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Background: Genome and transcriptome sequencing has greatly facilitated the understanding of biomass-degrading mechanisms in a number of fungal species. The information obtained enables the investigation and discovery of genes encoding proteins involved in plant cell wall degradation, which are crucial for saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass in second-generation biorefinery applications. T
Predicted impacts of climate change on crops—including yield declines and loss of conservation lands—could be mitigated by exploiting existing diversity within crops. Here we examine this possibility for wine grapes. Across 1,100 planted varieties, wine grapes possess tremendous diversity in traits that affect responses to climate, such as phenology and drought tolerance. Yet little of this divers
The integration of sociocultural valuations (SCV) within an ecosystem services (ES) framework is increasingly being required in environmental management contexts. Yet, this raises important questions: how do we approach SCV when people's perceptions are based on unbalanced information and advocate for detrimental actions? How then should SCV results be used? Should they be used to steer decisions?
Background: Short-culm mutants have been widely used in breeding programs to increase lodging resistance. In barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), several hundreds of short-culm mutants have been isolated over the years. The objective of thepresent study was to identify the Brachytic1 (Brh1) semi-dwarfing gene and to test its effect on yield and malting quality.Results: Double-haploid lines generated throu
Decentralized anaerobic digestion (AD) of manure and organic residues is a possible strategy to improve carbon and nutrient cycling within agricultural regions, meanwhile generating renewable energy. To date, there has been limited adoption of decentralized AD technology in industrialized countries owing to low profitability for plant operators. There remains a need to demonstrate the wider sustai
In their comment piece, van Basshuysen and Brandstedt raise three main issues: first, whether population at the global scale, or individual family planning decisions, are relevant for climate change mitigation; second, they offer useful critiques of the methodologies to attribute greenhouse gas emissions for the choice to have a child; and third, they question the appropriate ethical responsibilit
As glaciers retreat, their forelands represent “natural laboratories” for the study of primary succession. This review describes how certain arthropods conquer pristine ground and develop food webs before the establishment of vascular plants. Based on soil samples, pitfall traps, fallout and sticky traps, gut content studies, and some unpublished data, we compare early arthropod succession on glac
With the increased occurrence of climate extremes, there is an urgent need to better understand how management strategies affect the capacity of the soil microbial community to maintain its ecosystem functions (e.g. nutrient cycling). To address this issue, intact monoliths were extracted from conventional and ecological managed grasslands in three countries across Europe and exposed under common
The mechanisms by which lime and/or phosphate addition impacts the preservation of soil organic matter (OM) are poorly understood. We explored the changes in quantity and chemistry of water-extractable organic matter (WEOM) in the bulk soil and its heavy density fraction (>1.6 g/cm3) of an unmanaged C-rich volcanic soil caused by lime and/or phosphate application. The addition of lime or phosphate
Osmoderma eremita is a species of beetle that inhabits hollows in ancient trees, which is a habitat that has decreased significantly during the last century. In southeastern Sweden, we studied the metapopulation dynamics of this beetle over a 25 year period, using capture-mark-recapture. The metapopulation size had been rather stable over time, but in most of the individual trees there had been a
The most accepted taxonomic treatment of the New World sulphurs of the genus Phoebis Hübner, [1819] recognizes 16 species including those in the current synonyms Aphrissa and Rhabdodryas. This total conflicts with the results of several recent pierid DNA barcode studies across the Neotropics. We used a five-locus dataset to carry out species delimitation analyses using the coalescence-based method
Drought and agricultural management influence soil microorganisms with unknown consequences for the functioning of agroecosystems. We simulated drought periods in organic (biodynamic) and conventional wheat fields and monitored effects on soil water content, microorganisms and crops. Above the wilting point, water content and microbial respiration were higher under biodynamic than conventional far
In the title of Reza Banakar’s first internationally published book The Doorkeepers of the Law: A Socio-Legal Study of Ethnic Discrimination in Sweden (1998) his interest in Franz Kafka is already obvious. Much later, Banakar (2010) presented his view of Kafka's conception of law in his article In Search of Heimat: A Note on Franz Kafka's Concept of Law, and more recently, Banakar (2015) developed
Tomato roots can be colonized by both mycorrhizal fungi and the endophytic fungus Serendipita indica. This study was aimed at assessment of the impact of single or dual inoculation with R. irregularis and S. indica on tomato growth under saline conditions. We used signature compounds to estimate the abundance of each of these two fungi (fatty acid 16:1ω5 for R. irregularis and ergosterol for S. in
Non-technical summary Agriculture provides many benefits to people, such as producing food and creating jobs in rural areas, but it can also have negative impacts on the environment. We analysed existing monitoring indicators for the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to evaluate whether the CAP is effectively achieving multiple social and environmental goals. We found that the curr
This study investigates values and narratives of urban biodiversity in the highly culturally and biologically diverse city Cape Town, South Africa. Local expressions of values of biodiversity are explored, in the context of the challenge of accounting for diverse values of biodiversity through a green infrastructure approach. Based on interviews with practitioners involved in green space and biodi
Anorectal malformations (ARM) are a spectrum of congenital malformations, specifically defined by the absence of a normal anal opening. These conditions are treated surgically by posterior sagittal anorectoplasty and, in cases with perineal fistulas, perineal skin advancement is required to cover the tissue defect. Complications involving wound dehiscence are frequent, and may be due to stretching
Purpose: We investigated how the C flow from plants to microorganisms varies throughout the year in a temperate grassland. Additionally, we investigated how the C flow relates to saprotrophic activity and vegetation changes. Methods: In situ stable isotope pulse labelling (13CO2) was employed to estimate the flow of recently plant-derived C to soil microorganisms by using signature fatty acids. Ba
Sweden is often seen as a frontrunner when it comes to sustainability. For example, it has the highest share of renewable energy in the EU and is known for its thorough recycling and waste separation. Sweden is sparsely populated and 70% of its land area is covered by forests. Over the last century, the volume of yearly timber harvests has doubled, but despite this remarkable productivity increase
