Understorey species compositional dynamics in a boreal coniferous forest in SE Norway: does past logging matter?

Understorey vegetation changes between 1997 and 2005 were studied using 100 permanent plots (1 m2) in four boreal spruce forest stands situated within a National Nature Reserve in SE Norway. The stands differed with respect to former forest management performed 70–80 years prior to the study: natural old-growth forest, minor selectively cut forest, major selectively cut forest and clear cut forest. Based on repeated recording of species composition (vegetation gradients acquired by ordination axes) and tree-stand properties, as well as several environmental variables recorded in 1997, my aim was to assess if previous logging affected the understorey species composition and/or species abundance. No general patterns in species abundance change across stands were observed that could be directly ascribed to former management. Most of the change in abundance was interpreted as stochastic inter-annual fluctuations. Previous logging was a poor predictor of change in species composition, and the average positions of plots from a given stand along the tree influence gradient in species composition did not reflect average tree influence at stand scale. This was interpreted as an indication that the influence of trees on understorey species composition is local, at the scale of individual trees rather than stand-scale tree stand properties (including logging history). The vegetation in the major selectively cut stand (highly significant), the clear cut and the natural stand had, however, changed in direction of one typical of more open and moist forest in spite of the forest becoming generally denser. This was attributed to increased amounts of precipitation in the period prior to 2005 compared to the years preceding 1997, which favours spread of species typical of moist microsites and between trees towards tree bases. Some convergence in species composition changes towards that of the old-growth forest was observed for all formerly managed stands, along the two first ordination axes. This exemplifies the long-term nature of forest floor-successions, which evidently last for many decades after logging. A slight time-lag was also found (though, not significant) in the response of vegetation to tree influence, and in the response of species composition in 2005 to its’ surrounding environment relative to the species composition in 1997 and the environmental variables recorded the same year. Apparently, previous logging does not directly influence today's species abundances or species composition per se, although indirect effects via tree-layer properties seem to be traceable. Further insight into the complex dynamics of understorey vegetation in boreal post-logged forest require continued long-term monitoring of permanent plots

Uptake and translocation of organophosphates and other emerging contaminants in food and forage crops

Emerging contaminants in wastewater and sewage sludge spread on agricultural soil can be transferred to the human food web directly by uptake into food crops or indirectly following uptake into forage crops. This study determined uptake and translocation of the organophosphates tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP) (log K(ow) 2.59), triethyl-chloro-phosphate (TCEP) (log K(ow) 1.44), tributyl phosphate (TBP) (log K(ow) 4.0), the insect repellent N,N-diethyl toluamide (DEET) (log K(ow) 2.18) and the plasticiser N-butyl benzenesulfonamide (NBBS) (log K(ow) 2.31) in barley, wheat, oilseed rape, meadow fescue and four cultivars of carrot. All species were grown in pots of agricultural soil, freshly amended contaminants in the range of 0.6–1.0 mg/kg dry weight, in the greenhouse. The bioconcentration factors for root (RCF), leaf (LCF) and seed (SCF) were calculated as plant concentration in root, leaf or seed over measured initial soil concentration, both in dry weight. The chlorinated flame retardants (TCEP and TCPP) displayed the highest bioconcentration factors for leaf and seed but did not show the same pattern for all crop species tested. For TCEP, which has been phased out due to toxicity but is still found in sewage sludge and wastewater, LCF was 3.9 in meadow fescue and 42.3 in carrot. For TCPP, which has replaced TCEP in many products and also occurs in higher residual levels in sewage sludge and wastewater, LCF was high for meadow fescue and carrot (25.9 and 17.5, respectively). For the four cultivars of carrot tested, the RCF range for TCPP and TCEP was 10–20 and 1.7–4.6, respectively. TCPP was detected in all three types of seeds tested (SCF, 0.015–0.110). Despite that DEET and NBBS have log K(ow) in same range as TCPP and TCEP, generally lower bioconcentration factors were measured. Based on the high translocation of TCPP and TCEP to leaves, especially TCPP, into meadow fescue (a forage crop for livestock animals), ongoing risk assessments should be conducted to investigate the potential effects of these compounds in the food web. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11356-012-1363-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Assessing the robustness of raingardens under climate change using SDSM and temporal downscaling

Climate change is expected to lead to higher precipitation amounts and intensities. This study was carried out to (1) estimate the future precipitation extremes in Bergen (Norway) and (2) assess the robustness of raingardens as stormwater peak flow measures. A combined spatial temporal downscaling method using the Statistical DownScaling Model-Decision Centric (SDSM-DC) and the Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) distribution was applied to estimate future precipitation. Raingarden performance was simulated with the modelling tool RECARGA. The method gave results similar to multiplying with a climate factor as recommended by Norsk klimaservicesenter (2016). Uncertainties were found to be higher from temporal rather than spatial downscaling. The method is best suited as a tool for demonstrating possible climate change scenarios, and stress testing systems of interest. The robustness of raingardens as stormwater peak flow measures was found to be highly dependent on saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat). The results obtained indicate that a higher Ksat is beneficial for reducing overflow and increasing lag time. However, a lower Ksat value achieves the highest peak flow reductions. According to the research, a higher Ksat than what is earlier recommended for cold climates is needed to make raingardens robust under climate change

Arctic POPs.

Results from a four year (2001-2004) project reveal that brominated flame retardants such as polybrominateddiphenyl ethers are present in fish all over Arctic with a tendency of higher levels in European Arctic compared to American Arctic (Alaska and Canada). This science based learning educational project involved 15 GLOBE schools from 7 countries in Arctic; Alaska, Canada, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia and Sweden. Based on awritten “hands-on” fish protocol made by NILU, the involved school sampled two or three parallels during fall2001, spring 2001, fall 2002 and fall 2003. NILU analysed two samples for each school each sampling period, a total of 47 samples of Atlantic cod, Pacific cod and haddock livers, 14 samples burbot liver, 5 samples of whitefish liver, 6 whitefish fillets, and 18 samples of Arctic char, Atlantic and Pacific salmon and Brown trout fillets. Reported data of PCB153, BDE47 and BDE99 are given with a comparison to other international data. Appendix with sampling protocol and additional useful Internet links for different themes such as transport and effects of POPs, food advisories, fish species and sampling is attached

Life of the Urban poor during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa

MasteroppgaveSANT350MASV-SAN

Numerical formulation of sea loads to impermeable nets

A load formulation has been introduced to the Finite Element program AquaSim, where the net is impermeable and water is hence not allowed to pass through the elements belonging to the impermeable net. This paper presents the theory of the load formulation, and presents three case studies where the load model is validated

Fysisk aktivitet og trening – en hjelpende hånd for kolorektale kreftpasienter? En kvalitativ studie av kolorektale kreftpasienters erfaringer og opplevelser med hvordan Pusterommet har hjulpet de i rehabiliteringen etter kreftdiagnosen

Master i kroppsøvings- og idrettsvitenskap - Nord universitet 202

Miljøgifter i terrestrisk og bynært miljø 2016

We analysed biological samples from the terrestrial and urban environment for various inorganic and organic contaminants in the Oslo area. A foodchain approach was used, in order to detect bioaccumulation of the different compounds. The species analysed were earthworms, fieldfare, sparrowhawk, brown rat, tawny owl and red fox. Air and soil samples were also included in the study to increase the understanding on sources and uptake of pollutants. (Norwegian Environment Agency, M-752/2017)Biologiske prøver fra det urbane terrestriske miljøet i Oslo-området ble analysert for flere organiske og uorganiske miljøgifter. En næringskjede ble valgt for å undersøke bioakkumulering av de forskjellige stoffene. De utvalgte artene var meitemark, gråtost, spurvehauk, rotte, kattugle og rødrev. Luft og jordprøver ble også analysert for å øke forståelsen av kilder og opptak av miljøgifter.publishedVersio