BOKU University

Reading the forest through patents: A Europe-wide sector analysis

Innovation will shape how Europe's Forest sector responds to growing demand for low-carbon materials and bio-based products. However, the technological composition and geographical distribution of recent patenting activity in the sector remain insufficiently documented. This stud...

Groundwater–Stream Connectivity Under Climate Change: Implications for the Ecology, Conservation and Sustainability of Urban Streams

Freshwater systems, including urban streams and groundwater, are increasingly affected by climate change through altered precipitation, rising temperatures, droughts, floods, and changing water demand. This narrative review synthesizes evidence on how these pressures modify groun...

End-to-end continuous E. coli biomanufacturing of recombinant proteins via integrated and automated digital control

Abstract Background Continuous biomanufacturing is increasingly recognized for its potential to improve sustainability, efficiency, and production continuity in manufacturing of biologics. However, its implementation for the production of recombinant proteins in microbial systems...

Wind conditions shape co-migration fidelity in trans-Saharan birds at a Mediterranean stopover site

Abstract Weather is a key driver of bird migration, particularly near ecological barriers, where migratory species often converge before crossing. While its effects on individual timing are well documented, how weather reshapes the temporal assemblage of migratory bird communitie...

Gastrointestinal helminth abundance in the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) is affected by sex, pregnancy and habitat type

Abstract Internal parasites exploit host resources and may reduce host fitness and population viability. Parasite prevalence and abundance may be associated with intrinsic factors including sex, age and body condition, and extrinsic factors including habitat type and population d...

Mapping long-term urban–rural sprawl trajectories at 100 m spatial resolution: Austria’s transition from low to high sprawl, 1975–2020

Urban sprawl—the decentralization of housing, employment, and economic activities into scattered, low-density settlement patterns—poses a major challenge to achieving SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities. Yet, its long-term development trajectories remain insufficiently und...

GroScore: Automated Scoring of Protein–Protein Interactions Using Bidirectional Steered Molecular Dynamics

Abstract GroScore is an open-source Python toolkit that automates the scoring of protein–protein structures using bidirectional steered molecular dynamics (SMD) simulations with explicit solvent. Building on a previously published unidirectional pulling approach, the current vers...

The WoKaS-Iso database: workflow for a global compilation of oxygen-18 and deuterium records in karst springs and cave drip water for enhanced understanding of karst systems

For analysing karst hydrogeological systems, observations of karst springs and cave drips are considered indispensable. In addition to hydrometric observations, knowing the oxygen and hydrogen stable isotope ratios has improved the understanding of vadose zone and aquifer dynamic...

Speaking Each Other's Language: How to Pythonize the Java-Based Framework FAME

Description:We are developing a native Python interface for the Java-based modelling framework FAME. The goal is to make FAME’s existing features completely accessible from Python, without the need of programming (or understanding) any Java. This shall substantially lower the ent...

Space sustainability beyond ‘zero debris’: from orbital safety to circular materials

Space sustainability rests on the peaceful and socioeconomic use of space. Current measures focus on maintaining orbital trafficability, largely following a linear material flow, neglecting impacts on Earth’s atmosphere and environment. A holistic approach should extend concern f...

Usability Assessment of House-Type Shelters in Austrian Forest and Nature-Based Children’s Groups: A Case Study

Forest and nature-based children’s groups in Austria prioritize outdoor learning but rely on small “house-type” shelters for changing, meals, and stays during inclement weather. Despite the central role in daily operations, no systematic, standards-based evaluation of these shelt...

Deep underground energy storage solutions for data centers driven by artificial intelligence energy consumption

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) has driven an unprecedented surge in electricity consumption by data centers (DCs). Although renewable energy and ground-based energy storage technologies are being widely adopted, they still face inherent limitations in scala...

Identification of a candidate self-incompatibility locus in beet (Beta vulgaris)

Abstract Key Message This study provides the first genomic evidence for a candidate self-incompatibility locus in beets ( Beta vulgaris ), identifying T2/S-RNase candidate genes and a complex S-locus on beet chromosome 2. A comparison of self-incompatible and self-compatible beet...

First detection of Dirofilaria immitis in a wild red fox from eastern Austria

Abstract Dirofilaria immitis is a parasitic nematode that causes cardiopulmonary dirofilariosis in dogs and other carnivores. This potentially fatal vector-borne disease primarily affects canines and felines. In Austria, reported D. immitis infections have increased in recent yea...

Deciphering the genomic signatures of climate vulnerability across 77 sheep breeds

Abstract Among domesticated species, sheep ( Ovis aries ) have achieved a wide geographic distribution due to their mobility, rusticity and ability to adapt to diverse environments and climatic conditions. Here, we characterise the genome-wide diversity of >1,000 sheep representi...

Undercatch corrected gridded precipitation data to improve hydrological modeling in high-alpine orography

Stationary precipitation measurements are frequently affected by undercatch errors, which are particularly pronounced in cold and alpine regions with strong winds. Since gridded precipitation products used in land surface modeling are often derived from spatial interpolation of m...

From Strategic Alignment to Implementation Gaps: Forest Research and Innovation Agendas in Central-Eastern and South-Eastern Europe

Forest-based innovation is increasingly important for Europe’s transition towards a sustainable and circular bioeconomy, yet the extent to which macro-regional research and innovation priorities in Central-Eastern and South-Eastern Europe (CEE/SEE) align with broader European age...

Effects of previous crop residues management through strategic tillage and fungicide application on the agronomic traits and the mycotoxin contamination of wheat

Background The retention of crop residues on the soil surface may increase the risk of Fusarium head blight (FHB) and mycotoxin contamination in wheat ( Triticum aestivum ) grains. Objective This study aims to evaluate the effects of reduced tillage systems (no-tillage or minimum...

A gridded dataset of European Forest Types to support forest monitoring, modelling and reporting

Abstract. A standardized system of nomenclature for forest types is essential for effectively monitoring and understanding the impacts of climate change on diverse ecosystems in Europe and beyond. A comprehensive classification system, such as the European Forest Types (EFTs) sch...

Oak masting under climate change: when spatially heterogeneous shifts in flowering phenology reshape pollen limitation

Masting, the irregular, synchronised production of seeds within tree populations, drives forest regeneration and ecosystem dynamics. Its response to climate change may depend on phenological shifts in key reproductive stages, yet this link remains poorly understood. Using 30 yr o...