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
Authors
Christian Guido Bruckner Christian UhligAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Sheng-Hong Li Nina Elisabeth Nagy Almuth Hammerbacher Paal Krokene Xue-Mei Niu Jonathan Gershenzon Bernd SchneiderAbstract
Norway spruce (Picea abies) bark contains specialized phloem parenchyma cells that swell and change their contents upon attack by the bark beetle Ips typographus and its microbial associate, the blue stain fungus Ceratocystis polonica. These cells exhibit bright autofluorescence after treatment with standard aldehyde fixatives, and so have been postulated to contain phenolic compounds. Laser microdissection of spruce bark sections combined with cryogenic NMR spectroscopy demonstrated significantly higher concentrations of the stilbene glucoside astringin in phloem parenchyma cells than in adjacent sieve cells. After infection by C. polonica, the flavonoid (+)-catechin also appeared in phloem parenchyma cells and there was a decrease in astringin content compared to cells from uninfected trees. Analysis of whole-bark extracts confirmed the results obtained from the cell extracts and revealed a significant increase in dimeric stilbene glucosides, both astringin and isorhapontin derivatives (piceasides A to H), in fungus-infected versus uninfected bark that might explain the reduction in stilbene monomers. Phloem parenchyma cells thus appear to be a principal site of phenolic accumulation in spruce bark.
Abstract
Pilgrims travel along the main reopened St Olav pilgrim routes in Norway and visit a variety of cultural heritage types. These routes are part of a value creation programme, in which the management authorities try to increase the numbers of pilgrims. At the same time, forest regrowth is reported to reduce the landscape experience of pilgrims and to biophysically change the cultural heritage sites. However, no studies have been reported on the spatial encroachments of forests along the pilgrim routes. The purpose of this study is to analyse where forest regrowth along the main reopened pilgrim routes in Norway will appear, given the present climatic conditions, and to assess the spatial overlap of future forest regrowth with cultural heritage sites. A potential forest model and a cultural heritage sites database were combined with several baseline geographical data layers and spatially joined in geographical information systems. The results show that most of the future forest regrowth will appear in mountainous parts of the pilgrim routes, whereas many hunting sites, tradition sites and other cultural heritage sites will be overgrown by young forests. Therefore, management efforts to keep the main pilgrim routes open need to be strengthened and directed towards future risks.
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
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No abstract has been registered
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No abstract has been registered
Authors
Lampros LamprinakisAbstract
Firms in the agri-food industry are embedded in a system of institutions, regulations and policies that shape their economic environment and affect their conduct and performance. Changes in this system can propose new challenges for the firms that need to adequately and efficiently change and adapt to the emerging environment. The following article examines how deep structural changes in the institutional and regulatory setting can be effectively addressed by organizational innovation and what can be the catalysts behind a successful innovation effort. In doing so the analysis examines the case of Valio, the largest Finnish dairy company and its reconstruction effort due to Finland’s EU accession in 1995. After years of restructuring and changing its business model the company remains a major player in Finland and one of the most well-known brands in the region.
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to complete the studies of the genus Stenostola in Northern Europe. Together with previous published studies the characters presented form a better basis for separation of S. ferrea and S. dubia both as imagines and as larvae. The presented paper consists of three parts: Studies of the genitalia, morphological characters for identification of the larvae and DNA barcoding of both Stenostola dubia (Laicharting, 1784) and S. ferrea (Shrank, 1776). Although very similar, the male genitalia have good characters for species separation. The easiest characters to use are the parameres and tips of sclerite 2. The posterior ends of the elongated median sclerites of S. ferrea are irregularly curved or “zigzag” shaped, while the posterior ends of the median sclerites of S. dubia are straight. The genitalia characters presented are not previously published. No single morphological character alone is enough to identify the larvae to species. However, when the characters are used together the mature larvae are usually identifiable. The younger the larvae are, the more difficult they are to identify. Barcoding analysis of mitochondrial COI gene shows that S. ferrea and S. dubia are genetically different. The genetic distance between the species is 10.3 %. These results, in addition to previous findings, show that despite the morphological similarities, they are clearly two different species.
Abstract
Landscapes reflect both historic and current cultural and socio-economic activities of human societies. Accordingly, as human societies change, the landscape changes as well. Agriculture is the main driver of landscape changes in the Czech Republic. Therefore, it is necessary to devote special attention to agricultural practices and define simple but effective steps to improve landscape mosaics towards a sustainable development. In this study, regional information about historic changes in landscape structure was studied to (1) identify the trends in land use/cover development since 1940 to 2010 and (2) determine the impact of land use change on the resulting heterogeneity of the landscape. The overall purpose was to find areas of compromise which would allow strengthening of landscape structure and thus stabilize its functions. We specified trends of land use/cover development in 15 catchments with varying agriculture intensity. We digitalized aerial photographs from 1940, 1960, and 1990 and orthophotomaps from 2010. Then, we used a heterogeneity index to define landscape heterogeneity in all catchments and time horizons. The results of our research confirmed increasing tillage effort in intensively cultivated areas, support of secondary succession processes in marginalized areas, and overall increase in forest area. Our study found that simplification and homogenization of the landscape mosaic took place in all studied areas, with the steepest decline found in areas with high agriculture intensity. However, linear vegetation proved to be a suitable starting point for a targeted effort to increase heterogeneity and thus seemed to be crucial for sustainable development of landscape functions in agroecosystems.