Search Results (77)

Extensive cattle farming significantly contributes to Greece’s agricultural economy. In such systems, animals mainly graze on natural grasslands whose biodiversity significantly affects meat quality traits. In Greece, the sector faces several economic challenges, while the literature investigating beef quality produced by these systems is scarce. Hence, this study aimed to (i) evaluate farms’ economic performance; (ii) assess meat quality; and (iii) investigate the presence of heavy metals in liver samples of extensively reared beef cattle. The study involved three farms located in the Axios River Delta, a protected area of significant ecological importance in Northern Greece. A designated questionnaire was used to collect farm technical (herd size, meat production, grazing, feeding, reproduction, animal health) and economic data (income, variable costs). Meat samples of the Longissimus dorsi muscle (ninth rib) from 54 carcasses were collected and subjected to physicochemical (color, pH, texture, chemical composition, fatty acid profile) and microbiological analyses. Additionally, heavy metal analysis was conducted on 14 liver samples. A comparative analysis using parametric and non-parametric tests was performed to assess differences in meat quality traits between the 1st and 15th days of storage. The economic analysis showed that all studied farms operated with losses, with the average gross margin excluding subsidies being negative at EUR 130.5 ± 92.60/year per animal. Beef exhibited low fat content (1.1 ± 1.12%), with an average pH₂₄ value of 5.5 ± 0.36, respectively. The concentrations of polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and saturated fatty acids were 2.7 ± 0.72%, 44.6 ± 4.71%, and 47.3 ± 4.91%, respectively. Over the 15-day storage period, the yellowness (b*) value (p < 0.01), hue angle (p < 0.001), cohesiveness (p < 0.01), and springiness (p < 0.01) significantly decreased, while the lightness (L*) value significantly increased (p < 0.01). The mean Total Mesophilic Viable Counts and Total Enterobacterales were 5.0 log₁₀ CFU/g and 2.34 log₁₀ CFU/g, respectively, while heavy metal concentrations in bovine livers were below the maximum limits set by the European Commission. The results suggest that, despite the financial losses observed, beef’s improved color parameters during storage, along with other favorable quality traits, highlight the potential of extensive cattle farming to meet consumer demand and support value-added marketing. Full article

This study investigates the hydrological, ecological, and socio-economic responses of Ugii Lake—a freshwater body in semi-arid Central Mongolia—to climate variability and anthropogenic pressures. Seasonal field surveys conducted during the spring, summer, and fall of 2023–2024 revealed notable spatial and temporal variation in water quality, with pH ranging from 7.54 to 8.87, EC from 316 to 645 µS/cm, and turbidity between 0.36 and 5.76 NTU. Total dissolved solids (TDS) values and ionic compositions indicated increased salinization in some zones, particularly those exposed to high evaporation and shoreline disturbance. Heavy metal analysis identified elevated levels of aluminum, manganese, and zinc at several sampling points; however, concentrations generally remained within national environmental standards. Vegetation surveys showed that disturbed areas—especially those affected by grazing and tourism—exhibited reduced native plant diversity and dominance of invasive species. Socio-economic interviews with local herders and stakeholders indicated that 67.3% of households experienced declining livestock productivity, and 37.1% reported increased allergies or respiratory symptoms linked to deteriorating environmental conditions. Despite some ongoing conservation efforts, respondents expressed dissatisfaction with enforcement and impact. These findings highlight the need for community-driven, integrated lake management strategies that address environmental degradation, climate adaptation, and rural livelihood security. Full article

The dynamics and plant composition of toxic weeds in alpine meadows are strongly influenced by management practices such as livestock grazing. Here, the effect of grazing management on vegetation and soil characteristics within an alpine meadow ecosystem was assessed over a 5-year period. The experimental grazing treatments comprised no grazing (control), light grazing (5 sheep/ha), moderate grazing (10 sheep/ha), and heavy grazing (15 sheep/ha). The characteristics of both edible grass and toxic weeds, along with the soil’s physicochemical and biological properties, were evaluated. Under heavy grazing, the biomass of toxic weeds increased by 15.0%, while the biomass of edible species decreased by 57.0% compared to the control. The findings indicated that after 5 years, the plant composition changed significantly, with edible species such as Taraxacum mongolicum and Tibetia himalaica decreasing and disappearing under moderate and heavy grazing treatments. Conversely, toxic weeds like Stellera chamaejasme and Euphorbia micractina emerged under moderate or heavy grazing. Additionally, the richness of toxic weeds increased from 6.3 under the control to 14.2 under heavy grazing. Regarding soil properties, the levels of soil glucosidase, amylase, and cellulose decreased by 39.0%, 53.0%, and 40.0%, respectively. The amount of available potassium initially decreased and then increased under heavy grazing. The results demonstrated that the quality of the vegetation cover and a soil’s properties directly depend on land management. Overall, light to moderate grazing kept the soil in a better chemical and biological state and kept the biomass of palatable plants at a desirable level, which also controlled the abundance and biomass of toxic weeds. Enhancing soil nutrient conditions, such as by adding nitrate fertilizers, can be effective in restoring grasslands that have been severely degraded by grazing. Full article

European grasslands are vital carbon (C) sinks, contributing to climate change mitigation. Grazing intensity significantly influences soil C and nitrogen (N) cycles through effects on soil conditions and microbial communities. While heavy grazing is linked to soil C loss and altered N processes, existing studies show conflicting outcomes. This study examines the impact of cattle grazing on soil C and N cycles in a historical alpine pasture in the eastern Italian Alps (1868 m a.s.l.). The following three grazing intensities were analyzed: heavy (8.19 LU ha⁻¹), moderate (0.59 LU ha⁻¹), and light (0.06 LU ha⁻¹). Soil was sampled from two depth layers (0–5 cm, 5–10 cm) and analyzed for bulk density, C and N content, C/N ratio, exchangeable N, δ¹⁵N, and microbial genes targeting general abundance (16S), N fixation (nifH), nitrification (amoA), and denitrification (nirK, nosZ) using real-time PCR. The results revealed decreased C and N concentrations with increasing grazing intensity, exclusively in the 0–5 cm soil layer. Higher δ¹⁵N and enhanced nitrification and denitrification suggest a more open N cycle under heavy grazing. These findings highlight the potential of microbial gene markers and δ¹⁵N isotopic ratios to monitor N cycle dynamics in alpine pastures, informing sustainable grazing management. Full article

The Great Salt Lake (GSL) is the largest saline lake in the Western Hemisphere. It supports billion-dollar industries and recreational activities, and is a vital stopping point for migratory birds. However, little is known about the spatiotemporal variation of phytoplankton biomass in the lake that supports these resources. Spectral reflectance provided by three remote sensing products was compared relative to their relationship with field measurements of chlorophyll a (Chl a). The MODIS product MCD43A4 with a 500 m spatial resolution provided the best overall ability to map the daily distribution of Chl a. The imagery indicated significant spatial variation in Chl a, with low concentrations in littoral areas and high concentrations in a nutrient-rich plume coming out of polluted embayment. Seasonal differences in Chl a showed higher concentrations in winter but lower in summer due to heavy brine shrimp (Artemia franciscana) grazing pressure. Twenty years of imagery revealed a 68% increase in Chl a, coinciding with a period of declining lake levels and increasing local human populations, with potentially major implications for the food web and biogeochemical cycling dynamics in the lake. The MCD43A4 daily cloud-free images produced by 16-day temporal composites of MODIS imagery provide a cost-effective and temporally dense means to monitor phytoplankton in the southern (47% surface area) portion of the GSL, but its remaining bays could not be effectively monitored due to shallow depths, and/or plankton with different pigments given extreme hypersaline conditions. Full article

Previous research has investigated the effects of different grazing intensities on soil surface greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, whereas the dynamics of GHG production and consumption within the soil profile and their responses to different grazing intensities remain unclear. In this study, a field experiment was conducted in 2017 and 2018 to evaluate the influences of three grazing intensities (none, light, heavy) on both soil surface and subsurface (0–60 cm) GHG fluxes estimated using chamber-based and concentration gradient-based methods, respectively. Results showed that soil at lower depths (30–60 cm) had higher carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations but lower methane (CH₄) concentrations. In contrast, soil profile nitrous oxide (N₂O) concentration did not vary with depth, possibly resulting from the relatively low soil moisture in the semiarid grassland, which increased air diffusivity across the soil profile. Grassland soil acted as a source of N₂O and CO₂ production but as a sink for CH₄ uptake, which mainly attributed to the topsoil (0–5 cm for N₂O, and 0–15 cm for CO₂ and CH₄). The estimated soil surface GHG flux rates based on the concentration gradient method did not align well with those directly measured using the chamber method. Furthermore, the cumulative N₂O flux over the study period was significantly higher for the concentration gradient method than the chamber method, whereas a contrary result was observed for CO₂ emission and CH₄ uptake. This study confirms that the grassland soil serves as an important source of CO₂ and N₂O emissions and a weak sink for CH₄ consumption, playing a crucial role in the annual carbon budget of livestock-grazed grassland ecosystems. Full article

Grazing intensity is one of the crucial anthropogenic activities on alpine grasslands. However, how grazing intensity affects soil microorganism diversities and their co-occurrence networks in alpine steppe remains uncertain. We carried out a controlled grazing experiment (null grazing, CK; moderate grazing, MG; and heavy grazing, HG) on a typical alpine steppe in the Lhasa River Basin, Central Tibet, China. We used high-throughput sequencing to find the sequences of bacterial 16S rRNA and fungal ITS gene amplicons. Then, we analyzed their alpha and beta diversities and set up co-occurrence networks that show how often they occur together. MG significantly increased the bacterial Shannon index and changed the bacterial community structure. In contrast, HG decreased the fungal ACE and Chao1 indices and also changed the fungal community structure (p < 0.05). Linear mixed-effect model revealed that available phosphorus in soil significantly impacted on soil bacterial Shannon, ACE, and Chao1 indices across grazing intensities, while total carbon in subsoil significantly affected these indicators of soil fungi. Moreover, MG increased the complexity of the co-occurrence network in the bacterial community, while HG simplified it. However, both MG and HG made the co-occurrence networks in the fungal community less complicated. This shows that the intensity of grazing has different impacts on how microbes interact with each other. Therefore, sustainable grazing intensity necessitates a deeper understanding of biodiversity conservation in alpine grasslands. Full article

This study examines the influence of grazing intensity on soil microbial communities in a desert steppe ecosystem. Soil samples were collected from three depths (0–10 cm, 10–20 cm, and 20–30 cm) under varying grazing intensities: control (CK), light (LG), moderate (MG), and heavy grazing (HG). Key soil physicochemical properties and plant characteristics were analyzed alongside microbial diversity and community composition, which were assessed by identifying amplicon sequence variants and by conducting linear discriminant analysis effect size. The results showed that grazing intensity significantly impacted soil moisture, organic carbon, total nitrogen, and phosphorus levels, with a notable decrease in plant cover and microbial diversity under heavy grazing. CK and LG treatments supported higher microbial diversity, especially in surface layers, while heavy grazing was associated with a shift in community composition toward stress-tolerant taxa like Acidobacteriota and Blastocatella. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis revealed differences in microbial community structure between soil depths, with the effects of grazing diminishing with depth. These findings highlight the critical role of sustainable grazing practices in maintaining soil health and microbial diversity, with implications for the long-term resilience of desert steppe ecosystems. Full article

Rhipicephalus microplus is a blood-sucking parasite that causes heavy infestations on cattle and is a vector for severe tick-borne diseases, such as anaplasmosis and babesiosis, and poses a significant threat to the cattle industry. Cattle ticks show increasing acaricide resistance, which creates an additional problem concerning the inefficient chemical control of tick populations in cattle-grazing areas, necessitating the exploration of alternative tick biocontrol methods. Our study aimed to demonstrate the acaropathogenic efficacy of two bacterial species during experimental infections on R. microplus. Our experimental data confirmed that S. shinii and S. succinus exhibited significant acaropathogenic properties against R. microplus, as demonstrated by the tracking of fluorescent-labeled bacteria within the engorged-tick body. Our experiments revealed that both bacterial species could infect the hemolymph, salivary glands, and vestibular vagina of the tick, inducing histological changes in the affected organs that may impair feeding as well as reproductive capabilities. Gené’s organ infection was detected only in S. succinus. Our findings offer valuable insights for developing biocontrol strategies to manage Rhipicephalus microplus populations effectively. Full article

Pig manure, as an organic fertilizer, can significantly affect soil nutrient content, pH, and electrical conductivity. Moreover, the accumulation of heavy metals in pig manure and their potential ecological risks are also important concerns in soil management. Additionally, grazing systems may influence soil health and ecological balance by altering the soil microbial community structure. Therefore, this study investigates the impact of grazing Tibetan pigs on soil quality, focusing on the physicochemical properties, heavy metal accumulation, and microbial diversity. In the surface soil after grazing (GS0), pH, EC, AP, and AK were significantly higher than before grazing (NS0) (p < 0.05), while AN showed no significant difference. In the 10 cm soil layer, pH, EC, AK, and AN in GS10 were significantly higher than in NS10 (p < 0.05), whereas AP was significantly lower (p < 0.05). At the 20 cm depth, pH, EC, AP, and AK in GS20 were significantly higher than in NS20 (p < 0.05), but AN was significantly lower (p < 0.05). Overall, AN, AP, and AK decreased with increasing soil depth, while pH and EC showed no significant changes between the 10 cm and 20 cm layers (p > 0.05). In GS0 soil, the contents of Cd(II) and Zn(II) were significantly lower than those in NS0 (p < 0.05), while Pb(II) content was significantly higher (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in Cu(II), Ni(II), Cr(VI), As(V), and Hg(II) (p > 0.05). In GS10 soil, Ni and Pb(II) contents were higher, whereas Cu(II), Zn(II), and Hg(II) contents were lower. In GS20 soil, Pb(II) and Cr(VI) contents were higher, while Cu(II) and Zn(II) contents were lower. Overall, GS had consistently lower Cd(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), and Hg(II) contents at all depths compared to NS, while Pb(II) and Cr(VI) contents were higher, showing depth-related variation trends, possibly due to plant absorption and heavy metal leaching. Probiotics such as Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Acinetobacter increased significantly in soil, resulting in changes in the soil bacterial community. Full article

This study investigates the effects of grazing intensity and spatial scale on the important values, interspecific relationships, and community stability of desert steppe plant communities in Siziwang Banner, Inner Mongolia, China. Using vegetation data collected at three spatial scales (50 m × 50 m, 25 m × 25 m, and 2.5 m × 2.5 m) under two grazing conditions (no grazing and heavy grazing), we employed ecological statistics, including variance ratio analysis, ${\chi }^2$ tests, and the Jaccard index, to analyze species interactions and community structure. The results indicated that the important values of species vary with both spatial scale and grazing intensity; for example, Stipa breviflori and Chenopodium aristatum exhibited significantly higher important values in heavily grazed areas. Larger spatial scales enhanced the dominance of Cleistogenes songorica and Chenopodium aristatum, while smaller scales favored Stipa breviflori and Caragana stenophylla. Furthermore, interspecific associations were stronger in heavy grazing conditions. The community demonstrated consistent instability; however, no grazing areas were more stable than heavily grazed ones. These findings highlight that species importance, interspecific relationships, and community stability are closely linked to grazing intensity and spatial scale, emphasizing the critical role of sustainable grazing management in maintaining the long-term stability and resilience of desert steppe ecosystems. By emphasizing the need for targeted and sustainable management strategies, this study aims to contribute to the restoration and preservation of these vital ecosystems. Full article

The rapid advancement toward smart cities has accelerated the adoption of various Internet of Things (IoT) devices for underground applications, including agriculture, which aims to enhance sustainability by reducing the use of vital resources such as water and maximizing production. On-farm IoT devices with above-ground wireless nodes are vulnerable to damage and data loss due to heavy machinery movement, animal grazing, and pests. To mitigate these risks, wireless Underground Sensor Networks (WUSNs) are proposed, where devices are buried underground. However, implementing WUSNs faces challenges due to soil heterogeneity and the need for low-power, small-size, and long-range communication technology. While existing radio frequency (RF)-based solutions are impeded by substantial signal attenuation and low coverage, acoustic wave-based WUSNs have the potential to overcome these impediments. This paper is the first attempt to review acoustic propagation models to discern a suitable model for the advancement of acoustic WUSNs tailored to the agricultural context. Our findings indicate the Kelvin–Voigt model as a suitable framework for estimating signal attenuation, which has been verified through alignment with documented outcomes from experimental studies conducted in agricultural settings. By leveraging data from various soil types, this research underscores the feasibility of acoustic signal-based WUSNs. Full article

Plants’ root properties are closely related to their ecological adaptability. This study aimed to clarify the differences in root properties of Stipa krylovii under different grazing disturbances. The morphological characteristics of root length, root surface area, root volume, root tip number, specific root length, and specific surface area of S. krylovii were compared under no grazing, light grazing, moderate grazing and heavy grazing conditions. The ecological adaptability to grazing pressure was also examined. Results showed that the underground biomass density decreased with the increase in grazing intensity. Grazing disturbance can lead to changes in plant community characteristics, and roots adapt to changes in these environmental factors by adjusting their distribution. Among the six root configuration parameters, those under light grazing were significantly higher than those under the other grazing types. The root length and root surface area were concentrated in the range of 0–2 mm. Mild grazing and moderate grazing were conducive to fine root penetration and contact with soil. Moderate grazing disturbance was beneficial to grassland vegetation productivity and played an important role in the stability and sustainable utilization of grassland ecosystem. Full article

In the 1970s, the discovery of much higher mercury (Hg) concentrations in Mediterranean fish than in related species of the same size from the Atlantic Ocean raised serious concerns about the possible health effects of neurotoxic monomethylmercury (MMHg) on end consumers. After 50 years, the cycling and fluxes of the different chemical forms of the metal between air, land, and marine environments are still not well defined. However, current knowledge indicates that the anomalous Hg accumulation in Mediterranean organisms is mainly due to the re-mineralization of organic material, which favors the activity of methylating microorganisms and increases MMHg concentrations in low-oxygen waters. The compound is efficiently bio-concentrated by very small phytoplankton cells, which develop in Mediterranean oligotrophic and phosphorous-limited waters and are then transferred to grazing zooplankton. The enhanced bioavailability of MMHg together with the slow growth of organisms and more complex and longer Mediterranean food webs could be responsible for its anomalous accumulation in tuna and other long-lived predatory species. The Mediterranean Sea is a “hotspot” of climate change and has a rich biodiversity, and the increasing temperature, salinity, acidification, and stratification of seawater will likely reduce primary production and change the composition of plankton communities. These changes will likely affect the accumulation of MMHg at lower trophic levels and the biomagnification of its concentrations along the food web; however, changes are difficult to predict. The increased evasion of gaseous elemental mercury (Hg°) from warming surface waters and lower primary productivity could decrease the Hg availability for biotic (and possibly abiotic) methylation processes, but lower oxygen concentrations in deep waters, more complex food webs, and the reduced growth of top predators could increase their MMHg content. Despite uncertainties, in Mediterranean regions historically affected by Hg inputs from anthropogenic and geogenic sources, such as those in the northwestern Mediterranean and the northern Adriatic Sea, rising seawater levels, river flooding, and storms will likely favor the mobilization of Hg and organic matter and will likely maintain high Hg bioaccumulation rates for a long time. Long-term studies will, therefore, be necessary to evaluate the impact of climate change on continental Hg inputs in the Mediterranean basin, on air–sea exchanges, on possible changes in the composition of biotic communities, and on MMHg formation and its biomagnification along food webs. In this context, to safeguard the health of heavy consumers of local seafood, it appears necessary to develop information campaigns, promote initiatives for the consumption of marine organisms at lower trophic levels, and organize large-scale surveys of Hg accumulation in the hair or urine of the most exposed population groups. Full article

Jersey-yak is a hybrid offspring of Jersey cattle and yak (Bos grunniens). Changing the feeding system of Jersey-yak can significantly improve its growth performance. In this study, tandem mass tag (TMT) proteomics technology was used to determine the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) of the longissimus lumborum (LL) muscle of Jersey-yak fed different protein levels of diet. The results showed that compared with the traditional grazing feeding, the growth performance of Jersey-yaks was significantly improved by crude protein supplementation after grazing. A total of 3368 proteins were detected in these muscle samples, of which 3365 were quantified. A total of 434 DEPs were identified. Through analyses, it was found that some pathways related to muscle growth and development were significantly enriched, such as Rap1 signaling pathway, mTOR signaling pathway, and TGF-beta signaling pathway. A number of DEPs enriched in these pathways are related to muscle cell development, differentiation, and muscle development, including integrin subunit alpha 7 (ITGA7), myosin heavy chain 8 (MYH8), and collagen type XII alpha 1 chain (COL12A1). In conclusion, the results of this study provide insights into the proteomics of different feeding patterns of Jersey-yak, providing a stronger basis for further understanding the biological mechanism of hybrid varieties. Full article