Publications
NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.
2024
Authors
Anders Nielsen Bjørn Arild Hatteland Jo Skeie Hermansen Lawrence Richard Kirkendall Claus Rasmussen Kristin Opdal Seljetun Markus A. K. Sydenham Henning Sørum Paul Ragnar Berg Anders Bryn Kjetil Hindar Kyrre Kausrud Tor Atle Mo Erlend Birkeland Nilsen Brett Kevin Sandercock Eva Bonsak Thorstad Gaute VelleAbstract
Background Pollinators are under threat from a variety of environmental drivers, including habitat loss and fragmentation, pesticides, climate change, and invasive species. Despite being domesticated animals, honey bees (Apis mellifera) share many traits with invasive species and several studies have suggested that beekeeping might pose a threat to wild bees and other pollinators. In Norway, the history of beekeeping dates to at least the 18th century, yet little is known about the consequences of this agricultural practice on biodiversity, especially on wild pollinators. The Norwegian Environment Agency therefore asked VKM to provide a brief summary of the available literature on the impact of honey bee keeping on wild pollinating insects and assess whether keeping of honey bees might pose a risk to wild pollinators in Norway. VKM was also asked to specifically assess the impact of stocking rates and placement of honey bee hives in relation to important wild pollinator habitats and vulnerable populations of wild pollinators (e.g. threatened species). Finally, VKM was asked to identify and assess possible risk-reducing measures related to any risk identified. Methods To provide a brief review of the literature on how keeping of honey bees affect wild pollinators, VKM conducted a rapid review, using the "updates of systematic reviews" approach. This approach aimed to update and supplement the two existing systematic reviews on the topic. Following established search protocols, the literature review thus focused on the effects of managed honey bees (Apis mellifera) on wild pollinators, specifically addressing three key areas: (i) competition for floral and nesting resources, (ii) transmission of pathogens and parasites, and (iii) indirect effects via changes in plant communities. Based on the hazards identified in the literature review and one additional hazard identified by experts in the project group, VKM conducted a risk assessment that included hazard identification, hazard characterization, likelihood of impact, and risk characterization for each of the hazards identified, focusing on the Norwegian context. Additionally, for each identified hazard, VKM estimated the confidence levels for each step in the risk assessment. Finally, VKM identified potential risk mitigating measures and assessed their effectiveness. This was done by conducting a literature search to identify potential risk reducing measures and assessing the identified mitigating measures their effectiveness, certainty of effectiveness, and potential harms using the approach developed by Conservation Evidence (see www.conservationevidence.com). Results/Conclusions Status of knowledge The literature review performed by VKM identified 45 recent studies that were not included in the two previous systematic reviews on the topic. The new studies did not provide results that altered the conclusions of the previous reviews. A brief summary of the review is presented below. Competition for floral resources. Managed honey bees can compete with wild pollinators for shared floral resources and this competition can have clear, measurable, negative effects on wild pollinators. Spillover of pathogens and parasites. Managed honey bees can potentially spread bacterial, viral, and fungal pathogens to wild pollinators. The extent to which these pathogens cause disease in wild pollinators is, however, unknown for most wild pollinators. Several parasitic mites can infest hives of managed honey bees, but none of these have been shown to infest wild pollinators found in Norway. One common honey bee pest, the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida), has been found to also infect nests of wild bees. This species is not currently found in Norway. ............................
Authors
Paal Krokene Beatrix Alsanius Jorunn Børve Daniel Flø Bjørn Arild Hatteland Erik J. Joner Lawrence Richard Kirkendall Christer Magnusson Mogens Nicolaisen Line Nybakken Johan Stenberg Selamawit Tekle Gobena Kristine Bakke Westergaard Sandra A. I. WrightAbstract
Background: The Norwegian Environment Agency (Miljødirektoratet) and the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) tasked the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment (Vitenskapskomiteen for mat og miljø, VKM) to provide a scientific opinion identifying which growing media associated with import of live plants pose the greatest risk of introducing non-native species to Norway. VKM was also asked to assess how effective various risk-reducing measures are to prevent such introductions. In this report, we focus on the introduction of plant pests. Trade in plants for planting is a large and complex international business where live plants are grown in some areas and shipped to other areas where they are intended to be planted or replanted. Traded plants are usually shipped with associated growing media. Long-lived plants, like trees and bushes, may be imported to the EU (e.g., from Asia) and traded through different countries for several years of on-growth before being shipped to Norway. Long production cycles, partly in outdoor nurseries, suggest that the import of live plants with soil or other growing media into Norway comes with a high probability of introducing plant pests. Such pests could cause severe harm to Norwegian plant health and impact both agriculture and natural ecosystems. In this scientific opinion, we describe the most used growing media and assess the risks associated with these. We further evaluate what types of plants and which exporting countries are considered to pose the highest risks for introducing plant pests. Finally, we describe different risk reduction options and assess the effectiveness of current Norwegian regulations as a tool to reduce risks. Altogether, this assessment provides a comprehensive overview of the potential risks involved in importing soil and other growing media associated with plants for planting and of possible strategies for mitigating these risks. Key findings: Growing media constituents: The most used organic growing media constituents are peat, wood fiber, and compost, but a great array of other constituents is also used. In this report, we have focused on organic constituents, as these are frequently colonized by living organisms when sourced and may support pest species by acting as a food source or as a sheltering environment that provides water, oxygen, and other crucial factors for pest survival. Growing media as a plant pest carrier: Even though most growing media constituents initially are sterile or free from any plant pests, the processes of mixing, potting, plant cultivation, transport, and storage can easily allow contamination by and propagation of pests underway from a primary source to a customer in Norway. Many organisms can colonize and survive in growing media under conditions primarily designed to keep plants alive. Growing media thus poses a risk of introducing plant pests to Norway when such media are imported together with live plants. Identified pest species: Organisms that can arrive with the import of live plants and associated growing media will include organisms that are not plant pests, known plant pests, regulated pests, and species that may be problematic even though they are not currently listed as quarantine pests. By screening two international databases (CABI, 2022; EPPO, 2024b) and performing a structured literature search, we identified a total of 651 pest species, most of which are not present in Norway, that may be associated with plants imported from Europe with soil or other growing media (154 species from CABI, 87 from EPPO, and 410 from the literature search). Due to time limitations, only 89 species were assessed for their association with soil and growing media. This evaluation included 20 species from CABI, 24 from EPPO, and 45 from the literature search, as detailed in Appendix 5. Climate suitability analyses were carried out .........
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Rylee Isitt Andrew M. Liebhold Rebecca M. Turner Andrea Battisti Cleo Bertelsmeier Rachael Blake Eckehard G. Brockerhoff Stephen B. Heard Paal Krokene Bjørn Økland Helen F. Nahrung Davide Rassati Alain Roques Takehiko Yamanaka Deepa S. PureswaranAbstract
The geographical exchange of non-native species can be highly asymmetrical, with some world regions donating or receiving more species than others. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain such asymmetries, including differences in propagule pressure, source species (invader) pools, environmental features in recipient regions, or biological traits of invaders. We quantified spatiotemporal patterns in the exchange of non-native insects between Europe, North America, and Australasia, and then tested possible explanations for these patterns based on regional trade (import values) and model estimates of invader pool sizes. Europe was the dominant donor of non-native insect species between the three regions, with most of this asymmetry arising prior to 1950. This could not be explained by differences in import values (1827–2014), nor were there substantial differences in the sizes of modelled invader pools. Based on additional evidence from literature, we propose that patterns of historical plant introductions may explain these asymmetries, but this possibility requires further study.
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
2023
Authors
Bjørn Arild Hatteland Rafael De Andrade Moral Gunnhild Jaastad Gaute Myren Endre Bjotveit Irén Lunde Sekse Karin Westrum Nina TrandemAbstract
BACKGROUND Integrated pest management (IPM) has a long history in fruit production and has become even more important with the implementation of the EU directive 2009/128/EC making IPM mandatory. In this study, we surveyed 30 apple orchards in Norway for 3 years (2016–2018) monitoring pest- and beneficial arthropods as well as evaluating fruit damage. We obtained growers’ diaries of pest management and used these data to study positive and negative correlations of pesticides with the different arthropod groups and damage due to pests. RESULTS IPM level had no significant effects on damage of harvested apples by arthropod pests. Furthermore, damage by arthropods was mainly caused by lepidopteran larvae, tortricids being especially important. The number of insecticide applications varied between 0 and 3 per year (mean 0.8), while acaricide applications varied between 0 and 1 per year (mean 0.06). Applications were often based on forecasts of important pest species such as the apple fruit moth (Argyresthia conjugella). Narrow-spectrum insecticides were commonly used against aphids and lepidopteran larvae, although broad-spectrum neonicotinoid (thiacloprid) insecticides were also applied. Anthocorid bugs and phytoseiid mites were the most abundant natural enemies in the studied orchards. However, we found large differences in abundance of various “beneficials” (e.g., lacewings, anthocorids, parasitic wasps) between eastern and western Norway. A low level of IPM negatively affected the abundance of spiders. CONCLUSION Lepidoptera was found to be the most important pest group in apple orchards. Insecticide use was overall low, but number of spray applications and use of broad-spectrum insecticides varied between growers and regions. IPM level did not predict the level of fruit damage by insects nor the abundance of important pests or most beneficial groups in an apple orchard. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Stephanie Saussure Annette Bruun Jensen Marie Louise Davey Annette Folkedal Schjøll Karin Westrum Ingeborg KlingenAbstract
In Scandinavia, the bird cherry-oat aphid Rhopalosiphum padi overwinter as eggs on the bird cherry tree Prunus padus. Branches of P. padus were collected at the late February / early March from 17 locations in Norway over a three-year period. We found 3599 overwintering aphid eggs, 59.5% of which were dead. Further, a total of 879 overwintering fungus-killed cadavers were observed. These cadavers were found close to bud axils, where overwintering eggs were also usually attached. Cadavers were infected with either Zoophthora cf. aphidis or Entomophthora planchoniana. All the fungal-killed cadavers were filled with overwintering structures of Z. cf. aphidis (as resting spores) or E. planchoniana (as modified hyphal bodies). We found a significant negative correlation between eggs and cadavers per branch. However, both numbers of eggs and cadavers varied greatly between years and among tree locations. This is the first report of E. planchoniana overwintering in R. padi cadavers as modified hyphal bodies. We discuss whether P. padus may act as an inoculum reservoir for fungi infecting aphids in cereals in spring.
Authors
Joyce Machado Nunes Romeiro Jostein Gohli Paal Krokene Tron Haakon Eid Clara Antón FernándezAbstract
Bark beetle (Ips typographus) outbreaks have the potential to damage large areas of spruce-dominated forests in Scandinavia. To define forest management strategies that will minimize the risk of bark beetle attacks, we need robust models that link forest structure and composition to the risk and potential damage of bark beetle attacks. Since data on bark beetle infestation rates and corresponding damages does not exist in Norway, we implement a previously published meta-model for estimating I. typographus damage probability and intensity. Using both current and projected climatic conditions we used the model to estimate damage inflicted by I. typographus in Norwegian spruce stands. The model produces feasible results for most of Norway’s climate and forest conditions, but a revised model tailored to Norway should be fitted to a dataset that includes older stands and lower temperatures. Based on current climate and forest conditions, the model predicts that approximately nine percent of productive forests within Norway’s main spruce-growing region will experience a loss ranging from 1.7 to 11 m3/ha of spruce over a span of five years. However, climate change is predicted to exacerbate the annual damage caused by I. typographus, potentially leading to a doubling of its detrimental effects.