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2017 (350)
Sammendrag
Air pollution has become a global problem and affects nearly all of us. Most of the pollution is of anthropogenic origin and therefore we are obliged to improve this situation. In solving this problem basically our only partners are plants with their enormous biologically active surface area. Plants themselves are also victims of air pollution but because they are sedentary they developed very efficient defence mechanisms, which can also be exploited to improve the humanosphere. For their life processes plants require intensive gas exchange, during which air contaminants are accumulated on leaf surfaces or absorbed into the tissues. Some of the pollutants are included by plants in their own metabolism while others are sequestered. In some plant species, the processes of removing pollutants from the air is conducted in a very efficient way and therefore they are used in the environmental friendly biotechnology called phytoremediation. For urban areas, outdoor phytoremediation is recommended while indoor phytoremediation can be applied in our homes and workplaces. Because in near future purifying outdoor air to protect human health and well-being does not look the most promising, an important and increasing role will be played by indoor phytoremediation.
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During August 2013, white-grayish lesions, typical of Sclerotinia stem rot, had developed around leaf axils on the stems of turnip rape ‘Pepita’ in a field at the NIBIO research station Apelsvoll in Oppland County, Norway. Sclerotia were collected from inside infected turnip rape stubble and from harvested seeds, surface sterilized, bisected, and placed onto potato dextrose agar (PDA). Following 1 to 2 days incubation at 20°C, fast-growing white mycelium characteristic of Sclerotinia was observed, and within 5 to 7 days, new sclerotia had started to develop. Sclerotia size and growing pattern although variable was characteristic of S. sclerotiorum. DNA extraction, PCR amplification, and sequencing of the ITS regions of the rDNA was then carried out for 20 isolates. BLASTn analysis of 475 bp amplicons showed that 15 isolates were S. sclerotiorum, while five were identified as S. subarctica (previously called Sclerotinia sp 1; Holst-Jensen et al. 1998; Winton et al. 2006, 2007), with 100% identity to a U.K. S. subarctica isolate (Clarkson et al. 2010). A representative ITS region sequence was deposited in GenBank (accession no. KX929095). The identity of the S. subarctica isolates was further confirmed by the lack of a 304-bp intron in the LSU rDNA compared with S. sclerotiorum (Holst-Jensen et al. 1998), which was visualized by PCR amplification and gel electrophoresis. Sclerotia of two S. subarctica isolates were placed on PDA and incubated for 7 days. Agar plugs of actively growing mycelium were used for the pathogenicity testing of spring oilseed rape plants (‘Mosaik’) in the greenhouse. Plants were inoculated at growth stage BBCH 57/59 (preflowering) and BBCH 64 (40% of flowers open) by attaching two PDA plugs of actively growing mycelium per main stems with small needles, using four plants per treatment. Noninoculated PDA agar plugs were attached to the control plants. The experiment was repeated three times. Symptoms typical of stem rot appeared after 1 to 2 weeks of incubation at 16 to 20°C, 100% relative humidity. Stems started to develop white lesions with fluffy mycelium around the inoculation sites. Control plants did not show the characteristic symptoms for Sclerotinia infection. After senescence of the plants, sclerotia were collected from inside the stems and cultured on PDA. White mycelium started to grow after 1 to 2 days and new sclerotia were formed within 7 days, similar to the ones used for producing the initial isolate. Brassica oil seed crops are cultivated as important break crops in the cereal-based production system in Norway and can be severely affected by Sclerotinia stem rot. The disease is observed in all regions where Brassica oil seed crops are grown, and in severe cases, a reduction in oilseed yield of 25% has been recorded in untreated control treatments of fungicide trials. Although S. subarctica has been previously reported on wild hosts (Holst-Jensen et al. 1998), this is the first report of the pathogen on a crop plant in Norway. In the United Kingdom, Clarkson et al. (2010) demonstrated pathogenicity of S. subarctica isolated from Ranunculus acris on oilseed rape. As symptoms for S. subarctica and S. sclerotiorum are indistinguishable, S. subarctica might be present undetected in many farmer fields.
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A szennyvíziszap hasznosításának perspektivikus lehetősége hazánkban a mezőgazdasági célú felhasználás. Lehetőség van a víztelenített szennyvíziszap ún. injektálására, illetve a komposztálás utáni hasznosításra. A komposztálás egyik speciális válfaja a vermikomposztálás, amikor a kiindulási alapanyagokat gilisztákkal, vagy gilisztákban gazdag humusszal keverik, így a lebontás hatékonyságát a giliszták keverő hatásával, illetve lebontó tevékenységükkel növelik. A különböző életformatípusokba sorolt fajok közt szélsőséges körülményekhez alkalmazkodott, kizárólag trágya-, illetve komposztlakók is megtalálhatók, vagyis azok a fajok, amelyek bomlásban lévő szervesanyagok további feltárásában vesznek részt. Így a vermikomposztálás szempontjából jelentős fajok Eisenia sp., Eudrilus eugeniae, és Perionyx excavatus. A vermikomposztálás szerepének, lehetőségeinek vizsgálatakor a hagyományos komposztálással való összehasonlítás elkerülhetetlen. A vermikomposzt előállításának legfontosabb szempontja a giliszták optimális életkörülményeinek biztosítása, elsősorban a hőmérséklet, nedvességtartalom, levegőzöttség tekintetében. Ez többlet odafigyelést igényel. A hagyományos komposztálás egyik fontos jellemzője a termofil fázis, mely során a szennyvíziszapban található patogén szervezetek elpusztulnak. A vermikomposztálás során a földigiliszták hőérzékenysége miatt, kimarad a termofil fázis, azonban a földigiliszták tevékenységének, jelenlétének köszönhetően hasonló sterilitás érhető el. Tápanyagtartalom vonatkozásában a vermikomposzt nagyobb mennyiségben tartalmaz összes és felvehető makrotápelemet a hagyományos komposztokhoz képest. A vermikomposztálás további előnye a földigiliszták által kiválasztott növényi hormonhatású anyagok jelenléte. Környezetvédelmi szempontból a földigiliszták nehézfém akkumulációs képessége, valamint a speciális bélflóra által biztosított szerves szennyezők lebontásában való szerepük hozzájárulhat a szennyvíziszapok vermikomposztálásának jövőbeni terjedéséhez. Miközben a vermikomposzt számos előnnyel rendelkezik, hazánkban való elterjedéséhez még jó néhány akadályt le kell győznie. A földtulajdonosok sok esetben a szennyvíziszap komposztra nem tápanyag- és talajjavító anyagként gondolnak, hanem sokkal inkább kockázatos hulladékként, amelyek használatával elszennyezhetik talajaikat és a rajta termő növényeket. Habár számtalan szennyvíziszappal kapcsolatos ismeretanyag létezik, a hazai körülmények közötti Vermikomposztálás, mint a szennyvíziszap-komposztálás alternatív megoldása: Szemle 409 hosszú távú hatások vizsgálatáról szóló, a jelenkor aggályait is taglaló eredmények még hiányoznak. A vermikomposztálás tehát perspektivikus, innovatív technológia a szennyvíziszap hasznosítás terén. Azok a szennyvíziszapok, szennyvíziszap komposztok, amelyek szennyező anyag tartalmuk miatt nem felelnek meg az 50/2001. (IV. 3.) Korm. rendelet alapján a mezőgazdasági felhasználásra, a vermikomposztálás révén arra alkalmassá tehetőek.
Forfattere
Márton Dencső Eszter Tóth Györgyi Y. Gelybó Ilona Kása Ágota Horel Márk Rékási Tünde Takács Csilla Farkas Imre Potyó Nikolett UzingerSammendrag
A talajok tulajdonságainak javítása céljából végzett bioszénnel történő kezelések hatása a különböző fizikai, kémiai és biológiai tulajdonságú talajok esetében még nem teljesen ismert. Kísérleteinket homoktalajon végeztük az MTA ATK TAKI Őrbottyánban lévő kísérleti telepén, ahol kukoricát vetettek. Hét kezelést vizsgáltunk, négy ismétlésben. Három esetben a talaj különböző dózisban bioszenet és konstans dózisú műtrágyát tartalmazott (0,1 m/m%; 0,5 m/m%; 1 m/m%; jelölésük BC0,1M; BC0,5M; BC1,0M), három esetben pedig a fent említett bioszén dózisokat egységesen 10 t/ha komposzttal egészítettük ki (BC0,1K; BC0,5K; BC1,0K). Ezek mellett pedig kialakítottunk egy bioszén és komposzt mentes abszolút kontroll (K) kezelést is. Kutatásunk során talajszondákkal monitoroztuk a talajnedvességtartalmának alakulását, valamint statikus kamrás mintavételi eljárással a talajlégzést is mértük a kezelésekben. A talajnedvesség éves átlagát nézve 1% bioszénnel és komposzttal kezelt parcella esetében a talaj nedvességtartalma nem szignifikáns mértékben növekedett a bioszén és komposzt mentes abszolút kontroll környezethez képest. Csapadékesemények alkalmával az 1% bioszenet és komposztot tartalmazó parcellában nőtt meg legjobban a talajnedvesség, illetve hasonlóan alakult a nedvességtartalom a 0,5% bioszénnel kezelt műtrágyás parcellában is. Csapadékesemények után az összes bioszenet és műtrágyát, illetve bioszenet és komposztot tartalmazó parcellában gyorsabban száradt ki a talaj a kontrollhoz képest. A csapadékban szegényebb, szárazabb időszak alkalmával egyedül az 1% bioszenet és komposztot tartalmazó kezelés talajnedvessége volt magasabb a kontrollhoz képest, a 0,5% bioszénnel és műtrágyával kezelt, komposzt mentes esetben a nedvesség hasonlóan alakult a kontrollhoz viszonyítva, az összes többi esetben jóval az alatt maradtak az értékek. Összességében megállapítható, hogy a komposztot tartalmazó talajok érzékenyebben reagáltak a csapadékra, a legjobb vízgazdálkodást az 1% bioszén és komposzt kezelés esetében értük el. Önmagában a bioszén nagy mennyiségű (1,0 m/m%) adagolása nem volt egyértelműen talajnedvesség-növelő hatású. A bioszén szén-dioxid forgalomra történő hatását a talajlégzés mérésével vizsgáltuk. A bioszénnel, valamint műtrágyával kezelt és a kontroll kezelések között csak néhány esetben volt különbség. A komposzttal kevert bioszén kezelések alkalmával hasonló eredményre jutottunk, mint a műtrágyával kevert bioszén esetében. Eredményeink alapján arra következtethetünk, hogy a talajlégzés nem függött a bioszén dózisától. A bioszén talajlégzésre gyakorolt hatása közvetett módon, a talajnedvesség befolyásolásán keresztül valósul meg, mivel bioszenet alkalmazva bizonyos esetekben a talajnedvesség emelkedett a kontrollhoz képest, ekkor a talajlégzés ugyancsak magasabb lett, amely jelenség a komposzttal kezelt esetekben jól megfigyelhető volt.
Forfattere
Laur Manea Roger Manea Ole Martin EkloSammendrag
Enzymes are major components of organism defense against toxic chemicals in their environment. Despite the passage of more than 200 million years of life presence these enzymes now play an important role in detoxifying chemicals man-made addiction and it may be a useful biomarker. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH or LD) is intracellular enzyme year found early in all living cells (animals, plants, and prokaryotes). LDH catalyzes the conversion of pyruvic acid to lactic acid and back, as it converts NAD + to NADH and back. A dehydrogenase enzyme transfers a hydride from one molecule to another. LDH enzyme exists in four distinct classes: first is NAD (P) -dependent L-lactate dehydrogenase; other LDHs act on D-lactic and / or is dependent on cytochome C: Dlactate dehydrogenase (cytochome) and L-lactate (L-lactate dehydrogenase (cytochome). LDH is expressed extensively in body tissues, such as blood cells and heart muscle. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is widely distributed throughout the body, as seen mainly in the kidney, myocardium, skeletal muscle, brain, liver and lungs. Because it is released during tissue damage, it is a marker of common injuries such as heart failure and disease.
Sammendrag
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Sammendrag
This study describes the first Norwegian microbial source tracking (MST) approach for water quality control and pollution removal from catchment run-off in a nature-based treatment system (NBTS) with a constructed wetland. The applied MST tools combined microbial analyses and molecular tests to detect and define the source(s) and dominant origin(s) of faecal water contamination. Faecal indicator bacteria Escherichia coli and host-specific Bacteroidales 16 s rRNA gene markers have been employed. The study revealed that the newly developed contribution profiling of faecal origin derived from the Bacteroidales DNA could quantitatively distinguish between human and non-human pollution origins. Further, the outcomes of the MST test have been compared with the results of both physicochemical analyses and tests of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs). A strong positive correlation was discovered between the human marker and PPCPs. Gabapentin was the most frequently detected compound and it showed the uppermost positive correlation with the human marker. The study demonstrated that the NBTS performs satisfactorily with the removal of E. coli but not PPCPs. Interestingly, the presence of PPCPs in the water samples was not correlated with high concentrations of E. coli. Neither has the latter an apparent correlation with the human marker.
Forfattere
Irene Biancarosa Nina Sylvia Liland Daan Biemans Pedro Araujo Christian Guido Bruckner Rune Waagbø Bente Elisabeth Torstensen Erik-Jan Lock Heidi AmlundSammendrag
BACKGROUND The black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) is one of the most promising insect species for use in animal feed. However, studies investigating feed and food safety aspects of using black soldier fly as feed are scarce. In this study, we fed black soldier fly larvae feeding media enriched with seaweed, which contains naturally high concentrations of heavy metals and arsenic. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential transfer of such undesirable substances from the feeding media to the larvae. RESULTS The larvae accumulated cadmium, lead, mercury and arsenic. Concentrations of these elements in the larvae increased when more seaweed was added to the feeding media. The highest retention was seen for cadmium (up to 93%) and the lowest for total arsenic (up to 22%). When seaweed inclusion exceeded 20% in the media, this resulted in larval concentrations of cadmium and total arsenic above the current European Union maximum levels for these elements in complete feed. CONCLUSION Our results confirm that insect larvae can accumulate heavy metals and arsenic when present in the feeding media. A broader understanding of the occurrence of these undesirable substances in processed larvae products is needed to assess feed and food safety. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Sammendrag
Artikkelen tar for seg levetid for infiltrasjonsanlegg for avløpsvann og ser spesielt på binding av fosfor og gjentetting som kan begrense levetiden. Det refereres til norske og internasjonale undersøkelser. I Norge er det generelt gode erfaringer med infiltrasjon som rensemetode og regnes som en robust metode som tåler variasjoner i hydraulisk belastning og oppnår rensing på mange viktige parametere. Undersøkelser av eldre anlegg, etablert før 1985, viser imidlertid at anleggene ofte er plassert på dårlige egnede masser, har for lite areal eller mangelfull utforming i forhold til dagens krav. Infiltrasjonsanlegg i gode masser, og spesielt med nyere design, kan forventes å ha lang levetid (mer enn 20 ‐ 25 år), men lokale forhold kan begrense levetiden. Artikkelen har forslag til tema som bør undersøkes nærmere i forhold til å vurdere levetid på norske infiltrasjonsanlegg.
Forfattere
Kris Verheyen Pieter De Frenne Lander Baeten Donald M. Waller Radim Hédl Michael P. Perring Haben Blondeel Jörg Brunet Markéta Chudomelová Guillaume Decocq Emiel De Lombaerde Leen Depauw Thomas Dirnböck Tomasz Durak Ove Eriksson Frank S. Gilliam Thilo Heinken Steffi Heinrichs Martin Hermy Bogdan Jaroszewicz Michael A. Jenkins Sarah E. Johnson Keith J. Kirby Martin Kopecký Dries Landuyt Jonathan Lenoir Daijiang Li Martin Macek Sybryn L. Maes František Máliš Fraser J.G. Mitchell Tobias Naaf George Peterken Petr Petřík Kamila Reczyńska David A Rogers Fride Høistad Schei Wolfgang Schmidt Tibor Standovár Krzysztof Świerkosz Karol Ujházy Hans Van Calster Mark Vellend Ondřej Vild Kerry Woods Monika Wulf Markus Bernhardt-RömermannSammendrag
More and more ecologists have started to resurvey communities sampled in earlier decades to determine long-term shifts in community composition and infer the likely drivers of the ecological changes observed. However, to assess the relative importance of and interactions among multiple drivers, joint analyses of resurvey data from many regions spanning large environmental gradients are needed. In this article, we illustrate how combining resurvey data from multiple regions can increase the likelihood of driver orthogonality within the design and show that repeatedly surveying across multiple regions provides higher representativeness and comprehensiveness, allowing us to answer more completely a broader range of questions. We provide general guidelines to aid the implementation of multiregion resurvey databases. In so doing, we aim to encourage resurvey database development across other community types and biomes to advance global environmental change research.
Forfattere
Valentina Krysanova Tobias Vetter Stephanie Eisner Shaochun Huang Ilias Pechlivanidis Michael Strauch Alexander Gelfan Rohini Kumar Valentin Aich Berit Arheimer Alejandro Chamorro Ann van Griensven Dipangkar Kundu Anastasia Lobanova Vimal Mishra Stefan Plötner Julia Reinhardt Ousmane Seidou Xiaoyan Wang Michel Wortmann Xiaofan Zeng Fred F. HattermannSammendrag
An intercomparison of climate change impacts projected by nine regional-scale hydrological models for 12 large river basins on all continents was performed, and sources of uncertainty were quantified in the framework of the ISIMIP project. The models ECOMAG, HBV, HYMOD, HYPE, mHM, SWAT, SWIM, VIC and WaterGAP3 were applied in the following basins: Rhine and Tagus in Europe, Niger and Blue Nile in Africa, Ganges, Lena, Upper Yellow and Upper Yangtze in Asia, Upper Mississippi, MacKenzie and Upper Amazon in America, and Darling in Australia. The model calibration and validation was done using WATCH climate data for the period 1971–2000. The results, evaluated with 14 criteria, are mostly satisfactory, except for the low flow. Climate change impacts were analyzed using projections from five global climate models under four representative concentration pathways. Trends in the period 2070–2099 in relation to the reference period 1975–2004 were evaluated for three variables: the long-term mean annual flow and high and low flow percentiles Q10 and Q90, as well as for flows in three months high- and low-flow periods denoted as HF and LF. For three river basins: the Lena, MacKenzie and Tagus strong trends in all five variables were found (except for Q10 in the MacKenzie); trends with moderate certainty for three to five variables were confirmed for the Rhine, Ganges and Upper Mississippi; and increases in HF and LF were found for the Upper Amazon, Upper Yangtze and Upper Yellow. The analysis of projected streamflow seasonality demonstrated increasing streamflow volumes during the high-flow period in four basins influenced by monsoonal precipitation (Ganges, Upper Amazon, Upper Yangtze and Upper Yellow), an amplification of the snowmelt flood peaks in the Lena and MacKenzie, and a substantial decrease of discharge in the Tagus (all months). The overall average fractions of uncertainty for the annual mean flow projections in the multi-model ensemble applied for all basins were 57% for GCMs, 27% for RCPs, and 16% for hydrological models.
Sammendrag
Land management and spatial planning are closely linked to the adaptation of water management to climate change impacts. Land management has an influence on the ability of the soil to retain precipitation or flood water and sustainable land use can help to better manage risks related to both increased precipitation/flooding and water scarcity. Land and soil management can also realize significant synergies between climate change adaptation and mitigation. Agriculture as a key form of land use will play a crucial role in adaptive spatial planning approaches. Intensive agriculture in flood-prone areas is at risk of substantial economic loss in the case of flooding. On the other hand, the increased challenges for flood risk management will create a demand for new ways of accommodating flood water and managing flows, which may increase economic opportunities for water farming. There are sufficient reasons to understand land drainage arrangements importance. Drainage has been identified as the forgotten factor in sustaining a sustainable irrigated agriculture. Surface and subsurface drainage provides a lot of functions that meet some actual and challenging needs. Some of these functions are: resource base protection for food production; sustaining and increasing the yields and rural incomes; irrigation investment protection etc. This paper is based on an analysis of managing water excess in north-western Romania using Romanian expertise in this field but also the results from some bilateral projects between Romania, Norway and Iceland.
Sammendrag
Plants are sessile organisms that lack a specialized immune system to cope with biotic and abiotic stress. Instead, plants have complex regulatory networks that determine the appropriate distribution of resources between the developmental and the defense programs. In the last years, epigenetic regulation of repeats and gene expression has evolved as an important player in the transcriptional regulation of stress‐related genes. Here, we review the current knowledge about how different stresses interact with different levels of epigenetic control of the genome. Moreover, we analyze the different examples of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance and connect them with the known features of genome epigenetic regulation. Although yet to be explored, the interplay between epigenetics and stress resistance seems to be a relevant and dynamic player of the interaction of plants with their environments.
Forfattere
Jasmina Vejnovic Branko Djuric Peder Lombnæs Bal Ram SinghSammendrag
Deficient trace elements concentration in soils, forages, and animals have been reported in several areas of Balkan region. Main challenge in overcoming low productivity of forage and animal production in this region is the lack of data on the nutritional status of the pastures and soils. This study examined the nutrient and pseudo total concentration of trace elements in soil and herbage plants, and the potential deficiency or excess with regards to crop and livestock production. Soil and plant samples from 100 sampling points were collected in the mountainous grasslands of Manjača (between longitudes 16°56′ and 17°8′ east; and latitudes 44°33′ and 44° 42′ north) and Vlašić (between longitudes 17°14′ and 17°29′ east; and latitudes 44°25′ and 44°37′ north). Soil samples were analysed for soil texture, pseudo total concentration (5 ml HNO3) of trace elements (TE), pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), while plant samples were analysed for TE. The soil pH varied from strongly acidic to moderately alkaline. The concentration of SOC varied from 0.5% to 12.3%. Most of the soil samples were finer-textured soils high in silt content. The average concentrations of Na, P, Zn, Se, Cu, Co, and B were low in both soil and herbage plants. Plant K, Ca, Mg, Mo, and Mn concentrations were sufficiently high to meet the requirements of grazing animals, while Fe concentrations was elevated in certain areas. High levels of Mo were found in both soil and plants. The results suggest that imbalances observed in natural pastures of Manjača and Vlašić area, caused by low soil TE concentration and other soil and plant properties, could contribute to poor animal nutrition.
Sammendrag
Ice encasement (IE) is the most economically important winter stress in Scandinavia; however, little is known about the IE tolerance of different turfgrass species and subspecies except that creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) is more tolerant than annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.). The objective of this study was to assess the impact of IE and two protective covers (plastic and plastic over a 10-mm woven mat) on the winter survival of six cool-season turfgrasses commonly used on golf greens. The experiment was conducted on a sand-based green at Apelsvoll, Norway (60°42′ N, 10°51′ E) during the winters of 2011–2012 and 2012–2013. Turfgrass samples (8 cm in diameter, 10 cm deep) were removed from the plots at the time of cover installation and throughout the winter. The samples were potted and percent live turfgrass cover assessed after 21 d of regrowth in a growth chamber. Percent turfgrass cover, percent disease, and turfgrass quality were also registered in the field plots in spring. Results indicated that velvet bentgrass (Agrostis canina L.) had superior tolerance to IE, surviving for 98 and 119 d of IE during the winters of 2011–2012 and 2012–2013, respectively. The order of IE tolerance in 2012–2013 was: velvet bentgrass > creeping bentgrass > Chewing’s fescue (Festuca. rubra L. ssp. commutata), slender creeping red fescue (F. rubra L. ssp. litoralis) ≥ colonial bentgrass (A. capillaris) > annual bluegrass. Colonial bentgrass responded negatively to both protective covers in 2012 due to the development of Microdocium nivale. None of the species benefited from the plastic cover alone, compared with natural snow conditions. Annual bluegrass was the only species that benefited from plastic over a woven mat.
Forfattere
Svetlana Saarela Johannes Breidenbach Pasi Raumonen Anton Grafström Göran Ståhl Mark J. Ducey Rasmus AstrupSammendrag
This study presents an approach for predicting stand-level forest attributes utilizing mobile laser scanning data collected as a nonprobability sample. Firstly, recordings of stem density were made at point locations every 10th metre along a subjectively chosen mobile laser scanning track in a forest stand. Secondly, kriging was applied to predict stem density values for the centre point of all grid cells ina5m×5m lattice across the stand. Thirdly, due to nondetectability issues, a correction term was computed based on distance sampling theory. Lastly, the mean stem density at stand level was predicted as the mean of the point-level predictions multiplied with the correction factor, and the corresponding variance was estimated. Many factors contribute to the uncertainty of the stand-level prediction; in the variance estimator, we accounted for the uncertainties due to kriging prediction and due to estimating a detectability model from the laser scanning data. The results from our new approach were found to correspond fairly well to estimates obtained using field measurements from an independent set of 54 circular sample plots. The predicted number of stems in the stand based on the proposed methodology was 1366 with a 12.9% relative standard error. The corresponding estimate based on the field plots was 1677 with a 7.5% relative standard error.
Forfattere
Victor Phani Tagginahalli N. Shivakumara Keith Davies Uma RaoSammendrag
Root-knot nematode (RKN) Meloidogyne incognita is an economically important pest of crops. Pasteuria penetrans, is a nematode hyperparasitic bacterium capable of suppressing the reproduction of RKN and thereby useful for its management. Secreted fatty acid and retinol-binding proteins are unique in nematodes and are engaged in nutrient acquisition, development and reproduction; they are also a component of the nematode cuticle and thought to be involved in the interface between hosts and parasites. Attachment of endospores to the cuticle of second stage juveniles of RKN is the primary step of infection and several factors have been identified to facilitate attachment. In this study, the full length of Mi-far-1 (573 bp) was cloned from M. incognita and characterized. Analysis revealed that the Mi-far-1 was rich in α-helix structure, contained a predicted consensus casein kinase II phosphorylation site and a glycosylation site. Quantitative PCR showed the highest expression in the fourth stage juveniles and in situ hybridization revealed the presence of Mi-far-1 mRNA in the hypodermis below the cuticle. Single copy insertion pattern of Mi-far-1 in M. incognita genome was detected by Southern blotting. Knockdown of Mi-far1 showed significantly increased attachment of P. penetrans’ endospores on juvenile cuticle surface and also affected host finding, root infection and nematode fecundity.
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Research concerning the cultural practice of golf course fairways is important because legislation on pesticide reduction in Europe and North America may potentially cause serious weed problems. Establishing a strong, competitive turfgrass sward may aid in reducing the invasion of broadleaved weeds and Poa annua L. The objective of this research was to determine changes in the grass species composition and weed occurrence of in-use fairway turfs after repeated overseeding of three grass species separately: Lolium perenne L., Festuca rubra L., and Poa pratensis L., all at rates 300 kg ha−1. Overseeding was conducted with a disc seeder, alone or in combination with extra fertilizer (50 kg N + 34 kg P ha−1) in either May or September on three Danish golf courses from 2011 to 2013. Results showed no increase in the population of F. rubra or P. pratensis after 3 yr of overseeding. Lolium perenne was successfully introduced when seeded in autumn and when extra fertilizer was added immediately after overseeding. None of the overseeding treatments reduced the occurrence of P. annua, Taraxacum officinale F.H. Wigg., Bellis perennis L., or Trifolium repens L. The results are discussed in relation to the fact that the fairways were unirrigated and that they were open to play after overseeding.
Forfattere
M. Hayes Hanne Skomedal Kari Skjånes H. Mazur-Marzec A. Torunska-Sitarz M. Catala M. Isleten Hosoglu M. García-VaqueroSammendrag
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Few studies have reported findings on the use of Pochonia chlamydosporia for the management of plant-parasitic nematodes under field conditions. In this chapter we describe experiences of P. chlamydosporia application in temperate crops grown in the UK, Norway and Poland. To date, the fungus has been recovered from different endoparasitic nematodes from a range of locations across Europe. Pochonia chlamydosporia is an egg parasite as well as a saprophyte and plant endophyte and is primarily applied as a biological control agent to reduce nematode multiplication. In the UK, several field and micro-plot experiments have demonstrated that the fungus is capable of causing ca 50% reductions in the multiplication of Globodera pallida in potatoes. Further work was undertaken to evaluate the compatibility between P. chlamydosporia applications and the fungicide azoxystrobin which is used for managing the soil borne fungus Rhizoctonia solani. Although P. chlamydosporia is sensitive to azoxystrobin, there is evidence to suggest that it may not affect its efficacy as a biological control agent. In Norway, the fungus has been isolated from various cyst nematodes (Heterodera spp. and Globodera spp.), however, under in vitro conditions it was found to lose pathogenicity. Work undertaken in Poland has shown that strains of P. chlamydosporia can reduce populations of H. schachtii in sugar beet. Sugar beet grown in a 3 year rotation in combination with a mustard green manure increased egg parasitism by P. chlamydosporia in comparison to other treatments which included the addition of straw or manure. Further work is discussed on the ability of strains of P. chlamydosporia to parasitize eggs of Meloidogyne incognita, M. hapla and M. arenaria at a range of temperatures.
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Revegetation of roadsides is an opportunity for grassland restoration, yet these habitats are prone to be colonised by invasive alien plant species (IAS). Therefore, the selection of seed mixtures for revegetation should consider potential competition with IAS present in the soil seed bank or arriving by traffic-related seed rain. We investigated whether the limiting similarity hypothesis, in terms of plant seed-size-output strategy, could be used to design native grassland communities resistant to IAS. In a greenhouse experiment, a small- or a large-seeded IAS was sown into factorial combinations of two native communities with small or large seed-size-output strategies attwo sowing densities. Height and aboveground biomass of the IAS were measured after four and eight weeks, respectively. Small-seeded native communities at high density were highly effective in suppressing the small- and large-seeded IAS, mostly controlled by a density effect. Thus, limiting similarity in seed-size-output strategy only partly explained resistance to IAS, while density-driven suppression was more effective.
Forfattere
Ilona Kása Györgyi Gelybó Ágota Horel Zsòfia Bakacsi Eszter Tóth Sándor Koós Márton Dencső Johannes Deelstra Sándor Molnár Csilla FarkasSammendrag
Catchment scale hydrological models are promising tools for simulating the effect of catchment-specific processes and management on soil and water resources. Here, we present a model intercomparison study of runoff simulations using three different semi-distributed rainfall-runoff catchment models. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the applicability of the Hydrologiska Byrans Vattenavdelning (HBV-Light); Precipitation, Evapotranspiration and Runoff Simulator for Solute Transport (PERSiST); and INtegrated CAtchment (INCA) models on Somogybabod Catchment, near Lake Balaton, Hungary. The models were calibrated and validated against observed discharge data at the outlet of the catchment for the period of January 1, 2006 –July 12, 2015. Model performance was evaluated using graphical representations, e.g. daily and monthly hydrographs and Flow Duration Curves (FDC) and model evaluation statistic; Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) and coefficient of determination (R2). The simulation results showed that the models provided good estimates of monthly average discharge (0.60–0.90 NSE; 0.60–0.91 R2) and satisfactory results for daily discharge (0.46–0.62 NSE; 0.50–0.67 R2). We found that the application of hydrological models serves as a powerful basis for ensemble modelling of average runoff and could enhance our understanding of the eco-hydrological and transport processes within catchments. On the other hand, it can highlight the uncertainty of model forecasts and the importance of goal specific evaluation.
Forfattere
Ricardo Fonseca Werner Creixell Javier Maiguashca Victor Rueda-AyalaSammendrag
Image analysis is essential through a wide range of scientific areas and most of them have one task in common, i.e. object detection. Thus automated detection algorithms had generated a lot of interest. This proposal identifies objects with similar features on a frame. The inputs are the image where to look at, and a single appearance of the object we are looking for. The object is searched by a sliding window of various sizes. A positive detection is given by a cascaded classifier that compares input patches from sliding window to the object model. The cascaded classifier has three stages: variance comparison, layers of pixel comparisons and patch correlation. Object model is a collection of templates which are generated from scales and rotations of the first appearance. This algorithm is capable to handle change in scale, in plane rotation, illumination, partial occlusion and background clutter. The proposed framework was tested on high cluttered background aerial image, for identifying palm oil trees. Promising results were achieved, suggesting this is a powerful tool for remote sensing image analysis and has potential applications for a wide range of sciences which require image analysis.
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Forests and wooded land cover 39% of the land area of Norway, with two conifer species, Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris, dominating the forest area. Twenty-five of 35 native forest tree species have their northern limit in this country. The genetic resources of 18 species are considered to be vulnerable or threatened either at a local or national level. Genetic information is available for 13 of the native species, with Picea abies being the species that has been most thoroughly characterised. The National Programme for Forest Genetic Resources is administered by the Norwegian Genetic Resource Centre. This programme covers four major areas: generating knowledge and monitoring processes influencing genetic resources; in situ and ex situ conservation activities; sustainable use and development of forest genetic resources; and networking, coordination and dissemination of knowledge. In situ conservation of genetic resources of forest tree species is carried out in nature reserves. Twenty-three gene conservation units, covering ten species, have been established in such reserves. Ex situ conservation of forest genetic resources is achieved through collections in arboreta and botanical gardens and in the long-term field plantations of research and breeding programmes. In addition, seed samples of selected forest tree species are stored at Svalbard Global Seed Vault. Forests in Norway are regenerated both by natural and artificial means. A revised tree breeding strategy, with emphasis on Picea abies, has been developed to improve climatic adaptation, growth and quality, without decreasing the genetic diversity in future forests or the potential for adaptation to future climatic conditions.
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Successional dynamics in plant community assembly may result from both deterministic and stochastic ecological processes. The relative importance of different ecological processes is expected to vary over the successional sequence, between different plant functional groups, and with the disturbance levels and land-use management regimes of the successional systems. We evaluate the relative importance of stochastic and deterministic processes in bryophyte and vascular plant community assembly after fire in grazed and ungrazed anthropogenic coastal heathlands in Northern Europe. A replicated series of post-fire successions (n = 12) were initiated under grazed and ungrazed conditions, and vegetation data were recorded in permanent plots over 13 years. We used redundancy analysis (RDA) to test for deterministic successional patterns in species composition repeated across the replicate successional series and analyses of co-occurrence to evaluate to what extent species respond synchronously along the successional gradient. Change in species co-occurrences over succession indicates stochastic successional dynamics at the species level (i.e., species equivalence), whereas constancy in co-occurrence indicates deterministic dynamics (successional niche differentiation). The RDA shows high and deterministic vascular plant community compositional change, especially early in succession. Co-occurrence analyses indicate stochastic species-level dynamics the first two years, which then give way to more deterministic replacements. Grazed and ungrazed successions are similar, but the early stage stochasticity is higher in ungrazed areas. Bryophyte communities in ungrazed successions resemble vascular plant communities. In contrast, bryophytes in grazed successions showed consistently high stochasticity and low determinism in both community composition and species co-occurrence. In conclusion, stochastic and individualistic species responses early in succession give way to more niche-driven dynamics in later successional stages. Grazing reduces predictability in both successional trends and species-level dynamics, especially in plant functional groups that are not well adapted to disturbance. bryophytes; burning; Calluna vulgaris; coexistence; conservation management; determinism; disturbance; grazing; heathland; randomization test; stochasticity; vascular plants.
Forfattere
Shuxin Han Yanling Gao Guoquan Fan Wei Zhang Cailing Qiu Shu Zhang Yanju Bai Junhua Zhang Carl Jonas Jorge SpetzSammendrag
This study reports the findings of a distinct Potato virus Y (PVY) isolate found in Northeast China. One hundred and ten samples (leaves and tubers) were collected from potato plants showing mosaic symptoms around the city of Harbin in Heilongjiang province of China. The collected tubers were planted and let to grow in a greenhouse. New potato plants generated from these tubers showed similar symptoms, except for one plant. Subsequent serological analyses revealed PVY as the causing agent of the disease. A novel PVY isolate (referred to as HLJ-C-44 in this study) was isolated from this sample showing unique mild mosaic and crisped leaf margin symptoms. The complete genome of this isolate was analyzed and determined. The results showed that HLJ-C-44 is a typical PVY isolate. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that this isolate belongs to the N-Wi strain group of PVY recombinants (PVYN-Wi) and also shared the highest overall sequence identity (nucleotide and amino acid) with other members of this strain group. However, recombination analysis of isolate HLJ-C-44 revealed a recombination pattern that differed from that of other PVYN-Wi isolates. Moreover, biological assays in four different potato cultivars and in Nicotiana tabacum also revealed a different phenotypic response than that of a typical PVYN-Wi isolate. This data, combined, suggest that HLJ-C-44 is a novel PVY recombinant with distinct biological properties.
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Phyllis G. Weintraub Sonja J. Scheffer Diedrich Visser Graciela Valladares Alberto Soares Correa B. Merle Shepard Aunu Rauf Sean T. Murphy Norma Mujica Charles MacVean Jürgen Kroschel Miriam Kishinevsky Ravindra C. Joshi Nina Johansen Rebecca H. Hallett Hasan S. Civelek Bing Chen Helga Blanco MetzlerSammendrag
Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard) is native to South America but has expanded its range and invaded many regions of the world, primarily on flowers and to a lesser extent on horticultural product shipments. As a result of initial invasion into an area, damage caused is usually significant but not necessarily sustained. Currently, it is an economic pest in selected native and invaded regions of the world. Adults cause damage by puncturing abaxial and adaxial leaf surfaces for feeding and egg laying sites. Larvae mine the leaf parenchyma tissues which can lead to leaves drying and wilting. We have recorded 365 host plant species from 49 families and more than 106 parasitoid species. In a subset of the Argentinian data, we found that parasitoid community composition attacking L. huidobrensis differs significantly in cultivated and uncultivated plants. No such effect was found at the world level, probably due to differences in collection methods in the different references. We review the existing knowledge as a means of setting the context for new and unpublished data. The main objective is to provide an update of widely dispersed and until now unpublished data, evaluate dispersion of the leafminer and management strategies in different regions of the world, and highlight the need to consider the possible effects of climate change on further regional invasions or expansions.
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Jan Feranec Tomas Soukup Gregory Taff Premysl Stych Ivan BicíkSammendrag
This chapter presents an analysis of land cover changes in Eastern Europe between 1990 and 2006, assessed using CORINE (Co-ORdination of INformation on the Environment) Land Cover (CLC) datasets. The plethora of potential land cover change categories were condensed into seven categories of major land use change processes: urbanization, agricultural intensification, agricultural extensification, afforestation, deforestation, construction and management of water bodies, and other changes. The amounts of each change category and their spatial distributions are summarized, and the change categories were also mapped to show the relative amounts of change (per 3 × 3 km2) between 1990 and 2000 and between 2000 and 2006. The results showed that while more afforestation than deforestation was observed in the first period, the reverse was true in the second period, when deforestation outpaced afforestation. Urbanization and suburbanization were major processes in Eastern Europe, particularly around existing major cities, and the speed of this process generally increased from the first to the second period. Both the intensification and extensification of agriculture were common during both periods, but a larger effect was observed in the first period. Overall, land use changes were highest in central Europe and the Baltic countries and lowest in southeast Europe.
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Gordon J. McDougall J. William Allwood Gema Pereira-Caro Emma M. Brown Cheryl Latimer Gary Dobson Derek Stewart Nigel G. Ternan Roger Lawther Gloria O'Connor Ian Rowland Alan Crozier Chris I.R. GillSammendrag
The beneficial effects of consumption of berry fruits on a range of chronic diseases has been attributed (at least in part) to the presence of unique phytochemicals. Recently, we identified novel ursolic acid-based triterpenoid glycosides (TTPNs) in raspberry fruit and demonstrated their survival in human ileal fluids after feeding which confirmed their colon-availability in vivo. In this paper, in vitro digestion studies demonstrated that certain TTPNs were stable under gastrointestinal conditions and confirmed that these components may have been responsible for bioactivity noted in previous studies. Sequential extractions of raspberry puree, isolated seeds and unseeded puree showed that certain TTPN components (e.g. peak T1 m/z 679, and T2 m/z 1358) had different extractabilities in water/solvent mixes and were differentially associated with the seeds. Purified seed TTPNs (mainly T1 and T2) were shown to be anti-genotoxic in HT29 and CCD841 cell based in vitro colonocyte models. Further work confirmed that the seeds contained a wider range of TTPN-like components which were also differentially extractable in water/solvent mixes. This differential extractability could influence the TTPN composition and potential bioactivity of the extracts. There was considerable variation in total content of TTPNs (∼3-fold) and TTPN composition across 13 Rubus genotypes. Thus, TTPNs are likely to be present in raspberry juices and common extracts used for bioactivity studies and substantial variation exists in both content and composition due to genetics, tissue source or extraction conditions, which may all affect observed bioactivity.
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Frans-Jan W. Parmentier Torben R. Christensen Søren Rysgaard Jørgen Bendtsen Ronnie N. Glud Brent Else Jacobus van Huissteden Torsten Sachs Jorien E. Vonk Mikael K. SejrSammendrag
The current downturn of the arctic cryosphere, such as the strong loss of sea ice, melting of ice sheets and glaciers, and permafrost thaw, affects the marine and terrestrial carbon cycles in numerous interconnected ways. Nonetheless, processes in the ocean and on land have been too often considered in isolation while it has become increasingly clear that the two environments are strongly connected: Sea ice decline is one of the main causes of the rapid warming of the Arctic, and the flow of carbon from rivers into the Arctic Ocean affects marine processes and the air–sea exchange of CO2. This review, therefore, provides an overview of the current state of knowledge of the arctic terrestrial and marine carbon cycle, connections in between, and how this complex system is affected by climate change and a declining cryosphere. Ultimately, better knowledge of biogeochemical processes combined with improved model representations of ocean–land interactions are essential to accurately predict the development of arctic ecosystems and associated climate feedbacks.
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Blas Mola-Yudego Javier Arevalo Olalla Díaz-Yáñez Ioannis Dimitriou Elliot Freshwater Antti Haapala Tahamina Khanam Mari SelkimäkiSammendrag
Wood biomass for energy is largely produced in Europe from forest land resulting from silvicultural and management practices or from agricultural land in the form of fast growing plantations. The present paper reviews and compares the estimated current potentials for wood biomass production in 25 countries in Europe. The potentials are divided attending to these sources to identify the most suitable method of wood biomass production on a country level, based on its current forest and agriculture levels of production. Data has been collected and compiled from previous models and estimations. The total aggregated available potential in Europe is 76 Mm3 of wood biomass from the forests, with an additional 90 Mm3 from increasing the utilization of forest lands, and 98 Mm3 from fast growing plantations (dedicating 5% of current agricultural land). Germany and France showed high potentials both from agriculture and forest; Finland and Sweden had most of its potential from forest sources; and Spain, Poland, and UK from fast-growing plantations. When considered together, Europe presents a large potential for wood biomass production for energy, and each country should develop different policy strategies of promotion attending to the most available source to realize this potential efficiently.
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Ines Figueira Lucelia Tavares Carolina Jardim Ines Costa Ana P. Terrasso Andreia F. Almeida Coen Govers Jurriaan J. Mes Rui Gardner Jörg D. Becker Gordon J. McDougall Derek Stewart Augusto Filipe Kwang S. Kim Dora Brites Catarina Brito Maria Alexandra Brito Claudia N. SantosSammendrag
Purpose Epidemiological and intervention studies have attempted to link the health effects of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables with the consumption of polyphenols and their impact in neurodegenerative diseases. Studies have shown that polyphenols can cross the intestinal barrier and reach concentrations in the bloodstream able to exert effects in vivo. However, the effective uptake of polyphenols into the brain is still regarded with some reservations. Here we describe a combination of approaches to examine the putative transport of blackberry-digested polyphenols (BDP) across the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and ultimate evaluation of their neuroprotective effects. Methods BDP was obtained by in vitro digestion of blackberry extract and BDP major aglycones (hBDP) were obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis. Chemical characterization and BBB transport of extracts were evaluated by LC–MSn. BBB transport and cytoprotection of both extracts was assessed in HBMEC monolayers. Neuroprotective potential of BDP was assessed in NT2-derived 3D co-cultures of neurons and astrocytes and in primary mouse cerebellar granule cells. BDP-modulated genes were evaluated by microarray analysis. Results Components from BDP and hBDP were shown to be transported across the BBB. Physiologically relevant concentrations of both extracts were cytoprotective at endothelial level and BDP was neuroprotective in primary neurons and in an advanced 3D cell model. The major canonical pathways involved in the neuroprotective effect of BDP were unveiled, including mTOR signaling and the unfolded protein response pathway. Genes such as ASNS and ATF5 emerged as novel BDP-modulated targets. Conclusions BBB transport of BDP and hBDP components reinforces the health benefits of a diet rich in polyphenols in neurodegenerative disorders. Our results suggest some novel pathways and genes that may be involved in the neuroprotective mechanism of the BDP polyphenol components.
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There has long been a claim that winter injuries of grass are a significant economic burden for golf courses in the Nordic countries. To confirm this claim, in 2015 the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research and the Norwegian Golf Federation, with support of the Scandinavian Turfgrass and Environment Research Foundation, conducted a net-based survey about winter injury in the five Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden). This comprehensive survey showed that total costs of repair of winter-injured greens and fairways together with lost revenue on golf courses in the Nordic countries can be at least €14 million. In a year with significant winter injuries, the average cost to repair the turf was between €3000 and €12,000 on 88% of the courses. The revenue loss after a winter with considerable injuries was less than €6000 at 50% of the courses, and 25% of the courses reported a loss between €6000 and €12,000 for these years. The causes of winter injuries varied depending on geography and grass species used on the greens. Biotic factors played a major role in the southern part of Scandinavia, and ice and water injuries were most devastating north of 60°N. This paper summarizes some of the answers from the respondents, including information about the dominating grass species on Nordic golf greens.
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Invasion of annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) is a major concern on red fescue (Festuca rubra L.) putting greens. Our objective was to determine the effect of three seasonal fertilizer distribution treatments on red fescue turf quality and annual bluegrass encroachment. The experiment was conducted over 2 yr on a USGA-specified putting green at NIBIO Turfgrass Research Center Landvik, Norway (58° N). A complete liquid fertilizer was applied weekly for an annual nitrogen input of 11 g m−2 in all treatments. In the FLAT rate treatment, the weekly fertilizer rate was 0.45 g N m−2 wk−1 from 5 May to 28 September. The FALL+ treatment received 0.68 g N m−2 wk−1 from 11 August to 28 September and 0.23 g N m−2 wk−1 from 5 May to 21 June, whereas the SPRING+ treatment was the opposite. The SPRING+ fertilization resulted in significantly better turf quality and significantly less annual bluegrass than the two other treatments in the second year of the study. The FALL+ fertilization gave higher quality ratings in the fall and early spring, but this effect came at the expense of more annual bluegrass. In conclusion, we recommend a fertilizer regime with the highest input from early May until midsummer to produce red fescue putting greens with the highest possible turfgrass quality and minimal encroachment by annual bluegrass.
Forfattere
Martina Fernandez-Campo Beatriz Rodríguez-Morales Wenche Dramstad Wendy Fjellstad Emilio R. Diaz-VarelaSammendrag
The main objective of this work was to analyse how increased harvesting for bioenergy production might affect other Ecosystem Services (ES) in two Norwegian municipalities (Ringsaker and Voss). The aim was to identify locations where synergies or conflicts between ES could be expected. The spatial distribution of eight different ES (3 provision, 3 regulation and 2 cultural services) was modelled using information provided by land use spatial databases and additional data sources. Model parameters were set by integrating existing research and expert knowledge. Maps showing the level of provision of ES were analysed using a moving window to analyse scale dependence in the spatial distribution of ES provision. Map algebra was then used to identify areas providing multiple ES, thus defining the most important areas on which to focus the management of both synergies and trade-offs. Finally, specific ‘binary bundles’ maps, where bioenergy provision was compared with each of the other ES, were developed. The methodology proved its utility to assess the compatibility of bioenergy uses with other services. This straightforward approach is readily replicable in other regions and can be used as a decision support tool for planning and designing provision areas, and to ensure sustainable forest management approaches.
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Growing substrates, fertilizer inputs, and irrigation are important factors for grow-in of sand-based putting greens. The research reported here was triggered by grow-in problems encountered in 2015 after replacing garden compost with Sphagnum peat in the rootzone on a sand-based green at the NIBIO Turfgrass Research Center, Norway. A pot trial was conducted with the same type of sand amended with: (i) 20% (v/v) garden compost, (ii) 10% (v/v) Sphagnum peat, (iii) equal volumes of (i) and (ii), (iv) 10% (v/v) Sphagnum peat plus lime (200 g CaCO3 m−2), and (v) 10% (v/v) Sphagnum peat plus phosphoric acid, 5 g P m−2. The amendments were tested with or without preplant application of chicken manure (5 g N and 2.5 g P m−2) and at the two irrigation rates: 3 and 12 mm d−1. The pots were seeded with creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.), and turfgrass coverage and clipping yields were recorded for 5 wk after seeding. Turfgrass coverage developed significantly faster and clipping yields were significantly higher after amendment with compost than after amendment with peat or peat plus lime. Incorporation of chicken manure did not enhance grow-in on substrates containing full or half rates of compost but improved grow-in on peat, especially when combined with phosphoric acid. Excessive irrigation had no impact on turfgrass coverage but reduced clipping yields on substrates containing compost, compost plus peat, or peat plus phosphoric acid. We conclude that the grow-in problems encountered in 2015 were most likely due to inadequate quality of the Sphagnum peat.
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Turfgrass grow-in on sand-based putting greens usually incurs a high risk for nitrogen (N) leakage. Our objective was to evaluate how substitution of a standard mineral fertilizer with an amino-acid-based fertilizer affects creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) establishment rate and the concentration of nitrate and total N in drainage water. The experiment was conducted from 19 May to 26 July 2016 in the United States Golf Association green field lysimeter facility at Landvik, Norway. The liquid fertilizers arGrow Turf (70% of N as arginine and 30% as lysine) and Wallco (60% of N as nitrate and 40% as ammonium) were applied at ∼2-wk intervals at the two rates of 1.5 or 3.0 g N m−2 application−1. Results showed significantly faster grow-in on plots receiving amino-acid-based fertilizer than on plots receiving mineral fertilizers; the average turfgrass coverage 26 d after the first fertilization was 75 and 36%, respectively. In parallel with this, the average concentration of nitrate and total N in drainage water, as well as the total N loss, were all reduced by 40 to 45%. Arginine and lysine at 1.5 g N m−2 gave faster grow-in than Wallco at 3.0 g N m−2 and was the only treatment in which the drainage water complied with EU’s requirements for maximum concentration of nitrate in drinking water.
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Forfattere
Nicholas Clarke Silje Skår O. Janne Kjønaas Kjersti Holt Hanssen Tonje Ingeborg Økland Jørn-Frode Nordbakken Toril Drabløs Eldhuset Holger LangeSammendrag
Short-term (three to four years) effects of forest harvesting on soil solution chemistry were investigated at two Norway spruce sites in southern Norway, differing in precipitation amount and topography. Experimental plots were either harvested conventionally (stem-only harvesting, SOH) or whole trees, including crowns, twigs and branches were removed (whole-tree harvesting, WTH), leaving residue piles on the ground for some months before removal. The WTH treatment had two sub-treatments: WTH-pile where there had been piles and WTH-removal, from where residues had been removed to make piles. Increased soil solution concentrations of NO3–N, total N, Ca, Mg and K at 30 cm depth, shown by peaks in concentrations in the years after harvesting, were found at the drier, less steep site in eastern Norway after SOH and WTH-pile, but less so after WTH-removal. At the wetter, steeper site in western Norway, peaks were often observed also at WTH-removal plots, which might reflect within-site differences in water pathways due largely to site topography.
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This paper provides an overview of recent developments in remote and proximal sensing technologies and their basic applicability to various aspects of forest operations. It categorises these applications according to the technologies used and considers their deployment platform in terms of their being space-, airborne or terrestrial. For each combination of technology and application, a brief review of the state-of-the-art has been described from the literature, ranging from the measurement of forests and single trees, the derivation of landscape scale terrain models down to micro-topographic soil disturbance modelling, through infrastructure planning, construction and maintenance, to forest accessibility with ground and cable based harvesting systems. The review then goes on to discuss how these technologies and applications contribute to reducing impacts on forest soils, cultural heritage sites and other areas of special value or interest, after which sensors and methods necessary in autonomous navigation and the use of computer vision on forest machines are discussed. The review concludes that despite the many promising or demonstrated applications of remotely or proximately sensed data in forest operations, almost all are still experimental and have a range of issues that need to be addressed or improved upon before widespread operationalization can take place.
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Mapping and valuating ecosystem services has gained increasing attention over the last years and remains high in the research agenda. In this paper, a mixed methods approach is used to valuate ecosystem services provided by the Divici-Pojejena wetland in Romania. A qualitative part relied on focus group discussions and interviews to identify key stakeholders and the ecosystem services provided by the wetland site. The benefit transfer (BT) method was used for the monetary valuation of the identified ecosystem services that the wetland provides. Bird watching opportunities, water quality, and flood prevention services are among the highest valued services, while the amenity services are the least valued among all wetland services.
Forfattere
Line Johansen T. Lennartsson Anna Westin A. Iuga C.M. Ivascu Eveliina Kallioniemi Sølvi WehnSammendrag
Semi-natural grasslands are important habitats for pollinators because of high abundance of flowering plants. The aim of this study was to assess effects of mowing time on flower resources for pollinators in semi-natural hay meadows. Flowering species in semi-natural hay meadows throughout a landscape in Maramures, Romania were used as indicators of flower resources for pollinators. Botanical surveys were performed in 31 hay meadows and all herbs and shrubs were recorded in hay meadows cut early, intermediate and late in the growing season. All hay meadows included a high number of flower species but the mowing time influenced the available floral resources for pollinators. If mowing time varies between hay meadows within a landscape, flower resources for pollinators will be available throughout the growing season, which is essential in pollination conservation in agricultural landscapes.
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Semi-natural grasslands are in decline due to land use changes. To conserve grassland ecosystems, agrienvironmental schemes facilitate low intensity management of semi-natural grasslands of high nature value. In addition to management of the meadows themselves, the nature value of the hay meadows also depends upon the surrounding landscape. The aim of this study was to assess the importance of the landscape on the biological value of semi-natural hay meadows implemented in the Action Plan for Hay Meadows (APHM) in Norway. The biological value was estimated by richness of all vascular plant species and of vascular plant species associated with semi-natural grassland. Richness was high in semi-natural grasslands, particularly in hay meadows implemented in the APHM. However, the landscape context also influenced the richness of the hay meadows. Species richness increased with hay meadow area and length and edge density of semi-natural habitats types in the landscapes.
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Life cycle assessment (LCA) allows systematic comparisons of environmental performance between different products. The functional unit in LCA for milk production is typically set to 1 kg energy corrected milk. This does not however suffice as definition to allow for comparing different studies. The definition of reference flow can introduce a bias between organic and conventional farming systems. We strongly encourage to include definition of reference flow calculation, choice of algorithm for energy calculation as well as choice of energy content of milk in the communication of any results.
Forfattere
Kris Van Looy Johan Bouma Michael Herbst John Koestel Budiman Minasny Umakant Mishra Carsten Montzka Attila Nemes Yakov A. Pachepsky José Padarian Marcel G. Schaap Brigitta Tóth Anne Verhoef Jan Vanderborght Martine J. van der Ploeg Lutz Weihermüller Steffen Zacharias Yonggen Zhang Harry VereeckenSammendrag
Soil, through its various functions, plays a vital role in the Earth’s ecosystems and provides multiple ecosystem services to humanity. Pedotransfer functions (PTFs) are simple to complex knowledge rules that relate available soil information to soil properties and variables that are needed to parameterize soil processes. In this paper, we review the existing PTFs and document the new generation of PTFs developed in the different disciplines of Earth system science. To meet the methodological challenges for a successful application in Earth system modeling, we emphasize that PTF development has to go hand in hand with suitable extrapolation and upscaling techniques such that the PTFs correctly represent the spatial heterogeneity of soils. PTFs should encompass the variability of the estimated soil property or process, in such a way that the estimation of parameters allows for validation and can also confidently provide for extrapolation and upscaling purposes capturing the spatial variation in soils. Most actively pursued recent developments are related to parameterizations of solute transport, heat exchange, soil respiration, and organic carbon content, root density, and vegetation water uptake. Further challenges are to be addressed in parameterization of soil erosivity and land use change impacts at multiple scales. We argue that a comprehensive set of PTFs can be applied throughout a wide range of disciplines of Earth system science, with emphasis on land surface models. Novel sensing techniques provide a true breakthrough for this, yet further improvements are necessary for methods to deal with uncertainty and to validate applications at global scale.
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Conversion from annual bluegrass or bentgrasses to red fescue could be an efficient way to minimise water use on golf greens. Our objective was to investigate the influ- ences of four irrigation strategies on red fescue water use efficiency, turf quality, growth rate and resistance to annual bluegrass and moss invasion. The trial was car- ried out from August 2013 to August 2015 on a green established according to USGA recommendations under a rainout shelter at Landvik, Norway (58 ° N). On average for 2 years, irrigation to field capacity once per week (FC 1) and deficit irrigation to 60% of FC three times per week (DEF 3) reduced the water consumption by 49% and 72% relative to irrigation to FC three times per week (FC 3). Both DEF 3 and FC 1 retained acceptable turf quality and reduced annual bluegrass in the second year by about one-third. Better control of annual bluegrass was obtained with deficit irrigation to 60% of FC once per week (DEF 1), but this treatment did not produce acceptable turf quality. Compared with FC 3, DEF 3, FC 1 and DEF 1 gave harder surfaces and reduced the moss invasion in the second year by 66%, 90% and 93%, respectively. Irrigation effects on root development and thatch organic matter after 2 years were not significant, although the thatch layer depth was 3 – 4 mm greater in FC 1 than in the other treatments. In conclusion, DEF 3 and FC 1 are both effective irrigation strategies for managing red fescue greens with less water use.
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Perennial fruit crops phenology such as cherry is an ideal bio-indicator of climate change due to their long-lasting features, in particular, dates of flower opening and full bloom. This implies i) the use of several generations of cherry trees/orchards and ii) the use of the same original cherry cultivars, which existed as bearing trees and were replanted after the orchard had been grubbed. A comparison of available definitions of phenological stages in cherry previously used independently throughout Europe showed overlaps and shortcomings; hence, harmonisation was reached in this respect in the COST Cherry FA 1104 working group 2 (cherry phenology and climate change) based largely on the acceptance of the BBCH scale. This contribution presents the agreed phenology stages in both visual and wording evidence. Similarly, this contribution presents the agreed cultivars to be monitored in future for phenology and climate change effects for harmonisation. For sweet cherry, this EU-wide harmonisation includes ‘Burlat’, ‘Cristobalina’ and ‘Rita’ as early, ‘Stella’ and ‘Van’ as medium flowering and ‘Sweetheart’, ‘Regina’ and ‘Bigarreau Noire de Meched/Germersdorfer’ for late flowering cultivars for climate change effects. For sour cherry, this harmonisation resulted in ‘Meteor korai’ and ‘Anglaise Hative’ for early flowering, ‘Chrisana Pandy’ and ‘Erdibotermo’ for medium flowering and ‘Schattemorelle’, ‘Iiva, Ujfehrtoifurtos (Balaton)’ for late flowering.
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In the Nordic countries, soil erosion rates in winter and early spring can exceed those at other times of the year. In particular, snowmelt, combined with rain and soil frost, leads to severe soil erosion, even, e.g., in low risk areas in Norway. In southern Norway, previous attempts to predict soil erosion during winter and spring have not been very accurate owing to a lack of catchment-based data, resulting in a poor understanding of hydrological processes during winter. Therefore, a field study was carried out over three consecutive winters (2013, 2014 and 2015) to gather relevant data. In parallel, the development of the snow cover, soil temperature and ice content during these three winters was simulated with the Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) model for two different soils (sand, clay). The field observations carried out in winter revealed high complexity and diversity in the hydrological processes occurring in the catchment. Major soil erosion was caused by a small rain event on frozen ground before snow cover was established, while snowmelt played no significant role in terms of soil erosion in the study period. Four factors that determine the extent of runoff and erosion were of particular importance: (1) soil water content at freezing; (2) whether soil is frozen or unfrozen at a particular moment; (3) the state of the snow pack; and (4) tillage practices prior to winter. SHAW performed well in this application and proved that it is a valuable tool for investigating and simulating snow cover development, soil temperature and extent of freezing in soil profiles.
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We present a revised checklist of harvestmen (Opiliones) covering all the Nordic countries, including Iceland and the Faroe Islands. Altogether 31 species from 18 genera and four families are currently known, of which 23 are from Norway, 21 from Sweden, 17 from Finland, 25 from Denmark, five from the Faroe Islands and four from Iceland. Five species are documented for the first time in Norway: Lacinius dentiger (C. L. Koch, 1847), Lacinius horridus (Panzer, 1794), Opilio saxatilis C. L. Koch, 1839, Leiobunum blackwalli Meade, 1861 and Leiobunum limbatum L. Koch, 1861.
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Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) is normally a short-lived perennial with no vegetative propagation and the number of plants in the field declines rapidly. In organic farming, the amount of clover in the field is decisive for the N2 fixation and yield, the protein content and quality of the forage produced. In Nordland County (66.27°N), there is a farm with some red clover plants in more than 15 years old grassland. In the presented study we examined grassland botanical content and attempted to recognise age of red clover plants. Our hypotheses was 1) that extensive grassland management promotes self-seeding of red clover 2) self-seeding maintaining a desired content of red clover over time. In addition, we tested two harvesting regimes of the first cut for seed maturation and seed quality at two locations in Norway. Red clover plants in old swards showed very high age and a branched root system. Only very few seedlings were found in old sward suggesting that self-seeding was insignificant. Experiments with leaving the grassland after the first cut for seed production of clover failed due to poor seed maturation. Surface seeding of red clover in pure grass plots gave good results, especially with early spring seeding.
Forfattere
Milan Lstibůrek Yousri A. El-Kassaby Tore Skrøppa Gary R. Hodge Jørn Henrik Sønstebø Arne SteffenremSammendrag
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Forfattere
Isabella Børja Douglas L. Godbold Jan Světlík Nina Elisabeth Nagy Roman Gebauer Josef Urban Daniel Volařík Holger Lange Paal Krokene Petr Čermák Toril Drabløs EldhusetSammendrag
Global warming will most likely lead to increased drought stress in forest trees. We wanted to describe the adaptive responses of fine roots and fungal hyphae, at different soil depths, in a Norway spruce stand to long-term drought stress induced by precipitation exclusion over two growing seasons. We used soil cores, minirhizotrons and nylon meshes to estimate growth, biomass and distribution of fine roots and fungal hyphae at different soil depths. In control plots fine roots proliferated in upper soil layers, whereas in drought plots there was no fine root growth in upper soil layers and roots mostly occupied deeper soil layers. Fungal hyphae followed the same pattern as fine roots, with the highest biomass in deeper soil layers in drought plots. We conclude that both fine roots and fungal hyphae respond to long-term drought stress by growing into deeper soil layers.
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Rasmus Dam Wollenberg Wagma Saei Klaus Ringsborg Westphal Carina Sloth Klitgaard Kåre Lehmann Nielsen Erik Lysøe Donald Max Gardiner Reinhard Wimmer Teis Esben Sondergaard Jens Laurids SørensenSammendrag
Production of chrysogine has been reported from several fungal genera including Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Fusarium. Anthranilic acid and pyruvic acid, which are expected precursors of chrysogine, enhance production of this compound. A possible route for the biosynthesis using these substrates is via a nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS). Through comparative analysis of the NRPSs from genome-sequenced producers of chrysogine we identified a candidate NRPS cluster comprising five additional genes named chry2–6. Deletion of the two-module NRPS (NRPS14 = chry1) abolished chrysogine production in Fusarium graminearum, indicating that the gene cluster is responsible for chrysogine biosynthesis. Overexpression of NRPS14 enhanced chrysogine production, suggesting that the NRPS is the bottleneck in the biosynthetic pathway.
Forfattere
Tatsiana Espevig May Bente Brurberg Marina Usoltseva Åslög Dahl Agnar Kvalbein Karin Normann Jo Anne CrouchSammendrag
Dollar spot is a destructive and widespread disease affecting most turfgrass species, but until recently it has been absent from the Scandinavian countries of northern Europe. In the fall of 2014, disease symptoms consistent with dollar spot were observed on a golf course fairway in Sweden. A fungus was isolated from symptomatic turf and identified as Sclerotinia homoeocarpa on the basis of ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA) internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences, morphology, and culture characteristics. The ITS sequence was identical to isolates of S. homoeocarpa from the eastern and midwestern United States. Koch’s postulates were fulfilled, confirming the S. homoeocarpa isolate as the causal agent. This is the first report of turfgrass dollar spot in Sweden and only the second report of the disease from Scandinavia. Because pesticides are rarely used in the cultivation of Scandinavian turfgrass, dollar spot disease may prove difficult to control through conventional means and potentially represents a major threat to the industry.
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Several studies focus on the effects of climate variability on female and male gender relations as perceived through various biophysical and socio-economic aspects. More emphasis is given on the impacts of extreme weather events on rural communities of less developed regions. The results are often interpreted in a qualitative manner through policy measures that may reduce gender inequalities. However, the interpretation of the qualitative results to more crisp and measurable outputs is often not attained while the validation of the findings is rarely ensured. The current study suggests a gender-differentiated impact framework based on qualitative and quantitative components for the assessment of climate variability effects on rural communities in South India. Fifteen villages mostly practicing rice farming in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states were selected as representative drought-prone case studies. The study results advocate that the qualitative outcomes were validated from the quantitative approach but for a few cases which could be attributed to methodological and case-specific differentiations. Policy recommendations are made on common gender trainings in water-resistant crops and livestock activities for the alleviation of drought impact and abatement of gender inequalities. Also, entrepreneurship workshops for women could enhance gender balance and diverse family income from the current sole dependence on farming revenues. Regional climate adaptation programs could be better implemented when the specific features and capacities of local communities are taken into consideration.
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Michela Zanetti Corrado Costa Rosa Greco Stefano Grigolato Giovanna Ottaviani Aalmo Raffaele CavalliSammendrag
The quality requirements of wood biofuels are regulated by a series of harmonized international standards. These standards define the technical parameter limits that influence the quality of solid biomass as a fuel. In 2014 the European reference standard for solid biofuel was replaced by the International ISO standard. In the case of wood chips, the main difference between the European and International standards is the definition of particle size distribution classes. In this context, this study analyses the quality of wood chips and its variation over the years according to the “former” (EN 14691-4) and “in force” (ISO 17225-4) standards. A Soft Independent Modelling of Class Analogy (SIMCA) model was built to predict the best quality of wood chips and to clarify the relationship between quality and standard parameters, time and changes in the standard regulations. The results show that, compared to the EN standards, classification with the ISO standards increases the samples belonging to the best quality classes and decreases the not classified samples. Furthermore, all the SIMCA models have a high sensitivity (>90%), reflect the differences introduced to the quality standards and are therefore suitable for monitoring the quality of wood chips and their changes.
Forfattere
Yusuke Satoh Taher Kahil Edward Byers Peter Burek Günther Fischer Sylvia Tramberend Peter Greve Martina Flörke Stephanie Eisner Naota Hanasaki Piotr Magnuszewski Luzma Fabiola Nava William Cosgrove Simon Langan Yoshihide WadaSammendrag
This paper presents one of the first quantitative scenario assessments for future water sup- ply and demand in Asia to 2050. The assessment, developed by the Water Futures and Solutions (WFaS) initiative, uses the latest set of global climate change and socioeconomic scenarios and state-of-the-art global hydrological models. In Asia, water demand for irrigation, industry, and households is projected to increase substantially in the coming decades (30–40% by 2050 compared to 2010). These changes are expected to exacerbate water stress, especially in the current hotspots such as north India and Pakistan, and north China. By 2050, 20% of the land area in the Asia-Pacific region, with a population of 1.6–2 bil- lion, is projected to experience severe water stress. We find that socioeconomic changes are the main drivers of worsening water scarcity in Asia, with climate change impacts further increasing the challenge into the 21st century. Moreover, a detailed basin-level analysis of the hydro-economic conditions of 40 Asian basins shows that although the coping capacity of all basins is expected to improve due to gross domestic product (GDP) growth, some basins continuously face severe water challenges. These basins will potentially be home to up to 1.6 billion people by mid-21st century.
Forfattere
Anna Bucharova Walter Durka Norbert Hölzel Johannes Kollmann Stefan Michalski Oliver BossdorfSammendrag
One of the key questions in ecosystem restoration is the choice of the seed material for restoring plant communities. The most common strategy is to use local seed sources, based on the argument that many plants are locally adapted and thus local seed sources should provide the best restoration success. However, the evidence for local adaptation is inconsistent, and some of these inconsistencies may be due to dif- ferent experimental approaches that have been used to test for local adaptation. We illustrate how conclusions about local adaptation depend on the experimental design and in particular on the method of data analysis. We used data from a multispecies reciprocal transplant experiment and analyzed them in three different ways: (1) com- paring local vs. foreign plants within species and sites, corresponding to tests of the “local is best” paradigm in ecological restoration, (2) comparing sympatric vs. allopatric populations across sites but within species, and (3) comparing sympatric and allopatric populations across multiple species. These approaches reflect different experimental designs: While a local vs. foreign comparison can be done even in small experiments with a single species and site, the other two approaches require a reciprocal transplant experiment with one or multiple species, respectively. The three different analyses led to contrasting results. While the local/foreign approach indicated lack of local adapta - tion or even maladaptation, the more general sympatric/allopatric approach rather suggested local adaptation, and the most general cross- species sympatric/allopatric test provided significant evidence for local adaptation. The analyses demonstrate how the design of experiments and methods of data analysis impact conclusions on the presence or absence of local adaptation. While small- scale, single- species experiments may be useful for identifying the appropriate seed material for a specific restoration project, general patterns can only be detected in reciprocal transplant experiments with multiple species and sites.
Forfattere
Anna Kårlund Kati Hanhineva Marko Lehtonen Gordon J. McDougall Derek Stewart Reijo O. KarjalainenSammendrag
BACKGROUND: The non-edible parts of horticultural crops, such as leaves, contain substantial amounts of valuable bioactive compounds which are currently only little exploited. For example, strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) leaves may be a promising bioresource for diverse health-related applications. However, product standardization sets a real challenge, especially when the leaf material comes from varying cultivars. The first step towards better quality control of berry fruit leaf-based ingredients and supplements is to understand metabolites present and their stability in d ifferent plant cultivars, so this study surveyed the distribution of potentially bioactive strawberry leaf metabolites in six different strawberry cultivars. Non-targeted metabolite profiling analysis using LC/qTOF-ESI-MS with data processing via principal component analysis and k-means clustering analysis was utilized to examine differences and commonalities between the leaf metabolite profiles. RESULTS: Quercetin and kaempferol derivatives were the dominant flavonol groups in strawberry leaves. Previously described and novel caffeic and chlorogenic acid derivatives were among the major phenolic acids. In addition, ellagitannins were one of the distinguishing compound classes in strawberry leaves. In general, strawberry leaves also contained high levels of octadecatrienoic acid derivatives, precursors of valuable odour compounds. CONCLUSION: The specific bioactive compounds found in the leaves of different strawberry cultivars offer the potential for the selection of optimized leaf materials for added-value food and non-food applications.
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Climate change is expected to alter average temperature and precipitation values and to increase the variability of precipitation events, which may lead to even more intense and frequent water hazards. Water hazards engineering is the branch of engineering concerned with the application of scientific and engineering principles for protection of human populations from the effects of water hazards; protection of environments, both local and global, from the potentially deleterious effects of water hazards; and improvement of environmental quality for mitigating the negative effects of water hazards. An integrated approach of water hazards engineering based on mapping, nature-based and technical solutions will constitute a feasible solution in the process of adapting to challenges generated by climate changes worldwide. This paper will debate this concept also providing some examples from several European countries.
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Schistidium relictum is described as a new northwest North American and Siberian species of moss. Important distinguishing characters include dull, nearly black plants, with stems densely and evenly foliated, weakly spreading leaves that usually lack awns, and the mostly 1-stratose distal leaf laminae with 2(–3) -stratose margins. The species has a remarkable disjunct distribution pattern with most of the sites where it has been found having been unglaciated during the Pleistocene glaciations. It is restricted to areas with occurrence of calcareous bedrock, especially limestones. It appears to be rather isolated genetically based on molecular studies of total ITS. It is sister to the large clade, ‘Apocarpum’, which consists of species which probably embody its closest known extant relatives.
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I. Figueira G. Garcia R.C. Pimpao A.P. Terrasso I. Costa A.F. Almeida L. Tavares T.F. Pais P. Pinto M.R. Ventura A. Filipe G. J. McDougall Derek Stewart K.S. Kim I. Palmela D. Brites M.A. Brito C. Brito C. N. SantosSammendrag
Age-related complications such as neurodegenerative disorders are increasing and remain cureless. The possibility of altering the progression or the development of these multifactorial diseases through diet is an emerging and attractive approach with increasing experimental support. We examined the potential of known bioavailable phenolic sulfates, arising from colonic metabolism of berries, to influence hallmarks of neurodegenerative processes. In silico predictions and in vitro transport studies across blood-brain barrier (BBB) endothelial cells, at circulating concentrations, provided evidence for differential transport, likely related to chemical structure. Moreover, endothelial metabolism of these phenolic sulfates produced a plethora of novel chemical entities with further potential bioactivies. Pre-conditioning with phenolic sulfates improved cellular responses to oxidative, excitotoxicity and inflammatory injuries and this attenuation of neuroinflammation was achieved via modulation of NF-κB pathway. Our results support the hypothesis that these small molecules, derived from dietary (poly)phenols may cross the BBB, reach brain cells, modulate microglia-mediated inflammation and exert neuroprotective effects, with potential for alleviation of neurodegenerative diseases.
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In this paper, we examine citizen and consumer attitudes towards, and preferences for, private and public goods from organic agriculture in Norway. The study is based on a survey among 939 Norwegians. The results show that in the role as citizens, the respondents hold a moderate belief in the superiority of organic farming concerning the production of public goods, but they give relatively low priority to prompting organic farming compared to other agricultural policy goals. In the role as consumers (choice experiment), the respondents were willing to pay for several attributes of organic food. Only 6% of the respondents buy organic food as often as they can. The most important reasons for buying organic food are health and environmental concerns, while animal welfare has little importance. Lack of perceived superiority regarding health benefits, taste, safety and environment are important reasons for not consuming (more) organic food among those who rarely or never buy organic food.
Forfattere
Shota Masumoto Masaki Uchida Motoaki Tojo Maria-Luz Herrero Akira S. Mori Satoshi ImuraSammendrag
In Arctic tundra, plant pathogens have substantial effects on the growth and survival of hosts, and impacts on the carbon balance at the scale of ecological systems. To understand these effects on carbon dynamics across different scales including plant organ, individual, population and ecosystem, we focused on two primary factors: host productivity reduction and carbon consumption by the pathogen. We measured the effect of the pathogen on photosynthetic and respiratory activity in the host. We also measured respiration and the amount of carbon in the pathogen. We constructed a model based on these two factors, and calculated pathogenic effects on the carbon balance at different organismal and ecological scales. We found that carbon was reduced in infected leaves by 118% compared with healthy leaves; the major factor causing this loss was pathogenic carbon consumption. The carbon balance at the population and ecosystem levels decreased by 35% and 20%, respectively, at an infection rate of 30%. This case study provides the first evidence that a host plant can lose more carbon through pathogenic carbon consumption than through a reduction in productivity. Such a pathogenic effect could greatly change ecosystem carbon cycling without decreasing annual productivity.
Forfattere
Ryan Bright Edouard Davin Thomas O'Halloran Julia Pongratz Kaiguang Zhao Alessandro CescattiSammendrag
Following a land cover and land management change (LCMC), local surface temperature responds to both a change in available energy and a change in the way energy is redistributed by various non-radiative mechanisms. However, the extent to which non-radiative mechanisms contribute to the local direct temperature response for different types of LCMC across the world remains uncertain. Here, we combine extensive records of remote sensing and in situ observation to show that non-radiative mechanisms dominate the local response in most regions for eight of nine common LCMC perturbations. We find that forest cover gains lead to an annual cooling in all regions south of the upper conterminous United States, northern Europe, and Siberia—reinforcing the attractiveness of re-/afforestation as a local mitigation and adaptation measure in these regions. Our results affirm the importance of accounting for non-radiative mechanisms when evaluating local land-based mitigation or adaptation policies.
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The absorption of anthropogenic CO 2 by the oceans is causing a reduction in the pH of the surface waters termed ocean acidification (OA). This could have substantial effects on marine coastal environments where fleshy (non-calcareous) macroalgae are dominant primary producers and ecosystem engineers. Few OA studies have focused on the early life stages of large macroalgae such as kelps. This study evaluated the effects of seawater pH on the ontogenic development of meiospores of the native kelp Macrocystis pyrifera and the invasive kelp Undaria pinnatifi da , in south-eastern New Zealand. Meiospores of both kelps were released into four seawater pH treatments (pH T 7.20, extreme OA predicted for 2300; pH T 7.65, OA predicted for 2100; pH T 8.01, ambient pH; and pH T 8.40, pre-industrial pH) and cultured for 15 d. Meiospore germination, germling growth rate, and gametophyte size and sex ratio were monitored and measured. Exposure to reduced pH T (7.20 and 7.65) had pos itive effects on germling growth rate and gametophyte size in both M. pyrifera and U. pinnatifida , whereas, higher pH T (8.01 and 8.40) reduced the gametophyte size in both kelps. Sex ratio of gametophytes of both kelps was biased toward females under all pH T treatm ents, except for U. pinnatifida at pH T 7.65. Germling growth rate under OA was significantly higher in M. pyrifera compared to U. pinnatifida but gametophyte development was equal for both kelps under all seawater pH T treatments, indicating that the microscopic stages of the native M. pyrifera and the invasive U. pinnatifida will respond similarly to OA.
Forfattere
K. Marijanusic M. Manojlovic D. Bogdanovic R. Cabilovski Peder LombnæsSammendrag
In order to evaluate the mineral composition of forage crops in respect to dairy cow nutrition 40 soil and corresponding plant (alfalfa, grasses and silage corn) samples were collected from 15 locations in Serbia and analyzed for the concentration of macro- (P, K, and Ca) and microelements (Mn, Cu, Zn, Fe, Co, Se, and Mo). On average, the soils were well provided with the studied elements from the aspect of plant nutrition, but the analyzed fodder crops could not secure suffi cient amounts of Cu, Zn, Se, and Ca for dairy cow nutrition. Principal components analysis was applied in order to determine the connection between the concentrations of macro- and microelements in forage crops and their grouping into components responsible for most of the variability in mineral content. The mineral composition of alfalfa was defi ned by three components (Se, Zn, and Cu) which accounted for the largest part of the established variability. The variability of mineral composition of grasses was defi ned by four components (Zn, K, Se, and P) and that of silage corn by the concentrations of Fe, Mn, and K.
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Today’s modern precision agriculture applications have a huge demand for data with high spatial and temporal resolution. This leads to the need of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) as sensor platforms providing both, easy use and a high area coverage. This study shows the successful development of a prototype hybrid UAV for practical applications in precision agriculture. The UAV consists of an off-the-shelf fixed-wing fuselage, which has been enhanced with multi-rotor functionality. It was programmed to perform pre-defined waypoint missions completely autonomously, including vertical take-off, horizontal flight, and vertical landing. The UAV was tested for its return-to-home (RTH) accuracy, power consumption and general flight performance at different wind speeds. The RTH accuracy was 43.7 cm in average, with a root-mean-square error of 39.9 cm. The power consumption raised with an increase in wind speed. An extrapolation of the analysed power consumption to conditions without wind resulted in an estimated 40 km travel range, when we assumed a 25 % safety margin of remaining battery capacity. This translates to a maximal area coverage of 300 ha for a scenario with 18 m/s airspeed, 50 minutes flight time, 120 m AGL altitude, and a desired 70 % of image side-lap and 85 % forward-lap. The ground sample distance with an in-built RGB camera was 3.5 cm, which we consider sufficient for farm-scale mapping missions for most precision agriculture applications.
Forfattere
N.P. Havill J. Elkinton J.C. Andersen Snorre Hagen Hannah J. Broadley G.J. Boettner A. CacconeSammendrag
The European winter moth, Operophtera brumata, is a non-native pest in the Northeastern USA causing defoliation of forest trees and crops such as apples and blueberries. This species is known to hybridize with O. bruceata, the Bruce spanworm, a native species across North America, although it is not known if there are hybrid generations beyond F1. To study winter moth population genetics and hybridization with Bruce spanworm, we developed two sets of genetic markers, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and microsatellites, using genomic approaches. Both types of markers were validated using samples from the two species and their hybrids. We identified 1216 SNPs and 24 variable microsatellite loci. From them we developed a subset of 95 species-diagnostic SNPs and ten microsatellite loci that could be used for hybrid identification. We further validated the ten microsatellite loci by screening field collected samples of both species and putative hybrids. In addition to confirming the presence of F1 hybrids reported in previous studies, we found evidence for multi-generation asymmetric hybridization, as suggested by the occurrence of hybrid backcrosses with the winter month, but not with the Bruce spanworm. Laboratory crosses between winter moth females and Bruce spanworm males resulted in a higher proportion of viable eggs than the reciprocal cross, supporting this pattern. We discuss the possible roles of population demographics, sex chromosome genetic incompatibility, and bacterial symbionts as causes of this asymmetrical hybridization and the utility of the developed markers for future studies.
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Small-area estimation is a subject area of growing importance in forest inventories. Modelling the link between a study variable Y and auxiliary variables X— in pursuit of an improved accuracy in estimators—is typically done at the level of a sampling unit. However, for various reasons, it may only be possible to formulate a linking model at the level of an area of interest (AOI). Area-level models and their potential have rarely been explored in forestry. This study demonstrates, with data (Y = stem volume per ha) from four actual inventories aided by aerial laser scanner data (3 cases) or photogrammetric point clouds (1 case), application of three distinct models representing the currency of area-level modelling. The studied AOIs varied in size from forest management units to forest districts, and municipalities. The variance explained by X declined sharply with the average size of an AOI. In comparison with a direct estimate mean of Y in an AOI, all three models achieved practically important reduction in the relative root-mean-squared error of an AOI mean. In terms of the reduction in mean-squared errors, a model with a spatial location effect was overall most attractive. We recommend the pursuit of a spatial model component in area-level modelling as promising within the context of a forest inventory.
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Forest stands are important units of management. A stand-by-stand estimation of the mean and variance of an attribute of interest (Y) remains a priority in forest enterprise inventories. The advent of powerful and cost effective remotely sensed auxiliary variables (X) correlated with Y means that a census of X in the forest enterprise is increasingly available. In combination with a probability sample of Y, the census affords a modeldependent stand-level inference. It is important, however, that the sampling design affords an estimation of possible stand-effects in the model linking X to Y.We demonstrate, with simulated data, that failing to quantify non-zero stand-effects in the intercept of a linear population-level model can lead to a serious underestimation of the uncertainty in a model-dependent estimate of a stand mean, and by extension a confidence interval with poor coverage.We also provide an approximation to the variance of stand-effects in an intercept for the case when a sampling design does not afford estimation. Furthermore, we propose a method to correct a potential negative bias in an estimate of the variance of stand-effects when a sampling design prescribes few stands with small within-stand sample sizes.
Forfattere
Alexandre Foito Christine Anne Hackett Derek Stewart Janaki Velmurugan Dan Milbourne Stephen L. Byrne Susanne BarthSammendrag
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Forfattere
Levan Elbakidze Rodolfo M. Jr. NaygaSammendrag
In the context of testing the construct validity of stated preference studies, some researchers advocate the use of an “adding-up test” designed to gauge whether elicited values are sufficiently sensitive to a change in the scope (i.e. size) of a good. Crucial to the applicability of this test in practice, which relies on endowing a subsample of respondents with a good free of charge, is that the income effects due to endowment are negligible. In this study, we apply the adding-up test in an experimental value elicitation format to examine the potential effect of endowment as part of the test design on the adding-up property of elicited values. The results show that the adding-up property can be affected by free provision of part of the bundle.
Forfattere
Graham Alan Ormondroyd Simon F. Curling Elie Mansour Callum Aidan Stephen HillSammendrag
The water vapour sorption behaviour of a range of sheep wool types and alpaca was studied using dynamic vapour sorption. Sorption isotherms were interpreted using the polymer sorption model developed by Vrentas and Vrentas. Satisfactory fits were obtained for absorption and desorption isotherms with the adjustment of parameters outside the scope of what is allowed. This is possibly because the underlying Flory–Huggins approach does not take into account any clustering of sorbate within the polymer. Water clustering in the wool fibre, determined using the Zimm–Lundberg clustering function, starts above a fibre moisture content of approximately 20%. Sorption kinetics were analysed using the parallel exponential kinetics model, providing excellent fits and allowed for calculation of a fibre modulus at different relative humidities; the values were reasonable at the upper end of the hygroscopic range, but were overestimated at the lower end of the range.
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Several mathematical models have been proposed for describing particle‐size distribution (PSD) data, but their characteristics and accuracy have not been investigated for the < 0.002, 0.002–0.05 and 0.05–2.0‐mm fractions separately. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to examine the characteristics of various PSD models and to evaluate the accuracy of fitting to the entire PSD curve and to each of the three fractions separately. Thirty‐six PSD models were fitted to the experimental data of 160 soil samples from Iran. The beerkan estimation of soil transfer (BEST), Fredlund unimodal and bimodal, two‐ and three‐parameter Weibull, Rosin–Rammler and van Genuchten models provided the best fit to the experimental data of the three size fractions above, but with a different order of performance for the different fractions. For all textural fractions, the following models performed substantially less well than the other models: the offset‐non‐renormalized lognormal, simple lognormal, S‐curve, Schuhmann, Yang, Turcotte and Gompertz models. A comparison of the overall accuracy and simplicity of the models indicated that the BEST, two‐ and three‐parameter Weibull and Rosin–Rammler models provided the best fit to the experimental data for the entire curve, which is similar but does not correspond fully to the findings of a similar, earlier study. We found that the number of model parameters and the type of equation did not explain the models' fitting capabilities. We also found that the iterated function system (IFS) model performed better than the PSD models for all fractions. Comprehensive comparisons of PSD models will be of value to future model users, but it is important to note that such comparisons will remain dataset dependent. This is likely to continue until they are tested on a near‐infinite synthetic dataset that covers all possible data options.
Forfattere
Diego Faustolo Alves Bispo Marx Leandro Naves Silva Joao Jose Granate de Sa e Melo Marques Marianne Bechmann Pedro Velloso Gomes Batista Nilton CuriSammendrag
Identifying and ranking nutrient loss risk areas are important steps towards integrated catchment management. This study aimed to apply the P index model at the Posses catchment, south of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. We applied the P index for the current land use at the Posses catchment and for two hypothetical scenarios: scenario 1, in which P fertilizer was applied to all land uses, except for native forests; and scenario 2, which considered the use of P fertilizer as in scenario 1, and that the Environmental Protection Areas referring to the riparian forests and springs were totally restored. Considering current land use, almost the whole catchment area (91.4%) displayed a low P loss risk. The highest P index was associated to croplands and eucalyptus plantations. Regarding scenario 1, areas under pasture fell into the low (15.1%), medium (45.5%), high (27.1%) and very high (12.3%) P index categories. Environmental Protection Areas on scenario 2 decreased the P loss risk from the scenario 1 in 37.6%. Hence, the model outputs indicate that the reforestation of buffer zones can decrease P loss risk in the case increasing use of P fertilizer. The P index model is a potential support tool to promote judicious use of fertilizers and conservation practices at the Posses catchment.
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Green roofs are used increasingly to alleviate peaks of water discharge into the sewage systems in urban areas. Surface runoff from roofs contain pollutants from dry and wet deposition, and green roofs offer a possibility to reduce the amounts of pollutants in the water discharged from roofs by degradation and filtering. These pollutants would otherwise enter wastewater treatments plants and ultimately end up in sewage sludge that is spread on agricultural soils. The most common substrates used in green roofs have limited capacity for filtration and sorption. Also, more sustainable alternatives are sought, due to the high carbon footprint of these materials. Biochar is a carbon-rich material produced by pyrolysis of biomass, and several types of biochar have been described as good sorbents and filter materials. Biochar is also a light and carbon negative material, which may fulfill other desired criteria for new green roof substrates. We here report on an experiment where two types of biochar, produced from olive husks at 450 °C or from forest waste at 850 ° C were mixed with volcanic rock or peat, and tested for retention capacity of phenanthrene and six heavy metals in a column experiment with unsaturated gravimetric water flow lasting for 3 weeks. The results suggest that biochar as a component in green roof substrates perform better than traditional materials, concerning retention of the tested pollutants, and that different types of biochar have different properties in this respect.
Forfattere
Martina Zelenakova Daniel Constantin Diaconu Ketil HaarstadSammendrag
Many cities and urban areas are located in flood plains because land is fertile and flat which is suitable for agriculture and urban development. Rivers provide water supply for domestic, industrial and irrigation uses; they also provide convenient means for navigation, transportation and communication. Cities have large percentage of impervious areas that prevent effective infiltration of rainfall into soil. To have successful flood control and flood risk management, we should consider not only hydraulic and engineering aspects but also socio-economic and environment aspects. Flood management should have involvement of various stakeholders including concerned authorities such as urban planners, civil and water resources engineers, civil disaster defence authorities, health and social services, etc. The best flood mitigation measures from all main points of view – social, economic and environmental are natural water retention measures. Natural water retention measures cover a diversity of measures that are implemented by different sectors or considered in different planning processes dealing with water, food risk management, biodiversity protection, climate change adaptation or urban planning. Some of these measures aim to directly modify the ecosystem, while others focus on changes of practice of economic operators. The paper presents natural water retention measures suitable for application in urban areas.
Forfattere
Gunnar Svenson Dag FjeldSammendrag
Improved transport planning and pricing is dependent on correct cycle times. The objective of this study was to quantify the effect of road curvature, surface roughness, gradient and truck weight on the operating speed of a conventional 60-tonne gross vehicle weight logging truck. The study used a 320-km test track consisting of both public and forest roads. The track was driven with various gross vehicle weights. Speed data was retrieved from the truck’s CAN-bus system and road data was measured with a profilograph. The key factors for operating speed were curvature and surface roughness, both of which were correlated to each other as well as partially captured by functional road class. Regression analysis quantified the individual effects of these factors as well as gradient, undulation and interactions with truck weight. A regression model is presented which explained 80% of the variation in operating speed. The results were consistent with previous studies, and the proposed models can be used to improve transport planning, cost estimation, operative route path selection and road investments.
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Seed biology is important for emergence in the field and for future weed infestations. This chapter focuses on seed biology, germination, dormancy and efforts in predicting weed emergence from seeds from a European perspective. It presents a brief overview of population dynamics in time and space, the factors influencing the dynamics and how population dynamics can be modelled. Emergence from the seed-bank starts with germination, pre-emergence growth and finally emergence. In addition to seeds, vegetatively propagated material is briefly mentioned. Dormancy influences under what conditions that germination can occur and regulates timing of germination. Population dynamics are important for understanding the whole system and are often based on the life-cycle of weeds: seed-bank, seedlings, adult plants, seed production and dispersal. Challenges in modelling emergence and population dynamics are large, due to differences between and within populations of species, variability in species response and there being many weed species in the same field with contrasting characteristics.
Forfattere
C. Doulgeris P. Georgiou A. Apostolakis D. Papadimos D. Zervas O. Petriki D. Bobori D. Papamichail V. Antonopoulos Csilla Farkas Per StålnackeSammendrag
The determination of environmentally minimum water level in lakes is essential for the protection of their ecosystems. The assessment of minimum water level depends on a number of biotic and abiotic factors of the lake ecosystem; however, in many cases these factors are not easy to collect and assess in their entirety. At the same time, the lakes in many cases consist an important water reserve to meet the requirements arising from economic activities, e.g. industry, agriculture. In this paper, the morphological features in four lakes – Vegoritida, Petron, Cheimaditida and Zazari – of Northern Greece are analysed in order to assess their environmentally minimum water level. The morphological analysis is based on the relationship of the lake surface area and volume with the water level. An optimization method is applied taking into account that the biodiversity is favoured as the surface area covered by the lake is increased and the human water requirements are satisfied to the greatest possible extent by the available water volume of the lake. The environmentally minimum water level determined by the morphological analysis in the four lakes is compared with the minimum water level based on the analysis of the requirements of fish fauna and macrophytes.
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The statistical model MESAW (Matrix Equations for Source Apportionment on Watershed) was used to estimate the diffuse unit-area source emission coefficients of nitrogen in Estonian rivers. The input data included monitored riverine loads, point sources and land use categories from a total of 50 rivers/catchment areas. Two independent studies were conducted: the estimation of emission coefficients for the whole of Estonia and for a smaller study area near Tallinn. The results from both cases showed that drained peat soils were the highest diffuse source contributor in unit-area loads. The results show that the unit-area loads from drained peat soils were up to 2.3 times higher than from arable land. Moreover, a comparison of emission coefficients for the whole of Estonia and for the Tallinn catchment area indicated that coefficients can vary significantly between sources and single years. Additional detailed studies and monitoring are needed to support these conclusions.
Forfattere
Kalev Adamson Martin S. Mullett Halvor Solheim Irene Barnes Michael M. Müller Jarkko Hantula Martti Vuorinen Audrius Kačergius Svetlana Markovskaja Dmitry L. Musolin Kateryna Davydenko Nenad Keča Karli Ligi Rasa D. Priedite Hanna Millberg Rein DrenkhanSammendrag
Dothistroma septosporum, a notorious pine needle pathogen with an unknown historical geographic origin and poorly known distribution pathways, is nowadays found almost in all areas inhabited by pines (Pinus spp.). The main aim of this study was to determine the relationship between North European and East Asian populations. In total, 238 Eurasian D. septosporum isolates from 11 countries, including 211 isolates from northern Europe, 16 isolates from Russian Far East and 11 isolates from Bhutan were analysed using 11 species-specific microsatellite and mating type markers. The most diverse populations were found in northern Europe, including the Baltic countries, Finland and European Russia. Notably, D. septosporum has not caused heavy damage to P. sylvestris in northern Europe, which may suggest a long co-existence of the host and the pathogen. No indication was obtained that the Russian Far East or Bhutan could be the indigenous area of D. septosporum, as the genetic diversity of the fungus there was low and evidence suggests gene flow from northern Europe to Russian Far East. On the western coast of Norway, a unique genetic pattern was observed, which differed from haplotypes dominating other Fennoscandian populations. As an agent of dothistroma needle blight, only D. septosporum was documented in northern Europe and Asia, while D. pini was found in Ukraine and Serbia.
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Shallow (<1 m deep) snowpacks on agricultural areas are an important hydrological component in many countries, which determines how much meltwater is potentially available for overland flow, causing soil erosion and flooding at the end of winter. Therefore, it is important to understand the development of shallow snowpacks in a spatially distributed manner. This study combined field observations with spatially distributed snow modelling using the UEBGrid model, for three consecutive winters (2013–2015) in southern Norway. Model performance was evaluated by comparing the spatially distributed snow water equivalent (SWE) measurements over time with the simulated SWE. UEBGrid replicated SWE development at catchment scale with satisfactory accuracy for the three winters. The different calibration approaches which were necessary for winters 2013 and 2015 showed the delicacy of modelling the change in shallow snowpacks. Especially the refreezing of meltwater and prohibited runoff and infiltration of meltwater by frozen soils and ice layers can make simulations of shallow snowpacks challenging.
Forfattere
Ned B. Klopfenstein Jane E. Stewart Yuko Ota John W. Hanna Bryce A. Richardson Amy L. Ross-Davis Rubén D. Elías-Román Kari Korhonen Nenad Djuro Keča Eugenia Iturritxa, Dionicio Alvarado-Rosales Halvor Solheim Nicholas J. Brazee Piotr Łakomy Michelle R. Cleary Eri Hasegawa Taisei Kikuchi Fortunato Garza-Ocañas Panaghiotis Tsopelas Daniel Rigling Simone Prospero, Tetyana Tsykun Jean A. Bérubé Franck O.P. Stefani Saeideh Jafarpour Vladimír Antonín Michal Tomšovský Geral I. McDonald Stephen Woodward Mee-Sook KimSammendrag
Armillaria possesses several intriguing characteristics that have inspired wide interest in understanding phylogenetic relationships within and among species of this genus. Nuclear ribosomal DNA sequence– based analyses of Armillaria provide only limited information for phylogenetic studies among widely divergent taxa. More recent studies have shown that translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1) sequences are highly informative for phylogenetic analysis of Armillaria species within diverse global regions. This study used Neighbor-net and coalescence-based Bayesian analyses to examine phylogenetic relationships of newly determined and existing tef1 sequences derived from diverse Armillaria species from across the Northern Hemisphere, with Southern Hemisphere Armillaria species included for reference. Based on the Bayesian analysis of tef1 sequences, Armillaria species from the Northern Hemisphere are generally contained within the following four superclades, which are named according to the specific epithet of the most frequently cited species within the superclade: (i) Socialis/Tabescens (exannulate) superclade including Eurasian A. ectypa, North American A. socialis (A. tabescens), and Eurasian A. socialis (A. tabescens) clades; (ii) Mellea superclade including undescribed annulate North American Armillaria sp. (Mexico) and four separate clades of A. mellea (Europe and Iran, eastern Asia, and two groups from North America); (iii) Gallica superclade including Armillaria Nag E (Japan), multiple clades of A. gallica (Asia and Europe), A. calvescens (eastern North America), A. cepistipes (North America), A. altimontana (western USA), A. nabsnona (North America and Japan), and at least two A. gallica clades (North America); and (iv) Solidipes/Ostoyae superclade including two A. solidipes/ostoyae clades (North America), A. gemina (eastern USA), A. solidipes/ostoyae (Eurasia), A. cepistipes (Europe and Japan), A. sinapina (North America and Japan), and A. borealis (Eurasia) clade 2. Of note is that A. borealis (Eurasia) clade 1 appears basal to the Solidipes/Ostoyae and Gallica superclades. The Neighbor-net analysis showed similar phylogenetic relationships. This study further demonstrates the utility of tef1 for global phylogenetic studies of Armillaria species and provides critical insights into multiple taxonomic issues that warrant further study.
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In the Nordic countries, changes in pore structure during winter can affect e.g. water transport capacity in soils after winter. A reduction in pore space can cause an increase in runoff volume due to snowmelt and rain, resulting in flooding and soil erosion. This study quantified the effect of freezing-thawing cycles (FTCs) on the macropore structure of a silt and a sandy soil. Six consecutive FTCs were applied to intact soil samples, which were scanned after 0, 1, 2, 4 and 6 FTCs with an industrial X-ray scanner. Using state-of-the-art image processing and analysis techniques, changes in soil macropore network characteristics were quantified. The results showed that freezing-thawing affected the looser sandy soil more than the silt with its more cohesive structure. However, in both soils freezing-thawing had a negative effect on properties of macropore networks (e.g. reduction in macroporosity, thickness and specific surface area of macropores). These findings can help improve understanding of how undisturbed soils react to different winter conditions, which can be beneficial in the development of models for predicting flooding and soil erosion.
Forfattere
Jihong Liu Clarke Lisa Paruch Mihaela-Olivia Dobrica Iuliana Caras Catalin Tucureanu Adrian Onu Sonya Ciulean Crina Stavaru Andre van Eerde Yanliang Wang Hege Særvold Steen Sissel Haugslien Catalina Petrareanu Catalin Lazar Costin-loan Popescu Ralph Bock Jean Dubuisson Norica Branza-NichitaSammendrag
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major etiologic agent for severe liver diseases ( e.g . cirrhosis, fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma). Approximately 140 million people have chronic HCV infections and about 500 000 die yearly from HCV-related liver pathologies. To date, there is no licensed vaccine available to prevent HCV infection and production of a HCV vaccine remains a major challenge. Here, we report the successful production of the HCV E1E2 heterodimer, an important vaccine candidate, in an edible crop (lettuce, Lactuca s ativa ) using Agrobacterium - mediated transient expression technology. The wild-type dimer (E1E2) and a variant without an N-glycosylation site in the E2 polypeptide (E1E2 Δ N6) were expressed, and appropriate N-glycosylation pattern and functionality of the E1E2 dimers were demonstrated. The humoral immune response induced by the HCV proteins was investigated in mice following oral administration of lettuce antigens with or without previous intramuscular prime with the mammalian HEK293T cell-expressed HCV dimer. Immunization by oral feeding only resulted in development of weak serum levels of anti-HCV IgM for both antigens; however, the E1E2 Δ N6 proteins produced higher amounts of secretory IgA, suggesting improved immunogenic properties of the N-glycosylation mutant. The mice group receiving the intramuscular injection followed by two oral boosts with the lettuce E1E2 dimer developed a systemic but also a mucosal immune response, as demonstrated by the presence of anti-HCV secretory IgA in faeces extracts. In summary, our study demonstrates the feasibility of producing complex viral antigens in lettuce, using plant transient expression technology, with great potential for future low-cost oral vaccine development.
Forfattere
Milica Fotiric Aksic Radosav Cerovic Vera Rakonjac Ivana Bakic Slavica Colic Mekjell MelandSammendrag
Vitality of pollen, in vitro pollen germination and pollen tube growth (pollen tube length and pollen tube growth rate) were investigated in Oblačinska sour cherry in order to determine the differences between clones which have divergent yielding potential. For this purpose two ‘Oblačinska’ sour cherry clones with high fruit set and high yields (II/2, III/9) and two with low fruit set and low-yielding (XI/3 and XIII/1) were used in this study. Pollen germination was done on artificial medium containing 14% sucrose and 0.3% agar-agar at room temperature (23°C). Pollen tube growth was stopped with a drop of 40% formaldehyde, 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h after contact with the medium. The maximum percentage of germination ranged from 13.01% (clone II/2, after 1 h) to 54.19% (clone III/9, after 24 h). Pollen tube length varied from 64.84 μm (clone XIII/1, after 1 h) to >1,100 μm (clones II/2 and III/9, after 24 h). Pollen growth rate was quite high (up to 1.71 μm min-1) after 6 h of germination, but rather decreasing until 24 h of germination (0.560.83 μm min-1). The dynamics of in vitro pollen tubes growth among the clones were quite different, especially after 12 h and 24 h of germination. Clones that are singled out as fruitful (II/2 and III/9) gave much better results regarding pollen germination and pollen tube growth in comparison to clones which were characterized by low fruit set and yields (XI/3 and XIII/1).
Forfattere
Franck Anicet Ditengou Dulceneia Gomes Hugues Nziengui Philip Kochersperger Hanna Lasok Violante Medeiros Ivan Paponov Szilvia Krisztina Nagy Timea Virag Nadai Tamas Meszaros Beata Barnabas Beata Izabela Ditengou Katja Rapp Linlin Qi Xugang Li Claude Becker Chuanyou Li Robert Doczi Klaus PalmeSammendrag
Auxin gradients are sustained by series of influx and efflux carriers whose subcellular local- ization is sensitive to both exogenous and endogenous factors. Recently the localization of the Arabidopsis thaliana auxin efflux carrier PIN-FORMED (PIN) 6 was reported to be tissue- specific and regulated through unknown mechanisms. Here, we used genetic, molecular and pharmacological approaches to characterize the molecular mechanism(s) controlling the subcellular localization of PIN6. PIN6 localizes to endomembrane domains in tissues with low PIN6 expression levels such as roots, but localizes at the plasma membrane (PM) in tissues with increased PIN6 expression such as the inflorescence stem and nectary glands. We provide evidence that this dual local- ization is controlled by PIN6 phosphorylation and demonstrate that PIN6 is phosphorylated by mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) MPK4 and MPK6. The analysis of transgenic plants expressing PIN6 at PM or in endomembrane domains reveals that PIN6 subcellular localization is critical for Arabidopsis inflorescence stem elongation post-flowering (bolting). In line with a role for PIN6 in plant bolting, inflorescence stems elongate faster in pin6 mutant plants than in wild-type plants. We propose that PIN6 subcellular localization is under the control of developmental signals acting on tissue-specific determinants controlling PIN6-expression levels and PIN6 phosphorylation.
Forfattere
Andreas C. Drichoutis Achilleas Vassilopoulos Jayson L. Lusk Rodolfo M. Jr. NaygaSammendrag
High-profile cases of exploitative labour practices have increased concerns over agricultural working conditions. However, it is unclear to what extent the public is willing to trade-off fair working conditions for higher prices. We implement a large-scale survey in Greece to uncover consumer preferences for a food labelling system that certifies fair working conditions for the workers employed in agricultural production. With our most conservative estimates, we find that consumers are willing to pay an average premium of 53 cents of a Euro per 500 g, 95 per cent CI [43.9, 62.3], for strawberries with fair labour certification. This result suggests that consumers do value the better treatment of workers in the agricultural sector. It also suggests that there is a current market failure, created by the asymmetry of information between consumers and producers, that can be the basis of discussion for alternative labelling schemes involving fair labour labels. We also tested a number of known biases associated with consumer behaviour or the contingent valuation method and found the positive willingness-topay result to be robust.
Forfattere
Melissa Magerøy Denis Lachance Sharon Jancsik Genevieve Parent Armand Seguin John Mackay Joerg BohlmannSammendrag
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Volatiles emitted by plants convey an array of information through different trophic levels. Animals such as host-seeking herbivores encounter plumes with filaments from both host and non-host plants. While studies showed a behavioral effect of non-host plants on herbivore host location, less information is available on how a searching insect herbivore perceives and flies upwind to a host-plant odor plume within a background of non-host volatiles. We hypothesized here that herbivorous insects in search of a host-plant can discriminate plumes of host and non-host plants and that the taxonomic relatedness of the non-host have an effect on finding the host. We also predicted that the ratio between certain plant volatiles is cognized as host-plant recognition cue by a receiver herbivorous insect. To verify these hypotheses we measured the wind tunnel response of the moth Argyresthia conjugella to the host plant rowan, to non-host plants taxonomically related (Rosaceae, apple and pear) or unrelated to the host (Pinaceae, spruce) and to binary combination of host and non-host plants. Volatiles were collected from all plant combinations and delivered to the test insect via an ultrasonic sprayer as an artificial plume. While the response to the rowan as a plant was not affected by the addition of any of the non-host plants, the attraction to the corresponding sprayed headspace decreased when pear or apple but not spruce were added to rowan. A similar result was measured toward the odor exiting a jar where freshly cut plant material of apple or pear or spruce was intermixed with rowan. Dose-response gas-chromatography coupled to electroantennography revealed the presence of seven field attractive and seven background non-attractive antennally active compounds. Although the abundance of field attractive and of some background volatiles decreased in all dual combinations in comparison with rowan alone, an increased amount of the background compounds (3E)-4,8-Dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene ((E)-DMNT) and (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate was found in the rowan-apple and rowan-pear but not in the rowan-spruce headspace. A higher ratio between the abundance of each field attractive component and that of (E)-DMNT and (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate was measured for rowan and rowan-spruce in contrast to rowan-pear and rowan-apple headspaces. Our result suggests that the ratio between field attractive and background antennaly active volatiles encodes host-plant recognition in our study system.
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We conducted a series of diagnostic fitness response experiments on the coccolithophore, Emiliania huxleyi, isolated from the Subtropical Convergence east of New Zealand. Dose response curves (i.e., physiological rate vs. environmental driver) were constructed for growth, photosynthetic, and calcification rates of E. huxleyi relative to each of five environmental drivers (nitrate concentration, phosphate concentration, irradiance, temperature, and pCO2). The relative importance of each environmental driver on E. huxleyi rate processes was then ranked using a semi-quantitative approach by comparing the percentage change caused by each environmental driver on the measured physiological metrics under the projected conditions for the year 2100, relative to those for the present day, in the Subtropical Convergence. The results reveal that the projected future decrease in nitrate concentration (33%) played the most important role in controlling the growth, photosynthetic and calcification rates of E. huxleyi, whereas raising pCO2 to 75 Pa (750 ppm) decreased the calcification : photosynthesis ratios to the greatest degree. These findings reveal that other environmental drivers may be equally or more influential than CO2 in regulating the physiological responses of E. huxleyi, and provide new diagnostic information to better understand how this ecologically important species will respond to the projected future changes to multiple environmental drivers.
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Mountain tourism depends intensively on the quality of the landscape. In recent years, the Norwegian Trekking Association has focused on local food products at their staffed lodges and it uses the slogan “eat the view.” Such a strategy raises the focus on the agricultural use of the land and the quality of the products. Several Norwegian studies were carried out to investigate the quality of different mountain products and connections with vegetation types and grazing behavior. The results show that milk and meat products from animals grazing on alpine rangelands have improved quality compared to “normal” products. A healthier fatty acid composition and a higher content of secondary plant metabolites were characteristic of mountain products. Furthermore, grazing is of the utmost importance for the maintenance of open mountain landscapes and the biodiversity that is dependent on such landscapes. Maintaining traditional grazing systems also secures the preservation of traditional ecological knowledge about utilizing natural resources. Mountain tourism experiences could be improved and enhanced by documenting and telling the unique story of these complex connections between mountain landscapes, biodiversity, agricultural traditions, and local food products.
Forfattere
Kenan Kanlic Belma Kalamujic Naris Pojskic Jasmin Grahic Fuad Gasi Åsmund Asdal Mekjell MelandSammendrag
In order to investigate the genetic structure and differentiation among north and south European apple germplasm, 141 apple accessions maintained in ex situ collections in Norway and 110 traditional and international apple accessions from Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) were analyzed using 8 microsatellite markers. Bayesian analyses, based on the microsatellite data, grouped most of the accessions into two major clusters. The first cluster consisted mainly of traditional and international B&H accessions, as well as Norwegian accessions derived mostly from foreign or formal breeding programs (‘James Grieve’, ‘Katja’, ‘Summerred’, ‘Bramleys Seedling’, ‘Elstar’, ‘Katinka’, ‘Belle de Boskoop’, ‘Jacques Lebel’, etc.). The second cluster consisted almost exclusively of traditional Norwegian accessions. Further analyses divided each cluster into two sub-clusters. Cluster 1.1 included Norwegian accessions derived from foreign or commercial breeding programs, international cultivars and B&H accessions introduced from Europe and North America during the rule of Austria-Hungarian Empire. Cluster 1.2 included traditional B&H accessions introduced during the reign of Ottoman Empire. Cluster 2.1 and 2.2 consisted mainly of traditional apple accession from Norway. The results obtained indicate a clear genetic structure and differentiation among north and south European apple germplasm, presumably due to climate adaptation and selection.
Forfattere
Anne Lena Krasniqi Michael M. Blanke Achim Kunz Lutz Damerow Alan N. Lakso Mekjell MelandSammendrag
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Fuad Gasi Naris Pojskic Mirsad Kurtovic Clive Kaiser Stein Harald Hjeltnes Milica Fotiric-Aksic Mekjell MelandSammendrag
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Tunnel production of sweet cherry results in higher yields of larger fruit than in the open. When cherry trees were grown under tunnels in Norway, fruit cracking was higher in a year when soils were saturated and when 20 ppm gibberellic acid was applied at straw color. In this study we evaluated the effect of soil moisture on fruit cracking under tunnels. In 2013, a trial on mature 'Sweetheart'/'Colt' trees growing under high tunnels was initiated. Each plot consisted of 8 trees, spaced 2×4 m apart with 'Lapins' as guard trees. Experimental design was a split-plot design with or without 20 ppm GA3 application at straw color; and three drip irrigation regimes (zero, deficit and full based on evapotranspiration). During the season, soil water content was monitored weekly. Due to unfavorable weather conditions during bloom time, crop loads were lower than normal. Average fruit sizes were large and GA3 application at yellow straw color resulted in small increases in average fruit diameter and fruit weight with all three irrigation treatments. Fruit cracking was very variable and occurred almost exclusively at the distal side of fruit and not on the stem side. GA3-treated fruit cracked slightly more than untreated fruit. There were no differences in fruit cracking due to irrigation scheme.
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Seed crops of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) are usually established with a cover crop. Provided sufficient light, white clover may compensate for low plant density by stoloniferous growth. Our objectives were (1) to compare spring barley or spring wheat used as cover crops for white clover and (2) to find the optimal seeding rate/row distance for white clover. Seven field trials were conducted in Southeast Norway from 2000 to 2003. Barley was seeded at 360 and 240 seeds m−2 and wheat at 525 and 350 seeds m−2. White clover was seeded perpendicularly to the cover crop at 400 seeds m−2/13 cm row distance or 200 seeds m−2/26 cm. Results showed that light penetration in spring and early summer was better in wheat than in barley. On average for seven trials, this resulted in 11% higher seed yield after establishment in wheat than in barley. The 33% reduction in cover crop seeding rate had no effect on white clover seed yield for any of the cover crops. Reducing the seeding rate/doubling the row distance of white clover had no effect on seed yield but resulted in slightly earlier maturation of the seed crop.
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The goal of this study was to assess the long-term effects of partial harvesting and supplementary soil scarification on the frequency of root and butt rot in managed uneven-sized Norway spruce stands. Frequency of rot and the population structure of the rot fungi were assessed on 1353 stumps after clear-cutting 21 years after a selection harvesting experiment. The initial experiment was comprised of three harvest strength (low, intermediate and high) of single-tree selection, removing approximately 25, 45 and 65% of the stand basal area. Uncut control plots were established at the same time. Supplementary soil scarification was applied in subplots within the single-tree selection plots, using a medium-sized excavator. After clear-cutting the stumps were analyzed with respect to rot caused by Heterobasidion parviporum, Armillaria spp., Stereum sanguinolentum as well as other rot fungi. Rot caused by Armillaria spp. was most common (8.6% of the stumps), while infection by H. parviporum (2.9%) or S. sanguinolentum (3.0%) was less frequent. The group “other rot” (5.4%) comprised 21 identified taxa, each occurring in 1–15 stumps. Significantly lower rot frequencies were found for the uncut control (16.3%) and intermediate harvest strength (15.7%), compared with low harvest strength (23.6%). A rot frequency of 21.0% was found in the high harvest strength. In two of three harvest strengths, the rot frequency was higher than for the uncut control. As the observed rot frequencies did not increase consistently with increasing harvest strength, the results do not completely support the initial expectations of increased rot after single-tree selection compared with the uncut control. However, since the probability of rot in individual stumps on plots treated with single-tree selection was significantly affected by the distance to the nearest strip road (H. parviporum) as well as dependent on the size of and distance to the nearest stump of trees cut during the experimental harvest (H. parviporum, S. sanguinolentum and total rot), it is evident that the single-tree selection harvesting was partially responsible for some of the observed rot. One of the selection criteria in the initial harvest was a sanitary removal of trees of poor vitality. Varying degrees of sanitation felling may therefore have offset the effects of new infections in wounds or spread of rot fungi through adjacent stumps. Supplementary soil scarification in small gaps of the residual stand had no significant effect on the frequency of rot, suggesting that such treatment may be used to facilitate regeneration in uneven-sized spruce stands on similar sites.
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The plant hormone auxin is a vital component for plant reproduction as it regulates the development of both male and female reproductive organs, including ovules and gynoecia. Furthermore, auxin plays important roles in the development and growth of seeds and fruits. Auxin responses can be detected in ovules shortly after fertilization, and it has been suggested that this accumulation is a prerequisite for the developmental reprogramming of the ovules to seeds, and of the gynoecium to a fruit. However, the roles of auxin at the final stages of ovule development, and the sources of auxin leading to the observed responses in ovules after fertilization have remained elusive. Here we have characterized the auxin readout in Arabidopsis ovules, at the pre-anthesis, anthesis and in the immediate post-fertilization stages, using the R2D2 auxin sensor. In addition we have mapped the expression of auxin biosynthesis and conjugation genes, as well as that of auxin transporting proteins, during the same developmental stages. These analyses reveal specific spatiotemporal patterns of the different auxin homeostasis regulators. Auxin biosynthesis genes and auxin transport proteins define a prepatterning of vascular cell identity in the pre-anthesis funiculus. Furthermore, our data suggests that auxin efflux from the ovule is restricted in an anther-dependent manner, presumably to synchronize reproductive organ development and thereby optimizing the chances of successful fertilization. Finally, de novo auxin biosynthesis together with reduced auxin conjugation and transport result in an enhanced auxin readout throughout the sporophytic tissues of the ovules soon after fertilization. Together, our results suggest a sophisticated set of regulatory cascades that allow successful fertilization and the subsequent transition of the female reproductive structures into seeds and fruits.
Forfattere
Hans Petersson Johannes Breidenbach David Ellison Sören Holm Anders Muszta Mattias Lundblad Göran R. StåhlSammendrag
Many parties to the United Nation's Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) base their reporting of change in Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector carbon pools on national forest inventories. A strong feature of sample-based inventories is that very detailed measurements can be made at the level of plots. Uncertainty regarding the results stems primarily from the fact that only a sample, and not the entire population, is measured. However, tree biomass on sample plots is not directly measured but rather estimated using regression models based on allometric features such as tree diameter and height. Estimators of model parameters are random variables that exhibit different values depending on which sample is used for estimating model parameters. Although sampling error is strongly influenced by the sample size when the model is applied, modeling error is strongly influenced by the sample size when the model is under development. Thus, there is a trade-off between which sample sizes to use when applying and developing models. This trade-off has not been studied before and is of specific interest for countries developing new national forest inventories and biomass models in the REDD+ context. This study considers a specific sample design and population. This fact should be considered when extrapolating results to other locations and populations.
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Estimates of stand averages are needed by forest management for planning purposes. In forest enterprise inventories supported by remotely sensed auxiliary data, these estimates are typically derived exclusively from a model that does not consider stand effects in the study variable. Variance estimators for these means may seriously underestimate uncertainty, and confidence intervals may be too narrow when a model used for computing a stand mean omits a nontrivial stand effect in one or more of the model parameters, a nontrivial spatial distance dependent autocorrelation in the model residuals, or both. In simulated sampling from 36 populations with stands of different sizes and differing with respect to (i) the correlation between a study variable (Y) and two auxiliary variables (X), (ii) the magnitude of stand effects in the intercept of a linear population model linking X to Y, and (iii) a first-order autoregression in Y and X, we learned that none of the tested designs provided reliable estimates of the within-stand autocorrelation among model residuals. More-reliable estimates were possible from stand-wide predictions of Y. The anticipated bias in an estimated autoregression parameter had a modest influence on estimates of variance and coverage of nominal 95% confidence intervals for a synthetic stand mean.
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Due to the limited resources of fossil fuels and the need to mitigate climate change, energy utilisation for all human activity has to be improved. The objective of this study was to analyse the correlation between energy intensity on dairy farms and production mode, to examine the influence of machinery and buildings on energy intensity, and to find production related solutions for conventional and organic dairy farms to reduce energy intensity. Data from ten conventional and ten organic commercial dairy farms in Norway from 2010 to 2012 were used to calculate the amount of embodied energy as the sum of primary energy used for production of inputs from cradle-to-farm gates using a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. Energy intensities of dairy farms were used to show the amount of embodied energy needed to produce the inputs per metabolizable energy in the output. Energy intensities allow to easily point out the contribution of different inputs. The results showed that organic farms produced milk and meat with lower energy intensities on average than the conventional ones. On conventional farms, the energy intensity on all inputs was 2.6 ± 0.4 (MJMJ?1) and on organic farms it was significantly lower at 2.1 ± 0.3 (MJ MJ?1). On conventional farms, machinery and buildings contributed 18% ± 4%, on organic farms 29% ± 4% to the overall energy use. The high relative contribution of machinery and buildings to the overall energy consumption underlines the importance of considering them when developing solutions to reduce energy consumption in dairy production. For conventional and organic dairy farms, different strategies are recommend to reduce the energy intensity on all inputs. Conventional farms can reduce energy intensity by reducing the tractor weight and on most of them, it should be possible to reduce the use of nitrogen fertilisers without reducing yields. On organic dairy farms, energy intensity can be reduced by reducing embodied energy in barns and increasing yields. The embodied energy in existing barns can be reduced by a higher milk production per cow and by a longer use of the barns than the estimated lifetime. In the long run, new barns should be built with a lower amount of embodied energy. The high variation of energy intensity on all inputs from 1.6 to 3.3 (MJ MJ?1) (corresponding to the energy use of 4.5e9.3 MJ kg-1 milk) found on the 20 farms shows a potential for producing milk and meat with lower energy intensity on many farms. Based on the results, separate recommendations were provided for conventional and organic farms for reducing energy intensity.
Forfattere
Bente FøreidSammendrag
Phosphorus (P) should be recycled from organic wastes as much as possible, and input is needed in stockless organic agriculture. Seven organic residues were assessed and compared them to mineral P fertilizer and rock phosphate as fertilizer for barley. P availability in the mixtures and residual P availability were also assessed by diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT). The best availability was found in digested liquid manure followed by wood ash, fish sludge, composted solid manure and composted food waste. Meat and bone meal, the commercially available product Ladybug plus and rock phosphate had low P availability at the same level as no P. Only wood ash had significant P available for the next crop. The pH level of the soil did not affect P availability for any of the P sources. DGT predicted P availability moderately well, as it measures P supply over a short period without any biological factors.
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Claudia Bazzani Vincenzina Caputo Rodolfo M. Jr. Nayga Maurizio CanavariSammendrag
We investigate consumers’ preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for local and organic foods using a nonhypothetical choice experiment. Past studies have observed that beliefs and attitudes affect consumers’ preferences for local and organic productions claims. However, in psychology, personality is an important factor in explaining individuals’ attitudes and behavior, since personality traits are stable features which capture how individuals think, feel, and behave. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the interaction between personality traits and consumers’ preferences for both local and organic food products. We used applesauce as the product in question, and we implemented the MIDI (Midlife Development Inventory) scale to capture respondents’ personalities. We focused on the “Big Five” personality traits: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism. We find that personality traits can be sources of heterogeneity in consumers’ preferences for locally produced, but not for organic applesauce.
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Flowering is one of the most important factors in plant fertility. Fruit set in fruits is directly influenced by the beginning, sequence, flow, duration and abundance of flowering. The objective of this study was to evaluate the variability of flowering in 41 ‘Oblačinska’ sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) clones, and to recommend earlyflowering genotypes for growing in warmer locations where late spring frosts are rare, and some late-flowering clones for sites more susceptible for spring frost. Results from the three years period (2004-06), showed that ‘Oblačinska’ sour cherry clones flowered in a fixed sequence each year. Average for clone VII/2N, which flowered the earliest, was April 8 and petal fall took place by April 21, whereas clone III/1 bloomed last on April 14 and petal fall took place on April 25. Statistical analysis showed that almost all sub-phases of flowering were under the significant influence of both ecological and genetic factors. Besides, ecologic factors had the highest impact to the variability of beginning of flowering (79.8%), full bloom (76.8%), petal fall (80.2%) and duration of flowering (85.56%). Clones III/1, III/13, V/6 and V/2 were considered as late flowering, whereas clones VII/2N, VI/27, VI/28 and IX/P were early flowering, taking place five days earlier then previous group.
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Area-efficient constructed systems for stormwater management and bioretention may involve large fluc-tuations in subsurface water levels. Such fluctuations challenge vegetation by forcing roots to exploredeeper layers to access water during dry periods. In a controlled experiment, we studied growth pat-terns and the ability of Phragmites australis roots to track subsurface water level fluctuations of differingamplitude and frequency in substrates with contrasting water-holding capacity. We found that P. aus-tralis was able to adjust its rooting pattern to considerable subsurface water level fluctuations (to wellbelow 120 cm), but that substrate characteristics can restrict its ability to adjust to larger fluctuations.Fluctuation amplitude was the driving factor for plant growth and biomass allocation responses, whilesubstrate characteristics and fluctuation frequency were less important. When not exposed to large waterlevel fluctuations, P. australis grew larger shoots and only explored intermediate rooting depths. Therewas a negative relationship between root and rhizome biomass, showing a resource-based trade-off andshort-term costs of adjusting rooting patterns to large water level fluctuations. These results indicatethat P. australis is suited for systems with considerable subsurface water fluctuations, but constraints onits flexibility need to be investigated.
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Natural regeneration of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) is a relatively common practice in Norway on medium to low site indices. However, seedling establishment is often hampered by rapid regrowth of competing vegetation in scarified patches. The aim of our study was to examine the effect of coordinating scarification towards an expected seed-fall, by studying germination and seedling establishment in scarified patches of different age (fresh, one- and two-year-old). The experiment was conducted in two stands in southeast Norway that were clear-cut in 2007. Scarification was applied to subplots in autumn 2008–2010. To simulate seed-fall, seeds were sown in fresh scarification patches in spring 2009–2011, in one-year-old patches in 2010 and 2011, and in twoyear- old patches in 2011. Both germination and seedling survival were negatively affected by the age of the scarified patches. Germination was higher, and mortality lower, at the small fern woodland site, compared with the bilberry woodland site. Sowing in fresh patches also resulted in increased height and root collar diameter of the seedlings compared with sowing in older patches. It is likely that the competing vegetation both on the site and in the scarification patches affected the growth of the seedlings. In conclusion, the age of the scarified patches affected both germination and mortality, as well as early growth of the seedlings.
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Hans Thodsen Csilla Farkas Jaroslaw Chormanski Dennis Trolle Gitte Blicher-Mathiesen Ruth Grant Alexander Melvold Engebretsen Ignacy Kardel Hans Estrup AndersenSammendrag
The main environmental stressor of the Baltic Sea is elevated riverine nutrient loads, mainly originating from diffuse agricultural sources. Agricultural practices, intensities, and nutrient losses vary across the Baltic Sea drainage basin (1.75 × 106 km2 , 14 countries and 85 million inhabitants). Six “Soil and Water Assessment Tool” (SWAT) models were set up for catchments representing the major agricultural systems, and covering the different climate gradients in the Baltic Sea drainage basin. Four fertilizer application scenarios were run for each catchment to evaluate the sensitivity of changed fertilizer applications. Increasing sensitivity was found for catchments with an increasing proportion of agricultural land use and increased amounts of applied fertilizers. A change in chemical fertilizer use of ±20% was found to affect watershed NO3-N loads between zero effect and ±13%, while a change in manure application of ±20% affected watershed NO3-N loads between zero effect and −6% to +7%.
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José Ramón González-Olabarria Jordi Garcia-Gonzalo Blas Mola-Yudego Timo PukkalaSammendrag
& Key message We generate flexible management rules for black pine stands, adaptable to alternative stand management situations and entailing thinnings, final-felling, and salvage cuts, based on the results on 270 stand level optimizations. & Context Forest management instructions often rely on the anticipated prediction of the stand development, which poses a challenge on variable economic and environmental conditions. Instead, an alternative approach to better adapt forest management decisions to changing conditions is defining flexible rules based on thresholds that trigger management operations. & Aims This article develops rules for the adaptive management of P. nigra stands in Catalonia (Spain) addressing the risk of fire and post-fire forest management. & Methods The stochastic version of the simulationoptimization system RODAL was used to optimize the management of forest stands in three sites under different fire probability levels. A total of 270 optimizations were done varying site fertility, fire probability, and economic factors. The results of the optimizations were used as the basis of flexible forest management rules for adaptive stand management. & Results The developed management rules defined the basal area limit for thinning, the thinning intensity, the mean tree diameter at which regeneration cuttings should start, and the basal area below which a salvage cutting should be done. Fire risk was not a significant predictor of the models for thinning and final cutting rules. & Conclusion The presented rules provide a flexible tool for forest management during the stand development and under changing conditions when the management objective is to maximize economic profitability of timber production.
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Olalla Díaz-Yáñez Blas Mola-Yudego José Ramón González-Olabarria Timo PukkalaSammendrag
The risk of snow and wind damage should be considered when deciding forest management actions, as it can greatly change forest development and its accompanying services. In this study, we develop models that predict snow and wind damage using management related variables as predictors. The plot level models are based on the extensive data available for Norwegian forests from four consecutive measurements of the national forest inventory along the period 1995–2014. The snow and wind risk is assessed in pure stands (pine, spruce and birch) as well as for mixed stands. Separate models are constructed for predicting the probability of a tree to be damaged, broken or uprooted. The models’ descriptors include: mean diameter, mean tree slenderness, mean height, basal area and a portfolio of variables related to stand structure and composition. The models are based on generalized linear models assuming binomial or quasi-binomial distributions resulting in nine models. Mixed stands are the stands most commonly affected by snow and wind damage followed by spruce dominated stands. Spruce stands with more heterogeneous structures are less prone to suffer breakage of trees, and increasing stand height have a big impact on the risk of tree breakage. The models presented in this study can be used to create management prescriptions considering the risk of snow and wind damage. These models also help to better understand which variables make a forest more vulnerable to snow and wind damage.
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Different sowing methods and sowing rates were evaluated in organic seed production of timothy (two trials), meadow fescue (two trials) and red clover (one trial) in Southeast Norway, during 2010–2013. The plan included: (1) broadcast sowing of grass/clover, cover crop sown at 12 cm row distance; (2) sowing of cover and seed crop in crossed rows, both at 12 cm row distance; and (3) sowing of cover crop and seed crop in every other row. The three sowing rates were 5, 10 and 15 kg ha−1 in timothy and meadow fescue and 3, 6 and 9 kg ha−1 in red clover. On average for sowing rates and all trials with timothy, meadow fescue and red clover, first year’s seed yields were 5–6%, 20–25% and 19–25% higher on plots sown with cover crop and seed crop in every other row than on plots where seed crop had been broadcast or sown perpendicularly to the cover crop. The different sowing methods had no effect on weed coverage or weed contamination in the cleaned seed. Increasing sowing rate usually had a negative influence on seed yield, while weed coverage/contamination was not significantly affected. It is concluded that organic seed crops should be established with cover crop and seed crop in every other row at a low sowing rate. However, in an organic production system, even this favorable method will not always be sufficient to meet the requirement for seed crop purity.
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Two field trials with five strawberry cultivars planted on a woven black polyfibre ground cover sheet with or without translucent sheet plant coverage during winter and the growing season as combined treatments were started in 2004 and 2005. In total, nine different cultivars were included in the two fields. One early cv. ‘Polka’ and one late cv. ‘Korona’ acted as standard cultivars, while the other cultivars were new, named or labelled selections from Norwegian, Finnish and Swedish breeding programs. Winter survival, spring vigour, earliness, saleable and total berry yield, berry size and berry quality were registered for three years. The cultivars differed in earliness, berry size, yield (gram per plant) and total production (sum of all years). A combination of fibre sheet winter and spring coverage and more open net sheet harvest season coverage showed favourable results for overwintering, earliness and berry yield, and enhanced the ripening process in all cultivars.
Forfattere
Olalla Díaz-Yáñez Blas Mola-Yudego José Ramón González-OlabarriaSammendrag
Ungulate browsing results in important damages on the forests, affecting their structure, composition and development. In the present paper, we examine the occurrence of browsing damage in Norwegian forests, using data provided by the National Forest Inventory along several consecutive measurements (entailing the period 1995–2014). A portfolio of variables describing the stand, site and silvicultural treatments are analyzed using classification trees to retrieve combinations related to browsing damage. Our results indicate that the most vulnerable forest stands are young with densities below 1400 trees ha–1 and dominated by birch, pine or mixed species. In addition, stand diversity and previous treatments (e.g. thinnings) increase the damage occurrence and other variables, like stand size, could play a role on forest susceptibility to browsing occurrence although the latter is based on weaker evidence. The methods and results of our study can be applied to implement management measures aiming at reducing the browsing damages of forests.
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Fire blight, caused by Erwinia amylovora, was detected for the first time in Norway in 1986. It was a limited outbreak on the south-western coast, only on ornamentals, and particularly on Cotoneaster spp. An action group handling the eradication and containment of the disease was quickly established. Comprehensive statutory powers and resources were given by the government to do surveys and eradicate diseased or symptomless but highly susceptible plant species from contaminated areas. These activities have likely restricted fire blight to the western and southern coastal areas. Eastern and northern parts of Norway are considered free from fire blight. The disease has not been observed in important fruit-growing areas. Uncontrolled movement of beehives from areas with fire blight to areas free from the disease has contributed to its introduction to new areas. From 1969 to 2016 import of most host plants of E. amylovora from countries with fire blight was prohibited. A yearly program for annual surveys in parts of the country with commercial fruit-growing and nurseries, using digital maps on internet connected tablets with GPS and software for in situ registrations, proved to be an efficient method for discovering new outbreaks at an early stage, and to start eradication and thus limit further spread.
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This work presents the outcomes from two independent studies evaluating the chemical quality of groundwater in agricultural areas irrigated with wastewater from sugar and yeast industries. The evaluation was determined using chemical parameters representing typical contaminants of sugar industry wastewater (SIWW) and yeast industry wastewater (YIWW), and characterising the content of organic matter (BOD5), nutrients (NH4-N, NO3-N, TN and TP) and salts (Cl, SO4, Na and K). The studies reveal that food industry wastewater constitutes a valuable water-nutrient-rich medium that can be reused in agricultural applications as an alternative water resource for irrigation and nutrients for fertilisation. Furthermore, the reuse facilitates the sustainable discharge of wastewater through a soil-aquifer zone to the natural environment. This does not affect chemical quality of groundwater, which was comparable in areas irrigated and non-irrigated with SIWW and YIWW. Although some parameters (NO3-N, NH4-N, SO4, Cl and Na) displayed higher concentrations in groundwater from the fields irrigated with wastewater, these contents were within recommended healthbased guideline limits defined in either the groundwater quality standards or the drinking water quality norms. Only the contents of K revealed an exclusive groundwater impact from wastewater irrigation. This was confirmed in statistical tests employing theWard’s hierarchical clustering method, which exposed excessive amounts of K introduced into groundwater through irrigation with both SIWW and YIWW. However, this parameter is not considered to pose any health risk to humans or the environment, and its content is not restricted by quality guideline values for either groundwater or drinking water.
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Lampros LamprinakisSammendrag
Organizational development, change and adaptation are complex and challenging tasks that have been widely studied and debated, spanning from general change models and theories on organizational change, to change management theory and strategy literature. Even though issues surrounding organizational change have been extensively studied, the estimated success rates remain particularly low, thus keeping this kind of studies high in the research agenda. This article examines organizational change and adaptation in the context of institutional change. More specifically, the article examines the case of Valio, the biggest Finnish dairy company, and its reorganization and restructuring during the period surrounding Finland’s assessment to the EU in 1995. Valio’s case is particularly interesting since it involves a well-established “national institution”, with rich history and significant economic contribution to the national economy. The purpose of this paper is to explore how Valio’s managers perceived the organizational change efforts surrounding the period of EU accession and what change practices were followed. In doing so, the analysis adopts the comprehensive qualitative case study methodology having a descriptive and explorative approach. This approach involves several in-depth interviews with key Valio executives, stakeholders, and industry insiders. The analysis maps and identifies key themes and processes that characterized the change strategy and allowed for the successful organizational change.
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Insulation is an essential component of nest structure that helps provide incubation requirements for birds. Many species of waterfowl breed in high latitudes where rapid heat loss can necessitate a high energetic input from parents and use down feathers to line their nests. Common eider Somateria mollissima nest down has exceptional insulating properties but the microstructural mechanisms behind the feather properties have not been thoroughly examined. Here, we hypothesized that insulating properties of nest down are correlated to down feather (plumule) microstructure. We tested the thermal efficiency (fill power) and cohesion of plumules from nests of two Icelandic colonies of wild common eiders and compared them to properties of plumules of wild greylag goose Anser anser. We then used electron microscopy to examine the morphological basis of feather insulating properties. We found that greylag goose down has higher fill power (i.e. traps more air) but much lower cohesion (i.e. less prone to stick together) compared to common eider down. ese differences were related to interspecific variation in feather microstructure. Down cohesion increased with the number of barbule microstructures (prongs) that create strong points of contact among feathers. Eider down feathers also had longer barbules than greylag goose down feathers, likely increasing their air-trapping capacity. Feather properties of these two species might reflect the demands of their contrasting evolutionary history. In greylag goose, a temperate, terrestrial species, plumule microstructure may optimize heat trapping. In common eiders, a diving duck that nests in arctic and subarctic waters, plumule structure may have evolved to maximize cohesion over thermal insulation, which would both reduce buoyancy during their foraging dives and enable nest down to withstand strong arctic winds.
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A new subspecies of the European cerambycid Saperda populnea (Linnaeus, 1758) is described: Saperda populnea lapponica ssp. n. based on specimens from Scandinavia. The male genitalia characters were examined and found to provide support for this separation, as well as differences in morphology, geographical distribution and bionomy. The preferred host tree for the nominate subspecies S. populnea populnea is Populus tremula L., whereas S. populnea lapponica ssp. n. is considered to be monophagous on Salix lapponum L. DNA sequence data of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) was generated from Scandinavian specimens of S. populnea populnea and specimens representing S. populnea lapponica ssp. n. The two subspecies were not reciprocally monophyletic and genetic distances in COI were small. All synonyms of S. populnea populnea have been considered, and species similar to S. populnea populnea have been examined, and not found to be related to S. populnea lapponica ssp. n. A male lectotype has been designated for each of the two following synonyms: Cerambyx decempunctatus De Geer, 1775, and Saperda salicis Zetterstedt, 1818. The synonymised species from Asia, S. balsamifera (Motshulsky, 1860), is elevated to subspecies: S. populnea balsamifera stat. n. We end with a discussion on the definition of subspecies under the unified species concept.
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Mihaela-Olivia Dobrica Catalin Lazar Lisa Paruch Hanne Skomedal Hege Særvold Steen Sissel Haugslien Catalin Tucureanu Iuliana Caras Adrian Onu Sonya Ciulean Alexandru Branzan Jihong Liu Clarke Crina Stavaru Norica Branza-NichitaSammendrag
Chronic Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection leads to severe liver pathogenesis associated with significant morbidity and mortality. As no curable medication is yet available, vaccination remains the most costeffective approach to limit HBV spreading and control the infection. Although safe and efficient, the standard vaccine based on production of the small (S) envelope protein in yeast fails to elicit an effective immune response in about 10% of vaccinated individuals, which are at risk of infection. One strategy to address this issue is the development of more immunogenic antigens. Here we describe a novel HBV antigen obtained by combining relevant immunogenic determinants of S and large (L) envelope proteins. Our approach was based on the insertion of residues 21-47 of the preS1 domain of the L protein (nomenclature according to genotype D), involved in virus attachment to hepatocytes, within the external antigenic loop of S. The resulting S/preS121-47 chimera was successfully produced in HEK293T and Nicotiana benthamiana plants, as a more economical recombinant protein production platform. Comparative biochemical, functional and electron microscopy analysis indicated assembly of the novel antigen into subviral particles in mammalian and plant cells. Importantly, these particles preserve both S- and preS1-specific epitopes and elicit significantly stronger humoral and cellular immune responses than the S protein, in both expression systems used. Our data promote this antigen as a promising vaccine candidate to overcome poor responsiveness to the conventional, S protein-based, HBV vaccine.
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Melissa Magerøy Sharon Jancsik Macaire Man Saint Yuen Michael Fischer Stephen G. Withers Christian Paetz Bernd Schneider John Mackay Joerg BohlmannSammendrag
Acetophenones are phenolic compounds involved in the resistance of white spruce (Picea glauca) against spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferiana), a major forest pest in North America. The acetophenones pungenol and piceol commonly accumulate in spruce foliage in the form of the corresponding glycosides, pungenin and picein. These glycosides appear to be inactive against the insect but can be cleaved by a spruce b-glucosidase, PgbGLU-1, which releases the active aglycons. The reverse glycosylation reaction was hypothesized to involve a family 1 UDP-sugar dependent glycosyltransferase (UGT) to facilitate acetophenone accumulation in the plant. Metabolite and transcriptome profiling over a developmental time course of white spruce bud burst and shoot growth revealed two UGTs, PgUGT5 and PgUGT5b, that glycosylate pungenol. Recombinant PgUGT5b enzyme produced mostly pungenin, while PgUGT5 produced mostly isopungenin. Both UGTs also were active in vitro on select flavonoids. However, the context of transcript and metabolite accumulation did not support a biological role in flavonoid metabolism but correlated with the formation of pungenin in growing shoots. Transcript levels of PgUGT5b were higher than those of PgUGT5 in needles across different genotypes of white spruce. These results support a role of PgUGT5b in the biosynthesis of the glycosylated acetophenone pungenin in white spruce.
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Umberto Salvagnin Mickael Malnoy Gunda Thöming Marco Tasin Silvia Carlin Stefan Martens Urska Vrhovsek Sergio Angeli Gianfranco AnforaSammendrag
Herbivorous insects use olfactory cues to locate their host plant within a complex olfactory landscape. One such example is the European grapevine moth Lobesia botrana, a key pest of the grape in the Palearctic region, which recently expanded both its geographical and host plant range. Previous studies have showed that a synthetic blend of the three terpenoids, (E)-β-caryophyllene, (E)-β-farnesene and (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene (DMNT), was as attractive for the moth as the complete grape odour profile in laboratory conditions. The same studies also showed that the specific ratio of these compounds in the grape bouquet was crucial because a percentage variation in any of the three volatiles resulted in almost complete inhibition of the blend's attractiveness. Here, we report on the creation of stable grapevine transgenic lines, with modified (E)-β-caryophyllene and (E)-β-farnesene emission and thus with an altered ratio compared to the original plants. When headspace collections from these plants were tested in wind tunnel behavioural assays, they were less attractive than control extracts. This result was confirmed by testing synthetic blends imitating the ratio found on natural and transformed plants, as well as by testing the plants themselves. With this evidence, we suggest that a strategy based on volatile ratio modification may also interfere with the host-finding behaviour of L. botrana in the field, creating avenues for new pest control methods.
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Patrick Rousset Bilel Mondher Kevin Candellier Ghislaine Volle Janka Dibdiakova Gilles HumbertSammendrag
Charcoal seems one of the most promising bio-reducer because of its high coke replacement ratio in blast furnaces. Nevertheless, biochar materials are subject self-combustion during storage, handling and transport, and need to be studied in order to understand and limit these phenomena. Heat-based methods: were employed to compare and determine the self-ignition parameters of four types of fresh biochar (Quercus pubescens, Cyclobalanopsis glauca, and Trigonostemon huangmosun, Bambusa vulgar) that are used as bioreducers in the silica industry. This study assumed that spontaneous combustion arises from exothermic oxygen chemisorption to fresh biochar surface. Sample mass, heat flow and CO2 desorption were measured. The weight increased very rapidly as soon as the gas stream was changed from N2 to air accompanying the heat generation for each material. Desorption isotherms were found to depend on the nature of the feedstock confirming that bamboo biochar was the most reactive one under air exposure.
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In this study, we investigated the potential of airborne imaging spectroscopy for in-season grassland yield estimation. We utilized an unmanned aerial vehicle and a hyperspectral imager to measure radiation, ranging from 455 to 780 nm. Initially, we assessed the spectral signature of five typical grassland species by principal component analysis, and identified a distinct reflectance difference, especially between the erectophil grasses and the planophil clover leaves. Then, we analyzed the reflectance of a typical Norwegian sward composition at different harvest dates. In order to estimate yields (dry matter, DM), several powered partial least squares (PPLS) regression and linear regression (LR) models were fitted to the reflectance data and prediction performance of these models were compared with that of simple LR models, based on selected vegetation indices and plant height. We achieved the highest prediction accuracies by means of PPLS, with relative errors of prediction from 9.1 to 11.8% (329 to 487 kg DM ha−1) for the individual harvest dates and 14.3% (558 kg DM ha−1) for a generalized model.
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Rolf Nestby Sebastien GuérySammendrag
OBJECT: Improved precision fertilization by introducing sensors and remote control to secure fruit yield and reduce nutrient leaching in soil culture. MATERIAL AND METHODS:We broadcasted before bedding and mulching 50 g m–2 of a multi-mineral fertilizer. Beds had two plant rows 20 cm apart, with plant distance of 25 cm. Experimental design was split plot with three replications and three treatments. Treatments: fertigation in large plots, cultivar in small plots and year. RESULTS: Plant development in the establishing year had no benefit of fertigation in addition to fertilizer given before bedding. When the yield is 3 kg m–2 a nutrient solution of 6 g N m–2 gave highest yield, using 4 g m–2 from two weeks before harvest and during harvest. ‘Florence’ and ‘Sonata’ developed well; however, ‘Florence’ had mildew on fruits in the last cropping year. ‘Korona’ presented well the first cropping year, but grew small fruits heavily infested by mildew in the last cropping year. CONCLUSION: Fertilization had effect on fruit yield. It is discussed how a fertilization schedule for the establishment year and cropping years can be adapted to plant development stages. Mildew infestation on fruits was dependent of cultivar and fertilization. Introducing sensors for recording of growth factors and in situ ion-levels of soil water nutrients, proved valuable.
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Ioannis Dimitriou Blas Mola-YudegoSammendrag
Trees of genus Populus (in our context primarily poplars) are predominantly grown in Sweden in small plantations on arable land in southern and central parts of the country to produce biomass for energy and other purposes. This study evaluated the effects (i) of poplar plantations on groundwater quality, by determining differences in leaching of nitrogen and phosphorus to groundwater, and (ii) of poplar and hybrid aspen plantations on soil quality in terms of carbon in the top- and subsoil. The study was conducted comparing Populus plantations in Sweden with adjacent fields with cereals and grasslands. The experiment concerning the groundwater leaching was conducted in eight poplar plantations along three growing seasons (2012–2015). For the soil carbon experiments, 19 poplar and two hybrid aspen plantations and the respective reference fields were sampled. NO3-N leaching from poplar plantations was significantly lower than that from reference fields with cereals, but not when compared with grasslands. Spring NO3-N leaching was significantly lower in poplars than in the reference fields, whereas leaching of NO3-N in autumn did not differ. Concentrations of PO4-P in the groundwater of poplar plantations were lower compared to the respective ones of the reference fields. There were no clear trends observed when comparing carbon concentrations in the topsoil of the poplar and hybrid aspen plantations compared to the respective adjacent reference fields. For the subsoil, the average carbon concentrations in the poplar and hybrid aspen plantations were equal to the respective ones of cereals, but were higher when compared to grassland.
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Two types of nano-scale zero-valent iron (nZVI-B prepared by borohydride reduction and nZVI-T produced by thermal reduction of iron oxide nanoparticles in H2) and amicro-scale ZVI (mZVI) were compared for PCB degradation efficiency in water and soil. In addition, the ecotoxicity of nZVI-B and nZVI-T particles in treated water and soil was evaluated on bacteria, plants, earthworms, and ostracods. All types of nZVI and mZVI were highly efficient in degradation of PCBs in water, but had little degradation effect on PCBs in soil. Although nZVI-B had a significant negative impact on the organisms tested, treatment with nZVI-T showed no negative effect, probably due to surface passivation through controlled oxidation of the nanoparticles.
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We determine the production risk effects and welfare implications of single-trait Bt corn adoption in the Philippines. We use a stochastic production function estimation approach that allows for examining the skewness effects of Bt within a damage abatement specification. Our results indicate that Bt corn has a statistically significant yield increasing, risk-increasing (i.e., variance-increasing) and downside risk-reducing (i.e., skewness-increasing) effects. Based on risk premium, certainty equivalent, and loss probability welfare measures, Bt corn farmers in the Philippines are better-off (in absolute terms) relative to non-Bt farmers given Bt corn's dominant yield increasing effect and downside risk-reducing effect.
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Anne Gobin Kurt Christian Kersebaum Josef Eitzinger Miroslav Trnka Petr Hlavinka Jozef Takác Joop Kroes Domenico Ventrella Anna Dalla Marta Johannes Deelstra Branislava Lalic Pavol Nejedlik Simone Orlandini Pirjo Peltonen-Sainio Ari Rajala Triin Saue Levent Saylan Ruzica Stricevic Visnja Vucetic Christos ZoumidesSammendrag
Crop growth and yield are affected by water use during the season: the green water footprint (WF) accounts for rain water, the blue WF for irrigation and the grey WF for diluting agri-chemicals. We calibrated crop yield for FAO’s water balance model “Aquacrop” at field level. We collected weather, soil and crop inputs for 45 locations for the period 1992–2012. Calibrated model runs were conducted for wheat, barley, grain maize, oilseed rape, potato and sugar beet. The WF of cereals could be up to 20 times larger than the WF of tuber and root crops; the largest share was attributed to the green WF. The green and blue WF compared favourably with global benchmark values (R2 = 0.64–0.80; d = 0.91–0.95). The variability in the WF of arable crops across different regions in Europe is mainly due to variability in crop yield (cv = 45%) and to a lesser extent to variability in crop water use (cv = 21%). The WF variability between countries (cv = 14%) is lower than the variability between seasons (cv = 22%) and between crops (cv = 46%). Though modelled yields increased up to 50% under sprinkler irrigation, the water footprint still increased between 1% and 25%. Confronted with drainage and runoff, the grey WF tended to overestimate the contribution of nitrogen to the surface and groundwater. The results showed that the water footprint provides a measurable indicator that may support European water governance.
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In this paper, we apply grounded innovation platforms (GRIPs) as a tool for inclusive innovation in relation to forest-based bioenergy in Norway. We use cases studied in the Triple Bottom Line Outcomes for Bioenergy Development and Innovation in Rural Norway research project. We review the notion of GRIPs and classify them. We analyse forms of GRIPs and the hypothesis that forms of GRIP affect ‘triple bottom line’ outcomes of sustainable development. We relate our findings to the debates on inclusive innovation, which we argue is not simply an issue for ‘developing countries’. Development, being understood to be different from economic growth, is concerned with inclusion and exclusion, and, in a world of growing inequalities, is a universal issue everywhere.
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Epigenetic memory in Norway spruce affects the timing of bud burst and bud set, vitally important adaptive traits for this long-lived forest species. Epigenetic memory is established in response to the temperature conditions during embryogenesis. Somatic embryogenesis at different epitype inducing (EpI) temperatures closely mimics the natural processes of epigenetic memory formation in seeds, giving rise to epigenetically different clonal plants in a reproducible and predictable manner, with respect to altered bud phenology. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and other small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) play an essential role in the regulation of plant gene expression and may affect this epigenetic mechanism. We used NGS sequencing and computational in silico methods to identify and profile conserved and novel miRNAs among small RNAs in embryogenic tissues of Norway spruce at three EpI temperatures (18, 23 and 28◦C). We detected three predominant classes of sRNAs related to a length of 24 nt, followed by a 21–22 nt class and a third 31 nt class of sRNAs. More than 2100 different miRNAs within the prevailing length 21–22 nt were identified. Profiling these putative miRNAs allowed identification of 1053 highly expressed miRNAs, including 523 conserved and 530 novels. 654 of these miRNAs were found to be differentially expressed (DEM) depending on EpI temperature. For most DEMs, we defined their putative mRNA targets. The targets represented mostly by transcripts of multiple-repeats proteins, like TIR, NBS-LRR, PPR and TPR repeat, Clathrin/VPS proteins, Myb-like, AP2, etc. Notably, 124 DE miRNAs targeted 203 differentially expressed epigenetic regulators. Developing Norway spruce embryos possess a more complex sRNA structure than that reported for somatic tissues. A variety of the predicted miRNAs showed distinct EpI temperature dependent expression patterns. These putative EpI miRNAs target spruce genes with a wide range of functions, including genes known to be involved in epigenetic regulation, which in turn could provide a feedback process leading to the formation of epigenetic marks. We suggest that TIR, NBS and LRR domain containing proteins could fulfill more general functions for signal transduction from external environmental stimuli and conversion them into molecular response. Fine-tuning of the miRNA production likely participates in both developmental regulation and epigenetic memory formation in Norway spruce.
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Nitrogen-limited ecosystems are threatened by extensive spread of broom (Cytisus scoparius (L.) Link), a European leguminous shrub that is invasive in several countries. The establishment of invading species may, however, be suppressed by competition from native vegetation. The neighbor impact of the grass Festuca rubra subsp. commutata Gaudin on the performance of C. scoparius was studied in a greenhouse experiment with different arrival order, under low and high nitrogen supply, and with or without inoculation of nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Aboveground biomass of both species was measured after a six-months establishment period, and after a five-months regrowth period. In both periods, presence of F. rubra reduced the performance of C. scoparius as indicated by negative neighbor-effect intensity indices (NIntA). During the establishment period the competitive impact of F. rubra was highest, when planted before C. scoparius, followed by synchronous and late planting. Inoculation with rhizobia and low fertilization decreased the competitive impact of F. rubra. After cutting and regrowth priority effects of F. rubra were still visible. Interaction between the two study species was not affected anymore by inoculation, but strongly by fertilization, with highest competitive impact of F. rubra on C. scoparius under high nitrogen fertilization. In both study periods biomass of C. scoparius was negatively correlated with biomass of F. rubra. Our study provides knowledge about competition processes, which help to improve conservation and restoration measures regarding the spread of C. scoparius. Early sowing of a native grass can help to suppress the invasive species at an early stage. Competitive impact of the grass might be strengthened by high nitrogen availability.
Forfattere
Biancha Cavicchi Sergio Palmieri Marco OdaldiSammendrag
This paper deals with processes and outcomes of sustainable bioenergy development in Emilia Romagna. It draws on an on-going research project concerning inclusive innovation in forest-based bioenergy and biogas in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Italy. The goal is to explore how local governance impacts on inclusive innovation processes and triple bottom sustainability of bioenergy development in Emilia Romagna and, ultimately, to contribute to the debate on the bioeconomy. It thus compares the case of biogas and forest-based bioenergy production. The study adopts an analytical framework called Grounded Innovation (GRIP) and the local governance approach. The study uses qualitative methods and particularly semi-structured interviews and governance analysis. The key results show different outcomes on both inclusive innovation and triple bottom-line dimensions. Biogas has not fostered inclusiveness and triple bottom line sustainability benefits, contrary to forest-based bioenergy. The findings indicate that the minor role of local actors, particularly municipalities, in favour of industrial and national interests may jeopardise the sustainability of biobased industries. Besides, policies limited to financial incentives may lead to a land-acquisition rush, unforeseen local environmental effects and exacerbate conflicts.
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Creosote is commonly used as a wood preservative for highway timber bridges in Norway. However, excessive creosote bleeding at various highway timber bridge sites lead to complaints, and a potentially bad reputation for wooden timber bridges. Macro-and microanatomical factors such as the amount of heartwood, annual ring width, annual ring orientation, ray-height and composition and resin canal area were investigated in order to classify seven timber bridges in Norway into bleeding- and non-bleeding bridges. A classification into bleeding and non-bleeding was possible for discriminant categories based on three anatomical factors analysed on wood core samples. The amount of heartwood content dominated the influencing factors, even obscuring the significance of other factors. Classification with a low amount of variables was done preferably on sample level instead of bridge level, due to the restricted number of 17 core samples per bridge.
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Felix Herzog Gisela Lüscher Michaela Arndorfer Marion Bogers Katalin Balázs Robert Gerald Henry Bunce Peter Dennis Eszter Falusi Jürgen K. Friedel Ilse R. Geijzendorffer Tiziano Gomiero Philippe Jeanneret Gerardo Moreno Marie-Louise Oschatz Maurizio Guido Paoletti Jean-Pierre Sarthou Siyka Stoyanova Erich Szerencsits Sebastian Wolfrum Wendy Fjellstad Debra BaileySammendrag
Habitat descriptors are cost effective biodiversity indicators demanded by stakeholders and required for regional and global biodiversity monitoring. We mapped 195 farms of different types in twelve case study regions across Europe and tested 18 habitat descriptors for scientific validity, information content and ease of interpretation. We propose a core set consisting of (i) four descriptors to measure structural composition and configuration of farms (Habitat Richness, Habitat Diversity, Patch Size, and Linear Habitats), (ii) three descriptors addressing specific habitat types (Crop Richness, Shrub Habitats, and Tree Habitats) and (iii) one interpreted descriptor (Semi-Natural Habitats). As a set, the descriptors make it possible to evaluate the habitat status of a farm and to track changes occurring due to modified land use and/or management, including agri-environmental measures. The farm habitat maps can provide ground truth information for regional and global biodiversity monitoring.
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Claudia Kammann Jim Ippolito Nikolas Hagemann Nils Borchard Maria Luz Cayuela José M. Estavillo Teresa Fuertes-Mendizabal Simon Jeffery Jürgen Kern Jeff Novak Daniel Rasse Sanna Saarnio Hans-Peter Schmidt Kurt Spokas Nicole Wrage-MönnigSammendrag
Agriculture and land use change has significantly increased atmospheric emissions of the non-CO2 green-house gases (GHG) nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4). Since human nutritional and bioenergy needs continue to increase, at a shrinking global land area for production, novel land management strategies are required that reduce the GHG footprint per unit of yield. Here we review the potential of biochar to reduce N2O and CH4 emissions from agricultural practices including potential mechanisms behind observed effects. Furthermore, we investigate alternative uses of biochar in agricultural land management that may significantly reduce the GHG-emissions-per-unit-of-product footprint, such as (i) pyrolysis of manures as hygienic alternative to direct soil application, (ii) using biochar as fertilizer carrier matrix for underfoot fertilization, biochar use (iii) as composting additive or (iv) as feed additive in animal husbandry or for manure treatment. We conclude that the largest future research needs lay in conducting life-cycle GHG assessments when using biochar as an on-farm management tool for nutrient-rich biomass waste streams.
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Linda Meyer-Veltrup Christian Brischke Gry Alfredsen Miha Humar Per Otto Flæte Tord Isaksson Pia Larsson Brelid Mats Westin Jöran JermerSammendrag
Comprehensive approaches to predict performance of wood products are requested by international standards, and the first attempts have been made in the frame of European research projects. However, there is still an imminent need for a methodology to implement the durability and moisture performance of wood in an engineering design method and performance classification system. The aim of this study was therefore to establish an approach to predict service life of wood above ground taking into account the combined effect of wetting ability and durability data. A comprehensive data set was obtained from laboratory durability tests and still ongoing field trials in Norway, Germany and Sweden. In addition, four different wetting ability tests were performed with the same material. Based on a dose– response concept, decay rates for specimens exposed above ground were predicted implementing various indicating factors. A model was developed and optimised taking into account the resistance of wood against soft, white and brown rot as well as relevant types of water uptake and release. Decay rates from above-ground field tests at different test sites in Norway were predicted with the model. In a second step, the model was validated using data from laboratory and field tests performed in Germany and Sweden. The model was found to be fairly reliable, and it has the advantage to get implemented into existing engineering design guidelines. The approach at hand might furthermore be used for implementing wetting ability data into performance classification as requested by European standardisation bodies.
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Gordon J. McDougall J. William Allwood Gema Pereira-Caro Emma M. Brown Susan Verrall Derek Stewart Cheryl Latimer Geoff McMullan Roger Lawther Gloria O'Connor Ian Rowland Alan Crozier Chris I. R. GillSammendrag
Scope: Ileostomy studies provide a unique insight into digestion of food, allowing identifica- tion of physiologically relevant dietary phytochemicals and their metabolites important to gut health. We previously reported the consistent increase of components in ileal fluids of ileosto- mates after consumption of raspberries with use of nontargeted LC–MS n techniques and data deconvolution software highlighting two major unknown components (m/z 355 and 679). Methods and results: In-depth LC–MS n analyses suggested that the ileal m/z 355 components were p-coumaroyl glucarates. These compounds have not been identified previously and were confirmed in raspberry extracts after partial purification. The major ileal component with m/z 679 was a glycoside with an aglycone of m/z 517 and was present as two peaks in extracts of whole puree, unseeded puree, and isolated seeds. These components were purified using Sephadex LH20 and C18 SPE units and identified as major, novel raspberry triterpenoid glycosides. This triterpenoid-enriched fraction (100 nM) protected against H 2 O 2 -induced DNA damage in both colon cancer and normal cell lines and altered expression of cytoprotective genes. Conclusion: The presence of these novel raspberry triterpenoid components in ileal fluids indi- cates that they would be colon-available in vivo, so confirmation of their anticancer bioactivities is of key physiological relevance.
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Florencia A. Yannelli Christiane Koch Jonathan M. Jeschke Johannes KollmannSammendrag
Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain biotic resistance of a recipient plant community based on reduced niche opportunities for invasive alien plant species. The limiting similarity hypothesis predicts that invasive species are less likely to establish in communities of species holding similar functional traits. Likewise, Darwin’s naturalization hypothesis states that invasive species closely related to the native community would be less successful. We tested both using the invasive alien Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. and Solidago gigantea Aiton, and grassland species used for ecological restoration in central Europe. We classified all plant species into groups based on functional traits obtained from trait databases and calculated the phylogenetic distance among them. In a greenhouse experiment, we submitted the two invasive species at two propagule pressures to competition with communities of ten native species from the same functional group. In another experiment, they were submitted to pairwise competition with native species selected from each functional group. At the community level, highest suppression for both invasive species was observed at low propagule pressure and not explained by similarity in functional traits. Moreover, suppression decreased asymptotically with increasing phylogenetic distance to species of the native community. When submitted to pairwise competition, suppression for both invasive species was also better explained by phylogenetic distance. Overall, our results support Darwin’s naturalization hypothesis but not the limiting similarity hypothesis based on the selected traits. Biotic resistance of native communities against invasive species at an early stage of establishment is enhanced by competitive traits and phylogenetic relatedness.
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Gary Dobson Gordon J. McDougall Derek Stewart Miguel Ángel Cubero Reijo O. KarjalainenSammendrag
The effects of juice matrix and pasteurization on the stability of total phenols and especially total and indi- vidual anthocyanins were examined in black currant (BC) juice and mixtures with apple, persimmon, and peach juices at 4 °Cand20°C. Total phenol content decreased in all juices at both temperatures but there was a trend to lower levels in unpasteurized over pasteurized juices. Differences in the decline of total anthocyanins between pasteurized and unpasteurized juices varied according to the juice type and the storage temperature. At 4 °C storage, anthocyanins declined in all juices according to pseudo 1st-order kinetics and there were only small differences in the rates between pasteurized and unpasteurized juices. However, at 20 °C, although pasteurized and unpasteurized BC juices and pasteur- ized mixed juices followed pseudo 1st-order kinetics, there was a different pattern in unpasteurized mixed juices; a rapid initial decline was followed by a slowing down. The effect of the added juice on anthocyanin decline was also different at either temperature. At 4 °C, the anthocyanins decreased faster in mixed juices than BC juice alone, but at 20 °C, at least in pasteurized mixed juices, the decline was similar or even slower than in BC juice; there were only small differences among the 3 mixed juices. At 20 °C, in pasteurized and unpasteurized BC juices, the rate of decrease was essentially the same for all 4 individual anthocyanins but in the mixed juices the 2 glucosides decreased significantly faster than the 2 rutinosides.
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Gisela Lüscher Thomas Nemecek Michaela Arndorfer Katalin Balázs Peter Dennis Wendy Fjellstad Jürgen Kurt Friedel Gérard Gaillard Felix Herzog Jean-Pierre Sarthou Siyka Stoyanova Sebastian Wolfrum Philippe JeanneretSammendrag
Purpose Inclusion of biodiversity as an indicator in the land use impact pathway of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is essential to assess the effects of human activities on the environment. Numerous models have been applied, but validations that use actual data, collected in the field, are scarce. Methods The expert system SALCA-BD (Swiss Agricultural LCA—Biodiversity), assigns coefficients for land use class suitability and impact of agricultural practices on species diversity at field and farm scale. We used data on land use classes and agricultural practices from 132 farms located in eight European regions to complete the life cycle inventory. SALCA-BD species diversity scores were calculated for individual fields, aggregated to the farm scale, and compared to field records of arable crop flora, grassland flora, spiders, and wild bees. Results and discussion Overall, species diversity scores from SALCA-BD were positively related to the observed species richness from field survey data. The extent of the relationship diminished from arable crop flora and grassland flora to spiders and to wild bees, and from field to farm scale. Conclusions Validation of a LCA biodiversity assessment tool with data from field surveys revealed the benefit of considering multiple aspects of biodiversity. The appropriate scale for species diversity assessment (as a proxy for biodiversity) is the respective species habitat. Extension of scale increases uncertainty, which should be addressed by developing characterization factors for as detailed a land use classification as possible.
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G. Gilioli G. Schrader J.-C. Gregoire A. MacLeod O. Mosbach-Schulz Trond Rafoss V. Rossi G. Urek W. van der WerfSammendrag
A new method for pest risk assessment and the identification and evaluation of risk-reducing options is currently under development by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Plant Health Panel. The draft method has been tested on pests of concern to the European Union (EU). The method is adaptable and can focus either on all the steps and sub-steps of the assessment process or on specific parts if necessary. It is based on assessing changes in pest population abundance as the major driver of the impact on cultivated plants and on the environment. Like other pest risk assessment systems the method asks questions about the likelihood and magnitude of factors that contribute to risk. Responses can be based on data or expert judgment. Crucially, the approach is quantitative, and it captures uncertainty through the provision by risk assessors of quantile estimates of the probability distributions for the assessed variables and parameters. The assessment is based on comparisons between different scenarios, and the method integrates risk-reducing options where they apply to a scenario, for example current regulation against a scenario where risk-reducing options are not applied. A strategy has been developed to communicate the results of the risk assessment in a clear, comparable and transparent way, with the aim of providing the requestor of the risk assessment with a useful answer to the question(s) posed to the EFSA Plant Health Panel. The method has been applied to four case studies, two fungi, Ceratocystis platani and Cryphonectria parasitica, the nematode Ditylenchus destructor and the Grapevine flavescence dorée phytoplasma. Selected results from these case studies illustrate the types of output that the method can deliver.
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S. V. Bugmyrin K. F. Tirronen D. V. Panchenko Alexander Kopatz Snorre Hagen Hans Geir Eiken A. S. KuznetsovaSammendrag
We present data on the species composition of helminths in brown bears (Ursus arctos) from the Murmansk Region, Russia. The absence of any information about helminths of brown bear in the region necessitated the conduct of these studies. Samples were collected in 2014 and 2015 in the southern part of the Kola Peninsula from the White Sea coastal habitats. Annually, in the study area, 1–3 bears are legally hunted and biological samples for examination are very difficult to obtain. Therefore, we used fecal samples. We studied 93 feces and identified parasite eggs identified in 43 of them by morphometric criteria. The surveys revealed eggs of the following helminths: Dicrocoelium sp., Diphyllobothrium sp., Anoplocephalidae, Capillariidae, Baylisascaris sp., Strongylida 1, and Strongylida 2. These results represent the first reconnaissance stage, which allowed characterizing the taxonomic diversity and prevalence of parasites of brown bears of the Kola Peninsula.
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Fields experiments were conducted during two growing seasons (2010–2011 and 2012–2013) at three seeding dates to identify stink bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) species and to determine their seasonal population density fluctuation and damage caused to three common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars “Ica Pijao,” “Cubacueto 25–9,” and “Chévere.” Stink bug species observed were Nezara viridula (L.), Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood), Chinavia rolstoni (Rolston), Chinavia marginatum (Palisot de Beauvois), and Euschistus sp. The most prevalent species was N. viridula in both seasons. The largest number of stink bugs was found in beans seeded at the first (mid September) and third (beginning of January) seeding dates. Population peaked at BBCH 75 with 1.75, 0.43, and 1.25 stink bugs/10 plants in 2010–2011 and with 2.67, 0.45, and 1.3 stink bugs/10 plants in 2012–2013 in the fields seeded the first, second, and third seeding dates, respectively. The lowest numbers of stink bugs were found in beans seeded at the second (mid November) seeding date. A significant negative correlation between relative humidity and number of stink bugs was found in 2010–2011, and a similar tendency was observed in 2012–2013. The highest seed and pod damage levels occurred in cv. “Chévere” and the lowest in cv. “ICA Pijao” during both seasons. Results suggest that cv. “ICA Pijao” and the second (mid November) seeding date is the best choice to reduce stink bug damage.
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Questions What are the effects of abandonment on plant diversity in semi-natural grasslands? Do the effects of abandonment on taxonomic and functional diversity vary along environmental gradients of climate and soil? Location West and mid-Norway. Methods Plant composition was surveyed in 110 subplots of 4 m2 in 14 sites across grazed and abandoned semi-natural grasslands. Climate data were extracted and soil composition analysed. To reduce the number of explanatory variables and deal with collinearity, we performed PCA. Data on the plant species vegetative height (H), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), specific leaf area (SLA), seed mass (SM) and number of seeds per plant (SNP) for 175 species were extracted from the LEDA database. Measures of plant diversity (species richness, CWM of functional traits and functional diversity (evenness and range)) were calculated for each subplot. To estimate the effects of abandonment on plant diversity and examine how these effects are moderated by gradients in soil and climate, we fitted mixed models to the data including site as a random effect. Results Species richness in the subplots was lower in abandoned semi-natural grasslands, especially on more calcareous soils. CWM H, LDMC and SM were higher in abandoned semi-natural grasslands. CWM LDMC was only higher in the driest subplots. The ranges in H, SLA and SM, as well as evenness in LDMC were also higher in abandoned semi-natural grasslands,but the range in LDMC was lower. Conclusions It is important to assess both taxonomic and functional diversity to understand ecosystem processes. The species pool in ecosystems influenced by a long history of intermediate grazing includes a high proportion of low stature, grazing-tolerant plant species. Abandonment of extensive land-use practices will cause a decline in taxonomic diversity (plant species richness) in such systems due to increased abundance of plants with high stature that outcompete the lower, grazing-tolerant plants. This process is predominant especially if moisture, soil fertility and pH are at intermediate levels. Changes in species communities due to abandonment will also influence ecosystem functioning, such as nutrient turnover and fodder production resilience.
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Det er ikke registrert sammendrag
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Background and aims Decomposition of the finest harvest residues is important for the carbon and nutrient cycle in forest ecosystems both before and after tree felling. We assumed that decomposition is dependent on harvest residue fraction and chemistry, soil temperature and moisture, and aimed at determining decomposition rates and nutrient dynamics of needles, twigs and fine roots from newly felled Picea abies trees in two sites with different climate and topography. Methods Decomposition of needles, twigs and fine roots in mesh bags was followed for up to six years and four years in harvesting sites in eastern and western Norway, respectively. The western site had a more humid climate and a steeper terrain than the eastern site. Results The mass loss after two years was significantly higher for needles (49–59%) than for twigs and fine roots (29–38%). Between sites, there was no significant difference between mass loss for neither needles nor twigs. Nitrogen accumulated in needles during the first year, but 35% of initial needle N had been released after three years. The initial needle and twig decomposition rate was dependent on soil moisture and topographic aspect. During the first three years, needle lignin concentrations retarded whereas P concentrations stimulated needle mass loss. For twigs, P concentrations stimulated mass loss, whereas higher soil temperatures reduced it. Conclusions Lignin and P concentrations of plant parts and soil temperature were the most important factors for the first three-year mass loss. The slow release of nutrients shows the importance of remaining needles, twigs and fine roots as a long-time nutrient source in the ecosystems under study.
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Nicholas Clarke Tonje Ingeborg Økland Kjersti Holt Hanssen Jørn-Frode Nordbakken Katarzyna WasakSammendrag
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This work focuses on modelling soil water reserves using an Artificial Neural Net-work (ANN). Four model variants were established based on 843 records (verifiedthrough 268 measurements) of soil water content (SWC) measured at full-scale fieldsites located in Southwest Poland. It is revealed that commonly recorded climaticdata (precipitation and temperature) linked with SWC and field water capacity(FWC) are applicable in the ANN modelling. The basic model (utilising the meteoro-logical data) was the most suitable for soil profiles with thicknesses of 0–25 cm,while in profiles with thicknesses of 0–50 cm and 0–100 cm the comprehensiveANN model (linking climatic data, FWC and SWC) was the most appropriate. Fur-thermore, comparative studies of the measured and modelled data indicated theirstatistical convergence, thus providing support for the practical implementation ofthe proposed ANN modelling.
Forfattere
Tatjana Kince Ruta Galoburda Dace Klava Lolita Tomsone Santa Senhofa Evita Straumite Garry Kerch Arta Kronberga Ievina Sturite Daiga Kunkulberga Anita BlijaSammendrag
The aim of the study was to investigate changes of physical, microbiological, and sensory properties of muesli with germinated fakes during storage. Germinated fakes were made from conventionally grown grains: hullless barley, hull-less oat, rye, wheat, and triticale in various proportions. Breakfast cereals samples were packaged in Doypack (stand up pouches) made from Pap50g/Alu7/ Pe60 (Pap/Alu/PE) and stand up pouches Fibrecote® HB MG 40/60 (PE/EvOH/Pap) and stored for 6 months at temperature t=35±2°C and relative air humidity φ=55±3%, to provide accelerated shelf-life testing. The main quality parameters such as total plate count, yeasts and mould, water activity, moisture content, water absorption and sensory properties—taste, aroma, consistency, and appearance were analysed using the standard methods. The results of the present experiments demonstrate that the best quality of dried breakfast cereals after storage in terms of sensory quality, microbiological stability, moisture migration, and water absorption were achieved in the Fibrecote® HB MG 40/60 pouches. This study revealed that breakfast cereals made from rye, triticale germinated triticale, germinated hull-less oat, germinated hull-less barley fakes; as well breakfast cereals made from triticale, oat, germinated wheat, germinated triticale, and germinated hull-less barley fakes packaged in Fibrecote® HB MG 40/60 can be stored for 12 months at temperature 23±2°C; but breakfast cereals made from wheat, rye, triticale, germinated hull-less oat, germinated hull-less barley, germinated rye fakes and package in same packaging material can be stored for 10 months at temperature 23±2°C.
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To degrade lignocellulose efficiently, lower termites rely on their digestive tract’s specific features (i.e., hysiological properties and enzymes) and on the network of symbiotic fauna harboured in their hindgut. This complex ecosystem, has different levels of symbiosis, and is a result of diverse co-evolutionary events and the singular social behaviour of termites. The partnership between termites and flagellate protists, together with prokaryotes, has been very successful because of their co-adaptative ability and efficacy in resolving the needs of the involved organisms: this tripartite symbiosis may have reached a physiologically stable, though dynamic, evolutionary equilibrium. The diversity of flagellate protists fauna associated with lower termites could be explained by a division of labour to accomplish the intricate process of lignocellulose digestion, and the ability to disrupt this function has potential use for termite control. Multi-level symbiosis strategy processes, or the cellulolytic capacity of flagellate protists, may lead to innovative pathways for other research areas with potential spin-offs for industrial and commercial use.
Forfattere
Lorenzo Marini Bjørn Økland Anna Maria Jönsson Barbara Bentz Allan Carroll Beat Forster Jean-Claude Grégoire Rainer Hurling Louis Michel Nageleisen Sigrid Netherer Hans Peter Ravn Aaron Weed Martin SchroederSammendrag
Bark beetles are among the most devastating biotic agents affecting forests globally and several species are expected to be favored by climate change. Given the potential interactions of insect outbreaks with other biotic and abiotic disturbances, and the potentially strong impact of changing disturbance regimes on forest resources, investigating climatic drivers of destructive bark beetle outbreaks is of paramount importance. We analyzed 17 time-series of the amount of wood damaged by Ips typographus, the most destructive pest of Norway spruce forests, collected across 8 European countries in the last three decades. We aimed to quantify the relative importance of key climate drivers in explaining timber loss dynamics, also testing for possible synergistic effects. Local outbreaks shared the same drivers, including increasing summer rainfall deficit and warm temperatures. Large availability of storm-felled trees in the previous year was also strongly related to an increase in timber loss, likely by providing an alternative source of breeding material. We did not find any positive synergy among outbreak drivers. On the contrary, the occurrence of large storms reduced the positive effect of warming temperatures and rainfall deficit. The large surplus of breeding material likely boosted I. typographus population size above the density threshold required to colonize and kill healthy trees irrespective of other climate triggers. Importantly, we found strong negative density dependence in I. typographus that may provide a mechanism for population decline after population eruptions. Generality in the effects of complex climatic events across different geographical areas suggests that the large-scale drivers can be used as early warning indicators of increasing local outbreak probability.
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National parks are established to reduce human influence on nature and contribute to species conservation, biodiversity and ecological services. Other states of protection like the UNESCO world heritage sites, for example, are created for maintaining culturally important places or lifestyles. In the Matobo Hills (Zimbabwe) both states of protection are present, a national park and a world heritage site. In addition, the land outside the National Park belongs to two different systems of ownership, namely “common” (i.e. community-owned) and “not-common” (privately or governmentally owned) land. In this paper, we investigated how the state of protection and the ownership affected the land use and land cover. We derived maps using Landsat images from 1989, 1998 and 2014 by supervised classification with Random Forests. To compensate for the lack of ground data we inferred past land use and land cover from recent observations combining photographs, Google Earth images and change detection. We could identify four classes, namely shrub land, forest, patchy vegetation and agricultural area. The Matobo National Park showed a stable composition of land cover during the study period and the main changes were observable in the surroundings. Outside the national park, forest increased by about 7%. The common lands have changed substantially and their agricultural area decreased. We attribute this development to the Fast Track Land Reform, which took place in the early 2000s. Our approach shows that combining information on recent land cover with change detection allows to study the temporal development of protected areas.
Forfattere
Dionisio Andújar Xavier Rodriguez Victor Rueda-Ayala Carolina San Martín Angela Ribeiro César Fernández-Quintanilla José DoradoSammendrag
New technologies, such as Differential Global Positioning Systems (DGPS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), may be useful in order to create models to predict the spatio-temporal behaviour of weeds. The aim of this study was to generate a geometric model able to predict the patch expansion of S. halepense, a problematic perennial weed in maize crops in Central Spain. From previous infestation maps, the model describes new possible spreading areas for the upcoming growing season, and therefore, herbicide treatments can be planned on time. Two different experiments were implemented, in which initial patch density and size were examined. Patches of different size (1, 10 and 100 m2) and density (4, 20 and 100 shoots m−2), were established. These patches were visually identified, their perimeter defined and their density characterized, during three growing seasons (from 2008 to 2010 campaigns). According to this information different descriptors were built: (1) area and density of each patch; (2) the relative growth in width and length, according to space and time and compared with previous years; and (3) the increased density ratio, calculated in relation of patch size and distance to previous patch in the new infestation areas of expansion. All these descriptors were added to the model in order to predict the patch expansion in the last studied season (i. e., 2010) using previous maps (i. e., season 2008 and 2009). The model uses geometrical assimilation to predict, and two expansion assumptions were considered: (a) a conservative approach based on triangular geometry; and (b) a rectangular geometry which maximizes the simulated infested area. The results were compared with the ground truth map created in 2010. Each method showed weaknesses and strengths. The triangular approach minimized the infested area, mainly in the small patches, and therefore it could predict the expansion of previously established patches, but not the emergence of new ones. In contrast, the rectangular approach simulated the position of new foci, maximizing the infested area. Therefore, although a substantial reduction of herbicides is possible using both models, a final decision must be taken individually for each field.
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Avrenning fra jordbruket er en viktig kilde til fosfor i vassdrag i Norge. Ulike former for fosfor har ulik effekt på vekst av alger og blågrønnbakterier i vassdragene. I tiltaksanalyser er det derfor viktig å ha pålitelige estimater for både totalfosfor og andelen løst fosfat som tapes fra jordbruket. Vi har brukt data fra ni overvåkingsfelt i Program for jord- og vannovervåking i landbruket (JOVA) som har blitt overvåket i 17-25 år til å kvantifisere konsentrasjonen og andelen løst fosfat av totalfosfor i jordbruksavrenning fra ulike driftssystemer (eng og beite, åpen åker og blandete driftssystemer). Både konsentrasjonen av løst fosfat og andelen løst fosfat av totalfosfor i jordbruksavrenningen varierer sterkt mellom år. Likevel tyder resultatene på at andelen løst fosfat av totalfosfor er høyere i avrenningsvann fra driftssystemer med eng- og beiteareal (43 ± 14 %) enn i avrenningsvann fra blandete driftssystemer (30 ± 15 %) og fra driftssystemer med åpen åker (17 ± 9 %). Driftssystemene med eng- og beiteareal hadde i gjennomsnitt dobbelt så høy husdyrtetthet og høyere nedbør sammenlignet med driftssystemer med åpen åker. Disse resultatene kan bl.a. brukes som grunnlag for vurdering av faktorer for biotilgjengelig fosfor i avrenning fra ulike driftssystemer i jordbruket.
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Despite global deforestation some regions, such as Europe, are currently experiencing rapid reforestation. Some of this is unintended woodland encroachment onto farmland as a result of reduced livestock pasture management. Our aim was to determine the likely impacts of this on exposure to ticks and tickborne disease risk for sheep in Norway, a country experiencing ecosystem changes through rapid woodland encroachment as well as increases in abundance and distribution of Ixodes ricinus ticks and tick-borne disease incidence. We conducted surveys of I. ricinus ticks on ground vegetation using cloth lure transects and counts of ticks biting lambs on spring pastures, where lambs are exposed to infection with Anaplasma phagocytophilum, the causative agent of tick-borne fever in livestock. Pastures had higher densities of I. ricinus ticks on the ground vegetation and more ticks biting lambs if there was more tree cover in or adjacent to pastures. Importantly, there was a close correlation between questing tick density on pastures and counts of ticks biting lambs on the same pasture, indicating that cloth lure transects are a good proxy of risk to livestock of tick exposure and tick-borne disease. These findings can inform policy on environmental tick control measures such as habitat management, choice of livestock grazing area and off-host application of tick control agents.
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Farmers are exposed to climate change and uncertainty about how that change will develop. As farm incomes, in Norway and elsewhere, greatly depend on government subsidies, the risk of a policy change constitutes an additional uncertainty source. Hence, climate and policy uncertainty could substantially impact agricultural production and farm income. However, these sources of uncertainty have, so far, rarely been combined in food production analyses. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a combination of policy and climate uncertainty on agricultural production, land use, and social welfare in Norway. Output yield distributions of spring wheat and timothy, a major forage grass, from simulations with the weatherdriven crop models, CSM-CERES-Wheat and, LINGRA, were processed in the a stochastic version Jordmod, a price-endogenous spatial economic sector model of the Norwegian agriculture. To account for potential effects of climate uncertainty within a given future greenhouse gas emission scenario on farm profitability, effects on conditions that represented the projected climate for 2050 under the emission scenario A1B from the 4th assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and four Global Climate Models (GCM) was investigated. The uncertainty about the level of payment rates at the time farmers make their management decisions was handled by varying the distribution of payment rates applied in the Jordmod model. These changes were based on the change in the overall level of agricultural support in the past. Three uncertainty scenarios were developed and tested: one with climate change uncertainty, another with payment rate uncertainty, and a third where both types of uncertainty were combined. The three scenarios were compared with results from a deterministic scenario where crop yields and payment rates were constant. Climate change resulted in on average 9% lower cereal production, unchanged grass production and more volatile crop yield as well as 4% higher farm incomes on average compared to the deterministic scenario. The scenario with a combination of climate change and policy uncertainty increased the mean farm income more than a scenario with only one source of uncertainty. On the other hand, land use and farm labour were negatively affected under these conditions compared to the deterministic case. Highlighting the potential influence of climate change and policy uncertainty on the performance of the farm sector our results underline the potential error in neglecting either of these two uncertainties in studies of agricultural production, land use and welfare.
Forfattere
Klaus Mittenzwei Stefan MannSammendrag
Purpose Outside farming, pluriactivity is generally considered as undesirable, whereas agricultural economists tend to recommend part-time farming. This contradiction is to be solved. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach Linking tax-payer and statistical farm-level data from Norway, the authors tested how profitable part-time farming is for Norwegian farm households. Findings The analysis showed that concentrating on either working on-farm or off-farm generates a higher household income than combining the two. Practical implications Part-time farming may be a lifestyle decision, but apparently is not economically optimal for most farms. Originality/value The contribution solves an apparent contradiction between the discourses inside and outside agriculture.
Forfattere
Graham Alan Ormondroyd Gry Alfredsen Raghavalu Thirumalai Durai Prabhakaran Simon F. Curling Bronia K. Stefanowski Morwenna J. Spear Lone RossSammendrag
Microbiological degradation of wood by decay fungi can cause a rapid change in the structural properties of timber which can result in both strength and mass loss. Traditional techniques for the evaluation of decay (e.g. mass loss) lack the sensitivity to evaluate the effects of the very first stages of the decay process. This paper describes the effects of initial brown rot decay, defined by the amount of Poria placenta genomic DNA (gDNA) present in the samples, on the dynamic mechanical properties of the timber. It was found that there is a correlation between the mean storage modulus of the timber and the amount of P. placenta gDNA present, and therefore the level of decay. This shows that using dynamic mechanical analysis is a viable technique that can be used to study initial decay processes.
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In the city of Tromsø in northern Norway, invasive Tromsø palm (Norwegian: Tromsøpalme; English: Persian hogweed) is widespread. Although Tromsø palm has negative impacts on biodiversity and contains a phototoxic sap that burns human skin, it is also considered to be a local symbol of Tromsø city and is appreciated by many inhabitants. This study examined private landowners’ characteristics, perceptions, and landowners’ regulation of invasive Tromsø palm on their parcels on Tromsø Island in 2012 (vegetation season: May–September) to provide information concerning which landowner groups could be assisted by official regulation. Eleven key informants and 17 landowners were interviewed. Afterward, Tromsø palm on Tromsø Island was mapped using aerial photos and street-level photos from Google Maps®/Google Street View® and fieldwork verification. This distribution map was superimposed on a property map in a geographic information system to produce a map showing private parcels that contained Tromsø palm and associated neighboring parcels that did not contain Tromsø palm. Questionnaires were mailed to the 441 owners of the selected parcels, and 199 of the returned questionnaires were analyzed. Tromsø palm was more likely to be fully regulated/absent on a parcel that was inhabited (particularly if the owner lived on-site) and less likely to be fully regulated/absent if the parcel was jointly managed by several households. These findings indicate that authorities could focus their management efforts on supporting regulation efforts of those private landowners who own currently uninhabited or rented-out parcels and landowners of parcels jointly managed by several households. Furthermore, those landowners who found regulation measures against the plant on Tromsø Island important tended to have partly or fully regulated Tromsø palm on their plots. This might imply that information campaigns from authorities might encourage more landowners to regulate Tromsø palm.
Forfattere
Ola FlatenSammendrag
Western livestock sectors have shifted towards fewer, larger farms, causing concerns about the appearance of the countryside, ecosystem services, and rural depopulation. This study empirically estimates factors likely to affect exit intentions in sheep farms. Data were collected from specialised sheep farms included in the Norwegian Farm Business Survey. Of the 59 responses, 44 operators believed the farm would be producing sheep in 10 years. A logistic regression model was used to determine the most decisive variables associated with an exit intention, where the interdependence of factors affecting profitability and, subsequently, exit intention were taken into account. This study found that farmers reporting the most positive views of the local farming community were less likely to plan an exit. Exit intentions were not significantly influenced by farming goals, location, off-farm income, or profitability. The primacy of non-economic, community-based factors as an engine to sustain farms, suggests that more attention need to be paid to social processes and relations in local communities. Farmer groups and policy-makers should consider how to encourage supportive local communities when designing policies to retain sheep farms.
Forfattere
Aida Droce Jens Laurids Sørensen Teis Esben Sondergaard Janus Jagd Rasmussen Erik Lysøe Henriette GieseSammendrag
Putative proton coupled di-peptide transporters, PTR2s, are found in filamentous fungi in different numbers and their function during fungal development and plant infection is unresolved. In Fusarium graminearum, the cause of head blight in cereals, we identified four putative PTR2 transporters (FgPTR2A-D). The genes did not cluster together in phylogenetic analyses and only FgPTR2A and FgPTR2C were able to complement a PTR2 deficient yeast mutant in uptake of di-peptides. All FgPTR2s are continuously expressed throughout the fungal lifecycle, although at different levels. In silico analyses of existing expression-data show that FgPTR2B is found at higher levels than the others in planta and during sexual development. Deletion mutants of FgPTR2A, FgPTR2C, and FgPTR2D had a higher production of deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone and lower production of fusarielin H than the wild type. Perithecium development was reduced in these mutants but unaffected by deletion of FgPTR2B. Conidia production was reduced in the FgPTR2B mutant and unaffected by deletion of the other PTR2 transporters. Sexual development and secondary metabolite production are known to be linked at the regulatory level and the results suggest that PTR2s are active in nitrogen turnover and thereby influence signal processes.
Forfattere
Blas Mola-Yudego Javier Arevalo Olalla Díaz-Yáñez Ioannis Dimitriou Antti Haapala Antonio Carlos Ferraz Filho Mari Selkimäki Ruben ValbuenaSammendrag
Wood biomass for energy can be largely produced in northern Europe from forest land resulting from silvicultural practices and from agricultural land in the form of fast-growing plantations. The present paper estimates and compares the current regional potentials for wood biomass production attending to these sources. The data are based on spatialized estimates from previous models, largely based on empirical records concerning forest and plantation's productivity. The results show that 8.5 Mm3 of wood biomass can be produced annually from plantations when using 5% of the total available agricultural land, and 58.5 Mm3 from forest lands using current estimates of forest production. However, the results also show that a strategy for wood biomass resource management should be local rather than general: wood biomass potential from fast-growing plantations was larger in 19 regions than from forest resources (10 in Denmark, 6 in Norway and 3 in Lithuania) out of the 91 regions in the area included to this study. When considered together, northern Europe presents significant potential for wood biomass production for energy uses, and each country - and even region - should develop independent policy strategies of biomass generation in order to most efficiently realize their own potential for wood-based bioenergy.
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As the human population grows and its influence on the environment continually increases, sustainability is again on the policy agenda. At the same time there is increasing awareness of the need for more environmentally attuned landscape planning. Nevertheless, researchers have recognized that many research findings are not applied in real life management or practice. We argue that the lack of incorporating ecological knowledge into landscape planning is partly caused by a communication gap between ecologists and planners and designers. In this article we suggest one approach of how this communication gap could be minimized. We link landscape ecological concepts relevant for land use planning to a well-known planning and design concept, the Emerald Necklace. We argue that applying the Emerald Necklace concept in a planning process can have several possible positive contributions. First, it will necessitate thinking on a landscape scale, i.e., putting the focus not only on individual planning project areas, but also on the ways in which these are linked to the surrounding landscape. Further, it will help identify priority areas from an ecological perspective. Finally, it will emphasize the importance of heterogeneity of habitats and connectivity of the blue-green infrastructure during the planning process. In addition, and equally important, the concept provides abundant opportunities for creative design. We hope using the Emerald Necklace will contribute to improved dialogue and understanding between the professions involved in planning processes.
Forfattere
Hong Yang Junqiang Xia Julian R. Thompson Roger J. FlowerSammendrag
On December 20, 2015 at 11:40 am a landslide in one of China’s most advanced cities, Shenzhen, killed 73 people and damaged 33 buildings. In the absence of heavy rainfall or earthquakes, the landslide was an unexpected and profound shock to many people. According to China’s Ministry of Land and Resources, the landslide was triggered by the collapse of an enormous pile of construction and demolition waste (CDW). With China’s rapid urbanization, an increasing amount of CDW is being generated, especially in major cities. In total, China produces some 30% of the world’s municipal solid waste and of this about 40% is CDW. To prevent landslides associated with CDW, the volume of waste dumped in landfills should be regulated. More specifically 4-Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle and recover) policies should be implemented more widely and efficiently. Although landfill will continue to be an important disposal option, proper management and careful monitoring of CDW are urgently needed to satisfy pressing safety issues. International collaboration, sharing of knowledge, and use of the latest technologies are needed so that the similar landslides can be prevented in China and elsewhere.
Forfattere
Emilio Alvarenga Lusine Hayrapetyan Sergey Hayrapetyan Espen Govasmark G.P. Pirumyan Brit SalbuSammendrag
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Forfattere
Ikram Belghit Josef Daiel Rasinger Svenja Heesch Irene Biancarosa Nina Sylvia Liland Bente Elisabeth Torstensen Rune Waagbø Erik-Jan Lock Christian Guido BrucknerSammendrag
In-depth metabolic profiling, also termed metabolomics, provides detailed information about the biochemical phenotype of an organism. Besides improving our understanding of biochemical processes, metabolomics is used for environmental monitoring, natural product discovery, or even chemotaxonomy, among others. However, for marine macroalgae, comparative large-scale metabolomics studies are lacking, even though seaweeds belong to the most important aquatic primary producers. In this study, we present via a broad scale systematic metabolomics survey 391 metabolites from 21 seaweeds species, representing brown, red and green algae. We demonstrate clear differences in metabolite composition of these seaweeds, reflecting their taxonomic classification. We highlight these differences for amino acid, amino acid derivative and peptide metabolites, energy and carbohydrate metabolites, for lipid, fatty acid and sterol metabolites and for secondary metabolites, including selected metabolic pathways such as the urea cycle, the citrate cycle and the glyconeogenesis/glycolysis, besides others. Additionally, we link selected seaweed biochemical properties to potential pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications.
Forfattere
Carrie Joy Andrew Einar Heegaard Paul M. Kirk Claus Bässler Jacob Heilmann-Clausen Irmgard Krisai-Greilhuber Thomas W. Kuyper Beatrice Senn-Irlet Ulf Büntgen Jeffrey Michael Diez Simon Egli Alan C. Gange Rune Halvorsen Klaus Høiland Jenni Nordén Fredrik Rustøen Lynne Boddy Håvard KauserudSammendrag
Species occurrence observations are increasingly available for scientific analyses through citizen science projects and digitization of museum records, representing a largely untapped ecological resource. When combined with open-source data, there is unparalleled potential for understanding many aspects of the ecology and biogeography of organisms. Here we describe the process of assembling a pan-European mycological meta-database (ClimFun) and integrating it with open-source data to advance the fields of macroecology and biogeography against a backdrop of global change. Initially 7.3 million unique fungal species fruit body records, spanning nine countries, were processed and assembled into 6 million records of more than 10,000 species. This is an extraordinary amount of fungal data to address macro-ecological questions. We provide two examples of fungal species with different life histories, one ectomycorrhizal and one wood decaying, to demonstrate how such continental-scale meta-databases can offer unique insights into climate change effects on fungal phenology and fruiting patterns in recent decades. Keywords Biogeography; Citizen science; Fungi; Global change; Meta-database; Open-source
Forfattere
Eivind Vangdal Valentina Picchi Marta Fibiani Roberto Lo ScalzoSammendrag
Plums contain high levels of hydroxycinnamates (neo-chlorogenic acid, Neo-CGA), anthocyanins (ATH) and ascorbic acid. The drying process influences their phytochemical content and plum cultivars are known to have different phytochemical retention after drying, but little data exists regarding to possible differences between conventional (CONV) and organic (ORG) plums. The aim of this study was to evaluate the phytochemical content in three different CONV and ORG plum cultivars (Jubileum, Reeves and Victoria) after freeze drying (FD), conventional oven drying (OD) and solar drying (SD). The three cultivars responded differently to the methods of drying. Notably, Jubileum decreased its ATH mostly when subjected to OD while its Neo-CGA content was mostly reduced after SD. Additionally, ORG Victoria and Reeves stood out for the low decrease of Neo-CGA after drying compared to the same cultivars cultivated with conventional system. The Folin-Ciocalteu index, which was significantly different in OD (6942 mg GAE/kg dw) and SD (5420 mg GAE/kg dw) samples, was positively related with both Neo-CGA and hydroxymethylfurfural. The present findings suggest that for some cultivars, the organic system influences the nutraceutical quality of dried product, thus representing an important factor that regulates the phytochemical content of dried plums.
Forfattere
Sebastian Sippel Jakob Zscheischler Martin Heimann Holger Lange Miguel D. Mahecha Geert Jan van Oldenborgh Friederike E.L. Otto Markus ReichsteinSammendrag
Daily precipitation extremes and annual totals have increased in large parts of the global land area over the past decades. These observations are consistent with theoretical considerations of a warming climate. However, until recently these trends have not been shown to consistently affect dry regions over land. A recent study, published by Donat et al. (2016), now identified significant increases in annual-maximum daily extreme precipitation (Rx1d) and annual precipitation totals (PRCPTOT) in dry regions. Here, we revisit the applied methods and explore the sensitivity of changes in precipitation extremes and annual totals to alternative choices of defining a dry region (i.e. in terms of aridity as opposed to precipitation characteristics alone). We find that (a) statistical artifacts introduced by data pre-processing based on a time-invariant reference period lead to an overestimation of the reported trends by up to 40 %, and that (b) the reported trends of globally aggregated extremes and annual totals are highly sensitive to the definition of a "dry region of the globe". For example, using the same observational dataset, accounting for the statistical artifacts, and based on different aridity-based dryness definitions, we find a reduction in the positive trend of Rx1d from the originally reported +1.6 % decade−1 to +0.2 to +0.9 % decade−1 (period changes for 1981–2010 averages relative to 1951–1980 are reduced to −1.32 to +0.97 % as opposed to +4.85 % in the original study). If we include additional but less homogenized data to cover larger regions, the global trend increases slightly (Rx1d: +0.4 to +1.1 % decade−1), and in this case we can indeed confirm (partly) significant increases in Rx1d. However, these globally aggregated estimates remain uncertain as considerable gaps in long-term observations in the Earth's arid and semi-arid regions remain. In summary, adequate data pre-processing and accounting for uncertainties regarding the definition of dryness are crucial to the quantification of spatially aggregated trends in precipitation extremes in the world's dry regions. In view of the high relevance of the question to many potentially affected stakeholders, we call for a well-reflected choice of specific data processing methods and the inclusion of alternative dryness definitions to guarantee that communicated results related to climate change be robust.
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Forfattere
Greeley Beck Emil Engelund Thybring Lisbeth Garbrecht Thygesen Callum Aidan Stephen HillSammendrag
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Forfattere
Sigmund Hågvar Ronny Steen Daniel FløSammendrag
Nine species of carabid beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) were pitfall-trapped during two years in an alpine glacier foreland of southern Norway. A two-year (biennial) life cycle was documented for Nebria nivalis (Paykull, 1790), N. rufescens (Ström, 1768), and Patrobus septentrionis Dejean, 1828. This was based on the simultaneous hibernation of larvae and adults. In P. septentrionis, both larvae and adults showed a considerable activity beneath snow. A limited larval material of Amara alpina (Paykull, 1790) and A. quenseli (Schönherr, 1806) from the snow-free period indicated larval hibernation. A. quenseli was, however, not synchronized with respect to developmental stages, and its life cycle was difficult to interpret. Measurements of claw lengths in eight species showed a considerable wearing during adult life. The data indicated that some individuals might hibernate a second time and thus experience two egg-laying seasons. Wearing of mandible tooth was not suited as age indictor in Nebria nivalis and N. rufescens, since some individuals hatched with a small tooth. Supplied with literature data, a “niche profile” is presented for each species. The most important ecological factors that contributed to niche segregation were: preference for vegetation-free ground, occurrence along the successional and time gradient, humidity or temperature preference, nocturnal versus diurnal activity, flight ability, food habits, phenology, and the ability to be active under snow.
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Forfattere
Laura Jaakola Laura Zoratti Lara Giongo Katja Karppinen Eivind Uleberg Inger Martinussen Hely HäggmanSammendrag
Anthocyanins are the main pigments in the Vaccinium berries. Besides contributing to the characteristic bluish to reddish colors of the berries, anthocyanins are also recognized as potential health beneficial compounds. The biosynthesis of anthocyanins is well understood and the key regulators have been characterized in many plant species. The final anthocyanin composition in ripe berries is regulated by developmental and environmental factors, determined by the genetic background. We have studied the role of different light and temperature conditions on the accumulation of anthocyanins in wild bilberry (V. myrtillus L.) and cultivated highbush blueberry (V. corymbosum L.), in controlled and in field experiments. These experiments include specific growth conditions with clones from northern and southern latitudes as well as from different altitudes. The results show speciesspecific interactions in quantitative and qualitative composition of anthocyanins as a response to light and temperature conditions. For instance, lower temperature and specific light wavelengths induced accumulation of delphinidin glycosides in bilberry.
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In Scandinavia, pasture for dairy herds with automatic milking (AM) is frequently offered purely for exercise and recreation, rather than as a feed-source. In the present study, cows in an AM-system with 12 h nightly outdoor-access from summer solstice until mid-September were offered either fresh production pasture (treatment P; ≥15 kg dry matter (DM) cow‑1 nightly, combined with 6 kg DM grass silage daytime) or exercise pasture (treatment E; <1 kg DM cow‑1 combined with ad libitum silage allowance day and night). Treatment showed a significant effect on milk yield (P:31.3, E:33.0 kg, P=0.05), and a tendency for milking frequency (P:2.25, E: 2.37 milkings × day‑1, P=0.06). Group P spent more time outdoors than E, 4.0 and 3.2 h, respectively (P<0.001). Cows in P grazed approximately 2.5 h throughout the season, while E grazed less overall, 0.6 h (P<0.001) and decreased their time spent grazing over the season (1.0 to 0.3 h). In conclusion, night-time pasture is poorly exploited by cows, irrespective of the quantity of both of pasture and silage that are available.
Forfattere
Sveinn Are Hanssen Christian Sonne Jan Ove Bustnes Lisbeth Schnug Sophie Bourgeon Manuel Ballesteros Igor Eulaers Truls Borg Moum Trond Vidar Johnsen Mads Kjelgaard-Hansen Dorte Herzke Veerle Jaspers Adrian Covaci Marcel Eens Duncan John Halley Kjell E Erikstad Rolf Anker ImsSammendrag
We investigated the effects of parasite removal on various blood clinical–chemical variables (BCCVs). BCCVs are indicators of health, reflecting, e.g., homeostasis of liver, kidney function, and bone metabolism. The study was conducted in Norway on chicks of two predatory birds: White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla (L., 1758)) and Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis (L., 1758)). Chicks were treated against both endoparasites (internal parasites) and ectoparasites (external parasites). We treated against ectoparasites by spraying nests with pyrethrins. Within nests, chicks were randomly treated with either an antihelminthic medication (fenbendazole) or sterile water (controls). Treatment against either ectoparasites or endoparasites led to higher levels of the bone and liver enzyme alkaline phosphatase. Bilirubin levels were lower when treated against ectoparasites, whereas bile acids were higher. Anti-endoparasite treatment led to higher creatinine levels. In Northern Goshawks, treating against endoparasites led to higher urea levels and lower potassium levels. Treatment against ectoparasites increased uric acid and urea levels and reduced bilirubin levels and protein:creatinine ratios. In conclusion, anti-parasite treatments led to changes in several BCCVs, suggesting differences in nutrient absorption and physiological state of chicks that are possibly related to the costs of parasitism, but maybe also to the parasite treatment itself. cost of parasitism, BCCVs, blood clinical–chemical variables, raptor, Northern Goshawk, White-tailed Eagle. Résumé : Nous avons étudié les effets du retrait des parasites sur différentes variables chimiocliniques du sang (VCCS). Les VCCS sont des indicateurs de santé, reflétant par exemple l’homéostasie du foie, la fonction rénale et le métabolisme osseux. L’étude a été menée en Norvège sur des oisillons de deux espèces d’oiseau prédateur, le pygargue a` queue blanche (Haliaeetus albicilla (L., 1758)) et l’autour des palombes (Accipiter gentilis (L., 1758)). Les oisillons ont été traités contre les endoparasites (parasites internes) et les ectoparasites (parasites externes). Le traitement contre les ectoparasites consistait a` vaporiser des pyréthrines sur les nids. Dans ces derniers, des oisillons ont été traités aléatoirement avec un médicament helminthicide (fenbendazole) ou de l’eau stérile (témoins). Les traitements contre les ectoparasites et les endoparasites ont tous deux mené a` des teneurs plus élevées en phosphatase alcaline, une enzyme des os et du foie. Les concentrations de bilirubine étaient plus faibles chez les individus traités contre les ectoparasites, alors que les concentrations d’acides biliaires étaient plus élevées chez ces individus. Le traitement contre les endoparasites a mené a` des concentrations de créatinine plus élevées. Chez les autours des palombes, le traitement contre les endoparasites a mené a` des concentrations d’urée plus élevées et de potassium plus faibles. Le traitement contre les ectoparasites s’est traduit par une augmentation des concentrations d’acide urique et d’urée et une diminution des concentrations de bilirubine et des rapports protéines:créatinine. En conclusion, les traitements antiparasitaires ont produit des modifications de plusieurs VCCS, qui indiqueraient des différences sur le plan de l’absorption de nutriments et de l’état physiologique des oisillons possiblement reliées aux coûts du parasitisme, mais aussi, peut-être, au traitement antiparasitaire en soi. [Traduit par la Rédaction] Mots-clés : coût du parasitisme, VCCS, variables chimiocliniques du sang, rapace, autour des palombes, pygargue a` queue blanche.
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Phosphorus (P) is one of the main limiting factors for crop productivity while rhizosphere organic anions have been hypothesized to play an important role in P acquisition. Sampling in a long-term field experiment was carried out in order to understand the impact of long-term differences in P fertilization on secretion of organic anions under field conditions. Rhizosphere organic anions were extracted and analyzed every week from three leaves stage to completed flowering stage of wheat (Triticum aestivum) grown on plots that have received 0 (P0) or 48 (P48) kg P ha−1 year−1 since 1966. The study showed that it is possible to extract and quantify rhizosphere organic anions from field plots. In P48 plots, root P concentrations decreased around 40 % at the early stages (before heading), compared with the first sampling, and then increased slightly, while plants grown in P0 plots showed the opposite trend. Malate was the main organic anion secreted throughout all the wheat growth stages. Rhizosphere citrate and malate showed negative and positive correlations (P < 0.05) respectively with root P concentrations at 29 and 42 days after emergence (DAE). Rhizosphere organic anion concentrations were quite low until 29 DAE and then increased up to 4–10-fold until 42 DAE; these concentrations declined at later stages, indicating that root-released organic anions may have been affected by developmental stage and root P concentration. The present study provides valuable information about the relationship between rhizosphere organic anions and various P concentrations of wheat grown in the field.
Forfattere
John Marshall Bryden Stig Strandli Gezelius Karen Refsgaard Judith SutzSammendrag
In this introduction to the special issue on inclusive innovation in the bioeconomy, the authors highlight inclusive innovation’s significance to economies that provide the vital resources of food, water, and energy. Innovation in the bioeconomy raises questions of environmental sustainability, human survival, social justice, and human rights. This article thus emphasizes, especially, the roles that institutions play regarding innovation in the bioeconomy. The authors suggest that inclusive innovation be defined as new ways of improving the lives of the most needy. They outline research implications of this definition, and relate these implications to debates about the modes and ethics of innovation. They argue that innovation systems’ design affects these systems’ potential for inclusiveness as well as their value premises. Finally, the contributions to this special issue are introduced and discussed in light of the special issue’s overall purpose and framework.
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Alemayehu Getachew Assefa Alemayehu Chala Ingerd Skow Hofgaard May Bente Brurberg Michael Sulyok Anne Marte TronsmoSammendrag
The natural occurrence of fungi, mycotoxins and fungal metabolites was investigated in 100 samples of maize grains collected from south and southwestern Ethiopia in 2015. The maize samples were contaminated by Fusarium, Aspergillus and Penicillium species. Using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry 127 secondary metabolites were analysed. Zearalenone was the most prevalent mycotoxin, occurring in about 96% of the samples. Zearalenone sulfate was the second most prevalent, present in 81% of the samples. Fumonisin B1 was detected in 70% of the samples with a mean level of 606 μg kg−1 in positive samples, while FB2, FB3 and FB4 were detected in 62%, 51% and 60% of the maize samples with mean levels of 202, 136 and 85 μg kg−1, respectively. Up to 8% of the samples were contaminated with aflatoxins, with a maximum level of aflatoxin B1 of 513 μg kg−1. Results were higher than earlier reports for maize from Ethiopia.
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Organisms that modify the environment (niche constructors) are likely candidates to mediate the effects of climate warming. Here we assess tundra plant community changes along a temperature gradient and how these are modified in the presence of the common allelopathic dwarf shrub Empetrum nigrum and the large herbivore Rangifer tarandus. We developed a structural equation model based on data from a field-based study of 1450 tundra plant communities across Northern Fennoscandia, covering a temperature gradient of 3.5 °C, contrasting Rangifer densities, a range of Empetrum abundances in addition to gradients in topography and bedrock. We found temperature to be a significant positive predictor of Empetrum, herbaceous and woody plant abundances. However, the effect of temperature as predictor for herbaceous plant abundance was significantly reduced in communities with Empetrum present. For woody plant abundance Empetrum was a stronger predictor than temperature. In comparison, we found Rangifer density to have marginal or no effect on either herbaceous or woody plant abundance. These findings were not modified by either topography or bedrock. Results from this study indicate that herbaceous plant responses to climate warming are currently reduced in communities where Empetrum is present, whereas the abundance of Empetrum and other woody plants is promoted. Results also indicate that any future Empetrum encroachment is likely to drive tundra communities towards slower process rates and lower biodiversity. As such our results substantiate the importance of understanding the dynamics of niche constructor species and include them in predictive models of climate change.
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Sigmund Hågvar Mikael Ohlson Daniel FløSammendrag
Here, we explore 200 years of arthropod succession by using dated moraines in a Norwegian glacier foreland. Surface active beetles (Coleoptera) and spiders (Aranea) were sampled by pitfall trapping, and springtails (Collembola) and mites (Acari) were extracted from soil samples. Newly deglaciated ground was rapidly colonised by a mixture of generalists and specialists, with various life strategies. Interestingly, the pioneer community was fed by three ‘invisible’ food sources: biofilm with terrestrial diatom algae, tiny pioneer mosses and chironomid midges whose larvae were pond-living and used ancient carbon that was released by the melting glacier as an energy source. The true ‘super-pioneers’ were biofilm-eating springtails, which tracked the melting ice edge closely. Most species of beetles and springtails colonised within 80 years, while spiders and oribatid mites needed a longer time span to colonise. Topography influenced the succession pattern. Among both surface-living macroarthropods and soil-living microarthropods, we distinguished between a ‘dry’ and a ‘wet’ successional pathway with different community structure. Most arthropod species persisted after colonisation, but certain species preferring open space or low temperature were gradually excluded. Comparisons are made with botanical succession. Sampling methods, material size, and taxonomic resolution were considered critical factors when studying arthropod succession.
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Consumer resistance against GM crops is still substantial in the United States and Europe. We conducted an internet survey in the United States and Norway with more than 1,000 respondents in each country to estimate consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for GM soybean oil, farmed salmon fed with GM soy, and GM salmon. The differences in WTP for the conventional as compared with the GM alternatives are relatively small. Only between 7 and 13% of the respondents indicated that they were willing to pay more than a 20% premium for each of the conventional alternatives as compared to the corresponding GM alternatives. The average WTP premiums range from 7.5 to 9.2%. This suggests a large similarity in WTP in Norway and the United States and across the three products.
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National Red Lists are widely used prioritizing tools for nature conservation. However, status and trends of species vary with scale, and accounting for a larger spatial scale may provide complementary perspectives for nature conservation.We investigate effects of upscaling and influence of wider-scale distribution patterns for composition of Red Lists. We collated nationally red-listed forest species in Norway, Sweden and Finland, and extracted “Candidates for a Fennoscandian Red List” (CFRL), defined as species red-listed where they appear in the region. For each country, we compared composition of organism groups and forest type associations of species that were national CFRL to the nationally red-listed species not CFRL. European distribution patterns were compared to investigate how broader-scale distribution is reflected in national Red Lists. Among the 4830 nationally red-listed forest species in Fennoscandia, 58% were CFRL. The fraction of species in the different forest type and species groups differed significantly between the two spatial scales for several groups, although the overall differences in composition were relatively small. Red-listed species had more confined distribution patterns, suggesting that many nationally red-listed species owe their status to being at the edge of their distribution range. An up-scaling had a large effect on which species designated to a Red List, but a relatively small impact on which organism groups or forest types that contained most red-listed species. A regional perspective generated by compilation of national Red Lists can give valuable complementary information on the status of species and effects of scale.
Forfattere
Sølvi Wehn Katrina RønningenSammendrag
Semi-natural habitats are key habitats for biodiversity in agricultural landscapes, but are threatened due to structural change and decline in agriculture. In Norway, the Action Plan for Hay Meadows (APHM) was implemented in 2009, including management agreements with farmers/land owners/users. In this study the results and experiences in two study areas in Møre og Romsdal regional county, South-Western Norway, was carried out with the aim to assess crucial aspects of the APHM. This interdisciplinary study was based on a combination of botanical studies of hay meadows of 14 properties holding landscape management agreements and a social science approach with qualitative, semi-structured interviews, aiming at societal aspects influencing the management of these biologically and culturally important hay meadows. One aim was to investigate whether Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) could be utilised in order to optimalise hay meadow management. By investigating the relationship between the proportion mature plants of the semi-natural grassland specialists and the phenology of earlier identified TEK indicators, we could not define one valid TEK-point based on the species used to indicate when to start mowing historically. However, we found that variations in time of hay cut, rather than a rigid date, is crucial. Interviews showed that little remained of what may be defined as TEK. Owners/users in general appreciated the scheme, and had in general few problems adapting to scheme prescriptions. Without the scheme, many of the meadows would not have been properly managed. However, owners/users were concerned regarding issues of fertilizing and impoverishment of the soil, which may be linked to upheaval of the previously common grazing in spring and/or autumn. Overall, the scheme may be described as a success, however, a serious concern is the high average age of owners/users, lack of successors to the farms and properties for future management of these hay meadows.
Forfattere
Anna Sandak Jakub Sandak Athanasios Dimitriou Ingunn Burud Thomas Kringlebotn Thiis Lone Ross Graham Alan Ormondroyd Dimitrios KraniotisSammendrag
Bio-based building materials offer a wide range of outlooks, from traditional rustic to modern design products. Recent development in the science of materials significantly improves their functional performance. However, when considering the use of bio-materials in outdoor environments, materials will deteriorate due to processes like weathering, oxidation, biodegradation, wear, and decay. Consequentially, biomaterials may lose visual appeal, leading to a perceived need for replacement even if the material is far from reaching functional failure. Visual assessment is the most direct method for evaluation of the aesthetic appearance of materials. However, it possesses a high degree of subjectivity when performed by an untrained person. On the contrary, measurement of surface properties with dedicated sensors provides objective values that might be related to the current state of the material in use. Recent developments in field of optics and electronics opens a new possibility to perform measurements in-situ. Colour-, gloss-, or spectro-photo-meters allow non-destructive measurements without particular sample preparation. Since all of the above techniques provide complementary information, the multi-sensor approach is more frequently suggested for applied research. The material state can be assessed regularly during service life. In this case, such measurement turns into monitoring. The paper illustrates examples of assessment and monitoring of biomaterials’ degradation due to weathering. Direct implementation of various sensors is demonstrated. A proposal for the approach of combining data provided by various sensing techniques with data mining is also presented.
Forfattere
Shuhe Zhao Dianmin Cong Kexun He Hong Yang Zhihao QinSammendrag
Droughts cause huge losses of society and environment, therefore it is important to study the spatial-temporal pattern of drought. The traditional remote sensing drought indices (AVI, VCI and TCI) only consider the single factor representing the soil moisture (surface temperature or NDVI). The comprehensive remote sensing drought indices (VSWI and TVDI) can estimate the soil moisture more accurately, but they are not suitable for large scale region especially with great elevation variation. In this study, a modifed Temperature Vegetation Drought Index (mTVDI) was constructed based on the correction of elevation and dry edge. Compared with the traditional drought indices, mTVDI had a better relationship with soil moisture in all selected months (R=−0.376, −0.406, −0.459, and −0.265, p<0.05). mTVDI was used to analyze the spatial-temporal patterns of drought in China from 1982 to 2010. The results showed that droughts appeared more frequently in Northwest China and the southwest of Tibet while drought centers of North and Southwest China appeared in Huanghuaihai Plain and Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau respectively. The frequency of drought was increasing as a whole while the frequency of severe drought increased signifcantly by 4.86% and slight drought increased slowly during 1982 to 2010. The results are useful for the understanding of drought and policy making of climate change.
Forfattere
Xian Li Shuhe Zhao Hong Yang Dianmin Cong Zhaohua ZhangSammendrag
Land use and cover change (LUCC) is important for the global biogeochemical cycle and ecosystem. This paper introduced a change detection method based on a bi-band binary mask and an improved fuzzy c-means algorithm to research the LUCC. First, the bi-band binary mask approach with the core concept being the correlation coefficients between bands from different images are used to locate target areas with a likelihood of having changed areas. Second, the improved fuzzy c-means (FCM) algorithm was used to execute classification on the target areas. This improved algorithm used distances to the Voronoi cell of the cluster instead of the Euclidean distance to the cluster center in the calculation of membership, and some other improvements were also used to decrease the loops and save time. Third, the post classification comparison was executed to get more accurate change information. As references, change detection using univariate band binary mask and NDVI binary mask were executed. The change detection methods were applied to Landsat 8 OLI images acquired in 2013 and 2015 to map LUCC in Chengwu, north China. The accuracy assessment was executed on classification results and change detection results. The overall accuracy of classification results of the improved FCM is 95.70% and the standard FCM is 84.40%. The average accuracy of change detection results using bi-band mask is 88.92%, using NDVI mask is 81.95%, and using univariate band binary mask is 56.01%. The result of the bi-band mask change detection shows that the change from farmland to built land is the main change type in the study area: total area is 9.03 km2. The developed method in the current study can be an effective approach to evaluate the LUCC and the results helpful for the land policy makers.
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Stand dynamics and the gap initiation prior to gap formation are not well- understood because of its long- term nature and the scarcity of late- successional stands. Reconstruction of such disturbance is normally based on historical records and den-droecological methods. We investigated gap initiation and formation at the fine- scale stand level in the old- growth reserve of Karlshaugen in Norway. Given its long- term conservation history, and thorough mapping in permanent marked plots with spatially referenced trees, it provides an opportunity to present stand development before, during, and after gap formation. Late- successional decline in biomass was recorded after more than 50 years of close to steady state. Gaps in the canopy were mainly cre-ated by large old trees that had been killed by spruce bark beetles. Snapping by wind was the main reason for treefall. Long- term dominance of Norway spruce excluded downy birch and Scots pine from the stand. Comparisons of the forest floor soil prop-erties between the gap and nongap area showed significantly higher concentrations of plant available Ca within the gap area. Plant root simulator (PRS™) probes showed significantly higher supply rates for Ca and Mg, but significantly lower K for the gap compared to the nongap area. Soil water from the gap area had significantly higher C:N ratios compared to the nongap area. Fine- scale variation with increasing distance to logs indicated that CWD is important for leaking of DOC and Ca. Our long- term study from Karlshaugen documents gap dynamics after more than 50 years of steady state and a multiscale disturbance regime in an old- growth forest. The observed dis-turbance dynamic caused higher aboveground and belowground heterogeneity in plots, coarse woody debris, and nutrients. Our study of the nutrient levels of the forest floor suggest that natural gaps of old- growth forest provide a long- lasting biogeo-chemical feedback system particularly with respect to Ca and probably also N. Norway spruce trees near the gap edge responded with high plasticity to reduced competition, showing the importance of the edge zone as hot spots for establishing heterogeneity, but also the potential for carbon sequestration in old- growth forest.
Forfattere
Nesrin Colak Anja K. Primetta Kaisu R. Riihinen Laura Jaakola Jiři Grúz Miroslav Strnad Hülya Torun Faik Ahmet AyazSammendrag
Bilberries and their products are popular worldwide and represent a very interesting source of dietary antioxidants. Berries of eight different-colored and non-pigmented bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) samples from Finland were evaluated in terms of antioxidant capacity and total phenolic compounds (range, 220.06 – 3715.21 mg/100 g dw) and total monomeric anthocyanin (range, 206.18 – 867.52 mg/100 g dw) contents. Delphinidin (range, 5915.93–18108.39 μg /g dw) was the major anthocyanin moiety, while sinapic acid was the major phenolic acid in the free form (range, 0.01 – 6.06 μg /g dw), and p-coumaric acid in the ester (range, 26.39 – 110.78 μg /g dw), glycoside (range, 15.83 – 57.73 μg /g dw) and ester-bound (range, 2.32 – 14.20 μg /g dw) forms. The white colored berry samples did not contain any anthocyanins, but the colored berries did contain them. Antioxidant capacity was much higher in colored (pink to blue/black) berry samples than in the white sample, and it was more related to the total phenolic concentration rather than to the anthocyanin concentration. This is the first time that these different-colored berry phenotypes of bilberry (V. myrtillus L.) have been analyzed within the same study.
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The genus Pectobacterium, which belongs to the bacterial family Enterobacteriaceae, contains numerous species that cause soft rot diseases in a wide range of plants. The species Pectobacterium carotovorum is highly heterogeneous, indicating a need for re-evaluation and a better classification of the species. PacBio was used for sequencing of two soft-rot-causing bacterial strains (NIBIO1006T and NIBIO1392), initially identified as P. carotovorum strains by fatty acid analysis and sequencing of three housekeeping genes (dnaX, icdA and mdh). Their taxonomic relationship to other Pectobacterium species was determined and the distance from any described species within the genus Pectobacterium was less than 94% average nucleotide identity (ANI). Based on ANI, phylogenetic data and genome-to-genome distance, strains NIBIO1006T, NIBIO1392 and NCPPB3395 are suggested to represent a novel species of the genus Pectobacterium, for which the name Pectobacterium polaris sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NIBIO1006T (=DSM 105255T=NCPPB 4611T).
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John Connolly Maria-Teresa Sebastià Laura Kirwan John Anthony Finn Rosa Llurba Matthias Suter Rosemary P. Collins Claudio Porqueddu Áslaug Helgadóttir Ole Hans Baadshaug Gilles Bélanger Alistair Black Caroline Brophy Jure Čop Sigridur Dalmannsdottir Delgado Ignacio Anjo Elgersma Michael Fothergill Bodil E. Frankow-Lindberg Ghesquiere An Piotr Golinski Philippe Grieu Gustavsson Anne-Maj Mats Höglind Olivier Huguenin-Elie Marit Jørgensen Zydre Kadziuliene Tor Lunnan Paivi Nykanen-Kurki Angela Ribas Friedhelm Taube Ulrich Thumm Alex De Vliegher Andreas LüscherSammendrag
1. Grassland diversity can support sustainable intensification of grassland production through increased yields, reduced inputs and limited weed invasion. We report the effects of diversity on weed suppression from 3 years of a 31-site continental-scale field experiment. 2. At each site, 15 grassland communities comprising four monocultures and 11 four-species mixtures based on a wide range of species' proportions were sown at two densities and managed by cutting. Forage species were selected according to two crossed functional traits, “method of nitrogen acquisition” and “pattern of temporal development”. 3. Across sites, years and sown densities, annual weed biomass in mixtures and monocultures was 0.5 and 2.0 t DM ha−1 (7% and 33% of total biomass respectively). Over 95% of mixtures had weed biomass lower than the average of monocultures, and in two-thirds of cases, lower than in the most suppressive monoculture (transgressive suppression). Suppression was significantly transgressive for 58% of site-years. Transgressive suppression by mixtures was maintained across years, independent of site productivity. 4. Based on models, average weed biomass in mixture over the whole experiment was 52% less (95% confidence interval: 30%–75%) than in the most suppressive monoculture. Transgressive suppression of weed biomass was significant at each year across all mixtures and for each mixture. 5. Weed biomass was consistently low across all mixtures and years and was in some cases significantly but not largely different from that in the equiproportional mixture. The average variability (standard deviation) of annual weed biomass within a site was much lower for mixtures (0.42) than for monocultures (1.77). 6. Synthesis and applications. Weed invasion can be diminished through a combination of forage species selected for complementarity and persistence traits in systems designed to reduce reliance on fertiliser nitrogen. In this study, effects of diversity on weed suppression were consistently strong across mixtures varying widely in species' proportions and over time. The level of weed biomass did not vary greatly across mixtures varying widely in proportions of sown species. These diversity benefits in intensively managed grasslands are relevant for the sustainable intensification of agriculture and, importantly, are achievable through practical farm-scale actions.
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Philipp E. Hirsch Antti Eloranta Per-Arne Amundsen Åge Brabrand Julie Charmasson Ingeborg Palm Helland Michael John Power Javier Sanchez-Hernandez Odd Terje Sandlund Julian Friedrich Sauterleute Sigrid Østrem Skoglund Ola Ugedal Hong YangSammendrag
Sustainable development of hydropower demands a holistic view of potential impacts of water level regulation (WLR) on reservoir ecosystems. Most environmental studies of hydropower have focused on rivers, whereas environmental effects of hydropower operations on reservoirs are less well understood. Here, we synthesize knowledge on how WLR from hydropower affects alpine lake ecosystems and highlight the fundamental factors that shape the environmental impacts of WLR. Our analysis of these impacts ranges from abiotic conditions to lower trophic levels and ultimately to fish. We conclude that the environmental effects are complex and case-specific and thus considering the operational regime of WLR (i.e. amplitude, timing, frequency, and rate of change) as well as the reservoir’s morphometry, geology and biotic community are prerequisites for any reliable predictions. Finally, we indicate promising avenues for future research and argue that recording and sharing of data, views and demands among different stakeholders, including operators, researchers and the public, is necessary for the sustainable development of hydropower in alpine lakes.
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Rolf Nestby Tore Krogstad Knut Anders HovstadSammendrag
In a project focusing on semi-cultivation of European blueberry (EB) from 2008 to 2011, a botanical survey was undertaken in two experimental fields in the municipalities of Snåsa and Lierne in the county of Nord-Trøndelag, Norway. The focus was mainly on growth of EB and Vaccinium vitis-idaea. We examined the effects of fertilization and cutting of EB to evaluate if established practices in the semicultivation of the wild American lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium), also had potential for semi-cultivation of EB. We assigned four levels of fertilization randomly per block, with five replications. The Snåsa and the Lierne fields were clearcut, 25 and 5 years prior to the survey, respectively. We pruned the remaining trees and shrubs to the ground when the experiment was established. Before application of fertilizer and cutting, we conducted a vegetation survey, recording the percentage cover of all plant species. Furthermore, we recorded maximum, minimum, and middle canopy height of EB and estimated percent cover and thickness of plant litter at the forest floor in 2008 and 2011. The survey consisted of three plots of one m2. We placed each of them in the center of a fertilization plot, randomly distributed across the four fertilization treatments of each block at both sites. Twenty-six species were present in the fields, and the changes in botanical diversity were influenced by year, location, fertilization, and pruning of shrubs. Suggestions of how development of European blueberry in forest fields could be strengthened, and subsequently how the competitors could be weakened are presented. We showed that Pruning of EB decreased canopy cover, maximum- and middle- height, which was still lower three years after pruning than unpruned plants, and that V. vitis-idaea had a lower nutrient demand than EB.
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Sewage sludge is an important amendment that enriches soils with organic matter and provides plants with nutrients such asnitrogenandphosphorus.However,knowledgeonthe fateandeffectsof organic pollutants presentin the sludge on soilorganisms is limited.In the present study, the uptake of triclosan, galaxolide, and tonalide in the earthworm Dendrobaena veneta was measured 1 wk afteramendment of agricultural soil with sewage sludge, while elimination kinetics were assessed over a 21-d period after transferring worms toclean soil. After 1-wk exposure, earthworms had accumulated 2.6 0.6 mgg1galaxolide, 0.04 0.02 mgg1tonalide, and0.6 0.2 mgg1triclosan. Both synthetic musks were efficiently excreted and below the limit of quantification after 3 and 14 d ofdepuration for tonalide and galaxolide, respectively. Triclosan concentrations, on the other hand, did not decrease significantly over thedepuration period, which may lead to the transfer of triclosan in the food web.
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Ioannis Dimitriou Blas Mola-YudegoSammendrag
Fast-growing poplar plantations on agricultural land require intensive management activities, often involving fertilization. The present paper aims at investigating the effect of fertilization on growth and on groundwater quality, by examining four trials established in commercial poplar plantations in central and south Sweden. The treatments consisted of nitrogen applications (Urea N46, Tot. N: 46%) in two different dosages, 75 and 150 kg ha−1 for two years, and a control, in three replicates (plot size: 20 × 20 m) following a randomized block design. Diameters were measured at each plot at the end of each growing season for the period 2012–2015. At the same time, groundwater pipes were installed in the center of each plot, at ca. 1.5 m depth. Samples were regularly collected and analyzed for NO3-N and PO4-P. The results show a large variation in the diameter growth response to nitrogen fertilization and the leaching of poplar plantations after canopy closure. In young plantations, the effect on growth was clear with moderate fertilization rates although it was not observed on sandy soils with already good growth, leading to high nitrogen leaching.
Forfattere
Ioannis Dimitriou Blas Mola-YudegoSammendrag
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In two-tier price systems, yield uncertainty creates incentives to overproduce quantity-restricted outputs even when prices for surplus output are very low. These incentives arise from precautionary motives against expected losses from quota shortfalls. Using an approach augmented for multiple input applications, the likelihood of excess production and the relative importance of price changes in different markets are estimated for Icelandic dairy farms. The results indicate that the average farm plans to exceed its quota, and price changes in the surplus milk market are approximately three times more effective in generating supply response than price changes in the quota milk market.
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Climate change is likely to be one of the most important factors affecting our future food security. To mitigate negative impacts, we will require our crops to be more genetically diverse. Such diversity is available in crop wild relatives (CWRs), the wild taxa relatively closely related to crops and from which diverse traits can be transferred to the crop. Conservation of such genetic resources resides within the nation where they are found; therefore, national-level conservation recommendations are fundamental to global food security. We investigate the potential impact of climate change on CWR richness in Norway. The consequences of a 1.5 and 3.0 °C temperature rise were studied for the years 2030, 2050, 2070, 2080 and then compared to the present climate. The results indicate a pattern of shifting CWR richness from the south to the north, with increases in taxa turnover and in the numbers of threatened taxa. Recommendations for in situ and ex situ conservation actions over the short and long term for the priority CWRs in Norway are presented. The methods and recommendations developed here can be applied within other nations and at regional and global levels to improve the effectiveness of conservation actions and help ensure global food security.
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Belachew Gizachew Zeleke Rasmus Astrup Pål Olav Vedeld Eliakimu M. Zahabu Lalisa A. DugumaSammendrag
REDD+, a climate change mitigation mechanism that values carbon in tropical forests, is expected to provide Africa with a range of environmental and socio-economic benefits. Drawing on a vast array of literature and personal experiences, this review analyzed particular features and challenges that REDD+ implementation has faced on the continent. The distinct contexts and major challenges regarding governance, finance and technical capacities are discussed, and mechanisms to fill these gaps are suggested. Radical land tenure reform and a perfect safeguard mechanism that transfers forest land and carbon to the communities are unlikely. REDD+ should rather look for systems that respect local institutional arrangements, and allow forest-based communities to participate in decision-making and benefit sharing, particularly benefits from emerging REDD+. Finances for REDD+ infrastructure and the results-based payment are in short supply. While negotiating for potential external sources in the short term, Africa should generate domestic financial resources and look for additional payments for ecosystem services. Africa should also negotiate for forest monitoring capacity building, while strengthening local community forest monitoring. This review contributes to an improved understanding of the contexts and challenges to consider in the capacity and policy development for REDD+ implementation.
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Merete Wiken Dees Renata Lebecka Juliana Perminow Robert Czajkowski Anna Grupa Agata Motyka Sabina Zoledowska Jadwiga Śliwka Ewa Lojkowska May Bente BrurbergSammendrag
Soft rot and blackleg of potato caused by pectinolytic bacteria lead to severe economic losses in potato production worldwide. To investigate the species composition of bacteria causing soft rot and black leg of potato in Norway and Poland, bacteria were isolated from potato tubers and stems. Forty-one Norwegian strains and 42 Polish strains that formed cavities on pectate medium were selected for potato tuber maceration assays and sequencing of three housekeeping genes (dnaX, icdA and mdh) for species identification and phylogenetic analysis. The distribution of the species causing soft rot and blackleg in Norway and Poland differed: we have demonstrated that mainly P. atrosepticum and P. c. subsp. carotovorum are the causal agents of soft rot and blackleg of potatoes in Norway, while P. wasabiae was identified as one of the most important soft rot pathogens in Poland. In contrast to the other European countries, D. solani seem not to be a major pathogen of potato in Norway and Poland. The Norwegian and Polish P. c. subsp. carotovorum and P. wasabiae strains did not cluster with type strains of the respective species in the phylogenetic analysis, which underlines the taxonomic complexity of the genus Pectobacterium. No correlation between the country of origin and clustering of the strains was observed. All strains tested in this study were able to macerate potato tissue. The ability to macerate potato tissue was significantly greater for the P. c. subsp. carotovorum and Dickeya spp., compared to P. atrosepticum and P. wasabiae.
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The decline in farmland birds observed throughout Europe during recent decades has attracted much attention. Agricultural intensification or land abandonment are commonly forwarded as key drivers. Several countries have established agri-environmental schemes (AES) to counter these negative trends among farmland birds. This paper reports a study of the relationship between land use and bird species in the agricultural landscape of Norway. The main objective was to investigate the effect of spatial heterogeneity and diversity of land use on total richness and abundance of farmland birds at a national level. Monitoring the distribution and abundance of birds is part of the Norwegian monitoring programme for agricultural landscapes. The monitoring programme is based on mapping of 1 × 1 km squares distributed across the entire agricultural landscape. Within these squares permanent observation points are established for bird monitoring. Detailed interpretation of aerial photographs provides the land classification. We tested the relationship between landscape metrics at different levels of land type detail and species richness and abundance of farmland and non-farmland birds. There was a positive relationship between species richness and abundance of farmland birds and agricultural area. For non-farmland birds the relationship was negative. Spatial heterogeneity of land use was a significant positive factor for both farmland and non-farmland species. High land type diversity was positive for farmland bird richness, but negative for abundance. Non-farmland bird richness was not affected by land type diversity, but abundance had a negative response. The results presented in this paper highlight the importance of a spatial heterogeneous landscape. However, we also found that land type diversity could negatively affect the abundance of both farmland and non-farmland birds. Our findings suggest a need for different management approaches depending on whether the aim is increased species richness or abundance. Achieving both aims with the same means might be difficult. We thus suggest a need for land use analyses before proper management strategies can be implemented.
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Global warming is predicted to adversely affect the reproduction of birds, especially in northern latitudes. A recent study in Finland inferred that declining populations of black grouse, Tetrao tetrix, could be attributed to advancement of the time of mating and chicks hatching too early—supporting the mismatch hypothesis. Here, we examine the breeding success of sympatric capercaillie, T. urogallus, and black grouse over a 38-year period in southeast Norway. Breeding season temperatures increased, being most pronounced in April. Although the onset of spring advanced nearly three weeks, the peak of mating advanced only 4–5 days. In contrast to the result of the Finnish study, breeding success increased markedly in both species (capercaillie: 62%, black grouse: 38%). Both brood frequency and brood size increased during the study period, but significantly so only for brood frequency in capercaillie. Whereas the frequency of capercaillie broods was positively affected by rising temperatures, especially during the pre-hatching period, this was not the case in black grouse. Brood size, on the other hand, increased with increasing post-hatching temperatures in both species. Contrary to the prediction that global warming will adversely affect reproduction in boreal forest grouse, our study shows that breeding success was enhanced in warmer springs.
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Plants of six strawberry cultivars were raised under controlled conditions and tested for flowering and yield potential. Short days (SD) at intermediate temperatures for 4 weeks in August induced profuse flowering in subsequent long days (LD) in all cultivars except the late-flowering ‘Malwina’. LD conditions induced flowering only in ‘Nobel’, which has an everbearing parent. ‘Nobel’ and ‘Saga’ exhibited broad temperature adaptation for SD floral induction, which was generally reduced or suppressed at 9 and 27°C. After autumn planting, all cultivars flowered most abundantly in plants raised in SD and intermediate temperatures. Flowering was earliest in ‘Nobel’ and ‘Rumba’. Plants that did not reach floral commitment after 4 weeks in SD continued and completed induction under subsequent natural SD conditions after planting in the field, demonstrating the capability of fractional induction. Berry yield varied in parallel with flowering in the field and was always higher in plants raised under SD conditions. The traditional cultivars ‘Florence’ and ‘Sonata’ out-yielded the more recent cultivars. Some cultivars lost more than two thirds of their initiated flowers during the winter with obvious consequences for their yields. With proper raising management, acceptable yields were obtained after autumn planting even in a cool Nordic climate.
Forfattere
Alice Budai Lucia Calucci Daniel Rasse Line Tau Strand Annelene Pengerud Daniel Wiedemeier Samuel Abiven Claudia ForteSammendrag
Infrared and 13C solid state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies and benzene polycarboxylic acids (BPCA) analysis were used to characterize the structural changes occurring during slow pyrolysis of corncob and Miscanthus at different temperatures from 235 °C to 800 °C. In the case of corncob, a char sample obtained from flash carbonization was also investigated. Spectroscopic techniques gave detailed information on the transformations of the different biomass components, whereas BPCA analysis allowed the amount of aromatic structures present in the different chars and the degree of aromatic condensation to be determined. The results showed that above 500 °C both corncob and Miscanthus give polyaromatic solid residues with similar degree of aromatic condensation but with differences in the structure. On the other hand, at lower temperatures, char composition was observed to depend on the different cellulose/hemicellulose/lignin ratios in the feedstocks. Flash carbonization was found to mainly affect the degree of aromatic condensation.
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The nature of subsurface flow depends largely on hydraulic conductivity of the vadoze zone, the permeability of the underlying bedrock, the existence of soil layers differing in hydraulic properties and macropore content, soil depth and slope angle. Quantification of flow pathways on forested hillslopes is essential to understand the hydrological dynamics and solute transport patterns. Acrisols, with their argic Bt horizons, are challenging in this respect. To increase the understanding of flow pathways of water and the short-term variability of the soil moisture patterns in Acrisols, a field study was conducted on a forested hillslope in the Tie Shan Ping (TSP) watershed, 25 km northeast of Chongqing city, PR China. This catchment is covered by mixed secondary forest dominated by Masson pine (Pinus Massoniana). The soil's Ksat reduced significantly at the interface between the AB and Bt horizons (2.6E-05 versus 1.2E-06 m s−1). This led to that the flow volume generated in the Bt horizon was of little quantitative importance compared to that in the AB horizon. There was a marked decrease in porosity between the O/A horizon and the AB horizon, with a further decrease deeper in the mineral subsoil. Especially the content of pores >300 µm were higher in the AB horizon (14.3%) compared to the Bt horizon (6.5%). This explains the difference in Ksat values. Our study shows that Bt horizons have limited water transport capability, forcing part of the infiltrated rainwater as interflow through the OA and AB horizons. The topsoil thus responds quickly to rainfall events, causing frequent cycles of saturation and aeration of soil pores
Forfattere
Caroline Brophy John A. Finn Andreas Lüscher Matthias Suter Laura Kirwan Maria-Teresa Sebastià Áslaug Helgadóttir Ole Hans Baadshaug Gilles Bélanger Alistair Black Rosemary P. Collins Jure Čop Sigridur Dalmannsdottir Ignacio Delgado Anjo Elgersma Michael Fothergill Bodil E. Frankow-Lindberg An Ghesquiere Barbara Golinska Piotr Golinski Philippe Grieu Anne-Maj Gustavsson Mats Höglind Olivier Huguenin-Elie Marit Jørgensen Zydre Kadziuliene Päivi Kurki Rosa Llurba Tor Lunnan Claudio Porqueddu Ulrich Thumm John ConnollySammendrag
1. Increased species diversity promotes ecosystem function; however, the dynamics of multi-speciesgrassland systems over time and their role in sustaining higher yields generated by increased diver-sity are still poorly understood. We investigated the development of species’ relative abundances ingrassland mixtures over 3 years to identify drivers of diversity change and their links to yield diver-sity effects.2. A continental-scale field experiment was conducted at 31 sites using 11 different four-speci esmixtures each sown at two seed abundances. The four species consisted of two grasses and two legumes, of which one was fast establishing and the other temporally persistent. We modelledthe dynamics of the four-species mixtures, and tested associations with diversity effects on yield.3. We found that species’ dynamics were primarily driven by differences in the relative growth rates(RGRs) of competing species, and secondarily by density dependence and climate. The temporallypersistent grass species typically had the highest RGRs and hence became dominant over time. Den-sity dependence sometimes induced stabilising processes on the dominant species and inhibitedshifts to monoculture. Legumes persisted at most sites at low or medium abundances and persistencewas improved at sites with higher annual minimum temperature.4. Significant diver sity effects were present at the majority of sites in all years and the strength ofdiversity effects was improved with higher legume abundance in the previous year. Observed diver-sity effects, when legumes had declined, may be due to (i) important effects of legumes even at lowabundance, (ii) interaction between the two grass species or (iii) a store of N because of previouspresence of legumes.5. Synthesis. Alongside major compositional changes driven by RGR differences , diversity effectswere observed at most sites, albeit at reduced strength as legumes declined. This evidence stronglysupports the sowing of multi-species mixtures that include legumes over the long-standing practiceof sowing grass monocultures. Careful and strategic selection of the identity of the species used inmixtures is suggested to facilitate the maintenance of species diversity and especially persistence oflegumes over tim e, and to preser ve the strength of yield increases associated with diversity.
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During the past two decades, significant spread of the perennial weeds Juncus effusus (soft rush) and Juncus conglomeratus (compact rush) in coastal parts of Norway seems to have coincided with an observed rise in winter temperatures. This study investigated the frost tolerance (LT50) and effects of moderate frost exposure on rush plant regrowth over time during the period late November to late winter/spring, and photosynthetic activity in late winter/spring. Juncus effusus and J. conglomeratus of physiologically young age (seedlings) displayed similar high frost tolerance (LT50) and did not differ significantly in regenerative ability following prolonged frost exposure. Regrowth capacity generally increased during winter and when stress conditions increased, shoot formation was prioritised over total biomass production. Maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) and performance index of photosystem II (PI) were high in late winter/spring, with J. effusus showing higher values than J. conglomeratus. Green, photosynthetically active shoots, which facilitate accumulation of carbohydrates during autumn and even in winter, may provide Juncus spp. with substantial competitiveness in late winter and spring. The results revealed that the dominance of J. effusus over J. conglomeratus in pastures and leys is not due to major differences in winter survival parameters, but probably the higher photosynthetic efficiency observed in J. effusus. Generally higher temperatures during winter and lower frost kill may be contributing to the current increase in rush infestation.
Forfattere
Åshild Ergon Giovanna Seddaiu Panu Korhonen Perttu Virkajärvi Gianni Bellocchi Marit Jørgensen Liv Østrem Dirk Reheul F. VolaireSammendrag
Climate change and its effects on grassland productivity vary across Europe. The Mediterranean and Nordic regions represent the opposite ends of a gradient of changes in temperature and precipitation patterns, with increasingly warmer and wetter winters in the north and increasingly warmer and drier summers in the south. Warming and elevated concentration of atmospheric CO2 may boost forage production in the Nordic region. Production in many Mediterranean areas is likely to become even more challenged by drought in the future, but elevated CO2 can to some extent alleviate drought limitation on photosynthesis and growth. In both regions, climate change will affect forage quality and lead to modifications of the annual productivity cycles, with an extended growing season in the Nordic region and a shift towards winter in the Mediterranean region. This will require adaptations in defoliation and fertilization strategies. The identity of species and mixtures with optimal performance is likely to shift somewhat in response to altered climate and management systems. It is argued that breeding of grassland species should aim to (i) improve plant strategies to cope with relevant abiotic stresses and (ii) optimize growth and phenology to new seasonal variation, and that plant diversity at all levels is a good adaptation strategy.
Forfattere
Dorothee Kolberg Lars Olav Brandsæter Göran Bergkvist Knut Asbjørn Solhaug Bo Melander Björn RingselleSammendrag
Quackgrass is a problematic agricultural weed in the temperate zones of the world and is difficult to control without herbicides or intensive tillage. However, it may be possible to control quackgrass with less environmental impact by combining multiple low-intensity control methods. A pot experiment was conducted in July to October 2012 and repeated in June to September 2013 to investigate the effect of rhizome fragmentation, competition from white clover, shoot-cutting frequency, and cutting height on quackgrass. Rhizome fragmentation was expected to result in more, but weaker, quackgrass shoots that would be more vulnerable to shoot cutting and competition. However, by 20 d past planting, rhizome fragmentation did not change the total number of quackgrass shoots per pot, because an increase in main shoots was offset by a decrease in tiller numbers. Rhizome fragmentation did not reduce quackgrass biomass acquisition during the experimental period. Although rhizome fragmentation did reduce total fructan content, it did not enhance the effect of clover competition, shoot-cutting frequency, or shoot-cutting height. Clover competition by itself reduced quackgrass shoot numbers by 72%, rhizome biomass by 81%, and belowground fructan concentration by 10 percentage points, compared with no competition. The more frequently quackgrass shoots were cut, the less biomass quackgrass acquired, and a high shoot-cutting frequency (each time quackgrass reached 2 leaves) resulted in a lower belowground fructan concentration than a low shoot-cutting frequency (at 8 leaves). However, in pots without competition, a higher shoot-cutting frequency resulted in more quackgrass shoots. A lower shoot-cutting height (25 mm) had more impact when shoot cutting was more frequent. In conclusion, rhizome fragmentation did not reduce the number of quackgrass shoots or rhizome biomass, but competition from white clover, a high shoot-cutting frequency, and a low shoot-cutting height strongly suppressed quackgrass biomass and fructan acquisition.
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Large herbivores gain nutritional benefits from following the sequential flush of newly emergent, high- quality forage along environmental gradients in the landscape, termed green wave surfing. Which landscape characteristics underlie the environmental gradi-ent causing the green wave and to what extent landscape characteristics alone explain individual variation in nutritional benefits remain unresolved questions. Here, we com-bine GPS data from 346 red deer (Cervus elaphus) from four partially migratory popula-tions in Norway with the satellite- derived normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), an index of plant phenology. We quantify whether migratory deer had access to higher quality forage than resident deer, how landscape characteristics within sum-mer home ranges affected nutritional benefits, and whether differences in landscape characteristics could explain differences in nutritional gain between migratory and resident deer. We found that migratory red deer gained access to higher quality forage than resident deer but that this difference persisted even after controlling for land-scape characteristics within the summer home ranges. There was a positive effect of elevation on access to high- quality forage, but only for migratory deer. We discuss how the landscape an ungulate inhabits may determine its responses to plant phenol-ogy and also highlight how individual behavior may influence nutritional gain beyond the effect of landscape.
Forfattere
Ivar Herfindal Unni Støbet Lande Erling Johan Solberg Christer Moe Rolandsen Ole Roer Hilde Karine WamSammendrag
Co-existing species at the same trophic level often segregate with respect to diet, habitat use, or spatial distribution, reducing their direct competition for resources. However, temporal patterns in species-specific habitat use, for instance due to climatic variation, may affect the strength of interspecific interactions, and generate temporal variation in niche partitioning. We assessed temporal variation in habitat overlap between a wild ungulate, moose Alces alces, and two freeranging domestic ungulates, sheep Ovis aries and cattle Bos taurus, on a boreal forest range in southern Norway. We also calculated the distance between species’ realised niches, as well as the width of their realised niches to evaluate the extent of temporal niche partitioning under different diurnal weather conditions. Analyses of each habitat variable suggested complex relationships between species-specific habitat use, photoperiod, and weather, related to species-specific behaviour and activity patterns. We found shorter overall niche distance between moose and sheep, compared to moose and cattle, and shorter niche distances during day and night than during the twilight hours. The niche distance between moose and sheep was positively related to temperature during night, but negatively during day. Moreover, niche distance between moose and both sheep and cattle was negatively related to precipitation at daytime. Moose niche width was narrower in periods with short niche distance to sheep, while we did not find such pattern towards cattle. A lack of similar moose response to cattle could be attributed to lower niche overlap between moose and cattle. Our results suggest that temporal niche partitioning between moose and livestock breaks down under the weather conditions that are predicted to become more common as climate change, potentially increasing wildlife-livestock interactions in the future.
Forfattere
Elke Hartmann Knut Egil Bøe Grete H. M. Jørgensen Cecilie Marie Mejdell Kristina DahlbornSammendrag
Limited information is available on the extent to which blankets are used on horses and the owners’ reasoning behind clipping the horse’s coat. Research on the effects of those practices on horse welfare is scarce but results indicate that blanketing and clipping may not be necessary from the horse’s perspective and can interfere with the horse’s thermoregulatory capacities. Therefore, this survey collected robust, quantitative data on the housing routines and management of horses with focus on blanketing and clipping practices as reported by members of the Swedish and Norwegian equestrian community. Horse owners were approached via an online survey, which was distributed to equestrian organizations and social media. Data from 4,122 Swedish and 2,075 Norwegian respondents were collected, of which 91 and 84% of respondents, respectively, reported using blankets on horses during turnout. Almost all respondents owning warmblood riding horses used blankets outdoors (97% in Sweden and 96% in Norway) whereas owners with Icelandic horses and coldblood riding horses used blankets significantly less (P < 0.05). Blankets were mainly used during rainy, cold, or windy weather conditions and in ambient temperatures of 10°C and below. The horse’s coat was clipped by 67% of respondents in Sweden and 35% of Norwegian respondents whereby owners with warmblood horses and horses primarily used for dressage and competition reported clipping the coat most frequently. In contrast to scientific results indicating that recovery time after exercise increases with blankets and that clipped horses have a greater heat loss capacity, only around 50% of respondents agreed to these statements. This indicates that evidence-based information on all aspects of blanketing and clipping has not yet been widely distributed in practice. More research is encouraged, specifically looking at the effect of blankets on sweaty horses being turned out after intense physical exercise and the effect of blankets on social interactions such as mutual grooming. Future efforts should be tailored to disseminate knowledge more efficiently, which can ultimately stimulate thoughtful decision-making by horse owners concerning the use of blankets and clipping the horse’s coat.
Forfattere
Michelle T. Fountain Catherine Baroffio Anna-Karin Borg-Karlson Phil Brain Jerry V. Cross Dudley I. Farman David R. Hall Baiba Ralle Paolo Rendina Pauline Richoz Lene Sigsgaard Sverre Storberget Nina Trandem Atle WibeSammendrag
Strawberry blossom weevil (SBW), Anthonomus rubi Herbst (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and European tarnished plant bug (ETB), Lygus rugulipennis Poppius (Hetereoptera: Miridae), cause significant damage to strawberry and raspberry crops. Using the SBW aggregation pheromone and ETB sex pheromone we optimized and tested a single trap for both species. A series of field experiments in crops and seminatural habitats in five European countries tested capture of the target pests and the ability to avoid captures of beneficial arthropods. A Unitrap containing a trapping agent of water and detergent and with a cross vane was more efficient at capturing both species compared to traps which incorporated glue as a trapping agent. Adding a green cross vane deterred attraction of non-pest species such as bees, but did not compromise catches of the target pests. The trap caught higher numbers of ETB and SBW if deployed at ground level and although a cross vane was not important for catches of ETB it was needed for significant captures of SBW. The potential for mass trapping SBWand ETB simultaneously in soft fruit crops is discussed including potential improvements to make this more effective and economic to deploy.
Forfattere
Robert Jankowiak Beata Strzałka Piotr Bilański Riikka Linnakoski Truls Aas Halvor Solheim Małgorzata Groszek Z. Wilhelm de BeerSammendrag
Species of Leptographium are generally characterized by mononematous conidiophores and are commonly associated with bark beetles and weevils. These species are responsible for sapstain and in some cases serious diseases on a range of primarily coniferous trees. In comparison with coniferous trees, the occurrence of Leptographium species on hardwood trees has been poorly studied in Europe. During a survey of ophiostomatoid fungi on various tree species in Norway and Poland, three unusual species, which fit the broader morphological description of Leptographium spp., were found in association with Scolytus ratzeburgi, Dryocoetes alni and Trypodendron domesticum on a variety of hardwoods, and from wounds on Tilia cordata. Phylogenetic analyses of sequence data for three gene regions (ITS2-LSU, β-tubulin, and TEF1-α) showed that these Leptographium species are phylogenetically closely related to each other and form a well-supported lineage that included Grosmannia grandifoliae and Leptographium pruni. The first species could be distinguished from the other Leptographium species based on conidiophores arising from spiral hyphae, chlamydospore-like structures and a hyalorhinocladiella-like synanamorph in culture. The second species differs from the previous one by having distinctly shorter conidiophores and smaller conidia. This species also produces a well-developed sporothrix-like synanamorph with denticulate conidiogenous cells. Based on these unusual morphological characteristics and distinct DNA sequences, these fungi were recognised as new taxa for which the names Leptographium trypodendri sp. nov. and L. betulae sp. nov. are provided. The third group of isolates belonged to Grosmannia grandifoliae, representing the first report of this species outside of the USA. The newly defined G. grandifoliae complex is the first species complex in Leptographium s.l. consisting of only hardwood-infecting species.
Forfattere
Catherine Lecomte-Pradines Turid Hertel-Aas Claire Coutris Rodolphe Gilbin Deborah Helen Oughton Frederic AlonzoSammendrag
Understanding how toxic contaminants affect wildlife species at various levels of biological organization (subcellular, histological, physiological, organism, and population levels) is a major research goal in both ecotoxicology and radioecology. A mechanistic understanding of the links between different observed perturbations is necessary to predict the consequences for survival, growth, and reproduction, which are critical for population dynamics. In this context, experimental and modeling studies were conducted using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. A chronic exposure to external gamma radiation was conducted under controlled conditions. Results showed that somatic growth and reproduction were reduced with increasing dose rate. Modeling was used to investigate whether radiation effects might be assessed using a mechanistic model based upon the dynamic energy budget (DEB) theory. A DEB theory in toxicology (DEB-tox), specially adapted to the case of gamma radiation, was developed. Modelling results demonstrated the suitability of DEB-tox for the analysis of radiotoxicity and suggested that external gamma radiation predominantly induced a direct reduction in reproductive capacity in C. elegans and produced an increase in costs for growth and maturation, resulting in a delay in growth and spawning observed at the highest tested dose rate.
Forfattere
H Egelyng Anita Romsdal H.O. Hansen Rasa Slizyte Ana Karina Carvajal Laura Jouvenot Marie Hebrok Kaisu Honkapää Jens Petter Wold Randi Seljåsen Marit AursandSammendrag
A circular bioeconomy has become a global aspiration for governments in Europe and around the globe. This article pursues research questions concerning concrete innovations aiming to create bioeconomic transition options in Norway and presents results from a transdisciplinary investigation of Norwegian food industry cases involving processing of fish, meat, fruit, and vegetable co-streams aiming to capture or even increase use and value of residues from processing. It shows that while objectives of avoiding food losses and transforming co-streams to new products of higher value characterizes the poultry industry case and part of the ‘blue’ sector, challenges remain particularly in the ‘whitefish’ area where - also at the global level - a high share of fish resources ends as rest raw materials, i.e. not fully utilised. The investigation targeted strategic cases of innovations enabling alternative uses of co-streams: automation and scanning technologies for fractioning raw materials and co-streams into different qualities, a collection system for fish rest raw materials at sea, enzymatic hydrolysis, use of second grade vegetables for smoothies and potato peels for biodegradable plastics in the vegetable (potato) processing industries. The article shows how these innovations enable cascading and valorisation of co-streams and why an upcycling potential exists as well. Its main contribution is in demonstrating feasibility of transdisciplinary research and innovative options for bioeconomic transition towards sustainability.
Forfattere
Sigridur Dalmannsdottir Marit Jørgensen Marcin Rapacz Liv Østrem Arild Larsen Rolf Rødven Odd Arne RognliSammendrag
The effect of variable autumn temperatures in combination with decreasing irradiance and daylength on photosynthesis, growth cessation and freezing tolerance was investigated in northern- and southern-adapted populations of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and timothy (Phleum pratense) intended for use in regions at northern high latitudes. Plants were subjected to three different acclimation temperatures; 12, 6 and 9/3°C (day/night) for 4 weeks, followed by 1 week of cold acclimation at 2°C under natural light conditions. This experimental setup was repeated at three different periods during autumn with decreasing sums of irradiance and daylengths. Photoacclimation, leaf elongation and freezing tolerance were studied. The results showed that plants cold acclimated during the period with lowest irradiance and shortest day had lowest freezing tolerance, lowest photosynthetic activity, longest leaves and least biomass production. Higher acclimation temperature (12°C) resulted in lower freezing tolerance, lower photosynthetic activity, faster leaf elongation rate and higher biomass compared with the other temperatures. Photochemical mechanisms were predominant in photoacclimation. The northern-adapted populations had a better freezing tolerance than the southern-adapted except when grown during the late autumn period and at the highest temperature; then there were no differences between the populations. Our results indicate that the projected climate change in the north may reduce freezing tolerance in grasses as acclimation will take place at higher temperatures and shorter daylengths with lower irradiance.
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There is a scientific consensus that the future climate change will affect grass and crop dry matter (DM) yields. Such yield changes may entail alterations to farm management practices to fulfill the feed requirements and reduce the farm greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from dairy farms. While a large number of studies have focused on the impacts of projected climate change on a single farm output (e.g. GHG emissions or economic performance), several attempts have been made to combine bio-economic systems models with GHG accounting frameworks. In this study, we aimed to determine the physical impacts of future climate scenarios on grass and wheat DM yields, and demonstrate the effects such changes in future feed supply may have on farm GHG emissions and decision-making processes. For this purpose, we combined four models: BASGRA and CSM-CERESWheat models for simulating forage grass DM and wheat DM grain yields respectively; HolosNor for estimating the farm GHG emissions; and JORDMOD for calculating the impacts of changes in the climate and management on land use and farm economics. Four locations, with varying climate and soil conditions were included in the study: south-east Norway, south-west Norway, central Norway and northern Norway. Simulations were carried out for baseline (1961–1990) and future (2046–2065) climate conditions (projections based on two global climate models and the Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) A1B GHG emission scenario), and for production conditions with and without a milk quota. The GHG emissions intensities (kilogram carbon dioxide equivalent: kgCO2e emissions per kg fat and protein corrected milk: FPCM) varied between 0.8 kg and 1.23 kg CO2e (kg FPCM)−1 , with the lowest and highest emissions found in central Norway and south-east Norway, respectively. Emission intensities were generally lower under future compared to baseline conditions due mainly to higher future milk yields and to some extent to higher crop yields. The median seasonal aboveground timothy grass yield varied between 11,000 kg and 16,000 kg DM ha−1 and was higher in all projected future climate conditions than in the baseline. The spring wheat grain DM yields simulated for the same weather conditions within each climate projection varied between 2200 kg and 6800 kg DM ha−1 . Similarly, the farm profitability as expressed by total national land rents varied between 1900 million Norwegian krone (NOK) for median yields under baseline climate conditions up to 3900 million NOK for median yield under future projected climate conditions.
Forfattere
Monica Suarez Korsnes Reinert KorsnesSammendrag
The marine toxin yessotoxin (YTX) can cause various cytotoxic effects depending on cell type and cell line. It is well known to trigger distinct mechanisms for programmed cell death which may overlap or cross-talk. The present contribution provides the first evidence that YTX can cause genotoxicity and induce mitotic catastrophe which can lead to different types of cell death. This work also demonstrates potential information gain from non-intrusive computer-based tracking of many individual cells during long time. Treatment of BC3H1 cells at their exponential growth phase causes atypical nuclear alterations and formation of giant cells with multiple nuclei. These are the most prominent morphological features of mitotic catastrophe. Giant cells undergo slow cell death in a necrosis-like manner. However, apoptotic-like cell death is also observed in these cells. Electron microscopy of treated BC3H1 cells reveal uncondensed chromatin and cells with double nuclei. Activation of p-p53, p-H2AX, p-Chk1, p-ATM, and p-ATR and down-regulation of p-Chk2 indicate DNA damage response and cell cycle deregulation. Micronuclei formation further support this evidence. Data from tracking single cells reveal that YTX treatment suppresses a second round of cell division in BC3H1 cells. These findings suggest that YTX can induce genomic alterations or imperfections in chromosomal segregation leading to permanent mitotic failure. This understanding extends the list of effects from YTX and which are of interest to control cancer and tumor progression.
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The degree of gene flow within and among populations, i.e. genetic population connectivity, may closely track demographic population connectivity. Alternatively, the rate of gene flow may change relative to the rate of dispersal. In this study, we explored the relationship between genetic and demographic population connectivity using the Scandinavian brown bear as model species, due to its pronounced male dispersal and female philopatry. Thus, we expected that females would shape genetic structure locally, whereas males would act as genetic mediators among regions. To test this, we used eight validated microsatellite markers on 1531 individuals sampled noninvasively during country-wide genetic population monitoring in Sweden and Norway from 2006 to 2013. First, we determined sex-specific genetic structure and substructure across the study area. Second, we compared genetic differentiation, migration/gene flow patterns, and spatial autocorrelation results between the sexes both within and among genetic clusters and geographic regions. Our results indicated that demographic connectivity was not a reliable indicator of genetic connectivity. Among regions, we found no consistent difference in long-term gene flow and estimated current migration rates between males and females. Within regions/genetic clusters, only females consistently displayed significant positive spatial autocorrelation, indicating male-biased small-scale dispersal. In one cluster, however, males showed a dispersal pattern similar to females. The Scandinavian brown bear population has experienced substantial recovery over the last decades; however, our results did not show any changes in its large-scale population structure compared to previous studies, suggesting that an increase in population size and dispersal of individuals does not necessary lead to increased genetic connectivity. Thus, we conclude that both genetic and demographic connectivity should be estimated, so as not to make false assumptions about the reality of wildlife populations.
Forfattere
Nina Veflen Oddveig Storstad Bendik Meling Samuelsen Solveig Langsrud Therese Hagtvedt Øydis Ueland Fredrik Alexander Gregersen Joachim ScholdererSammendrag
The aim of this study is to investigate consumers’ reflections and reactions to a food scare news story. Previous studies indicate that risk communication not always is able to influence people’s behavior and that pre-existing attitudes may influence people’s reactions and reflections. In this study, we investigate how consumers critically reflect and emotionally react to a food scare, here defined as risk communication that spirals public anxiety over food safety incidents, and leads to an unwanted escalation in media attention. Fall 2014, a researcher from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health said in a newspaper interview that she never touched chicken with her bare hands. This interview was the beginning of a media storm, which resulted in a dramatic drop in sales of chicken. In this study, we explore a small group of consumers’ reflections and reactions to this news article. Data from five focus group interviews with Norwegian consumers of chicken were transcribed, content analyzed, and coded, before we conducted a multiple correspondence analysis and a hierarchical cluster analysis in JMP Pro 12. The findings indicate that consumers do reflect when confronted with a food scare story. Some question the research behind the news, others compare the food scare’s danger to other risks. Even though consumers do reflect around the facts in the food scare article, their emotions seem to affect their behavior more systematic than their reflections.
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Application of fish sludge as fertiliser to agricultural land can contribute to closing nutrient cycles in fish farming. The effect of different treatment technologies on the nitrogen fertilisation effects of fish sludge was studied by a bioassay with barley (Hordeum vulgare), an incubation and a field experiment. Dried fish sludge resulted in relative agronomic efficiency of 50–80% compared with mineral fertiliser. The anaerobic digestate based on fish sludge (20 vol%) and dairy manure did not increase nitrogen uptake in barley. Increasing the ratio of fish sludge in the digestate increased the fertilisation effect, but requires optimisation of the biogas process. A simple logistics analysis conducted for a case hatchery showed that on-site drying and co-digestion of fish sludge in a central biogas plant can be regarded as equal in terms of costs. Norway can become an exporter of fish sludge-based recycling fertilisers if current regulations are modified to facilitate nutrient recycling.
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Main conclusion: Epigenetic memory affects the timing of bud burst phenology and the expression of bud burstrelated genes in genetically identical Norway spruce epitypes in a manner usually associated with ecotypes. In Norway spruce, a temperature-dependent epigenetic memory established during embryogenesis affects the timing of bud burst and bud set in a reproducible and predictable manner. We hypothesize that the clinal variation in these phenological traits, which is associated with adaptation to growth under frost-free conditions, has an epigenetic component. In Norway spruce, dehydrins (DHNs) have been associated with extreme frost tolerance. DHN transcript levels decrease gradually prior to flushing, a time when trees are highly sensitive to frost. Furthermore, EARLY BUD BREAK 1 genes (EBB1) and the FT-TFL1- LIKE 2-gene (PaFTL2) were previously suggested to be implied in control of bud phenology. Here we report an analysis of transcript levels of 12 DHNs, 3 EBB1 genes and FTL2 in epitypes of the same genotype generated at different epitype-inducing temperatures, before and during spring bud burst. Earlier flushing of epitypes originating from embryos developed at 18 C as compared to 28 C, was associated with differential expression of these genes between epitypes and between buds and last year’s needles. The majority of these genes showed significantly different expressions between epitypes in at least one time point. The general trend in DHN expression pattern in buds showed the expected reduction in transcript levels when approaching flushing, whereas, surprisingly, transcript levels peaked later in needles, mainly at the moment of bud burst. Collectively, our results demonstrate that the epigenetic memory of temperature during embryogenesis affects bud burst phenology and expression of the bud burst-related DHN, EBB1 and FTL2 genes in genetically identical Norway spruce epitypes.
Forfattere
Kine Svensson Oda Kjørlaug Svein Jarle Horn Jane Wittrup_AggerSammendrag
Bio-Methane Potential (BMP) tests are used to evaluate the suitability of a biomass for anaerobic digestion. BMP data are usually presented as the amount of methane produced from a kilogram of volatile solids (VS) or chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the substrate. However, the most used methods for determination of VS and COD are not always accurate. Oven drying may underestimate VS content due to loss of volatile organic compounds, and incomplete chemical oxidation may lead to underestimation of COD content. Bomb calorimetry is an attractive alternative to COD measurements, because the physical state of the biomass sample does not influence the measurement, and because sample preparation is limited. In this study, 11 biomass samples, wet and dry, were analyzed with different methods for organic content determination. COD (determined by bomb calorimetry and by wet chemistry) and VS (by Karl Fischer titration and loss on drying; LOD) were compared, and used for determination of BMP. In general, the BMP estimated on a VS basis were higher than those estimated on COD basis. For certain biomass samples the method for VS determination also greatly influenced the results; for fishery waste the BMP was estimated as 928 L kg−1 based on LOD-VS compared to 394 L kg−1 based on KF-LOD. Thus, this study shows that determination of organic content is not trivial and the method of choice strongly influences the estimation of bio-methane potentials. Bomb calorimetry offers a possibility to measure energy content directly, independent of biomass composition and physical state.
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Jussi Vuorenmaa Algirdas Augustaitis Burkhard Beudert Nicholas Clarke Heleen de Wit Thomas Dirnböck Jane Frey Martin Forsius Iveta Indriksone Sirpa Kleemola Johannes Kobler Pavel Kram Antti-Jussi Lindroos Lars Lundin Tuija Ruoho-Airola Liisa Ukonmaanaho Milan VánaSammendrag
Empirical evidence based on integrated environmental monitoring including physical, chemical and biological variables is essential for evaluating the ecosystem benefits of costly emission reduction policies. The international multidisciplinary ICP IM (International Cooperative Programme on Integrated Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Ecosystems) programme studies the integrated effects of air pollution and climate change on ecosystems in unmanaged and calibrated forested catchments. We calculated site-specific annual input-output budgets for sulphate (SO4) and total inorganic nitrogen (TIN NO3- N + NH4-N) for 17 European ICP IM sites in 1990–2012. Temporal trends for input (deposition) and output (runoff water) fluxes and the net retention/net release of SO4 and TIN were also analysed. Large differences in the input and output fluxes of SO4 and TIN reflect important gradients of air pollution effects in Europe, with the highest deposition and runoff water fluxes at IM sites located in southern Scandinavia and in parts of Central and Eastern Europe and the lowest fluxes at more remote sites in northern European regions. A significant decrease in the total (wet + dry) deposition of non-marine SO4 and bulk deposition of TIN was found at 90% and 65% of the sites, respectively. Output fluxes of non-marine SO4 in runoff decreased significantly at 65% of the sites, indicating positive effects of the international emission abatement actions in Europe during the last 20 years. Catchments retained SO4 in the early and mid1990s, but this shifted towards a net release in the late 1990s, which may be due to the mobilization of legacy S pools accumulated during times of high atmospheric SO4 deposition. Despite decreased deposition, TIN output fluxes and retention rates showed a mixed response with both decreasing (9 sites) and increasing (8 sites) trend slopes, and trends were rarely significant. In general, TIN was strongly retained in the catchments not affected by natural disturbances. The long-term annual variation in net releases for SO4 was explained by variations in runoff and SO4 concentrations in deposition, while a variation in TIN concentrations in runoff was mostly associated with a variation of the TIN retention rate in catchments. The net release of SO4 from forest soils may delay the recovery from acidification for surface waters and the continued enrichment of nitrogen in catchment soils poses a threat to terrestrial biodiversity and may ultimately lead to a higher TIN runoff through N-saturation. Continued monitoring and further evaluations of mass balance budgets are thus needed.
Forfattere
Eduarda Molina-Alcaide Maria Dolores Carro Michael Roleda Martin Riis Weisbjerg Vibeke Lind Margarita Novoa-GarridoSammendrag
Seaweeds have potentials as alternative feed for ruminants, but there is a limited knowledge on their nutritive value. Seven seaweed species collected along the coast above the Arctic circle of Norway, both in spring and autumn, were assessed for nutrients and total polyphenols (TEP) content, gas production kinetics and in vitro rumen fermentation in batch cultures of ruminal microorganisms. The seaweeds were three red species (Mastocarpus stellatus, Palmaria palmata and Porphyra sp.), three brown species (Alaria esculenta, Laminaria digitata and Pelvetia canaliculata) and one green species (Acrosiphonia sp.). Additionally, the abundance and diversity of total bacteria, protozoa and archaea in the cultures with the three red seaweeds collected in spring were analyzed by quantitative PCR and PCR-DGGE, respectively. The crude protein (CP) content varied widely. Pelvetia had the greatest (P < 0.001) ether extract (EE) content. Non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) content varied from 135 to 541 g/kg DM with brown seaweeds having the greatest values. Ash and CP contents were higher in spring than in autumn (P = 0.020 and 0.003, respectively), whereas concentrations of EE and NSC were not affected by collecting season (P = 0.208–0.341). The TEP values ranged from 1.46 to 50.3 mg/g dry matter (DM), and differed (P < 0.001) among seaweed species and collecting season, being greater in autumn than in spring. The DM effective degradability (DMED), estimated from gas production parameters for a rumen passage rate of 3.0% per h, ranged from 424 to 652 g/kg, the highest values were recorded for Mastocarpus stellatus and Porphyra sp. The lowest DMED values were registered for Pelvetia canaliculata and Acrosiphonia sp. In 24-h incubations (500 mg DM), Palmaria palmata had the highest (P < 0.05) volatile fatty acids (VFA) and methane production (4.34 and 0.761 mmol, respectively) and the lowest (P < 0.05) final pH values and acetate to propionate ratios (6.57 and 2.34, respectively). There were no differences (P > 0.05) among the other seaweeds in VFA production, but Porphyra sp. had the second highest methane production (P < 0.05; 0.491 mmol) compared with the other seaweeds (0.361 mmol; averaged value). The methane/total VFA ratio was not affected (P > 0.05) by either seaweed species or the collection season. Higher final pH (P < 0.05) and lower (P < 0.05) methane and VFA production, ammonia-N concentrations and DMED values were promoted by the fermentation of seaweed collected in autumn compared with those from spring. Among the red seaweeds, there were no species-specific differences (P > 0.05) in the abundance or the diversity of total bacteria, protozoa and archaea. In the PCR-DGGE analysis, samples were separated by the incubation run for all microbial populations analyzed, but not by seaweed species. The results indicate that seaweed species differ markedly in their in vitro rumen degradation, and that samples collected in autumn had lower rumen degradability than those collected in spring.
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Specialized agricultural production between regions has led to large regional differences in soil phosphorus (P) over time. Redistribution of surplus manure P from high livestock density regions to regions with arable farming can improve agricultural P use efficiency. In this paper, the central research question was whether more efficient P use through manure P redistribution comes at a price of increased environmental impacts when compared to a reference system. Secondly, we wanted to explore the influence on impacts of regions with different characteristics. For this purpose, a life cycle assessment was performed and two regions in Norway were used as a case study. Several technology options for redistribution were examined in a set of scenarios, including solid–liquid separation, with and without anaerobic digestion of manure before separation. The most promising scenario in terms of environmental impacts was anaerobic digestion with subsequent decanter centrifuge separation of the digestate. This scenario showed that redistribution can be done with net environmental impacts being similar to or lower than the reference situation, including transport. The findings emphasize the need to use explicit regional characteristics of the donor and recipient regions to study the impacts of geographical redistribution of surplus P in organic fertilizer residues.
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Tick-borne fever (TBF) is stated as one of the main disease challenges in Norwegian sheep farming during the grazing season. TBF is caused by the bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum that is transmitted by the tick Ixodes ricinus. A sustainable strategy to control tick-infestation is to breed for genetically robust animals. In order to use selection to genetically improve traits we need reliable estimates of genetic parameters. The standard procedures for estimating variance components assume a Gaussian distribution of the data. However, tick-count data is a discrete variable and, thus, standard procedures using linear models may not be appropriate. Thus, the objectives of this study were twofold: 1) to compare four alternative non-linear models: Poisson, negative binomial, zero-inflated Poisson and zero-inflated negative binomial based on their goodness of fit for quantifying genetic variation, as well as heritability for tick-count and 2) to investigate potential response to selection against tick-count based on truncation selection given the estimated genetic parameters from the best fit model. Our results showed that zero-inflated Poisson was the most parsimonious model for the analysis of tick count data. The resulting estimates of variance components and high heritability (0.32) led us to conclude that genetic determinism is relevant on tick count. A reduction of the breeding values for tick-count by one sire-dam genetic standard deviation on the liability scale will reduce the number of tick counts below an average of 1. An appropriate breeding scheme could control tick-count and, as a consequence, probably reduce TBF in sheep.
Forfattere
Johannes M. Baveco Anne Kari Bergjord Olsen Jarle W. Bjerke Magda E. Chudzinska Loïc Pellissier Caroline E. Simonsen Jesper Madsen Ingunn Tombre Bart A. NoletSammendrag
Many goose species feed on agricultural land, and with growing goose numbers, conflicts with agriculture are increasing. One possible solution is to designate refuge areas where farmers are paid to leave geese undisturbed. Here, we present a generic modelling tool that can be used to designate the best locations for refuges and to gauge the area needed to accommodate the geese. With a species distribution model, locations are ranked according to goose suitability. The size of the area to be designated as refuge can be chosen by including more or less suitable locations. A resource depletion model is then used to estimate whether enough resources are available within the designated refuge to accommodate all geese, taking into account the dynamics of food resources, including depletion by geese. We illustrate this with the management scheme for pink-footed goose Anser brachyrhynchus implemented in Norway. Here, all geese can be accommodated, but damage levels appear to depend on weather, land use and refuge size.
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In the present study we applied X-band interferometric SAR (InSAR) data from the TanDEM-X mission, and investigated the relationship between InSAR height above ground and above-ground biomass (AGB) in a forest with very high biomass. We carried out this study in the East Usambara Mountains in Tanzania, with AGB ranging up to N1000 t/ha. Field inventory provided AGB data for 153 plots of 900 m2 in size. An airborne laser scanning (ALS) provided a DTM as well as AGB predictions for larger 8100 m2 cells over the entire study area. Three TanDEM-X acquisitions provided single-pass InSAR data, from which we generated a Digital Surface Models (DSM) and InSAR height by subtracting the ALS DTM. The results showed that proportionality may represent the relationship where AGB increased with 18.4 t/ha per m increase in InSAR height. The accuracy was low with RMSE = 203 t/ha (44%), which was partly attributable to small field plots and partly to a limited sensitivity of InSAR height to variations in basal area and stand density. An identical proportionality model, with less residual noise, was achieved by replacing the small field plots with the 8100 m2 cells having AGB predictions from ALS data.
Forfattere
Jianbao Li Xianjin Huang Hong Yang Xiaowei Chuai Changyan WuSammendrag
As China's industrialization and urbanization have grown rapidly in recent years, China's CO2 emissions rose from 3405.1799 Mt to 10,249.4630 Mt from 2000 to 2013, and it has reached the highest levels in the word since 2006. Chinese government has emphasized the importance of reducing carbon emissions and set the target of reducing carbon intensity to 60e65% of 2005 levels by 2030. Investigating the convergence of carbon intensity can identify the convergence rate, which is helpful in guiding allocations of carbon intensity reduction. The Yangtze River Delta is one of the key carbon emission regions in China, with higher urbanization levels and larger carbon emissions; thus, we employed prefecture-level panel data derived from grid data between 2000 and 2010 to examine whether the convergence of carbon intensity exists across prefecture-level cities in the Yangtze River Delta. Spatial panel data models were utilized to investigate b-convergence of carbon intensity. The results indicated that carbon intensity showed divergence during 2002e2004 and s-convergence over other periods (2000e2002 and 2004 e2010). Carbon intensity exhibited stochastic convergence, indicating that the shocks to carbon intensity relative to the average level of carbon intensity are only transitory. There was a spatial spillover effect and b-convergence of carbon intensity, suggesting that prefecture-level cities with higher carbon intensity would decrease rapidly in the Yangtze River Delta. Our results highlight the importance of considering the present state of carbon intensity, spatial factors, and socioeconomic factors such as industrial structure and economic levels during allocation planning for reducing carbon intensity.
Forfattere
Margarita Novoa-Garrido Celine Rebours Lise Aanensen Torfinn Torp Vibeke Lind Håvard SteinshamnSammendrag
The effects of a commercial seaweed (SW) product and extracts collected from wild SWs in the Northern Norway on cultivable commensal intestinal bacterial groups isolated from Norwegian White sheep ewes were studied in vivo and in vitro. Bacterial counts from faeces from the ewes fed with supplement which contained SW meal throughout the entire indoor winter period had significantly lower lactic acid bacteria (LAB) counts (P ≈ .05). The screening of extracts from red and brown SWs showed that a number of the organic extracts had an inhibitory effect on the growth of the two Enterococcus sp. isolates. The results indicate that Ascophyllum nodosum supplementation reduces LAB counts in the ewes and the lambs, and that extracts from this SW have an inhibitory effect on the growth of Enterococcus sp. isolates.
Forfattere
Mirzaman Zamanzadeh Live Heldal Hagen Kine Svensson Roar Linjordet Svein Jarle HornSammendrag
In this work, performance and microbial structure of a digestion (food waste-only) and a co-digestion process (mixture of cow manure and food waste) were studied at mesophilic (37°C) and thermophilic (55°C) temperatures. The highest methane yield (480mL/g VS) was observed in the mesophilic digester (MDi) fed with food waste alone. The mesophilic co-digestion of food waste and manure (McoDi) yielded 26% more methane than the sum of individual digestions of manure and food waste. The main volatile fatty acid (VFA) in the mesophilic systems was acetate, averaging 93 and 172mg/L for McoDi and MDi, respectively. Acetate (2150mg/L) and propionate (833mg/L) were the main VFAs in the thermophilic digester (TDi), while propionate (163mg/L) was the major VFA in the thermophilic co-digester (TcoDi). The dominant bacteria in MDi was Chlorofexi (54%), while Firmicutes was dominant in McoDi (60%). For the mesophilic reactors, the dominant archaea was Methanosaeta in MDi, while Methanobacterium and Methanosaeta had similar abundance in McoDi. In the thermophilic systems, the dominant bacteria were Thermotogae, Firmicutes and Synergistetes in both digesters, however, the relative abundance of these phyla were diferent. For archaea, the genus Methanothermobacter were entirely dominant in both TDi and TcoDi.
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Lucie Isabelle Debeffe Inger Maren Rivrud Øystein Brekkum Erling Meisingset Atle MysterudSammendrag
Partial migration is common in a large variety of taxa in seasonally variable environments. Understanding the mechanisms underlying migration is important, as migration affects individual fi tness. Migratory herbivores bene fi t from delayed forage maturation and hence higher food quality during migra- tion and at their summer range, termed the forage maturation hypothesis (FMH). The link between diet quality and rumination time allows migrants eating a higher quality diet to spend less time on rumination, and they can thus allocate more time to additional feeding. However, such an argument implicitly assumes that deer are energy maximizers, while studies have reported also time minimization strategies under risk of predation. Male and female distributions are limited by different factors linked to both body size differ- ences and reproductive strategies, but there is no study investigating differences in activity pattern accord- ing to the individual migratory patterns for male and female deer. We here unify the FMH with the hypotheses predicting sex-speci fi c time allocation strategies. To test predictions of sex-speci fi c activity of resident and migratory red deer ( Cervus elaphus ), we analyzed activity data of 286 individuals that were fi tted with GPS collars from a population in western Norway. While migrants were more active during the migration itself, we found no differences in activity pattern between migrant and resident deer during the main growth season, neither in terms of proportion of daily time active nor in terms of daily mean movement speed, thus rejecting that deer were energy maximizers. Overall, we found that females were more active during the main growth season even after controlling for body size differences. These patterns are consistent with patterns predicted from sexual segregation theory linked to the reproductive strategy hypothesis. Our study highlights how the understanding of migration can be advanced by considering it in the context of different reproductive strategies of males and females.
Forfattere
Peter Martin Sigridur Dalmannsdottir Jens Ivan í Gerdinum Hilde Halland Jonatan Hermannsson Vanessa Kavanagh Katrin MacKenzie Olafur Reykdal Joanne Russell Saemundur Sveinsson Mette Thomsen John WishartSammendrag
Although grass dominates most agricultural systems in the North Atlantic region (NAR), spring barley is the most important cereal and is used for animal feed and food and drink products. Recent changes in climate have resulted in warmer conditions across the NAR which have major implications for crop production. In this paper, we investigate the thermal requirement of spring barley in the region and use the results to examine the effects of recent trends in temperature and rainfall on barley cultivation, based on 11 regional meteorological sites. At these sites, between 1975 and 2015, we found significant warming trends for several months of the cropping season and significant trends for increases in the cropping season degree days (CSDD). In recent years, this has resulted in an increased proportion of years when the estimated minimum thermal requirement for barley has been met at sites above about 60°N. However, annual variations in CSDD are large and years still occur at these sites where this is insufficient. While warming could potentially allow an earlier start and later end to the cropping season, it is likely that high rainfall at maritime sites, and low rainfall at continental sites, will limit the ability of growers to benefit from this. Warming is considered to have been one of the main factors contributing to the large expansion of the area of barley cultivated in Iceland since the 1990s.
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Peeter Anijalg Simon Y. W. Ho John Davison Marju Keis Egle Tammeleht Katalina Bobowik Igor L. Tumanov Alexander P. Saveljev Elena A. Lyapunova Alexandr A. Vorobiev Nikolai I. Markov Alexey P. Kryukov Ilpo Kojola Jon Swenson Snorre Hagen Hans Geir Eiken Ladislav Paule Urmas SaarmaSammendrag
Aim Climatic changes during the Late Pleistocene had major impacts on populations of plant and animal species. Brown bears and other large mammals are likely to have experienced analogous ecological pressures and phylogeographical processes. Here, we address several unresolved issues regarding the Late Pleistocene demography of brown bears: (1) the putative locations of refugia; (2) the direction of migrations across Eurasia and into North America; and (3) parallels with the demographic histories of other wild mammals and modern humans. Location Eurasia and North America. Methods We sequenced 110 complete mitochondrial genomes from Eurasian brown bears and combined these with published sequences from 138 brown bears and 33 polar bears. We used a Bayesian approach to obtain a joint estimate of the phylogeny and evolutionary divergence times. The inferred mutation rate was compared with estimates obtained using two additional methods. Results Bayesian phylogenetic analysis identified seven clades of brown bears, with most individuals belonging to a very large Holarctic clade. Bears from the widespread clade 3a1, which has a distribution from Europe across Asia to Alaska, shared a common ancestor about 45,000 years ago. Main conclusions We suggest that the Altai-Sayan region and Beringia were important Late Pleistocene refuge areas for brown bears and propose large-scale migration scenarios for bears in Eurasia and to North America. We also argue that brown bears and modern humans experienced a demographic standstill in Beringia before colonizing North America.
Forfattere
Stefano Puliti Svein Solberg Erik Næsset Terje Gobakken Eliakimu Zahabu Ernest William Mauya Rogers Ernest MalimbwiSammendrag
The use of Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data has great potential for monitoring large scale forest above ground biomass (AGB) in the tropics due to the increased ability to retrieve 3D information even under cloud cover. To date; results in tropical forests have been inconsistent and further knowledge on the accuracy of models linking AGB and InSAR height data is crucial for the development of large scale forest monitoring programs. This study provides an example of the use of TanDEM-X WorldDEM data to model AGB in Tanzanian woodlands. The primary objective was to assess the accuracy of a model linking AGB with InSAR height from WorldDEM after the subtraction of ground heights. The secondary objective was to assess the possibility of obtaining InSAR height for field plots when the terrain heights were derived from global navigation satellite systems (GNSS); i.e., as an alternative to using airborne laser scanning (ALS). The results revealed that the AGB model using InSAR height had a predictive accuracy of RMSE = 24.1 t·ha−1 ; or 38.8% of the mean AGB when terrain heights were derived from ALS. The results were similar when using terrain heights from GNSS. The accuracy of the predicted AGB was improved when compared to a previous study using TanDEM-X for a sub-area of the area of interest and was of similar magnitude to what was achieved in the same sub-area using ALS data. Overall; this study sheds new light on the opportunities that arise from the use of InSAR data for large scale AGB modelling in tropical woodlands.
Forfattere
Lars G. F. Tellnes Christelle Ganne-Chedeville Ana Cláudia Dias Franz Dolezal Callum Aidan Stephen Hill Edwin Zea EscamillaSammendrag
The forest and building sector is of major importance in climate change mitigation and therefore construction materials based on forest products are of great interest. While energy efficiency has had a large focus in climate change mitigation in the building sector, the carbon footprint of the construction material is gaining relevance. The carbon footprint of construction materials can vary greatly from one type to another, the building sector is consequently demanding documentation of the carbon footprint of the materials used. Using an environmental product declaration (EPD) is an objective and standardised solution for communicating the environmental impacts of construction products and especially their carbon footprint. Nevertheless, it is challenging to include the features of forest products as pools of carbon dioxide. There is currently a focus on research into methods for the accounting of sequestered atmospheric carbon dioxide and also implementation of these methods into technical standards. This paper reviews the recent research and technical standards in this field to promote a common understanding and to propose requirements for additional information to be included in EPDs of forest-based products. The main findings show the need for reporting the contribution of biogenic carbon to the total on greenhouse gas emissions and removals over the product’s lifecycle. In order to facilitate the implementation of more advanced methods from research, the EPD should also include more detailed information of the wood used, in particular species and origin.
Forfattere
Subal Chandra Kumbhakar Gudbrand LienSammendrag
In this paper we estimate the short-run, long-run and overall efficiency of Norwegian electricity distribution companies for the period 2000–2013 controlling for both noise and company effects. Short-run inefficiency is the part of inefficiency that is allowed to adjust freely over time for each company, but long-run (persistent) inefficiency remains constant over time, although it is allowed to vary across companies. For robustness check we also consider two additional models in which either company effects are not controlled or these are treated as inefficiency. The production technology is represented by a translog input distance function in all three models. We find that technical change and returns to scale are quite robust across the models. However, the efficiency scores across the three models we consider are not correlated strongly. We conclude that the regulators and practitioners should take extra caution in using the proper model in practice, especially when the efficiency measures are used to reward/punish companies through incentives for better performance.
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1.A large population increase of the Svalbard-breeding pink-footed goose Anser brachyrhynchus over recent decades has intensified the conflict with agriculture at the spring-staging sites in Norway. Knowledge of the yield loss caused by goose grazing in these northern areas is lacking, and the motivation behind the study was to quantify a relationship between grazing pressure and yield loss of agricultural grasslands and corresponding changes in vegetation composition. 2.Field trials were established on agricultural grasslands at four sites in central Norway. Eight plots were established at each site; four with exclosures to exclude or reduce grazing from geese and four with access for the geese. The exact same plots were followed for 2–4 years. Dropping density, used as a measure of grazing pressure, and compressed sward height were recorded throughout the goose staging periods, and dry matter yield was determined at first and second harvests. Plant samples from first harvests were analysed for vegetation composition. 3.Grazing pressure varied between both years and sites. Exclosures reduced grazing pressure by 75–78% during high-pressure grazing periods and increased first harvest yields by up to 31%. At lower grazing pressure, exclosures prevented grazing completely. Grazing pressure was inversely correlated with dry matter yield at first harvest, but second harvest yields were unaffected. 4.The fraction of sown species declined while the fraction of weeds increased during the study both in open plots and exclosures, but level of grazing pressure did not have any significant influence on the overall fraction of sown species, or in any specific year. 5.Synthesis and applications. As the same plots were measured over several years, it was possible to quantify goose-grazing effects beyond one season. In the context of the wildlife-agriculture conflict, the results demonstrate that some farmers always suffer disproportionately with yearly variations. The relationship between grazing pressure and yield loss may provide knowledge to a regional goose grazing subsidy scheme in the study area, identifying the most affected areas and distributing the subsidies correspondingly. However, the seasonal variations in grazing pressure demonstrate the difficulty of targeting exact areas on a yearly basis. On the other hand, the observed variations may promote another management tool in the form of delayed ploughing of stubble fields before spring sowing, as stubble fields may attract more geese, reducing the grazing pressure on agricultural grasslands and hence the overall conflicts with agricultural interests.
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Introduction and purpose: The ability of apple rootstocks to become infected by Neonectria ditissima, the cause of European canker, was studied over two years. Materials and methods: Rootstocks B9 and M9 with a size suitable for grafting (6-10 mm stem diameter, termed rootstocks), and smaller sized rootstocks (<5 mm stem diameter, termed transplants) of B9, M9, M26, MM106 and Antonovka were inoculated with N. ditissima at different times, either with contaminated map pins or with spore suspensions. In addition, the rootstocks were either defeathered (side shoots removed), topped (top shoot headed) or both, to create wounds that would normally occur during propagation, while wounds on transplants were made by removing leaves. Results and discussion: One month after inoculation, slightly sunken canker lesions had developed around the inoculation points of the map pins or wounds. No lesions developed on the non-inoculated controls. Map pin inoculation resulted in 30% to 89% infection and spore suspension sprayed on wounds from 5% to 45% infection. When the cankered areas were split open, brown lesions with necrotic tissue due to infection by N. ditissima appeared. The transplants of M9, M26 and MM106 inoculated with contaminated map pins in 2014 developed necrosis on 40% to 67% of the plants, but there were no differences in the incidence or severity among the different types. On the transplants of B9, Antonovka and M9 inoculated in 2015, there was more necrosis on B9 (42%) than on Antonovka (11%) and more sporulating lesions on B9 (29%) than on M9 (9%) or on Antonovka (4%). Conclusion: It can be concluded that rootstocks used for apple trees may become infected by N. ditissima, and wounds should thus be protected during propagation.
Forfattere
Mette Thomsen Hugh Riley Grethe Iren Andersen Borge Per Lea Marit Rødbotten Gunnar BengtssonSammendrag
Swede is known as a healthy vegetable with a high content of vitamin C. However, very few studies have worked with the aim to evaluate how varieties, soil type and fertilizer interact and affect quality in swede. In the present study two varieties of swedes (‘Vige’ and ‘Vigod’) were grown on peat, loam and sand, with three levels of K (0, 120, 240 kg ha-1) and N fertilizer (0, 80, 160 kg ha-1). Low to moderate levels of N gave highest saleable yield, highest content of vitamin C and lowest content of nitrate. Peat soil gave highest saleable yield, lowest soluble solids and vitamin C and highest nitrate content. Soluble solids and vitamin C were negatively correlated with total root yield. Sandy soil gave lowest saleable yield, sweetest taste and lowest nitrate content. Contents of total, aliphatic, indole and individual glucosinolates, on dry matter basis, were highest on peat. N fertilization increased the content of most glucosinolates, whereas K affected glucobrassicin at the highest N level. Progoitrin was lowest in roots grown on sand, and was affected by N level and variety on sand and loam soils. Consumers preferred ‘Vigod’, which had the highest intensity of sweetness, although ‘Vige’ had more vitamin C and less nitrate.
Forfattere
Anne-Kari Holm Abdelhameed Elameen Benedikte Watne Oliver Lars Olav Brandsæter Inger Sundheim Fløistad May Bente BrurbergSammendrag
Knowledge about the reproduction strategies of invasive species is fundamental for effective control. The invasive Fallopia taxa (Japanese knotweed s.l.) reproduce mainly clonally in Europe, and preventing spread of vegetative fragments is the most important control measure. However, high levels of genetic variation within the hybrid F. × bohemica indicate that hybridization and seed dispersal could be important. In Norway in northern Europe, it is assumed that these taxa do not reproduce sexually due to low temperatures in the autumn when the plants are flowering. The main objective of this study was to examine the genetic variation of invasive Fallopia taxa in selected areas in Norway in order to evaluate whether the taxa may reproduce by seeds in their most northerly distribution range in Europe. Fallopia stands from different localities in Norway were analyzed with respect to prevalence of taxa, and genetic variation within and between taxa was studied using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). Taxonomic identification based on morphology corresponded with identification based on simple sequence repeats (SSR) and DNA ploidy levels (8× F. japonica, 6× F. × bohemica and 4× F. sachalinensis). No genetic variation within F. japonica was detected. All F. × bohemica samples belonged to a single AFLP genotype, but one sample had a different SSR genotype. Two SSR genotypes of F. sachalinensis were also detected. Extremely low genetic variation within the invasive Fallopia taxa indicates that these taxa do not reproduce sexually in the region, suggesting that control efforts can be focused on preventing clonal spread. Climate warming may increase sexual reproduction of invasive Fallopia taxa in northern regions. The hermaphrodite F. × bohemica is a potential pollen source for the male-sterile parental species. Targeted eradication of the hybrid can therefore reduce the risk of increased sexual reproduction under future warmer climate.
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Despite decades of intense research, it remains largely unsolved which nutritional factors underpin food selection by large herbivores in the wild. We measured nutritional composition of birch foliage (Betula pubescens) available to, and used by, moose (Alces alces) in natural settings in two neighboring regions with contrasting animal body mass. This readily available food source is a staple food item in the diet of moose in the high-fitness region, but apparently underutilized by moose in the low-fitness region. Available birch foliage in the two regions had similar concentrations of macronutrients (crude protein [CP], fiber fractions, and water-soluble carbohydrates [WSC]), although a notably lower variation of WSC in the low-fitness region. For minerals, there were several area differences: available birch foliage in the low-fitness region had less Mg (depending on year) and P, but more Ca, Zn, Cu, and Mn. It also had higher concentrations of some plant secondary metabolites: chlorogenic acids, quercetins, and especially MeOH-soluble condensed tannins. Despite the area differences in available foliage, we found the same nutritional composition of birch foliage used in the two regions. Compared to available birch foliage, moose consistently used birch foliage with more CP, more structural fiber (mainly hemicellulose), less WSC, higher concentrations of several minerals (Ca, Zn, K, Mn, Cu), and lower concentrations of some secondary metabolites (most importantly, MeOH-soluble condensed tannins). Our study conceptually supports the nutrient-balancing hypothesis for a large herbivore: within a given temporal frame, moose select for plant material that matches a specific nutritional composition. As our data illustrate, different moose populations may select for the same composition even when the nutritional composition available in a given food source varies between their living areas. Such fastidiousness limits the proportion of available food that is acceptable to the animal and has bearings on our understanding and application of the concept of carrying capacity.
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Herbage yield responses to K fertilizer application are variable in Norwegian grassland. Excessive K application may increase the risk of grass tetany (hypomagnesaemia) and milk fever (hypocalcaemia). We analysed a series of K fertilizer experiments on grassland with respect to their herbage yields and mineral composition. Our results show the importance of native soil K reserves when considering the need for K application. Soils with a high content of acid-soluble K showed no response to K fertilizer application. The critical K content in grass with respect to yield was estimated to be 17.7 g K/kg DM in the first cut and 20.3 kg K/DM in the second cut, while the critical K/N relationship was found to be 0.83 when a maximum yield reduction of 2.5% was used as a criterion. In these trials, soils with a high content of acid-soluble K had the greatest risk of grass tetany and the highest values of cation–anion balance. Application of potassium chloride had little effect on the cation–anion balance, and thereby the risk of milking fever, because there was a corresponding uptake of K and Cl ions.
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The use of digital aerial photogrammetry (DAP) for forest inventory purposes has been widely studied and can produce comparable accuracy compared with airborne laser scanning (ALS) in small, homogeneous areas. However, the accuracy of DAP for large scale applications with heterogeneous terrain and forest vegetation has not yet been reported. In this study we examined the accuracy of timber volume, biomass and basal area prediction models based on DAP and national forest inventory (NFI) data on a large area in central Norway. Two separate point clouds were derived from aerial image acquisitions of 2010 and 2013. Vegetation heights were extracted by subtracting terrain elevation derived from ALS. A large number of NFI sample plots (483) measured between 2010 and 2014 were used as reference data to fit linear models for timber volume, biomass and basal area with height metrics derived from the DAP data as explanatory variables. Variables describing the heterogeneous environmental and image acquisition conditions were calculated and their influence on the model accuracy was tested. The results showed that forest parameter prediction using DAP works well when applied to a large area. The model fits of the timber volume, biomass and basal area models were good with R2 of 0.80, 0.81, 0.81 and RMSEs of 41.43 m3 ha−1 (55% of the mean observed value), 32.49 t ha−1 (47%), 5.19 m2 ha−1 (41%), respectively. Only a small proportion of the variation could be attributed to the heterogeneous conditions. The inclusion of the relative sun inclination led to an improvement of the model RMSEs by 2% of the mean observed values. The relatively low cost and stability across large areas make DAP an attractive source of auxiliary information for large scale forest inventories.
Forfattere
Vladislav Chrastný Hana Šillerová Martina Vitková Anna Francová Jan Jehlička Jana Kocourková Paul Eric Aspholm Lars Ola Nilsson Tore Flatlandsmo Berglen Henning K.B. Jensen Michael KomárekSammendrag
After the phasing out of leaded gasoline, Pb emissions to the atmosphere dramatically decreased, and other sources became more significant. The contribution of unleaded gasoline has not been sufficiently recognized; therefore, we evaluated the impact of Pb from unleaded gasoline in a relatively pristine area in Subarctic NE Norway. The influence of different endmembers (Ni slag and concentrate from the Nikel smelter in Russia, PM10 filters, and traffic) on the overall Pb emissions was determined using various environmental samples (snow, lichens, and topsoils) and Pb isotope tracing. We found a strong relationship between Pb in snow and the Ni smelter. However, lichen samples and most of the topsoils were contaminated by Pb originating from the current use of unleaded gasoline originating from Russia. Historical leaded and recent unleaded gasoline are fully distinguishable using Pb isotopes, as unleaded gasoline is characterized by a low radiogenic composition (206Pb/207Pb = 1.098 and 208Pb/206Pb = 2.060) and remains an unneglectable source of Pb in the region.
Forfattere
Nils-Otto KitterødSammendrag
Unconsolidated sediment cover thickness (D) above bedrock was estimated by using a publicly available well database from Norway, GRANADA. General challenges associated with such databases typically involve clustering and bias. However, if information about the horizontal distance to the nearest bedrock outcrop (L) is included, does the spatial estimation of D improve? This idea was tested by comparing two cross-validation results: ordinary kriging (OK) where L was disregarded; and co-kriging (CK) where cross-covariance between D and L was included. The analysis showed only minor differences between OK and CK with respect to differences between estimation and true values. However, the CK results gave in general less estimation variance compared to the OK results. All observations were declustered and transformed to standard normal probability density functions before estimation and back-transformed for the cross-validation analysis. The semivariogram analysis gave correlation lengths for D and L of approx. 10 and 6 km. These correlations reduce the estimation variance in the cross-validation analysis because more than 50 % of the data material had two or more observations within a radius of 5 km. The small-scale variance of D, however, was about 50 % of the total variance, which gave an accuracy of less than 60 % for most of the cross-validation cases. Despite the noisy character of the observations, the analysis demonstrated that L can be used as secondary information to reduce the estimation variance of D.
Forfattere
Victor Strimbu Liviu Theodor Ene Terje Gobakken Timothy G. Gregoire Rasmus Astrup Erik NæssetSammendrag
Post-stratified model-assisted (MA) and hybrid (HY) estimators are used with repeated airborne laser scanning (ALS) strip sampling and national forest inventory field data for stratum-wise and overall estimation of aboveground biomass (AGB) stock and change. The study area covered the southern portion of the Hedmark County in Norway. Both MA and HY estimation substantially reduced the uncertainty in AGB change when compared with estimation using the field survey only. Relative efficiencies (relative variance) of 4.15 (MA) and 3.36 (HY) for overall estimates were found. The results suggest the MA estimator for single-time estimation and the HY as more appropriate for change estimation by cover class. With the HY estimator, a nested post-stratification scheme is demonstrated, combining cover classes with change classes, which enables detailed reporting for change according to cause within each cover class, and has the potential to improve the estimation precision. Finally, parametric bootstrapping is demonstrated as an empirical alternative to estimate the model-error component in the HY estimator. The model error estimated with parametric bootstrapping converged to the analytically determined value of the HY estimator within 1000 bootstrap samples.
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Nighttime ultraviolet (UV) radiation, if applied properly, has a significant potential for management of powdery mildews in many crop species. In this study, the role of growth light duration, irradiance, a combination of both (daily light integral) and light spectral quality (blue or red) on the efficacy of UV treatments against powdery mildew caused by Podosphaera xanthii and the growth performance of cucumber plants was studied in growth chambers. Increasing daily light integral provided by high-pressure sodium lamps (HPS) decreased efficacy of nighttime UV treatments against P. xanthii, but it increased plant growth. Furthermore, the efficacy of nighttime UV decreased when day length was increased from 16 to 20 h at a constant daily light integral. The efficacy of nighttime UV increased if red light was applied after UV treatment, showing the possibility of day length extension without reducing the effect of UV. Increasing the dose of blue light during daytime reduced the efficacy of nighttime UV in controlling the disease, whereas blue deficient growth light (< 6% of blue) caused UV mediated curling of young leaves. Furthermore, application of blue light after nighttime UV reduced its disease control efficacy. This showed the importance of maintaining a minimum of blue light in the growth light before nighttime UV treatment. Findings from this study showed that optimization of nighttime UV for management of powdery mildew is dependent on the spectral composition of the photosynthetically active radiation.
Forfattere
Nina Sylvia Liland Irene Biancarosa Pedro Araujo Daan Biemans Christian Guido Bruckner Rune Waagbø Bente Elisabeth Torstensen Erik-Jan LockSammendrag
Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae are a promising source of protein and lipid for animal feeds. The nutritional composition of the BSF larvae depend partly on the composition of the feeding medium. The BSF lipid profile in part mimics the feeding media lipid profile, and micronutrients, like minerals and vitamins, can readily accumulate in black soldier fly larvae. However, investigative studies on bioconversion and accumulation of nutrients from media to black soldier fly larvae are scarce. Here we show that inclusion of the brown algae Ascophyllum nodosum in the substrate for black soldier fly larvae can introduce valuable nutrients, commonly associated with the marine environment, into the larvae. The omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3), iodine and vitamin E concentrations increased in the larvae when more seaweed was included in the diet. When the feeding media consisted of more than 50% seaweed, the larvae experienced poorer growth, lower nutrient retention and lower lipid levels, compared to a pure plant based feeding medium. Our results confirm the plasticity of the nutritional make-up of black soldier fly larvae, allowing it to accumulate both lipid- and water-soluble compounds. A broader understanding of the effect of the composition of the feeding media on the larvae composition can help to tailor black soldier fly larvae into a nutrient profile more suited for specific feed or food purposes.
Forfattere
Stef Bokhorst Laura Jaakola Katja Karppinen Guro Kristine Edvinsen Hanne Mæhre Jarle W. BjerkeSammendrag
Main conclusion Evergreen plants are more vulnerable than grasses and birch to snow and temperature variability in the sub-Arctic. Most Arctic climate impact studies focus on single factors, such as summer warming, while ecosystems are exposed to changes in all seasons. Through a combination of field and laboratory manipulations, we compared physiological and growth responses of dominant sub-Arctic plant types to midwinter warming events (6 °C for 7 days) in combination with freezing, simulated snow thaw and nitrogen additions. We aimed to identify if different plant types showed consistent physiological, cellular, growth and mortality responses to these abiotic stressors. Evergreen dwarf shrubs and tree seedlings showed higher mortality (40–100%) following extreme winter warming events than Betula pubescens tree seedlings and grasses (0–27%). All species had growth reductions following exposure to − 20 °C, but not all species suffered from − 10 °C irrespective of other treatments. Winter warming followed by − 20 °C resulted in the greatest mortality and was strongest among evergreen plants. Snow removal reduced the biomass for most species and this was exacerbated by subsequent freezing. Nitrogen increased the growth of B. pubescens and grasses, but not the evergreens, and interaction effects with the warming, freezing and snow treatments were minor and few. Physiological activity during the winter warming and freezing treatments was inconsistent with growth and mortality rates across the plants types. However, changes in the membrane fatty acids were associated with reduced mortality of grasses. Sub-Arctic plant communities may become dominated by grasses and deciduous plants if winter snowpack diminishes and plants are exposed to greater temperature variability in the near future. C-repeat binding factor · Fatty acids · Frost · Grass · Multiple stresses · Shrub · Snow
Forfattere
Ola Stedje Hanserud Francesco Cherubini Anne Falk Øgaard Daniel Beat Mueller Helge BrattebøSammendrag
Increased nutrient cycling in the agri-food system is a way to achieve a healthier nutrient stewardship and more sustainable food production. In life cycle assessment (LCA) studies, use of recycled fertilizer products is often credited by the substitution method, which subtracts the environmental burdens associated with avoided production of mineral fertilizer from the system under study. The environmental benefits from avoided fertilizer production can make an important contribution to the results, but different calculation principles and often implicit assumptions are used to estimate the amount of avoided mineral fertilizer. This may hinder comparisons between studies. The present study therefore examines how the choice of substitution principles influences LCA results. Three different substitution principles, called one-to-one, maintenance, and adjusted maintenance, are identified, and we test the importance of these in a case study on cattle slurry management. We show that the inventory of avoided mineral fertilizer varies greatly when the different principles are applied, with strong influences on two-thirds of LCA impact categories. With the one-to-one principle, there is a risk of systematically over-estimating the environmental benefits from nutrient cycling. In a sensitivity analysis we show that the difference between the principles is closely related to the application rate and levels of residual nutrients in the soil. We recommend that LCA practitioners first and foremost state and justify the substitution method they use, in order to increase transparency and comparability with other studies. © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Forfattere
Erling Meisingset Leif Egil Loe Øystein Brekkum Richard Bischof Inger Maren Rivrud Unni Støbet Lande Barbara Zimmermann Vebjørn Veiberg Atle MysterudSammendrag
1. Population-level management is difficult to achieve if wildlife routinely crosses administrative boundaries, as is particularly frequent for migratory populations. However, the degree of mismatch between management units and scales at which ecological processes operate has rarely been quantified. Such insight is vital for delimiting functional population units of partially migratory species common in northern forest ecosystems. 2. We combined an extensive dataset of 412 GPS-marked red deer (Cervus elaphus) across Norway with information on the size and borders of two administrative levels, the governmental level (municipality) and landowner level (local management units, LMUs), to determine the timing and scale of mismatch between animal space use and management units. We analysed how landscape characteristics affected the use of management units and the timing and likelihood of crossing borders between them, in an effort to delineate more appropriate units in various landscapes. 3. Median municipality size could potentially cover 70% of female and 62% of male annual ranges, while only 12% and 4% of LMUs were expansive enough to accommodate migratory routes in females and males, respectively. Red deer migrate along elevational gradients and are more likely to find both suitable lowland winter habitat and higher summer habitat within management units with variable topography. Consistent with this, the likelihood of border crossing decreased with increasing diversity of elevations. 4. Synthesis and applications. We demonstrate a considerable mismatch between animal space use and management units. Far-ranging movements and frequent administrative border crossings during autumn migration coincides with the period of active management (hunting season). Our study also highlights that, due to extensive movements of males, coordination of management aims may provide a more realistic avenue than increasing sizes of local management units. A more general insight is that the degree of mismatch between range use and management units depends on the season and landscape type. This needs to be accounted for when delimitating functional population units of migratory populations.
Forfattere
Eveliina Kallioniemi Jens Åström Graciela Rusch Sondre Dahle Sandra Charlotte Helene Åström Jan Ove GjershaugSammendrag
There is consensus that land-use change is a main driver behind the recent declines of many pollinator populations in Europe. However, it is still not adequately understood how the local resource quality and landscape composition influence pollinators, and if and how the effects vary in space and time. We analysed the influence of landscape- (2 km radius) and local scale- (50 m transects) resources on bumblebee species richness and abundance during two years in South-eastern Norway, where agriculture is highly modernised but landscapes still show limited spatial homogenization. Local flower density and species richness were strongly positively associated with bumblebee densities and species richness, but higher landscape-level flower species richness were linked to lower local bumblebee abundances. Early and late mass flowering crops had clear, but contrasting, effects. The total area of early flowering crops had a consistent negative impact on bumblebee density and species richness throughout the season, while late flowering crops had a positive impact in the beginning of the season before their bloom, suggesting a carry-over effect from previous years. The negative effects of early flowering crops could be due to competition of bumblebees with honey-bees, which are widely used in these crops. Bumblebee density and species richness were clearly negatively correlated with the total area of forest and flower-poor land use areas, including grass fields and cereals. In contrast, bumblebees were positively associated with most linear elements in the landscape (especially pasture and cropland verges), except for roads, which negatively affected bumblebee densities, possibly due to increased mortality, since the quality of the flower resources did not differ from other linear elements. Our results show that the quality and the spatial and temporal distribution of flower resources within the landscape are important drivers for bumblebees, but can create counterintuitive distribution patterns depending on the temporal and spatial resolution of the survey. Increasing flower resources in linear elements and the amount of late mass-flowering crops may be viable management measures to improve conditions for bumblebees in moderately intensified landscapes. Bombus Pollinators Linear features Mass-flowering crops Landscape ecology Agricultural landscapes Ecosystem services
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The composition of plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) extensively impacts ecosystem functioning. It is vital that we understand temporal patterns in the plants’ allocation of resources to PSMs, particularly those influenced by human activity. Existing data are insufficient in the long-term perspective of perennial plants (age or ontogeny). We analysed phenolic concentrations in foliage from birch (Betula pubescens Ehr.) considered to be undamaged and growing on 5, 10 and 15 years old clear-cuts in two boreal forest landscapes in Norway, sampled at the peak of the growing season. In sum, low molecular weight phenolic concentrations decreased with age. Apart from one apigenin glycoside, the low molecular weight phenolics co-varied similarly at all ages, suggesting a lack of temporal compound-specific prioritisation of this group. In contrast, the concentration of MeOH-soluble condensed tannins increased with age. The compositional shift fits well with several hypotheses that may provide proximate explanations for age patterns in PSM allocations, including both resource constraints and external pressures. Regardless of these explanations, our study adds an important perennial perspective (plant age) to temporal PSM patterns already well-known in boreal plant phenology (foliage age).
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Aims: Evaluate biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) and its contribution to total N yield in different grass-clover mixtures under a boreal coastal climate and assess how winter conditions affect the survival of clover and its capability to fix nitrogen (N). Methods: Grass-clover mixtures sown with 0, 15 and 30% red and white clover were subjected to two N rates and three levels of tractor trafficking over four years. BNF was estimated by N-difference for each of the two harvests per year, whereas the first harvest was used to estimate the fraction of N derived from the atmosphere (NdfA) and its transfer to grasses by 15N natural abundance. Results: Biological N fixation, mainly by red clover, contributed substantially to total N yield, which was up to 75% greater in grass-clover mixtures than in pure grass stands in the second production year. However, the number of red clover plants and associated BNF decreased dramatically in the third and fourth production year, with N fertilization rate having a more detrimental effect than soil trafficking. Conversely, the amount of biologically fixed N transferred to grass, increased with time, evidencing that some of the biologically fixed N is retained in the system. In the first harvests, NdfA values were generally between 80 and 100%, irrespective of preceding winter conditions. Conclusions: BNF in high latitude grass-clover mixtures can be substantial but is limited by the poor survival of red clover. Variable winter conditions had no measurable effect on winter survival nor on the sward’s capacity to fix nitrogen in spring.
Forfattere
Tor J. Johansen Jørgen A.B. Mølmann Gunnar Bengtsson Monica Schreiner Pablo Velasco Anne Linn Hykkerud Elena Cartea Per Lea Josefine Skaret Randi SeljåsenSammendrag
BACKGROUND Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) is a popular vegetable grown at a wide range of latitudes. Plants were grown in 2009–2011 in pots with standardized soil, irrigation and nutrient supply under natural temperature and light conditions at four locations (42–70° N). A descriptive sensory analysis of broccoli florets was performed by a trained panel to examine any differences along the latitudinal gradient for 30 attributes within appearance, odour, taste/flavour and texture. RESULTS Average results over three summer seasons in Germany, southern Norway and northern Norway showed that the northernmost location with low temperatures and long days had highest scores for bud coarseness and uniform colour, while broccoli from the German location, with high temperatures and shorter days, had highest intensity of colour hue, whiteness, bitter taste, cabbage flavour, stale flavour and watery flavour. Results from two autumn seasons at the fourth location (42° N, Spain), with low temperatures and short days, tended toward results from the two northernmost locations, with an exception for most texture attributes. CONCLUSION Results clearly demonstrate that temperature and light conditions related to latitude and season affect the sensory quality of broccoli florets. Results may be used in marketing special quality regional or seasonal products. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Forfattere
Ólöf Dóra Bartels Jónsdóttir Julia Schregel Snorre Hagen Camilla Tobiassen Siv Aarnes Albert ImslandSammendrag
The potential for genetic contamination of stocks arising from translocation and subsequent release or escape of translocated and/or genetically mixed stocks may be a significant risk to wild populations. In this context, we undertook a population genetic survey of stocks of lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) along the Norwegian coast to establish the existing genetic population structure, which will aid the development of policy of the species’ use as cleaner fish in salmonid aquaculture. This was done by using 14 microsatellite loci and 287 specimens collected at five fishing grounds, covering most of the Norwegian coastline from south to north, with additional 18 samples of first-generation reared fish from a fish farm outside Tromsø (North Norway). Overall, there was no indication of significant spatial genetic structuring or of positive correlation between geographic and genetic distance among the wild lumpfish samples. These results suggest that, should translocated individuals escape from aquaculture in Norway, this will probably have little to no impact on the genetic composition of the local fish population.
Forfattere
Marek Marian Pierzchala Knut Kvaal Karl Stampfer Bruce TalbotSammendrag
Cable yarding is a semi-mechanized timber harvesting system that relies on human machine interaction where a considerable share of the work is done by forest workers. The system is used in mountain forests around the world. Automation of one or more functions could contribute to increased productivity, reduced physical workloads and improved safety conditions. This paper presents a method for sensor data fusion in order to automatically distinguish work phases using Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA). The Robot Operation System (ROS) is implemented to allow for real-time data processing with a maximum latency of 0.16 s. Global Positioning System (GPS), Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and camera integration provided a robust solution for 78% correct process segmentation. These results provide a basis for further development from which there is a possibility of expanding this approach for semi-automation, remote control, and autonomous operation.
Forfattere
Xiaobo Zhu Mingguo Ma Hong Yang Wei GeSammendrag
Nighttime light data derived from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program’s Operational Linescan System (DMSP-OLS) in conjunction with the Soumi National Polar-Orbiting Partnership Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (NPP-VIIRS) possess great potential for measuring the dynamics of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at large scales. The temporal coverage of the DMSP-OLS data spans between 1992 and 2013, while the NPP-VIIRS data are available from 2012. Integrating the two datasets to produce a time series of continuous and consistently monitored data since the 1990s is of great significance for the understanding of the dynamics of long-term economic development. In addition, since economic developmental patterns vary with physical environment and geographical location, the quantitative relationship between nighttime lights and GDP should be designed for individual regions. Through a case study in China, this study made an attempt to integrate the DMSP-OLS and NPP-VIIRS datasets, as well as to identify an optimal model for long-term spatiotemporal GDP dynamics in different regions of China. Based on constructed regression relationships between total nighttime lights (TNL) data from the DMSP-OLS and NPP-VIIRS data in provincial units (R 2 = 0.9648, P < 0.001), the temporal coverage of nighttime light data was extended from 1992 to the present day. Furthermore, three models (the linear model, quadratic polynomial model and power function model) were applied to model the spatiotemporal dynamics of GDP in China from 1992 to 2015 at both the country level and provincial level using the extended temporal coverage data. Our results show that the linear model is optimal at the country level with a mean absolute relative error (MARE) of 11.96%. The power function model is optimal in 22 of the 31 provinces and the quadratic polynomial model is optimal in 7 provinces, whereas the linear model is optimal only in two provinces. Thus, our approach demonstrates the potential to accurately and timely model long-term spatiotemporal GDP dynamics using an integration of DMSP-OLS and NPP-VIIRS data.
Forfattere
Hana Šillerová Vladislav Chrastný Martina Vitková Anna Francová Jan Jehlička Marissa R. Gutsch Jana Kocourková Paul Eric Aspholm Lars Ola Nilsson Tore Flatlandsmo Berglen Henning K.B. Jensen Michael KomárekSammendrag
Det er ikke registrert sammendrag
Forfattere
Anne Kjersti Bakken Kristin Daugstad Astrid Johansen Anne-Grete Roer Hjelkrem Gustav Fystro Anders Hammer Strømman Audun KorsæthSammendrag
The aim of the study was to explore whether and how intensification would contribute to more environmentally friendly dairy production in Norway. Three typical farms were envisaged, representing intensive production strategies with regard to milk yield both per cow and per hectare in the three most important regions for dairy production in Norway. The scores on six impact categories for produced milk and meat were compared with corresponding scores obtained with a medium production intensity at a base case farm. Further, six scenario farms were derived from the base case. They were either intensified or made more extensive with regard to management practices that were likely to be varied and implemented under northern temperate conditions. The practices covered the proportion and composition of concentrates in animal diets and the production and feeding of forages with different energy concentration. Processes from cradle to farm gate were incorporated in the assessments, including on-farm activities, capital goods, machinery and production inputs. Compared to milk produced in a base case with an annual yield of 7250 kg energy corrected milk (ECM) per cow, milk from farms with yields of 9000 kg ECM or higher, scored better in terms of global warming potential (GWP). The milk from intensive farms scored more favourably also for terrestrial acidification (TA), fossil depletion (FD) and freshwater eutrophication (FE). However, this was not in all cases directly related to animal yield, but rather to lower burden from forage production. Production of high yields of energy-rich forage contributed substantially to the better scores on farms with higher-yielding animals. The ranking of farms according to score on agricultural land occupation (ALO) depended upon assumptions set for land use in the production of concentrate ingredients. When the Ecoinvent procedure of weighting according to the length of the cropping period was applied, milk and meat produced on diets with a high proportion of concentrates, scored better than milk and meat based on a diet dominated by forages. With regards to terrestrial ecotoxicity (TE), the score was mainly a function of the amount of concentrates fed per functional unit produced, and not of animal yield per se. Overall, the results indicated that an intensification of dairy production by means of higher yields per animal would contribute to more environment-friendly production. For GWP this was also the case when higher yields per head also resulted in higher milk yields and higher N inputs per area of land.
Forfattere
Callum Aidan Stephen Hill Greeley BeckSammendrag
This paper discusses the applicability of the Flory–Huggins and Vrentas sorption models for studying the sorption behaviour of wood. This theory was originally developed to explain the sorption behaviour of glassy polymers and was further extended to account for hysteresis effects. The model also has the advantage that, in principle, it does not require adjustable parameters for fitting and can be calculated independently of the sorption isotherm data. It was tested against some sorption isotherms and satisfactory fits to the data were obtained for both the absorption and desorption data. The values of the parameters required for satisfactory fitting were realistic, except for the magnitude of the glass transition temperature of water. As far as the authors are aware, this is the first reported study of the use of the Vrentas model to explain sorption and hysteresis in wood.
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Important factors for development of quality defects are the physical, physiological and chemical state of the tubers, which is also described as the maturity status of the crop. The use of maturity indicators as predictors of quality in potato tubers during and after storage was explored in cvs. Asterix and Saturna with three different maturity levels during three years (2010, 2012 and 2013). The maturity indicators measured 1–3 weeks before harvest and at harvest included haulm senescence (haulm maturity), skin set (physical maturity), dry matter content (physiological maturity) and contents of sucrose, glucose and fructose (chemical maturity). Potato quality parameters were measured three times during storage (December, February and April) and included dry matter content, sucrose, glucose and fructose contents, weight loss and fry colour. Cultivar and maturity level were included as categorical predictors in a linear regression model and contributed significantly (P < 0.001) to the models predicting reducing sugars during storage. Dry matter, sucrose, glucose and fructose were included as continuous predictors in the linear regression models and contributed significantly (P < 0.01) to the sucrose, glucose and fructose models and these models explained a high proportion of the variation (R2 ≥ 0.88). Skin set contributed significantly to the weight loss models (P < 0.01) but the models showed low R2 -values (R2 < 0.48). Sucrose contents contributed significantly (P = 0.05) to the fry colour model for Asterix and the fry colour models for both Asterix and Saturna had R2 -values of 0.50 and 0.51 respectively. This study provides new information about the influence of maturity on potato quality during storage and the potential of using field measurements of maturity as predictors of storage potential for processing potato cultivars Asterix and Saturna in Norway.
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Reduced N-surpluses in dairy farming is a strategy to reduce the environmental pollution from this production. This study was designed to analyse the important variables influencing nitrogen (N) surplus per hectare and per unit of N in produce for dairy farms and dairy systems across 10 certified organic and 10 conventional commercial dairy farms in Møre og Romsdal County, Norway, between 2010 and 2012. The N-surplus per hectare was calculated as N-input (net N-purchase and inputs from biological N-fixation, atmospheric deposition and free rangeland) minus N in produce (sold milk and meat gain), and the N-surplus per unit of N-produce as net Ninput divided by N in produce. On average, the organic farms produced milk and meat with lower N-surplus per hectare (88 ± 25 kg N·ha−1) than did conventional farms (220 ± 56 kg N·ha−1). Also, the N-surplus per unit of N-produce was on average lower on organic than on conventional farms, 4.2 ± 1.2 kg N·kg N−1 and 6.3 ± 0.9 kg N·kg N−1, respectively. All farms included both fully-cultivated land and native grassland. Nsurplus was found to be higher on the fully cultivated land than on native grassland. N-fertilizers (43%) and concentrates (30%) accounted for most of the N input on conventional farms. On organic farms, biological Nfixation and concentrates contributed to 32% and 36% of the N-input (43 ± 18 N·kg N−1 and 48 ± 11 N·kg N−1), respectively. An increase in N-input per hectare increased the amount of N-produce in milk and meat per hectare, but, on average for all farms, only 11% of the N-input was utilised as N-output; however, the N-surplus per unit of N in produce (delivered milk and meat gain) was not correlated to total N-input. This surplus was calculated for the dairy system, which also included the N-surplus on the off-farm area. Only 16% and 18% of this surplus on conventional and organic farms, respectively, was attributed to surplus derived from off-farm production of purchased feed and animals. Since the dairy farm area of conventional and organic farms comprised 52% and 60% of the dairy system area, respectively, it is crucial to relate production not only to dairy farm area but also to the dairy system area. On conventional dairy farms, the N-surplus per unit of N in produce decreased with increasing milk yield per cow. Organic farms tended to have lower N-surpluses than conventional farms with no correlation between the milk yield and the N-surplus. For both dairy farm and dairy system area, N-surpluses increased with increasing use of fertilizer N per hectare, biological N-fixation, imported concentrates and roughages and decreased with higher production per area. This highlights the importance of good agronomy that well utilize available nitrogen.
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Production of inoculum of Colletotrichum acutatum from both previously infected and overwintered tissue, as well as newly developed plant tissue of sour cherry (Prunus cerasus), was studied in southern Norway. Plant parts were sampled from commercial, private, or research orchards, and incubated for 2 to 14 days (time depended on tissue type) in saturated air at 20°C. In early spring, abundant sporulation was found on scales of overwintered buds and shoots. A mean of 35% infected buds in four cultivars was observed, with a maximum of 72% of the buds infected in one of the samples. Over 3 years, the seasonal production of overwintered fruit and peduncles of cv. Fanal infected the previous year was investigated. In all three years, the infected plant material was placed in the trees throughout the winter and the following growing season; in two of the years, fruit and peduncles were also placed on the ground in the autumn or the following spring. Old fruit and peduncles formed conidia throughout the season, with a peak in May and June. Spore numbers declined over the season, but the decline was more rapid for plant material on the ground than in the trees. On average over 2 years, 68.7, 24.0, or 7.3% of the inoculum came from fruit placed in the trees, placed on the ground in spring, or placed on the ground the preceding autumn, respectively. The number of fruit and peduncles attached to the trees in a planting of cv. Hardangerkirsebær was followed from February to July one year, and although there was a decline over time, fruit and/or their peduncles were still attached in substantial numbers in July, thus illustrating their potential as sources of inoculum. In observations over 2 years in a heavily infected orchard of cv. Stevnsbær, 75 and 47% of flowers and newly emerged fruit, respectively, were infected. Artificially inoculated flowers and fruit produced conidia until harvest, with a peak in mid-July. It may be concluded that previously infected and overwintered, as well as newly emerged tissue of sour cherry, may serve as sources of inoculum of C. acutatum throughout the growing season.
Forfattere
Saila Varis Susanna Ahola Laura Jaakola Tuija AronenSammendrag
Det er ikke registrert sammendrag
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The extractive content of inner and outer heartwood of nine Scots pine trees from three different stands in Norway was determined by automated solvent extraction and biological screening tests were performed using basidiomycetes. The evaluation of mass spectra by means of a NIST library search shows that in the petroleum ether extracts α-pinene and carene as well as terpinene and cadinene derivatives are the main extractives found in both inner and outer heartwood. In the inner heartwood, however, these substance groups were found in lower quantities. These substances mainly have a hydrophobic effect. The screening tests indicate that also extractive-rich heartwood is extremely degraded by Poria placenta which corresponds to the analytical results of the petroleum ether extracts.
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Det er ikke registrert sammendrag
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BACKGROUND Vegetable growers in Arctic areas must increasingly rely on market strategies based on regional origin and product quality. Swede roots (rutabaga) were grown in a phytotron to investigate the effect of high latitude light conditions on sensory quality and some health and sensory-related compounds. Experimental treatments included modifications of 24 h natural day length (69° 39' N) by moving plants at daily intervals to dark chambers with either no light, fluorescent growth light and/or low intensity photoperiod extension. RESULTS Shortening the photosynthetic light period to 12 h produced smaller roots than 15.7 h and 18 h, with highest scores for bitter and sulfur taste, and lowest scores for sweetness, acidic taste and fibrousness. The photoperiod in combination with the photosynthetic light period also had an influence on glucosinolate (GLS) contents, with lowest concentrations in 24 h natural light and highest in 12 h natural light. Concentrations of vitamin C, glucose, fructose and sucrose were not significantly influenced by any of the treatments. CONCLUSION High latitude light conditions, with long photosynthetic light periods and 24 h photoperiod, can enhance sweet/less bitter taste and reduce GLS contents in swede roots, compared to growth under short day conditions. This influence of light conditions on eating quality may benefit marketing of regional products from high latitudes. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
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The world’s need for industrial wood is expected to greatly increase in coming decades. Somatic embryogenesis (SE) is a way in which an almost unlimited number of genetically identical plants (clones) can be produced from a single mother plant/seed, and it offers an effective way to convey the genetic gain obtained in breeding to the planting stock. As cultures or methods of SE, for example in Norway spruce (Picea abies), may become the subject of intellectual property rights (IPRs), a legal conflict may arise between the right holder and the rights of the general public covered by the Every man’s rights to freely sample, for example, forest genetic resources (FGRs). Various IPR systems may be relevant for the protection of SE material in forestry, but they possibly differ in how well sufficient genetic variation can be encompassed by protection claims. We therefore specifically advocate awareness of genetic variation in future SE-related IPR claims in forestry, and argue that process patents are most applicable. In face of the bioeconomy, it is mandatory to be aware of the possible conflicts between IPRs and rights of the public to FGRs, and the genetic variation of future IPR-protected SE material in forestry.
Forfattere
Leif Jarle Asheim Petter Hopp Gry Marysol Grøneng Ola Nafstad Agnar Hegrenes Synnøve VatnSammendrag
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Forfattere
Francesco Cherubini Sajith Vezhapparambu Wiley Steven Bogren Rasmus Astrup Anders Hammer StrømmanSammendrag
Land surface albedo is a key parameter of the Earth’s climate system. It has high variability in space, time, and land cover and it is among the most important variables in climate models. Extensive large-scale estimates can help model calibration and improvement to reduce uncertainties in quantifying the influence of surface albedo changes on the planetary radiation balance. Here, we use satellite retrievals of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) surface albedo (MCD43A3), high-resolution land-cover maps, and meteorological records to characterize climatological albedo variations in Norway across latitude, seasons, land-cover type (deciduous forests, coniferous forests, and cropland), and topography. We also investigate the net changes in surface albedo and surface air temperature through site pair analysis to mimic the effects of land-use transitions between forests and cropland and among different tree species. We find that surface albedo increases at increasing latitude in the snow season, and cropland and deciduous forests generally have higher albedo values than coniferous forests, but for few days in spring. Topography has a large influence on MODIS albedo retrievals, with values that can change up to 100% for the same land-cover class (e.g. spruce in winter) under varying slopes and aspect of the terrain. Cropland sites have surface air temperature higher than adjacent forested sites, and deciduous forests are slightly colder than adjacent coniferous forests. By integrating satellite measurements and high-resolution vegetation maps, our results provide a large semi-empirical basis that can assist future studies to better predict changes in a fundamental climate-regulating service such as surface albedo.
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Net blotch, caused by the necrotrophic fungus Pyrenophora teres, is one of the major diseases in barley in Norway causing quantitative and qualitative yield losses. Resistance in Norwegian cultivars and germplasm is generally insufficient and resistance sources have not been extensively explored yet. In this study, we mapped quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with resistance to net blotch in Nordic germplasm. We evaluated a collection of 209 mostly Nordic spring barley lines for reactions to net form net blotch (NFNB; Pyrenophora teres f. teres) in inoculations with three single conidia isolates at the seedling stage and in inoculated field trials at the adult stage in 4 years. Using 5669 SNP markers genotyped with the Illumina iSelect 9k Barley SNP Chip and a mixed linear model accounting for population structure and kinship, we found a total of 35 significant marker-trait associations for net blotch resistance, corresponding to 13 QTL, on all chromosomes. Out of these QTL, seven conferred resistance only in adult plants and four were only detectable in seedlings. Two QTL on chromosomes 3H and 6H were significant during both seedling inoculations and adult stage field trials. These are promising candidates for breeding programs using marker-assisted selection strategies. The results elucidate the genetic background of NFNB resistance in Nordic germplasm and suggest that NB resistance is conferred by a number of genes each with small-to-moderate effects, making it necessary to pyramid these genes to achieve sufficient levels of resistance.
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Cultivars and cultivating methods for organic strawberry production were studied in experiments in open fields and high plastic tunnels during four cropping seasons in southern Norway. In open fields, flowers and fruits were attacked by grey mould when the flowering and harvest seasons were wet, and marketable yield was reduced by up to 20%. Production in high tunnels showed a potential of high yields of fruits of good quality when strawberry powdery mildew was controlled. Berry size varied significantly among the cultivars. ‘Frida’ had the largest fruits followed by ‘Sonata’ and ‘Florence’, while ‘Polka’, ‘Korona’ and ‘Iris’ had the smallest fruits. All cultivars yielded well, but due to fruit decay caused by grey mould the marketable yield was significantly reduced, especially in open field. Grey mould was the most important factor influencing marketable yields. Fruits from matted rows were largest, while the highest yield was obtained on woven polyethylene. There were no effects of mulching methods on marketable yield or the amount of fruits with grey mould. High tunnels with good control of pests and diseases showed a potential of high and stable yields of good quality.
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To predict how the function of urban vegetation and the provision of ecosystem services respond to combinations of natural and anthropogenic drivers, a better understanding of multiple stress interactions is required. This study tested combined effects of moderate levels of drought, soil salinity and exposure to diesel exhaust on parameters of physiology, metabolism, morphology and growth of Pinus sylvestris L. saplings. We found that plant responses were primarily dominated by single stressors and a few two-way interactions. Stressor combinations did not have considerable additional negative effects on plant performance compared to single stressors. Hence, synergistic and antagonistic interactions were rare and additive effects frequent. Drought cycles caused most negative effects, from chlorophyll a fluorescence and epicuticular wax content to growth responses, while soil salinity caused fewer negative effects but contributed to reduction in fine root growth and fluorescence parameters at low air contamination. Interestingly, the air contamination alone had only marginal effects on plant morphology and growth, but contributed an antagonistic effect, dampening the negative effect of drought and salinity on the maximum quantum efficiency of PSII photochemistry (Fv/Fm) and fine root biomass. Although, these effects were moderate, it appears that exhaust exposure had a cross-acclimation effect on plant responses to drought and salinity. We also found that salinity had a negative effect on the accumulation of particulate matter on shoots, illustrating that the plant stress situation can affect the provisioning of certain ecosystem services like pollution attenuation. These findings have implications for the understanding of the complex natural and anthropogenic stress situation of urban, and how to maintain the ecological functions and delivery of ecosystem services.
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Helminthosporium solani causes silver scurf, which affects the quality of potato. The biocontrol agent Clonostachys rosea greatly limited the severity of silver scurf symptoms and amount of H. solani genomic DNA in laboratory experiments. Transcriptomic analysis during interaction showed that H. solani gene expression was highly reduced when coinoculated with the biocontrol agent C. rosea, whereas gene expression of C. rosea was clearly boosted as a response to the pathogen. The most notable upregulated C. rosea genes were those encoding proteins involved in cellular response to oxidative stress, proteases, G-protein signaling, and the methyltransferase LaeA. The most notable potato response to both fungi was downregulation of defense-related genes and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinases. At a later stage, this shifted, and most potato defense genes were turned on, especially those involved in terpenoid biosynthesis when H. solani was present. Some biocontrol-activated defense-related genes in potato were upregulated during early interaction with C. rosea alone that were not triggered by H. solani alone. Our results indicate that the reductions of silver scurf using C. rosea are probably due to a combination of mechanisms, including mycoparasitism, biocontrol-activated stimulation of plant defense mechanisms, microbial competition for nutrients, space, and antibiosis.
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Knowing the historical variation in fire regimes is instrumental in managing forests today and in predicting what may happen in the future. By cross-dating 745 fire scars in 378 samples of remnant Scots pines, we delineated 254 individual forest fires during the past 700 years in a 74-km2 section of Trillemarka-Rollagsfjell Nature Reserve in south-central Norway. Fire sizes, numbers, burn rates, and frequencies were compared with historical climate proxies, vegetation maps, and written sources. The results revealed patterns consistent with a predominantly climate-driven fire regime up to 1625, followed by periods of strong anthropogenic influence that increased fire frequency during 1600–1700s and diminished fires during 1800–1900s. This was documented by an abrupt increase in number of small fires from the early 1600s that markedly shortened fire intervals from a median of 73 to 37 yr. This shift in fire frequency coincided with a sudden appearance of early-season fires from 1625 and onward. Whereas late-season burn rate increased with summer temperature, no such relationship was found for early-season fires. These results were corroborated by written sources that describe anthropogenic forest fires and slash-and-burn cultivation expanding with the increasing population from the late 1500s and subsequently diminishing due to increasing timber values during 1700–1800s. Whereas human activity strongly influenced the fire regime at multidecadal to centennial scales, it was the interannual variability in climate that triggered large fire events, especially during the pre-1625 period. Prior to 1625, the percentage of years with fire tripled from 7% during cold summers (10–12°C) to 21% during warm summers (14–16°C). Burn rate increased even more, from 0.01% to 1.3% for the same temperature intervals. Ecologically, the post-1625 period is remarkable in such a way that human activity, first by greatly increasing fire frequency and subsequently almost eradicating fires, possibly influenced the fire regime to such an extent that it may be unprecedented for millennia.
Forfattere
Maochuan Hu Takahiro Sayama Xingqi Zhang Kenji Tanaka Kaoru Takara Hong YangSammendrag
Low impact development (LID) has attracted growing attention as an important approach for urban flood mitigation. Most studies evaluating LID performance for mitigating floods focus on the changes of peak flow and runoff volume. This paper assessed the performance of LID practices for mitigating flood inundation hazards as retrofitting technologies in an urbanized watershed in Nanjing, China. The findings indicate that LID practices are effective for flood inundation mitigation at the watershed scale, and especially for reducing inundated areas with a high flood hazard risk. Various scenarios of LID implementation levels can reduce total inundated areas by 2%–17% and areas with a high flood hazard level by 6%–80%. Permeable pavement shows better performance than rainwater harvesting against mitigating urban waterlogging. The most efficient scenario is combined rainwater harvesting on rooftops with a cistern capacity of 78.5 mm and permeable pavement installed on 75% of non-busy roads and other impervious surfaces. Inundation modeling is an effective approach to obtaining the information necessary to guide decision-making for designing LID practices at watershed scales.
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Extensive green roofs have become a frequently used option for stormwater retention across manydifferent climates including cold and wet regions. Despite the extensive documentation of green rooftechnology for stormwater management, the knowledge about their function and potential use in wetand cold regions is deficient. Using historic data on daily temperature and precipitation in a green roofwater balance model coupled with the Oudin model of evapotranspiration (ET), we evaluated the effects ofmaximum green roof storage capacities (Smax) and ET on stormwater retention along climatic gradientsin Northern Europe. Large differences in potential annual stormwater retention were found betweenlocations, driven by differences in temperature and precipitation amounts. Highest retention in abso-lute values was found for the wettest locations, while the warmest and driest locations showed highestretention in percentage of annual precipitation (up to 58% compared to 17% for the lower range). Alllocations showed a considerable retention of stormwater during summer, ranging from 52% to 91%. Stor-age capacities accepting drought conditions once every 3.3–3.9 year were found to be about 25 mm inthe cold and wet locations increasing to 40–50 mm in the warmer and drier locations. Correspondingstorage capacities to prevent wilting of non-succulent vegetation was on average a factor of 1.5 larger(not including Sheffield and Malmö). Annual retention increased both with an increase in plant wateruse (specific crop factors, Kc) and with an increase in Smax, but was found to be more sensitive to changesin Kcthan to changes in Smax. Hence, ET was the limiting factor for green roof retention capacity in thecold and wet locations, but relatively large changes in evapotranspiration would be needed to have animpact on retention. The potential to use vegetation with higher water use to better restore the storagecapacity between storm-events in these regions was however limited by the risk of permanent wilting ofnon-succulent vegetation, even on the wettest locations. A considerable increase in roof storage capacityand substrate thickness would be required to reduce this risk; still the increase in stormwater retentionwould be marginal.
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Habitat loss is one of the primary environmental causes of biodiversity decline across scales; locally to globally. Ecological restoration is acknowledged as an important tool to counteract this negative trend. The semi-natural calcareous sand dune meadows in south-western Norway are known for their high species diversity, much like similar habitats of high conservation value across Europe today. The recent cessation of grazing has caused a decline in several endangered species associated with these habitats due to the advancement of secondary succession. We conducted a long-term restoration experiment in semi-natural dune meadows over 16 years to examine if current trends in biodiversity loss could be reversed and at what time-scale restoration measures take effect. Three treatments were applied; mowing annually, mowing bi-annually, and a control (no mowing). In fields mown annually species richness increased significantly over time. However, the response was slow and significant effects were first seen after year 10. Fields mown bi-annually also showed a similar trend but the response was more variable. Several characteristic meadow species were favoured by annual mowing while they declined in the control fields. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed a compositional shift, indicating the re-arrangement/-establishment of typical meadow vegetation in the mown sites, contrasting the further successional development in the control. Our results demonstrate the importance of long-term data in supporting good evidence-based management. Annual mowing is effectively restoring this unique habitat, but restoration efforts need to be sustained over many years to show positive effects.
Forfattere
Janka Dibdiakova Liang Wang Hailong LiSammendrag
Biomass from forestry sector provides an important contribution to meet the government's targets for increasing bioenergy production and utilization. Characterization of forest residues is critical for exploiting and utilizing them for energy production purpose. In present work, stem wood, stem bark, branches, top of trees from downy birch forest were sampled from different sites in South Norway and subjected to heating value and ash content measurement. Properties of different parts of trees vertically along the tree trunk and radially along the branch and crown level were assessed via the statistical model. The heating value of stem wood was in range 18.14-18.57 MJ/kg, of stem bark 18.50-18.72 MJ/kg and of branch wood 18.21-18.50 MJ/kg. The vertical dependence of heating value of downy birch stem wood was similar to that of stem bark. Regular decreasing of heating value towards the tree top was observed. Significantly higher heating value at level p<0.05* of stem bark than the one of stem wood was observed. The ash content of downy birch branch wood did vary axially along the branch whereas there are only slight differences of ash content of branch within the crown. The stem bark has the highest ash content in range 2.0-2.5%, followed by branch wood in range of 1.0-1.6% and the lowest for stem wood in range of 0.3-0.5%.
Forfattere
Rune Hjorth Claire Coutris Nhung H.A. Nguyen Alena Sevcu Juliàn Alberto Gallego-Urrea Anders Baun Erik J. JonerSammendrag
Det er ikke registrert sammendrag
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Barley net blotch caused by the necrotrophic fungus Pyrenophora teres is a major barley disease in Norway. It can cause grain shriveling and yield losses, and resistance in currently grown cultivars is insufficient. In this study, a set of 589 polymorphic SNP markers was used to map resistance loci in a population of 109 doubled haploid lines from a cross between the closely related Norwegian cultivars Arve (moderately susceptible) and Lavrans (moderately resistant). Resistance to three net form net blotch (P. teres f. teres) single spore isolates was evaluated at the seedling stage in the greenhouse and at the adult plant stage under field conditions during three years. Days to heading and plant height were scored to assess their influence on disease severity. At the seedling stage, three to four quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with resistance were found per isolate used. A major, putatively novel QTL was identified on chromosome 5H, accounting for 23±48% of the genetic variation. Additional QTL explaining between 12 and 16.5% were found on chromosomes 4H, 5H, 6H and 7H, with the one on 6H being race-specific. The major QTL on 5H was also found in adult plants under field conditions in three years (explaining up to 55%) and the 7H QTL was found in field trials in one year. Additional adult plant resistance QTL on 3H, 6H and 7H were significant in single years. The resistance on chromosomes 3H, 5H, 6H and 7H originates from the more resistant parent Lavrans, while the resistance on 4H is conferred by Arve. The genetic markers associated with the QTL found in this study will benefit marker-assisted selection for resistance against net blotch.
Forfattere
Laurens Klerkx Egil Petter Stræte Gunn-Turid Kvam Eystein Ystad Renate Marie Butli HårstadSammendrag
Det er ikke registrert sammendrag
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Control of perennial weeds, such as Elymus repens, generally requires herbicides or intensive tillage. Alternative methods, such as mowing and competition from subsidiary crops, provide less efficient control. Fragmenting the rhizomes, with minimal soil disturbance and damage to the main crop, could potentially increase the efficacy and consistency of such control methods. This study's aim was to investigate whether fragmenting the rhizomes and mowing enhance the control of E. repens in a white clover sward. Six field experiments were conducted in 2012 and 2013 in Uppsala, Sweden, and Ås, Norway. The effect of cutting slits in the soil using a flat spade in a 10 × 10 cm or 20 × 20 cm grid and the effect of repeated mowing were investigated. Treatments were performed either during summer in a spring-sown white clover sward (three experiments) or during autumn, post-cereal harvest, in an under-sown white clover sward (three experiments). When performed in autumn, rhizome fragmentation and mowing reduced E. repens shoot biomass, but not rhizome biomass or shoot number. In contrast, when performed in early summer, rhizome fragmentation also reduced the E. repens rhizome biomass by up to 60%, and repeated mowing reduced it by up to 95%. The combination of the two factors appeared to be additive. Seasonal differences in treatment effects may be due to rhizomes having fewer stored resources in spring than in early autumn. We conclude that rhizome fragmentation in a growing white clover sward could reduce the amount of E. repens rhizomes and that repeated mowing is an effective control method, but that great seasonal variation exists.
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Angiostoma norvegicum n. sp. (Angiostomatidae) is described from the oesophagus, crop and the buccal mass of five species of slugs of the family Arionidae, Arion vulgaris (Moquin-Tandon), Arion ater (L.), Arion fasciatus (Nilsson), Arion fuscus (Müller) and Arion rufus/Arion ater hybrid), collected throughout Norway. Angiostoma norvegicum n. sp. was found parasitising arionids at seven of the 30 sample sites examined (23.3%), and 9.9% of all Arion spp. were infected with this nematode. The new species is characterised by its large size (4.0–8.6 mm long) and in having: lateral alae; 6 + 6 papillae at the cephalic end; a large circular mouth aperture; a spacious stoma; a pharyngeal basal bulb without valvular apparatus; an excretory pore near the base of bulb; a distal part of posterior ovary always outstretched; an anterior ovary distally nearly always outstretched; a vulva situated anterior to mid-body; long, nearly straight spicules and a small gubernaculum; three circumcloacal papillae and caudal genital papillae (GP) arranged in a pattern 1+2/3+3 with GP 5 and GP 8 opened on dorsal side of narrow bursa not reaching tail tip; short conical tails in both sexes with tips supplied by 4 short, unequal denticles. Morphologically, A. norvegicum n. sp. is similar to Angiostoma limacis Dujardin, 1845, which diagnostic characteristics are given based on examination of specimens from Norway and the UK. Conversely, the phylogenetic analyses based on D2D3 large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene sequences performed in the present study did not support the morphological affinity of these two species. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that although Angiostoma spp. cluster together, A. norvegicum n. sp. forms a tight monophyletic clade with the milacid nematode parasites Angiostoma margaretae Ross, Malan & Ivanova, 2011 and Angiostoma milacis Ivanova & Wilson, 2009.
Forfattere
Norbert Pirk Mikhail Mastepanov Efrén López-Blanco Louise H. Christensen Hanne H Christiansen Birger Ulf Hansen Magnus Lund Frans-Jan W. Parmentier Kirstine Skov Torben R. ChristensenSammendrag
Methane (CH4) emissions from arctic tundra typically follow relations with soil temperature and water table depth, but these process-based descriptions can be difficult to apply to areas where no measurements exist. We formulated a description of the broader temporal flux pattern in the growing season based on two distinct CH4 source components from slow and fast-turnover carbon. We used automatic closed chamber flux measurements from NE Greenland (74°N), W Greenland (64°N), and Svalbard (78°N) to identify and discuss these components. The temporal separation was well-suited in NE Greenland, where the hypothesized slow-turnover carbon peaked at a time significantly related to the timing of snowmelt. The temporally wider component from fast-turnover carbon dominated the emissions in W Greenland and Svalbard. Altogether, we found no dependence of the total seasonal CH4 budget to the timing of snowmelt, and warmer sites and years tended to yield higher CH4 emissions.
Forfattere
John Marshall Bryden Stig Strandli GezeliusSammendrag
Innovation policies’ normative foundations have been little discussed in the academic literature, despite these foundations’ impact on the priorities and consequences of innovation. Especially, the aim of sustainable development calls for discussion about innovation’s normative foundations. This article discusses ethical principles drawn from ideas about Triple Bottom Line (TBL) accounting, human rights, and the New Sussex Manifesto. It discusses implications that these ethical principles have for innovation systems design and for innovation policies. Based on that discussion, the authors outline a principle of a human rights-based TBL in innovation. This principle implies that innovation systems, especially those involving vital resources, should look beyond science, technology, and competitiveness, and consider the needs and rights of those whose livelihoods depend on the resources in question. The article concludes with a set of general principles for the design of innovation systems in natural resource-based economies.
Forfattere
Pierrick Francois Denis Stévant Celine Rebours Annelise Sabine ChapmanSammendrag
The use of cultivated seaweeds as a feedstock for multiple industrial applications has gained increasing interest in the Western World over the past decades. Norway has an extensive coastline and a well-established aquaculture sector offering suitable preconditions for developing large-scale cultivation of seaweed biomass both in monoculture and in Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) systems. Recent efforts from research, industry and public authorities have been committed to develop a Norwegian bio-economy based on cultivated seaweed, focusing on cultivation and processing of the biomass. This review reports on the status of seaweed aquaculture in Norway, supported by production data collected since the delivery of the first commercial cultivation permits at sea in 2014. Although novel product developments are currently limited, future industrial perspectives based on cultivated biomass are being discussed. Upscaling from experimental cultivation schemes to commercial production requires a thorough assessment of the risks and benefits associated with seaweed aquaculture, as well as the development of a regulative framework adapted to this industry. Issues associated with upscaling the macroalgal production that needs to be addressed includes (i) genetic interactions between cultivated and wild crops, (ii) impacts of seaweed cultivation on surrounding ecosystems, (iii) epiphytes and diseases, (iv) area utilization and (v) threats from climate change. Addressing these issues and adapting production practices will ensure the environmental and economic sustainability of an emerging industry based on cultivated seaweed biomass in Norway.
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Exposure to sunshine is known to play a role in litter decomposition in some semi-arid areas. The aim of this study was to find out if it also plays a role in higher latitude environments in peat litter decomposition and could contribute to an explanation to the patchy nature of peat litter decomposition. Peat litter from 5 microenvironments (top of slope, bottom of slope, ridge, ryam and hollow) and put out and exposed to the sun or shaded over a summer in Western Siberia, 26 km west of the town of Khanty-Mansiysk. Afterwards the peat litter was incubated in the laboratory - at field capacity or submerged in peat water - and CO2 and methane emission measured. Chemical composition of exposed and control peat litter was also investigated using stepwise extraction. The results indicate that exposure to sunlight does increase subsequent decomposition rate in most peat litters when incubated at field capacity, but the difference between the treatments levelled off at the end of the 2 weeks incubation in most peat litter types. The total extra carbon loss was calculated to be up to about 2 mg C m− 2 over a season. When incubated submerged previous photo-exposure had less effect on CO2 evolution then when incubated at field capacity. No methane emission was recorded in any treatment. Some differences in chemical composition between exposed and shaded peat litters were found that could help explain the differences in subsequent decomposition rate. The results indicate that photodegradation could play a role in peat litter decomposition at higher latitudes when peat is disturbed and exposed to sunshine. However, the effect of photo-exposure in these areas is much smaller than observed in semi-arid areas at lower latitudes.
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In this work, experimental and modelling investigations were conducted on biochars pyrolyzed at 350 °C and 600 °C, to determine the effect of pyrolysis temperature, hydrogen peroxide activation and pH on copper and zinc removal, in comparison with commercially available activated carbons. Characterization of biochars was performed by BET surface area, elemental analysis and FTIR spectroscopy. Experiments results demonstrated that biochar pyrolyzed at 600 °C adsorbed both copper and zinc more efficiently than biochar pyrolyzed at 350 °C. Chemical activation by H2O2 increased the removal capacity of biochar pyrolyzed at 350 °C. All investigated biochars showed a stronger affinity for copper retention, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 15.7 mg/g while zinc was 10.4 mg/g. The best adsorption performances were obtained at pH 5 and 6. Langmuir adsorption isotherm described copper adsorption process satisfactorily, while zinc adsorption was better described by Freundlich isotherm.
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Pine wood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, is a threat for pine species (Pinus spp.) throughout the world. The nematode is native to North America, and invaded Japan, China, Korea, and Taiwan, and more recently Portugal and Spain. PWN enters new areas through trade in wood products. Once established, eradication is not practically feasible. Therefore, preventing entry of PWN into new areas is crucial. Entry risk analysis can assist in targeting management to reduce the probability of entry. Assessing the entry of PWN is challenging due to the complexity of the wood trade and the wood processing chain. In this paper, we develop a pathway model that describes the wood trade and wood processing chain to determine the structure of the entry process. We consider entry of PWN through imported coniferous wood from China, a possible origin of Portuguese populations, to Europe. We show that exposure increased over years due to an increase in imports of sawn wood. From 2000 to 2012, Europe received an estimated 84 PWN propagules from China, 88% of which arose from imported sawn wood and 12% from round wood. The region in Portugal where the PWN was first reported is among those with the highest PWN transfer per unit of imported wood due to a high host cover and vector activity. An estimated 62% of PWN is expected to enter in countries where PWN is not expected to cause the wilt of pine trees because of low summer temperatures (e.g., Belgium, Sweden, Norway). In these countries, PWN is not easily detected, and such countries can thus serve as potential reservoirs of PWN. The model identifies ports and regions with high exposure, which helps targeting monitoring and surveillance, even in areas where wilt disease is not expected to occur. In addition, we show that exposure is most efficiently reduced by additional treatments in the country of origin, and/or import wood from PWN-free zones. Pathway modelling assists plant health managers in analyzing risks along the pathway and planning measures for enhancing biosecurity.
Forfattere
Eva Ring Johanna Johansson Camilla Sandström Brynhildur Bjarnadottir Leena Finér Zane Lībiete Elve Lode Inge Stupak Magne SætersdalSammendrag
The forest landscape across the Nordic and Baltic regions hosts numerous lakes and watercourses, which must be included in forest management. In this study, national policy designs regarding protection zones for surface waters on forest land were reviewed and compared for the Nordic countries, Estonia and Latvia. The focus was how each country regulates protection zones, whether they are voluntary or mandatory, and the rationale behind adopting a low or high degree of prescriptiveness. Iceland and Denmark had a low degree of policy prescriptiveness, whereas Norway, Estonia and Latvia had a high degree of prescriptiveness. Sweden and Finland relied to a large extent on voluntary commitments. The prescribed zone widths within the region ranged from 1 m to 5 km. The results indicated that land-use distribution, forest ownership structure and historical and political legacies have influenced the varying degrees of prescriptiveness in the region.
Forfattere
Emma Brunberg Ildri Kristine Bergslid Knut Egil Bøe Kristin SørheimSammendrag
Det er ikke registrert sammendrag
Forfattere
P. Schröder B. Beckers S. Daniels F. Gnädinger E. Maestri N. Marmiroli M. Mench R. Millan M.M. Obermeier N. Oustriere Tomas Persson C. Poschenrieder F. Rineau B. Rutkowska T. Schmid W. Szulc N. Witters Arne SæbøSammendrag
The rapid increase of the world population constantly demands more food production from agricultural soils. This causes conflicts, since at the same time strong interest arises on novel bio-based products from agriculture, and new perspectives for rural landscapes with their valuable ecosystem services. Agriculture is in transition to fulfill these demands. In many countries, conventional farming, influenced by post-war food requirements, has largely been transformed into integrated and sustainable farming. However, since it is estimated that agricultural production systems will have to produce food for a global population that might amount to 9.1 billion by 2050 and over 10 billion by the end of the century, we will require an even smarter use of the available land, including fallow and derelict sites. One of the biggest challenges is to reverse non-sustainable management and land degradation. Innovative technologies and principles have to be applied to characterize marginal lands, explore options for remediation and re-establish productivity. With view to the heterogeneity of agricultural lands, it is more than logical to apply specific crop management and production practices according to soil conditions. Cross-fertilizing with conservation agriculture, such a novel approach will provide (1) increased resource use efficiency by producing more with less (ensuring food security), (2) improved product quality, (3) ameliorated nutritional status in food and feed products, (4) increased sustainability, (5) product traceability and (6) minimized negative environmental impacts notably on biodiversity and ecological functions. A sustainable strategy for future agriculture should concentrate on production of food and fodder, before utilizing bulk fractions for emerging bio-based products and convert residual stage products to compost, biochar and bioenergy. The present position paper discusses recent developments to indicate how to unlock the potentials of marginal land.
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The aim of this study was to evaluate the natural occurrence of Beauveria spp. in soil, from infections in the stink bug Piezodorus guildinii, an important pest of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and as endophytes in bean plant tissue. Twelve conventional and 12 organic common bean fields in the Villa Clara province, Cuba were sampled from September 2014 to April 2015. One hundred and fifty Beauveria isolates were obtained from soil samples, bean plant parts and stink bugs. The overall frequency of occurrence of Beauveria isolates in conventional fields (8.4%) was significantly lower than that in organic fields (23.6%). Beauveria were also obtained significantly more frequently from bean roots in organic fields (15.0%) compared to bean roots in conventional fields (3.3%). DNA sequencing of the intergenic Bloc region was performed for Beauveria species identification. All isolates where characterized as Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo-Crivelli) Vuillemin, and clustered with isolates of neotropical origin previously described as AFNEO_1. The Cuban B. bassiana isolates formed five clusters in the phylogeny. Isolates of two clusters originated from all four locations, organic and conventional fields, as well as soil, plants and stink bugs. Organic fields contained isolates of all five clusters while conventional fields only harbored isolates of the two most frequent ones. Mating type PCR assays revealed that mating type distribution was skewed, with MAT1/MAT2 proportion of 146/4, indicating limited potential for recombination. The present study is the first to report of B. bassiana as a naturally occurring endophyte in common bean. Further, it shows that B. bassiana occurs naturally in diverse environments of common bean fields, and constitutes a potential reservoir of natural enemies against pest insects particularly in organic fields.
Forfattere
Elli A. Koskela Takeshi Kurokura Tuomas Toivainen Anita Sønsteby Ola M Heide Daniel J. Sargent Sachiko Isobe Laura Jaakola Hrannar Hilmarsson Paula Elomaa Timo HytönenSammendrag
• Vernalisation requirement is an agriculturally important trait that postpones the development of cold-sensitive floral organs until the spring. The family Rosaceae includes many agriculturally important fruit and berry crops that suffer from crop losses caused by frost injury to overwintering flower buds. Recently, a vernalisation-requiring accession of the Rosaceae model woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca) has been identified in northern Norway. Understanding the molecular basis of the vernalisation requirement in this accession would advance the development of strawberry cultivars better adapted to temperate climate. • We use gene silencing, gene expression analysis, genetic mapping and population genomics to study the genetic basis of the vernalisation requirement in woodland strawberry. • Our results indicate that the woodland strawberry vernalisation requirement is endemic to northern Norwegian population, and mapping data suggest the orthologue of TERMINAL FLOWER1 (FvTFL1) as the causal floral repressor. We demonstrate that exceptionally low temperatures are needed to downregulate FvTFL1 and to make these plants competent to induce flowering at low postvernalisation temperatures in the spring. • We show that altered regulation of FvTFL1 in the northern Norwegian woodland strawberry accession postpones flower induction until the spring, allowing plants to avoid winter injuries of flower buds that commonly occur in temperate regions.
Forfattere
Tomas Persson Henrik Eckersten Oleif Elen Anne-Grete Roer Hjelkrem Joel Markgren Mats Söderström Thomas BörjessonSammendrag
Deoxynivalenol (DON) in cereals, produced by Fusarium fungi, cause poisoning in humans and animals. Fusarium infections in cereals are favoured by humid conditions. Host species are susceptible mainly during the anthesis stage. Infections are also positively correlated with a regional history of Fusarium infections, frequent cereal production and non-tillage field management practices. Here, previously developed process-based models based on relative air humidity, rain and temperature conditions, Fusarium sporulation, host phenology and mycelium growth in host tissue were adapted and tested on oats. Model outputs were used to calculate risk indices. Statistical multivariate models, where independent variables were constructed from weather data, were also developed. Regressions of the risk indices obtained against DON concentrations in field experiments on oats in Sweden and Norway 2012–14 had coefficient of determination values (R2) between 0.84 and 0.88. Regressions of the same indices against DON concentrations in oat samples averaged for 11 × 11 km grids in farmers’ fields in Sweden 2012–14 resulted in R2 values between 0.27 and 0.41 for randomly selected grids and between 0.31 and 0.62 for grids with average DON concentration above 1000 μg kg–1 grain in the previous year. When data from all three years were evaluated together, a cross-validated statistical partial least squares model resulted in R2 = 0.70 and a standard error of cross-validation (SECV) = 522 μg kg–1 grain for the period 1 April–28 August in the construction of independent variables and R2 = 0.54 and SECV = 647 μg kg–1 grain for 1 April–23 June. Factors that were not accounted for in this study probably explain large parts of the variation in DON among samples and make further model development necessary before these models can be used practically. DON prediction in oats could potentially be improved by combining weather-based risk index outputs with agronomic factors.
Forfattere
Dennis Eriksson Henrik Brinch-Pedersen Aakash Chawade Inger B. Holme Trine Hvoslef-Eide Anneli Ritala Teemu H. Teeri Tage ThorstensenSammendrag
Plant research and breeding has a long and successful history in the Scandinavian countries, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Researchers in the region have been early in adopting plant gene technologies as they developed. This review gives a background, as well as discuss the current and future progress of plant gene technology in these four countries. Country-specific details of the regulation of genetically modified plants are described, as well as similarities and differences in the approach to regulation of novel genome-editing techniques. Also, the development of a sustainable bioeconomy may encompass the application of plant gene technology and we discuss whether or not this is reflected in current associated national strategies. In addition, country-specific information about the opinion of the public and other stakeholders on plant gene technology is presented, together with a country-wise political comparison and a discussion of the potential reciprocal influence between public opinion and the political process of policy development. The Scandinavian region is unique in several aspects, such as climate and certain agriculturally related regulations, and at the same time the region is vulnerable to changes in plant breeding investments due to the relatively small market sizes. It is therefore important to discuss the role and regulation of innovative solutions in Scandinavian plant research and breeding.
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Removal of logging residues causes significant nutrient losses from the harvesting site. Furthermore,collection of residues into piles could lead to small-scale differences in establishment conditions for seedlings. We studied the effects of stem-only (SOH) and aboveground whole-tree harvesting (WTH) on Norway spruce (Picea abies) seedling growth and pine weevil (Hylobius abietis) damage at two sites (SE and W Norway). We also compared two planting environments within the WTH plots (WTH-0: areas with no residues, WTH-1: areas where residue piles had been placed and removed before planting). In practice, one-third of the residues were left on site after WTH. After three growing seasons there were no differences for height or diameter increment between SOH and WTH (WTH-1 and WTH-0 combined) treatments. However, relative diameter increment was largest for WTH-1 seedlings and lowest for WTH-0 seedlings. Few seedlings sustained pine weevil attacks at the W Norway site, with no differences among treatments. At the SE Norway site, the percent of seedlings damaged by pine weevils and average debarked area were significantly higher after WTH (82% and 3.3 cm2) compared to SOH (62% and 1.7 cm2). We conclude that WTH may lead to spatial differences in establishment conditions.
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The Christmas tree industry in Norway is increasing and Abies lasiocarpa is, together with Abies nordmanniana, the most common exotic species for Christmas tree production. A. lasiocarpa today constitutes ca. 50% of the fir sold in Norway, and there is high demand for sufficient supply of high-quality seed and knowledge of seed sources with a potential for high Christmas tree quality. Two experimental plots were established to identify seed sources with potentially high survival and satisfactory Christmas tree quality. The high variation in traits on the two sites indicates promising possibilities for further selection of A. lasiocarpa clones for growing Christmas trees in Norway. Selection for late bud break to avoid spring frost is important. Pathogens were not found in any of the studied trials, but are an important factor to consider when selecting seed sources for Christmas trees. Due to the early bud break of this species, it is also of high importance to choose planting sites with minimal risks for spring frost. Good localities are slopes where the frost drains away during cold nights. In eastern Norway, A. lasiocarpa should be used with care in districts and sites where spring frost is commonly occurring.
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Picea abies seedlings were given three different fertilization treatments in the nutrient solution by varying the potassium:nitrogen (K:N) ratios (2.5, 3.0 or 3.9 g g–1). All fertilization treatments were combined with short-day (SD) treatment or no such treatment (control). Above- and belowground growth responses in the seedlings were analyzed. The SD treatment resulted in significantly reduced shoot height, compared to untreated control, irrespective of K:N ratio. No combination of photoperiod treatment or fertilization treatment affected the root collar diameter. In the current year root fraction with diameter < 0.5 mm, the highest K:N ratio led to significantly increased root length in control plants. In each 0.1 mm root diameter class up to 0.5 mm, the highest K:N ratio significantly stimulated root growth in control plants, while the effect was less evident for SD plants. SD treatment stimulated length growth in some fine root diameter classes. We conclude that SD treatment is a good and sufficient measure to reduce height growth without compromising fine root growth of P. abies seedlings. Fertilization treatment did not significantly improve aboveground growth in SD treated seedlings, and only limited effects on root growth was seen on control plants.
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Det er ikke registrert sammendrag
Forfattere
Ivan Dragicevic Susanne Eich-Greatorex Trine Aulstad Sogn Roar Linjordet Tore KrogstadSammendrag
Soil application of organic residues from anaerobic digestion of municipal food waste and/or sewage sludge may introduce considerable amounts of heavy metals into the environment. In a column leaching experiment, mobility and release of Cu, Ni and Zn were investigated in three contrasting soils (sand, silt, loam) fertilized with biogas digestates of different origin. The effect of commercial digestates, based on food waste and sewage sludge, was compared to that of experimental digestates based on animal manure and whey permeate with or without fish ensilage, as well as untreated manure, mineral fertilizer and an untreated control. Manure and digestates were added to the columns as fresh material at equal amounts of available nitrogen. The experiment simulated high-intensity rainfall over a period of 7 days. In general, soil treated with the commercial digestates with higher original metal content showed less environmental impact in terms of Ni, Cu and Zn leaching than that treated with experimental digestates with lower original metal content and less than when animal manure or mineral fertilizer was applied. Although effects of digestate application on metal mobility in soils were seen in conditions of extreme precipitation, the leached concentrations of metals were below limitations published by the WHO but still significantly higher than that measured for control soils.
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Many horse stables have mechanical-fan ventilation systems but still try to regulate ventilation manually by closing doors and windows on a cold winter night. The aim of this study was to investigate the variation in air quality in Norwegian horse stables with different ventilation systems on days with low outdoor air temperatures. A total of 19 insulated, mechanically ventilated stables with horses kept inside during the night were included in the study. Almost all fans were operated during the night (n=18), but inlets for fresh air were highly variable in design and management leading to potential for ineffectiveness of ventilation functions. In four of the stables, there were no specific air inlet systems, and in five stables, the exit door was used as the only air inlet. The air exchange rate was sufficient in all the stables with an automated temperature thermostat for ventilation control. Mean level of carbon dioxide (CO2) was 1,800 ppm and in one stable CO2 exceeded 3,000 ppm. Mean inside ammonia (NH3) was 1.3 ppm, and only in one stable the level of NH3 exceeded 5 ppm. The total dust concentration was 0.69 ± 0.19 mg/m3, and in two stables, the dust concentration exceeded 1.0 mg/m3. Total and respirable dust levels were higher in stables with ventilation rate below recommended level. Half of the stables visited had a lower calculated air exchanges rate than recommended, and the majority of the stables regulated the ventilation manually by closing doors and inlets during night. This indicates a general lack of knowledge among the stable managers of climatic demand in horses and how to operate mechanical ventilation. Still, the majority of the stables maintained acceptable air quality, with NH3 and dust levels within recommended levels, although most stables had elevated humidity.
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Det er ikke registrert sammendrag
Forfattere
Anne-Grete Roer Hjelkrem Mats Höglind Marcel van Oijen Jürgen Schellberg Thomas Gaiser Frank EwertSammendrag
Proper parameterisation and quantification of model uncertainty are two essential tasks in improvement and assessment of model performance. Bayesian calibration is a method that combines both tasks by quantifying probability distributions for model parameters and outputs. However, the method is rarely applied to complex models because of its high computational demand when used with high-dimensional parameter spaces. We therefore combined Bayesian calibration with sensitivity analysis, using the screening method by Morris (1991), in order to reduce model complexity by fixing parameters to which model output was only weakly sensitive to a nominal value. Further, the robustness of the model with respect to reduction in the number of free parameters were examined according to model discrepancy and output uncertainty. The process-based grassland model BASGRA was examined in the present study on two sites in Norway and in Germany, for two grass species (Phleum pratense and Arrhenatherum elatius). According to this study, a reduction of free model parameters from 66 to 45 was possible. The sensitivity analysis showed that the parameters to be fixed were consistent across sites (which differed in climate and soil conditions), while model calibration had to be performed separately for each combination of site and species. The output uncertainty decreased slightly, but still covered the field observations of aboveground biomass. Considering the training data, the mean square error for both the 66 and the 45 parameter model was dominated by errors in timing (phase shift), whereas no general pattern was found in errors when using the validation data. Stronger model reduction should be avoided, as the error term increased and output uncertainty was underestimated.
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In fungi, distribution of secondary metabolite (SM) gene clusters is often associated with host- or environment-specific benefits provided by SMs. In the plant pathogen Alternaria brassicicola (Dothideomycetes), the DEP cluster confers an ability to synthesize the SM depudecin, a histone deacetylase inhibitor that contributes weakly to virulence. The DEP cluster includes genes encoding enzymes, a transporter, and a transcription regulator. We investigated the distribution and evolution of the DEP cluster in 585 fungal genomes and found a wide but sporadic distribution among Dothideomycetes, Sordariomycetes, and Eurotiomycetes. We confirmed DEP gene expression and depudecin production in one fungus, Fusarium langsethiae. Phylogenetic analyses suggested 6–10 horizontal gene transfers (HGTs) of the cluster, including a transfer that led to the presence of closely related cluster homologs in Alternaria and Fusarium. The analyses also indicated that HGTs were frequently followed by loss/pseudogenization of one or more DEP genes. Independent cluster inactivation was inferred in at least four fungal classes. Analyses of transitions among functional, pseudogenized, and absent states of DEP genes among Fusarium species suggest enzyme-encoding genes are lost at higher rates than the transporter (DEP3) and regulatory (DEP6) genes. The phenotype of an experimentally-induced DEP3 mutant of Fusarium did not support the hypothesis that selective retention of DEP3 and DEP6 protects fungi from exogenous depudecin. Together, the results suggest that HGT and gene loss have contributed significantly to DEP cluster distribution, and that some DEP genes provide a greater fitness benefit possibly due to a differential tendency to form network connections.
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Intensive sweet cherry production in tunnel covered orchard systems offer an advantage of reducing rain-induced fruit cracking. In May 2005 four Haygrove multibay tunnel systems were installed on a gentle slope at the experimental farm at Bioforsk Ullensvang, western Norway. In these tunnels, feathered 1-year-old sweet cherry ‘Sweetheart’/Colt trees were planted with two rows at a spacing of 2×4 m in each tunnel. Each tunnel was split into two halves and covered from the end of April to beginning of September with one of two different plastic covers, having different light spectral transmittance; Luminance THB film (absorbing infrared light) and traditional Visqueen clear UV polythene film. Climatic parameters were monitored inside and outside the tunnels from the beginning of May to the beginning of September each year and yield data and fruit quality parameters were recorded. In 2009, from May 7 to September 16 the average temperature measured outside the tunnels was 14.3°C. Temperatures exceed 25°C only on two days. Temperatures inside the tunnels were 0.3°C higher on average during the entire season but exceeded 30°C on the same two hot days. Temperatures under the Luminance film were slightly lower compared to the clear film and especially reduced the temperature build up on sunny days. The harvest period was the second half of August. Average yield tree-1 was 8.8 kg (11 t ha-1) in the fourth leaf and 18.8 kg (23.5 t ha-1) fifth leaf. There were no yield differences between the two different films. Fruit size measurements found that 80% of the fruits were larger than 30 mm in diameter in the fourth leaf and 51% in the fifth leaf. Total soluble solid content was generally high (17-18%) and no significant differences were found between the different films.
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Phenological observations are considered to be sensitive tools for identifying plant responses to climatic changes. Over the last 10 years, the onset of the phenophases of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) during spring tended to be earlier than the previous two decades in Ullensvang, western Norway. The effects of air temperature during the winter and spring months were evaluated during two quinquennia (5-year periods), 1996-2000 (Q1) and 2003-2007 (Q2) selected due to similar mean winter and early summer temperatures, but markedly different spring temperatures. Average January-February temperatures were similar (3.3°C) in both of these two 5-year periods. However, average March and April temperatures were slightly warmer (4.0 vs. 3.2°C) and (7.3 vs. 6.9°C), respectively, in Q2 vs. Q1. These increases resulted in significantly earlier flower development. Average temperatures during the first half of May were similar for both quinquennia (10.2 vs. 10.1°C). The start of flowering (first bloom) of early maturing ‘Burlat’ and mid-season ‘Van’ were significantly different. Timing of flowering phenophases were statistically different between Q1 and Q2 for both cultivars. Mean data for ‘Burlat’ and ‘Van’ first bloom were 8 days earlier during Q2, May 2 for ‘Burlat’ and May 1 for ‘Van’. Full bloom occurred 3 days after first bloom and flowering ended 14 days after first bloom. First bloom during Q2 required 221 Baskerville-Emin Growing degree days (GDD) using a base temperature of 2°C. For the same time period in Q1, only 197 GDD were accumulated, which supports the observed temperature differences. Furthermore, we propose a flowering model for full bloom of both ‘Burlat’ and ‘Van’ in Ullensvang, which requires 254 Baskerville-Emin GDD using a base of 2°C starting on March 1.
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The impact of Delphinella shoot blight (Delphinella abietis) and Grovesiella canker (Grovesiella abieticola) on subalpine (Abies lasiocarpa) and corkbark fir (A. lasiocarpa var. arizonica) in a provenance trial in Idaho (ID) was evaluated in 2013. Both pathogens were previously reported from North America on fir species. D. abietis had been found on subalpine fir in USA, but not in ID, and G. abieticola on grand fir (Abies grandis) in ID, but not on subalpine or corkbark fir. D. abietis kills current-year needles and in severe cases buds and shoots, and G. abieticola results in dead shoots and branches and can eventually kill whole trees. Significant differences between provenances in susceptibility to D. abietis and G. abieticola were observed in the provenance trial in ID. In general, subalpine fir was more susceptible to both diseases than corkbark fir. In 2013, D. abietis was also found on subalpine fir in the Puget Sound area of Washington State and G. abieticola was seen on white fir (Abies concolor), but neither disease was detected in native stands of subalpine fir in Washington State. Morphological features of both fungi were described from samples collected in the provenance trial in ID in May 2016.
Forfattere
Ulrik Bräuner Nielsen Jing Xu Knud Nor Nielsen Venche Talgø Ole K. Hansen Iben M. ThomsenSammendrag
The fungus Neonectria neomacrospora has recently caused an epidemic outbreak in conifer species within the genus Abies in Denmark and Norway. Christmas tree producers in Europe and North America rely, to a large extent, on Abies species. The damage caused by N. neomacrospora, including dead shoot tips, red flagging of branches and potentially dead trees, have therefore caused concern about reduced quality and loss of trees, and thereby of revenue. Field observations of natural infection of 39 taxa, from 32 species, within the genus Abies in the Hørsholm Arboretum, Denmark, were evaluated; significant differences were seen between taxa, that is, species, and between some species and their subspecies. The Greek fir, Abies cephalonica, was the only species without damage. An inoculation experiment on detached twigs with mycelium plugs from a N. neomacrospora culture showed that all species could be infected. The damage observed in the inoculation experiment could explain 30% of the variation in the field observations based on species mean values. The epidemic outbreak and the high number of species susceptible to this fungus indicate that N. neomacrospora requires attention in the cultivation and conservation of Abies species.
Forfattere
Xiaojie Liu Kenny Bogaert Aschwin H. Engelen Frederik Leliaert Michael Roleda Olivier De ClerckSammendrag
Knowledge of life cycle progression and reproduction of seaweeds transcends pure academic interest. Successful and sustainable seaweed exploitation and domestication will indeed require excellent control of the factors controlling growth and reproduction. The relative dominance of the ploidy-phases and their respective morphologies, however, display tremendous diversity. Consequently, the ecological and endogenous factors controlling life cycles are likely to be equally varied. A vast number of research papers addressing theoretical, ecological and physiological aspects of reproduction have been published over the years. Here, we review the current knowledge on reproductive strategies, trade-offs of reproductive effort in natural populations, and the environmental and endogenous factors controlling reproduction. Given that the majority of ecophysiological studies predate the “-omics” era, we examine the extent to which this knowledge of reproduction has been, or can be, applied to further our knowledge of life cycle control in seaweeds.
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Anthropogenic atmospheric emissions of CO2 are responsible for simultaneous ocean warming (OW) and ocean acidification (OA). These global events can have important impacts on marine fleshy macroalgae and coastal ecosystems. To understand the effects of OW and OA on the early life history stages of native (Macrocystis pyrifera) and invasive (Undaria pinnatifida) macroalgae, a multi-factorial experiment was performed to determine the independent and interactive effects of the drivers and the corresponding species-specific responses. Meiospores of M. pyrifera and U. pinnatifida were separately exposed to a 4 × 2 factorial design of seawater pH (pHT 7.20, extreme OA predicted for 2300; pHT 7.65, OA predicted for 2100; pHT 8.03, ambient pH; and pHT 8.40, pre-industrial pH) and temperature (12 °C, seasonal average temperature; and 16 °C, OW predicted for 2100). Over 15 days, different physiological parameters (i.e. meiospore germination, germling growth rate, gametophyte development and sex ratio) were measured. Reduced seawater pH and elevated temperature had independent and significant effects on developmental processes (germling growth rate, and male and female gametophyte sizes were independently greater under OA and OW conditions), but the interaction of the abiotic factors had no effect on any stage of meiospore development of either species. Despite some small differences between species (e.g. sex ratio), results of this experiment suggest that microscopic stages of the native M. pyrifera and the invasive U. pinnatifida will respond similarly to OA and OW.
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We propose a theoretical framework for the relationship between animal welfare and the economic performance of livestock farms. We empirically analyse this relationship based on a unique dataset of randomly sampled Danish pig herds that includes information from unannounced inspections of the compliance with the animal welfare legislation. We find large variations in economic performance and animal welfare. The relationship between these two indicators is rather weak, but tends to be slightly positive. A possible explanation for our results is that management has a major influence on both economic performance and animal welfare so that good farm managers are able to meet all animal welfare regulations, while achieving a high economic performance.
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BACKGROUND: It is questioned if Norwegian nurseries can compete with the continental nursery industry in an open market. OBJECTIVE: Investigated how quality of certified Norwegian strawberry transplants, developed and yielded from planting to first cropping year. METHODS: Plant qualities of Norwegian fresh and cold stored bare root- and plug-plants of ‘Korona’ and ‘Sonata’ were examined for establishing and yield parameters in the open, after three intervals of planting. Fresh plug-plants were delivered when available. Trials were established at NIBIO Research Station Kvithamar, Norway. Growth and yield parameters were registered in the establishing and cropping years. RESULTS: Plant establishment was poor in 2013 compared with 2014. Bare-root plants stored at 2–4°C generally developed poorly. Plug-plants established well at all delivery dates, except fresh plug in one year. Development of runner plants depended on plant type, cultivar and year. Plug- and bare root-plants planted immediately after first delivery generally developed best crowns. Primary flower primordia reached a more developed stage for ‘Sonata’ than for ‘Korona’. Fruit yield of bare root was low in the establishing years. Plant-types differed in yield and fruit weight between cropping years. CONCLUSIONS: Bare-root and plug- plants planted one day after delivery generally yielded best. Storage of bare-root plants generally reduced yield. Fresh plug plants had low yield when planted late. Fruit yield of A15 and A13 in the establishing year was not satisfactory.
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Management of peat soils is regionally important as they cover large land areas and have important but conflicting ecosystems services. A recent management trend for drained peatlands is the control of greenhouse gases (GHG) by changes in agricultural practices, peatland restoration or paludiculture. Due to complex antagonistic controls of moisture, water table management can be difficult to use as a method for controlling GHG emissions. Past studies show that there is no obvious relationship between GHG emission rates and crop type, tillage intensity or fertilization rates. For drained peat soils, the best use options can vary from rewetting with reduced emission to efficient short term use to maximize the profit per amount of greenhouse gas emitted. The GHG accounting should consider the entire life cycle of the peatland and the socio-economic benefits peatlands provide locally. Cultivating energy crops is a viable option especially for wet peat soils with poor drainage, but harvesting remains a challenge due to tractability of wet soils. Paludiculture in lowland floodplains can be a tool to mitigate regional flooding allowing water to be stored on these lands without much harm to crops. This can also increase regional biodiversity providing important habitats for birds and moisture tolerant plant species. However, on many peatlands rewetting is not possible due to their position in the landscape and the associated difficulty to maintain a high stable water table. While the goal of rewetting often is to encourage the return of peat forming plants and the ecosystem services they provide such as carbon sequestration, it is not well known if these plants will grow on peat soils that have been altered by the process of drainage and management. Therefore, it is important to consider peat quality and hydrology when choosing management options. Mapping of sites is recommended as a management tool to guide actions. The environmental status and socio-economic importance of the sites should be assessed both for continued cultivation but also for other ecosystem services such as restoration and hydrological functions (flood control). Farmers need advice, tools and training to find the best after-use option. Biofuels might provide a cost-efficient after use option for some sites. Peat extraction followed by rewetting might provide a sustainable option as rewetting is often easier if the peat is removed, starting the peat accumulation from scratch. Also this provides a way to finance the after-use. As impacts of land use are uncertain, new policies should consider multiple benefits and decisions should be based on scientific evidence and field scale observations. The need to further understand the key processes and long term effects of field scale land use manipulations is evident. The recommended actions for peatlands should be based on local condition and socio-economic needs to outline intermediate and long term plans.
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Field trials of Abies lasiocarpa were undertaken with the aim of assessing the potential for Christmas tree production in Denmark. Twenty-six provenances originating from Alaska to New Mexico were tested. Damage by the insect Adelges piceae and the fungus Neonectria neomacrospora was recorded for the first time 8 and 12 years after the initial planting. Damage from N. neomacrospora increased rapidly in the period 12–15 years after planting. Trees from the northern provenances and humid climates exhibited less damage than those from southern ones. Previous attack by A. piceae had a minor effect on N. neomacrospora infection. Greenhouse tests showed that detached shoots from healthy Abies lasiocarpa can be used to rank provenances for resistance to N. neomacrospora, but results varied according to host subspecies.
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Shane C. Frank Martin Leclerc Fanie Pelletier Frank Narve Rosell Jon Swenson Richard Bischof Jonas Kindberg Hans Geir Eiken Snorre Hagen Andreas ZedrosserSammendrag
1. There is a growing recognition of the importance of indirect effects from hunting on wildlife populations, e.g., social and behavioral changes due to harvest, which occur after the initial offtake. Nonetheless, little is known about how the removal of members of a population influences the spatial configuration of the survivors. 2. We studied how surviving brown bears (Ursus arctos) used former home ranges that had belonged to casualties of the annual bear hunting season in southcentral Sweden (2007-2015). We used resource selection functions to explore the effects of the casualty's and survivor's sex, age, and their pairwise genetic relatedness, population density, and hunting intensity on survivors' spatial responses to vacated home ranges. 3. We tested the competitive release hypothesis, whereby survivors that increase their use of a killed bear’s home range are presumed to have been released from intraspecific competition. We found strong support for this hypothesis, as survivors of the same sex as the casualty consistently increased their use of its vacant home range. Patterns were less pronounced or absent when the survivor and casualty were of opposite sex. 4. Genetic relatedness between the survivor and the casualty emerged as the most important factor explaining increased use of vacated male home ranges by males, with a stronger response from survivors of lower relatedness. Relatedness was also important for females, but it did not influence use following removal; female survivors used home ranges of higher related female casualties more, both before and after death. Spatial responses by survivors were further influenced by bear age, population density, and hunting intensity. 5. We have showed that survivors exhibit a spatial response to vacated home ranges caused by hunting casualties, even in non-territorial species such as the brown bear. This spatial reorganization can have unintended consequences for population dynamics and interfere with management goals. Altogether, our results underscore the need to better understand the shortand long-term indirect effects of hunting on animal social structure and their resulting distribution in space. Spatial response, kinship, competition, spatial reorganization, harvest, social structure
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The number of effective breeders (Nb) and effective population size (Ne) are population parameters reflective of evolutionary potential, susceptibility to stochasticity, and viability. We have estimated these parameters using the linkage disequilibrium-based approach with LDNE through the latest phase of population recovery of the brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Finland (1993–2010; N = 621). This phase of the recovery was recently documented to be associated with major changes in genetic composition. In particular, differentiation between the northern and the southern genetic cluster declined rapidly within 1.5 generations. Based on this, we have studied effects of the changing genetic structure on Nb and Ne, by comparing estimates for whole Finland with the estimates for the two genetic clusters. We expected a potentially strong relationship between estimate sizes and genetic differentiation, which should disappear as the population recovers and clusters merge. Consistent with this, our estimates for whole Finland were lower than the sum of the estimates of the two genetic clusters and both approaches produced similar estimates in the end. Notably, we also found that admixed genotypes strongly increased the estimates. In all analyses, our estimates for Ne were larger than Nb and likely reflective for brown bears of the larger region of Finland and northwestern Russia. Conclusively, we find that neglecting genetic substructure may lead to a massive underestimation of Nb and Ne. Our results also suggest the need for further empirical analysis focusing on individuals with admixed genotypes and their potential high influence on Nb and Ne.
Forfattere
Ingunn Øvsthus Randi Seljåsen Elizabeth Stockdale Christian Uhlig Torfinn Torp Tor Arvid BrelandSammendrag
More sustainable production of high-quality, nutritious food is of worldwide interest. Increasing nutrient recycling into food systems is a step in this direction. The objective of the present study was to determine nitrogen (N) fertiliser effects of four waste-derived and organic materials in a cropping sequence of broccoli, potato and lettuce grown at two latitudes (58° and 67° N) in Norway during three years. Effects of anaerobically digested food waste (AD), shrimp shell (SS), algae meal (AM) and sheep manure (SM) at different N application rates (80 and 170 kg N ha–1 for broccoli, and 80 and 60 kg N ha–1 for potato and lettuce, respectively) and residual effects were tested on crop yield, N uptake, N recovery efficiency (NRE), N balance, N content in produce, mineral N in soil, product quality parameters and content of nitrate in lettuce. Mineral fertiliser (MF) served as control. Effects on yield, N uptake, NRE, N balance and product quality parameters could to a great extent be explained by estimated potentially plant-available N, which ranked in the order of AD>SS>SM>AM. Results for crops fertilised with AD and SS were not significantly different from MF at the same N application rate, while AM, in agreement with its negative effect on N mineralisation, gave negative or near-neutral effects compared to the control. No residual effect was detected after the year of application. The results showed that knowledge about N dynamics of relevant organic waste-derived fertilisers is necessary to decide on the timing and rate of application.
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Pre-sprouting of potato seed tubers (Solanum tuberosum L.) in light (greensprouting) is an established practice in short growing seasons to speed up plant development. Light exposure secures short and robust sprouts for mechanical planting. In 2014–2015, different pre-sprouting treatments were investigated, including different daily durations of light exposure during 6 to 12 weeks at 10 °C in controlled environments. The effects on sprout growth, early growth vigour and field performance in four cultivars were assessed in the greenhouse and in the field. Results indicated that the light treatments involving 8, 16 and 24 h light exposure per day all strongly inhibited sprout growth, with only minor differences between treatments. Compared to untreated tubers, within all cultivars, emergence and early plant growth was clearly and similarly accelerated by all light treatments. At harvest, cultivars were differently affected by the pre-sprouting treatments with regard to haulm senescence (greenness), tuber DM and total yield, and the latest cultivars seemed to benefit more from green-sprouting than the earliest. Different daily durations of light exposure during green-sprouting had a largely similar impact on seed tuber performance in all cultivars. Dark-sprouted tubers (de-sprouted before planting) performed largely similar to control tubers from 4 °C storage. Results demonstrate a potential for shorter daily light exposure during greensprouting with less energy use and heating problems.
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Annelene Pengerud Marie-France Dignac Giacomo Certini Line Tau Strand Claudia Forte Daniel RasseSammendrag
Increased mineralization of the organic matter (OM) stored in permafrost is expected to constitute the largest additional global warming potential from terrestrial ecosystems exposed to a warmer climate. Chemical composition of permafrost OM is thought to be a key factor controlling the sensitivity of decomposition to warming. Our objective was to characterise OM from permafrost soils of the European Arctic: two mineral soils—Adventdalen, Svalbard, Norway and Vorkuta, northwest Russia— and a ‘‘palsa’’ (ice-cored peat mound patterning in heterogeneous permafrost landscapes) soil in Neiden, northern Norway, in terms of molecular composition and state of decomposition. At all sites, the OM stored in the permafrost was at an advanced stage of decomposition, although somewhat less so in the palsa peat. By comparing permafrost and active layers, we found no consistent effect of depth or permafrost on soil organic matter (SOM) chemistry across sites. The permafrost-affected palsa peat displayed better preservation of plant material in the deeper layer, as indicated by increasing contribution of lignin carbon to total carbon with depth, associated to decreasing acid (Ac) to aldehyde (Al) ratio of the syringyl (S) and vanillyl (V) units, and increasing S/V and contribution of plant-derived sugars. By contrast, in Adventdalen, the Ac/Al ratio of lignin and the Alkyl C to O-alkyl C ratio in the NMR spectra increased with depth, which suggests less oxidized SOM in the active layer compared to the permafrost layer. In Vorkuta, SOM characteristics in the permafrost profile did not change substantially with depth, probably due to mixing of soil layers by cryoturbation. The composition and state of decomposition of SOM appeared to be site-specific, in particular bound to the prevailing organic or mineral nature of soil when attempting to predict the SOM proneness to degradation. The occurrence of processes such as palsa formation in organic soils and cryoturbation should be considered when up-scaling and predicting the responses of OM to climate change in arctic soils.
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Evaluating biochars for their persistence in soil under field conditions is an important step towards their implementation for carbon sequestration. Current evaluations might be biased because the vast majority of studies are short-term laboratory incubations of biochars produced in laboratory-scale pyrolyzers. Here our objective was to investigate the stability of a biochar produced with a medium-scale pyrolyzer, first through laboratory characterization and stability tests and then through field experiment. We also aimed at relating properties of this medium-scale biochar to that of a laboratory-made biochar with the same feedstock. Biochars were made of Miscanthus biomass for isotopic C-tracing purposes and produced at temperatures between 600 and 700°C. The aromaticity and degree of condensation of aromatic rings of the medium-scale biochar was high, as was its resistance to chemical oxidation. In a 90-day laboratory incubation, cumulative mineralization was 0.1% for the medium-scale biochar vs. 45% for the Miscanthus feedstock, pointing to the absence of labile C pool in the biochar. These stability results were very close to those obtained for biochar produced at laboratory-scale, suggesting that upscaling from laboratory to medium-scale pyrolyzers had little effect on biochar stability. In the field, the medium-scale biochar applied at up to 25 t C ha-1 decomposed at an estimated 0.8% per year. In conclusion, our biochar scored high on stability indices in the laboratory and displayed a mean residence time > 100 years in the field, which is the threshold for permanent removal in C sequestration projects.
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Conversion from agriculture to forestry is considered a measure for mitigation of atmospheric CO2 but the impacts on soil C and N processes remain still unclear. We investigated heterotrophic respiration (RH), specific carbon mineralization (CMIN) and nitrogen mineralization (NMIN) in Norway spruce (Picea abies (Karst.) L.) and oak (Quercus robur L.) chronosequences on former cropland by laboratory incubation. The RH was estimated as the release of C per gram soil and CMIN as the release of C per gram of soil organic matter (SOM). Seven Norway spruce stands (16–44 years), eight oak stands (4–43 years), a cropland, a 35 years old permanent pasture and a 200-year-old oak-dominated forest were sampled (0–5 cm and 5–15 cm soil layers) in early spring. The SOM content gradually increased with stand age in 0–5 cm but remained the same in the 5–15 cm soil layer. The RH in the 0–5 cm layer gradually increased with time since afforestation in both tree species while there was no change in CMIN. In 5–15 cm, neither RH nor CMIN changed significantly after afforestation, but oak stands had significantly higher RH than Norway spruce. The NMIN and nitrification in 0–5 cm significantly increased with stand age and only nitrification was higher in oak. In 5–15 cm, only NMIN in oak increased with stand age, but both NMIN and nitrification were significantly higher in oak than spruce. Cropland RH, CMIN and NMIN rates were comparable to those found within the first decades of afforestation, whereas the 200-year-old forest and the pasture generally had RH and NMIN rates similar to the older chronosequence stands. We conclude that potential RH and soil N mineralization increased with time since afforestation and were tree species specific. Soil organic C stock gains observed in this area during the first 45 years after afforestation were not driven by decreased SOM decomposability, leaving increased litter C inputs as a more likely explanation. The lower CMIN in the 200-year-old forest suggests that future studies should include older forests to assess if the stability of C and the retention of N may increase in a longer term perspective.
Forfattere
Geir-Harald StrandSammendrag
An undesirable property of systematic spatial sampling is that there is no known method allowing unbiased estimation of the uncertainty of statistical estimates from these surveys. A number of alternative variance estimation methods have been tested and reported by various authors. Studies comparing these estimators are inconclusive, partly because the studies compare different sets of estimators. In this paper, three estimators recommended in recent studies are compared using a single test dataset with known properties. The first estimator compared in this study (ST4) is based on post-stratification of the data. The second estimator (V08) is using a predetermined correction factor calculated from the spatial autocorrelation. The third estimator (MB) is a model based prediction calculated using values from the semivariogram. MB and ST4 were both found to be fairly accurate, while V08 consistently underestimated the variance in this study. V08 relies on the assumption that the autocorrelation structure in the dataset can be described using a particular exponential function. The most likely explanation of the weak result for V08 is that this assumption is violated by the empirical data used in the experiment. A better correction factor can be calculated, but the safe approach is to use MB or ST4.
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Detailed descriptions of individual vegetation types shown on vegetation maps can improve the ways in which the composition and spatial structure within the types are understood. The authors therefore examined dwarf shrub heath, a vegetation type covering large areas and found in many parts of the Norwegian mountains. They used data from point samples obtained in a wall-to-wall area frame survey. The point sampling method provided data that gave a good understanding of the composition and structure of the vegetation type, but also revealed a difference between variation within the vegetation type itself (intra-class variation) and variation resulting from the inclusion of other types of vegetation inside the map polygons (landscape variation). Intra-class variation reflected differences in the botanical composition of the vegetation type itself, whereas landscape variation represented differences in the land-cover composition of the broader landscape in which the vegetation type was found. Both types of variation were related to environmental gradients. The authors conclude that integrated point sampling method is an efficient way to achieve increased understanding of the content of a vegetation map and can be implemented as a supporting activity during a survey.
Forfattere
Jorunn Børve Antonio Ippolito Brankica Tanovic Monika Michalecka Simona Marianna Sanzani Anna Poniatowska Marta Mari Jovana HrusticSammendrag
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Creeping perennial weeds are of major concern in organically grown cereals. In the present study, the effects of different timing of mouldboard ploughing with or without a preceding stubble cultivation period, on weeds and spring cereals were studied. The experiments were conducted at two sites in Norway during a two and three-year period, respectively, with the treatments repeated on the same plots. The soil cultivation treatments were a stubble disc-harrowing cultivation period followed by mouldboard ploughing and only mouldboard ploughing. The timing of the treatments were autumn or spring. The density and biomass of the aboveground shoots of Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop., Elymus repens (L.) Gould, Sonchus arvensis L. and Stachys palustris L. as well as the total aboveground biomass of the spring cereal crop (oats) were assessed. The control efficiency of C. arvense and S. arvensis was closely related to timing of the cultivation treatments. Cultivation in spring decreased the population of C. arvense and S. arvensis compared to autumn cultivation. For E. repens, timing of the treatments had no significant effect: the important factor was whether stubble cultivation was carried out (best control) or not. The overall best strategy for controlling the present perennial weed population was stubble cultivation followed by ploughing in spring. However, the associated relative late sowing of the spring cereal crop and lowered crop biomass, were important drawbacks.
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Arctic charr and European whitefish are considered to be strong competitors in lakes, with the latter usually being the superior species. However, high niche plasticity and lake morphometry may suggestively facilitate resource partitioning and coexistence between charr and whitefish. Here, we explore the trophic niche utilization (diet and habitat use) of charr and whitefish co-occurring with brown trout in the deep and oligotrophic Lake Fyresvatnet, southern Norway (59°05’N, 8°10’E). Using CPUE, stomach contents and stable isotope analyses, a distinct resource partitioning was revealed between brown trout and the other two species. Brown trout typically occupied the littoral zone, feeding on benthic invertebrates, surface insects and small-sized whitefish. In contrast, charr and whitefish were predominantly zooplanktivorous, but diverged somewhat in habitat utilization as charr shifted seasonally between the profundal and the littoral zone, whereas whitefish were found in the upper water layers (littoral and pelagic habitats). Accordingly, the stable isotope values of carbon (δ13C) reflected a pelagic orientated prey resource use for both charr and whitefish, whereas brown trout had elevated carbon and nitrogen (δ15N) signatures that reflected their benthivore and piscivore diet, respectively. The findings suggest that charr may not rely upon the profundal zone as a feeding habitat but as a refuge area, and may coexist with whitefish if a third competitive and predatory species like brown trout co-occur in the lake. The study indicates that a general high habitat plasticity of Arctic charr may be essential in the presently observed coexistence with a competitively superior fish species like whitefish, and that a third fish species like brown trout may facilitate this particular fish community structure.
Forfattere
John P. Clarkson Rachel J. Warmington Peter G. Walley Matthew Denton-Giles Martin J. Barbetti Guro Brodal Berit NordskogSammendrag
Sclerotinia species are important fungal pathogens of a wide range of crops and wild host plants. While the biology and population structure of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum has been well-studied, little information is available for the related species S. subarctica. In this study, Sclerotinia isolates were collected from different crop plants and the wild host Ranuculus ficaria (meadow buttercup) in England, Scotland, and Norway to determine the incidence of Sclerotinia subarctica and examine the population structure of this pathogen for the first time. Incidence was very low in England, comprising only 4.3% of isolates while moderate and high incidence of S. subarctica was identified in Scotland and Norway, comprising 18.3 and 48.0% of isolates respectively. Characterization with eight microsatellite markers identified 75 haplotypes within a total of 157 isolates over the three countries with a few haplotypes in Scotland and Norway sampled at a higher frequency than the rest across multiple locations and host plants. In total, eight microsatellite haplotypes were shared between Scotland and Norway while none were shared with England. Bayesian and principal component analyses revealed common ancestry and clustering of Scottish and Norwegian S. subarctica isolates while English isolates were assigned to a separate population cluster and exhibited low diversity indicative of isolation. Population structure was also examined for S. sclerotiorum isolates from England, Scotland, Norway, and Australia using microsatellite data, including some from a previous study in England. In total, 484 haplotypes were identified within 800 S. sclerotiorum isolates with just 15 shared between England and Scotland and none shared between any other countries. Bayesian and principal component analyses revealed a common ancestry and clustering of the English and Scottish isolates while Norwegian and Australian isolates were assigned to separate clusters. Furthermore, sequencing part of the intergenic spacer (IGS) region of the rRNA gene resulted in 26 IGS haplotypes within 870 S. sclerotiorum isolates, nine of which had not been previously identified and two of which were also widely distributed across different countries. S. subarctica therefore has a multiclonal population structure similar to S. sclerotiorum, but has a different ancestry and distribution across England, Scotland, and Norway.
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The ongoing climate change may have a distinct effect on Norway spruce growth, one of the most important tree species in European forest management. Therefore, the understanding and assessment of climate-growth relationship can help to reveal relevant patterns in temporal variability that may result in lower tree vitality and decline. The main objective of our study was to evaluate the long-term climate-growth variability of Norway spruce in south-eastern Norway, at the northern edge of the temperate zone. We sampled in total 270 dominant and co-dominant trees from 18 plots in south-eastern Norway. We analysed stem cores and evaluated crown condition parameters to assess the retrospective tree growth and vitality. Despite considerable differences in the crown parameters, high similarity among tree-ring width (TRW) series allowed compiling the regional tree-ring width chronology. Correlations between TRW and climate parameters showed temporal instability in their relationship during the period 1915–2012. While we did not detect any significant relationships between TRW and climate parameters in the first half of the study period (1915–1963), a significant correlation between TRW and spring precipitation was observed for the period 1964–2012. This shift appeared concurrent with temperatures reaching above-average values compared to the average of the climate normal period 1961–1990.
Forfattere
Leif Sundheim Inger Therese L. Lillegaard Christiane Kruse Fæste Anne Lise Brantsæter Guro Brodal Gunnar Sundstøl EriksenSammendrag
Deoxynivalenol (DON) is the most common mycotoxin in Norwegian cereals, and DON is detected in most samples of crude cereal grain and cereal food commodities such as flour, bran, and oat flakes. The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety assessed the risk for adverse effects of deoxynivalenol (DON) in different age groups of the domestic population. This review presents the main results from the risk assessment, supplemented with some recently published data. Impairment of the immune system together with reduced feed intake and weight gain are the critical effects of DON in experimental animals on which the current tolerable daily intake was established. Based on food consumption and occurrence data, the mean exposure to DON in years with low and high levels of DON in the flour, respectively, were in the range of or up to two times the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) in 1-year-old infants and 2-year-old children. In years with high mean DON concentration, the high (95th-percentile) exposure exceeded the TDI by up to 3.5 times in 1-, 2- , 4-, and 9-year-old children. The assessment concluded that exceeding the TDI in infants and children is of concern. The estimated dietary DON intakes in adolescent and adult populations are in the range of the TDI or below, and are not a health concern. Acute human exposure to DON is not of concern in any age group.
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This paper aims to study the impact of biogas technology adoption as a livestock waste technology to support Mixed Crop and Livestock (MCL) farming among smallholder farmers in Indonesia. A cross sectional survey was conducted to collect data from 351 farm households (171 biogas adopters and 180 non-adopters) in the province of Yogyakarta. This study employed treatment effects analysis based on propensity score matching techniques to evaluate the impacts of biogas technology adoption among the farm households. The results showed that the adoption of the biogas technology reduces firewood consumption of smallholder farm households in Indonesia. Unfortunately, the impact on the use of slurry for organic fertilizers and the use of gas (Liquid Petroleum Gas, LPG) as another household cooking energy could not be evaluated. This study empirically showed that the benefits of the biogas technology had not yet been optimized at the household level which may partly explain the slow rate of biogas technology diffusion among farmers. However, the consumption reduction of firewood as a benefit of using biogas contributed to behavioral changes of the women in the households especially with respect to firewood collection and cooking activities.
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Ash dieback, caused by the ascomycete Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, was first observed in the eastern and southernmost Norway in 2008. Based on the age of stem bark lesions, it was concluded that the fungus had arrived to the region no later than 2006. Since 2008 the annual spread of the disease northwards along the west coast of Norway has been monitored. The registration was done each year during early summer around a disease frontier recorded in the previous year. The occurrence of necrotic bark lesions in the previous-year shoots and dieback of these shoots, and isolation of H. fraxineus from the discoloured wood associated with necrotic bark lesions were used as signs of ash dieback. These records indicate an annual spread of ash dieback in the range between 25 km and 78 km, and a mean annual spread of 51 km. The cause of the spread is discussed.
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Dieback of European ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.), a disease caused by the ascomycete Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (previously referred to as H. pseudoalbidus or Chalara fraxinea), was first observed in Poland in the early 1990ies, and is currently present almost throughout the entire distribution area of European ash. The characteristic symptoms of the disease include dead shoots with necrotic lesions in the bark and discoloration of xylem and pith but the seasonal dynamics of pathogen spread in shoot tissues remain poorly understood. To investigate whether the internal spread of the fungus involves season-specific patterns, saplings with necrotic bark lesions in 1-2 -year-old stem regions were collected during 2014-2015 at time intervals in spring, summer, autumn and winter at several localities in western Ukraine and at two localities in south-eastern Norway. Tissuespecific presence of H. fraxineus was determined by a highly sensitive quantitative real-time PCR assay that is specific to DNA of H. fraxineus. The relatively high proportion of bark samples positive for H. fraxineus in the saplings collected during spring provides support to a model that H. fraxineus can be a primary causative agent of bark lesions and that other fungi may eventually replace it in old infection areas.
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Ash dieback, caused by the ascomycete Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, has been spreading throughout Europe since the early 1990s, threatening European ash at a continental scale. Little is known about the development of the disease in individual forest trees and in different age classes. In this study we monitored ash dieback on trees of different diameter classes in five permanent plots in ash stands in south-eastern Norway from 2009 to 2016, and from 2012 to 2016 in three plots in western Norway with a shorter disease history. Our results showed that more than 80% of the youngest and more than 40% of the intermediate future crop trees in the plots in south-eastern Norway were dead by 2016, while the disease development in large, dominant trees was slower. Although less damage has been observed in the plots in western Norway, the trend for the juvenile trees is the same as in south-eastern Norway with rapidly increasing damage and mortality. Most dead trees in south-eastern Norway were found at sites with high soil moisture and showed symptoms of root-rot caused by Armillaria species. Infected trees, both young and old ones, are weakened by the disease and appear to be more susceptible to other, secondary pathogens, especially under unfavourable site conditions.
Forfattere
Marie Louise Davey Marte Skogen Einar Heegaard Rune Halvorsen Håvard Kauserud Mikael OhlsonSammendrag
Human activity has more than doubled the amount of nitrogen entering the global nitrogen cycle, and the boreal forest biome is a nitrogen-limited ecosystem sensitive to nitrogen load perturbation. Although bryophyte-associated microbes contribute significantly to boreal forest ecosystem function, particularly in carbon and nitrogen cycling, little is known about their responses to anthropogenic global change. Amplicon pyrosequencing of the ITS2 region of rDNA was used to investigate how fungal communities associated with three bryophyte species responded to increased nitrogen loads in a long-term fertilization experiment in a boreal Picea abies forest in southern Norway. Overall, OTU richness, community composition and the relative abundance of specific ecological guilds were primarily influenced by host species identity and tissue type. Although not the primary factor affecting fungal communities, nitrogen addition did impact the abundance of specific guilds of fungi and the resulting overall community composition. Increased nitrogen loads decreased ectomycorrhizal abundance, with Amphinema, Cortinarius, Russula and Tylospora OTUs responding negatively to fertilization. Pathogen abundance increased with fertilization, particularly in the moss pathogen Eocronartium. Saprophytic fungi were both positively and negatively impacted by the nitrogen addition, indicating a complex community level response. The overshadowing of the effects of increased nitrogen loads by variation related to host and tissue type highlights the complexity of bryophyte-associated microbial communities and the intricate nature of their responses to anthropogenic global change.