Press releases

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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
Oaks leafing out early in spring escape attacks from a picky moth The day when oaks leaf out can have a big impact on outbreak levels of the brown oak slender moth. If trees pick the wrong time, they can become so infested that there is little space for other insect herbivores to colonize the oaks, according to a Finnish–Swedish research team. As timing of leaf out is temperature sensitive, the researchers believe that spring weather can determine both moth outbreak levels and infestation by other herbivore species. The new work will help us understand how... 04 June 2020
Lions limit their prey’s response to climate change Africa hosts the most diverse and abundant large mammal populations in the world. Global warming may strongly affect these populations, but we currently poorly understand how. In a new study, published today in Nature Ecology and Evolution, an international team, including Joris Cromsigt and Tim Hofmeester of SLU, concluded that lions constrain their prey, like zebra and wildebeest, to adapt to a warmer climate. 02 June 2020
Standing volume is increasing at a slower rate The standing volume in Swedish forests is still increasing, but at a slower rate. The total standing volume is now 3.6 billion forest cubic metres according to official statistics released today by the Swedish National Forest Inventory. 27 May 2020
Protected areas’ location may hinder conservation efforts of giant panda as a refugee species Giant panda are the icon of conservation and all of us grew up with pictures of bamboo-eating panda. In a new study published in Conservation Science and Practice, an international team of researchers challenges this “panda as a bamboo specialist” paradigm. They hypothesize that the introduction of panda to more diverse habitats and foods may promote the conservation of the species. 25 May 2020
Early warning of tularemia outbreaks using infected animals retrieved from owl nest boxes Outbreaks of tularemia are rarely detected before humans fall ill. Then it is often too late to limit the spread of the disease or to alert the healthcare sector. A smart solution could be to develop an early warning system that uses infected animals preyed on and stored by Tengmalm’s owls during the breeding season. This is the suggestion of a research team that showed that the owls selectively prey on infected animals. 12 May 2020
Are camera trap studies overestimating populations? New research, published in the journal Scientific Reports by Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Snow Leopard Trust and Nordens Ark, suggests that some endangered species could be less abundant than currently assumed. 15 April 2020

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