Olivier Honnay
@olivierhonnay.bsky.social
Conservation biology | Agronomic ecology | Trade-offs | Professor KU Leuven | KU Leuven Plant Institute | Non-utopian
https://bio.kuleuven.be/faculty/00012061
https://bio.kuleuven.be/faculty/00012061
📢 Vacancy: I am urgently recruiting a PhD candidate to join a project on selection processes in pedunculate oak.
📅 Start date: no later than December 1st.
📅 Start date: no later than December 1st.
October 3, 2025 at 8:09 AM
📢 Vacancy: I am urgently recruiting a PhD candidate to join a project on selection processes in pedunculate oak.
📅 Start date: no later than December 1st.
📅 Start date: no later than December 1st.
The author must have lost his mind on this.
September 1, 2025 at 2:16 PM
The author must have lost his mind on this.
Just found out that ChatGPT effortlessly converts every thinkable old Flemish measure into English ones and the metric system 🙂.
1 Bruges hoet of wheat = 172 l ≈ 4.88 Winchester bushels.
1 Bruges hoet of wheat = 172 l ≈ 4.88 Winchester bushels.
September 1, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Just found out that ChatGPT effortlessly converts every thinkable old Flemish measure into English ones and the metric system 🙂.
1 Bruges hoet of wheat = 172 l ≈ 4.88 Winchester bushels.
1 Bruges hoet of wheat = 172 l ≈ 4.88 Winchester bushels.
Op vakantie in het hol van de leeuw.
July 7, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Op vakantie in het hol van de leeuw.
Can Africa feed itself without further expansion of its agricultural land at a high C and biodiversity cost?
=> Would require *tripling* current annual yield increase to achieve cereal self-sufficiency.
=> Big differences between E & W Africa due to differences in nitrogen fertilization regime.
=> Would require *tripling* current annual yield increase to achieve cereal self-sufficiency.
=> Big differences between E & W Africa due to differences in nitrogen fertilization regime.
June 11, 2025 at 7:14 AM
Can Africa feed itself without further expansion of its agricultural land at a high C and biodiversity cost?
=> Would require *tripling* current annual yield increase to achieve cereal self-sufficiency.
=> Big differences between E & W Africa due to differences in nitrogen fertilization regime.
=> Would require *tripling* current annual yield increase to achieve cereal self-sufficiency.
=> Big differences between E & W Africa due to differences in nitrogen fertilization regime.
We weten intussen al 25 jaar dat de maatregelen om biodiversitiet te beschermen in landbouwgebied niet of nauwelijks werken. We hebben gewoon verder gedaan. En dat doen we nog steeds.
De consequenties worden vandaag op dramatische wijze zichtbaar.
De consequenties worden vandaag op dramatische wijze zichtbaar.
June 8, 2025 at 8:59 AM
We weten intussen al 25 jaar dat de maatregelen om biodiversitiet te beschermen in landbouwgebied niet of nauwelijks werken. We hebben gewoon verder gedaan. En dat doen we nog steeds.
De consequenties worden vandaag op dramatische wijze zichtbaar.
De consequenties worden vandaag op dramatische wijze zichtbaar.
Beaver mikado & ‘Boulaies tourbeuses’ (Vaccinio uliginosi-Betuletum pubescentis), very rare here.
Forêt de St Hubert today.
Forêt de St Hubert today.
April 7, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Beaver mikado & ‘Boulaies tourbeuses’ (Vaccinio uliginosi-Betuletum pubescentis), very rare here.
Forêt de St Hubert today.
Forêt de St Hubert today.
Ardennes. In less than 10 years literally every stream here has been colonized by beavers.
March 1, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Ardennes. In less than 10 years literally every stream here has been colonized by beavers.
Opiniestuk vandaag van 40 Nederlandse wetenschappers vanuit diverse disciplines. Zoneren om aan biodiversiteitsbehoud te kunnen doen. De logica zelve.
Maar hier in Vlaanderen zijn we daar als groenen tegen want zoneren zou de nakende Transformatieve Veranderingen wel eens in de weg kunnen staan.
Maar hier in Vlaanderen zijn we daar als groenen tegen want zoneren zou de nakende Transformatieve Veranderingen wel eens in de weg kunnen staan.
February 25, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Opiniestuk vandaag van 40 Nederlandse wetenschappers vanuit diverse disciplines. Zoneren om aan biodiversiteitsbehoud te kunnen doen. De logica zelve.
Maar hier in Vlaanderen zijn we daar als groenen tegen want zoneren zou de nakende Transformatieve Veranderingen wel eens in de weg kunnen staan.
Maar hier in Vlaanderen zijn we daar als groenen tegen want zoneren zou de nakende Transformatieve Veranderingen wel eens in de weg kunnen staan.
New paper out on biodiversity in apple farming led by @robind6.bsky.social.
Organic farming had rather limited benefits for local biodiversity as compared to conventional farming, and effects were inconsistent across taxa. Semi-natural habitats were more important for biodiversity conservation.
Organic farming had rather limited benefits for local biodiversity as compared to conventional farming, and effects were inconsistent across taxa. Semi-natural habitats were more important for biodiversity conservation.
February 24, 2025 at 1:26 PM
New paper out on biodiversity in apple farming led by @robind6.bsky.social.
Organic farming had rather limited benefits for local biodiversity as compared to conventional farming, and effects were inconsistent across taxa. Semi-natural habitats were more important for biodiversity conservation.
Organic farming had rather limited benefits for local biodiversity as compared to conventional farming, and effects were inconsistent across taxa. Semi-natural habitats were more important for biodiversity conservation.
Walcheren. Vandaag zowat het enige stukje van Nederland in de zon.
December 28, 2024 at 3:37 PM
Walcheren. Vandaag zowat het enige stukje van Nederland in de zon.
Good point. This older paper explored counterfactual scenarios (no yield increase) and found that the carbon cost of nitrogen production is relatively small compared to avoided the carbon loss from land-use change. There may be more recent analyses available now.
www.pnas.org/doi/full/10....
www.pnas.org/doi/full/10....
December 9, 2024 at 10:40 AM
Good point. This older paper explored counterfactual scenarios (no yield increase) and found that the carbon cost of nitrogen production is relatively small compared to avoided the carbon loss from land-use change. There may be more recent analyses available now.
www.pnas.org/doi/full/10....
www.pnas.org/doi/full/10....
Mineral N fertilizer effect on global warming: a double-edged sword. A blessing for boosting yields & reducing land use change but a curse for driving N₂O emissions.
New paper quantifies the global greenhouse gas emissions and climate change effects from soils.
soil.copernicus.org/articles/10/...
New paper quantifies the global greenhouse gas emissions and climate change effects from soils.
soil.copernicus.org/articles/10/...
December 9, 2024 at 9:52 AM
Mineral N fertilizer effect on global warming: a double-edged sword. A blessing for boosting yields & reducing land use change but a curse for driving N₂O emissions.
New paper quantifies the global greenhouse gas emissions and climate change effects from soils.
soil.copernicus.org/articles/10/...
New paper quantifies the global greenhouse gas emissions and climate change effects from soils.
soil.copernicus.org/articles/10/...
And yes, if your control is a monocrop without any nutrient input whatsoever, improved fallow and organic fertilizer will not surprisingly increase yields also.
November 30, 2024 at 2:48 PM
And yes, if your control is a monocrop without any nutrient input whatsoever, improved fallow and organic fertilizer will not surprisingly increase yields also.
Do agroecological practices ↗️ yields in Africa? Meta-analysis shows only effective intervention combines mineral & organic fertilizers—ironically, a taboo for orthodox agroecologists. Takeaway: lack of controlled experiments; context dependence; & use best agricultural practices, whatever they are.
November 30, 2024 at 2:48 PM
Do agroecological practices ↗️ yields in Africa? Meta-analysis shows only effective intervention combines mineral & organic fertilizers—ironically, a taboo for orthodox agroecologists. Takeaway: lack of controlled experiments; context dependence; & use best agricultural practices, whatever they are.
Population growth:
November 28, 2024 at 7:06 PM
Population growth:
Philip G. Curtis et al. Classifying drivers of global forestloss. Science 361, 1108-1111 (2018).
November 28, 2024 at 7:03 PM
Philip G. Curtis et al. Classifying drivers of global forestloss. Science 361, 1108-1111 (2018).
Small-scale farming is actually a bigger driver of forest loss than large scale farming.
Branthomme, A.. et al. 2023. How much do large-scale and small-scale farming contribute to global deforestation? Rome, FAO.
Branthomme, A.. et al. 2023. How much do large-scale and small-scale farming contribute to global deforestation? Rome, FAO.
November 28, 2024 at 7:03 PM
Small-scale farming is actually a bigger driver of forest loss than large scale farming.
Branthomme, A.. et al. 2023. How much do large-scale and small-scale farming contribute to global deforestation? Rome, FAO.
Branthomme, A.. et al. 2023. How much do large-scale and small-scale farming contribute to global deforestation? Rome, FAO.
Hoe goed zijn Landbouw en Natuur te verzoenen?
Mijn opiniestukje staat in het decembernummer van Natuurfocus.
Mijn opiniestukje staat in het decembernummer van Natuurfocus.
November 24, 2024 at 11:12 AM
Hoe goed zijn Landbouw en Natuur te verzoenen?
Mijn opiniestukje staat in het decembernummer van Natuurfocus.
Mijn opiniestukje staat in het decembernummer van Natuurfocus.
Mevrouw Leemans is helaas niet meer onder ons.
November 20, 2024 at 10:21 PM
Mevrouw Leemans is helaas niet meer onder ons.
Just saying that you could have already been back in Belgium .
November 18, 2024 at 12:10 PM
Just saying that you could have already been back in Belgium .
New paper out.
We evaluated the comparative benefits of coffee agroforestry vs monoculture for pollinator communities in the DR Congo, using natural rainforest as a benchmark.
We found limited benefits from agroforestry practices and underscore the irreplaceable conservation value of rainforests.
We evaluated the comparative benefits of coffee agroforestry vs monoculture for pollinator communities in the DR Congo, using natural rainforest as a benchmark.
We found limited benefits from agroforestry practices and underscore the irreplaceable conservation value of rainforests.
November 11, 2024 at 9:00 AM
New paper out.
We evaluated the comparative benefits of coffee agroforestry vs monoculture for pollinator communities in the DR Congo, using natural rainforest as a benchmark.
We found limited benefits from agroforestry practices and underscore the irreplaceable conservation value of rainforests.
We evaluated the comparative benefits of coffee agroforestry vs monoculture for pollinator communities in the DR Congo, using natural rainforest as a benchmark.
We found limited benefits from agroforestry practices and underscore the irreplaceable conservation value of rainforests.
