Key policy messages from EU CLAIM project

The CLAIM project aims to provide the knowledge base to support an effective CAP policy design in the direction of improved landscape management, particularly providing insights into the ability of landscape to contribute to the production of added value for society in rural areas.

Publication: nitrogen yield advantage from grass-legume mixtures

Nitrogen yield advantage from grass-legume mixtures is robust over a wide range of legume proportions and environmental conditions

Our latest publication from our international collaboration COST Action 852 is in Global Change Biology, lead by Matthias Suter of Agroscope in Switzerland. In it, Matthias used data on total nitrogen yield from 16 international sites to investigate whether four-species (two grasses, red clover, white clover) grass-legume mixtures can deliver more nitrogen in forage per unit area (it did). We also investigated whether this benefit was related to the % of clover in the sward - it was and it wasn't (!), but only because the benefit plateaued at a clover proportion of about 33% in the sward.  

AnimalChange project: report on grass-legume mixtures

Quantification of the effect of legume proportion in the sward on yield advantage and options to keep stable legume proportions (over climatic zones relevant for livestock production)

Our report as part of the AnimalChange project is availabe on the project website. 

KEY MESSAGE: Grassland systems using mixed grass-legume swards have higher productivity and less environmental impact than their respective monocultures. The positive effect of legumes on yield is most pronounced with a mixture legume proportion of 30-60%.

Publication: Plant species of conservation concern in Ireland

The distribution of vascular plant species of conservation concern in Ireland, and their coincidence with designated areas

This paper is now available as a pdf (until April 24 2015) at Journal for Nature Conservation.
It collates Irish (whole island) records (such as those collected by BSBI, and others) for species of conservation concern (such as Flora Protection Order species, Red Data Book species and others). We plot the distribution of plant species of conservation concern, and look at their coincidence with designated areas (Natura 2000, NHAs, ASSIs etc). As far as we're aware, this is the first time that this has been done in Ireland. Some counties are much better covered than others (see map below). This work showed that many of the records of species of greatest conservation concern occur within designated areas (average of 79%), but for individual species, this varied from 0% to 100%.

Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance (LEAP) Partnership

Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance (LEAP) Partnership

The LEAP Partnership was founded in 2012 and involves stakeholders across the livestock sectors, all who share an interest in improving the environmental performance of livestock supply chains. The objective is to develop comprehensive guidance and methodology for understanding the environmental performance of livestock supply chains.

Beetle Threat to Horticultural Eucalyptus

Beetle Threat to Horticultural Eucalyptus Crops in Ireland

Researchers at Teagasc and University College Dublin are investigating the biological control of a new insect pest of Irish forestry and horticulture.

Eucalyptus leaf beetle, Paropsisterna selmani has been
 found in several locations in Ireland, and is a potentially
 serious pest.

Results-based agri-environment schemes

Results-based agri-environment schemes: payments for biodiversity achievements in agriculture

The European Commission is developing a web-based platform that brings together research, information and practical experiences on results-based agri-environment schemes, i.e. schemes that focus on paying for biodiversity achievements in agriculture.