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
Clemens Reimann Belinda Flem Arnold Arnoldussen Peter Englmaier Tor Erik Finne Friedrich Koller Øystein NordgulenAbstract
Le Roux et al. consider the approach that led to the above article as trend-setting. However, according to Le Roux et al. the data are unfortunately ‘‘inappropriately interpreted”. It is appreciated that le Roux et al. took the effort to study the original data and attempted a re-interpretation along the lines of an impressive list of publications which they claim have been ignored by Reimann et al. (2008). Here the achievements and shortcomings of their alternative interpretation will be discussed in view of the facts substantiating the conclusions of the original article......
Abstract
The inhibitory effect of methanol bark extracts from six deciduous and three coniferous European tree species were bioassayed against eight fungi from the different damage categories, brown rot, white rot, canker and blue-stain. This is the first report providing data on the antifungal activity of several Europaen tree species against fungi within these damage categories. Generally the decay fungi were more inhibited by the bark extracts than the blue-stain fungi, while the lowest inhibition was found among the cancer fungi. The main pattern found between the fungal groups in relation to the bark extracts in this study is believed to be caused by the route of ingress. Acer platanoides bark extract proved to be the most effcient bark extract tested, significantly reducing the growth rate of all tested fungi. Betula pubescens bark extract generally gave the weakest reduction in growth rate. In this study, the conifer bark extracts were in general more active against the canker and blue stain ascomycete fungi than the deciduous trees extracts.
Authors
Clemens Reimann Belinda Flem Arnold Arnoldussen Peter Englmaier Tor Erik Finne Øystein NordgulenAbstract
The recent article entitled ‘‘The biosphere: A homogenizer of Pb-isotope signals` has attracted considerable interest from other researchers in this area. According to the critical comments by Bindler and Shotyk, the authors have supposedly neglected a substantial body of the literature and especially the reported temporal changes in Pb-isotope ratios in a variety of sample materials. They conclude that the urban transect is not appropriate for defining natural variation, and state that a substantial body of research indicates a limited uptake of Pb in plants.......
Authors
Tove Maria Østensvik Kaj Bo Veiersted Emmanuel Cuchet Petter Nilsen Jan Johansson Hanse Caisa Carlzon Jørgen WinkelAbstract
The present cross-sectional study was performed to analyze potential risk factors for upper extremity disorders in two groups of forest machine operators driving harvesting vehicles and performing equal tasks in France (n=18) and Norway (n=19). This comparative design implied similar work tasks, but potentially different external work demands. Previous studies have suggested higher levels of neck and shoulder complaints among Norwegian operators compared to those of the French. This may be related to different external work demands and/or individual motor performance. Surface electromyography (EMG) of the right upper trapezius (RUT) and extensor digitorum (RED) muscles were measured continuously during 1 working day (7.5–8 h per operator) and video of body postures was recorded inside the cabin (1 h per operator). A questionnaire on external work demand factors and psychosocial stressors was used together with the collection of symptom data. A physical examination was performed on all workers. Borg's CR-10 scale of intensity of discomfort/pain was rated four times throughout the test day. The French operators reported less complaint (p<0.01) in the right neck compared to their Norwegian colleagues. Furthermore, the French had on average two to three times longer lunch breaks during 5 work days, less continuous hand intensive use of the control lever with more frequent short breaks during the test day compared to the Norwegian operators. However, the average static load level on the RUT muscle for the whole working day was significantly higher among the French (0.7% EMGmax) in comparison with the Norwegian operators (0.3% EMGmax). No difference was found in number of periods with sustained low-level muscle activity neither in the RUT nor the RED muscle. In conclusion, our results support that the higher prevalence of discomfort/pain among the Norwegian forest machine operators may be related to organizational factors.
Authors
Tove Maria Østensvik Petter Nilsen Kaj Bo VeierstedAbstract
The goal of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the impact of different physical work station designs, expressed in two different brands of forest vehicles, on the muscle activity patterns in the neck and upper extremities among the vehicle operators. Surface electromyography (sEMG) was continuously recorded bilaterally on the trapezius (TM) and the extensor digitorum muscles (EDM) during one working day among operators driving Timberjack and Valmet vehicles, either as harvesters (n = 7 and 6, respectively) or forwarders (n = 9 and 9, respectively). Both the construction of the crane in relation to the chassis and the design of the control levers vary between the Tim-berjack and Valmet vehicles, which demand different ergonomic performance by the operators. The operators mostly handle control levers in the harvesters or forwarders, the latter with a more varied work load, in a fixed, seated working posture in the cabin for long hours with little rest. The sustained low- level muscle activity was quantified by periods with muscle activity above 0.5 percent EMGmax into 10 predetermined duration intervals from 1.6 to 5 s up to above 20 min (SULMA periods). These SULMA periods were analyzed both for number in the different intervals and cumulated periods above the predefined values. Amplitude and frequency parameters were analyzed and the number and total duration of muscle rest periods were calculated. The operators driving Valmet harvesters had a significantly higher number of long cumulated SULMA periods above 10 min in the left TM, and showed a higher level of static muscle activity and less total duration of muscle rest in TM bilaterally. The operators driving Timberjack forwarders had a significantly higher number of SULMA periods between 10 and 20 min in the right TM. No difference was found between the operators in the EDM activity pattern. The results of our study showed that operators driving Valmet harvesters had more sustained low-level activity in the neck than those driving Timberjack, including a higher number of long cumulated SULMA periods, higher static level, and less muscle rest. Despite a small sample, the results in muscle activity pattern raise the question of needs for improvements of the forest vehicle workstation design.
Authors
Leif Sundheim May Bente Brurberg Trond Hofsvang Christer Magnusson Trond Rafoss Brita Toppe Anne Marte Tronsmo Bjørn ØklandAbstract
Wild oats (A. fatua) is present in 155 out of 431 Norwegian municipalities. It is widely distributed in all municipalities in the main agricultural areas in south-east and central-east Norway, and in the municipalities close to the Trondheim fjord. Otherwise wild oats is present in only a few scattered municipalities not geographically connected to these main areas. Endangered area, not yet infested by A. fatua, is estimated to 228858 ha. This area is spread over the cereal growing part of Norway. The counties of North- and South -Trøndelag have a higher portion of endangered area not yet infested than south and central part of East Norway. The probability of entry of A. fatua from outside the PRA area (Norway) is very low. The probability of spread within Norway is high. In areas with low infestation, like in Trøndelag, the probability of spread is lower than in heavily infested areas. However, in areas with high level of infestation there are few new farms left to be infested. The official wild oats register is a valuable tool in regulations aiming to limit spread. The register also provides a tool to follow up infested farms. The register would be even more useful if inspection for infestation on new farms had been more systematic. Wild oats is no longer devastating even in cereal monocropping, due to cost efficient herbicides. However, in Norway an increasing area is infested with wild oats. The infestation may vary from only a few plants to total coverage of the field. In cereal monocropping chemical treatment with and without hand roguing is the only feasible control methods. Hand roguing alone is expensive and ineffective even on modest infestation. The structural changes in cereal farming result in more farms being managed by entrepreneurs. Field managed by entrepreneurs promotes use of herbicide even on small infestations since this is a cost effective measure to control the weed. Less official control of cereal fields can also be expected. The economical consequences are thus expected to be high. The economical consequences can be even higher in organic farming if the most profitable rotation has to be changed to a less profitable one because of wild oats infestation.
Authors
Leif Sundheim May Bente Brurberg Trond Hofsvang Christer Magnusson Trond Rafoss Brita Toppe Anne Marte Tronsmo Bjørn ØklandAbstract
The main Avena species that are important weeds of cereal and arable crops include A. fatua L., A. sterilis and A. barbata Pott. All three species have an abscission scar on the grains. A risk assessment of A. fatua L. as an indirect pest in Norway is given in a separate document. For both A. sterilis ssp. macrocarpa and ssp. maxima, and for A. barbata Pott, the potential for entry and establishment in Norway is considered as very low. A. sterilis ssp. ludoviciana (winter wild oats) has a moderate potential for establishment in Norway. The suitability of the environment for A. sterilis ssp. ludoviciana was therefore investigated: Our assessment of the probability of establishment indicates that the climate is not favourable for establishment of A. sterilis ssp. ludoviciana in Norway. A. sterilis ssp. ludoviciana is a problem in southern Europe and central southern England and is mainly a weed in winter cereals. While it is highly likely that the probability of establishment of A. sterilis ssp. ludoviciana has increased in Norway in recent years due to climate change and consequent changes in cultural practices, its probability of establishment in Norway is still low and it is therefore not likely that it will become a weed in Norway under current conditions. However, if the future climate of the PRA area changes, so that winter conditions become similar to conditions in southern England, while the acreage of winter cereal continues to grow, A. sterilis ssp. ludoviciana could become a weed in Norway. A. sterilis ssp. ludoviciana is not present in Denmark where winter cereals are much more widely cultivated, and the climate is more favourable than in Norway. One would therefore expect the weed to establish in Denmark before it will become a problem in Norway
Authors
Åsmund AsdalAbstract
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