Publications
NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.
2026
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Janicke Nordgreen Grete H. M. Jørgensen Cecilie Marie Mejdell Ruth C. Newberry Stephan Reber Kristin Opdal Seljetun Åsa Maria Olofsdotter Espmark Erik Georg Granquist Ingrid Olesen Sonal Patel Sokratis Ptochos Amin Sayyari Marco Vindas Tor Atle MoAbstract
VKM has assessed the welfare needs, welfare challenges, and mitigation measures for 27 exotic bird species kept as companion and hobby animals in Norway. VKM concludes that it is challenging to achieve good welfare for these exotic bird species in captivity. There is a high risk of poor welfare in these birds kept without conspecifics. Furthermore, inadequate housing lacking enrichment and without the possibility of free flying outdoors is detrimental to the welfare of all species. Feather clipping and hand-rearing are other high-risk factors, as is feeding a seed-based diet. VKM has also compiled an overview of mitigation measures.
Abstract
This study has applied FAO’s resilience assessment tool «SHARP+» to 14 farm enterprises practicing mountain summer farming (stølsdrift) in the Valdres region, representing the first use of this tool in a Norwegian context. The questionnaire was adapted to better capture local agricultural practices and institutional conditions, and structured interviews with farm managers were conducted in November 2025. Technical resilience scores ranged from 4.9 to 7.4 out of 10 (mean 6.2), and self-assessed scores from 5.9 to 7.9 (mean 6.9). The strongest areas were Government and institutional support (9.3) and Education and knowledge (8.5). The weakest were Livestock nutrition (3.5), Reasonably profitable (3.8), and Globally autonomous and locally interdependent (3.2), pointing to structural constraints related to feed self-sufficiency, farm profitability, and dependence on external inputs. Self-assessed scores consistently exceeded technical scores, particularly in production-related modules. Farmers' stated priorities — climate adaptation, infrastructure, farm economy, cooperation, and policy — largely aligned with the weakest areas in the technical assessment. The 2018 drought was the most critical environmental event reported by ten of the fourteen interviewees during their career as farmers.
Abstract
Poster presented at SETAC 2026. Plastic waste in the environment has been suggested as a potential carrier for azoles and other pesticides, which may contribute to the selection and spread of fungal resistance to azole-based medicines and pesticides. Here, we report results from pesticide analyses of plastic litter collected across Norway. Although many of the 120 plastic samples were weathered and small, we detected pesticides and other contaminants on 36 of the samples, including azoles on 13 of them. Azole concentrations ranged from 2-66 µg/kg plastic litter. The concentrations of the other contaminants ranged from 1 to 731 µg/kg plastic litter, with the highest finding of the herbicide fluroxypyr-meptyl on a piece of hayball plastic wrap. 18 of the litter samples with findings were found in forest habitats, whereas 17 samples were sampled from farmland and grassland. The findings suggest certain pesticides and biocides, including azoles, bind more strongly to plastic than previously assumed, allowing contaminants to persist and spread beyond agricultural areas into natural habitats. This raises concerns about environmental transport of antifungal agents and the potential acceleration of resistance development, posing risks to health and ecosystems.
Authors
José E. Pérez-Martín Femke Batsleer Martijn L. Vandegehuchte Ivan M. De-La-Cruz Carolina Diller José F. Sánchez-Sevilla Anne Muola Johan A. Stenberg Timo Hytönen Dries Bonte David Posé Sonia OsorioAbstract
Phenotypic plasticity and local adaptation jointly shape plant responses to environmental variation, but their relative contributions and trait-specific interactions remain poorly understood. (1) We quantified metabolites and measured growth, reproduction and herbivore resistance-related traits in 15 Fragaria vesca genotypes from a European latitudinal gradient grown reciprocally in four common gardens over two years. (2) Environment explained most trait variance (30%), followed by genotype × environment interactions (18%) indicating evolved plasticity, then genotype (9%). (3) Northern genotypes exhibited greater plasticity in stress-related metabolites but more canalization in growth-related traits, while southern genotypes maintained constitutively high levels of protective metabolites; this resulted in latitude shaping more than 4% of plasticity profiles. (4) Long-term temperature at origin outperformed precipitation in predicting trait variation across all categories. Synthesis. Plasticity dominates over local adaptation along climate gradients but evolves in a trait-specific manner as a heritable target of selection, buffering populations against climate shifts while also shaping the pace of genetic tracking, critical for predicting range dynamics under climate change.
Authors
Mikołaj Owsianiak Ioanna Panteli Erlend Grenager Sørmo Peter Fantke Gudny Øyre Flatabø Gerard CornelissenAbstract
Evaluation of biochar-assisted contaminant immobilization as a soil remediation technology must consider the trade-off between the positive effects of reduced toxic impacts through soil cleanup and climate change mitigation through carbon storage, and the negative impacts associated with contaminants introduced to soil with the biochar. Addressing this trade-off is challenging, as existing models and characterization factors used in life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) are generally not representative of conditions at contaminated sites, particularly in the presence of sorbents such as biochar. In addition, comparative toxicity potentials (CTPs) of most per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) compounds are not available for soils. To address these challenges, we applied the USEtox framework to quantify environmental fate, ecosystem exposure, and ecotoxicological effects of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) as the remediation target, and several metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) introduced via biochar amendment. The resulting CTPs were used in the LCIA phase of a life cycle assessment (LCA) of soil remediation based on the LC-Impact methodology. Biochar had a significant influence on the CTPs of PAHs, a moderate effect on PFOA, and a limited effect on metals. The trade-off between the immobilization of PFOA and the introduction of PAHs and metals was outweighed by the benefits of carbon storage and avoided incumbent waste management. These results suggest that the implementation of biochar-assisted remediation should be primarily guided by the carbon storage potential of the biochar and the characteristics of incumbent feedstock treatment pathways, whereas the effect of biochar on PFOA immobilization was less influential.
Authors
Giovanni D’Amico Davide Botticelli Giacomo Marcelli Walter Mattioli Gherardo Chirici Elia Vangi Costanza Borghi Piermaria Corona Johannes Schumacher Johannes Breidenbach Yang Su Lauri Mehtätalo Saverio FranciniAbstract
This data article presents a multi-source dataset of satellite-based auxiliary data designed for forest modelling and monitoring. The dataset integrates annual medoid composites derived from Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, and Landsat imagery, together with spectral indices, Landsat-based 3I3D change metrics, forest mask and forest type layers, and terrain variables derived from the Copernicus GLO-30 DEM, offering comprehensive information on forest cover, spectral behavior, and change metrics. It provides harmonized predictors across seven European countries, ensuring consistency, scalability, and ease of use for researchers developing or validating models to understand forest dynamics and estimate forest-related variables such as biomass or canopy recovery. A curated subset of the dataset is distributed via Zenodo, along with direct public access links to the complete multi-terabyte archive. The data support applications in forest biodiversity conservation, carbon monitoring, biomass modelling, and climate-change impact assessment.
Authors
Giovanni Peratoner Caren Pauler Manuel Schneider Vibeke Lind Andreas Klingler Andreas Schaumberger Enrico SturaroAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Merethe Dotterud Leiren Torbjørg Jevnaker Lars Harald Gulbrandsen Erlend Andre T. Hermansen Jørgen Wettestad Knut ØistadAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Anne Straumfors Anani Komlavi Afanou Oda Astrid Haarr Foss Abdelhameed Elameen Mikkel Meyn Liljegren Hans Geir EikenAbstract
Abstract Background: Pesticides are used in greenhouse cultivation to control fungi and pests and to shape plant growth. This influences microbial communities and may increase the selective pressure for resistant species development. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global health challenge, and while AMR dispersal through soil and water is well studied, the role of bioaerosols as AMR vectors remains insufficiently explored. Objectives: To explore the link between chemical pesticide and the prevalence of AMR genes in aerosols from greenhouses using pesticides and those not using them. Methods: Forty-nine fullshift personal samples of inhalable dust were collected in eight greenhouses from 2021 and 2024. Five greenhouses used chemical pesticides and three did not. DNA was extracted and screened for the presence of 45 clinically relevant AMR genes using HT-qPCR. Results: Twenty of the 45 screened genes were detected. Greenhouses using pesticides showed significantly higher AMR gene levels than those not using chemicals. Several genes, particularly β-lactam and tetracycline resistance genes, occurred in high concentrations, including extreme values exceeding 60,000 gene copies/m³. This suggest that pesticide-using greenhouses may represent a greater risk for AMR dispersal. In contrast, greenhouses without chemical pesticide showed lower and more stable AMR gene levels. Factors other than pesticide application may also contribute, such as import of treated plants, soil and fertilizer materials, plant types or individual workers. Further research is needed to assess the health risks for greenhouse workers and to support the development of effective strategies for preventing and controlling AMR spread.