Press releases

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Medals for Distinguished Service to Gren, Magnusson and Lundqvist SLU annually awards three Medals for Distinguished Service. This year, the Great Medal for Distinguished Service is awarded to Professor Ing-Marie Gren. The smaller gold medal is awarded to Professor Ulf Magnusson, while the silver medal is awarded to Docent Johan Lundqvist. 13 September 2021
Old floras reveal shifts in the flowering season in response to a warming climate SLU researcher Alistair Auffret discovered a new way to track plant responses to climate change. Delving into floras and wildflower guides from the late 1700 until 2018, he could show how species are now starting to flower earlier and continuing to flower later into the summer and early autumn. On average, the floras showed that the flowering season has increased with almost 4 weeks over a 220-year period. Alistair Auffret believes that historical sources such as this can be an important way... 31 August 2021
Jäst gör fiskfoderolja av halm Den olja, t.ex. palm- eller sojaolja, som används i foder till röding kan bytas ut mot “fet jäst” som odlats i ett halmbaserat substrat. Jästoljan har en liknande sammansättning och görs på en råvara som människan inte kan äta själv – och fisken växer lika bra. Det visar en ny studie från SLU. 12 December 2018
Biodiversity in watercourses is better monitored with environmental DNA Studies of macroinvertebrate fauna are an important part of environmental monitoring of watercourses. Today, samples are often taken using a net, followed by a manual examination of the diversity of insects, crustaceans, worms and other invertebrates that are visible to the naked eye. A new study shows that analysis of eDNA from water samples is a faster and cheaper method that also provides a more detailed picture of biodiversity. 09 June 2021
Online lectures by 15 new professors in Uppsala and Umeå On 28–29 April, 15 new SLU professors will give short, inspiring popular science presentations. The lectures will cover topics such as technology for safe nutrient recycling, sustainability, entrepreneurship, new types of bio-based materials, forests as ecosystems and a resource for raw materials, nutrient cycling in soil and a prion disease in reindeer. These lectures are part of the inauguration ceremony for new professors. 23 April 2021
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences strengthens its position as an international top university STINT, the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education, annually presents an Index showing the degree of internationalisation at Higher Education Institutions in Sweden . Now they have given a maximum rating, five stars, to Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. 22 April 2021
SLU focuses on the value of water Today, March 22, is the World Water Day, which this year has an extra focus on how we value water and its provision of ecosystem services. At SLU, we pay a little extra attention to water issues and their role for the global sustainability goals this week. Keep an extra eye on our news feed and social media. 22 March 2021
SLU is introducing stricter environmental requirements A sharp decrease in air travel is one of five new measures to be implemented at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in a bid to reduce the university’s environmental impact. 01 February 2021
Food chains waggle as nature’s calendar shifts across a continent With climate warming, nature’s springtime events are becoming earlier and autumn events later. But across the giant region of Russia with neighbors, the rate with which an event is shifting in time depends on when (spring or autumn) and at what trophic layer (plants, herbivores or predators) it occurs, and whether we consider a warm (southern) or cold (northern) site. Overall, these differential shifts make food chains squeak in the changing climate. These results are now published in Nature... 28 January 2021
Genetic research on tropical trees help tropical forest survive global warming Restoration of tropical rain forests has a high potential to enhance carbon sequestration of degraded land and hence a huge impact on actions to mitigate climate change. To ensure that reforestation is as effective a s possible and that reforested land can continue to provide important carbon sequestration service in a warmer and drier future researcher are exploring genetic variation within tropical tree species on Borneo. 10 December 2020
More than twelve thousand previously unknown microorganisms described in gigantic global cooperation A new database, describing genomes from over 52 000 different bacteria and archaea, of which over 12 500 are previously unknown, is released in Nature Biotechnology. The database is built on sequenced material from 10 450 environmental samples from all over the world, from the human body to the outdoor air and the depths of the ocean, and is expected to become a very valuable scientific resource. The database shows in what habitat and in what abundance almost any bacterial species is present,... 07 December 2020
Reindeer use of low Arctic tundra correlates with landscape structure Climate change is leading to increased greening and shrubification of the low Arctic tundra. An important question is how reindeer can affect this development. According to a new international study, the reindeer are able to hold back low-growing shrubs through grazing and trampling, but not established tall erect shrubs. 30 November 2020
Crop rotation: a promising way to improve food security under a changing climate Cropping systems are increasingly simplified, with fewer and fewer crop species grown in rotation from year to year. But diverse rotations provide higher crop yields compared with continuous monoculture, in particular in years with low precipitation and high temperatures. A team of Swedish, Polish and Italian researchers found this by analysing cereal yield data collected for decades from long-term agricultural field experiments from southern to northern Europe. Diversifying our crop rotation... 25 November 2020
The hermit beetle has lived well the last 25 years but may be homeless in the future For 25 years, researchers have followed the hermit beetle (Osmoderma eremita) in oak pastures close to Linköping, Sweden. It is one of the longest (or maybe even the longest) studies of a species living in old trees. The population in the area have been relatively stable during the study period while it has varied in individual trees. Trees that were super trees for the hermit beetles 25 years ago have been replaced by new favourites. In the long run it is a problem that at many sites there a... 25 November 2020
Nature is widely adapted to current climate – making it harder to adjust to a new one To do the right thing at the right time, organisms need to glean cues from their environment. With ongoing climate change, the timing of these cues, like the accumulation of warm days, is rapidly shifting. Now a network of researchers working on an unprecedentedly large dataset of seasonal events has shown that the timing of species’ activity fail to keep up with their cues, and that how quickly activity shifts reflects past evolution. 24 November 2020
48 MSEK to SLU for research on animals role in future food production SLU has received MSEK 48 for a new collaborative centre that will strengthen Sweden's future food system. The centre will identify and develop the role of animals for increased food production, sustainability and competitiveness. SLU is also a partner in two other research centres; one that will focus on fish, shellfish and aquaculture, and one with focus on plant-based protein. 19 November 2020
The European forest industry's decision on climate adaptation has been examined To be effective, communication about climate change must respond to the needs of the receivers. An international study led by researchers at SLU and Lund University shows that the decisions on climate change adaptation made in European forestry are linked to the consequences of climate change expected by the decision-making agents. Here, the researchers found, among other things, differences between different parts of Europe, especially between southwestern and northern and northeastern Europe. 17 November 2020
Insect pollination increased faba bean yields substantially, also during water stress and aphid attack A study from SLU has explored likely effects of climate change on faba bean crops. The yield decreased sharply in stands that were exposed to drought, aphids or both. Regardless of stress level, however, pollinating bumblebees gave a substantial increase in yield. Irrigation of an aphid infested crop during a dry year had hardly any positive effect on yield, which highlights how important it is, and will be, to control insect pests. 09 November 2020
Diversified agriculture enhances ecosystem services and maintain yields Increasing diversity in crop production systems benefits ecosystem services and biodiversity without compromising crop yields. An international research group found this by analyzing nearly 42,000 comparisons between diversified and simplified agricultural practices. Diversification can occur both above and below ground in a cropped field, and is accomplished with management practices that include growing multiple crops in a rotation, planting flower strips within fields, reducing tillage,... 05 November 2020
Less fish when waters become warmer and browner Many aquatic ecosystems in Northern Europe are getting both warmer and browner due to climate change, which affects the organisms living in lakes and coastal areas. A new doctoral dissertation from SLU shows that future warming and browning will likely lead to lakes with fewer, smaller, younger and slower growing fish, which likely will lead to less fish biomass production. 14 September 2020
Heated rivalries for pollinators among arctic plants Insect pollination is as important to Arctic plants as it is to plants further south. When flowers abound, the plants have to compete for pollinators. Researchers at the University of Helsinki and SLU reveal that higher temperatures cause the flowering periods of different plant species to pile up in time. As a consequence, climate change may affect the competitive relationships of plants. 11 September 2020
Climate change recasts the insect communities of the Arctic Through a unique research collaboration, researchers at the University of Helsinki and SLU have exposed major changes taking place in the insect communities of the Arctic. Their study reveals how climate change is affecting small but important predators of other insects, i.e. parasitoids. 11 September 2020
ERC starting grants to SLU research on biogas production and on Varroa mite resistance in bees This year, two SLU researchers are awarded one of the most prestigious research grants in Europe, a starting grant from the European Research Council (ERC). Barbara Locke Grandér will explore resistance to Varroa mites in honeybees, while Maria Westerholm's goal is to increase microbial productivity in the production of biogas. The researchers will receive approximately 1.5 and 1 million euros respectively over the next five years. 10 September 2020
Size of grazing animals affects nutrient ratios available to plants The average body size of grazing animals in a landscape affects the balance of nutrients that are available to plants, researchers including Dr Joris Cromsigt from SLU find. This nutrient balance, particularly the ratios of key nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, determines plant productivity. Feces deposited by herbivores represent an important source of these nutrients, and the researchers show that the nutrient profile of herbivore waste depends on the size of the animal. 25 August 2020
Unique study: Moose adapt their calving to the climate When moose give birth to their calves in spring, they have a great energy demand, so it is no accident that calving coincides with a lush landscape. In a world-unique study, researchers from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences link climate studies to knowledge about the life of this great herbivore and show that the moose's time for calving matches the beginning of the vegetation period, or occurs just before. 18 June 2020
Transgenic trees perform well in a Swedish field trial Researchers from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Umeå University have developed genetically modified hybrid aspen that have a higher energy yield for the production of biofuels. The trees have grown well in greenhouses, and were now tested for the first time under more stressful field conditions. Some of the modified trees were more susceptible to insect infestation but others grew very well also in the field. The results were published in the journal Frontiers in Plant... 17 June 2020
SLU appoints eight new honorary doctors 2020 This year, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences has appointed eight new honorary doctors. Five of them are Swedes, one of whom works in Canada: Farmer Gunnar Rundgren, Järlåsa; Professor Mikael Rönnqvist, Canada; Forester Monika Stridsman, Stockholm; Programme Director Madeleine Fogde, Vejbystrand and Director Rune Andersson, Mellby gård. They are joined by Dr Brenda Bonnett, Canada; dr Shakuntla Thilsted, Malaysia and Professor Sarah Gurr, United Kingdom. 15 June 2020
Learn how SLU’s publications contribute to Agenda 2030 A new service gives an overview of the scientific publications that SLU contributes to the sustainable development goals, from 2008 and forward. So far, seven of the global goals have been analysed, and the overall trend is an increasing societal impact. 15 June 2020
Fair payments for effective environmental conservation Paying people in low-income countries to help with conservation programmes is an increasingly popular way to preserve biodiversity. But what makes payments effective? This is what researchers at ZALF in Germany and SLU studied in a project in Vietnam. Following local fairness norms proved to be essential. 11 June 2020
SLU-developed tool can help conserve threatened parrot Researchers from SLU collaborated with members of an indigenous community in Guyana to develop a genetic monitoring tool to aid conservation efforts of an endangered Amazonian parakeet species. 08 June 2020

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