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.
2008
Authors
Mari Mette Tollefsrud Roy Kissling Felix Gugerli Øystein Johnsen Tore Skrøppa Rachid Cheddadi W.O. van der Knaap Magorzata Lataowa Ruth Terhürne-Berson Thomas Litt Thomas Geburek Christian Brochmann Christoph SperisenAbstract
Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) is a broadly distributed European conifer tree whose history has been intensively studied by means of fossil records to infer the location of full-glacial refugia and the main routes of postglacial colonization. Here we use recently compiled fossil pollen data as a template to examine how past demographic events have influenced its modern genetic diversity...
Abstract
Rhodiola rosea is widely distributed in Norway, but so far limited knowledge exists on the level of genetic diversity. To initiate a selective breeding program, Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) analysis was used to estimate genetic diversity within the Norwegian R. rosea germplasm collection. AFLP analysis of 97 R. rosea clones using five primer combinations gave a total of 109 polymorphic bands. We detected high percentage of polymorphic bands (PPB) with a mean of 82.3% among the clones of R. rosea. Each of the 97 R. rosea clones could be unambiguously identified based on these primer combinations. Estimates of genetic similarities were obtained by the Dice coefficient, and a final dendrogram was constructed with the Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic mean (UPGMA). Genetic similarity based on the AFLP data ranged from 0.440 to 0.950 with a mean of 0.631. This genetic analysis showed that there was no close genetic similarity among clones related to their original growing county. No gender-specific markers were found in the R. rosea clones. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed a significantly greater variation within regions (92.03%) than among regions (7.97%). A low level of genetic differentiation (F-ST=0.043) was observed, indicating a high level of gene flow, which had a strong influence on the genetic structure at different counties. Our results indicate high gene flow among R rosea clones that might be a result of seed dispersal rather than cross-pollination. Further world-wide studies are required to compare the level of genetic diversity and more studies in R. rosea detailing the consequences of different patterns of gene flow (pollen spread and dispersal of seeds and clonal plants) will be useful for characterization of roseroot. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Authors
Arne SteffenremAbstract
Wood based products come from a renewable resource playing an important part of the carbon cycle and are therefore regarded environmentally friendly compared to many other alternatives. We might therefore expect a more intensive use of the timber resource in the future. An increase in the supply and net value of timber products from a given area requires more intensive and cost efficient forest management. However, a faster growth rate in general and an increase in the juvenile wood proportion specifically, might come in conflict with the desirable wood quality. Tree breeding programs for Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) aim to follow up the general demands by providing forestry with plant materials that have superior growth and high wood quality. It is therefore important to establish a better knowledge of the potential of improving wood quality characters in this species through breeding. Characteristics important for structural strength and dimensional stability in conifers are wood density, spiral grain, microfibril angle (MfA) in the S2 layer in the secondary cell wall, branch characteristics and stem straightness. We have studied the genetic variation and correlation patterns for these traits and the direct end-use performance of clearwood samples in terms of stiffness (MOE) and strength (MOR) in four studies of Norway spruce (Paper I-IV). Wood quality traits of defect free wood were studied in Paper I and II. The materials used were 28 and 29 year old progeny trials planted in South East Norway on fertile soils. Significant genetic variation was found for wood density, MfA and spiral grain in both studies (p < 0.05). MOE and MOR, measured by static bending, were studied in one of the materials and the genetic variation was found to be highly significant (p < 0.01). There was also significant genetic variation (p < 0.05) in MOE estimated (MOEest) from wood density and the x-ray diffractometry pattern from the S2 layer obtained by SilviScan®-3. Genetic parameters were estimated in Paper II with large standard errors. The parameters must therefore be used with caution and preferably with support from other studies. We could confirm earlier studies of high genetic variation and low genotype by environment interactions (GxE) for wood density and spiral grain. Parameter estimates for MfA and MOEest, from one site, suggest that these are under moderate to strong genetic control in Norway spruce. Phenotypic correlations between growth traits (height and diameter growth) and wood quality traits were negative for wood density, positive for MfA and negative for MOEest. Genetic relationships showed the same trends for diameter growth, but not for height growth. The genetic and environmental variation in branch characteristics (Paper III and IV) were studied in three sets of progeny trials that were 22, 28 and 29 years old from planting. Stem straightness was studied in the 22-year old trial only. The branch diameter was highly influenced by site index and spacing. Number of branches formed and stem straightness seems to be under stronger genetic control. Individual tree heritabilities for growth traits, branch diameter and stem straightness were estimated in the 22-year old progeny trial planted at two sites. The trials were planted with different spacing, which allowed us to study genotype by spacing interactions. Heritability for growth traits and branch diameter across sites were moderate (0.14 - 0.19) compared to the higher values found for stem straightness (0.28). GxE, and thereby genotype by spacing interactions were not important for any of the traits. Heritability for number of branches, estimated from one of the sites, was 0.24. There was a strong and positive genetic correlation between growth traits and branch diameter. The presence of genetic variation for most wood quality traits suggests that these can be improved by tree breeding. However, genetic correlations with growth traits indicate that selection solely for growth might have adverse effects on wood quality. It is therefore important to balance the gain in growth and wood quality. Implementation of several adversely correlated traits in a breeding program reduces its efficiency. It is therefore essential that tree breeding, silvicultural practices and forest industrial needs interact when developing tree breeding programs to obtain an optimal strategy for selection and utilization of improved plant materials.
Authors
Line RosefAbstract
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Authors
Haiying Liu Tonje Økland Rune Halvorsen Jixi Gao Quanru Liu Odd Eilertsen Harald BratliAbstract
Monitoring of ground vegetation and environmental variables in subtropical forests in China was initiated in 1999 as part of the “Integrated Monitoring Programme of Acidification of Chinese Terrestrial Systems”. The study areas were selected to span regional gradients, in deposition of airborne pollutants and climatic conditions. All five study areas are located in the southern and south-western parts of China and consist of subtropical forests. In each study area 50 1-m2 plots were randomly chosen within each of ten 10×10 m macro plots, each in turn positioned in the centre of 30×30 m extended macro plot. All 250 1-m2 plots were subjected to vegetation analysis, using frequency in subplots as measure of species abundance. A total of 33 environmental variables were recorded for 1-m2 plots as well as 10×10 m macro plots. A major objective of this study is to identify the environ¬mental variables that are most strongly related to the species composition of ground vegetation in S and SW Chinese subtropical forests, as a basis for future monitoring. Comparison among DCA, LNMDS and GNMDS ordination methods, an additional objective of the study, was achieved by using a set of different techniques: calculation of pair-wise correlation coefficients between corresponding ordination axes, Procrustes comparison, assessment of outlier influence, and split-plot GLM analysis between environmental variables and ordination axes. LNMDS and GNMDS consistently produce very similar ordinations. GNMDS ordinations are generally more similar to DCA than LNMDS to DCA. In most cases DCA, LNMDS and GNMDS extract the same main ground vegetation compositional gradients and the choice of LNMDS or GNMDS is therefore hardly decisive for the results. GNMDS was chosen for interpretation and presentation of vegetation-environment relationships. The dimensionality of GNMDS (number of reliable axes) was decided by demanding high correspondence of all axes with DCA and LNMDS axes. Three dimensions were needed to describe the variation in vegetation in two of the areas (TSP and LXH), two dimensions in the other three areas (LCG, LGS and CJT). Environmental interpretation of ordinations (identification of ecoclines; gradients in species composition and the environment) was made by split-plot GLM analysis and non-parametric cor¬relation analysis. Plexus diagrams and PCA ordination were used to visualize correlations between environmental variables. Several graphical means were used to aid interpretation. Complex gradients in litter-layer depth, topography, soil pH/soil nutrient, and tree density/crown cover were found to be most strongly related to vegetation gradients. However, the five study areas differed somewhat with respect to which of the environmental variables that were most strongly related to the vegetation gradients (ordination axes). Litter-layer depth was related to vegetation gradients in four areas (TSP, LCG, CJT and LXH); topography in four study areas (TSP, LGS, CJT and LXH); soil pH in three areas (LCG, LGS and CJT); soil nutrients in one area (LGS); and tree density/crown cover in one area (LCG). The ecological processes involved in relationships between vegetation and main complex-gradi¬ents in litter-layer depth, topography, soil pH/soil nutrient, and tree density/crown cover, in subtropical forests, are discussed. We find that gradient relationships of subtropical forests are complex, and that heavy pollution may increase this complexity. Furthermore, our results suggest that better knowledge of vegetation-environment relationships has potential for enhancing our understanding of subtropical forests that occupy vast areas of the S and SW China.
Authors
Ingunn M. VågenAbstract
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Harmonization was achieved by carrying out joint sampling and assessment exercises at selected sites, inter-laboratory ring tests for the chemical analyses of deposition, plant and soil material, and by drawing up data compilation, data analysis and reporting guidelines and templates for the researchers working in the three countries.