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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.

2026

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Abstract

This year marked a milestone in the history of GGAA. With over 450 participants from around 50 countries, GGAA2025 reflected our community’s truly global reach. Since its first meeting, GGAA has continued to evolve and grow in scope and themes, reflecting advances in science and the changing realities of agriculture and climate. During the opening ceremony, we highlighted challenges and opportunities for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from ruminant livestock in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. This year we presented nine themes addressed in eight keynote presentations and 17 breakout sessions across livestock, climate, and sustainability. We also succeeded in sponsoring more than 50 researchers, including many students from non-OECD countries, whose voices are essential for shaping the future of our field. GGAA2025 placed strong emphasis on scaling solutions and addressing regional priorities, such as carbon finance. With the presence of the World Bank and IFAD, alongside our partners and sponsors, we hosted side events that brought greater focus to specific issues vital to Africa and low- and middle-income countries from Asia and Latin America. The combination of cutting-edge research, regional dialogue, and global policy engagement ensured that GGAA2025 was a platform for academic exchange addressing directly realworld problems.

Abstract

Foredrag om den norske rødlista for naturtyper. Foredraget tar for seg hvordan rødlistingen foregår, IUCN-kriteriene, kunnskapsgjennomgang og hovedresultater. NAturtypen kystlynghei brukes som eksempel.

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Abstract

Edible coleopteran insects are an important source for sustainable protein and generating chitin as a significant waste (exuviae, cuticle residues, and frass), which can be valorized into value-added biopolymers. These side-streams can be diverted for chitin and chitosan production due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability in biomaterial applications which gained attention in recent times. Therefore, this review evaluates various types of chitin and chitosan extractions and their structural characterization suitable for industrial applications. The nutritional and bioactive functionalities of chitin as derived from coleoptera insect side-streams were critically discussed. Furthermore, it also distinguishes the presence of α-, β-, and γ-chitin polymorphic forms exhibited in the coleopterans order with recent research gaps was also discussed herein. Currently, there is no literature review that describes the roles of coleopteran side-streams derived chitin and chitosan. Hence, this review not only underscores the potential for chitin production from coleopteran side-streams but also outlines critical bottlenecks that warrant further investigation in biopolymer chemistry. Moreover, it provides comprehensive recommendations to facilitate the scale-up of chitin and chitosan derived from coleopteran side-streams as an added advantage for new business models.

Abstract

Agricultural production is highly dependent upon pollinators to achieve maximum yield and increase global food security. Wild pollinators, such as bees, are declining due to a loss of habitat from agricultural intensification, and the use of domesticated honeybees to supplement pollination services is increasing. Apple is an important, pollinator dependent food crop that commonly experiences pollination and production deficits worldwide. In this thesis, I explored whether pollination and production deficits occur in Norwegian apple orchards and what factors might be driving potential deficits. To test for pollination (seed set) and production (yield) deficits I conducted a supplemental pollination experiment for three cultivars, in eighteen orchards, in two distinct growing regions in Norway, over two years. I also assessed which pollinators are present in Norwegian apple orchards and how different groups of bees and their behaviour affect pollination of apple. Lastly, I studied different management practices to increase bee diversity and pollination success, by increasing alternate floral resources and evaluating orchard design that promotes cross-pollination. Pollination and production deficits were found across all locations, with differences in pollination deficits among cultivars. I also found that a high abundance of wild bees increases seed set in apples—a key indicator of pollination success. Behaviour also varied among bee groups, for example bumblebees visited more flowers, while solitary bees were slow, but potentially more thorough, foragers, which increases pollen deposition. Wild bees visited more apple flowers than dandelion flowers (Taraxacum spp.) when orchards were left unmowed. I also found that a higher abundance of dandelions increased bee visitation to apple flowers, suggesting higher floral diversity can increase pollination success and support a greater diversity of bees. In addition, block design orchards appear to limit cross-pollination among apple cultivars, and management actions to decrease the distance among compatible apple cultivars is needed to achieve sufficient pollination. Overall, my results suggest that greater pollination and production of apples in Norway is possible, and management actions should focus on increasing wild bee abundance and diversity, increasing alternate floral resources, and optimising orchard design to facilitate cross-pollination across shorter distances. Such actions have the potential to ensure greater yields of higher quality apples for human consumption and increased economic output for farmers.

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Abstract

High-yielding forage grasslands frequently contain low species diversity and receive high inputs of nitrogen fertilizer. To investigate multispecies mixtures as an alternative strategy, the 26-site international LegacyNet experiment systematically varied the diversity of sown grasslands using up to six high-yielding forage species (grasses, legumes, and herbs) managed under moderate nitrogen inputs. Multispecies mixtures outyielded two widely used grassland practices: a grass monoculture with higher nitrogen fertilizer and a two-species grass-legume community. High yields in multispecies mixtures were driven by strong positive grass-legume and legume-herb interactions. In warmer sites, the yield advantage of legume-containing multispecies mixtures over grass monocultures with higher nitrogen fertilizer inputs increased. Improved design of grassland mixtures can inform more environmentally sustainable forage production and may enhance adaptation of productive grasslands to a warming climate.

Abstract

Cover crops enhance soil quality and organic matter stability, yet the mechanisms linking belowground inputs to persistent soil organic matter (SOM) remain unclear. This study examined the effects of diversified cover cropping in barley systems on root biomass, SOM fractions, soil structure, microbial activity, and yield in central Norway (63.9° N), three years post-implementation. Six treatments were tested: (1) Control (barley without NPK), (2) Biochar-Fertilizer (barley + NPK + 3 Mg ha⁻¹ biochar), (3) Monocrop (barley), (4) Ryegrass (barley + ryegrass), (5) Clover (barley + ryegrass + white/red clover), and (6) Chicory (barley + ryegrass + red clover + chicory + bird’s-foot trefoil). Ryegrass and Clover systems produced 28.65 g m-² more root biomass at 0–13 cm (p < 0.05) and, along with Monocrop, stored 2.2 Mg ha-¹ more mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) carbon and 0.2 Mg ha-¹ more MAOM nitrogen at 0–20 cm than other treatments. The Chicory system improved soil structure and biology, with higher aggregate stability, lower bulk density, and greater microbial abundance. Barley yields remained consistent across treatments, suggesting that cover cropping and low biochar inputs do not reduce productivity. Strong correlations (p < 0.01) between root biomass and MAOM stocks highlight root development as a key driver of SOM stabilization via organo-mineral associations. These findings underscore the role of root-enhancing cover crops in promoting MAOM formation and long-term SOM persistence, offering valuable insights for sustainable soil management.