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.
2001
Authors
Karen Refsgaard Arild VatnAbstract
Over the last years many new methods have become available for treating wastewater. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the potential for cost reductions by a transition from a household strategy (HS) to a recipient strategy (RS). We will further discuss reasons for why municipalities still base their policies on the former strategy. Results from a case study show that an RS is clearly better than an HS from a standard allocative efficiency point of view. In addition, it is more flexible. However, such an assessment underestimates important factors. First, transaction costs following a transition from HS to RS may reduce profits substantially. Secondly, in most cases there will be both gainers and losers following a transition. Who they are, will, however, depend on the chosen rules for distribution costs under the RS. Thus, this ex ante uncertainty constitutes an impedement for change since action must be expected first of all from the potential gainers. Finally, since changes in the rights structure are involved, the economic gain obtained may not be great enough to compensate the losers, if this is a necessary prerequisite. The perceived loss may be much higher than the monetary loss as calculated in the standard analysis. This argument is based on the observed deviations between WTP and WTA in the literature. Most probably the existing municipal organizations have to initiate the process if a change is to come about. However lack of knowledge and professonal traditions concerning the planning of wastewater systems may delay or obstruct such a change.
Authors
Lars Olav Eik Leif Jarle Asheim Tormod ÅdnøyAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Lars Olav Eik Leif Jarle AsheimAbstract
Sheep and goat farming systems in this part of Europe are based on extensive use of non-fertilised natural pastures and a long barn-feeding period. One million ewes are kept for the production of meat and wool while 60,000 goats are kept mainly for themilk. The local demand for organic meat and milk is increasing gradually and 10 percent of the agricultural area is projected to be managed according to organic principles by 2010. This paper discusses the feasibility of introducing cashmere goats in an organic sheep farming production system, based on economical calculations in a Linear Programming model. Significant movements from sheep to cashmere goats production are entirely as slaughtering of eight months old kids (11 kg) is unprofitable, assuming equal labour input of goats and sheep. Yields of meat and cashmere could be improved by feeding the kids until 20 months (19 kg) so possibly making goats as profitable as sheep. The benefits of high value cashmere production and controlling bush encroachment by goats favour a mixed farming system. If yield-levels of roughage can be maintained at 75% without artificial fertilizers and challenges in housing of small ruminants are solved, a shift away from conventional farming is profitable given the current support for organic farming.
Authors
Steen Koekebakker Gudbrand LienAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Leif Jarle Asheim Lars Olav EikAbstract
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Abstract
Epiphytic lichens (and some non-lichenized fungi) on 34 coppices (204 stems) of Corylus avellana were investigated in a 140 ha study area in south-western Norway. A total of 65 species were recorded on a total bark area of 63 m2. Corylus in broad-leaved deciduous forest supported more species of macrolichens, and fewer species of icrolichens, than Corylus in pine forest. The macrolichen flora of the deciduous forest differed from that of the pine forest by having a rich flora of species belonging to the Lobarion alliance. Old Corylus coppices with tall stems (>8 m), large girth (>8 cm diameter at breast height) and a noticeable cover of macrolichens (>10% of bark area) supported the highest number of rare species, and overall, species of mcrolichens. More than 50% cover of icrolichens indicated richness and rarity of microlichens on Corylus
Abstract
No abstract has been registered