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.
2017
Abstract
Questions What are the effects of abandonment on plant diversity in semi-natural grasslands? Do the effects of abandonment on taxonomic and functional diversity vary along environmental gradients of climate and soil? Location West and mid-Norway. Methods Plant composition was surveyed in 110 subplots of 4 m2 in 14 sites across grazed and abandoned semi-natural grasslands. Climate data were extracted and soil composition analysed. To reduce the number of explanatory variables and deal with collinearity, we performed PCA. Data on the plant species vegetative height (H), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), specific leaf area (SLA), seed mass (SM) and number of seeds per plant (SNP) for 175 species were extracted from the LEDA database. Measures of plant diversity (species richness, CWM of functional traits and functional diversity (evenness and range)) were calculated for each subplot. To estimate the effects of abandonment on plant diversity and examine how these effects are moderated by gradients in soil and climate, we fitted mixed models to the data including site as a random effect. Results Species richness in the subplots was lower in abandoned semi-natural grasslands, especially on more calcareous soils. CWM H, LDMC and SM were higher in abandoned semi-natural grasslands. CWM LDMC was only higher in the driest subplots. The ranges in H, SLA and SM, as well as evenness in LDMC were also higher in abandoned semi-natural grasslands,but the range in LDMC was lower. Conclusions It is important to assess both taxonomic and functional diversity to understand ecosystem processes. The species pool in ecosystems influenced by a long history of intermediate grazing includes a high proportion of low stature, grazing-tolerant plant species. Abandonment of extensive land-use practices will cause a decline in taxonomic diversity (plant species richness) in such systems due to increased abundance of plants with high stature that outcompete the lower, grazing-tolerant plants. This process is predominant especially if moisture, soil fertility and pH are at intermediate levels. Changes in species communities due to abandonment will also influence ecosystem functioning, such as nutrient turnover and fodder production resilience.
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Abstract
Semi-natural grasslands are in decline due to land use changes. To conserve grassland ecosystems, agrienvironmental schemes facilitate low intensity management of semi-natural grasslands of high nature value. In addition to management of the meadows themselves, the nature value of the hay meadows also depends upon the surrounding landscape. The aim of this study was to assess the importance of the landscape on the biological value of semi-natural hay meadows implemented in the Action Plan for Hay Meadows (APHM) in Norway. The biological value was estimated by richness of all vascular plant species and of vascular plant species associated with semi-natural grassland. Richness was high in semi-natural grasslands, particularly in hay meadows implemented in the APHM. However, the landscape context also influenced the richness of the hay meadows. Species richness increased with hay meadow area and length and edge density of semi-natural habitats types in the landscapes.
Authors
Line Johansen T. Lennartsson Anna Westin A. Iuga C.M. Ivascu Eveliina Kallioniemi Sølvi WehnAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Line Johansen T. Lennartsson Anna Westin A. Iuga C.M. Ivascu Eveliina Kallioniemi Sølvi WehnAbstract
Semi-natural grasslands are important habitats for pollinators because of high abundance of flowering plants. The aim of this study was to assess effects of mowing time on flower resources for pollinators in semi-natural hay meadows. Flowering species in semi-natural hay meadows throughout a landscape in Maramures, Romania were used as indicators of flower resources for pollinators. Botanical surveys were performed in 31 hay meadows and all herbs and shrubs were recorded in hay meadows cut early, intermediate and late in the growing season. All hay meadows included a high number of flower species but the mowing time influenced the available floral resources for pollinators. If mowing time varies between hay meadows within a landscape, flower resources for pollinators will be available throughout the growing season, which is essential in pollination conservation in agricultural landscapes.
Abstract
Insulation is an essential component of nest structure that helps provide incubation requirements for birds. Many species of waterfowl breed in high latitudes where rapid heat loss can necessitate a high energetic input from parents and use down feathers to line their nests. Common eider Somateria mollissima nest down has exceptional insulating properties but the microstructural mechanisms behind the feather properties have not been thoroughly examined. Here, we hypothesized that insulating properties of nest down are correlated to down feather (plumule) microstructure. We tested the thermal efficiency (fill power) and cohesion of plumules from nests of two Icelandic colonies of wild common eiders and compared them to properties of plumules of wild greylag goose Anser anser. We then used electron microscopy to examine the morphological basis of feather insulating properties. We found that greylag goose down has higher fill power (i.e. traps more air) but much lower cohesion (i.e. less prone to stick together) compared to common eider down. ese differences were related to interspecific variation in feather microstructure. Down cohesion increased with the number of barbule microstructures (prongs) that create strong points of contact among feathers. Eider down feathers also had longer barbules than greylag goose down feathers, likely increasing their air-trapping capacity. Feather properties of these two species might reflect the demands of their contrasting evolutionary history. In greylag goose, a temperate, terrestrial species, plumule microstructure may optimize heat trapping. In common eiders, a diving duck that nests in arctic and subarctic waters, plumule structure may have evolved to maximize cohesion over thermal insulation, which would both reduce buoyancy during their foraging dives and enable nest down to withstand strong arctic winds.
Abstract
Denne rapporten oppsummerer resultatene fra er treårig forskningsprosjekt vedrørende den unike ærfuglduna. Dunprøver fra 19 kolonier i fire ulike land ble renset på en standardisert måte og ulike parametere ble målt og testet som fill power, sammenhengskraft og resiliens. Det ble dokumentert variasjon i ulike parametere både mellom kolonier og mellom individer. Dette er den største og mest dyptgående studien av ærfugldun som har blitt utført. This report sums up the result from a three-year lasting study regarding the unique eider down. Eider down from 19 colonies was collected and we measured various parameters such as fill power,cohesion and resilience. Overall, this is the largest and most in-depth study of eider down ever performed.
Authors
Anders Nielsen Bjørn Arild Hatteland Martin Malmstrøm Ted von Proschwitz Gaute Velle Hugo de Boer Jan Ove Gjershaug Lawrence R. Kirkendall Eli Knispel Rueness Vigdis VandvikAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Celine Rebours Pierrick Francois Denis Stévant Erik Olav Gracey Liv Guri Velle Michael Roleda Håvard Steinshamn Hélène Marfaing Inga Marie Aasen Åshild Krogdahl Tom Ståle Nordtvedt Johan Oppen Ana Karina Carvajal Silje Forbord Kristine Steinhovden Aleksander Handå Jorunn Skjermo Rasa Slizyte oddvar skarbø Mohammad Ramin Annelise Sabine ChapmanAbstract
The 2015-2018 PROMAC (Energy efficient Processing of Macroalgae in blue-green value chains) is financed by the Norwegian Research Council. The PROMAC consortium is led by Møreforsking AS and consists of both Norwegian (SINTEF, NIBIO, NTNU, NMBU) and European (CEVA, MATIS, SLU)research institutes, as well as industrial partners (TafjordKraftvarme, FelleskjøpetFôrutvikling, Firmenich, LegaseaBiomarine Cluster, The Northern Company, Orkla Foods, Hortimare, Marinox).An advisory panel with public authority and interest groups from the marine, energy and agricultural sectors, also oversee the 4,5Mill EUR project’s relevance in a societal context.The current approaches to meeting the demands for meat and other protein-rich food sources are often associated with damage to natural resources and negative effects on climate, air quality, soils and fresh water availability. Therefore, the PROMAC project (http://promac.no/) investigates an alternative approach for providing food and sources of proteins and energy in animal feed, and health benefits in human food through cultivation of macroalgae. The project focuses on the three macroalgaespecies Alariaesculenta, Saccharinalatissima andPalmariapalmata.The research project (i) assesses variation of raw material composition and quality from both harvested and cultured macroalgae, (ii) develops primary processing methods enhancing desired raw material properties, (iii) establishes fractionation and extraction methods best suited to enrich beneficial proteins or remove undesirable anti-nutrients and (iv) evaluates nutritional and health values of processed macroalgal ingredients for various animal groups and in relation to their distinct digestive systems.PROMAC assesses the costs and benefits of macroalgal products from a value chain perspective (from raw material to primary market) through process-based Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Material and Energy Flow Analysis (MEFA) and business models. To reduce the substantial energy required for primary processing of macroalgae - organisms characterized by ahigh-water content - PROMAC includes a case study utilizing excess heat from a waste incinerator for primary drying and processing of macroalgae biomass. This case study is integrated into both environmental and economic models.Initialresults identifyingmacroalgae food and feed products (ingredients)and associatedprocessing methods most relevant for commercial applications, will be presented integrated across work packages and subject fields.
Abstract
Mountain tourism depends intensively on the quality of the landscape. In recent years, the Norwegian Trekking Association has focused on local food products at their staffed lodges and it uses the slogan “eat the view.” Such a strategy raises the focus on the agricultural use of the land and the quality of the products. Several Norwegian studies were carried out to investigate the quality of different mountain products and connections with vegetation types and grazing behavior. The results show that milk and meat products from animals grazing on alpine rangelands have improved quality compared to “normal” products. A healthier fatty acid composition and a higher content of secondary plant metabolites were characteristic of mountain products. Furthermore, grazing is of the utmost importance for the maintenance of open mountain landscapes and the biodiversity that is dependent on such landscapes. Maintaining traditional grazing systems also secures the preservation of traditional ecological knowledge about utilizing natural resources. Mountain tourism experiences could be improved and enhanced by documenting and telling the unique story of these complex connections between mountain landscapes, biodiversity, agricultural traditions, and local food products.