Latest Briefing in Sustainability and Communities
Future Land Use Change - Working locally, thinking globally
This research briefing summarises the main findings from research done in two Local Focus Areas (Ballater and Huntly) as part of the Aberdeenshire Land Use Strategy Pilot. These findings have been used by Aberdeenshire Council to provide their overall lessons learnt regarding the pilot to Scottish Government. In turn, the Scottish Government has used the results from the Aberdeenshire and Borders Pilots to help develop the Land Use Strategy 2016-2021. In addition to the named authors, Carol Kyle, Rachel Creaney, Andrea Baggio, Laura Poggio and Marie Castellazzi are also co-authors of this briefing.
Read morePublished on 25 February 2016 in Sustainability and Communities , Ecosystems and biodiversity
Recent Briefings in Sustainability and Communities
Aberdeenshire Regional Land Use Pilot: Mapping the consEquences of LanD use Change (MELODiC)
Researchers from the James Hutton Institute have developed an interactive web-based mapping tool that allows users to explore the consequences of following different policy priorities on land use change and ecosystem service delivery using native woodland expansion as a lens. Read more
Published on 25 February 2016 in Sustainability and Communities
Sticking points - implications for environmental management
There are many new approaches to improve environmental management practices and projects, such as the Ecosystem Approach. Read more
Published on 21 August 2015 in Sustainability and Communities
Assessing Long-term Resilience Within the Potato Supply Chain
There is growing concern that food systems should be more resilient to a variety of shocks (e.g., economic, originating from climate change). Read more
Published on 19 March 2015 in Sustainability and Communities
Changing Farm Biosecurity Practices
The Scottish Government policy on disease control is that prevention is better than cure, however in practice this can be difficult to achieve. Read more
Published on 10 February 2015 in Sustainability and Communities , Ecosystems and biodiversity , Food, health and wellbeing
On-Farm Assessment of Soil Carbon Status
Soil Organic Matter (or soil carbon) is of significant importance, in terms of soil fertility, water retention, structure and biodiversity. Read more
Published on 4 September 2014 in Sustainability and Communities , Food, health and wellbeing
Implementing an Ecosystem Approach in Aberdeenshire
This research briefing summarises the results of a governance and policy analysis for Aberdeenshire. It was undertaken using funding from the Ecosystem Services Theme of the Scottish Government Environmental Change Programme 2011-2016 to support Aberdeenshire Council with the first stage of the Regional Land Use Pilot project. Read more
Published on 11 June 2014 in Sustainability and Communities , Ecosystems and biodiversity
Plant Traits, Functional Diversity, and Ecosystem Services
The protection of biodiversity is seen increasingly within the context of ecosystem service delivery, but understanding how biodiversity controls the delivery of ecosystem functions and processes, and hence final ecosystem services, is not straightforward. Read more
Published on 13 May 2014 in Sustainability and Communities , Ecosystems and biodiversity
Linkages between Functional Traits can Predict Ecosystem Services
Research at the James Hutton Institute has addressed how traits can be used to link different trophic levels and to understand how management impacts cascade through functional pathways in ecosystems. Read more
Published on 3 April 2014 in Sustainability and Communities , Ecosystems and biodiversity
Electronic Identification as a tool for Precision Livestock Management
The aim of this brief is to present some ideas on how to use EID as a management tool in beef and sheep systems, based on research, demonstration and knowledge exchange activities conducted by research staff at SRUC's Hill & Mountain Research Centre, Kirkton and Auchtertyre research farms. Read more
Published on 24 March 2014 in Sustainability and Communities , Food, health and wellbeing
Improving Policy: Learning from Farmers Responses to Knowledge Exchange
Understanding the science of effective knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE) and evaluating activities to investigate their potential impact, as well as barriers to innovation, forms an important part of our research. Read more
Published on 24 March 2014 in Sustainability and Communities
