Trophic interactions within the plankton of the lowland River Meuse (Belgium) were measured in spring and summer 2001. Consumption of bacteria by protozoa was measured by monitoring the disappearance of H-thymidine-labelled bacteria. Metazooplankton bacterivory was assessed using 0.5-μm fluorescent microparticles (FMPs), and predation of metazooplankton on ciliates was measured using natural ci...

Food-web population models are rather sensitive to parameterization of functional response in predation terms. Theoretical studies predict enhancing of ecosystems' stability for a functional response of sigmoid type (Holling type III). The choice of a correct type of response is especially important for modelling outcome of grazing control of algal blooms by zooplankton in nutrient-rich ecosyst...

Food losses refer to edible food mass decrease throughout the human food chain. Food losses occurring at consumption stage are called food waste. Food Losses and Waste (FLW) represent one of the most critical social, economic and ecological challenges facing humanity, besides being also an ethical issue. FAO data show that roughly one-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wast...

Cattle evolved as plain-grazing herbivores gathering together into herds to aid in the defense against predators. In non-domesticated species, matriarchal social groups of mothers and offspring exist separately from groups of male animals in various stages of maturity. The size of the group varies depending on the availability of basic resources such as food supply and access to mates for repro...

Livestock have been a key factor in the development of civiliiation, hut what will their role be in the future and how should the science of rangeland management change to meet the challenges of the future? In this paper I look at current grazing management in the contest of paradigm shifts and scientific revolution. The impact of livestock on rangelands occurs primarily because livestock selec...

The green macroalga Cladophora glomerata, a species typical of brackish water, predominates in most coastal areas estuarine ecosystems. present study aimed to determine the current ecological conditions Neva estuary (Baltic Sea) when subjected eutrophication and summer bloom. Macroalgae bloom can result temporary unfavorable (oxygen depletion pollution) for invertebrates during macroalgae decom...

Government policies relating to red meat production take account of the carbon footprint, environmental impact, and contributions to human health and nutrition, biodiversity and food security. This paper reviews the impact of grazing on these parameters and their interactions, identifying those practices that best meet governments' strategic goals. The recent focus of research on livestock graz...

Consumers are directly and indirectly responsible for a significant fraction of food waste which, for a large part, could be avoided if they were willing to accept food that is suboptimal, i.e., food that deviates in sensory characteristics (odd shape, discoloration), or that has a best-before date which is approaching or has passed, but that is still perfectly fine to eat. The choice to accept...