Wageningen University & Research

Trophic transfer and biological effects of azithromycin across a freshwater food chain

Antibiotics in the aquatic environment can bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms and transfer to higher trophic levels. While the direct toxic effects of antibiotics on aquatic organisms have been extensively studied, research on their transfer through aquatic food chains and their...

The metabokine β-aminoisobutyric acid mediates exercise performance and skeletal muscle adaptation through a PGC1α-BAIBA-PPARδ axis

Abstract Exercise orchestrates an interorgan communication network, in which skeletal muscle releases signaling molecules known as myokines that contribute to exercise training-induced adaptations. We identified the muscle-derived metabolite beta-aminoisobutyric acid (BAIBA) as a...

Estimating on-farm genotypic performance and variability using ranking data

Abstract Key message Our scalable two-step method estimates genotypic performance and genetic parameters from ranking data, producing reliable results comparable to quantitative analyses, enabling the integration of ranking data into breeding pipelines. Abstract Plant breeding re...

Quantifying spatially explicit reductions in wheat irrigation demand across the Indus basin through laser land leveling

Farmers in the Indus River Basin often irrigate their crops using surface irrigation on uneven fields, resulting in reduced irrigation performance and high irrigation demand. Assessment of irrigation performance is essential for reducing irrigation water use and identifying viabl...

Genotype imputation and error estimation in connected multiparental populations

Multiparental populations have been produced for quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping in many crops, where next-generation sequencing has become a cost-effective tool for genotyping. Previously, we have developed a hidden Markov framework denoted by MagicImpute_mma for genotype...

Towards an Archaeological Workflow for SedaDNA Sample Collection: Methods and Best Practices for Minimising Surface Contamination

Sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) has been successfully recovered from diverse contexts, enabling researchers to address paleoenvironmental questions such as ecosystem changes and climatic shifts, along with archaeological questions related to past human activities, diet, health,...

Mitigation of ammonia and greenhouse gaseous emissions from naturally ventilated sloping-floor cattle housing using bedding additives

The renewed interest for straw-based cattle housing systems, driven by concerns over animal health and welfare in conventional cubicle barns, has increased the importance of naturally ventilated sloping-floor and other litter barns. However, these housing systems contribute subst...

A communication and messaging framework to increase public awareness of ultra-processed foods in Australia

Abstract Background Evidence of the health, environmental, and broader societal impacts of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is rapidly accumulating, yet public awareness remains limited. This study aimed to develop a communication and messaging framework to increase public awareness...

Photoperiodic Effects on Early Plant Development in Everbearing and Seasonal Flowering Strawberry

ABSTRACT In recent years, interest in vertical farming systems for strawberry cultivation has increased. Because of the increased costs associated with these systems, optimal use of resources, such as cultivation space and light, is a requirement. This necessitates a detailed und...

Opportunities for pathways approaches for adapting to complex climate change risks

Adaptation planning is increasingly challenged under conditions of complex climate change risks, which are characterized by the dynamic interactions between compounding hazards, cascading impacts, governance failures, and multiple drivers of vulnerabilities, producing non-linear...

Beyond Branching: Unlocking the Catalytic Versatility of Branching Enzymes for the Design of Diverse α-Glucan Structures

Starch-modifying glycoside hydrolases (GHs) typically operate via a retaining double-displacement mechanism, involving formation of a covalent glycosyl–enzyme intermediate. This intermediate can be resolved either by water, resulting in hydrolysis, or by a glucan acceptor, leadin...

Haplotype phasing of de novo chromosome-level assembly of ‘Antonovka’ facilitated the identification of candidate genes for apple scab resistance

Malus genomic resources with improved quality are becoming an integral part of candidate gene identification and functional validation. Recently, we released a reference-based phased chromosome-level genome assembly of ‘Antonovka’ 172670B Malus domestica cultivar from the ‘Antono...

Platform ecosystem governance and its influence on the process of formation and institutionalization of new practices for development

This study examined how platform ecosystem governance mechanisms, as enacted through human intermediaries, influenced the formation and institutionalization of new practices among smallholder farmers in an ICT4D context. We conceptualize platform ecosystems as socio-technical sys...

Nocturnal activity patterns and vertical space use of the Sundevall’s Thallomys (Thallomys paedulcus) in the Soutpansberg Mountains, South Africa

Abstract Thallomys paedulcus (Sundevall’s Thallomys; Sundevall, 1846) is a nocturnal, arboreal rodent distributed across southern and eastern Africa, yet its behavioural ecology remains poorly documented. Here I present preliminary observations on temporal activity patterns and v...

The multi-dimensional impacts and trade-offs of hydropower development in the Mekong River Basin: a comprehensive literature review

Abstract Hydropower plays a critical role in mitigating climate change by providing a renewable energy source, yet it entails significant trade-offs that impact ecological, social, and economic systems. As hydropower development intensifies in the Mekong River Basin (MRB), where...

Reconstructing women's entrepreneurial identity among rural small agrifood entrepreneurs: Agency, rural embeddedness, and stakeholder influence

This paper explores how women entrepreneurs in the Republic of Benin, West Africa, reshape their entrepreneurial identities through agency and interactions with supportive stakeholders. Drawing on fifteen semi-structured interviews with women running small agrifood businesses and...

Soil inoculation enhances early‐phase reintroduction success in two rare plant species

Abstract Introduction Reintroduction for conservation is an important measure to restore populations of vulnerable plant species. However, reintroduction success rates are relatively low. Inoculating reintroduced plants with facilitative microorganisms from native populations may...

Quantifying the 24-h pattern and daily mean behavioural variables of dairy herds related to the environmental temperature and humidity

This study addressed the hypothesis that 24-h patterns of behavioural variables of dairy cows for specific periods within a day (i.e., reflecting the 24-h behavioural pattern) are sensitive to increasing daily mean temperature-humidity index (THI) and may provide complementary in...

Investigation of runoff and sediment transport processes in the hillslope headwaters of northern Ethiopia

Soil erosion and sediment transport pose significant threats to soil fertility, agricultural productivity, and reservoir sustainability in the Ethiopian highlands. This study investigated rainfall-runoff and sediment transport processes on the steep hillslope of the Midmar waters...

Trace element accumulation in bryophytes from Allchar (North Macedonia): contamination or genuine hyperaccumulation?

Abstract Main conclusion Genuine accumulation of metals/metalloids in bryophytes is limited and highly susceptible to surficial contamination with soil particles. Washing with an apolar solvent removes most surficial contamination prior to elemental analysis. Abstract Bryophytes...