On Wednesday (July 1st), William Ashworth formally nailed his doctoral thesis “Harvesting reed (Phragmites australis): Possibilities, challenges, and considerations for coastal ecosystems and feed production” in the Aqua room at Ultuna in Uppsala.
– Thanks to everyone who has helped in the completion of this thesis. You know what they say, it takes a village to raise a PhD student! The provided fika should be sufficient compensation, says Will.
In his thesis, Will examines whether harvesting common reed can provide both environmental and agricultural benefits. Will evaluates how reed harvesting affects coastal ecosystems and whether harvested reed can be used as livestock feed. His results show that harvesting can help control reed overgrowth, remove nutrients linked to eutrophication, and support biodiversity when managed appropriately. Reed can also be used as feed for some livestock, although nutritional limitations and low intake may suggest further processing and optimized harvesting strategies are needed. Overall, the study highlights reed harvesting as a potential tool for sustainable coastal management and resource production.
Will together with his main supervisor Örjan Östman.
Would you like to attend the defence? You are warmly welcome to Uppsala on Friday, August 21 at 9 am.
When: Friday August 21, 9-12 am.
Where: Lennart Kenne’s room, BioCentre, SLU Ultuna campus.
Join online: Zoom. Passcode: 848424
Here you can read the thesis Harvesting reed (Phragmites australis): Possibilities, challenges, and considerations for coastal ecosystems and feed production.