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.
2007
Authors
Patrik Flisberg Mathias Forsberg Mikael Rönnqvist Mikael RönnqvistAbstract
The forwarding of logs at harvest areas once the harvesting is done is planned manually by experienced operators. To improve their efficiency and simplify the planning we have developed and tested a decision support system at a major Swedish forest company. The system is based on a combination of a geographic information system (GIS), global positioning system (GPS), and optimization routines to solve the underlying vehicle routing problem. The routes for the forwarders are found by using a repeated matching algorithm. The solution time is short, and it is possible to find routes dynamically in a real-time environment. The geographic information required is found by using a GPS together with data obtained from the bucking software in the harvesters. To show the routes and location of the forwarder, we make use of a GIS that is connected to the GPS. We report on a study with savings in the distance travelled of 8% and numerical tests on the solution methodology. We also compare the proposed solution method with some well-known routing methods.
Authors
Mikael Rönnqvist Mikael FriskAbstract
The use of forest fuel in combined heat and power plants is increasing, and procurement and transportation of fuel is a large part of the overall cost. The planning must consider different chipping systems that can be located at harvest areas, terminals or mills and a large variation in demand. Several truck systems are included and there are specific capacities for both transportation and chipping. We describe DSS together with results from a case study at a large forest company in Sweden.
Authors
Toril Drabløs Eldhuset Berit Swensen Torild Wickstrøm Gro WollebækAbstract
We conclude that the oxalate exuded constitutively by Picea abies / Laccaria bicolor may lead to rhizosphere oxalate concentrations that are relevant for Al resistance.
Authors
Tore SkrøppaAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Ståle Størdal Gudbrand Lien J. Brian HardakerAbstract
This paper presents empirical insight into part-time and full-time property owners’ perceptions of risk and risk management strategies. In addition, the relationships between forest owners with varying degree of off-property work and property and forest owner characteristics, risk perceptions, risk management strategies and harvesting behaviour are examined. The data originate from a questionnaire responded to by forest owners in eastern Norway which were merged with 9 years of logging data. Timber price variability and institutional risks were perceived as primary sources of risk. Use of advisers from the forest owners’ association, buying personal insurance and off-property work were perceived as the most important ways to handle risk. The results show that off-property work affects to a lesser degree what forest owners perceived as important risk sources, but that risk perceptions affect to a stronger degree the ways in which risk was dealt with. The chosen risk management strategies influenced the forest owner's harvesting behaviour to some extent, but more research on the issue is needed to clarify the relationship. There was a positive relationship between owners with off-property activities and their performance as timber suppliers. Several measures, such as improved rural education, revision of some of the arrangements that regulate property mergers and support measures for increased on-property diversification may increase annual timber harvesting and reduce variability in harvesting level.
Authors
Erik Dybing Hans Ragnard Gislerød Trond Hofsvang Leif Sundheim Anne Marte TronsmoAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Kinga Adam Anne Kristine Søvik Tore Krogstad Arve HeistadAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Kinga Adam Tore Krogstad Lasse Vråle Anne Kristine Søvik Petter D. JenssenAbstract
Filtralite P (R) and shellsand as ideal constructed wetland substrates have been tested for their P sorption capacity, both with batch and column experiments. Two columns were filled with Filtralite PI and one column with shellsand. The shellsand (SSPS) and one of the Filtralite P (R) columns (FLSP) were loaded with a synthetic P solution, while the second Filtralite P (R) column (FLWW) was loaded with secondary wastewater. Ca, Mg, pH, and the P concentrations were measured in the inlet and the seven outlets along the height of the three vertical upflow columns for up to 303 days. An overall P removal rate of 92, 91, and 54% was measured in the columns SSPS, FLWW, and FLPS, respectively, for the entire experimental period. The comparison of FLWW and FLPS showed that FLWW kept its high P removal efficiency (91%) throughout the experimental period while the removal efficiency of FLPS decreased fast after reaching the 1 ppm effluent P concentration. The competition of other negative ions and the development of biofilm did not have a negative effect on P removal from wastewater. The batch experiments showed a better sorption capacity of Filtralite P (R) at low initial concentrations, while for high initial concentrations the shellsand sorbed more. Shellsand had, however, a higher sorption capacity in batch experiments with used column material and high initial P concentrations. The results from both the batch and the column experiment suggest that the shellsand has a more durable P sorption capacity than the Filtralite P (R) material, possibly due to the persistent high concentrations of Ca in the shellsand. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Authors
Susanne Eich-Greatorex Trine A Sogn Anne Falk Øgaard Ivar AasenAbstract
The objective of the present study was to investigate the influence of soil organic matter content and pH on plant availability of both inorganic and organic selenium (Se) fertilisers. Further, the risk of Se leaching after application of inorganic Se fertiliser was evaluated. A new interpretation of an older field study at different sites in Southern Norway showed that organic C was correlated with grain Se concentration in wheat, barley and oats, explaining up to 60% of the variation in Se concentration. Pot experiments with a peat soil, a loam soil and a peat/loam soil mixture were conducted for the present study at a range of pH values between pH 5 and 7. Below pH 6, Se uptake from added Se fertiliser was higher in the soil types with high organic matter content than in the loam. The opposite occurred at a soil pH above 6, where Se uptake was higher in the loam than in the peat soil. A simple leaching experiment after one growing season confirmed the findings of the pot experiments that Se availability in the loam soil with a relatively low organic matter content increased with increasing pH, whereas it decreased in the peat soil. Neither Se yeast, nor pure Se methionine, used as organic Se fertiliser, resulted in any significant uptake of Se when added at concentrations similar to the inorganic Se applications.
Authors
Susanne Eich-Greatorex Anne Falk Øgaard Trine A SognAbstract
In parts of the world, Se availability in the soil is so low that Se contents in the crops produced there are well below recommended values. Since the difference between Se essentiality and toxicity is very small, the addition of Se via fertiliser is controversial. Therefore, it is important to utilise the Se added in the best possible way. The objective of the present study was to investigate the influence of soil organic matter on the one hand, and addition of organic material (slurry) on the other hand on plant availability of selenium (Se) in soil. Pot experiments with the Se addition in the form of selenate were conducted with a peat, a loam and a peat/loam mixture at a range of pH values between 5 and 6.8. Se uptake from added Se fertiliser was higher in the soil types with high organic matter content than in the loam at pH 6 and below. The opposite occurred at a soil pH above 6.4, where Se uptake was higher in the loam than in the peat. In a pot experiment using only peat and loam at two pH levels, cattle slurry added together with selenate was found to increase the Se concentration in grain at the higher pH. At the lower pH there was no significant effect of slurry on Se concentration in grain. Application of slurry also increased the residual effect of Se that had been applied to the loam in the preceding growing season. In the peat, no residual effect of Se was found either with or without the addition of slurry.