Review
Environmental Sciences
Silvia Zingale, Paolo Guarnaccia, Agata Matarazzo, Giovanni Lagioia, Carlo Ingrao
Summary: This paper highlights the issues with the global food system in terms of nutrition, climate change, environmental degradation, and biodiversity loss. It focuses specifically on the cereal sector and the negative impact it has on biodiversity and ecosystem functions. The authors conducted a systematic literature review of Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) in the durum wheat sector to identify environmental hotspots and improvement potentials. They found that the cultivation phase is the primary environmental hotspot for durum wheat-derived food products and suggested several solutions for mitigation and improvement. The paper also identifies gaps in the literature, such as the lack of attention to organic farming and the nutritional properties of durum wheat. Overall, the review is important for researchers, practitioners, farmers, policymakers, and stakeholders as it supports the promotion of environmental sustainability in the durum wheat sector.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Shamsheer ul Haq, Ismet Boz, Pomi Shahbaz
Summary: The study found a positive association between family type and adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices. Most rural households derive more than 50% of their daily per capita calorie and iron consumption from cereal crops. The Simpson food diversity index indicates that households adopting more practices consume more diversified food compared to those adopting fewer practices.
Article
Soil Science
Jane M. Lucas, Bronte S. Sone, Dana Whitmore, Michael S. Strickland
Summary: Antibiotics and rising soil temperatures interact to disrupt bacterial assemblages and network structure, allowing for a rise in fungal dominance and change in soil nutrient stoichiometry. Antibiotics alone decrease bacterial diversity, abundance, total extractable N, and microbial carbon use efficiency, while increasing bioavailable C. Higher temperatures independently homogenize fungal community composition, decrease dissolved organic C and increase soil respiration rates.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Erica Dorr, Benjamin Goldstein, Christine Aubry, Benoit Gabrielle, Arpad Horvath
Summary: Urban agriculture is often seen as a sustainable food supply for cities, but life cycle assessments of its environmental impacts have shown mixed results due to inconsistent application and reliance on hypothetical case studies. To address this, we conducted a life cycle assessment of eight urban farms and community gardens in Paris, France and San Francisco, California, USA. We found that medium-tech farms with minimum social engagement had the lowest impacts using a kilogram-based functional unit, while socially-oriented farms had the lowest impacts with an area-based functional unit. Our findings can help improve the consistency and completeness of life cycle assessments for urban agriculture and guide farmers and gardeners in optimizing their practices.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Michal Filipiak, Zuzanna M. Filipiak
Summary: The application of ionomics and ecological stoichiometry in conservation biology is of great importance, as it helps address unresolved problems, promote better conservation and restoration strategies, and improve forecasting and mitigation of the negative effects of global change.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
D. Nakoa Farrant, Kiana L. Frank, Ashley E. Larsen
Summary: Integrated agriculture and aquaculture systems are efficient in converting inputs to food, with nitrogen loading impacting fishpond productivity. Restoration of agriculture and aquaculture can increase fish harvest, while also retaining more nitrogen inputs compared to urbanization, reducing nitrogen export to adjacent bays. Incorporating tidal dynamics into coastal IAAS models is crucial for effective management and future sustainability of food systems.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
Rubab Zahra Naqvi, Hamid Anees Siddiqui, Muhammad Arslan Mahmood, Syed Najeebullah, Aiman Ehsan, Maryam Azhar, Muhammad Farooq, Imran Amin, Shaheen Asad, Zahid Mukhtar, Shahid Mansoor, Muhammad Asif
Summary: Improving crop traits is essential for developing superior crop varieties that can withstand climate change and associated stress challenges. Genomics and marker-assisted breeding have provided new opportunities and methods for enhancing crop yield and quality.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
E. Roos, A. Wood, S. Sall, A. Abu Hatab, S. Ahlgren, E. Hallstrom, P. Tidaker, H. Hansson
Summary: An analysis of Swedish food system actors using Q-methodology revealed five distinct perspectives on sustainability challenges and solutions. One perspective prioritized reducing meat consumption, food waste, and climate impact in agriculture, while downplaying national strategies and social aspects. Another perspective focused on the problems of industrialized farming and the need to internalize external costs, promoting diversity, soil health, and organic farming as solutions. A third perspective emphasized phasing out fossil fuels, increasing profitability of companies, expanding meat production, and achieving self-sufficiency. These contrasting views pose a major barrier to transforming the Swedish food system, but there are entry points for change, such as promoting healthy diets and increasing fruit and vegetable production.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Tawakalitu Titilayo Tajudeen, Ayo Omotayo, Fatai Olakunle Ogundele, Leah. C. C. Rathbun
Summary: Climate change has a significant impact on crop production, particularly for maize, in Lagos, Nigeria. Farmers in the region are implementing adaptive techniques based on crop type. Limited access to farming technology exacerbates the decline in crop production caused by climate change.
Article
Agronomy
Russell L. Barrett
Summary: The paper investigates the feedback mechanisms between functional traits and soil nutrient responses in tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus L.) in marginal agricultural lands. It suggests that tiger nuts have the potential to significantly contribute to global food security due to their wide ecological tolerance and weedy tendencies.
Editorial Material
Nutrition & Dietetics
Yevheniia Varyvoda, Douglas Taren
Summary: The limited resilience of agricultural and food systems has become a topic of concern in the face of more extreme natural hazards. The level of damage and recovery relies heavily on ecosystem services, and ecosystems themselves can offer mitigation measures based on the benefits people derive from nature. The 27th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC addressed issues related to crop production, food security, and nutrition, providing impetus for actions to ensure a sustainable future.
Review
Plant Sciences
Rafal M. Gutaker, Caspar C. C. Chater, Jemima Brinton, Elena Castillo-Lorenzo, Elinor Breman, Samuel Pironon
Summary: By domesticating edible wild plants and utilizing advances in genomics and gene editing technologies, we can increase the stability of our food systems against environmental variability and climate change. Neodomestication allows for the rapid generation of new crops by selecting candidates based on climatic parameters, thus increasing food security. Conservation and characterization of edible species play a key role in this process, and the utilization of genetic resources should be carried out ethically and with benefit-sharing in mind.
CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Lorenzo Rosa
Summary: Irrigated agriculture is crucial for global food production and adapting to climate change. Sustainable irrigation expansion provides opportunities to increase agricultural productivity, but also comes with external costs. Further research is needed to understand the implications and challenges of sustainable irrigation expansion.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nicola Cerutti, William F. Lamb, Monica Crippa, Adrian Leip, Efisio Solazzo, Francesco N. Tubiello, Jan C. Minx
Summary: The food system plays a significant role in global greenhouse gas emissions and requires mitigation efforts to prevent dangerous global warming. This article summarizes the trends and drivers of food system emissions from 1990 to 2018, highlighting regional diversity and the highest global emitters. While some regions have seen stabilized emissions, global emissions continue to increase due to certain sectors and countries outweighing emissions reductions. Livestock rearing is a major contributor to global emissions, and post-production emissions are steadily increasing in all regions. The article also emphasizes the insufficient policy activity to address climate change mitigation and the specific impact of livestock and post-production emissions. The research lays the groundwork for country-level inquiries into optimal policy pathways for emission reductions.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ximena Schmidt Rivera, Billy Rodgers, Temitayo Odanye, Francisca Jalil-Vega, Jack Farmer
Summary: Sustainable food production and consumption, especially through innovations like controlled environment agriculture and aeroponic systems, are crucial for reducing environmental impacts and improving food security. This study evaluates the environmental impacts of an aeroponic farm container system in the UK, finding that energy requirements drive all impacts and renewable powered systems significantly reduce climate change impacts. The findings suggest that aeroponic systems can offer lower impact food compared to imports and enhance food security.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
P. W. Ndung'u, T. Takahashi, C. J. L. du Toit, M. Robertson-Dean, K. Butterbach-Bahl, G. A. McAuliffe, L. Merbold, J. P. Goopy
Summary: Ruminants play a central role in the economic and nutritional life of sub-Saharan Africa, but cattle are blamed for their disproportionately large negative environmental impact due to greenhouse gas emissions. However, the mechanism behind excessive emissions on some farms is not well understood. This study used individual animal records to quantify farm-level greenhouse gas emission intensities of smallholder farms in Western Kenya. The results showed a wide range of emission intensities, with milk being responsible for the majority of emissions. Enteric methane production was found to be the main contributor to emissions. The data collected from individual animals on smallholder farms demonstrated the variability in emission intensity and provided indicators on how to achieve low emission intensity in these environments.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
P. Meo-Filho, J. Hood, M. R. F. Lee, H. Fleming, M. E. Meethal, T. Misselbrook
Summary: Methane emissions from ruminants, particularly cattle, contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions in the UK's agricultural sector. This study compared the enteric methane emission from beef cattle fed silage harvested from different types of grassland and found no significant difference in emission per head or per kilogram of liveweight. However, when expressed per average daily gain, cattle fed silage from a specific grassland type had higher methane emissions compared to other types.
Editorial Material
Engineering, Environmental
G. A. McAuliffe, T. Takahashi, T. Beal, T. Huppertz, F. Leroy, J. Buttriss, A. L. Collins, A. Drewnowski, S. J. McLaren, F. Ortenzi, J. C. van der Pols, S. van Vliet, M. R. F. Lee
Summary: A number of recent life cycle assessment (LCA) studies have highlighted the environmental impacts of animal-sourced foods and suggested restrictions or avoidance of these foods in human diets. However, it is important to consider nutrient bioavailability and protein quality before making such recommendations, especially considering their contribution to nutrient adequacy in vulnerable populations. This paper discusses the usefulness of nutritional LCA (nLCA) and proposes the consideration of protein quality in nLCA studies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Pei-Tzu Kao, Heather L. Buss, Steve P. McGrath, Tegan Darch, Helen E. Warren, Michael R. F. Lee
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effect of applying different types of ruminant excreta in soils of different organic matter contents on selenium uptake by forage. The results showed that the application of excreta did not increase selenium concentration and accumulation in the perennial ryegrass. Therefore, supplementing selenium directly to animals is more recommended than applying animal manure to soil, as the application may lead to selenium reduction and decrease selenium uptake by grass.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Carmen Segura, Claire Horrocks, Maria Lopez-Aizpun, Martin S. A. Blackwell, Tegan Darch, Jess Hood, Kate Le Cocq, Graham A. McAuliffe, Michael R. F. Lee, Laura Cardenas
Summary: Healthy soils are crucial for sustainability and food security. This study compared soil health indicators in different pasture systems under various management strategies and treatments. The results showed that permanent pasture with no ploughing had the highest levels of organic carbon, total nitrogen, dissolved organic carbon, ergosterol concentration, and earthworms. However, the improvements in soil health indicators diminished over time.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
P. -T. Kao, H. Fleming, H. Warren, T. Darch, S. P. McGrath, H. L. Buss, M. R. F. Lee
Summary: The effect of organic and inorganic minerals (Se, Zn, Cu and Mn) on the partitioning and composition of micronutrients in sheep urine and faeces was studied. The form of the supplemented minerals did not affect the distribution and concentration of micronutrients in excreta, but the doses tested may alter the ratios of Se:P and Se:S in faeces and Se:S in urine. Mineral supplements improved the retention of P in sheep and differences were observed in the recalcitrant fractions of Se, Zn, and Cu in faeces when different forms of minerals were offered. Further investigation is needed to understand the potential impact of these differences on micronutrient flux in pasture.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Editorial Material
Agronomy
G. A. McAuliffe, T. Takahashi, M. R. F. Lee, A. Jebari, L. Cardenas, A. Kumar, F. Pereyra-Goday, H. Scalabrino, A. L. Collins
Summary: Rothamsted Research is the world's oldest agricultural research centre, which has successfully integrated human nutrition into environmental footprint assessment through life cycle assessment methodology, providing valuable insights for sustainable agriculture.
FOOD AND ENERGY SECURITY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Graham A. McAuliffe, John Lynch, Michelle Cain, Sarah Buckingham, Robert M. Rees, Adrian L. Collins, Myles Allen, Raymond Pierrehumbert, Michael R. F. Lee, Taro Takahashi
Summary: The majority of agri-food climate sustainability analyses focus on using global warming potential (GWP(100)) as the main impact assessment, but there have been criticisms regarding its across-the-board application in Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs), specifically in food systems with high methane (CH4) emissions. This paper presents a large-scale sensitivity analysis comparing different climate impact assessments, such as GWP(100) and Global Temperature Change Potential (GTP(100)), using a pasture-based beef production system as an example. The authors emphasize the importance of considering alternative metrics and dynamic approaches in LCAs to ensure accurate and robust decision-making.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Andrew S. Cooke, Siobhan Mullan, Charlie Morten, Joanna Hockenhull, Phil Le-Grice, Kate Le Cocq, Michael R. F. Lee, Laura M. Cardenas, M. Jordana Rivero
Summary: Animal welfare encompasses all aspects of an animal's life and interactions. This study compared two beef cattle systems and their herds in terms of various indicators. The results showed that providing summer grazing to the cattle seemed to have welfare benefits, including more positive behavior and slightly better health indicators.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ryan Katz-Rosene, Flaminia Ortenzi, Graham A. A. McAuliffe, Ty Beal
Summary: Nutritional life cycle assessments can help achieve sustainability in complex food systems by considering the trade-offs between environmental footprints and nutritional value. These assessments provide insights into the complexities of sustainable food systems and emphasize the need to consider regional nutritional and environmental variations. It is important to recognize the limitations of using single-value nutrition-environment scores in guiding food choices.
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Pablo Manzano, Jason Rowntree, Logan Thompson, Agustin del Prado, Peer Ederer, Wilhelm Windisch, Michael R. F. Lee