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.
2022
Authors
Milica Fotiric Aksic Radosav Cerovic Stein Harald Hjeltnes Mekjell MelandAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Radosav Cerovic Milica Fotiric Aksic Milena Dordevic Mekjell MelandAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Janet G. Atandi Noah Adamtey Agnes W. Kiriga Edward N. Karanja Martha W. Musyoka Felix M. Matheri Chrysantus M. Tanga Danny L. Coyne Komi K. M. Fiaboe David Bautze Solveig HaukelandAbstract
Despite their important ecological roles for soil health and soil fertility, free-living nematodes (FLN) have received relatively limited research attention. The present study evaluated the community structure and diversity of FLN in a field setting. The experiments were conducted in on-farm and on-station field plots sown to maize (Zea mays) and beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) under four cropping practices. These farming systems included organic (compost and biopesticide use), conventional (synthetic fertilizer and pesticide applications), farmer practice (organic and synthetic amendments) and a control (non-amended plots). Nineteen genera of free living nematodes, belonging to bacterivores, fungivores, omnivores and predators were recorded. Among these, bacterivores (Cephalobidae and Rhabditidae) were the most dominant group in the organic systems when compared to the conventional and control systems. Farming systems influenced the abundance and diversity of free living nematodes, with the organic farming system having higher values of maturity, enrichment and structural indices than other farming systems. This would indicate greater stability in soil health and improved soil fertility. This implies that the organic farming systems play a key role in improving the biodiversity and population buildup of FLN, compared with other systems. Our study helps to improve our understanding of how farming systems influence soil biodynamics, while studies on the longer-term effects of organic and conventional farming systems on the build-up or reduction of free living nematodes for improved ecosystem services are needed.
Authors
Anne-Grete Roer Hjelkrem Heidi Udnes Aamot Morten Lillemo Espen Sannes Sørensen Guro Brodal Aina Lundon Russenes Simon G. Edwards Ingerd Skow HofgaardAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Peter Annighöfer Martina Mund Dominik Seidel Christian Ammer Aitor Ameztegui Philippe Balandier Ieva Bebre Lluis Coll Catherine Collet Tobias Hamm Franka Huth Heike Schneider Christian Kuehne Magnus Löf Any Mary Petritan Ion Catalin Petritan Peter Schall Jürgen BauhusAbstract
Just as the aboveground tree organs represent the interface between trees and the atmosphere, roots act as the interface between trees and the soil. In this function, roots take-up water and nutrients, facilitate interactions with soil microflora, anchor trees, and also contribute to the gross primary production of forests. However, in comparison to aboveground plant organs, the biomass of roots is much more difficult to study. In this study, we analyzed 19 European datasets on above- and belowground biomass of juvenile trees of 14 species to identify generalizable estimators of root biomass based on tree sapling dimensions (e.g. height, diameter, aboveground biomass). Such estimations are essential growth and sequestration modelling. In addition, the intention was to study the effect of sapling dimension and light availability on biomass allocation to roots. All aboveground variables were significant predictors for root biomass. But, among aboveground predictors of root biomass plant height performed poorest. When comparing conifer and broadleaf species, the latter tended to have a higher root biomass at a given dimension. Also, with increasing size, the share of belowground biomass tended to increase for the sapling dimensions considered. In most species, there was a trend of increasing relative belowground biomass with increasing light availability. Finally, the height to diameter ratio (H/D) was negatively correlated to relative belowground biomass. This indicates that trees with a high H/D are not only more unstable owing to the unfavorable bending stress resistance, but also because they are comparatively less well anchored in the ground. Thus, single tree stability may be improved through increasing light availability to increase the share of belowground biomass.
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
2021
Authors
Helene Birkelund Erlandsen Stein Beldring Stephanie Eisner Hege Hisdal Shaochun Huang Lena Merete TallaksenAbstract
Robust projections of changes in the hydrological cycle in a non-stationary climate rely on trustworthy estimates of the water balance elements. Additional drivers than precipitation and temperature, namely wind, radiation, and humidity are known to have a significant influence on processes such as evaporation, snow accumulation, and snow-melt. A gridded version of the rainfall-runoff HBV model is run at a 1 × 1 km scale for mainland Norway for the period 1980–2014, with the following alterations: (i) the implementation of a physically based evaporation scheme; (ii) a net radiation-restricted degree-day factor for snow-melt, and (iii) a diagnostic precipitation phase threshold based on temperature and humidity. The combination of improved forcing data and model alterations allowed for a regional calibration with fewer calibrated parameters. Concurrently, modeled discharge showed equally good or better validation results than previous gridded model versions constructed for the same domain; and discharge trend patterns, snow water equivalent, and potential evaporation compared fairly to observations. Compared with previous studies, lower precipitation and evaporation values for mainland Norway were found. The results suggest that a more robust and more physically based model for climate change studies has been obtained, although additional studies will be needed to further constrain evaporation estimates.
Authors
Helene Birkelund Erlandsen Stein Beldring Stephanie Eisner Hege Hisdal Shaochun Huang Lena Merete TallaksenAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Ghulam Qasim KhanAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Marit JørgensenAbstract
Novel farming systems are needed to counteract land degradation, which is a major threat to ecosystems and livelihoods in Sub-Saharan Africa, and in Ethiopia in particular. Livestock provides significant rural employment and is central to the Ethiopian economy, but also contributes to land degradation. Land is scarce and about 90% of livestock feed is currently derived from shared grazing on highly overgrazed community pastures, exacerbating soil and land degradation. Climate change is predicted to worsen the situation, threatening ecosystems and livelihoods. Developing agriculture in Ethiopia towards robust and sustainable farming systems requires drastic changes in livestock and land management.