EviEM Reviews
Mistra EviEM’s systematic reviews were conducted as projects by groups of specially appointed experts. Here you can read about each of the projects.
SR17 How does vegetation management affect roadside plants and invertebrates?
Many species that previously associated with meadows and pastures can now be found on roadsides instead. But how should roadside management be carried out in order to benefit the diversity of plants and animals?
SR16 How do selected crop rotations affect soil organic carbon?
What is the impact on soil organic carbon (SOC)? Now, EviEM has started a systematic review in which we analyse the results of these studies and examine which crop rotations are favourable for organic carbon in agricultural soil.
SR15 How does prescribed burning in temperate and boreal forests affect biodiversity?
How does managed burning in forests affect species that do not directly depend on fire or the dead wood that fires provide? EviEM examined the evidence from a recently completed systematic map on biodiversity effects of active management in forest set-asides.
SR14 What is known about the impacts of neonicotinoid insecticides?
In parallel with the recorded increase in use of neonicotinoid insecticides there have been increasing concerns and debate about the potential negative effects of these insecticides on non-target organisms, particularly on bees. Against this background, in some countries legislators and politicians have been faced with a need to make decisions on the future registration of some or all of this class of insecticides.
SR13 How does grazing and browsing affect forest plants and invertebrates?
Can valuable forest ecosystems be conserved or restored by manipulation of grazers and browsers? EviEM has reviewed how changes of the grazing pressure affect forest plants and invertebrates.
SR12 How does manipulation of dead wood affect forest biodiversity?
Can manipulation of dead wood help to conserve or restore forest biodiversity? EviEM investigates how prescribed burning and creation or addition of dead wood affect forest flora and fauna.
SR11 Which agricultural management interventions are most influential on soil organic carbon (based on time series data)?
Farmers are often faced with a variety of choices of land management practices, but little is known about their relative impacts on long-term conservation of soil carbon. EviEM is conducting a systematic review of the long-term (>10 years) impacts of farmland management on soil organic carbon.
SR10 How does tillage intensity affect soil organic carbon (SOC)?
Reducing the intensity of tillage of arable land is a common environmental management practice for conserving carbon in the soil, but the quantitative impacts of these practices is not well understood. EviEM has undertaken a systematic review of studies investigating the impacts of tillage on soil organic carbon.
SR9 Roadside management and the diversity and dispersal of species
Many species that previously associated with meadows and pastures now thrive on roadsides. EviEM has performed a systematic review of how the biodiversity of roadsides is affected by various kinds of management.
SR8 Impacts of vegetated strips in and around agricultural fields
Vegetated strips (permanently vegetated land within or around agricultural fields) are used to reduce the impacts of intensive farming activities in a variety of ways, for example, by providing habitats for organisms, and reducing nutrients in ground water. A large volume of research exists regarding the use and efficacy of vegetated strips, and EviEM has produced a systematic map on the topic.
SR7 How is fish recruitment affected by human disturbances in shallow nearshore areas?
How are the early life stages of fish impacted by various human disturbances in shallow coastal nursery habitats? In order to clarify what science has to say on the matter, EviEM has conducted a systematic review of the evidence.
SR6 How is biodiversity influenced by the management of forest set-asides?
Should forests set aside for conservation or restoration be left untouched, or is active management required if their biodiversity is to be preserved? EviEM has assessed the scientific evidence on this issue.
SR5 Have the phase-outs of PFASs affected concentrations in the environment?
Many poly- and perfluorinated alkylated substances (PFAS) are toxic and persistent, and production of some of these chemicals is now being phased out. EviEM has no studied how this has affected PFAS concentrations in the environment.
SR4 How does farming affect the organic carbon content of arable soils?
Agricultural land has the potential to store carbon. EviEM has mapped out the evidence relating to how different farming methods affect the amount of organic carbon in arable soils.
SR3 Can biomanipulation improve water quality in eutrophicated lakes?
Reducing the stocks of zooplankton-feeding fish such as roach and bream can be a way to curb algal blooms and similar problems in eutrophic lakes. In Sweden, the method has only been tried in a few cases. EviEM has assessed how useful it is.
SR2 How effective are wetlands for nitrogen and phosphorus removal?
In recent years, many wetlands have been constructed or restored in order to absorb nutrients from watercourses. But how much nutrients do such wetlands actually remove? EviEM has reviewed the available evidence on this subject.
SR1 How is mountain vegetation affected by reindeer grazing?
Are reindeer harming the mountain vegetation of Northern Scandinavia? Or is their grazing, on the contrary, essential for maintaining the diversity of the montane flora? Opinions on this issue have been divided over the years, but Mistra EviEM has now conducted a systematic review that attempts to achieve unequivocal answers.