Hospital at home (HaH) was increasingly implemented in Catalonia (7.7 M citizens, Spain) achieving regional adoption within the 2011-2015 Health Plan. This study aimed to assess population-wide HaH ...outcomes over five years (2015-2019) in a consolidated regional program and provide context-independent recommendations for continuous quality improvement of the service.
A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining population-based retrospective analyses of registry information with qualitative research. HaH (admission avoidance modality) was compared with a conventional hospitalization group using propensity score matching techniques. We evaluated the 12-month period before the admission, the hospitalization, and use of healthcare resources at 30 days after discharge. A panel of experts discussed the results and provided recommendations for monitoring HaH services.
The adoption of HaH steadily increased from 5,185 episodes/year in 2015 to 8,086 episodes/year in 2019 (total episodes 31,901; mean age 73 (SD 17) years; 79% high-risk patients. Mortality rates were similar between HaH and conventional hospitalization within the episode 76 (0.31%) vs. 112 (0.45%) and at 30-days after discharge 973(3.94%) vs. 1112(3.24%). Likewise, the rates of hospital re-admissions at 30 days after discharge were also similar between groups: 2,00 (8.08%) vs. 1,63 (6.58%) or ER visits 4,11 (16.62%) vs. 3,97 (16.03%). The 27 hospitals assessed showed high variability in patients' age, multimorbidity, severity of episodes, recurrences, and length of stay of HaH episodes. Recommendations aiming at enhancing service delivery were produced.
Besides confirming safety and value generation of HaH for selected patients, we found that this service is delivered in a case-mix of different scenarios, encouraging hospital-profiled monitoring of the service.
This report shows that weed harrowing in organic cereal fields is an efficient alternative to herbicides since weed harrowing does not reduce yields compared to weed-free plots. Arable weeds provide ...resources and habitat to many organisms. However, weeds are the most important constraint to crop production. Indeed, the potential crop losses of the eight major crops due to weed–crop competition amount to about 30 %. New ways of food production are needed due to the current severe biodiversity decline, about 1,000 times higher than the natural rate of species loss, and the growing food demands. Herbicides are highly efficient at reducing crop losses due to weed–crop competition, but at the expense of declining biodiversity. Studies have shown a poor efficiency of weed harrows in terms of weed reduction in organic farming systems. Here, we evaluated the feasibility of weed harrows in organic fields to reduce weeds to a threshold that does not limit crop production, while maintaining a rich flora. The results were compared to results obtained using herbicides in conventionally managed fields. Eleven organic and conventional cereal field pairs in Catalonia, Spain, were evaluated for one season in 2006–2007. Three different weed control treatments were applied: weed-free plots; weed-controlled plots, using herbicide in conventional fields and weed harrowing in organic ones and non-weeded plots. Crop yield and the abundance, richness and composition of the weed flora, which was dominated by ryegrass and poppies, were evaluated. Our results show that weed harrowing prevents weeds from being a limiting factor of crop productivity in organic cereal fields, since weed-controlled plots did not reduce yields compared to weed-free plots. A similar trend was observed in herbicide-controlled plots. However, herbicides diminished weed species richness in approximately 47 % and changed the species composition whereas harrowing allowed the maintenance of high levels of weed diversity in the organic fields.
Although organic farming was originally promoted as an alternative farming system to address agronomic, environmental and ecological issues, its conventionalisation has led to an intensification and ...specialisation of production. In the light of this, several studies have questioned the environmental benefits of organic farming as well as its agronomic viability. Thus, there is a need to improve organic vegetable systems to reduce their environmental impact without affecting their productivity. To tackle this challenge, European farmers and researchers have recently started to focus on agroecological service crops (ASCs). However, few studies have simultaneously evaluated the agronomic, environmental and ecological aspects of ASC management under different European pedo‐climatic conditions.
We evaluated effects of the ASC management strategies—no‐till roller crimping (NT‐RC) and green manuring (T‐GM) on cropping system performance using agronomic, environmental and ecological indicators—to exemplify the need for multidimensional analysis to understand management implications for addressing environmental and agronomic challenges. We combined the results from 11 organic vegetable field trials conducted in seven European countries over a period of 2 years to test for general trends.
Our results provide solid evidence that NT‐RC management across different pedo‐climatic conditions in Europe enhances the activity density of ground and rove beetles and improves both the potential energy recycling within the system and weed control. However, in NT‐RC plots, lower cash crop yield and quality, energetic efficiency of production and activity density of spiders were observed compared to T‐GM.
Synthesis and applications. Multidimensional analyses using agronomic, environmental and ecological indicators are required to understand the implications of agricultural management in agroecosystem functioning. Introducing agroecological service crops combined with the use of no‐till roller crimping is a promising strategy for improving agronomic performance (e.g. fewer weeds) and reducing environmental (e.g. increasing the potentially recyclable energy) and ecological (e.g. enhancing the activity density of beneficial taxa such as ground and rove beetles) impacts. However, our study also indicates a need for agronomic and environmental improvements while promoting a wider acceptance of this strategy.
Multidimensional analyses using agronomic, environmental and ecological indicators are required to understand the implications of agricultural management in agroecosystem functioning. Introducing agroecological service crops combined with the use of no‐till roller crimping is a promising strategy for improving agronomic performance (e.g. fewer weeds) and reducing environmental (e.g. increasing the potentially recyclable energy) and ecological (e.g. enhancing the activity density of beneficial taxa such as ground and rove beetles) impacts. However, our study also indicates a need for agronomic and environmental improvements while promoting a wider acceptance of this strategy.
A comparative survey of weed vegetation in organic and conventional dryland winter cereal fields was performed in central Catalonia (NE Spain) in order to assess the effects of agricultural ...intensification on the diversity, structure and composition of weed communities. A total of 36 cereal fields were surveyed in nine agricultural sites, where a pair of one long-established organic and one conventional farms were selected. Weed surveys were carried out before harvest in 2003 and 2004, taking into account the spatial pattern. Organic practices produced an increase in weed cover, species richness and Hill's first order diversity (but not in equitability), as well as a shift in weed vegetation composition, which favoured potentially rare arable, broad-leaved, insect-pollinated and legume weeds. Weed diversity was concentrated in the crop edges, especially in the weed communities of conventional cereal fields, which were found to be more spatially heterogeneous than the organic ones.
•Low earthworm taxonomic diversity was observed under Mediterranean conditions.•Organic fertilization significantly increased earthworm populations.•Endogeic earthworm species can benefit from soil ...inversion tillage.•Combining reduced tillage and green manure cropping did not show positive effects on earthworms.
Earthworms are one of the most important soil macrofaunal groups, and they play a major role in agricultural ecosystems. Agricultural practices, such as reduced tillage, the use of green manures and organic fertilization, can be beneficial for earthworm populations in agricultural systems. However, under a Mediterranean climate, not much is known regarding their response to agricultural management. The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of tillage type, organic fertilization, and green manures on the density and biomass of earthworms in organic arable dryland. The trial was conducted in a four-year crop rotation with a complete factorial design that combined tillage system (mouldboard ploughing vs. chisel), fertilization (composted farmyard manure vs. no fertilizer) and green manures (green manures vs. no green manures). Earthworms were assessed in each plot by the extraction of all individuals in three soil areas of 33cm×33cm that were excavated to a depth of 25cm. Only five earthworm species were found in this trial, and the earthworm community was dominated by such endogeic ecotypes as Aporrectodea rosea and Allolobophora georgii, and the anecic ecotype Aporrectodea trapezoides. Endogeic species can benefit from soil inversion because of the incorporation of organic matter, but the anecic ones can be negatively affected by it. The results show that plots with farmyard manure had higher density and biomass of earthworms. We observed that the type of tillage significantly affected earthworm populations: plots that had been ploughed with mouldboard ploughing (soil inversion) the year prior to sampling presented more juveniles. The biomass of earthworms was significantly lower in plots with green manures and chiselling. Our results indicated that the combination of chiselling and green manures were not optimal for earthworm populations, but organic fertilization played a considerably more important role and enhanced their abundances.
The use of composted manures and of legumes in crop rotations may control the quality and quantity of soil organic matter and may affect nutrient retention and recycling. We studied soil organic C ...and N stocks and N mineralization in organically and conventionally managed dryland arable soils. We selected 13 extensive organic fields managed organically for 10 yr or more as well as adjacent fields managed conventionally. Organic farmers applied composted manures ranging from 0 to 1380 kg C ha−1 yr−1 and incorporated legumes in crop rotations. In contrast, conventional farmers applied fresh manures combined with slurries and/or mineral fertilizers ranging from 200 to 1900 kg C ha−1 yr−1 and practiced a cereal monoculture. Despite the fact that the application of organic C was similar in both farming systems, organically managed soils showed higher C and similar N content and lower bulk density than conventionally managed soils. Moreover, organic C stocks responded to the inputs of organic C in manures and to the presence of legumes only in organically managed soils. In contrast, stocks of organic N increased with the inputs of N or C in both farming systems. In organically managed soils, organic N stocks were less mineralizable than in conventional soils. However, N mineralization in organic soils was sensitive to the N fixation rates of legumes and to application rate and C/N ratio of the organic fertilizers.
QUESTIONS: Do both current and past (short‐term) farming practices and landscape characteristics have an effect on the diversity of characteristic and rare arable plant communities in organic fields? ...What is the role of farm management strategies, apart from farm spatial configuration, in determining the diversity components of these species sets? LOCATION: Thirty‐two farms scattered across NE Spain (Catalonia). METHODS: Specialist species of arable fields, belonging to the Secalietalia cerealis Br‐Bl. 1936, were surveyed at the edges of organically managed fields. We assessed the effects of farm management and landscape characteristics at the field and farm scales on α‐, β‐ and γ‐diversity values of these characteristic arable species. Analyses were also conducted on a subset of Secalietalia species that are considered to be rare. Statistical analyses were performed using multimodel inference determined on the basis of all possible models from an a priori set. RESULTS: Field variables, such as years since conversion to organic management, proportion of cereal crops in the rotation and autumn sowing, had a positive effect, whereas growing non‐cereal crops and fertilization had a negative effect on the richness of characteristic species. The field area had a positive effect on the species richness of characteristic and rare arable plants. At the farm level, the proportion of cereal crop fields to the total amount of fields affected both β and γ characteristic diversity. The landscape variables at the farm level only influenced the β‐diversity of rare species. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of management and landscape on arable weed diversity depended on whether the field or the farm is the focus of the analysis. Characteristic and rare arable species were more affected by factors operating at local scales. Characteristic species richness responded positively to sowing cereal crops, autumn sowing and periodic soil disturbances but was negatively affected by slurry fertilization. Thus, policies promoting some of the former practices should favour characteristic arable species and mitigate the decline of the rare arable species.
Questions: The assembly of arable weed communities is the result of local filtering by agricultural management and crop competition. Therefore, soil seed banks can reflect the effects of long‐term ...cumulative field management and crop sequences on weed communities. Moreover, soil seed banks provide strong estimates of future weed problems but also of potential arable plant diversity and associated ecological functions. For this, we evaluated the effects of different long‐term farming systems under the same crop rotation sequence on the abundance, diversity and community assembly of weed seed bank, as well as on the functional diversity and composition.
Location: DOK (biodynamic D, bioorganic O, conventional K) long‐term trial, Therwil, Switzerland.
Methods: The effects of long‐term contrasted farming systems (i.e., biodynamic, organic, conventional, mineral and unfertilised systems) and last crop sown (i.e., wheat and maize) were evaluated on different indicators of species and functional diversity and composition of the weed soil seed bank.
Results: The results showed significant influences of 40 years of contrasted farming systems on the diversity and composition of the seed bank, with higher diversities being found in unfertilised and organic farming systems, but also higher abundances than those found under conventional systems. Organic farming also allowed higher functional richness, dispersion and redundancy. Different farming systems triggered shifts in species and functional assemblies.
Conclusions: The results highlight the importance of organic management for the maintenance of a diverse arable plant community and its functions. However, such results emphasise the need for appropriate yearly management to reduce the abundance of settled weediness and prevent affecting crop production. The farm management filtered community composition based on functional traits. Although the soil seed bank buffers the long‐term farming and crop sequence, the last crop sown and, thus, the yearly management were important determinants of seed bank composition.
The effects of contrasting long‐term farming systems of the DOK (biodynamic D, bioorganic O, conventional K) trial on the species and functional composition of the soil seed bank were assessed. The study confirms the importance of organic management for the maintenance of a diverse arable community and its functions, if yearly management reduces settled weed abundances.
The intensification of farming practices has reduced weed infestations, but it has also led to a reduction in weed diversity and changes in species composition. These effects are well described for ...aboveground flora; however, it is less clear how these effects might be expressed in the soil weed seedbank. We evaluated the effects of different long-term farm management strategies on the weed seedbank abundance, diversity, and community composition in the DOK (bioDynamic, bioOrganic, and Konventionell) field trial established in 1978 at Therwil, Switzerland. The trial compares biodynamic, organic, and conventional farming systems, which mainly differ in fertilization, weed control strategies, and pest control. The species richness and seed abundance of the weed seedbank were higher in the organic and biodynamic systems compared with the conventional ones. The different farming systems favored shifts in species assemblages, because specific management practices, such as herbicide application and type of fertilization, acted as filters that selected against certain species but promoted others that were more adapted.
Characteristic arable weed species of dryland cereal fields have undergone significant declines, due to agricultural intensification, to the point that some of them are considered rare. Crop edges ...host higher abundances of arable weed species, therefore they may act as a refuge for the conservation of these rare arable species. Using mesocosms, we experimentally tested how conditions at field edges (i.e. lower sowing densities and less intensive fertiliser applications) operate on the growth (biomass and height) and reproduction (reproductive biomass and flower onset) of six rare arable species. We found the rare arable species achieved lower biomass when growing with wheat compared with growing alone, and biomass of most of species was lower under high wheat sowing density than under low sowing density. In contrast, fertiliser application affected only two of the six arable species tested, especially when they were growing alone. Although the time to flowering was not affected by the conditions tested, reproductive biomass showed the same trends as overall biomass. These results indicate that conservation of rare arable species must primarily consider reductions in crop competition to increase their biomass and reproductive ability.
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