More than 2,000 pesticides are used for agricultural production in Europe, yet knowledge about the effects of pesticide residue mixtures on ecosystems and human health is scarce and scattered. The SPRINT project investigates the occurrence and resulting impact of these mixtures on ecosystems and humans.
The water system in the Netherlands is under increasing pressure due to climate change, pollution and growing consumption of water. That means we need to make more efficient use of the available water. In the AquaConnect programme, researchers collaborate with partners in the water sector in developing a smart, circular water system.
Can a rapid warming of Earth trigger tipping points in our climate? For decades scientists have debated if today’s warming can strongly amplify itself by triggering a catastrophic release of greenhouse gases. New research, published in Science Advances, now presents evidence that such tipping points did occur in Earth’s history. The researchers show that tipping points triggered three periods of extreme warming in the distant past, millions of years ago.
The IPCC released the final part of its Sixth Assessment Report on March 20, urging that only swift and drastic action against climate change can avert irreversible damage to the world. A new study published in Nature Climate Change has found that limiting climate change is also more beneficial for the economy. “Keeping climate change below 2°C will cost governments far less than dealing with the damages associated with further temperature increases,” says lead author Kaj-Ivar van der Wijst.
In southeast Kenya, near the border with Tanzania, lies a coral reef in the Indian ocean. The coral reef has degraded due to unsustainable fishing and climate change. WUR PhD student Joshua Wambugu is investigating how the local community and other stakeholders can contribute to restoring the reef and finding a sustainable livelihood.
Brabant heeft vanwege stikstof alle vergunningen voor landbouw en woningbouw stilgelegd . Hoe hard de natuur achteruit gaat is te zien op de Brabantse Wal, gelegen tussen veehouderijen, snelweg, luchtmachtbasis en haven.
Halving the use of plant protection products in agriculture, such as neonicotinoids, is part of the EU's "Farm to Fork" strategy. In a new report, the Scientific Advisory Board of the European Academies (EASAC) evaluates recent research on the effects of neonicotinoids and its implications for the current debate. One of the report compilers is researcher Claudia Lima e Silva of Wageningen University & Research.
A fundamental assumption for the scientific prediction of air quality needs to be adjusted. This follows from the analysis of long-term measurements in the urban area of Inssbruck, Austria. Near-Earth air there contained up to 50 per cent less ozone than predicted values. According to Wageningen scientists who contributed to the study lead by Prof. Thomas Karl (University of Innsbruck, Austria), this is related to high nitrogen monoxide levels in the area, emitted by diesel engines. The study's conclusion may have an impact on future air quality policy.
Many sea turtles live their adult lives in predator-free environments due to overfishing of their main predator, the tiger shark. Because of this, it is largely unknown how sharks impact turtle grazing behaviour. Wageningen researchers have discovered how turtles change their grazing behaviour when they feel safe, and as a result increase their grazing pressure on seagrass meadows.