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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.

2012

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Abstract

Estimates of growing stock in European countries vary mainly by using different thresholds for dbh of sample trees, as well as by the inclusion or exclusion of stump and stem top volume. European national forest inventories use dbh thresholds ranging from 0 to 12 cm in estimating the volume of growing stock. COST Action E43 has agreed to a reference definition for growing stock with a dbh threshold of 0 cm. With use of national volume distributions by dbh classes, models for estimating the proportions of growing stock between the national threshold and the 0-cm threshold were constructed. Models for characterizing growing stock distributions were tested, and their predictive abilities were investigated. Similar comparisons were made with respect to the volume of stumps and stem tops. Examples of estimation methods and the resulting percentages of these tree elements of total growing stock are presented.

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Abstract

In this paper two sampling and estimation strategies for regional forestinventory were investigated in detail and results were presented for various geographical scales. Airbornelaser scanner (ALS) data were acquired to augment data from a systematic sample of NationalForestInventory (NFI) ground plots in HedmarkCounty, Norway (27,390 km2). Approximately 50% of the NFI fieldplots were covered by the systematic ALS sample of 53 parallel flight lines spaced 6 km apart. The area was stratified into eight cover classes and independent log-transformed regression models were developed for each class to predict total above-ground dry biomass (AGB). The two laser-ground estimation strategies tested were a model-dependent (MD), two-phase approach that rests on the assumption that the predictive models are correctly specified, and a model-assisted (MA) approach with a two-stage probability sampling design which utilizes design-unbiased estimators. ALS AGB estimates were reported by land cover class and compared to the NFI ground estimates. The ALS-based MA and MD mean estimates differed from the NFI AGB estimates by about 2% and 8%, respectively, for the entire County. At the county level the smallest estimated standard error (SE) for the estimates was obtained using the field data alone. However, the SEs calculated from field and ALS data were based on unequal numbers of ground plots. When considering only the NFI plots in the ALS strips, the smallest SEs were obtained using the MD framework. However, we also illustrated the sensitivity of the estimates of applying different plausible models. All the applied estimators assumed simple random sampling while the selection of flight lines as well as ground plots followed a systematic design. Thus, the estimates of SE were most likely conservative. Simulated sampling undertaken in a parallel research effort suggests that the overestimation of the SEs was probably much larger for the ALS-based estimates compared to the NFI estimates. ALS-based estimates were also derived for sub-county political units and thereby demonstrated how limited sample sizes affect the standard error of the biomass estimates.

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Abstract

The strengthening of administrative powers is comprehensively documented within national governments. This article asks to what extent centre formation also happens within international bureaucracies. Based on a large body of data (N=121) within three international bureaucracies, this study adds two new observations: First, administrative centre formation is primarily observed inside the European Commission and only marginally within other international bureaucracies – such as the OECD and WTO Secretariats. Moreover, within the Commission, centre formation is primarily observed at the administrative centre (the General Secretariat) and only marginally within bureaucratic sub-units. Concomitantly, administrative centre formation, when observed, does not seem to profoundly penetrate and transform international bureaucracies writ large. Second, variation in centre formation both across and within international bureaucracies is associated with two often neglected variables in comparative government literature: (i) first, the accumulation of relevant organisational capacities at the executive centre, and second, the vertical and horizontal specialisation of international bureaucracies.

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Abstract

In an attempt to find alternative products to classical fungicides, several products with low toxicity were tested against powdery mildew of roses. These products included resistance inducers (Bion, BABA, and ROS), potassium salts (Resistim, monopotassium phosphate), and seed extracts. The best results were obtained with acibenzolar-S-methyl (Bion). The utilization of Bion as prophylactic treatment, watered at a concentration 0.1–0.2 mg/ml, together with good cultural practices can be enough to effectively control powdery mildew on roses. Treatments with Resistim reduced the disease incidence, but not always significantly compared to the controls. None of the other products had effect on powdery mildew.

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Abstract

Purpose: To identify the key parameters involved in cereal starch digestion and associated glycaemic response by the utilisation of a dynamic gastro-duodenal digestion model. Methods: Potential plasma glucose loading curves for each meal were calculated and fitted to an exponential function. The area under the curve (AUC) from 0 to 120 min and total digestible starch was used to calculate an in vitro glycaemic index (GI) value normalised against white bread. Microscopy was additionally used to examine cereal samples collected in vitro at different stages of gastric and duodenal digestion. Results: Where in vivo GI data were available (4 out of 6 cereal meals) no significant difference was observed between these values and the corresponding calculated in vitro GI value. Conclusion: It is possible to simulate an in vivo glycaemic response for cereals when the gastric emptying rate (duodenal loading) and kinetics of digestible starch hydrolysis in the duodenum are known.