To enlight the general public about the project, a popular science article “UL develops a peat-free composition for soil quality improvement” has been prepared and published on the university’s news page as well as social networks Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Briefly about: Soil salinity and salinization – a global problem
Soil salinity (the content of salts in soil) and salinization (an increase of salinity due to various reasons) is one of the most common forms of soil degradation and is considered to be a major cause of desertification. This problem has been intensified by climate change with rising temperatures and decrease of precipitation.
Soil salinity occurs when water-soluble salts accumulate in or near the upper horizons of the soil. These salts contain K+, Mg+, Ca+, Cl–, SO42-, CO32-, HCO3– and Na+ ions (mostly these salts are sodium chlorides and sodium sulphates). When soils accumulate the exchangeable sodium, this process is called sodification. If Mg+ and Ca2+ ions are accumulated in the soil, an alkalization process takes place and the soil becomes alkaline (with a pH above 8.5).
As a result of salinization, soil structure degrades and is more exposed to water and wind erosion, soil compaction, soil crust formation, soil desertification, soil fertility decreases, agronomic productivity decrease, the soil buffering capacity against pollution decreases, plant nutrient uptake is impaired, soil biota biodiversity is reduced and also groundwater quality is affected.
Continue reading “Briefly about: Soil salinity and salinization – a global problem”
The best presentation award at Eco-Tech 2020
We are proud of the evaluation of the project results at the international level: the presentation “Towards the formula of peat-free soil conditioner” has won the best poster (short) presentation award at the Linnaeus Eco-Tech 2020 conference, overtaking eleven competitors and leaving on the 2nd place researchers from Brazil, and researchers from Sweden on the 3rd place.
Participation at Eco-Tech 2020
On March 23-25, 2020, the 12th International Conference on the Establishment of Cooperation between Companies and Institutions in the Nordic Countries, the Baltic Sea Region and the World Eco-Tech 2020 was digitally arranged and held in Sweden.
Linnaeus Eco-Tech has been an academic tradition since 1997. The conference is organized by Linnaeus University in Kalmar, Sweden, every second year. One of the main goals of the conference is to promote research and education cooperation among the countries around the Baltic Sea towards sustainability. It has been more and more obvious that the environmental issues have risen from local through regional to global concern, and play a leading role in the conference.
Contribution at CAJG 2020
On November 2-5, 2020, the 3rd Conference of the Arabian Journal of Geosciences (CAJG 2020) was arranged online and held in Tunisia. Participation in this conference was carried out by being a member of the scientific committee. Reviews of several submitted scientific papers were performed as well as discussions on the topics related to environmental issues were attended online.
Presentations at the Agri-Eurasia congress
On October 30-31, 2020, the IV. International Eurasian Agriculture and Natural Sciences Congress took place online, organized by the universities in Turkey (Selçuk University, Konya Food and Agriculture University, etc.) bringing together scientists of fields such as agricultural, environmental sciences, engineering, water and soil management, plant and animal biology, biotechnology, food chemistry, sustainable farming and others.
Two posters were presented at the congress:
- “From utilization of wood combustion ashes to new product for soil improvement” (Zane VINCEVICA-GAILE, Karina STANKEVICA, Maris KLAVINS – Department of Environmental Science, University of Latvia);
- “Circular economy approach for weak soil stabilization” (Zane VINCEVICA-GAILE(1), Juris BURLAKOVS(2), Mait KRIIPSALU(2), Vita RUDOVICA(1) – 1) University of Latvia, 2) Estonian University of Life Sciences).
Participation in this congress has led to the project result dissemination in Eurasia and new contacts of the scientific network, particularly with Turkish researchers.
Scientific Report No.2 finalized
Scientific Report No.2 “CHARACTERIZATION OF RAW MATERIALS APPLICABLE FOR THE FORMULA OF PEAT-FREE SOIL CONDITIONER” has been prepared. It contains a range of data obtained from experiments and analyses of biomass combustion products and sapropel samples.
Collaboration perspective with Estonian University of Life Sciences
The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced the travelling plans, and therefore short-term mobility to the project collaboration partner ELI-UCL in Belgium currently is not possible. However, travelling within the Baltic states is permitted, and collaboration with universities in neighbour countries can be expanded.
Estonian University of Life Sciences (Eesti Maaülikool – EMU), located in Tartu, Estonia, is the only university in Estonia which priorities in academic and research activities provide the sustainable development of natural resources necessary for the existence of Man as well as the preservation of heritage and habitat. According to QS World University Rankings by Subject (2019), EMU is one of the top 50 universities in the world in the field of agriculture and forestry, ranked 48. The university also belongs to the top 1% most cited research facilities in the world (regarding plant physiology professor Ülo Niinemets being the most cited Estonian researcher altogether).
Continue reading “Collaboration perspective with Estonian University of Life Sciences”
Presentation at Knowledge Agora
On September 25, 2020, a Knowledge Agora was held at the University of Latvia during the Day of New Technologies and Innovation. The Knowledge Agora is an open-stage for new ideas and innovative research. The presentation was delivered on the topic “Development of peat-free soil improver composition” in a popular-science manner.
The Knowledge Agora was bringing together students and scientists of the broad background of sciences. It gave an opportunity to look into the work of other researchers as well as to identify the priorities to be set for successful idea realization.
Briefly about: Assessing applicability and utility of secondary raw materials
Growing environmental concerns, governmental support and changes in thinking motivate people to focus on more sustainable businesses and to promote new regulations incorporating the principles of sustainability, especially in materials recycling. The main efforts should be devoted to waste reduction and long-term value creation to materials where the key role is attributed to designing for recycling, remanufacturing and reuse, disassembly and sorting, and for the environment.
Continue reading “Briefly about: Assessing applicability and utility of secondary raw materials”