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Eat them to beat them: Can Invasive Plants be Harnessed to Provide a Sustainable Source of Protein?

Invasive plants compete with crops of commercial interest for resources, tending to outgrow them owing to more robust dispersal mechanisms and quicker germination times. Once established, invasive species also become exceedingly difficult to remove. Currently, removal of unwanted plant mass generally involves animal consumption (herbivory), incineration, mechanical removal, or disposal in landfill. The use of herbicides is also a popular and often the preferred method of managing unwanted plant invasion.

Ecosystem resilience – woodland establishment on heather moorland and carbon budgets

Woodland expansion is a key part of the Scottish and Westminster Governments’ plans to meet net zero carbon emission targets by 2045 and 2050 respectively. Here, we use replicated experiments to study the changes that occurred on heather dominated moorland when birch and Scots pine were planted. On decadal timescales we found that net ecosystem carbon storage did not increase, above ground gains being off-set by loss of carbon from the soil. There were few other changes in soil chemistry, but the soil microbial community was shown to change, as was the above ground vegetation.

Five SEFARI Research Farms - take a tour from your sofa

Across the globe the COVID-19 pandemic has changed how people work, communicate, socialise and learn. As an active person who is always out and about doing things, I personally have found this a great challenge. I am missing the simple things in life that I have always taken for granted. Popping into my mum’s for a tea and a chat, meeting friends for coffee (or wine!), or finding a new hill to climb. During the week I am now confined to a little desk in the corner of my kitchen, it is a nice kitchen, but that desk is become tiresome.

Protecting water catchments from zoonotic Cryptosporidium parasites

The Cryptosporidium oocysts have a tough outer waxy shell, composed of lipids and glycoproteins that enables the parasite to survive in the environment over a wide temperature range (-22⁰C -60⁰C) for several months. As a result, Cryptosporidium parasites are a real problem for the water industry as the parasite survives extremely well in water and is resistant to chlorination.

Making Green Infrastructure Socially Inclusive: Principles and Challenges

Green Infrastructure consists of interconnected multifunctional green spaces and green features. Components of Green Infrastructure include parks, nature reserves, street trees, streams, sustainable urban drainage systems and green roofs. Proponents of Green Infrastructure are hopeful that its use in planning systems will provide multiple social, economic and ecological benefits to improve the liveability and sustainability of places.

Food habits in the time of COVID-19 – experiences and adaptation

In the last year, we have been able to flexibly adapt our research in order to react to the evolving COVID-19 situation. We collected data in both the early (first) ‘lockdown’ (May 2020) and then as the local restrictions in Aberdeen City began to be eased and schools went back after the summer break (‘post-lockdown’; August 2020).

SEFARI Gateway Update - January 2021

Before we discuss our new projects we must express our delight that in November one of the first projects we funded, namely ‘Conserving Genetic Diversity’, won the Innovation category at the Nature of Scotland Awards. This multi collaborative project established a world-first method to help understand and conserve genetic diversity in some of Scotland's most iconic wild species. Congratulations to all.

Extending reality: Helping farmers experience in-field events virtually

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated our need to use new digital technologies to communicate. Video conferencing has quickly become the preferred communication avenue for colleagues and families – we’ve all become Zoom experts, Teams champions and WebEx authorities. Online forums have refocused to answer questions such as: does Teams have breakout rooms? Where is the WebEx whiteboard? How do you get out of the Zoom waiting room?

CALEDON: Gamers creating resilient forests

The public are being asked to report sightings of 22 tree pests and diseases and newly emerging threats. By working with computer game designers to create a freely available online forest management game we can enable players pit their wits against, and learn more about, pests and diseases.

Phase 2 Grouse Research - Socioeconomic and biodiversity impacts of driven grouse moors and the employment rights of gamekeepers

This ‘Phase 2’ Grouse Research addresses some of the knowledge gaps regarding Scottish driven grouse moor management that were identified during our ‘Phase 1’ Grouse Research as well as gaps identified by the Grouse Moorland Management Group.

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