Latest Briefing in Sustainability and Communities

Photo (c) James Davidson

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.

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Published on 25 February 2016 in Sustainability and Communities , Ecosystems and biodiversity

Recent Briefings in Sustainability and Communities

How to expand the market for ethical food products?

This note discusses ways in which the market of ethical food can be expanded based on lessons extracted from several pieces of research carried out by the SRUC Food Marketing Research team. Read more

Published on 19 July 2011 in Sustainability and Communities

Addressing farmland biodiversity concerns effectively in the Common Agricultural Policy

Farmland is one of the dominant land covers in Europe, covering over 45% (173 million hectares) of the European Union’s 27 Member States. Read more

Published on 19 July 2011 in Sustainability and Communities , Ecosystems and biodiversity

Investigating the benefits of agritourism in Scotland using a typology-based approach

The capacity for agritourism to generate private economic benefits for farmers has been established in a range of international contexts. Read more

Published on 26 May 2011 in Sustainability and Communities

Drivers of sustainable malting barley production in Scotland

Barley is Scotland's most important cereal crop in terms of output, being estimated at £243 million for 2008 according to the 2009 Economic Report on Scottish Agriculture, and its contribution to Scottish agricultural output is only exceeded by cattle and dairy production. Read more

Published on 3 May 2011 in Sustainability and Communities

New vaccine hopes for endemic sheep disease

Since its introduction into the UK over two decades ago, caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) has become endemic within the national sheep flock. Read more

Published on 18 April 2011 in Sustainability and Communities , Food, health and wellbeing

New diagnostic test for endemic cattle disease under development

Johne's Disease caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis is endemic disease in cattle and its prevalence is increasing. Read more

Published on 16 February 2011 in Sustainability and Communities , Climate, water and energy , Ecosystems and biodiversity , Food, health and wellbeing

Plant breeding has increased the nitrogen use efficiency of barley varieties

Nitrogen (N) is an essential element in the growth and development of crops. Poor access to N fertilizer is a major limitation to crop productivity in some developing countries, whilst in other more affluent countries increased productivity over recent decades has been associated with a substantial increase in N fertilizer use. Read more

Published on 7 February 2011 in Sustainability and Communities

Chlamydial infection of sheep an infectious cause of prenatal lamb death

Chlamydial infection of sheep is the single largest infectious cause of prenatal lamb death in the UK. Read more

Published on 26 January 2011 in Sustainability and Communities , Food, health and wellbeing

Can acaricide treatment of sheep control ticks and tick-borne disease in the environment?

The tick Ixodes ricinus is the most important pathogen-carrying vector in Europe, including the UK. This species of tick is a generalist parasite, feeding off most types of terrestrial vertebrate, including sheep, deer, horses, dogs and humans. Read more

Published on 10 January 2011 in Sustainability and Communities , Food, health and wellbeing

When will NVZ nitrate mitigation measures be seen to have an effect on groundwaters?

Under the requirements of the European Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC), four areas of Scotland were designated as Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) in 2002. Read more

Published on 6 January 2011 in Sustainability and Communities

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