Transport infrastructure is so widespread in Europe that half of the land area is within 1.5 kilometres (km) of paved roads and railway lines, researchers have calculated. The researchers found that in Spain, transport infrastructure has an impact on the abundance of birds in almost half of the country and is affecting the abundance of mammals across almost all of the land area.

Climate change is having mixed — but mostly negative — impacts on ecosystem services, suggest data analysed by a new study. The research, which brings together the findings of over 100 other studies, found that 59% of reported impacts of climate change on ecosystem services are negative, while just 13% are positive. However, the method of research was shown to strongly influence whether impacts are reported as positive or negative, with expert opinion studies far more negative than other types of study.

The coverage of ‘Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas’ (IBAs) in relation to Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for birds in the EU has been assessed in a new study. Overall, 66% of the IBA network is covered by SPAs. SPAs were found to cover 23% of the distributions of 435 EU bird species as well as 25% of the distributions of mammals, reptiles and amphibians.

Traditional, high-nature-value (HNV) grasslands are at risk of being abandoned by farmers in the future — in turn, risking the wildlife they support, warns a new UK study. Farmers interviewed by the researchers had weak motivations to protect grasslands, as they felt that financial incentives for conservation are low and that traditional management practices are inconvenient. More dialogue between farmers and conservationists could be part of the solution, the study suggests.

A survey of deepwater fisheries off the coast of Greenland which used traces of fish DNA has produced similar results to trawl surveys and fishing catches. The ‘environmental DNA’ (eDNA) technique can therefore complement trawl data, the researchers say. It may be particularly useful for surveying large species — which can often avoid bottom trawls — or cryptic species1 in inaccessible ocean areas.

New research has examined three different categories of Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA), each with different goals. The researchers find that overlaps between the three assessments could be combined to create a more comprehensive form of ERA, usable by regulators and environmental decision makers. There is an inherent trade-off between increasing agricultural production and protection of biodiversity. This study models the effects of biodiversity conservation agri-environment schemes (AESs) and ecosystem service provider schemes, and shows that determining the aim of an agri-environment scheme is key to improving its efficiency. Such an optimisation could allow AES to be rolled out more generally to provide the backbone for both high yields and enhanced farmland biodiversity, say the researchers.

Agri-environment schemes (AES) have been implemented throughout Europe to mitigate against the negative effects of agricultural intensification. Although these schemes have shown positive effects on the abundance and richness of certain species and taxa, the impact of AES on reproduction of target species at the local and landscape scale is poorly understood. This large-scale study looked for the effect of selected AE measures on bumblebee reproduction. Results indicate that bumblebee reproduction is significantly higher on sown flower patches when compared to conventional management. Although the increase is most pronounced at the plot scale, higher reproduction was found in landscapes surrounding larger sown plots (at least one hectare) compared to smaller sown plots.

A study of wildflower planting within agri-environment schemes has demonstrated that the practice can support a diverse array of economically beneficial insect species, not just prominent pollinators such as wild bees and hoverflies. The study demonstrates the high conservation potential of wildflower planting within agricultural landscapes and the value of insects outside the traditional focus of conservation efforts.

Researchers have found that farmer experience, concerns and motivation influence environmental outcomes for agri-environment schemes (AES), in a study in southern England. Farmers with more environmental-management experience and/or concern for wildlife created habitats that provided more pollen and nectar for bees and butterflies and winter seed for birds. The results suggest that supporting environmental learning among farmers may increase the success of AES.

The willingness of farmers to create wetlands within agri-environment schemes (AES) has been assessed as part of a new study in Sweden. Land-owning farmers and those with prior knowledge of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) were more likely to create wetlands than leasehold farmers or those with no prior knowledge of WFD. Common reasons for not wanting to take part in the scheme included the farmers’ senior age, that wetlands would not be suitable on the farm and high costs — leading the researchers to suggest that changes in subsidy payments may increase wetland creation.

This study assessed the implementation of the ‘Flowering Meadows’ agri-environment scheme in France, a results-based scheme which encourages farmers to conserve meadows in the Bauges, Haut Jura and Vercors natural parks. While there was limited change in agricultural practices, the scheme did help to maintain meadow habitats. Farmers also welcomed the results-based payments approach, which gave them greater responsibility for and flexibility in managing their farms.

Isolating specific reasons for involvement in agri-environment schemes (AES) is a key step in the formulation of schemes that are more appealing to Europe’s farming community. Through a comprehensive exploration of the literature on AES across the EU, this study contributes to a better understanding of what drives farmers’ participation in such initiatives, revealing important factors, such as previous experience with schemes and flexibility in management.

Researchers have developed a new metric to predict the ecological impacts of invasive alien species. The metric was calculated for a number of known invasive alien species and successfully predicted their impact on native species. The tool could be used to help inform the global management of invasive alien species.

Researchers have pinpointed hotspots for birds in an agricultural region of Italy. These show that hotspots for wintering birds are different to those for breeding birds — yet it is often only breeding birds’ locations that are considered in the design of protected areas. The researchers say their research highlights the importance of crop-dominated land for birds in the Mediterranean region.

Results from a long-term study of fish communities in the Bay of Somme in the English Channel show that numbers of cold-water fish, such as dab and plaice, have been dropping since 1998, as sea temperatures have risen. The researchers say this is evidence of ‘tropicalisation’ in an English-Channel ecosystem. The findings may have implications for conservation policies in the Bay, which is a Marine Protected Area1 designated under the Natura 2000 programme, as well as other marine sites affected by warming.

Constructed wetlands serve as a cost-effective and multi-purpose option for storm-water treatment in urban landscapes, offering flood protection as well as wildlife habitat. However, a new study shows that when nearby land use includes industry, wetlands can accumulate high levels of pollution and potentially become toxic to wildlife. This new piece of research offers important insights for the planning and management of wetlands.

Insect numbers in west German nature reserves have fallen by more than 76% in just 27 years, according to a new study. The fall was even higher in the summer months, with 82% on average fewer insects being recorded. The reasons for this dramatic fall are unclear. The researchers ruled out changes in weather, plant cover and local landscape playing a significant role in the observed decline, but suggest that intensive agriculture and pesticides in fields near to the reserves could be responsible. Whatever the cause, the catastrophic fall in insect numbers will inevitably lead to knock-on effects on ecosystems in the long term, particularly due to their essential role as pollinators and their position in the food web. The researchers say that preserving and protecting insects should now be a priority for conservation policies.

Satellite images taken over a 30-year period have shown that a French national park in the Alps has become greener with more vegetation, as snow cover disappears under a changing climate. These landscape changes have important implications for alpine biodiversity and ecosystem services, warn the scientists behind the study.

Invasive alien species (IAS) pose a threat to native European biodiversity and cost the EU annual damages worth EUR 12 billion as a result of IAS effects on human health, damaged infrastructure, and agricultural losses. IAS are the focus of Target 9 of the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) and Target 5 of the EU Biodiversity Strategy: ‘By 2020, IAS and their pathways are identified and prioritised… pathways are managed to prevent the introduction and establishment of new IAS.’ The EU framework for action against IAS is set out in a Regulation adopted in 2014. This provides for the adoption of a list of IAS of Union concern that will be subject to restrictions across the EU. The first step in order to consider a species for listing is to undertake a risk assessment.

Woody networks in agricultural landscapes are known to harbour high intrinsic biodiversity (i.e. diversity of plant species) and functional biodiversity (i.e. ecosystem services that arise from biodiversity). In order to clarify the drivers of intrinsic and functional biodiversity in woody networks, researchers analysed the plant species diversity, pollinator resource value (PRV), and potential edibility value (PEV) of a woody network in northern Belgium. The analysis confirmed that woody elements are a rich source of intrinsic and functional biodiversity and identified several important drivers. From a policy perspective, this research highlights the value of protecting existing woody elements and thoughtfully designing and locating new ones to maximise intrinsic and functional biodiversity in the countryside.

Almost a quarter of the world’s non-polar land surface experiences light pollution, and there is concern that this adversely affects illuminated ecosystems. Currently there is a global move from yellow sodium lighting to white LED lighting, which emits different wavelengths of light. A recent study found that LED artificial light at night (ALAN) reduced the biomass of periphyton by 62% in a freshwater drainage ditch in Westhavelland Nature Park, Brandenburg, Germany.

Energy demand is on the rise globally, and this is predicted to continue in coming decades. Increasing energy production to meet this demand requires materials — both metals and non-metal minerals — from a number of countries. As some materials are in short supply, it is important to consider material dependency and availability when developing national energy plans for the future. This study is the first to address material dependency effects on a nation’s energy development plans, with the UK and Turkey as case studies.

Wildfires are projected to become an increasingly common occurrence and are a major driver of habitat disturbance, yet little research to date has examined how the relationship between fire and landscape attributes affects large carnivores, such as the grey wolf (Canis lupus). The results of this study suggest that wolves are remarkably resilient to fire, persisting and breeding in a human-dominated landscape even under intensive fire regimes. However, burnt landscapes may induce higher exposure to human disturbance and persecution due to limited refuge conditions.

Increases in woody plant and shrub cover render alpine livestock less efficient at using their landscape, finds a new study of the eastern Spanish Pyrenees. Changes in land use and climate will affect not only flora and fauna but also the futures of alpine farmers, says the study, placing them at a growing economic risk both throughout Europe and worldwide.

The impacts of climate changes can force animal- and, over a longer time period, plant species to shift their range. Forests in temperate regions, such as north-western Spain, will be increasingly exposed to drought over the next few decades, which is likely to cause geographical changes in their distribution and make-up1. New patterns of plant occupancy or plant extinction have a bottom-up effect on animal species dependent on them, which can significantly impact on isolated or endangered populations of animals. This study sought to assess the potential impact of climate change on the brown-bear (Ursus arctos) population in the Cantabrian Mountains.

To estimate the losses of wild pollinators across Great Britain, a study mapped records of 353 wild bee and hoverfly species, collected across the country from 1980 to 2013. It found that a third of species decreased, while a tenth increased. On average, the geographic range of bee and hoverfly species declined by a quarter, which equates to a net loss of 11 species from each 1km grid square (with uncommon species more harshly affected), highlighting a significant risk to biodiversity, pollinators, and their ecosystems.

Reconciling human development with conservation requires a comprehensive understanding of the current ecological condition and spatial distribution of land. Using recent and spatially explicit global datasets, this study quantifies the degree of human modification across all terrestrial lands, ecoregions, and biomes1. The results suggest that fewer unmodified lands remain than previously reported and that the majority of the world is in a state of intermediate modification, with 52% of ecoregions classified as ‘moderately modified’. The researchers state that these regions are highly fragmented due to human activities and fall within critical land-use thresholds2 — they require urgent attention. These regions, therefore, require proactive spatial planning to maintain biodiversity and ecosystem function before vital environmental resources are lost.

Free-flowing rivers (FFRs) support a complex, dynamic and diverse range of global ecosystems, and provide important economic and societal services. However, infrastructure built to use these services — most notably 2.8 million dams worldwide — has caused many rivers to become fragmented and disconnected, affecting river biodiversity and ecosystem services. This study constructed a global information system with which to map the fine-scale dynamics and fragmentation of FFRs and to determine how human pressures affect the world’s river systems.

Considering the impact on soil carbon, biodiversity and ecotoxicity is important when assessing the environmental footprint of dairy products, suggests a new study, which explored the impacts of organic and conventional milk production in three types of system established in Western Europe. The study found that organic milk production had a significantly lower impact on ecotoxicity and biodiversity than conventional milk production, and suggests that including soil carbon changes in the assessment would result in greater reductions in the carbon footprint of organic, rather than conventional, milk — in some cases by up to 18%.

We've worried over the years as we build more features into MATLAB, particularly when we new file types and data types, about making sure users are accessing the artifacts they intend to use.... read more >>

Many here in Massachusetts started social distancing about a month ago and we have no end in sight yet. If you live alone, maybe you are ready to match up with someone after you get through this hardship. Today's guest blogger, Toshi Takeuchi, has a perfect algorithm for you. I love that this was inspired by a problem that, at first glance, doesn't seem very technical or relevant. But it is!... read more >>

I've been allowing my self some time these days to read more than usual about certain aspects of numerical math, deep learning, and other technical topics. In that regard, I found the timing of Nick Higham's new series, called What is, on his wonderful blog. He is a long-time and valued contributor on MATLAB Central and a friend to many of us at MathWorks.... read more >>

New research demonstrates how nanoparticles of silver in antibacterial socks and other fabrics may be released into the environment by washing. The study suggests that the release of silver from the textiles depends to a large extent on the way the silver has been incorporated into the fabric and that producers have possibilities for minimising release.

A comprehensive analysis of pharmaceuticals in Spanish wastewater has indicated that they are widespread pollutants. The majority of pharmaceuticals present in incoming wastewater were still present in both treated water and in the river waters receiving the treated water.

A new study has indicated that metallic pollutants in river basins have more sources than other dangerous substances. Sources include stormwater, industrial effluents, treated effluents, agricultural drainage, sediments, mining drainage and landfills.

A new study from Austria shows that ozonation, a more advanced form of waste water treatment, may be required to further reduce levels of trace pollutants, called micropollutants, in addition to longer treatment times.

Surface water is considered to be of good ecological quality if the Maximum Permissible Concentrations (MPCs) of contaminants in the water are not exceeded. However, new research suggests that even when each individual contaminant does not exceed its MPC, water quality may be compromised by the combined effects of contaminants.

Assessing the cumulative human health risk caused by multiple toxic substances is a major challenge. New research has reported on developments in the US, where the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is creating a tool that will provide maps and other information to depict exposure data and risks at both a national and a local level.

New research has supported a more thorough integration of toxic mixture assessments into two major pieces of EU legislation: REACH and the Water Framework Directive. It recommended constructing a database of harmful chemicals in the environment which, among other uses, could assess mixture toxicity using a 'Concentration Addition' method.

A new tool that predicts the effects of complex mixtures in water has shown promising results. It correctly predicted the impacts of toxic mixtures on the model species Daphnia magna, or water fleas, in over 90 per cent of cases.

Ecological risk maps showing 'hotspots' of risk to wildlife from single or combined soil pollutants have been developed. These maps can be used to improve risk analysis and stakeholder communications.

A recent study has investigated the effectiveness of the EU concentration limit for Plant Protection Products (i.e., agricultural pesticides) in protecting groundwater ecosystems. For the majority of pesticides, the standard of 0.1 micrograms per litre for each individual pesticide was found to be sufficient, but this may not be the case for some insecticides.

The recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has highlighted the need to effectively evaluate possible response strategies. A new decision support tool can be used to consider the environmental, socio-economic and management effects of different responses to spills, translating them into monetary terms to provide a common currency for comparison.

A new index that condenses the overall environmental impact of pollutants at a particular site into a single value has been developed. This unique number captures the health status of the territory in terms of the risk of the pollutants to animals and plants in ecosystems, human health and the long-term fate of the pollutants in the environment.

New research has indicated that, at its current levels in the environment, a commonly used antibiotic (chlortetracycline) is toxic to freshwater bacteria. Moreover, when combined with four other antibiotics, the collective effect is greater than the sum of the individual effects.

Governments and industry must act quickly to address the impacts of rapidly rising volumes of 'nanowaste', according to research. The study warns against continuing unabated release of nanomaterials into the environment and outlines a number of practical steps that should be taken in order to start dealing with the problem.

Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are an energy efficient and mercury-free source of lighting, but like other electronic goods they could have some negative environmental impacts, according to research. A US study tested a selection of LEDs and found that they could be classified as hazardous waste owing to levels of lead, copper, nickel and silver. Their use of rare earth metals could also increase pressure on natural resources.

To test the possible health impacts of human exposure to methylmercury through fish consumption, researchers fed mice a diet containing fish at levels that corresponded to a typical Western diet for humans. The mice suffered adverse health impacts after two months of being fed this diet, including reduced body growth rates and modified gene expression patterns.

Research into reuse of domestic 'greywater' (non-toilet wastewater) has found that typical treatment systems can significantly reduce overall water consumption. However, non-biodegradable micropollutants will continue to reach municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), unless a new disposal route is found for the greywater treatment sludge.

A new study has developed risk assessment criteria for engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) to help inform innovation and policy decisions. It illustrates that product design can influence the unintended release of ENMs and that combining knowledge about the product life cycle with a systematic assessment of the potential hazards may enable responsible choices for future product developments to be made.