News

For the last five years, Professor of Microbiology of Acidic Volcanic Ecosystems Huub Op den Camp has been researching three volcanic regions in Italy in an effort to find new bacteria and identify the microbial inhabitants. The new insights may be useful in addressing environmental and climate issues.

A wide diversity of plant species leads to more captured solar energy, not only in the plants themselves, but also in other life above- and belowground. An international team, including researchers from Wageningen University & Research, the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) and Radboud University, have shown that a plant community with many species, such as a flowery grassland, captures more biomass than a community with fewer species. The increased diversity strengthens the energy flows in the above- and belowground food chain. In addition, less energy is lost. The team published their findings this week in Nature Ecology and Evolution.

Should you pop down to the supermarket yourself, or just order online? Research into shopping behaviour in the United Kingdom has found that using a supermarket’s own delivery service is ‘cleaner’ than driving to the store yourself. But online shopping fulfilled by parcel delivery services is associated with the highest levels of greenhouse gas emissions.