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.
2026
Abstract
Wood has many attractive material qualities, but it is susceptible to biological degradation by wood-decaying fungi. Moisture is one of the critical requirements for wood decay, but much remains unknown about moisture dynamics in decaying wood. To fill this knowledge gap, this study investigated moisture in Scots pine sapwood during decay caused by the brown rot fungus Coniophora puteana. Samples were exposed to decay in two time-series experiments; mass loss and moisture content were recorded over the course of decay, and the bound and free water populations in the samples were analysed using low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LFNMR) relaxometry in both the decaying state and at full water saturation. Selected samples were also used for water vapour sorption measurements. The time-series decay tests showed that moisture content initially increased due to fungal activity but decreased over time when corrected for mass loss, contrary to the general belief that moisture content increases with decay. LFNMR revealed that bound water content increased on a decayed-mass basis in the decaying state and at saturation, but no increase was seen after correction for mass loss. Free water content followed gravimetric moisture content in the decaying state, but the saturated state measurements revealed an initial increase and subsequent decrease with mass loss. Degradation caused changes in hygroscopicity, but our data show that overall moisture content is regulated by fungal activity rather than by material properties. These findings highlight the complexity of water interactions during fungal degradation, offering valuable new insights into wood degradation mechanisms.
Authors
Gaute Velle Anders Bryn Kyrre Kausrud Lawrence R. Kirkendall Martin Malmstrøm Brett Kevin Sandercock Paul Ragnar Berg Kjetil Hindar Johanna Järnegren Erlend Birkeland Nilsen Eva Bonsak Thorstad Anders NielsenAbstract
This report examines how co-occurring non-native species can interact to create cumulative impacts on ecosystems. Non-native species may interact in additive, antagonistic, or synergistic ways. Through literature review, we found theoretical foundations and empirical examples showing that such interactions often occur. Synergistic interactions are of particular concern. Certain ecosystems appear particularly susceptible, including agricultural landscapes, urban environments, riparian systems, shipping-influenced marine areas, and islands with naïve fauna. We conclude that cumulative effects are ecologically important, and that it would be beneficial to incorporate multispecies interactions into risk assessments of non-native species in Norway.
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Abstract
Sustainable intensification technologies (SITs) are widely promoted across sub-Saharan Africa to improve productivity and reduce land degradation. However, their relationship with land use efficiency remains insufficiently understood. This study uses a translog stochastic frontier model and farm-level data from 372 smallholder maize farmers in northern Ghana to examine how SIT adoption is associated with technical land use efficiency (TLUE). On average, SIT adopters are 21% more land efficient than non-adopters, requiring approximately 24% less land to achieve the same output. Since land is treated as a fixed input in the frontier, the TLUE score directly reflects the effective land needed to produce observed yields. Adoption of improved seed, balanced fertilizer use, and agroecological practices is linked to better resource use, with the largest gains among farmers who initially operate furthest from the frontier. These efficiency improvements may reduce pressure for cropland expansion and support sustainable land management, especially when combined with enabling conditions such as credit access, extension support, and secure tenure. This study provides novel empirical evidence on how productivity improvements through SIT can enhance land use efficiency and contribute to land sparing outcomes. The findings offer insights for policies targeting land degradation neutrality and inclusive agricultural transformation in Ghana and similar contexts.
Authors
Gabriela WagnerAbstract
A talk about biological clocks to celebrate soldag in Tromsø
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No abstract has been registered
Authors
Therese With BergeAbstract
Presentasjon på oppstartsmøte 13.2.2026
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No abstract has been registered
Abstract
The study presents the results of nine years of field observations of ascospore release of Venturia inaequalis in the Skierniewice area in central Poland. In total, spores were trapped 221 times during 2005–2008 and 2010– 2014. Of these, 142 episodes lasted for less than 8 hours, 69 lasted from 8 to 29 hours, and 10 episodes lasted from 30 to 93 hours. Spore releases started in spring from 25 March to 28 April and ended from 27 May to 17 June, and the season for ascospore release lasted from 43 to 76 days, with an average of 58 days. During 139 ascospore releases, less than 1 000 spores per cubic meter of air were collected and during 25 discharges more than 10 000 spores were trapped. Releases of ascospores were highly related to rainfall and daylight. Two-thirds (67%) of the spores were trapped during rain. Only 12% of the discharges occurred without any registered rain, accounting for 7% of all trapped spores. Nearly three fourth (73%) of all ascospore release hours occurred in daylight, and 91% of the spores were trapped in daytime. Rainy nights with constant leaf wetness were observed, during which no spore releases occurred despite the rainfall. Ascospore releases were also less prominent at the beginning and end of the season and after weak rains. Rain was most effective as the trigger of discharges at temperature between 5 and 13 °C and when global radiation coinciding with rainfall was below 700 W/m2. In conclusion, the study confirms the dominant role of daytime rainfall in the release of ascospores by Venturia inaequalis.
Authors
Cornelya KlutschAbstract
A presentation on environmental monitoring and research in the border regions of Norway, Finland, and Russia