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.
2009
Abstract
Evaluation of climate change consequences and national carbon reporting such as under the Kyoto protocol require long-term monitoring of carbon fluxes. We report on an ongoing project aimed at a national-level assessment of the terrestrial carbon sequestration potential under present conditions and under various climate and land use change scenarios, in particular in terms of their temperature effect. We develop empirical models for national soil carbon stock assessment and evaluate process-based soil carbon models for prediction of future carbon dynamics.....
Authors
Håkon BorchAbstract
This poster presents a new low cost model for modelleing phosphorus and soil loss from agriculture land, and to do evaluation of different mitigation scenarios where the cost effectiveness of the meassures influence each other. The model has been used in several Norwegian catchments to evaluate mitigation options, and to build packages of measures to comply with the demands from the European Water Framework Directive.
Authors
Aksel DøvingAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Ole Martin Bollandsås Ingvild Rekstad Erik Næsset Ingvald RøsbergAbstract
The objectives of this study were (1) to develop models for estimation of total above-ground biomass, tree crown biomass and stem biomass of mountain birch (Betula pubescens spp. czerepanovii), and (2) to test the stability of the relationships between biomass and biophysical tree properties across geographical regions and tree size ranges. The models were developed using a mixed modelling approach accounting for the hierarchical structure of the data that originated from sample plots. Diameter at breast height, tree height, and the ratio between height and diameter were candidate explanatory variables, but only diameter was statistically significant (p0.05). The model fit values (pseudo-R 2) were 0.91, 0.60 and 0.85 for the three respective models. A substantial part of the model random errors could be attributed to between-plot variations. The conclusion related to objective (1) was that the models are well suited for biomass prediction of mountain birch in the mountain areas of southern Norway. Furthermore, models reported in previous research that had been calibrated on data from other regions were applied on the current data set. The results indicate that models calibrated for small trees produced predictions diverging from the observed values of the current data set. The differences between predicted and observed values also seem to vary along a site productivity gradient. Still, even though the differences between predicted and observed values using the different models varied quite a lot, the relationships were relatively stable within certain limits. The conclusion related to objective (2) was that biomass models can be applied outside the region for which they were developed, which in many cases is necessary because local models do not exist. However, the properties of the model development data related to tree size range and site productivity should be similar to those of the area for which predictions are being made.
Authors
Per Otto Flæte Olav HøibøAbstract
Variation in heartwood diameter (HWD) along the stem was studied in 106 mature Scots pines (Pinus sylvestris L.) sampled from southern Norway. HWD decreased from the base towards the treetop, following a profile similar to that of the stem diameter (shape of the tree). A few trees deviated from this general pattern. In these trees HWD increased from the base of the stem to a maximum at 2-2.5 m and then decreased towards the top of the tree. Random coefficient mixed models based on a second-degree polynomial of vertical position in the tree and tree variables that can be measured in the forest were developed to predict HWD profiles of pine stems. Seven different models were developed in steps, based on how easily the input variables can be measured. Input variables consisted of information describing the size and shape of trees and information from increment cores. Performances of the models were validated with an independent sample (R-2 = 0.88-0.95, root mean square error = 12-19 mm). The high predictive abilities of the models indicate that they can be prospective tools for selecting trees and stem sections within trees to produce logs with HWD suitable for manufacturing of heartwood sawn-wood products.
Abstract
Due to the great economic losses caused by the root and butt-rot pathogen Heterobasidion annosum, development of efficient control measures is warranted. H. annosum a necrotroph colonize the Norway spruce from inside and is responsible for 100s of millions of Euros losses annually. Considerable clonal variation has been recorded for Norway spruce in resistance towards H. annosum, but the defence mechanisms contributing to host resistance against both necrotrophic and biotrophic fungi remain poorly understood. The recent genome sequencing of Populus has made the genus a model to facilitate tree genetics. Genome-wide transcript profiling of Populus tremula upon pathogen attack will now be used, and homologues of Norway spruce genes to defence genes up-regulated in Populus will be identified. Two aspen clones (23 and 72) from the SwAsp collection (Luquez 2007) were used in the present study. Plants were propagated from tissue culture and kept in greenhouse under un-manipulated conditions. To study the host defence mechanisms, the rust (Melampsora magnusiana Wagner) and a bluestain fungus were used as a biotrophic and necrotrophic fungus respectively. Melampsora spores solution was applied to the underside of the leaf. To control for sectoriality six leaves were infected on each plant. To ensure high humidity and avoid cross contamination, plastic bags were wrapped around infected leaves. Leaves above infected leaves (10, 9, and 8) were harvested respectively 1, 3 and 14 days after inoculation. Initial results from microarray data indicate a clear separation between two Aspen clone (23 and 72) lines. For line 23 the response to biotroph and necrotroph seems to be similar. Whereas the response for line 72 is divergent for the treatments as they go in opposite direction. The controls show that there is an initial difference in the 2 lines (controls are separated). What are the genes that make biotrohic and necrotrophic treatment of 72 look so different will be worked out from microarray data. Differential expression of defense genes in biotrohic and necrotrophic treatment will be verified further with quantitative real time PCR. Chemical analysis of Aspen leaves gave less phenolic compounds as plants were kept in greenhouse. HPLC will be carried out after reaching some conclusion from microarray data analysis.
Abstract
Information given in EN 350-2 on natural durability of different wood species against wood destroying fungi is mainly based on heartwood tested in ground contact. The objective of this study was to test and compare durability of many different wood species in a field test in ground contact. The material consisted of Norwegian wood species able to give sufficient sawn wood dimensions (commercial and less utilised species, indigenous and introduced species) and imported species (Larch from Russia; Oak, Douglas fir and Western Red Cedar from North America; Merbau and Teak from Asia). Additionally, modified wood (thermally modified and tall oil treated) and preservative treated wood (CCA- and Cu-preservative) were included in the test. The wood types, 31 in total, were tested according to EN 252 and EN 350-1 at NTIs test site in Sørkedalen, Norway. Results after five years exposure show that most of the Norwegian grown wood species have low durability. This study also provides information on durability of four species not included in EN 350-2: Juniperus communis, Salix caprea, Sorbus aucuparia and Populus tremula.
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Abstract
Growth of Norway spruce (Picea abies) trees and nitrogen deposition were analysed at about 500 forest plots throughout Norway in six fiveyear periods from 1977 to 2006. Growth was calculated from five repeated calliper measurements of all trees during this period and using treering series from increment cores of a subsample of trees. From the growth data a `relative growth` variable was extracted, being the deviation in % between observed and expected growth rates. The expected growth was estimated from growth models based on site productivity, age and stand density at each plot. The plots were categorized into four age classes. The nitrogen deposition was estimated for each plot for the same five year periods by geographical interpolation of deposition observations at monitoring stations made by the Norwegian Institute for Air Research. Nitrogen deposition from 1977 to 2006 ranged from 1 to 24 kg/ha/yr at the study plots, with about 15 kg/ha/yr in the southernmost region and 3 kg/ha/yr in the northern region of Norway. For the entire 30year period we found a long term relationship between growth and nitrogen deposition, corresponding to a forest growth increase of 0.7% per kg total nitrogen deposition per hectare and year (r2 = 0.13). This is in line with studies carried out on other data sets and for shorter time periods. This apparent fertilizing effect was most pronounced for the youngest forest, while the effect was weak for the oldest forest. The growth increase was observed in the southernmost part of Norway, the region with the highest nitrogen deposition. However, the relationship between nitrogen deposition and growth varied considerably between the time periods. In two of the periods the relationship was slightly negative: these periods corresponded well with summer droughts occurring in the southernmost part of Norway. Drought, as well as other climatic factors, will influence the shortterm variations in forest growth and may obscure the fertilizing effect of nitrogen deposition in some periods. In conclusion, nitrogen deposition has most likely increased growth in Norway spruce in southern Norway. However, our study also shows that inferences from such correlative studies should be drawn with care if the growth period is shorter than 10–15 years because climatic factors produce temporal variations in the relationship between nitrogen deposition and forest growth.
Authors
Laura Jaakola M. Paassilita M. Suokas Inger Martinussen K. Antonius Anders Åkerström A. Bjarnadottir U. Oskarsson Anja Hohtola A. Pirttilä S. Moisio Olavi Junttila Ulla Bång Hely HäggmanAbstract
Wild berries are a characteristic part of Northern nature and a particular speciality of Nordic countries. Wild berries are also a rich and valuable resource that has not yet been exploited in a satisfactory level. Approximately 90 – 95 % of the whole wild berry crop yield is left unpicked in the Nordic forests every year. The challenges of wild berry utilization are similar in Nordic countries - the logistics of berry picking including traceability, fragmented sector structure as well as the high share of unprocessed raw material in export. The Nordic project focusing on bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) “Bilberry: Towards functional food markets” (2007 – 2009) is a part of the New Nordic Food programme funded by the Nordic Innovation Centre. The programme aims to enhance cooperation and innovation among companies that utilize the natural resources of the Nordic countries. The aim of the project is to improve wild berry production and utilization in the Nordic and global market. To achieve this goal a network between the Nordic experts presenting the different fields of the wild berry sector has been established. The project has focused on marketing research, quality issues, biodiversity and the traceability of wild berries; especially the bilberry. The results of the marketing survey were published in November 2008. The aim of the survey was to generate an overall picture of the companies working with wild berries in Nordic countries and to gather information on the existence and willingness of the berry companies to cooperate in wild berry supply, logistics, marketing and research and development. According to the results, a general agreement for the need of increased cooperation at the Nordic level was highlighted.