Aims Species-rich grasslands are proposed to promote biodiversity and reduce nitrogen (N) fertilization while maintaining productivity. However, the effectiveness of this strategy remains uncertain, particularly since grasslands with varying species richness are managed differently. We compared biomass yield and forage quality of three grassland management types varying in species richness and N fertilization levels in an on-f...

Terrestrial geothermal ecosystems are hostile habitats, characterized by large emissions of environmentally relevant gases such as CO 2 , CH 4 , H 2 S and H 2 . These conditions provide a niche for chemolithoautotrophic microorganisms. Methanotrophs of the phylum Verrucomicrobia , which inhabit these ecosystems, can utilize these gases and grow at pH levels below 1 and temperatures up to 65°C. In contrast, methanotrophs of the...

Sleep deprivation has been shown to increase pain intensity and decrease pain thresholds in healthy subjects. In chronic pain patients, sleep impairment often worsens the perceived pain intensity. This increased pain perception is the result of altered nociceptive processing. We recently developed a method to quantify and monitor altered nociceptive processing by simultaneous tracking of psychophysical detection thresholds and...

This paper presents an overview of a study on salinity intrusion through shiplocks that are located at a saltwater and freshwater interface, and the possible measures that can be taken to reduce this salinity transport. The main focus of the study was to test the effectiveness of several measures against salt intrusion through a shiplock. For this reason a series of field experiments was conducted in the Stevin shiplock in the...