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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.

1999

Abstract

This article describes in brief the chemical analytical program at The Norwegian Forest Research Institute in 2000. Due to a continuous effort to develop and to improve analytical methods to meet the demands of forest research in Norway, the four earlier summaries of our methods (Ogner et al. 1975, 1977, 1984, 1991) are now outdated. This article replaces the previous ones and describes only those procedures currently being used for the analysis of water, plant and soil samples

Abstract

The study examines the economics of combined milk and meat production as an alternative to the current specialised milk production on Norwegian goat. The reasons for the study are 1) to increase goat farm incomes,2) to improve the annual distribution pattern of goat milk and 3) to reduce negative publicity of farmers killing surplus goat kids just after birth. The most promising management practice would be to change the time of kidding from February to late April or May, combined with suckling the kids during the daytime until August. The kids are to be slaughtered in August in order to utilise the summer grazing period and market the kids the month before start of the lamb slaughter season. While the kids are being suckled, the does are milked once per day and after weaning the does are milked twice a day, thereby increasing milk deliveries during autumn and winter when milk prices are higher. A discussion of how the natural conditions and the Norwegian agricultural policy contribute to the results increases the value of the study.

Abstract

The impact of elevated CO2 on height increment, phenology, biomass, and concentration of carbohydrates, pigments and elements in clones of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst ) were studied in a three year open-top chamber experiment. The CO2-effect on height increment, biomass, and concentration elements of Silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) was also recorded. The CO2 concentrations were ambient (380 µmol mol-1), approximately 500 and 700 µmol mol-1 CO2 in the chambers. Additionally, an outside control plot was present. Norway spruce were grown in intact profiles of forest soil and in fertilised peat. Silver birch was grown in forest soil only. Phenology and leader shoot extension were recorded regularly. Element concentrations of leaves and needles were analysed at the end of each growth season. At the end of the experiment, carbohydrate and pigment concentrations were also analysed. The impact of elevated CO2 on Silver birch and Norway spruce was small in this experiment. A marginal increase in biomass were recorded in Silver birch and in Norway spruce grown in fertilised peat. Phenology, concentration of elements, C:N ratio, concentrations of carbohydrates and pigments were almost unaffected by elevated CO2. The largest effect on growth and chemical composition were caused by chambers versus outside control plots and difference in nutrient supply (Norway spruce). Significant higher concentration of Al, Na and Fe were recorded in both species in the outside control plots compare to the plants inside the chambers. The increased concentration of these elements could be caused by a higher dust exposure outside the chambers than inside

To document

Abstract

The World Trade Organization (WTO) will initiate negotiations on the further liberalization of the global trade with agricultural commodities by the end of 1999. These negotiations are basedon Article 20 of the Uruguay Round’s Agreement on Agriculture, which states, inter alia, that the reform process is to be continued, with the long-term objective of substantial and progressive reductions in the support and protection of the agricultural sector. In this context, however, a number of issues are to be taken into consideration, including the so-called non-trade concerns. The Norwegian authorities have started preparations for the new round of WTO negotiations, and have placed substantial emphasis on the non-trade concerns. Norwegian agriculture is regarded as being a ”producer” of more than just food and fibres, for example, national food security, viable rural areas and environmental benefits. The term ”Multifunctional Agriculture” is being increasingly applied to describe these additional functions1. With regard to Norwegian agriculture, it will be of major importance for Norway that sufficient consideration is given to the non-trade and other concerns during the next round of the WTO negotiations. In the summer/fall of 1998, the Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture initialized an evaluation program in order to survey and analyse a number of issues in relation to ”multifunctional agriculture”. The present report is one of the contributions in this context.