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1. Comparative environmental impact assessment of aqaufeed production: Sustainability implication of forage fish meal and oil free diets

   https://doi.org/doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.104849  

   Ghamkhar, Ramin; Hicks, Andrea (January 2020, Resources conservation recycling)

   null (Ed.)

   The environmental sustainability of aquaculture food production systems is of critical concern due to its rapid expansion as the fastest growing major food production sector in the world. Among the parameters that con- tribute to the overall environmental impacts of aquaculture marine-based protein production, aquafeed is identified as an impact hotspot. There is consequently a need to seek more environmentally sustainable aqua- feeds to mitigate the adverse environmental impacts associated with aquaculture food production. The environmental and economic sustainability of aquafeeds can be improved using two main approaches: (a) optimizing finite resources use (e.g. fish meal and fish oil), and (b) mitigating waste generation and emissions. A variety of ingredients have been previously proposed, investigated, and utilized to accomplish these strategies, while maintaining acceptable food production efficiencies. However, comprehensive evaluation of the en- vironmental sustainability of aquafeeds with respect to variable ingredients, both in terms of resource use and waste emission has not been conducted. In this work, a holistic life cycle impact assessment of twelve practically formulated and utilized aquafeeds has been performed to provide a comparative evaluation of different aquafeed's environmental impacts, con- sidering resource use (biotic resource use, water intake, and fossil fuel depletion) and emission-based impact categories (ozone depletion, global warming, photochemical smog, acidification, eutrophication, carcinogenics, non-carcinogenics, respiratory effects, and ecotoxicity). Results indicate that the investigated fish meal free diets do not, on the whole, result in a significant decrease in environmental impacts with respect to the use of biotic resources. However, if the substituted ingredients would not propose elevated impacts (e.g. blood meal), these diets can potentially lower the overall environmental impacts of aquafeed production mainly with respect to relevant emission-based indicators (e.g. global warming, eutrophication, ecotoxicity). Findings demonstrate that the investigated fish oil free diets can potentially lower the use of biotic resources. However, to prevent burden shifting, strategies to provide nutrient-rich oils with minimal energy requirement need to be undertaken. 

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2. An ecosystem-based natural capital evaluation framework that combines environmental and socio-economic implications of offshore renewable energy developments

   https://doi.org/10.1088/2516-1083/ac702a  

   Trifonova, Neda; Scott, Beth; Griffin, Robert; Pennock, Shona; Jeffrey, Henry (June 2022, Progress in Energy)

   Abstract There is about to be an abrupt step-change in the use of coastal seas around the globe, specifically by the addition of large-scale offshore renewable energy (ORE) developments to combat climate change. Developing this sustainable energy supply will require trade-offs between both direct and indirect environmental effects, as well as spatial conflicts with marine uses like shipping, fishing, and recreation. However, the nexus between drivers, such as changes in the bio-physical environment from the introduction of structures and extraction of energy, and the consequent impacts on ecosystem services delivery and natural capital assets is poorly understood and rarely considered through a whole ecosystem perspective. Future marine planning needs to assess these changes as part of national policy level assessments but also to inform practitioners about the benefits and trade-offs between different uses of natural resources when making decisions to balance environmental and energy sustainability and socio-economic impacts. To address this shortfall, we propose an ecosystem-based natural capital evaluation framework that builds on a dynamic Bayesian modelling approach which accounts for the multiplicity of interactions between physical (e.g. bottom temperature), biological (e.g. net primary production) indicators and anthropogenic marine use (i.e. fishing) and their changes across space and over time. The proposed assessment framework measures ecosystem change, changes in ecosystem goods and services and changes in socio-economic value in response to ORE deployment scenarios as well as climate change, to provide objective information for decision processes seeking to integrate new uses into our marine ecosystems. Such a framework has the potential of exploring the likely outcomes in the same metrics (both ecological and socio-economic) from alternative management and climate scenarios, such that objective judgements and decisions can be made, as to how to balance the benefits and trade-offs between a range of marine uses to deliver long-term environmental sustainability, economic benefits, and social welfare. 

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3. Blue food demand across geographic and temporal scales

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-25516-4  

   Naylor, Rosamond L.; Kishore, Avinash; Sumaila, U. Rashid; Issifu, Ibrahim; Hunter, Blaire P.; Belton, Ben; Bush, Simon R.; Cao, Ling; Gelcich, Stefan; Gephart, Jessica A.; et al (December 2021, Nature Communications)

   Abstract Numerous studies have focused on the need to expand production of ‘blue foods’, defined as aquatic foods captured or cultivated in marine and freshwater systems, to meet rising population- and income-driven demand. Here we analyze the roles of economic, demographic, and geographic factors and preferences in shaping blue food demand, using secondary data from FAO and The World Bank, parameters from published models, and case studies at national to sub-national scales. Our results show a weak cross-sectional relationship between per capita income and consumption globally when using an aggregate fish metric. Disaggregation by fish species group reveals distinct geographic patterns; for example, high consumption of freshwater fish in China and pelagic fish in Ghana and Peru where these fish are widely available, affordable, and traditionally eaten. We project a near doubling of global fish demand by mid-century assuming continued growth in aquaculture production and constant real prices for fish. Our study concludes that nutritional and environmental consequences of rising demand will depend on substitution among fish groups and other animal source foods in national diets. 

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4. Resetting our expectations for parasites and their effects on species interactions: a meta‐analysis

   https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.14139  

   Hasik, Adam Z.; de Angeli Dutra, Daniela; Doherty, Jean‐François; Duffy, Meghan A.; Poulin, Robert; Siepielski, Adam M. (November 2022, Ecology Letters)

   Abstract Despite the ubiquitous nature of parasitism, how parasitism alters the outcome of host–species interactions such as competition, mutualism and predation remains unknown. Using a phylogenetically informed meta‐analysis of 154 studies, we examined how the mean and variance in the outcomes of species interactions differed between parasitized and non‐parasitized hosts. Overall, parasitism did not significantly affect the mean or variance of host–species interaction outcomes, nor did the shared evolutionary histories of hosts and parasites have an effect. Instead, there was considerable variation in outcomes, ranging from strongly detrimental to strongly beneficial for infected hosts. Trophically‐transmitted parasites increased the negative effects of predation, parasites increased and decreased the negative effects of interspecific competition for parasitized and non‐parasitized heterospecifics, respectively, and parasites had particularly strong negative effects on host species interactions in freshwater and marine habitats, yet were beneficial in terrestrial environments. Our results illuminate the diverse ways in which parasites modify critical linkages in ecological networks, implying that whether the cumulative effects of parasitism are considered detrimental depends not only on the interactions between hosts and their parasites but also on the many other interactions that hosts experience. 

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5. Systematic review on effects of bioenergy from edible versus inedible feedstocks on food security

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41538-021-00091-6  

   Ahmed, Selena; Warne, Teresa; Smith, Erin; Goemann, Hannah; Linse, Greta; Greenwood, Mark; Kedziora, Jeremy; Sapp, Meghan; Kraner, Debra; Roemer, Kelli; et al (December 2021, npj Science of Food)

   null (Ed.)

   Abstract Achieving food security is a critical challenge of the Anthropocene that may conflict with environmental and societal goals such as increased energy access. The “fuel versus food” debate coupled with climate mitigation efforts has given rise to next-generation biofuels. Findings of this systematic review indicate just over half of the studies (56% of 224 publications) reported a negative impact of bioenergy production on food security. However, no relationship was found between bioenergy feedstocks that are edible versus inedible and food security ( P value = 0.15). A strong relationship was found between bioenergy and type of food security parameter ( P value < 0.001), sociodemographic index of study location ( P value = 0.001), spatial scale ( P value < 0.001), and temporal scale ( P value = 0.017). Programs and policies focused on bioenergy and climate mitigation should monitor multiple food security parameters at various scales over the long term toward achieving diverse sustainability goals. 

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