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.
2011
Abstract
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Abstract
There is a great demand for involving rapid, non destructive and less time consuming methods for quick control and prediction of soil quality, environmental monitoring, and other precision measurements in agriculture. Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) is considered as an appropriate alternative method to conventional analytical methods for large scale measurements. The objective of this study was to investigate the possibilities of NIRS for prediction of some chemical properties of soil samples. A total of 97 samples from Stara Zagora, Kazanlak and Gurkovo region taken from the 0-40 cm layer were collected. Soil types were Luvisols, Vertisols, Fluvisols and Rankers. The samples were analyzed for total phosphorus by spectrometric determination of phosphorus soluble in sodium hydrogen carbonate solution, total nitrogen by Kjeldahl method, pH (H O)-potentiometrically and electrical conductivity (EC). 2 The spectral data of all air dried samples were measured using an Perkin Elmer Spectrum One NTS, FT-NIR Spectrometer, within the range from 700 to 2500 nm. Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression was used to built models to determine soil chemical parameters from the NIR spectra. Two-third of the samples were used as a calibration set and the remaining samples as independent validation test set. The best model was obtained for total nitrogen with a coefficient of determination r=0,91, standard error of calibration SEP=336 mg/kg, and the ratio of the standard variation of the reference data to the SEP, indicating the performance of the calibration, of RPD=2,3. The accuracy of prediction was poor for electrical conductivity. The results obtained clearly indicated that NIRS had the potential to predict some soil components rapidly and without sample preparation.
Authors
Lone Ross Gobakken Olav Albert HøibøAbstract
Mould growth on exterior coated cladding façades is an undesirable element and will often shorten the aesthetical service life. Mould growth on painted surfaces is influenced by type and concentration of film fungicides, the paint formulation and the wood substrate itself, and wooden cladding may experience exponential fungal deterioration caused by variation in the climatic factors, often within a small limited area. The objective of this study was to gain knowledge about which factors influence surface mould growth on coated and uncoated wooden cladding in an outdoor environment, with a special attention to modified wood substrates. The data are based on evaluation of mould growth coverage on outdoors exposed wood panels consisting of different combinations of wood substrates and surface finishes. Panels were exposed on three locations; Bogesund (Sweden), Birkenes and Sørkedalen (Norway). The panels were monitored up to 4.5 years. The analysis showed that coating typology and exposure time both had highly significant influences on mould growth. Furthermore, wood substrate, temperature and relative humidity had a significant influence on mould growth, but comparatively less than coating typology and exposure time. Siberian larch heartwood, copper-organic preserved Scots pine and Scots pine heartwood performed best among the wood substrates. Heartwood as wood type was less susceptible to mould growth than a mix of sapwood and heartwood wood and pure sapwood. Acetylated Scots pine as wood substrate and Aspen as wood species had lower resistance to mould growth than the other wood substrates and wood species, respectively. The physical surface structure of a paint film also influences the mould growth. A hard model paint was significantly more susceptible than the other model paints. A soft model paint performed best, with the least mould growth coverage. Aureobasidium pullulans (deBary) Arnaud was the dominating fungal species on all the wood substrates.
Authors
Marte Haave Annette Bernhard Finn K. Jellestad Einar Heegaard Trond Brattelid Anne-Katrine LundebyeAbstract
Background: Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are widespread in the environment, human food and breast milk. Seafood is known to contain nutrients beneficial for the normal development and function of the brain, but also contaminants such as PCBs which are neurotoxic. Exposure to non-coplanar PCBs during brain development can disrupt spontaneous behaviour in mice and lead to hyperactive behaviour. Humans are chronically exposed to the highest relative levels of organochlorines in early childhood during brain development, though usually at doses which do not give clinical symptoms of toxicity. This study aimed to elucidate the developmental and behavioural effects of 2,2’,4,4’,5,5’ hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB153) in mice, mimicking human exposure during gestation and lactation. Methods: Environmentally relevant doses of PCB153 were added to the experimental diets. Feed concentrations were approximately 0.5, 6.5, and 1500 μg PCB153/kg feed, representing a realistic and a worst case scenario of frequent consumption of contaminated fish. The study also investigated the effects of maternal nutrition, i.e. a standard rodent diet versus a high inclusion of salmon. Mice pups were examined for physical- and reflex development, sensorimotor function and spontaneous behaviour from five days after birth until weaning. A selection of pups were followed until 16 weeks of age and tested for open field behaviour and the acoustic startle response (ASR) with prepulse inhibition (PPI). Blood thyroid hormones and liver enzymes, blood lipids and PCB153 content in fat were examined at 16 weeks. Statistical analyses modelled the three way interactions of diet, PCB exposure and litter size on behaviour, using generalized linear models (GLM) and linear mixed effect models (LME). The litter was used as a random variable. Non-parametric tests were used for pair wise comparisons of biochemical analyses. Results: Litter size consistently influenced pup development and behaviour. Few lasting PCB153 related changes were observed, but results indicated effects on synchronization of physical development. Perinatal PCB153 exposure appeared to reduce habituation and cause aggression in males, though not statistically significant. Conclusions: Litter size and maternal diet influenced physical development and function more than PCB153 in perinatally exposed mouse pups and supports the developmental importance of maternal care and the social environment.
Authors
Håvard Kauserud Einar Heegaard Rune Halvorsen Lynne Boddy Klaus Høiland Nils Chr. StensethAbstract
Most basidiomycete fungi produce annual short-lived sexual fruit bodies from which billions of microscopic spores are spread into the air during a short time period. However, little is known about the selective forces that have resulted in some species fruiting early and others later in the fruiting season. This study of relationships between morphological and ecological characteristics, climate factors and time of fruiting are based upon thorough statistical analyses of 66 520 mapped records from Norway, representing 271 species of autumnal fruiting mushroom species. We found a strong relationship between spore size and time of fruiting; on average, a doubling of spore size (volume) corresponded to 3 days earlier fruiting. Small-spored species dominate in the oceanic parts of Norway, whereas large-spored species are typical of more continental parts. In separate analyses, significant relationships were observed between spore size and climate factors. We hypothesize that these relationships are owing to water balance optimization, driven by water storage in spores as a critical factor for successful germination of primary mycelia in the drier micro-environments found earlier in the fruiting season and/or in continental climates.
Authors
Markus Reichstein Miguel D. Mahecha Nuño Carvalhais Gitta Lasslop Sonia I. Seneviratne Holger Lange Alessandro Cescatti Mirco MigliavaccaAbstract
The release of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the land surface via different respiratory processes is a major flux in the global carbon cycle, antipodal to CO2 uptake via photosynthesis. Understanding the sensitivity of respiratory processes to temperature is central for quantifying the climate–carbon cycle feedback. In a recent study we approximated the sensitivity of terrestrial ecosystem respiration to air temperature (Q10) across 60 FLUXNET sites. For this objective, we developed a novel methodology that circumvents seasonally confounding effects. Contrary to previous findings, our results suggest that Q10 is independent of mean annual temperature, does not differ among biomes, and is confined to values around 1.4 ± 0.1. However, the shape of the strong relation between photosynthesis and respiration is highly variable among sites. The results may partly explain a less pronounced climate–carbon cycle feedback than suggested by current carbon cycle climate models. In the talk we put our findings into context with other recent results and critically discuss their potential for evaluating temperature sensitivity of respiration in terrestrial biosphere models and parameterizing future land surface schemes.
Abstract
Aims Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) is an important species in natural and managed forests in Europe. This drought-sensitive species dominates even-aged stands as well more natural stands composed of a mixture of tree species, age and size classes. This study evaluates the extent that heterogeneity in spacing and tree diameter affect the seasonal availability and use of water. Methods Two stands were evaluated: 1) a heterogeneous forest remnant (NAT) with trees up to ca. 300 years old, a mean top height of 28.4 m, and a total of 733 stems ha-1 with stem diameters averaging 18 cm and 2) an even-aged 80-year old stand (MAN), with a height of 25 m, and a total of 283 stems ha-1 with diameters averaging 38 cm. Stem sap flow, Js (g m-2 s-1), was continuously measured in 12 (MAN) and 13 (NAT) trees using 20 mm long heat dissipation sensors. Individual tree measures of sap flow were correlated using non-linear statistical methods with air vapour pressure deficit (D, hPa) and global radiation (Rg, J m-2 day-1), along with contraints imposed by reductions in soil water content (SWC). Soil water content was measured as volumetric % using time domain reflectometry. Important findings The daily integrated Js (Js-sum) for trees growing in the evenly spaced MAN stand and trees in canopy and closed forest positions in NAT stand decreased as the availability of soil moisture was reduced. In the heterogeneous NAT stand, SWC in a recently formed canopy gap remained high throughout the vegetation period. Based on regression models, the predicted relative decrease in Js-sum for dry relative to moist soil water conditions in the closed forest (at mean daily D = 10 hPa) was 7-11% for trees near the gap and 39-42% for trees in the closed forest. In MAN the reduction in Js-sum was 29% in dry relative to moist conditions. Js-sum in the outer 20 mm of the xylem in NAT was lower than that in MAN and the rate of decline in Js with xylem depth was less in NAT than in MAN. In MAN, Js-sum in deep and outer xylem was negatively affected at low soil moisture availability; in NAT this was the case for only the outer xylem indicating that deep roots could be important in supplying water at times of low soil moisture in the upper soil.
Authors
Américo M.S. Carvalho Mendes Bla tefanek Diana Feliciano Diana Mizaraite Dragan Nonic Emil Kitchoukov Erlend Nybakk Gabriel Duduman Gerhard Weiss Liviu Nichiforel Maria Stoyanova Pekka Mäkinen Rosário Alves Vojislav Milijic Zuzana SarvaováAbstract
The emergence and development of organizations of private forest owners in situations where they were not previously collectively organized is a relevant institutional innovation in forestry. This chapter looks at the factors that may have contributed to this institutional change in the following countries: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, Lithuania, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Serbia and Slovakia. The conceptual framework used to present and discuss these country cases considers the following types of factors: (i) the structural changes in the social and economic environment of private forestry when forest owners\" organizations emerged, and the needs for collective action of private forest owners triggered by those changes; (ii) the factors contributing to cope with the \"free riding\" problems involved in collective action; (iii) the mechanisms leveraging the capacities of forest owners\" associations beyond the initial domain where they emerged and contributing to give them the \"critical mass\" needed for having substantial impact on forestry economic conditions; and (iv) the possible existence of \"path dependence\" phenomena, where the conditions prevailing when forest owners\" organizations emerged have a lasting influence throughout their lifetime. With different specifications according to the characteristics of each country, these four sets of factors appear to be useful as a common framework for organizing the explanation of how forest owners\" associations emerged and developed in the countries considered here.
Authors
Miguel D. Mahecha Markus Reichstein Nuño Carvalhais Gitta Lasslop Holger Lange Sonia I. Seneviratne Rodrigo Vargas Christof Ammann M. Altaf Arain Alessandro Cescatti Ivan A. Janssens Mirco Migliavacca Leonardo Montagnani Andrew D. RichardsonAbstract
We estimated the sensitivity of terrestrial ecosystem respiration to air temperature across 60 FLUXNET sites by minimizing the effect of seasonally confounding factors. Graf et al. now offer a theoretical perspective for an extension of our methodology. However, their critique does not change our main findings and, given the currently available observational techniques, may even impede a comparison across ecosystems.
Authors
Rastislav Solár Janka Dibdiakova Miroslav Mamo Frantiek Kaík Zuzana Rázgová Vladimír Vacek Jozef Sivák Milan GaffAbstract
A comparable series of specimens from spruce wood were pre-treated with sodium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide, or per-acetic acid sequences. The pre-treatments reduced the yield of pulps and their Kappa number noticeably, diminished the degree of polymerization moderately, and increased their brightness. One-step peroxide bleaching of pulps from the pre-treated spruce wood resulted in their higher brightness compared to bleached pulp from sound wood. From the viewpoint of improved properties of pulp, the most efficient were the sodium hydroxide/per-acetic acid and per-acetic acid/sodium hydroxide sequences. The pre-treatments did not influence mechanical strength of the obtained pulps significantly.