Livestock farming with care : summaries of essays

Wageningen UR is the country’s major research organisation in the field of livestock farming, providing the knowledge base for innovative livestock farming in our country and beyond and, as such, keen to play a role in the above mentioned debate. To this end an interdisciplinary task force was formed embodying a range of expertise, from livestock technology to system analysis and from economics to public administration. As one of the task force activities, Wageningen UR colleagues were invited to write an essay with their vision on specific aspects of this debate, based on their views and expertise. The result was a series of 30 essays, providing a wide overview of relevant issues with possible directions for solutions

Kijken Zuid-Afrikaanse en Nederlandse biologiestudenten anders tegen natuur aan?

Kortgeleden bleek hoe slecht de natuurkennis bij de hedendaagse jeugd is (Verboom, 2004). Ook de algemene publieksmening over natuur is niet diepgravend. Doordat de auteur kort na elkaar in Amsterdam en Stellenbosch college natuurbeheer gaf, had hij de gelegenheid een peiling te doen naar de betrokkenheid. Een aantal open vragen werden gestel

Over zorgvuldige veehouderij

Inleidend hoofdstuk van deze essaybundel, waarin 62 onderzoekers van Wageningen UR in 30 essays actuele inzichten beschrijven vanuit hun kijk op de verschillende aspecten van de veehouderij

Over zorgvuldige veehouderij : veel instrumenten, één concert

"Onder een zorgvuldige veehouderij verstaan we een modern ingerichte en economisch vitale veehouderij, die garant staat voor een goede omgang met dieren, een nauwkeurige naleving van professionele waarden en waarmee een goede boterham kan worden verdiend." In totaal 62 onderzoekers beschrijven in 30 essays actuele inzichten, ieder vanuit hun kijk op de verschillende aspecten van de veehouderij. De breedte van die visie is onontbeerlijk. Er is niet één oplossing, maar er zijn vele wegen die naar Rome leiden. Een simpel spoorboekje, dat de kortste route geeft naar de plaats van bestemming, is er in dit geval niet. . . . Met deze essaybundel hoopt Wageningen UR het debat over de toekomst van de veehouderij te verrijken. Met de kennis die we hebben of kunnen genereren willen we laten zien dat het mogelijk is om samen met bedrijfsleven, overheid en (bezorgde) burgers oplossingen uit te werken voor de prangende maatschappelijke vraagstukken. Want: 'kennisinstellingen en hun leden moeten een actieve rol spelen in de maatschappelijke discussie', aldus Rudy Rabbinge en Pieter Winsemius in hun voorwoord."(Van Wageningen UR nieuws http://www.wur.nl/NL/nieuwsagenda/nieuws/P004.htm

Earthworms and mesofauna from an isolated, alkaline chemical waste site in Northwest England

Post-industrial sites across Europe may have developed over periods in excess of a century, often leading to poor nutrient soils with noxious constituents and extreme pH values. One such site, Nob End (Bolton, UK), a toxic tip created in the 1800s from a sodium carbonate factory, represents an “island of alkalinity in an acidic sea” where the weathering process (from pH 12) has provided a suitable environment for a rich alkali-loving flora and hence, deserving its designation as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Despite their importance, the belowground communities have not been investigated and for this reason, in this study, we explored how soil macro- and mesofauna communities respond to extreme pH values in a system that has also experienced recent changes in management practices. As expected, earthworms, mites, insects and woodlice numbers were significantly higher and the community diversity enriched at the (now pH 8) alkaline sites, whereas in areas where acidic boiler waste was historically deposited, enchytraeids, collembolans and dipteran larvae populations dominated the soil communities. Surprisingly, site management (cutting back of scrub) in the alkaline soil areas had a significant positive effect on soil macro-fauna by promoting numbers and biomass, but severely reduced the microarthropod populations. A transect investigation across an increasing pH gradient (from 4.5 to 8.0) was mirrored by a rise in earthworm numbers and species richness. Earthworms were further investigated surrounding the site, seeking potential sources of colonisation, with the majority of species at Nob End also present in adjacent non-industrially-influenced areas. This work demonstrates that soil fauna can ultimately colonise extreme edaphic conditions and these extreme environments have not prompted the development of specific faunal communities. As management of above-ground communities significantly influenced soil invertebrate communities, this could represent an important restoration practice to improve soil structure and fertility at this polluted site

Prism Adaptation in Rehabilitation? No Additional Effects of Prism Adaptation on Neglect Recovery in the Subacute Phase Poststroke

Background. Patients with neglect ignore or respond slower to contralesional stimuli. Neglect negatively influences independence in activities of daily living (ADL). Prism adaptation (PA) is one of the most frequently studied treatments, yet there is little evidence regarding positive effects on neglect behavior in ADL. Objective. To assess whether PA in the subacute phase ameliorates neglect in situations of varying complexity. Methods. A total of 70 neglect patients admitted for inpatient stroke rehabilitation received either PA or sham adaptation (SA) for 2 weeks, with full access to standard treatment. There were 7 time-dependent measurements (baseline and 1-4, 6, and 14 weeks after start of treatment). The primary outcome was change of neglect as observed during basic ADL with the Catherine Bergego Scale (CBS). Secondary outcomes were changes in performance on a dynamic multitask (ie, the Mobility Assessment Course [MAC]) and a static paper-and-pencil task (ie, a shape cancellation task [SC]). Results. In all, 34 patients received PA and 35 SA. There were significant time-dependent improvements in performance as measured with the CBS, MAC, and SC (all F > 15.57; P <.001). There was no significant difference in magnitude of improvement between groups on the CBS, MAC, and SC (all F < 2.54; P >.113]. Conclusions. No beneficial effects of PA over SA in the subacute phase poststroke were observed, which was comparable for situations of varying complexity. Heterogeneity of the syndrome, time post–stroke onset, and the content of treatment as usual are discussed. Basic knowledge on subtypes and recovery patterns would aid the development of tailored treatment

Soil faunal and structural responses to the settlement of a semi- sedentary earthworm Lumbricus terrestris in an arable clay field

We studied the soil community and habitat consequences of introducing a deep-burrowing, sedentary life-style earthworm, Lumbricus terrestris (dew-worm) into arable zero-till clay. Seventeen years after introduction, which was originally aimed at improving the macroporosity and permeability of the heavy clay soil, we returned to the gradient of L. terrestris dispersal (well established, more recent and no settlement) and investigated the temporal development of the ecosystem engineering impacts on different faunal groups (earthworms, enchytraeids and nematodes) and soil porosity. The faunal re- sponses were examined both at L. terrestris midden scale (individual living site) and field scale. We found that L. terrestris middens sustained elevated densities of all three faunal groups. In the case of earth- worms, there was evidence for temporal development of the engineering impact as the difference be- tween the midden and non-midden areas was more pronounced in the well-established areas than close to the leading edge of dispersal. The earthworm community composition was not altered at L. terrestris midden sites. The settlement of L. terrestris had no discernible effects on field-scale earthworm and nematode abundances, but enchytraeids were practically absent beyond the leading edge of the dispersal. This effect might, however, be partly explained by a gradient of increasing clay content. Soil macroporosity at L. terrestris midden sites did not increase with the age of L. terrestris settlement. Our results suggest that L. terrestris settlement in a clay soil can significantly increase the spatial patchiness of soil fauna, but may not, except in the case of enchytraeids, affect their field-scale abundances or the macroporosity of the soil in the vicinity of L. terrestris living sites

Scientific Opinion addressing the state of the science on risk assessment of plant protection products for in-soil organisms

Following a request from EFSA, the Panel on Plant Protection Products and their Residues developed an opinion on the science behind the risk assessment of plant protection products for in-soil organisms. The current risk assessment scheme is reviewed, taking into account new regulatory frameworks and scientific developments. Proposals are made for specific protection goals for in-soil organisms being key drivers for relevant ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes such as nutrient cycling, soil structure, pest control and biodiversity. Considering the time-scales and biological processes related to the dispersal of the majority of in-soil organisms compared to terrestrial non-target arthropods living above soil, the Panel proposes that in-soil environmental risk assessments are made at in- and off-field scale considering field boundary levels. A new testing strategy which takes into account the relevant exposure routes for in-soil organisms and the potential direct and indirect effects is proposed. In order to address species recovery and long-term impacts of PPPs, the use of population models is also proposed