Publikasjoner
NIBIOs ansatte publiserer flere hundre vitenskapelige artikler og forskningsrapporter hvert år. Her finner du referanser og lenker til publikasjoner og andre forsknings- og formidlingsaktiviteter. Samlingen oppdateres løpende med både nytt og historisk materiale. For mer informasjon om NIBIOs publikasjoner, besøk NIBIOs bibliotek.
2026
Forfattere
Johannes Schumacher Alessandro Cescatti Gherardo Chirici Giovanni D’Amico Saverio Francini Johannes Hertzler Lauri Mehtätalo Gert-Jan Nabuurs Mats Nilsson Juho Pitkänen Johannes BreidenbachSammendrag
The availability of reliable ground-truth data is one of the main bottlenecks for improving high-resolution forest attribute maps from Earth observation data. This is underpinned by the European Union (EU) Forest Strategy for 2030 that underscores the need for harmonized, cross-border forest resource assessments that integrate both remote sensing and field-based National Forest Inventory (NFI) data. However, confidentiality constraints on NFI plot coordinates present a significant barrier to aligning these datasets, thereby limiting the development of unified forest monitoring systems that can fully leverage the potential of Earth Observation data. To overcome these data-sharing limitations we explored the effectiveness of a privacy-enhancing technique, known as Federated Learning (FL), that is a form of distributed computing aimed at preserving the privacy and confidentiality of data owned by different organizations. This methodology has been tested for the collaborative modelling and mapping of forest timber volume across four European countries: Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Italy. We employed a time-series convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture tailored to integrate 40 years of Landsat or 7 years of Sentinel imagery and terrain variables with harmonized NFI data from more than 85,000 sample plots. This model architecture was used for the FL approach and compared to traditional country-specific and centralized modelling strategies. FL models achieved predictive performances comparable to the traditional models, which proofs the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Centralized or global models showed slightly reduced performance compared to the national models, highlighting the value of fine-tuning with local ground-truth data. By aligning with the EU’s forest monitoring objectives, FL facilitates the generation of harmonized models and maps of forest features, like timber volume and biomass, that are critical to support evidence-based forest policy and management. The findings underscore the potential of FL to transform collaborative environmental monitoring, particularly in domains where data confidentiality and interoperability are critical.
Sammendrag
Individual tree structure plays a key role in forest monitoring, biomass estimation, and ecological assessment. However, ground-based remote sensing methods such as terrestrial and mobile laser scanning frequently produce incomplete point clouds due to occlusion, particularly in the upper canopy. This limits the accuracy of derived structural metrics such as tree height or crown volume. In this study, we present a novel deep learning-based method to reconstruct the outer crown shape of coniferous trees from incomplete point clouds. Instead of completing the full tree structure, we focus on predicting the alpha-shape of the crown, enabling a more efficient and generalizable approach for structural reconstruction. We train a geometry-aware transformer model (AdaPoinTr) on synthetically generated partial tree crowns and evaluate its performance across three independent datasets encompassing different forest types and acquisition conditions. The model consistently improved the similarity metric Chamfer distance (CD) between partial and predicted tree crown shapes and reduced height estimation errors compared to using partial data alone (reduced bias from -11% to -3.5%). Our results demonstrate that this shape-based strategy enables the extraction of key tree-level parameters from incomplete data, offering a practical solution for gaining improved 3D forest structural information from cost-sensitive or logistically constrained forest monitoring acquisitions.
Sammendrag
Green roofs are increasingly recognized as nature-based solutions that enhance urban resilience by supporting biodiversity, regulating microclimates, and mitigating stormwater runoff. However, their performance—particularly in extensive, lightweight systems—is often constrained by drought stress, which limits plant survival and ecosystem functioning under climate change. While substrate composition has been widely investigated in this context, the role of wind as a co-driver of drought impacts remains poorly understood. In this study, we examined how moderate wind interacts with substrate properties to shape drought responses in green roof vegetation. Using three non-succulent species (Plantago maritima, Pilosella officinarum, and Festuca rubra), we quantified substrate and plant water balance, physiological performance, wilting dynamics, and survival under prolonged drought conditions. Our results demonstrate that wind significantly accelerates drought effects—regardless of species or substrate—by intensifying substrate desiccation, with critical moisture thresholds reached at 6–8%. While wind alone did not impair plant performance under well-watered conditions, its interaction with drought markedly reduced survival time and increased physiological stress. Although general response patterns were consistent across species, subtle interspecific differences indicate that plant selection for green roofs should account for combined drought and wind exposure. These findings highlight wind as an overlooked but critical factor in the design and evaluation of resilient green roof systems and potentially contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of vegetation performance in urban nature-based solutions under climate stress.
Forfattere
Gunnhild SøgaardSammendrag
Det er ikke registrert sammendrag
Forfattere
Raphael Silva Thiago Inagaki Thomas Trentin Laura Péres Cléber Jesus Luis Alleoni Matheus SoaresSammendrag
Highly reactive, fine-particle biochars are particularly effective in recarbonizing degraded soils, but they can be more vulnerable to fire degradation due to higher surface area. How biochar particle size influences its persistence in the environment remains poorly understood, particularly in regions affected by fire events such as the Cerrado. In this study, we investigated the stability of micrometric (200 µm) and nanometric (<50 nm) açaí seed biochar incubated in an Oxisol for 180 days, followed by simulated burning using a propane–butane torch. Biochar amended soil had higher total C and nitrogen (N) contents, with a 43% increase for microbiochar and 88% for nanobiochar in the mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) fraction, indicating incorporation into stable pools. Burning reduced C associated with the particulate organic matter (POM) more when amended with microbiochar than with nanobiochar, demonstrating their vulnerability fire. An increase, up to fivefold, in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DN) contents occurred after burning. XRD data showed no mineralogical differences among samples, while FTIR indicated loss of polysaccharides after burning. TGA revealed that microbiochar was more thermally stable under unburned conditions but lost stability after burning. In contrast, nanobiochar was less stable in unburned soil but became more stable following burning, resulting in lower mass loss. The reduced mass loss in the burned control is attributed to its ~40% lower soil C content. Biochar’s particle size governs carbon stability, fire vulnerability, and post-burn soil resilience, thereby using nanobiochar for fire-prone areas act as strategy improving the management of agricultural soils.
Forfattere
Thiago Inagaki Junbin Zhao Claire Douheret Pierre-Adrien Rivier Jihong Liu Clarke Nicholas ClarkeSammendrag
Earthworms enhance compost mineralization, improving its fertilizer value and soil quality (biological activity, structure). However, they often increase greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly nitrous oxide (N₂O), via nitrogen mineralization. Combining biochar with compost may mitigate these emissions while further boosting soil benefits alongside earthworm activity. We present preliminary results from a soil incubation (2 months) experiment testing this synergy. Using a Norwegian loam Cambisol, a 2x2x2 factorial design (four replicates) assessed the presence/absence of earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris - 10 adults/jar), compost (manure/food waste - 60 Mg ha⁻¹ equivalent), and rice-straw biochar (700°C pyrolyzed - 20 Mg ha⁻¹ equivalent). We hypothesized that earthworm and compost addition may present synergistic effects in improving N mineralization with consequent enhanced GHG emissions. We expect that biochar may counteract these emissions and potentially present positive effects for soil quality. The goal was to develop a biochar-compost-earthworm system creating a fertilizer with higher nutrient availability and lower GHG emissions. In the first week of the incubation, we found that higher CO2 and N2O productions were associated with the presence of compost. Earthworms could further enhance the carbon decomposition but appeared to mitigate CH4 production. Further analysis will be carried out with a focus on GHG emissions (CO₂, CH₄, N₂O) and nitrogen mineralization dynamics.
Forfattere
Thiago Inagaki Frederik Bøe Ievina Sturite Meike S. Bärmann Franziska Bucka Alice Budai Anders Aas Daniel RasseSammendrag
In high-latitude arable systems (63.9°N), short growing seasons and cold climates often constrain regenerative practices. This study investigates how cover crop (CC) diversity influences the synergy among root development, carbon (C) persistence, and nutrient (N and P) dynamics within a barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)-oat (Avena sativa) rotation. Over three years, we evaluated a gradient of CC intercropping complexity using a randomized complete block design. Treatments were: (1) Control (barley/oat without NPK), (2) Biochar-Fertilizer (barley/oat + NPK + 1.8 Mg ha-1 year-1 biochar), (3) Monocrop (barley/oat), (4) Ryegrass (barley + ryegrass), (5) Clover (barley + ryegrass + white/red clover), and (6) Chicory (barley + ryegrass + red clover + chicory + bird’s-foot trefoil). We quantified root biomass, soil organic matter (SOM) fractions, specifically Mineral-Associated Organic Matter (MAOM) and Particulate Organic Matter (POM), aggregate stability, nutrient stocks, and microbial abundance via qPCR. The CCs sown shortly after barley were successfully established, with an average biomass of 1525 kg/ha, without compromising cereal yields, thereby confirming their viability in Nordic climates. A central finding was that root development served as the primary driver of organo-mineral associations. Ryegrass- and Clover-based systems produced significantly higher root biomass, which correlated strongly (p < 0.01) with MAOM stocks and total P acquisition. These systems stored 12 Mg/ha more MAOM-C and 1.1 Mg/ha more MAOM-N than the control at 0-20 cm depth. The inclusion of diverse functional traits in the complex five-species mixture significantly improved soil physical structure, yielding higher aggregate stability and lower bulk density. While CCs accumulated approximately 7 kg P/ha, the diverse mix optimized nutrient availability, whereas simpler mixtures showed higher C:P ratios, suggesting potential microbial P immobilization. Microbial abundance was consistently higher in multi-species treatments, indicating a more active biological environment. Ongoing analysis integrates cereal physiological data, focusing on the photosynthetic efficiency of oats in response to cultivation? regimes. Our findings bridge the gap between root morphology, plant physiology, and long-term SOM persistence, providing a strategic framework for using functional crop traits to enhance soil resilience and nutrient efficiency in cold-climate regions.
Forfattere
Thiago Inagaki Frederik Bøe Ievina Sturite Meike Sophie Bärmann Franziska Bucka Alice Budai Anders Aas Daniel RasseSammendrag
High-latitude regions pose challenges for soil organic matter (SOM) sequestration and for improving soil fertility due to low temperatures, which shorten growing seasons and promote off-season nutrient leaching. Even long-term experiments on conservation practices have shown only modest increases in C storage. Nonetheless, persistent SOM fractions, such as mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM), have been shown to improve relatively quickly through conservation practices in temperate regions, which could be key in high-latitude regions. MAOM is an important SOM fraction not only for promoting carbon (C) storage but also for providing an available form of nitrogen (N) for plant nutrition. In this study, we show that, in Norwegian agriculture (63.9°N), MAOM (C and N) stocks improved only after three years of implementing cover crop systems that combined 1 to 4 cover crops with cereals (barley or oats) intercropped simultaneously (12 Mg ha-1 for C and 1.1 Mg ha-1 for N in the 0-20 cm layer more compared to unfertilized Control plots). Cover crops containing red and white clover and ryegrass efficiently increased the MAOM fraction in soil. An increase in root biomass and changes in root morphology were the primary factors linking cover crops to MAOM improvements in this field. In addition to benefits for SOM stocks, we recorded improvements in microbial abundance, soil structure, nutrient cycling, and cereal physiology. Our findings help to reframe MAOM as a bioavailable nutrient pool essential for soil health and nutrient cycling, which can be improved in the relatively short term through root development.
Forfattere
Thiago InagakiSammendrag
Det er ikke registrert sammendrag
Forfattere
Ying Zhao Li Guo Jian Liu Jie Xue Jinzhao Liu Yingkai Chen Xinyan Cai Kenneth C Carroll Esteban Jobbagy Steven P Loheide Kathleen M B Boomer Yanping LiSammendrag
Meeting rising food demand under intensifying climate variability, soil degradation, and groundwater decline requires agriculture to produce more with less freshwater. We advance critical zone agrohydrology (CZA) as a unifying framework that treats agricultural landscapes as human-managed critical zones—coupled systems extending from canopy to bedrock and operating from seasons to decades. CZA is organized around the four deeps (deep time, deep depth, deep coupling, and deep practice) and operationalized through a 5M cycle of measuring, mapping, monitoring, modeling, and managing. This perspective expands conventional agrohydrology by accounting for long-term soil change, subsurface storage and flow, biogeochemical feedbacks, and human decision-making, thereby linking field efficiency with basin sufficiency. We illustrate implications for multifunctional soil management, nutrient-loss control, salinity rehabilitation, drought resilience, managed aquifer recharge, and cross-scale governance. By reframing agriculture as a potential contributor to aquifer stability, water quality, carbon storage, biodiversity, and durable productivity, CZA offers a practical pathway toward more resilient and basin-aware agricultural water management.