News from the SYBERAC Project
SYBERAC Newsletter October 2026
The fifth SYBERAC newsletter is out now! Learn more in the article.
Biodiversity Protection in Viticulture: SYBERAC Meets in Portugal
The SYBERAC consortium met in Coimbra, Portugal to discuss the final project year and visited vineyards that are sites of Case Study 5.
Ecosystem Sentinels: What Bats Tell Us About Pesticides in the Ebro Delta
A CSIC study within the European SYBERAC project uses bats to track the hidden impacts of rice farming on biodiversity—and points the way toward sustainable agricultural solutions.
What Vulture Pellets Reveal about Veterinary Drugs
A non-invasive method is now helping scientists trace hidden veterinary medicines in the wild.
Biodiversity research, giant cookie-cutter style
Making a habitat ready for transport by extracting soil samples "mesocosms" using a custom drill attached to a digger - a kind of “giant cookie cutter” for the landscape.
Dermal death? New publication on birds’ insecticide exposure
New publication: "Acute mortality in sand martins (Riparia riparia) and barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) linked to dermal or inhalation pyrethroid insecticide exposure" by A. Saarloos et al.
Researching pesticide-effects in Portugal
The University of Coimbra team started the 2026 field research on the effects of pesticides spraying on arthropods in vineyards.
SYBERAC Newsletter March 2026
The fourth SYBERAC newsletter is out now! Learn more in the article.
From Rice Fields to Classrooms: Berta Pérez Shares SYBERAC Research
Science in the making! SYBERAC PhD researcher Berta Pérez (IDAEA-CSIC) visits Escola Marta Mata in Viladecans to explain the secret life of bats and how her research on pesticides helps protect rice field ecosystems.
SYBERAC team prepares next steps
The SYBERAC team met online to discuss a systems-first approach, the current ERA landscape, developments in other projects, connecting our case studies to higher regulatory levels, advances in modelling within the project and its key exploitable results.
World Soil Day 2025: Showcasing SYBERAC at UC-Biotech
We celebrate World Soil Day with a look back at the recent event at UC-Biotech, where SYBERAC was highlighted alongside key representatives from the Municipality of Cantanhede and Biocant Park.
SYBERAC Newsletter November 2025
The third SYBERAC newsletter is out now! Learn more in the article.
SYBERAC’s 2025 Field Season
SYBERAC’s 2025 field research season in summary with the latest updates from the project’s case studies.
SYBERAC consortium meets in Denmark
The University of Aarhus (AU) invited the fellow SYBERAC project members to meet in Aarhus, Denmark, for the 2025 in-person consortium meeting.
Cambridgeshire Calling: SYBERAC Review Meeting & Hope Farm Visit
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.
SYBERAC project explainer video out now!
SYBERAC now has a project explainer video now! Learn how the project is working to change environmental risk assessment to become systems-based.
UKCEH Engages Public with SYBERAC Research at Open Farm Sunday
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.
SYBERAC Newsletter March 2025
The second SYBERAC newsletter is out now! Subscribe and never miss out on news and project insights. Read more.
SYBERAC Consortium Meeting: Barcelona
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.
Workshop in Portugal: Advancing Soil Biodiversity Research
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.