Publications
NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.
2012
Abstract
Phytosociological studies can be an important tool to detect temporal vegetation changes in response to global climate change. In this study, we present the results of a resurvey of a plot-based phytosociological study from Sikkilsdalen, central Norway, originally executed between 1922 and 1932. By using a detailed phytosociological study we are able to investigate several aspects of elevational shifts in species ranges. Here we tested for upward and downward shifts in observed upper and lower distribution limits of species, as well as changes in species optima along an elevational gradient, and related the observed range shifts to species traits that could explain the observed trends. More species shifted upwards than downwards, independently of whether we were investigating shifts in species\" upper or lower distribution ranges or in species optima. However, shifts in species upper range margins changed independently of their lower range margins. Linking different species traits to the magnitude of shifts we found that species with a higher preference for prolonged snow cover shifted upwards more in their upper elevational limits and in their optima than species that prefer a shorter snow cover, whereas no species traits were correlated with the magnitude of changes in lower limits. The observed change in species ranges concord both with studies on other mountains in the region and with studies from other alpine areas. Furthermore, our study indicates that different factors are influencing species ranges at the upper and lower range limits. Increased precipitation rates and increased temperatures are considered the most important factors for the observed changes, probably mainly through altering the pattern in snow cover dynamics in the area.
Abstract
Wood for outdoor decking has a high market share in the Nordic and Baltic countries among private house owners. Important issues for the consumer are maintenance intervals and aesthetic appearance as well as decay resistance. Knowledge and consumer information about these aspects are required to ensure that wood can compete with alternative decking materials. In this paper an accelerated testing of decking, “stapelbädds metoden”, was evaluated after ten years of exposure at Ås, Norway. The test method covers different hazard situations within use class 3. Different preservatives and wood modification treatments were used in addition to untreated Scots pine (sapwood and heartwood) and larch (heartwood). The samples were treated with two different surface treatments. In addition there was one set without any surface treatment. Fungal discoloration and decay was evaluated. This provided new information about performance both on and above ground for a range of different combinations of preservative/modified systems and surface treatments of wood in decking for outdoor use. Generally, there were no significant differences in performance between the surface treatments, both with regard to surface discolouring fungi and decay fungi. For all surface treatments, the samples with rating 3 (heavy attack) in bottom layer in one or several stacks was: Tanalith M, Tanalith M (c), Gori Pres 10, Scanimp, styren, furfurylation, thermal modification, Ultrawood, larch heartwood, pine heartwood and pine sapwood. For all surface treatments, the samples with mean rating ≤ 2 (evident attack) in top and middle layer in one or several stacks was: ACQ 1900, Wolmanit CX 8, Tanalith E7, Gori SC 100, Royal, Royal with pigment, Scanimp, styrene and larch heartwood
Abstract
Winter damage caused by frost is frequently observed on common ash (Fraxinus excelsior) in Norway. In spring 2007, extensive winter damage most likely camouflaged ash dieback caused by Chalara fraxinea. In 2008, ash dieback caused by C. fraxinea had spread to large areas in the southern part of Norway. The disease was widespread in forests and nurseries, but also on roadside trees, and in gardens and parks. In 2009, the disease had spread to new areas; about 30 km into Rogaland county in southwestern Norway and also further into some valleys in southeastern Norway.
Authors
Nicola Luchi Paolo Capretti Carl Gunnar Fossdal Mario Pazzagli Pamela PinzaniAbstract
The development of new tools able to select specific plant tissue is crucial for gene expression studies. During the last years, the use of laser microdissection, mainly tested on herbaceous plant tissue, has been found to be a useful technique for these purposes. This method is poorly tested on woody species, and so far no studies of gene expression have been applied on forest trees.For this reason the present work proposes the optimization of a functional protocol using laser microdissection pressure catapulting (LMPC) and real-time reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in bark stem tissue of Norway spruce (Picea abies). Bark tissue fragments were collected from Norway spruce trees and sliced with a cryostat. RNA was extracted from both whole cross-sections and microdissected bark cells.The feasibility of the method was confirmed by the amplification of the -tubulin, an endogenous gene of P. abies, with efficiency comparable to that obtained from non-microdissected tissue. The proposed protocol, here adapted for bark tissue of woody species, represents a useful tool in a wide range of hosts that, unlike herbaceous plants, have scarcely been considered up to now.
Authors
Holger LangeAbstract
We calculate entropy and complexity of runoff time series and artificially generated series with long-range correlations. Entropy and complexity of data series may be represented against each other in a two-dimensional diagram which we will refer to as Complexity-Entropy Causality Plane, or CECP. We use a recently developed framework for these two indicators based on order statistics. It is well-known that runoff, as all other environmental time series actually measured, is a mixture of deterministic (signal) and stochastic (noise) parts, the latter due to noise inherent in the measurement process and externally induced by natural processes. The distinction between signal and noise is notoriously difficult and subject to much debate. In our approach, the observed series are compared to purely stochastic but long-range correlated processes, the k noise, where k is a parameter determining the strength of the correlations. Although these processes resemble runoff series in their correlation behavior and may be even tuned to any runoff series by changing the value of k, the CECP locations and in particular the order pattern statistics reveals qualitative differences between runoff and k noise. We use these differences to conclude on the deterministic nature of the (short-term) dynamics of the runoff time series. The proposed methodology also represents a stringent test bed for hydrological models.
Abstract
Genomic sequencing gives us a tool to systematically and rapidly discover novel genes, how their products function in the cell, and explore their interactions. When the DNA sequences are known, primers can be designed to detect transcripts of genes with gene products related to basic cellular processes and hyphal growth. The characteristic gene products induced in different fungi by different wood protection systems during decay can be identified. This knowledge will give us a better understanding of the fungal degradation of wood and we can optimize wood protection systems. Hence, no single technique will give us the answer to all questions about the decay of wood we need to gather small pieces of the puzzle using different approaches. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of acetylation level on the growth of Postia placenta with regard to amount of total DNA and gene expression targeting six different genes. This paper presents preliminary results after 36 weeks of incubation. We found no mass loss in the acetylated samples treated to a high treatment level after 36 weeks of incubation in a modified monoculture soil-block test. The presence of P. placenta DNA and the absence of mass loss could indicate on an inability of the mycelia to establish a wood exploitation phase. The results also showed that P. placenta increased the expression of AlO (involved in production of H2O2), cytochrome P450 (related to breakdown of toxic compounds), and QRD (involved in generating biodegradative hydroxyl radicals via redox cycling) along the incubation time, growing on acetylated wood treated to a high treatment level.
Authors
Gisela Lüscher Michaela Arndorfer Katalin Balázs K.G. Bernhardt M. Bogers R.G.H. Bunce J.-P. Choisis Peter Dennis Wenche E. Dramstad Sebastian Eiter Gunnar Engan Wendy Fjellstad T. Frank Jürgen Friedel Ilse Geijzendorffer P. Gillingham Felix Herzog K.-J. Hülsbergen Philippe Jeanneret G. Jerkovich Rob Jongman Maximilian Kainz M.L. Oschatz Susanne Papaja-Hülsbergen Philippe Pointereau Jean-Pierre Sarthou M.K. Schneider Norman Siebrecht Sebastian WolfrumAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Abstract
Groundwater pollution by agrochemicals, degradation of soil quality and pollution of aquatic ecosystems by agricultural drainage waters have become an issue in the last decades. Flow processes in the vadose zone are closely related to these problems. In general, water flow in soils can be classified into two major categories: uniform and non-uniform (preferential) flow (In: U.S. National Committee for Rock Mechanics, Conceptual Models of Flow and Transport in the Fractured Vadose Zone, 2001, pp.149-187). The former describes a relatively slow movement of water through the porous soil matrix and can be modelled by Richard”s equation. The latter comprises all flow types where water bypasses a portion of the soil matrix and flows through localised (i.e. preferential) paths. Unlike uniform flow, preferential flow is hardly predictable because the assumptions of Richard”s equation of a homogeneous representative elementary volume characterised by a single value of water potential, water content and hydraulic conductivity are frequently violated (Eur J Soil Sci, 2007; 58:523-546)....
Authors
Merete Grung Sissel Ranneklev Øyvind Garmo Richard Frederic Wright Tor Myking Einar Heegaard Bernt-Håvard Øyen Fride Høistad Schei Hans Haavardsholm BlomAbstract
CO2 Technology Centre Mongstad will be the world\"s largest test centre for testing and development of CO2 capture technology. The emissions to the atmosphere from CO2 Technology Centre Mongstad contain amines and may in addition contain or lead to the formation of degradation products from amine-based CO2 capture technology. An environmental baseline survey was conducted in 2011 prior to the operation. The survey performed is broad, and describes in detail the environmental situation both in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems as well as relevant chemical compositions of a range of matrices such as soil, plants and water. The data collected in the monitoring program were used to propose a future monitoring program in the area.
Authors
Carl Gunnar Fossdal Nadeem Yaqoob Benedicte Riber Albrectsen Halvor SolheimAbstract
Aspen trees are exposed to a range of attackers and employ varied strategies to reduce their impact. The diversity of responses may have importance for resistance properties at the stand level, and justifies the search for varied defensive strategies in natural populations. We used transcriptomic tools to evaluate diverse responses at the gene activity level in Populus tremula in response to wounding, and to inoculation with two pathogenic fungi (Melampsora magnusiana vs Ceratocystis sp.) that differ in life style (biotroph vs necrotroph) and host tissue requirement (live leaf vs dead wood tissues). Two aspen genotypes from the SwAsp collection with differences in growth and phenolic composition were used to study differences in resistance properties. High defence gene induction, high growth and elevated defence properties toward the biotroph appeared to support each other in this study exemplified in the more resistant SwAsp clone, whereas the more susceptible SwAsp clone was much less responsive to infections, and displayed more symptoms when infected with M. magnusiana. Interestingly, in the more resistant clone wounding gave greater systemic activity of selected candidate genes than when combined with the necrotroph, suggesting that this pathogen has some ability to suppress the induction or translocation of the systemic defence signal in this particular clone.