Research

The project increases the expertise to refine and use the digestate that arises in connection with biogas production. By adapting the nutrient content of the digestate for its intended use as fertilizer, its value can be increased.

We develop systems for cropping, processing and characterisation of biomass from grass intercropped with legumes for different purposes.

The project was funded by the Swedish Energy Agency (Vindval) and primarily examined how wind power affects reindeer in winter grazing areas. It was a continuation of an earlier project on the effects of wind power, with a focus on summer grazing areas in forested landscapes.

Not all flowers deliver the same benefits. A new study from SLU shows that choosing the right plant species for flower strips can simultaneously support pollinators, natural enemies to pests, and soil life – while poor choices may have the opposite effect.

How long does it take for a species to recover from a disaster? A study from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) shows that trout populations can recover in just a few years after a winter when streams froze to the riverbed – even though an entire cohort was wiped out.

A national research arena for forests is now being launched within the Wallenberg Initiatives in Forest Research programme at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Umeå University. The arena combines advanced data analysis and field research to support sustainable forest management.

Earthworms are important “ecosystem engineers” that contribute to a range of ecosystem services. But earthworms are sensitive to disturbances in their environment. A thesis has increased the knowledge on how soil compaction impacts earthworm burrowing activity.

Peat use in horticulture is increasingly discussed due to its climate-relevance and the disturbance of mires. At the same time, peat is the most important, natural horticultural growing media constituent.

When Ukrainians rebuild their lives after liberation from Russian occupation, some restoration efforts matter more than others. By visiting villages, SLU researchers found that actions such as restoring gardens and demining forest are crucial for people’s well-being – yet they are often overlooked.