Investigating the potential of multispecies grasslands
The ongoing simplification of agricultural production systems has resulted in severe environmental problems, ranging from losses in soil organic carbon and biodiversity to a high dependency on fertilisers to maintain high yields.
“Therefore, we need to rethink the way we produce food, especially in circular systems that prevent waste and reuse resources, protect the climate, but are also adapted to climate change,” says Ph.D. student Meret Kaspereit from the Department of Agroecology at Aarhus University.
She is part of the LegumeLegacy project, a pan-European research network. Here she and other researchers investigate the potential of multispecies grassland to improve resource circularity and environmental performances of crop rotations.
Glyphosate ban in Europe: How would it have affected agriculture?
This fall, Europe faced a critical decision regarding glyphosate, the controversial herbicide extensively used in the agricultural sector. Glyphosate was re-registered, but which alternative solutions exists, and what impact would a ban have on agriculture. Researchers from among others Aarhus University have delved into the economic repercussions of a ban and strategies to minimise potential losses.
Glyphosate, a key player in combating weeds in European agriculture, has once again triggered intense debates about its environmental and health impacts. Despite the EU recommending re-registration on November 16, some member states had already imposed restrictions or bans. This raised questions about how agriculture would have reacted and adapted in a future without this contentious agent.
Weltweit sinken die Grundwasserpegel immer schneller
Eine globale Studie zeigt, dass die Grundwasservorkommen der Welt schwinden: Die Pegel sinken weltweit stark, und im 21. Jahrhundert hat sich die Abnahme sogar beschleunigt. Aber es gibt auch Grund zur Hoffnung.
Anfang November titelte die New York Times, dass die USA ihr Grundwasser verbrauchen, als gäbe es kein Morgen. Die Journalist:innen des renommierten Mediums hatten eine Recherche über den Zustand der Grundwasserreserven in den Vereinigten Staaten veröffentlicht. Sie kamen zum Schluss, dass die US-Amerikaner:innen zu viel Grundwasser aus dem Boden pumpen.
Doch die USA sind kein Einzelfall. «Auch der Rest der Welt verschleudert das Grundwasser, als gäbe es kein Morgen mehr», sagt Hansjörg Seybold, Senior Scientist am Departement Umweltsystemwissenschaften der ETH Zürich. Er ist Mitautor einer Studie, die soeben in der Fachzeitschrift «Nature» erschienen ist.
