Wageningen University & Research

Rethinking escape frequency benchmarks for environmental applications of engineered microorganisms

Abstract Biological containment strategies are widely used to reduce possible risks associated with genetically modified microorganisms (GMMs). In the biosafety literature, the performance of these systems is often benchmarked against a maximum escape frequency of one cell per 10...

Grounding groundwater: Spatialities of dispossession in the Kaveri Delta, India

Abstract Groundwater degradation is commonly understood to exacerbate societal inequities. However, its effects can be more complex, reconfiguring existing patterns of advantage and disadvantage rather than simply intensifying them. This paper applies political ecology and socio-...

Periodic reassessment or permanent approval? A critical analysis of the EU Commission’s proposal to reform pesticide and biocide authorisation in Europe

Abstract On 16 December 2025, the European Commission published proposal COM(2025) 1030 within the Food and Feed Safety Simplification Omnibus, aiming to amend Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 on plant protection products and Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 on biocidal products. The prop...

Photodegradation of different nanocellulose substrates

Abstract The increased interest in the development of sustainable materials for printed electronics necessitates durability studies in their operating environments. Hence, in this paper, the effects of photodegradation on five different nanocellulose and four reference substrates...

Increasing storage temperature of frozen foods: effect on sustainability and food quality

Abstract An extensive study has been performed to the effect of storage temperature and time on the quality of frozen foods to investigate to what extend freezing temperatures can be increased in the frozen food supply chain to increase sustainability by reducing energy use. Diff...

Destructive primate-palm interactions: predation by capuchin monkeys causes local extinction of a vulnerable palm species

Defaunation causes the loss of top predators, increases the abundance of herbivores, and has impacts on plant populations. Forest herbivores commonly consume small plant individuals, reducing regeneration. Yet, some herbivores target large, reproductive individuals, with potentia...

Agrohydrological analysis of waterlogging impacts and mitigation in Ethiopia

Abstract Waterlogging is a major yet understudied constraint to cropland productivity. Here, we apply an agrohydrological modeling framework to assess the climatology of waterlogging (1981–2010), its yield impacts on major grain crops, and the potential for mitigation across Ethi...

Potential of temperate agroforestry systems to deliver ecosystem services: An evidence map

Abstract. Agroforestry systems are promoted as multifunctional land-use strategies, yet evidence of their benefits, especially in temperate regions, remains fragmented. This umbrella review maps 42 meta-analyses to quantify the effects of agroforestry on environmental, climate, a...

A dynamic, physics-driven life cycle model for citrus supply chain: Evidence from a South Africa–Netherlands maritime trade route

Agri-food chains, especially fruit, produce about 10% of global GHG emissions, with more than half arising after harvest. Yet current methods, such as life cycle assessment (LCA), lack the spatial, temporal and physiological detail needed to resolve stage-specific drivers of envi...

Research Opportunities and Challenges of the EU’s Digital Services Act

Proposing practical measures to ensure the Digital Services Act fulfills its transparency and accountability goals.

How Good Is Your Forecast? The Importance of User‐Centred, Decision‐Relevant Evaluation of Forecasts and Climate Services

ABSTRACT Forecasts and climate services, spanning weather and climate timescales, play a vital role in supporting short‐ and long‐term decision‐making across a wide range of climate‐sensitive sectors. Understanding their skill is crucial to ensuring that the information provided...

Renewable energy caves: water replenishment holes in offshore monopiles create novel marine habitats

The expansion of offshore renewable energy introduces artificial hard substrate, but the ecological effects may change depending on design features. For example, water replenishment holes, implemented for internal water refreshment and corrosion control, also allow colonisation o...

Can Organic Amendments Override Environmental Filtering of Soil Microbiomes? Evidence From 20 Years Old Agricultural Field Trials in Contrasting Tropical Sites

ABSTRACT Soil microbial communities underpin ecosystem functions critical for sustainable agriculture, yet our understanding of how long‐term management of tropical agroecosystems shapes these communities remains limited. This is particularly the case in sub‐Saharan Africa where...

From frameworks to futures: health adaptation pathways across the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways

Abstract Effectively managing the rising health risks of climate change requires consideration of plausible adaptation pathways under a range of scenarios of changes in greenhouse gas emissions and socioeconomic development to systematically explore the solution space for climate...

GIANT LEAPS Policy Brief 4 Consumer insights to encourage the dietary shift

This policy paper, intiated by the Horizon Europe GIANT LEAPS project (grant no. 101059632), aims to provide a perspective on consumer acceptance in relation to a dietary shift from animal-based to alternative proteins. In recent years, many meat, milk, cheese, or yogurt alternat...

The world is being fed at the expense of nature: A remote sensing based global assessment from 2000 to 2019

Understanding agricultural productivity dynamics is essential for evaluating the global capacity to achieve food security while safeguarding nature. This requires tracking food production relative to natural resource use. The Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agricu...

How participatory climate information services assist farmers to uptake rice disease forecasts and manage diseases in advance: Evidence from Coastal Bangladesh

Rice yield reduction due to climate change-induced diseases is increasing which is of great concern for coastal farmers of Bangladesh. The development of participatory climate information services (CIS) based on farmers' needs could facilitate farmers to reduce these diseases by...

Soil health assessment using buried cotton underpants with the help of 1000 citizen scientists

Societal Impact Statement Soil is a vital resource for life on Earth. Although many soils are degraded, societal awareness of soil‐related issues is limited. To highlight soil as a key resource and fascinating study system, we initiated a citizen science project together with 100...

Attachment performance of cuttlefish ( Sepia officinalis ) suckers depends on the interaction between papillae and substrate topography

Abstract Cephalopods are versatile predators, with many species using suckers to capture prey. These suckers attach to substrates ranging from the stiff, rough exoskeletons of crustaceans to the soft, smooth tissues of other cephalopods. Despite generating higher suction pressure...

Hybridization events in Squamata support the viviparity-driven conflict hypothesis

Abstract Hybridization occurs in various groups of vertebrates, although the incidence, frequency and parental divergence times differ. One hypothesis for this difference between taxonomic groups is the so-called viviparity-driven conflict hypothesis, which is built upon the theo...