sensitivity analyses were made in all main areas of interest to evaluate the plausibility of the
result that was obtained. Despite the uncertainties, the proposed solutions in this report are determined to lead to considerable savings and a more energy-efficient swimming facility
Animal welfare in Swedish pig production and a comparative analysis between the countries we mainly import pork from : With a focus on legislation, compliance, animal welfare certifications and antibiotic use
Get PDFIn Sweden, there is a need to import pork to meet the domestic demand for pig meat. Axfood, one of the country's largest actors in the grocery retail sector, has therefore requested an updated literature review to examine which requirements can and should be set when importing pork from the exporting countries Denmark, Germany, Spain, and Italy. The purpose of this study was to compare animal welfare in these countries, with Swedish pig production. The comparison covers each country’s animal welfare legislation, compliance with the law, animal welfare certifications, and antibiotic use. Sweden currently has strong animal welfare regulations with higher standards than the other countries in the comparison. For example, tail docking is prohibited in Sweden, while it is performed routinely in several of the other countries. Sweden also has stricter rules regarding sow confinement, which in some exporting countries is allowed for up to almost half of a sow’s adult life. The results show that none of the compared countries, reach the same level of animal welfare in pig production as Sweden. In cases where pork import is necessary, Denmark should be prioritized, followed by Germany and Spain, while Italy should be considered a last choice. This study also presents recommendations that may contribute to improved purchasing decisions with positive effects on pig welfare. Finally, the study identifies the need for a thorough review of suppliers’ animal welfare certifications to determine which requirements are possible and relevant for Axfood to set when importing
En studie på grundvattennivåer efter återvätning av dränerade våtmarker i södra Sverige
Get PDFIn light of recent hot and dry summers, restoration of degraded wetlands has been considered as an opportunity for increasing water availability in the landscape. Despite the lack of evidence-based outcomes of rewetting on hydrological functions, the Swedish government continues to allocate funds for further implementation. This study addresses this gap by investigating responses in high temporal resolution groundwater levels (GWL) to rewetting of two historically drained wetlands within Östergötland County, southern Sweden. To assess hydrological alterations, a Before-After-Control-Impact approach was employed, using a drained but non-rewetted wetland as the control. The aim of the study was to investigate GWL changes following rewetting, both within the peatlands and in adjacent areas, and identify factors determining these responses. The results showed spatial variation of rewetting effects, both within and across sites. While one of the rewetted wetlands showed increased and stabilized GWL, providing reasons to think that restoration improved hydrological functions, the other exhibited limited responses. To improve restoration outcomes, this study emphasizes the importance of considering both local conditions for planning, implementing and monitoring rewetting efforts, along with data quality assurance as an essential step prior to further application. Recognizing that the results of restoration were not consistent in this study may not be a limitation of rewetting itself, but rather a reflection of the sometime irreversible changes that historical intensive drainage has imposed on these ecosystems
Urban or non-urban, that is the question : forest owners' intentions and behaviours with a focus on urban forestry and its change
Get PDFIdag finns det ett utbrett politiskt intresse av europeiska skogar när EU ska möta sina klimatmål, vilket påverkar svensk policy och i sin tur de svenska skogsägarna. Sverige ska tillsammans med Europa säkerställa bevarandet av dess natur och de ekosystemtjänster som den producerar. Detta kommer att innebära en förflyttning mot ett mångsidigare skogsbruk som ska uppfylla fler mål än de virkesproducerande. Nya krav ställs och skogen förväntas att bidra i arbetet med hållbarhets- och miljömål. I Sverige innebär den rådande skogslagstiftningen att denna förändring behöver komma från skogsägarna själva. Med en förändring av den europeiska skogspolicyn kommer det vara kritiskt att förstå vad som driver de privata skogsägarna. Denna uppsats undersöker drivkrafter hos de svenska skogsägarna med fokus på de med tätortsnära fastigheter och vilka faktorer är det som driver dessa. Fortsättningsvis undersöks om det finns samband mellan skogsägares intentioner och beteenden med avseende på kön, ålder och utbildning. Vidare undersöks huruvida skogens närhet till tätort påverkar det skogliga beslutsfattandet. Slutligen undersöker uppsatsen om skogsägarnas intentioner och beteenden har förändrats från 2014 till 2024 med särskilt fokus på de tätortsnära skogsägarna. Data inhämtas från två enkätstudier som är baserat på Theory of Planned Behaviour. Under analysen upptäcktes inga korrelationer mellan kön, ålder och utbildning, vidare uppvisade de tätortsnära skogsägarna inga avvikelser från de icke tätortsnära, däremot återfinns signifikant skillnad i intention och beteende mellan skogsägare 2014 och 2024. De tätortsnära skogsägarnas intentioner har dessutom utvecklats i en annorlunda riktning än de icke tätortsnära. Anledningen till detta går ej att avgöra inom denna uppsats och därför bör en studie som följer tätortsnära skogsägares svarssekvens genomföras.Today, there is a widespread political interest in European forests when the EU is to meet its climate goals, which affects Swedish policy and in turn the Swedish forest owners. Together with Europe, Sweden will ensure the conservation of its nature, and the ecosystem services it produces. This will mean a shift towards more diverse forestry that will meet more goals than the timber-producing ones. New requirements are being set, and the forest is expected to contribute to the work with sustainability and environmental goals. In Sweden, the current forest legislation means that this change needs to come from the forest owners themselves. With a change in European forest policy, it will be critical to understand what drives private forest owners. This essay examines the driving forces of the Swedish forest owners with a focus on those with properties close to urban areas and what factors are driving them. Further, it is investigated whether there is a correlation between forest owners' intentions and behaviours with regard to gender, age and education. Furthermore, it is investigated whether the forest's proximity to urban areas affects forest decision-making. Finally, the essay examines whether the forest owners' intentions and behaviours have changed from 2014 to 2024 with a special focus on the urban forest owners. Data are collected from two questionnaire studies that are based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour. During the analysis, no correlations between gender, age and education were demonstrated, furthermore, the forest owners close to the urban area showed no deviations from the non-urban forest owners, however, there was a significant difference in intention and behaviour between forest owners in 2014 and 2024. The intentions of forest owners close to urban areas have also developed in a different direction than those that are not close to urban areas. The reason for this cannot be determined in this essay and therefore a study that follows the response sequence of forest owners close to urban areas should be conducted
Populationsstruktur inom den fennoskandinaviska utterstammen : genom analys av single nucleotide polymorphisms
Get PDFEurasian otters are an essential species within Palearctic freshwater ecosystems. Monitoring populations through non-invasive genetics can provide helpful information advising wildlife management. An investigation of population structure within the Fennoscandian metapopulation of otters was conducted through the analysis of 63 SNP-loci each from 93 individual DNA-samples collected from Eurasian otters in Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Otters in Western Norway exhibited distinct genetic differentiation in relation to the rest of the sample group. Finnish otters showed higher genetic variation, while Swedish otters held an intermediary genetic profile between Finnish and Norwegian populations. Furthermore, otters in Eastern Norway were genetically more similar to the Swedish population than to other Norwegian otters. Possible genetic traces of reintroductions of Norwegian otters into struggling Swedish populations in the 20th century were detected. Isolation by Distance (IBD) was identified in the metapopulation
Influence of open cage fish farming on perch diet in nutrient poor lakes in northern Sweden
Get PDFThis study investigated the potential influence of open cage fish farming on nutrient poor, hydropower regulated lakes in Sweden and how perch diet is affected. The aim of this study was to determine a) whether there is a difference in the amount of stomach content in perch between the two lakes b) whether there is a difference in perch diet regarding fish and invertebrates and c) whether the size at which perch shift their niche differs between the lakes. A total of 136 perch were sampled, 80 from the lake Storuman that was affected by fish farming and 56 from the reference lake Hornavan. A detailed analysis of perch stomach contents was then done in the lab. The stomach contents were measured, and divided into different categories. Statistical analyses were then conducted to examine the research questions. Results showed that perch in Storuman had more than twice the food consumption compared to those in Hornavan, this was likely due to increased food availability resulting from an increase of the production in the lake. Perch from Storuman also consumed a higher proportion of fish, this was potentially due to increased fish availability and a decline in other prey groups, such as invertebrates, which was negatively affected by fish farming. No differences were observed in the timing of the ontogenetic diet shift between the lakes. The findings in this study are consistent with previous research, indicating that fish farming can impact nutrient poor lakes by input of extra nutrients, which in turn can change the food web. More research is needed to understand how fish farming affects nutrient poor lakes over time and to maintain a stable ecosystem
Using passive acoustic monitoring to compare bird communities across restoration treatments in Swedish boreal forests
Get PDFEcosystem degradation has driven global restoration efforts aimed at recovering biodiversity and ecosystem services. Intensive forestry practices in Sweden’s boreal forests have altered forest structure, thereby impacting biodiversity. This study assesses whether forest restoration enhances habitat complexity and supports bird diversity, using birds as indicators of ecological health. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) was employed to record bird vocalizations across 30 forest stands in two of Sveaskog’s Ecoparks, one in northern (Käringberget) and one in southern (Hornsö) Sweden. Each Ecopark includes forest stands representing three treatment types: target, restored and unrestored. Structural habitat variables such as deadwood volume, basal area, and understory cover were measured to evaluate habitat complexity. Results showed that restoration increased structural similarity between target and restored stands, particularly in Hornsö, while unrestored stands remained distinct. Bird species richness and community composition showed limited overall responses, though certain functional traits and indicator species reflected treatment differences. Structural variation within stands and subtle bird responses suggest that restoration is a gradual process, with key features like deadwood volume and conifer basal area playing important roles in shaping bird assemblages. This study highlights the value of combining structural metrics and PAM to evaluate restoration outcomes for forest and bird biodiversity