Researchers make stunning discovery after studying wildlife living near wineries: 'Can be further enhanced'
A team of researchers from the HUN-REN Center for Ecological Research and the University of Milan recently established a connection between vineyard ecosystems and local bird and bat species. The HUN-REN Center's mission is to support biodiversity research, and it is resolute in the understanding that a more informed public can make better environmental decisions.
Published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, their study addressed one part of the ongoing problem of habitat reconfiguration — that is, when natural landscapes are repurposed into human-oriented mechanisms. In an agricultural context specifically, it's crucial that we maintain a balance between crop yields for human needs and ecological sustainability, a balance these researchers aimed to identify within vineyards.
In addition to being land-replenishing pollinators, birds and bats serve as natural predators, keeping pests in check while supporting beneficial arthropod species. Per Phys.org, it's a predisposition that can serve to our benefit as well, when it comes to vineyards and other agricultural endeavors — and by monitoring and recording bird and bat activity against arthropod activity across various Hungarian vineyards, these researchers worked to prove just that.
By demonstrating that predatory birds and bats regulate pest populations on behalf of farmers, the team is encouraging the protection of these species by vineyard management, hoping that humans can work with birds and bats rather than allowing vineyards to devolve into sites of human-animal conflict.
The researchers called for the sustenance of these agricultural projects without the use of synthetic pesticides — after all, why turn to polluting and often harmful chemicals when the natural solution is just as effective, requires fewer resources, and brings about less contamination to the air and soil?
Uncontrolled pesticide use not only leaks toxic contaminants into the soil to kill pests, but also leaves lingering traces in the affected plants and the atmosphere of the region, posing risks to human health.
Exposure through the food we eat and the air we breathe leaves us vulnerable to a variety of health concerns, ranging from reproductive damage to cancers. Moreover, the ripple effects of pesticides have lowered biodiversity around the world, destablizing ecosystems.
The HUN-REN Center seeks to make its ecological findings more mainstream, bridging the gap between the discipline of environmental research and the average individual.
If more of us can become cognizant of the issues infiltrating every step of our daily lives — from the pollutants we consume to the wine we drink — we can prove better-equipped to encourage our environmental authorities to address them. HUN-REN, specifically, is involved closely with the European Union.
Research author Péter Batáry summed it up for Phys.org: "Pest control services can be further enhanced through organic management, which avoids herbicides and synthetic insecticides, thereby facilitating the colonization of beneficial arthropods and strengthening pest predation pressure in vineyards."
Do you worry about pesticides in your food?
All the time
Sometimes
Not really
I only eat organic
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Medscape
27 minutes ago
- Medscape
LGBTQ+ Healthcare Professionals Face Hidden Burdens
Pride Month is coming to an end, and headlines about the LGBTQ+ community, as well as rainbow flags on balconies, are gradually disappearing. However, some realities remain a part of daily life, including access to healthcare. LGBTQ+ individuals are often portrayed as existing outside the mainstream rather than as an integral part of society. Many healthcare professionals continue to face unique challenges related to their sexual orientation or gender identity while caring for patients. Irene Aterido, a sociologist and sexologist, serves as coordinator of the Comprehensive Health Group at the State Federation of Lesbians, Gays, Trans, Bisexuals, Intersex, and more (FELGTBI+) in Spain. Speaking with El Médico Interactivo , a Medscape Network platform, Aterido explained that LGBTQ+ healthcare professionals experience a wide range of life circumstances and working conditions. Many individuals continue to encounter challenges in their teams. According to Aterido, LGBTQ+ healthcare professionals are often expected to function as informal educators, helping colleagues understand gender diversity in patient care. These professionals are frequently placed in the spotlight as spokespersons, even when they have not asked for that role. 'Being LGBTQ+ does not mean someone wants to be an activist or is obligated to be one,' Aterido said. LGBTQ+ Professionals 'Just being present can sometimes drive change. However, it is unacceptable that healthcare teams often expect LGBTQ+ professionals to lead training or raise awareness about sexual and gender diversity simply because of who they are. This should not happen,' Aterido continued. 'Equal and accessible care is a right for all patients, and LGBTQ+ healthcare professionals should not be expected to care exclusively for this community, yet this still occurs.' To address this, the Spanish Society of General and Family Physicians (SEMG) and FELGTBI+ recently signed a collaborative agreement aimed at improving primary care for LGBTQ+ individuals. As part of this agreement, FELGTBI+ provides SEMG with technical, educational, and communication materials. These will cover topics such as sexual health, HIV and STI prevention, healthcare rights, and care specific to LGBTQ+ patients. The materials are designed using a community-based, intersectional, and human rights-centred approach. Challenges in the Workplace Alberto Cotillas Rodero, president of the Sociedad Madrileña de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria (SoMaMFyC) and coordinator of its LGBTQ+ Health Working Group, also spoke to El Médico Interactivo about the challenges many LGBTQ+ clinicians face in the workplace. 'Workplace difficulties can arise regardless of identity or sexual orientation, depending on the environment,' Cotillas Rodero said. Cotillas Rodero explained that medical specialties vary in their openness to diversity. 'Some specialties are more traditionally conservative than others, which can affect how LGBTQ+ professionals are treated.' In family medicine, SoMaMFyC's LGBTQ+ Health Group focuses on improving training related to LGBTQ+ health needs. 'This not only benefits patients but also raises awareness among non-LGBTQ+ clinicians,' Cotillas Rodero said. Aterido added that engagement with diversity training varies widely across specialties. 'Many specialties have not addressed these issues at all — not even at a surface level.' Healthcare and Research According to Aterido, social stigma continues to affect both LGBTQ+ clinicians and patients. 'There are still mental barriers shaped by societal norms. A heteronormative society might accept the idea of a gay nurse, but few people consider that a psychiatrist could be a lesbian or a urologist could be intersex. There are still psychological barriers and stereotypes about the profession.' This stigma affects patient care, particularly in specialties with limited awareness of LGBTQ+ needs. Aterido cited examples such as gynaecologists asking lesbian patients about penetrative sex or assumptions made about breast reconstruction after breast cancer. 'Advances often follow a heteronormative model and may not reflect what breasts mean for LGBTQ+ women,' Aterido said. 'Similar gaps exist across many specialties.' Improving care and training also requires stronger research efforts. However, according to Aterido, this responsibility often falls on LGBTQ+ healthcare professionals. 'Most research on LGBTQ+ health is conducted by professionals within the community or by researchers affiliated with sexual and gender diversity groups. Time and again, LGBTQ+ healthcare professionals are the ones identifying these gaps in medical knowledge,' Aterido said.
Yahoo
44 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Bodybuilding Legend Slams the Most Popular Chest Exercise as 'Dangerous'
Bodybuilding Legend Slams the Most Popular Chest Exercise as 'Dangerous' originally appeared on Men's Fitness. Retired bodybuilder Dorian Yates recently shared a hot take that's sure to stir debate in the fitness world. On Instagram, Yates called the flat barbell bench press a "shitty" exercise for building the pecs, warning lifters to reconsider its spot in their chest-day routines. Yates, six-time Mr. Olympia and one of bodybuilding's all-time greats, says the flat barbell bench press poses a significant injury risk, calling it "very dangerous." "Unless you're a powerlifter, don't even do it," he says. "Why risk getting injured for something that's not really giving you any benefit?" Though controversial, he's not far off. A 2018 review found that pec tears are the most common muscle injury in powerlifting—and the flat bench press is usually to blame. "I don't even need to ask people how they tore their pec, most likely was on flat bench," Yates wrote in his are several other chest exercises that better build the pecs while eliminating your risk of injury, including dumbbell flyes and decline presses. The decline press is one of Yates' favorite, calling it the best pec exercise and one he relied on for a large part of his bodybuilding career. "I'm speaking from experience as well, I've tried and tested it during the early years where I did use flat bench a lot… especially as not many gyms even had a decline bench!" Yates said. If you can find a decline bench at your gym, test out your presses here instead of the flat bench and see how it feels in comparison. For dumbbell flyes, lie on a flat bench with your arms extended, maintaining a slight bend in the elbows. Lower the dumbbells out wide like you're going for a hug, then squeeze them back together over your Legend Slams the Most Popular Chest Exercise as 'Dangerous' first appeared on Men's Fitness on Aug 6, 2025 This story was originally reported by Men's Fitness on Aug 6, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Rare 'extinct in the wild' Barbary lion cubs born at wildlife park
Four Barbary lion cubs have been born at a zoo in the Czech Republic. Experts say it's a vital contribution for a small surviving population of the rare lion that is extinct in the wild. (AP video by Stanislav Hodina)
