SYBERAC’s 2025 field research season in summary with the latest updates from the project’s case studies.

In September 2025, the Steering Board members of SYBERAC travelled to Cambridge, United Kingdom, for the first project review meeting and to visit the Hope Farm case study site.

A team from the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) shared their SYBERAC project research with the public at the recent Open Farm Sunday event at RSPB Hope Farm. Dr. Melanie Gibbs and her colleagues, Ivy Ng’iru and Leah Griffiths, used interactive displays, including a DNA barcoding activity, to explain their work on the risks and benefits of conservation habitats in crop field margins.

The SYBERAC project held its second meeting in Barcelona, advancing environmental risk assessment. Highlights included a vineyard study visit showcasing regenerative viticulture and its impact on soil health, directly informing pesticide impact research. Stakeholder workshops fostered collaboration, while a field trip to the Ebro Delta provided practical context for case studies on bats and migratory birds, emphasizing the balance between land use and biodiversity. The project aims to refine environmental risk assessment methodologies through real-world case studies and modeling.

The SYBERAC project recently held a workshop in Cantanhede, Portugal, addressing the effects of plant protection products (PPPs) on soil biodiversity and ecosystem function. Hosted by the University of Coimbra, this collaborative event brought together experts and stakeholders to explore the dynamics of soil invertebrate communities and their critical role in ecosystem services. This discussion aligns with SYBERAC’s broader mission of advancing systems-based ecological risk assessment (sb-ERA) to inform sustainable agricultural practices.