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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.

2010

Abstract

The interaction between conifers, ophiostomatoid fungi and bark beetles is a key factor in conifer ecosystems worldwide, since combined beetle-fungus attacks may cause massive tree mortality, huge economical losses and landscape-level ecological changes. For more than a century researchers have been arguing about who is responsible for tree mortality in bark beetle attacked trees - the beetles themselves or their associated fungi. As in many such polarized debates the best answer probably lies somewhere in between the extremes. The beetles are obviously central in tree killing, as they are actively selecting suitable host trees, short-circuiting tree defenses by boring straight into the relatively defenseless cambial area, and causing mechanical damage to the phloem. However, ophiostomatoid fungi are equally obvious contributors to tree death since nearly all tree-killing bark beetles are associated with such fungi, these fungi are able to colonize and kill healthy phloem and sapwood far beyond the beetle tunnels, and many fungi can kill healthy trees in experimental mass-inoculations. Thus, the trees are facing a beetle-fungus complex that probably acts synergistically to overwhelm tree defenses. The beetles’ mass-attack strategy is central to the success of the beetle-fungus complex, since multiple attacks deplete tree defenses and speed up tree-killing.

Abstract

There is great ecological, economic and social value within forest genetic resources – that is a fact. But so far, the true legal status of this resource has not been defined. This was the background for a meeting held in Vienna on 13 September 2010 which assembled forest and legal experts to discuss preliminary outputs from a NordGen project (2009-2010), initiated by representatives from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden....

Abstract

Wood protection is mainly based on chemical protection of wood. The disposal of wood preservative treated material causes restrictions in its later use or recirculation into the eco-cycle. A new protective system, electro-osmotic pulsing technology on wood, called PLEOT, is tested in a fungi test and in soil contact. Mass loss and moisture content of Scots pine sapwood samples was calculated after testing and an element analysis was performed on the sample powder. The results show that PLEOT- protected samples have nearly no mass loss after 4, 8 and 12 weeks of exposure to Coniophora puteana in laboratory trials. The samples protected with PLEOT showed lower moisture content but trace elements of metals in the samples after basidiomycete test compared to untreated samples. It is concluded, that neither the resulted wood moisture content nor the transferred metal ions in the PLEOT samples contribute to large amounts to the wood protection effect. Furthermore, the PLEOT system might give a protection for wood in soil contact. Further research on the mode of action as well as further tests including field tests are under planning.

2009

Abstract

A range of studies the last decade has shown that modified wood can provide excellent protection against a range of wood deteriorating organisms, including decay fungi. However, we still lack information about why the modified wood is protected from microbial attack. An understanding of the mechanisms utilized by decay fungi when exposed to modified wood is important for further optimisation of new modified wood products. Several hypotheses have been put forward, but they still need testing. The aim of this study was to summarize our earlier studies using molecular methods as a tool for better understanding of the mode of action of decay fungi in furfurylated wood. The studies include laboratory and field evaluations of decay colonisation patterns and gene expression....