Earlier efforts to assess anthropogenic impacts on river greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions mainly relied on local-scale data, overlooking how cross-boundary factors such as climate, topography, socio-economic and demographic context shape river pollution and GHG emissions. To better understand the influence of urbanization and agriculture on riverine GHG fluxes, we measured fluxes at 156 sites across four river basins and continents. We linked land use and demographic contexts to river biogeochemistry via the human footprint methodology and explainable machine learning. Rivers crossing densely populated areas became CH4 hotspots when waste generation outpaced treatment capacity, as untreated effluents and flow-controlled urban channels, increased residence times and promoted anoxic conditions conducive to methanogenesis. These rivers emitted two times more than other land use classes and up to 200 times more than urban sites with adequate infrastructure. Cropland sites exhibited the highest CO2 and N2O fluxes, which were double those from urban sites, driven by agricultural practices promoting lateral transport delivering both substrates (nutrients and organic matter) and dissolved GHGs to rivers. These results demonstrate that pollution from human activities, rather than river size or Strahler order, is the dominant control on river GHG fluxes. Accordingly, improving land and wastewater management to reduce pollutants entering rivers could significantly mitigate elevated riverine GHG emissions.

Fjord systems play a crucial role in the burial and long-term storage of organic carbon (OC). Despite their importance, Greenland's fjords remain underrepresented in global carbon budgets, even though accelerated melt of the Ice Sheet alters these ecosystems through increased freshwater discharge and iceberg calving, ultimately driving glacier retreat inland. This study compares sediment TOC, TN, and Chl-a content as well as delta 13C, delta 15N and organic carbon burial rates (OCBRs) in two neighbouring Greenland fjords: Nuup Kangerlua, dominated by marine-terminating glaciers (MTGs), and Ameralik, influenced by a land-terminating glacier (LTG). Although subglacial upwelling enhances primary productivity in Nuup Kangerlua, this does not translate into correspondingly higher surface sediment organic matter content or significantly higher OCBRs compared to Ameralik, where no such upwelling occurs. Instead, the average OCBRs were similar between the two fjords with 18.0 +/- 1.6 g C m-2 yr-1 in Nuup Kangerlua and 16.2 +/- 1.7 g C m-2 yr-1 in Ameralik. In Nuup Kangerlua, sediment Chl-a content in the upper 10 cm ranged from 0.08 to 9.8 mu g g-1 and TOC from 0.05 % to 1.32 %, whereas in Ameralik they ranged from 0.35 to 20.1 mu g g-1 and 0.13 % to 2.43 %, respectively. The elevated values in Ameralik are linked to a deep depositional basin that promotes OC accumulation and strongly contributes to the relatively high average OCBR. Furthermore, between 8 % and 28 % of the annual surface production in Nuup Kangerlua is ultimately buried in the sediments, whereas this proportion is substantially higher in Ameralik: 25 % to 62 %. The weaker coupling between surface production and sedimentary OC burial in Nuup Kangerlua versus Ameralik underscores the need for further research to disentangle the interactions driving primary production, carbon transfer in the food web, and the lateral and vertical transport, degradation and preservation of OC in fjord sediments.

Despite their increasing recognition in global greenhouse gas (GHG) budgets, riverine emission estimates face challenges from data gaps and methodological inconsistencies. To evaluate these challenges, this study reviewed 568 publications on riverine emissions published from 2011 to 2024. We analyzed monitoring methods, influencing variables, data characteristics, and emission pathways, using PRISMA protocol. River research represents only 8 % of all aquatic GHG studies, with a strong geographical bias toward large rivers, especially in Asia (52 %). Small rivers remain underrepresented despite their potentially substantial contributions. Current monitoring approaches are dominated by small-scale methods (floating chambers: ∼30 %; headspace method: ∼50 %) that are accurate yet have poor spatiotemporal representation. Large-scale methods utilizing remote sensing and unmanned platforms comprise less than 5 % of applications, leaving critical gaps in regional-scale assessments. Most studies (64 %) span less than one year with low-frequency sampling (39 % one-time snapshots), limiting comprehensive understanding of temporal dynamics. Researchers have focused primarily on instream variables that directly affect local GHG production (90 %), while basin-scale factors have received less attention. We propose a decision tree framework for selecting optimal methods based on spatiotemporal scales, available resources, and emission pathways. Future monitoring approach should integrate small- and large-scale measurements to combine accuracy with broader coverage. Furthermore, isotope and molecular analyses, underutilized in 85 % of studies, can clarify underlying biogeochemical processes and microbial activities. Their integration will thereby reduce uncertainties in global riverine GHG inventories and support more effective mitigation strategies.

Atmospheric deposition is a critical driver of biogeochemical cycling in forest ecosystems. Among the pathways of deposition, throughfall (TF) — precipitation that has interacted with the forest canopy — plays a significant role in the input of atmospheric substances and canopy leachates to the forest floor. We investigated the influence of airborne pollen deposited in TF on its chemical composition across 60 Level II plots of the ICP Forests network in eight European countries. Based on 196 TF samples collected during the 2018 early vegetative season, we identified 53 pollen taxa, with Pinus, Picea, Fagus, and Quercus accounting for 91.4

While the introduction of the Neolithic way of life in central Belgium around 5300 BCE is well-documented, the provenance and mobility patterns of Middle to Final Neolithic groups in southern Belgium (Wallonia) remain unclear. This work presents the first multi-element isotopic (strontium, 87Sr/86Sr; oxygen, δ18O; carbon, δ13C) data from prehistoric human dental enamel from the region. The study includes a total of 29 individuals, coming from karstic caves in the Meuse basin, the mining complex of Spiennes, and the megalithic tomb of Wéris II. The study also explores the variability of bioavailable strontium ratios in the geologically heterogeneous Meuse basin using modern plants. The analysis of multi-element isotopic data reveals high δ18O values and diverse 87Sr/86Sr ratios. The findings suggest that these individuals likely originated from or spent their childhood in present-day Belgium. Furthermore, the study highlights limited mobility during the Final Neolithic period, characterized by a combination of local residency and potential short-distance mobility or post-mortem movements. Overall, this study provides the first δ18O values from ancient human remains in the region and reshapes our understanding of human mobility during the Neolithic in present-day Belgium.

Wetlands play a crucial role in global greenhouse gas (GHG) dynamics, yet their response to climate change is not yet fully understood. Here, we investigate how increasing temperature and oxygen availability interact to regulate wetland GHG emissions through combined analysis of biogeochemical and functional gene measurements. We found distinct temperature-dependent shifts in carbon emission pathways, with CO2 emissions unexpectedly declining as temperature rose from 15 to 25 °C, while increasing consistently at higher temperatures (25-35 °C), reflecting a transition to more thermally-driven processes. Conversely, CH4 production exhibited exceptionally high temperature sensitivity in the lower range (Q10 = 32.3 ± 2.4 in oxic conditions) before normalizing at higher temperatures (Q10 = 4.1 ± 2.2), suggesting a fundamental shift from aerobic respiration to methanogenesis dominance when temperature increases. Similarly, N2O production pathways transitioned from nitrification-dominated at lower temperatures to denitrification-dominated at higher temperatures, supported by substantial changes in ammonia-oxidizing (amoA AOA and amoA AOB) and denitrifying (nirK, nirS, and nosZ) gene expression. We observed unexpectedly high CH4 production and denitrification activity under oxic conditions, particularly at elevated temperatures, suggesting that anoxic microsites play a crucial role in wetland GHG dynamics. These findings reveal the complex interactions between temperature, oxygen availability and microbial processes in the wetland ecosystem, which underscores the need for incorporating pathway-specific temperature sensitivities into climate models to better predict wetland responses to global change.

Mycorrhizal fungi enhance plant access to nitrogen (N) in nutrient-poor environments like the Arctic tundra by depolymerizing N-rich organic compounds into forms available to plants and microbes. As climate change reshapes plant communities and mycorrhizal associations, shifting dominance from herbaceous species to shrubs, changes in mycorrhizal type and plant species dominance may differentially stimulate N cycling. Both dominant and rare species, along with mycorrhizal associations, contribute to ecosystem processes and stability, though the specific roles of these components in N cycling and overall ecosystem functioning remain uncertain. We investigated how mycorrhizal associations and plant diversity affect gross N mineralization and nitrification rates in an Oroarctic ecosystem. Four years after a plant removal treatment, we measured these rates using in situ 15N labelling and quantified a selection of nitrification genes. Treatment plots included (1) unmanipulated (Control); or the removal of: (2) ectomycorrhizal (EcM) and ericoid mycorrhizal (ErM) plants, letting arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and non-mycorrhizal (NM) plants dominate (AM/NM); (3) AM and NM plants, letting EcM and ErM plants dominate (EcM/ErM); (4) low-abundance species, leaving the most abundant species (Dominant); and (5) high-abundance species, leaving only the low-abundance species (Rare). Gross N mineralization rates were 73 % and 78 % higher in EcM/ErM and Dominant, respectively, compared to Control, while AM/NM and Rare showed more moderate increases of 30 % and 46 %. Gross nitrification was also highest in EcM/ErM, with a 26 % increase over Control. Gene abundances did not mirror nitrification patterns. Archaeal ammonia oxidizers (AOA), Nitrospira-type nitrite oxidizers (NIS), and comammox clade A (ComaA) were consistently more abundant than bacterial ammonia oxidizers (AOB), Nitrobacter-type nitrite oxidizers (NIB), and comammox clade B (ComaB), suggesting a stable site-level nitrifier community. Dominant had the lowest gene copy numbers overall, except for AOB, which was highest. In addition, AOA gene abundance was significantly lower in Dominant compared to Control, with a marginal reduction observed for NIS. Our findings highlight the key role of EcM/ErM fungi in accelerating N cycling in Oroarctic soils, challenging traditional assumptions that N transformation rates are slow in EcM/ErM dominated ecosystems. These insights underscore the need to consider mycorrhizal associations and plant community composition when predicting tundra ecosystem responses to environmental change.

Human displacements, especially those driven by violent conflicts forcing sudden population migrations, wield profound and enduring impacts on landscapes, instigating substantial disruptions to the natural environment. Beyond immediate destruction, these consequences pose challenges to ecosystem health, food security, and biodiversity conservation, particularly exacerbated in the absence of effective governance. Traditional land management practices, agriculture, and conservation efforts are disrupted, constraining the implementation of long or medium-term conservation practices in agriculture. These disruptions may contribute to increased erosion and sediment transport, depleting soil nutrients and resulting in natural disasters such as flash floods, landslides, and water quality degradation. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced in regions experiencing high rainfall intensity, coupled with inadequate land use and agricultural management practices. Understanding the primary factors behind the last decades escalation in land degradation and subsequent sediment export is crucial to prevent further ecosystem degradation and heightened instability in conflict-affected areas. To address this, we have developed an integrated approach involving core sampling, sediment fingerprinting techniques, high-resolution sediment sampling, and automated remote sensing routines to pinpoint hotspot areas and track conservation efforts. Using the Lake Kivu region as a case study, situated on the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, an area marked by prolonged violent conflict since the early 1990s, we evaluate the applicability of this combined approach. The preliminary results from the multiple techniques independently suggest an increasing trend in exported sediment over the last decade. This trend is particularly pronounced in areas characterized by high instability and economic challenges. In contrast, relatively more stable regions exhibit a stabilization in sedimentation rates. This stability is attributed primarily to the implementation of conservation practices and the presence of robust transport infrastructures, both playing crucial roles in landscape conservation. Results underscore the method's effectiveness in elucidating lasting effects on landscapes impacted by 'polycrisis', necessitating consolidated and comprehensive responses over mere technical solutions. The research objective is to target specific areas within conflict-affected regions, with a focus on mitigating environmental degradation and associated challenges.

Wetland greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions represent a major component of global climate feedbacks, driven by complex biogeochemical processes that regulate carbon and nitrogen cycling. However, how bioturbating invertebrates, such as sludge worms (Tubifex tubifex), regulate these underlying microbial and physicochemical mechanisms remains poorly understood. Here, we conducted controlled microcosm incubations at 15, 25, and 35°C to examine how increasing temperatures modulate the influence of these sludge worms on wetland carbon and nitrogen cycling, combining biogeochemical flux measurements with microbial functional gene analysis. We discovered four synergistic mechanisms by which T. tubifex influences wetland biogeochemistry: 1) physical bioturbation creating distinct biogeochemical conditions; 2) respiratory and feeding activities modifying redox conditions; 3) specialized gut microbiomes directly producing GHGs; and 4) continuous microbial inoculation of sediments through excretion. These mechanisms collectively enhanced CH4 and N2O emissions, with N2O fluxes showing a fourfold increases at elevated temperatures. Worm gut microbiomes were primarily regulated by temperature, organic matter, and nitrogen compounds, with the main controlling factors shifting from nutrient availability at lower temperatures to direct thermal stress effects at higher temperatures. Strong metabolic intensity of worm gut microbiomes, with gene expression-to-abundance ratios being up to 2000 times higher than in sediment communities, resulted in their indirect impacts on wetland GHG emissions. At cooler temperatures (15°C), denitrifier genes (nirK and nirS) prevailed in worm guts, whereas higher temperatures (35°C) favored nitrifier genes (amoA AOA and amoA AOB). These findings provide the first comprehensive framework revealing previously underappreciated mechanisms by bioturbating invertebrates amplifying wetland GHG emissions under warming, creating overlooked positive feedback loops in wetland ecosystems.

Phosphorus (P) is crucial for ecosystem functioning, yet primary productivity in many tropical regrowth forests on highly weathered soils is assumed to be limited by P availability. Here, we used an isotope pool dilution (IPD) technique to quantify gross inorganic P (Pi) transformation rates along secondary forest succession trajectories in the central Congo Basin to assess land-use change effects on soil P cycling. We considered gross Pi desorption and gross organic P (PO) mineralization together as a joint influx of Pi into the bicarbonate-extractable Pi pool (BIC-extractable Pi; PBIC), termed "gross mobilization", while gross Pi sorption and gross microbial Pi uptake were treated as a joint efflux of Pi from the PBIC pool, referred to as "gross immobilization". Average gross fluxes ranged between 0.11 and 0.26 mu g P g-1 d-1, which is at the lower end of globally observed soil gross P cycling rates. No significant trends in soil BIC-extractable Pi or Pi fluxes were found along secondary forest succession trajectories, and PBIC showed a rapid turnover time (ca. 2 days). Environmental controls on gross Pi transformation rates varied between sites with the highest gross rates noted for sandy soils, while heavier, clayey soils resulted in lower rates, as well as lower PBIC. Significant predictors for gross Pi fluxes included variables related to microbial activity (tracer recovery in microbial biomass and microbial biomass carbon), as well as the PBIC pool size and dissolved organic carbon, reflecting both biotic and abiotic controls. These findings highlight the importance of microbial and physicochemical characteristics for P cycling in tropical forest soils, especially in landscapes impacted by slash-and-burn agriculture.

•Combined use of isotopic and elemental tracers enhances source discrimination.•Low source discrimination hampers sediment fingerprinting results.•Agricultural practices and storm events are the main drivers of sediment export.•The protective role of vegetation significantly reduces source contribution.

Sustainable cropland management requires preservation of soil organic matter (SOM). In spite of in depth understanding gained from ample field and laboratory studies, we have a poor understanding of landscape scale spatial variation of fresh organic matter (OM) decomposition and its conversion into soil organic carbon (SOC). Particularly, local topographic position may be expected to co-control these processes via soil hydrology. In this study, we sought to identify if such control is significant by setting up a field experiment with two contrasting positions across 10 gently sloping cropland fields covering three different soil texture groups, i.e. loamy sand, (sandy) loam and silt loam. We wanted to link OM decomposition to within-field differences in soil moisture, whilst keeping variation in other soil and management factors minimal. Specifically, mesocosms with 13C enriched ryegrass (the OM source) were incorporated in the fields for ten weeks and afterwards, soil was separated into > 500 mu m, 53 - 500 mu m and < 53 m sized fractions. Overall, we found that lower located positions were wetter than higher positions with average differences of 11 %, 20 % and 16 % in water-filled pore space for the loamy sand, (sandy) loam and silt loam soil, respectively. Mineralization of added OM was surprisingly independent of landscape position, even though moisture conditions appeared wetter than optimal at the low but not at the high landscape positions. Remaining ryegrass residues > 500 mu m did follow local topography-driven gradients in soil moisture with higher amounts in low landscape positions. In other words, drier conditions at high landscape positions improved coarse OM decomposition, with consequently more ryegrass-carbon (C) ending up in finer soil fractions (< 500 m). Additionally, soil texture affected decomposition of the smallest fraction (< 53 m) with a stabilizing effect for finer-textured (silt loam) soils. We conclude that, despite significant contrasts in moisture conditions between landscape positions, within-field spatial variability of OM mineralization was overall limited during the observed wet summer period. Nevertheless, landscape position affected the quality of remnant unmineralized C, with relatively more conversion of freshly added OM into OM associated with silt and clay at the drier higher positions, potentially improving the long-term stability of SOM. Likewise observations under different weather conditions are needed to evaluate the necessity of precise modelling of local soil hydrology for predicting SOC stock evolution on the landscape scale.

Several collagen extraction protocols are described in the literature, but most lack detailed descriptions of the laboratory manipulations and the specific material used. This collagen extraction protocol described here largely follows Longin's (1971) with a few changes. Shortly; The full bone is demineralised using diluted HCl (0.2 to 0.5M). This is followed by removing humic acids using a short NaOH rinse, and by solubilisation and filtration of the collagen. This protocol aims to provide collagen of appropriate quality for both stable isotope analysis and 14C dating, at a low cost and with a decent duration. This protocol was found to also be suitable, with minor adaptations, to badly preserved samples.

With an increasing world population of nearly eight billion which is expected to expand towards nine billion by 2050, future food demands will rise unavoidably. Primary productivity of crop is at the center of the food and feed value chain. Excessive and low efficiency fertilization cause severe environmental and ecological problems, along with economic wastage. Next to fertilizers, also pesticides, plant growth regulators and other agrochemicals (e.g., stored animal manure and hormones) pose environmental issues and require specific technologies to ensure security of human health and the global ecosystem while increasing food productions. There is an agronomic, legal and environmental 'demand' to develop controlled release solutions to optimize agricultural practices. In this regard, (polymer) chemistry can offer a wide range of strategies to cope with the current issues related to biodegradation, overfertilization, pesticide use, efficient precision agriculture etc. through tailored material design allowing controlled active components release. Therefore, this review focusses on (polymer) chemical strategies to design controlled release systems in the agricultural industry, covering specifically the state-of-the-art from the past four years.

Tidal wetlands are one of the major sources of CH4 and N2O in natural systems to the atmosphere; yet we still lack insights into the impact of their biogeochemical dynamics on the emissions of these greenhouse gases (GHGs). Here, we investigated the CH4 and N2O sources in four tidal wetlands ranging from freshwater to polyhaline with a focus on their production pathways. By using natural abundance isotopes and functional marker genes, we found that salinity level, sediment moisture content, quantity and quality of organic carbon (OC) and nutrients were major drivers of the wetland CH4 and N2O emissions. As the salinity levels decreased in the tidal wetlands, both the labile nature and concentration of nutrients and OC increased. These conditions favored methanogenesis as indicated in the abundance and expression of mcrA and the CH4 emissions from the freshwater wetland. Conversely, higher salinity depressed organic matter decomposition rates and microbial activities, causing much lower CH4 production in the saline wetlands. Isotope mapping revealed that denitrification contributed mainly to wetland N2O emissions (80-90%), reflected in the strong expression of denitrifier marker genes nirS, nirK, and nosZ and low nosZ:nir ratio. Nitrification played an important role in wetland N2O emissions at high NH4+ and low salinity levels. This condition was the case in the freshwater wetland - the strongest N2O emitter - where we found the highest NH4+ concentrations and the most abundant and expressed nitrifier marker genes amoA AOA and amoA AOB. Methanogen and denitrifier marker genes were more abundant and expressed at the surface layer compared to the subsurface layer, implying the presence of methane and denitrification paradoxes in the tidal wetlands. This study paves a way for the coupling of isotope and functional gene analyses to deeply explore GHG formation pathways and responsible microbial activities in dynamic wetland systems.

Sediment fingerprinting quantifies soil erosion processes by tracing sediment origins in water bodies. In this regard, several types of tracers have been used to discriminate different sediment sources. Stable isotopic composition of fatty acids is associated with land use/vegetation cover, while elemental composition is related to different mineralogy. Isotopic tracers are characterised by their isotopic ratio and total content, requiring specific fingerprinting models. Consequently, this has led to few studies combining elemental and isotopic tracers. In this context, our analysis explores merging isotopic and elemental tracers to identify sediment sources in an ungauged Mediterranean mountain catchment. This catchment features consistent lithology, seasonal streams, and a history of land use changes, shifting from rangelands to croplands for increased agricultural production and later reverting to natural revegetation due to mid-20th-century land abandonment. Achieving effective source discrimination in these intricate landscapes remains a significant challenge, emphasising the need for diverse tracer integration. To explore this possibility, we collected composite source samples from three distinct land uses: cropland, Mediterranean forest, and pine forest, as well as two geomorphic features: highly disturbed areas such as exposed subsoil and channel banks. By considering these diverse sampling locations, we aim to capture the variability in sediment sources within the catchment. Our dataset spans one full hydrological year, allowing us to analyse sediment dynamics throughout different seasons and hydrological events. First, the Conservative Balance (CB) method was applied to integrate isotopic ratio and total content of each fatty acid into a single weighted tracer. Combining the weighted fatty acid (WFA) with elemental composition tracers significantly enhanced source discrimination, underlining the utility of employing diverse tracers for challenging source discrimination. The apportionment results revealed that agriculture, channel banks, and subsoils were the primary contributors, accounting for an average contribution of 29%, 39%, and 30% across most seasons. In contrast, sediment sources characterised by more permanent vegetation cover and minimal human influence, such as pine afforestation and Mediterranean forest, exhibited negligible contributions. The findings indicate the substantial impact of agricultural practices in Mediterranean agroecosystems, especially during storm events, on catchment hydrodynamics and sediment export. Additionally, despite their limited coverage, degraded areas significantly contributed to overall sediment dynamics through severe soil loss. By unravelling the hydrological implications of these sediment sources, our study provides valuable insights into the interplay between land use, hydrological processes, and sediment dynamics in Mediterranean mountain catchments.

Tidal wetlands play a critical role in emitting greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere; our understanding of the intricate interplay between natural processes and human activities shaping their biogeochemistry and GHG emissions remains lacking. In this study, we delve into the spatiotemporal dynamics and key drivers of the GHG emissions from five tidal wetlands in the Scheldt Estuary by focusing on the interactive impacts of salinity and water pollution, two factors exhibiting contrasting gradients in this estuarine system: pollution escalates as salinity declines. Our findings reveal a marked escalation in GHG emissions when moving upstream, primarily attributed to increased concentrations of organic matter and nutrients, coupled with reduced levels of dissolved oxygen and pH. These low water quality conditions not only promote methanogenesis and denitrification to produce CH4 and N2O, respectively, but also shift the carbonate equilibria towards releasing more CO2. As a result, the most upstream freshwater wetland was the largest GHG emitter with a global warming potential around 35 to 70 times higher than the other wetlands. When moving seaward along a gradient of decreasing urbanization and increasing salinity, wetlands become less polluted and are characterized by lower concentrations of NO3-, TN and TOC, which induces stronger negative impact of elevated salinity on the GHG emissions from the saline wetlands. Consequently, these meso-to polyhaline wetlands released considerably smaller amounts of GHGs. These findings emphasize the importance of integrating management strategies, such as wetland restoration and pollution prevention, that address both natural salinity gradients and human-induced water pollution to effectively mitigate GHG emissions from tidal wetlands.

This study represents the first extensive residue analysis of prehistoric pottery from northern Belgium. It examines pottery use and culinary practices across the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition, from the late 6th to the early 4th millennium cal BC. Residue analyses were performed on more than 200 samples from nine archaeological sites, representing different cultural groups from this transitional phase. This includes the analysis of charred food residues encrusted on the vessel surfaces by elemental analysis-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-IRMS), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), stereomicroscopic analysis and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), as well as the analysis of absorbed lipids by gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS). This study provides the first evidence of ruminant dairy fats in Early Neolithic Limburg pottery, supporting the hypothesis that this pottery was produced and used by LBK farmers rather than hunter-gatherer populations. The first indigenous pottery of the Swifterbant culture was frequently used to process freshwater fish (often together with plant foods) and ruminant meat, although several of the studied vessels likely contained mixtures of resources which could also include porcine products. Ruminant dairy is nearly absent from this pottery. Similar results were obtained for pottery of the subsequent Michelsberg culture/Group of Spiere of the late 5th and early 4th millennium cal BC. The limited presence of ruminant dairy fats in this pottery contrasts with the findings for Middle Neolithic pottery from neighbouring regions, providing further evidence for the existence of regional variations in pottery use or culinary practices throughout prehistoric NW Europe. However, our current view of pottery use during the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition in northern Belgium might be biased by the difficulties in distinguishing between wild and domesticated ruminant adipose fats as well as in detecting plant foods through lipid residue analysis.