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.
2012
Abstract
Springs are characterized by consistent thermal and hydrologic conditions, which enable use of spring-inhabiting organisms as sensitive indicators of biogeochemical changes in their catchments. We hypothesized that bryophytes would show a stronger response than vascular plants to changes in spring water quality because submerged bryophytes do not take up compounds from the soil. We analyzed species responses to interannual changes in spring water quality (discharge, water temperature, electrical conductivity, and pH) in 57 forest springs over 4 consecutive years. We calculated interannual turnover in species composition for bryophytes and vascular plants with the Bray–Curtis dissimilarity index. We applied regression analysis to test interannual changes in species composition of the taxonomic groups over time, and we used 2-sided t-tests to compare year-to-year changes in species composition between bryophytes and vascular plants. We used boosted regression tree (BRT) models to quantify the relative importance of different physicochemical variables and Pearson linear correlation to quantify short-term changes in vegetation relative to changes in spring-water pH. For both groups, interannual changes in species composition were significantly positively related to time scale. Bryophytes did not show a significantly stronger response than vascular plants to interannual changes in the environment. Alterations in pH and conductivity explained most of the observed interannual changes in species composition of both groups, whereas changes in water temperature and discharge were less important. However, responses of single species to environmental change may be delayed, resulting in inertia at the community and ecosystem scales. Hence, longer time periods need to be considered for a better understanding of response times of the vegetation of European forest springs to changes in spring water quality.
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Logging exceeded growth and timber trees were sparse in Norwegian forests in the early 1900s. Still, the forest canopy was lush green and characterised by large tree-crowns. This situation was referred to as the “Green lie” and was advocated by foresters throughout Scandinavia as an argument in favour of forestry practices based on clear-felling. Here we examine effects of past selective loggings on forest structure and composition in a spruce forest landscape using dendroecology and historical records. Our results show that forests that were selectively logged up to the early 1900s could be structurally heterogeneous with multi-layered canopies, varying degree of openness and continuous presence of old trees across different spatial scales. Because the past forests were not clear-felled, a diverse forest structure in terms of tree species composition and age and diameter distribution was maintained over time, which could enable forest-dwelling species to persist during the early phase following the loggings in the past. This is in sharp contrast to the situation in most modern managed forest landscapes in Scandinavia. A better understanding of the link between loggings in the past- and present-day forest structure and diversity will contribute to rewarding discussions on forestry methods for the future.
Authors
Merete Grung Sissel Ranneklev Øyvind Garmo Richard Frederic Wright Tor Myking Einar Heegaard Bernt-Håvard Øyen Fride Høistad Schei Hans Haavardsholm BlomAbstract
CO2 Technology Centre Mongstad will be the world\"s largest test centre for testing and development of CO2 capture technology. The emissions to the atmosphere from CO2 Technology Centre Mongstad contain amines and may in addition contain or lead to the formation of degradation products from amine-based CO2 capture technology. An environmental baseline survey was conducted in 2011 prior to the operation. The survey performed is broad, and describes in detail the environmental situation both in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems as well as relevant chemical compositions of a range of matrices such as soil, plants and water. The data collected in the monitoring program were used to propose a future monitoring program in the area.
Authors
Jarkko Koskela Franҫois Lefèvre Silvio Schüler Hojka Kraigher Ditte C. Olrik Jason Hubert Roman Longauer Michele Bozzano Leena Yrjänä Paraskevi Alizoti Peter Rotach Lorenzo Vietto Sándor Bordács Tor Myking Thröstur Eysteinsson Oudara Souvannavong Bruno Fady Bart De Cuyper Berthold Heinze Georg von Wühlisch Alexis Ducousso Bjerne DitlevsenAbstract
This paper provides a review of theoretical and practical aspects related to genetic management of forest trees. The implementation of international commitments on forest genetic diversity has been slow and partly neglected. Conservation of forest genetic diversity is still riddled with problems, and complexities of national legal and administrative structures. Europe is an example of a complex region where the distribution ranges of tree species extend across large geographical areas with profound environmental differences, and include many countries. Conservation of forest genetic diversity in Europe has been hampered by a lack of common understanding on the management requirements for genetic conservation units of forest trees. The challenge resides in integrating scientific knowledge on conservation genetics into management of tree populations so that recommendations are feasible to implement across different countries. Here, we present pan-European minimum requirements for dynamic conservation units of forest genetic diversity. The units are natural or man-made tree populations which are managed for maintaining evolutionary processes and adaptive potential across generations. Each unit should have a designated status and a management plan, and one or more tree species recognized as target species for genetic conservation. The minimum sizes of the units are set at 500, 50 or 15 reproducing individuals depending on tree species and conservation objectives. Furthermore, silvicultural interventions should be allowed to enhance genetic processes, as needed, and field inventories carried out to monitor regeneration and the population size. These minimum requirements are now used by 36 countries to improve management of forest genetic diversity.
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The study describes the development of surface mould and blue stain fungi on painted wooden claddings exposed to outdoor weathering. The materials consisted of Norway spruce (Picea abies) claddings that were processed from inner boards, outer boards, and edge-grained boards with known origin. Heartwood proportion, density, annual ring width, knot diameters and relative knot area were measured, and all boards were coated with the same water-borne alkyd modified acrylic paint system. Most of the tangentially sawn boards were coated on the side facing the pith, but a sub-sample was coated on the opposite side for comparison. The specimens were exposed with a 45° angle of inclination facing south in a field trial in Oslo from 2007 to 2011, and mould growth was evaluated visually according to EN 927-3. The development of mould rating was described with an ordinal logistic regression model. The model predicts expected mould rating to follow a sigmoid curve with some deviation in the first part. Neither wood properties nor manufacturing characteristics had any significant effect on the model, and this may in part be due to the use of a high performance coating system.