When wolves kill sheep in Brandenburg, conservation and agriculture come into direct conflict. Similar tensions exist around the world. In Namibia’s Zambezi Region, however, they play out under very different conditions. People, livestock, and wildlife not only share the same landscape, but many families also rely directly on crop farming and livestock to make a living. When elephants destroy crops, lions kill cattle, or large wild animals threaten people’s safety, entire households’ livelihoods can be at risk. At the same time, these very animals are a major economic asset—Namibia is one of Africa’s best-known safari destinations. A research team led by University of Potsdam ecologist Anja Linstädter investigated how these competing interests intersect in the Zambezi Region. Their study shows that sustainable solutions must balance the needs of agriculture, conservation, and tourism.

A new study has uncovered a previously overlooked pathway linking road traffic pollution and cultivated crops. While plant uptake of tire wear-derived contaminants was already known, this study is among the first to show under environmentally realistic conditions that tire wear particles themselves act as short- and long-term sources of contamination, gradually released into soil. The research demonstrates that tire particles released due to tire abortion do not simply accumulate in the environment as microplastics; they also serve as reservoirs of toxic additives that may be released into the agricultural systems and potentially enter the food chain. The findings, published in Environmental Research, provide new insight into how everyday road traffic may contribute to contaminant exposure through food production.

RMIT has launched its Food Innovation Hub at the University’s Bundoora campus, strengthening future food research, education and workforce development in Melbourne’s north and across Australia.