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This review addresses the growing demand for sustainable alternatives to conventional synthetic nets used in marine and agricultural applications, which are often persistent, poorly degradable, and difficult to manage at end of life. It examines recent developments in biodegradable polymers—particularly polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), and poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT)—alongside reinforced blends and nanocomposites designed to improve mechanical performance and degradation behavior under real-world conditions. Strategies based on the regeneration of discarded nets, especially those made from polyamide 6 (PA6), are also considered for their potential to close material loops and reduce environmental leakage. A critical analysis of current testing protocols and regulatory frameworks is provided to assess their suitability for novel materials. In addition, this study highlights the emergence of multifunctional nets capable of providing environmental sensing or biological support, marking a transition toward adaptive and ecosystem-responsive designs. Finally, a survey of ongoing European and international projects illustrates scalable pathways for implementing biodegradable and recyclable netting systems, integrating material innovation with circular economy strategies. These findings emphasize the need for harmonized standards, targeted environmental testing, and cross-sectoral collaboration to enable the large-scale adoption of sustainable net technologies.

Metal net cages, with their wave resistance, corrosion resistance, and anti-fouling properties, have gained attention as promising ecological aquaculture systems. The deformation of netting directly affects the effective culture volume under load. This study aims to explore the deformation resistance of metal diamond chain netting and the impact of structural parameters on its deformation characteristics. Using beam and contact elements, this study employs finite element analysis (FEA) to simulate static deformation and validate the model with experimental results. Simulations under various structural parameters were performed to assess the effects of netting solidity and initial tension on bending deformation under concentrated and distributed loads. The results show that both increased solidity and initial tension lead to enhanced bending stiffness and reduced deformation. Specifically, increasing netting solidity from 0.11 to 0.29 reduces displacement by 53.07% and 68.68%, respectively, and force by 71.89% and 41.55%. Similarly, increasing initial tension from 200 N to 300 N results in minor reductions in displacement (3.48% and 3.52%). This study concludes that netting solidity has a more significant effect on deformation than initial tension, which aligns with the experimental results showing greater reductions in displacement and wire force with increasing solidity. These findings support the model’s validity and offer guidance for metallic netting design.

Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is a new frugivorous pest of raspberries and other soft fruits in North America, causing infestation of fruit at harvest time. Control of this pest has primarily been through the application of broad-spectrum insecticides to prevent oviposition and larval development, and there is an urgent need for alternative approaches. Over two growing seasons, we compared D. suzukii control in a research planting with insecticide and exclusion treatments in a factorial design, monitoring first-, second-, and third-instar Drosophila larvae in ripening, ripe, and overripe berries. Each of the two control approaches provided significant reduction of infestation in raspberry fruit, but the combination treatment had the lowest overall abundance of larvae in fruit. This pattern was seen for all larval instars in both years. The combination treatment also delayed the first detected larval infestation by 10 d compared to the untreated plots. Exclusion netting applied to commercial size high tunnels resulted in a significant reduction in overall D. suzukii infestation in raspberries, as well as a 3-wk delay in the average first detectable fruit infestation. Raspberry size and quality were not affected by the exclusion treatments, indicating that this approach can be an important component of growers' response to invasion by D. suzukii in temperate climates. We discuss the opportunities and limitations for implementing exclusion netting in raspberry production.

Providing noncrop flowering resources in agricultural landscapes is widely promoted as a strategy to support arthropods that deliver pollination and pest control services. However, management options have largely been developed separately for pollinators and natural enemies, whereas possible effects on insect herbivores, such as crop pests, have often been overlooked. A first critical step for design and implementation of multifunctional plantings that promote beneficial arthropods while controlling insect pests is to identify suitable plant species to use. We aimed to identify California native plants and, more generally, plant traits suitable for the coordinated management of pollinators (wild bees and honeybees), insect herbivores and arthropod natural enemies (predators and parasitic wasps). We established 43 plant species in a common garden experiment and sampled arthropods by weekly netting (wild bees), observations (honeybees), or vacuum sampling (insect herbivores, arthropod predators, and parasitic wasps) during peak bloom of each plant species over 2 years. Plant species differed in attractiveness for each arthropod functional group. Floral area of the focal plant species positively affected honeybee, predator, and parasitic wasp attractiveness. Later bloom period was associated with lower numbers of parasitic wasps. Flower type (actinomorphic, composite, or zygomorphic) predicted attractiveness for honeybees, which preferred actinomorphic over composite flowers and for parasitic wasps, which preferred composite flowers over actinomorphic flowers. Across plant species, herbivore, predator, and parasitic wasp abundances were positively correlated, and honeybee abundance correlated negatively to herbivore abundance. Synthesis and applications. We use data from our common garden experiment to inform evidence‐based selection of plants that support pollinators and natural enemies without enhancing potential pests. We recommend selecting plant species with a high floral area per ground area unit, as this metric predicts the abundances of several groups of beneficial arthropods. Multiple correlations between functionally important arthropod groups across plant species stress the importance of a multifunctional approach to arthropod habitat management. We use data from our common garden experiment to inform evidence‐based selection of plants that support pollinators and natural enemies without enhancing potential pests. We recommend selecting plant species with a high floral area per ground area unit, as this metric predicts the abundances of several groups of beneficial arthropods. Multiple correlations between functionally important arthropod groups across plant species stress the importance of a multifunctional approach to arthropod habitat management.

Researchers commonly use mist nets to study avian populations. Although studies have concluded that the risk of mortality from netting is low, few have examined the effect of minor injuries on long-term survival. We used data on Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) consisting of 206 birds with leg injuries and 206 non-injured birds caught at the same time during mark-recapture in southwestern Nebraska, USA, 1986–2013. The injuries were primarily cuts from mist-net tangling around the legs and toes and often produced a small amount of bleeding. Mark-recapture analysis showed that the probability of apparent annual survival of injured birds was 0.52, which was similar to that of 0.51 for non-injured birds. Our results suggest that small cuts to the legs and toes of Cliff Swallows during mist-netting do not result in long-term harm and support the widely held assumption that mist-netting is in general safe even when minor injuries occur. Las personas investigadoras utilizan habitualmente redes de niebla para estudiar las poblaciones de aves. Aunque estudios han concluido que es bajo el riesgo de mortalidad por el uso de redes, pocos han examinado el efecto de las lesiones leves en la supervivencia a largo plazo. Utilizamos datos de la golondrina Petrochelidon pyrrhonota que consistieron en 206 aves con lesiones en las patas y 206 aves no lesionadas capturadas al mismo tiempo durante el marcado-recaptura en el suroeste de Nebraska, EE.UU., 1986–2013. Las lesiones eran principalmente heridas producidas por enredos de la red de niebla alrededor de las patas y los dedos de los pies y a menudo sangraban un poco. El análisis de marcado-recaptura mostró que la probabilidad de supervivencia anual aparente de las aves con lesiones era de 0.52, similar a la de las aves no lesionadas (0.51). Nuestros resultados sugieren que las pequeños heridas en las patas y los dedos de los pies de Petrochelidon pyrrhonota durante la captura con redes de niebla no producen daños a largo plazo y apoyan la suposición generalizada de que la captura con redes de niebla es en general segura incluso cuando se producen heridas leves. PALABRAS CLAVE anillamiento de aves; golondrina; métodos; redes de neblina; mortalidad; Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

Innovative techniques, such as environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding, are now promoting broader biodiversity monitoring at unprecedented scales, because of the reduction in time, presumably lower cost, and methodological efficiency. Our goal was to assess the efficiency of established inventory techniques (live-trapping grids, pitfall traps, camera trapping, mist netting) as well as eDNA for detecting Amazonian mammals. For terrestrial small mammals, we used 32 live-trapping grids based on Sherman and Tomahawk traps (total effort of 10,368 trap-nights); in addition to 16 pitfall traps (1,408 trap-nights). For bats, we used mist nets at 8 sites (4,800 net hours). For medium and large mammals, we used 72 camera trap stations (5,208 camera-days). We identified vertebrate and mammal taxa based on eDNA analysis (12S region, with V05 and Mamm01 markers) from water samples, including a total of 11 3-km transects for stagnant water sampling and seven small streams for running water sampling. A total of 106 mammal species were recorded. Building on sample-based rarefaction and extrapolation curves, both trapping grids and pitfall were successful, recording 91.16% and 82.1% of the expected species for these techniques (~22 and ~9 species), and 16.98% and 6.60% of the total recorded mammal species, respectively. Mist nets recorded 83.2% of the expected bat species (~48), and 34.91% of the total recorded species. Camera trapping recorded 99.2% of the predicted large- and medium-sized species (~31), and 33.02% of the total recorded species. eDNA recorded 75.4% of the expected mammal species for this technique (~68), and 47.0% of the total recorded species. eDNA resulted in a useful tool that saves on effort and reduces sampling costs. This study is among the first to show the large potential of eDNA metabarcoding for assessing Amazonian mammal communities, providing, in combination with conventional techniques, a rapid overview of mammal diversity with broad applications to monitoring, management and conservation. By including appropriate genetic markers and updated reference databases, eDNA metabarcoding method can be extended to the whole vertebrate community.

Broccoli ( Brassica oleracea var. botrytis ) was first cultivated in the 17th century. In the United States, 101,100 acres are under broccoli production. In organic broccoli production, insect pests cause serious damage and yield loss. Some pests are region specific, and some are common across the world like aphids (Aphididae) and mites (Acari). Pests like imported cabbage worms ( Pieris rapae ), cabbage loopers ( Trichoplusia ni ), and diamondback moths ( Plutella xylostella ) affect different stages of crop growth. Organic pesticides to manage these pests have mixed results and account for increased labor and costs. Mesotunnels could serve as a viable pest management approach within organic production systems. “Meso” means “middle”; therefore, mesotunnel refers to a medium-size tunnel, taller than low tunnels but shorter than high tunnels. Exclusion netting made of high-density polyethylene yarn is placed over the mesotunnels. The net acts as a barrier for insect pests and prevents their entry and disease-carrying pathogens. It is breathable and light permissible and protects the crop from extreme weather conditions like hail. This study investigates the potential use of mesotunnels as a pest management tool and its impact on crop growth, yield, and quality. The study included the following treatments: (1) mesotunnels with exclusion netting, (2) Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI)–listed insecticides, and (3) control (no mesotunnels or OMRI-listed insecticides). In the second year of the study, an additional treatment of exclusion netting + OMRI-listed insecticide was added. The mesotunnel treatment reduced insect damage (number of holes per plant) by 59% when compared with OMRI-listed insecticide treatment. There were no significant differences in the number of marketable heads in either year. Mesotunnels increased relative humidity by 2.7% when compared with uncovered plants, while decreasing light intensity by 34%. Furthermore, no differences were observed in air temperature between the mesotunnel and uncovered treatment. Even though the study did not find significant differences in the marketable number of heads, mesotunnels can be deployed as an environmentally friendly pest management tool as they eliminate the need for insecticide applications. For optimal results, transplants should be scouted before establishment, and if pests are present, an initial organic insecticide application should be made before covering with mesotunnels. Further research integrating mesotunnels with beneficial insects could enhance pest suppression and improve overall system performance in organic broccoli production.