Norwegian University of Life Sciences

In the context of continuous cover forestry (CCF), natural regeneration is the preferred form of regeneration, but it is a long-lasting and complex process. Shelter density has a large effect on the regeneration process and results. The selection system, particularly suited for shade-tolerant species like Norway spruce, relies on continuous regeneration and ingrowth into larger size classes. Regeneration and ingrowth rates vary significantly among stands, influenced by site and historical factors, with no clear relationship to current stand conditions. In the group system, edge trees influence regeneration by providing seeds, checking weed growth, and exerting competition. Regeneration in gaps is generally satisfactory for both Norway spruce and Scots pine. However, seedlings usually grow slower, especially close to the gap edges. The shelterwood system promotes regeneration through a successive, uniform opening of the canopy. Shelter trees provide seeds, and reduce seedling damage and competition from ground vegetation. On the other hand, the remaining overstorey shelter trees reduce seedling growth. Conversion to the selection system initiates regeneration in young stands, aiming for slow and steady regeneration. Given the rapid growth and crown closure in young stands, frequent manipulation of shelter density is essential during conversion, for example by opening small gaps.

Boreal forests sequester and store large amounts of carbon both above and below ground. Forest management could influence carbon storage. Differences between upland soils and peatlands are important. In peatlands, large amounts of carbon are stored in the peat, making them more susceptible to differences in forest management. On peatlands, carbon balance is mostly determined by groundwater levels. Carbon storage on both upland and peat soils depends on harvest intensity since most carbon losses, apart from harvested forest products, come from decomposition of roots and logging residues. Scales in both space and time are both important considerations when estimating the effect on carbon balances.

Forest planning requires unbiased and sufficient information on current forest resources, their anticipated dynamics under different management scenarios, and the objectives of the decision maker. Forest planning systems need to be adapted to improve their potential to deal with continuous cover forestry (CCF). The current forest planning systems and associated models can be adapted to group systems by treating each group as a separate calculation unit. In the selection system, currently available growth models may not realistically describe the growth reaction of trees, which causes additional uncertainty in forest-planning calculations. Furthermore, field-data collection based on airborne laser scanning alone is not sufficient for planning of CCF, and additional field measurements are needed. Tree-level measurements by drones open interesting opportunities for forest planning, which might be especially useful under CCF.

Definitions of continuous cover forestry (CCF) vary among countries, and are often a political compromise. We offer a common definition of CCF for this book, which can be found in a text box below. The three silvicultural systems included in CCF are described briefly. Conversion to CCF will be an important activity in the near future, but approaches to and experiences of conversion to CCF are largely lacking in Fennoscandia. Methods need to be developed for how to assess the suitability of forest stands for CCF or conversion to CCF. Bad practices and experiences with selective cutting in Fennoscandia before 1950 have led to a loss of experience and willingness to apply CCF. Climate adaptation will make it necessary to modify CCF approaches in the region, especially given the limited number of shade-tolerant species.

Goats are kept in both intensive and extensive production systems. The most intensive farms are highly industrialized with larger herd sizes. In more extensive systems with large herds, goats have access to an outdoor area in periods or the whole year round. This may decrease animal density and thus increase the welfare of goats. Goats and goat kids can be kept in an uninsulated, cold building and, to a certain extent, may also tolerate high temperatures if they have access to shade and the barns are adequate in terms of space and design. An increase in group size while keeping the floor space per individual constant, reduces aggression, increases social tolerance and locomotion, and opens new possibilities for creating a more stimulating indoor environment. Environmental enrichment improves welfare by reducing social conflicts, providing stimulating activities, and allowing for individual differences. Overall, a heterogeneous environment offering resources and activities placed on different locations in the environment makes it possible for the animals to make individual choices. Environments allowing more individual choices may enhance welfare in itself. The ideal natural pasture should be a vegetational mosaic, more suited for satisfying the behavioural and dietary needs. When evaluating a diet at pasture, the quality of a specific feed goes beyond the mere nutritional value as it also includes the presence of any positive nutraceutical compounds and the absence of elements that can be toxic to the animal.

The COVID‐19 pandemic has highlighted the need for effective internal crisis communication (ICC) in hospitals. However, only little is known about how the choice of communication channels influences the effectiveness of ICC. Our case study offers novel insights into this relationship. We performed an in‐depth analysis of ICC during the COVID‐19 pandemic at a Norwegian tertiary public hospital. We conducted 22 in‐depth interviews with stakeholders from various hierarchical levels who actively participated in ICC. We mapped the relationships of the actors involved in ICC and performed a social network analysis. The emergency reorganization of the hospital made ICC processes more complex compared to the ordinary line structure of communication, and on lower hierarchical levels several redundant (and not necessarily officially approved) communication channels were used. Moreover, we found that the effectiveness of ICC was reduced by communication channels with speed and bandwidth limits. In contrast, communication channels with a high capability to transmit contextualized information improved the effectiveness of ICC. Since our case hospital shares common characteristics with many other tertiary public hospitals, including fragmentation of responsibilities during crisis response, we use our results as a basis for recommending appropriate communication channels and avoiding a decoupling of ICC between hierarchical levels and professions.

Background Pastoralists’ sedentarisation and agriculturalisation might increase their vulnerability to climate change impacts, but few studies have investigated if this is the case in mountain areas. In Uganda, little is known about how Sebei pastoralists have perceived and adapted to such changes. This study sought to establish perspectives of Sebei pastoralists on climate change in terms of its occurrence and impacts as well as access to livelihood assets and or opportunities to withstand such challenges. Method This study was conducted in Mount Elgon areas of Uganda. A cross-sectional study design was employed using qualitative approaches. Data were collected using focus-group discussions with men and women village elders to assess their perceptions regarding climatic changes, impacts and adaption strategies used. Data were analysed using thematic and content analysis approaches. All analyses were done using NVivo version 14. Results Respondents reported changes in the amount and distribution of rainfall, fog and temperatures, with negative impacts on fodder availability, milk production and pests and diseases. Study participants mentioned using several adaptation strategies with regard to animal rearing, crop farming and livelihood diversification. Among others, participants reduced herd size, migrated longer distances, stored wild grass, used crop residues as feed and increased ‘self-medication’ of their cattle. Conclusions Access to funds, markets and technical advice were the main barriers to adaptation identified. Institutional support—now only focused on improved breeds—should consider the multiple strategies used by pastoralists, and the constraints they highlighted, including the need for mutual learning space.

Disease resistance traits are complex and quantitative in nature. Breeders regularly evaluate multiple important traits across diverse environments to employ them in genomics‐assisted breeding. In this study, we evaluated the prospects of genomic prediction models by incorporating genome‐wide association study (GWAS) results into single‐trait and multitrait genomic prediction scenarios, using two distinct panels: the NMBU panel and the GRAMINOR panel. A standard genomic prediction model ( Base ) and the Base model with the addition of significant GWAS markers as fixed covariates (Base + GWAS) were tested on both panels. The predictive ability of models was measured in terms of prediction ability by using Pearson's correlation method. An improvement of 0.05% to as high as a two‐fold improvement was observed in both the panels for single‐trait and multitrait scenarios. In general, multitrait models outperformed single‐trait models regardless of whether the GWAS markers were included. This study further concludes that multitrait‐based genomic predictions are superior to single trait–based ones when the associated traits are used and are well correlated.

The present study investigated whether dietary n -3 very-long-chain PUFAs ( n -3 VLC-PUFAs) could increase skin and bone mineralization in Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ) in vivo and examined their potential effects on human osteoblast proliferation and differentiation in vitro . Atlantic salmon were fed different dietary levels of n -3 VLC-PUFA, and changes in tissue n -3 VLC-PUFA composition, skeletal morphology, skin and bone mineral content, bone mineral density (BMD), and gene expression patterns were examined. Additionally, in vitro experiments using human foetal osteoblast cells were conducted to investigate the potential influence of n -3 VLC-PUFA supplementation on cell proliferation, osteogenic differentiation, and cytokine expression. The results demonstrated that increasing the dietary levels of n -3 VLC-PUFAs increased the mineral content of vertebrae and BMD in salmon, with subtle yet significant impacts on the expression of genes involved in bone-related processes. Furthermore, in vitro experiments showed a potential contextual influence of n -3 VLC-PUFA supplementation on gene expression of osteogenic markers and cytokine expression. Our findings indicate for the first time that n -3 VLC-PUFAs may influence processes related to bone mineralization.

Forestry is often directed towards conflicting targets. In Finland, forest policy has aimed to extract as much timber as possible while ensuring continued future harvesting opportunities. Concurrently, there is a social demand for biodiversity and non-timber ecosystem services. To explore the opportunities to combine these interests we simulated forest growth and optimized forestry, for a 100 year period, under two scenarios. The first scenario presents the impact economically oriented forestry (maximizing net present value (NPV)) will have on forest multifunctionality. Whereas the second scenario illustrates forest multifunctionality under environmentally oriented forestry (maximum multifunctionality (MF)). Both scenarios applied three harvest intensities (60%, 80% and 100% of the maximum maintainable yield). To evaluate multifunctionality, we used ecosystem service indicators (bilberry yield and carbon storage) and biodiversity indicators (volume of dead wood and habitat suitability for six vertebrate species). Additionally, we estimated the economic benefit from forestry (NPV). Our results showed enhanced forest multifunctionality due to the use of MF management, which appears to be a cost-efficient tool to promote biodiversity and multifunctionality. This trend could be further enhanced by decreasing harvest intensity. Solutions to this trade-off is very much value based and hence requires identification of priorities and preferences from the society.

This study aims to investigate the repercussions of climate change on crop production, focusing on cereals, pulses, oilseeds, and vegetables, and explore factors that influence crop productions in major agricultural producing zones in Ethiopia. Employing the One-step system GMM and Two-step system GMM methodologies, the study analyzes production dynamics from 2003/04 to 2021/22 within 21 selected zones spanning the Amhara, Oromia, Benishangul Gumuz, SNNP, and Sidama regions. Key factors influencing cereal production, including lagged production, the number of private peasant holders, land area, fertilizer application, precipitation, maximum average temperature, relative humidity, and regional factors are identified. Notably, precipitation emerges as a critical determinant affecting cereals, pulses, and oilseeds negatively. The study underscores the imperative for diversifying crops and reducing dependence on rain-fed agriculture. It proposes leveraging erratic rainfall patterns by constructing small-sized irrigation dams to capitalize on excess water during heavy rainfall seasons. Moreover, the adoption of temperature-resistant crop varieties and collaborative efforts with local administrations at various administrative levels are recommended to expand irrigated land, thereby bolstering resilience against climate variability and safeguarding rain-fed agriculture.

Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent anthropogenic contaminants, some of which are toxic and bioaccumulative. Perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) and perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs) can form during the atmospheric degradation of precursors such as fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs), N-alkylated perfluoroalkane sulfonamides (FASAs), and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Since PFCAs and PFSAs will readily undergo wet deposition, snow and ice cores are useful for studying PFAS in the Arctic atmosphere. In this study, 36 PFAS were detected in surface snow around the Arctic island of Spitsbergen during January−August 2019 (i.e., 24 h darkness to 24 h daylight), indicating widespread and chemically diverse contamination, including at remote high elevation sites. Local sources meant some PFAS had concentrations in snow up to 54 times higher in Longyearbyen, compared to remote locations. At a remote high elevation ice cap, where PFAS input was from long-range atmospheric processes, the median deposition fluxes of C 2 − C 11 PFCAs, PFOS and HFPO−DA (GenX) were 7.6−71 times higher during 24 h daylight. These PFAS all positively correlated with solar flux. Together this suggests seasonal light is important to enable photochemistry for their atmospheric formation and subsequent deposition in the Arctic. This study provides the first evidence for the possible atmospheric formation of PFOS and GenX from precursors.

Lytic Polysaccharide Monooxygenases (LPMOs) catalyze the oxidative depolymerization of polysaccharides at a monocopper active site, that is coordinated by the so-called histidine brace. In the past, this motif has sparked considerable interest, mostly due to its ability to generate and stabilize highly oxidizing intermediates during catalysis. We used a variety of advanced EPR techniques, including Electron Nuclear Double Resonance (ENDOR), Electron Spin Echo Envelope Modulation (ESEEM) and Hyperfine Sublevel Correlation (HYSCORE) spectroscopy in combination with isotopic labelling (¹⁵N, ²H) to characterize the active site of the bacterial LPMO SmAA10A over a wide pH range (pH 4.0–pH 12.5). At elevated pH values, several ligand modifications are observed, including changes in the HxO ligand coordination, but also regarding the protonation state of the histidine brace. At pH > 11.5, the deprotonation of the two remote nitrogen nuclei of the imidazole moieties and of the terminal amine is observed. These deprotonations are associated with major electronic changes, including increased σ-donor capabilities of the imidazolates and an overall reduced interaction of the deprotonated amine function. This observation highlights a potentially more significant role of the imidazole ligands, particularly for the stabilization of potent oxidants during turnover. The presented study demonstrates the application of advanced EPR techniques for a thorough characterization of the active site in LPMOs, which ultimately sets a foundation for and affords an outlook on future applications characterizing reaction intermediates.

Background Oxygen provision is a bottleneck in conventional aerobic high cell density culturing (HCDC) of bacteria due to the low O2 solubility in water. An alternative could be denitrification: anaerobic respiration using nitrogen oxides as terminal electron acceptors. Denitrification is attractive because NO3⁻ is soluble in water, the end-product (N2) is harmless, and denitrification is widespread among bacteria, hence suitable organisms for most purposes can be found. The pH must be controlled by injection of an inorganic acid to compensate for the pH increase by NO3⁻-consumption, resulting in salt accumulation if feeding the bioreactor with NO3⁻ salt. We avoid this with our novel pH–stat approach, where the reactor is supplied with 5 M HNO3 to compensate for the alkalization, thus sustaining NO3⁻-concentration at a level determined by the pH setpoint. Here we present the first feasibility study of this method, growing the model strain Paracoccus denitrificans anaerobically to high densities with glucose as the sole C-source and NO3⁻ as the N-source and electron acceptor. Results Our fed-batch culture reached 20 g cell dry weight L⁻¹, albeit with slower growth rates than observed in low cell density batch cultures. We explored reasons for slow growth, and the measured trace element uptake indicates it is not a limiting factor. Bioassays with spent medium excluded accumulation of inhibitory compounds at high cell density as the reason for the slow growth. The most plausible reason is that high metabolic activity led to CO2/H2CO3 accumulation, thus suppressing pH, leading to a paucity in HNO3-feeding until N2-sparging had removed sufficient CO2. The three free intermediates in the denitrification pathway (NO3⁻ → NO2⁻ → NO → N2O → N2) can all reach toxic concentrations if the electron flow is unbalanced, and this did occur if cells were glucose-limited. On the other hand, accumulation of polyhydroxyalkanoates occurred if the cells were NO3⁻-limited. Carefully balancing glucose provision according to the HNO3 injected is thus crucial. Conclusions This work provides a proof of concept, while also identifying CO2/H2CO3 accumulation as a hurdle that must be overcome for further development and optimization of the method.

Juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), known as post-smolt as they enter the sea, undergo an arduous migration from their natal rivers to their feeding grounds in the North Atlantic Ocean. It has become increasingly important to understand how post-smolts use the fjord environment as they migrate in order to properly assess the potential threats posed by large-scale salmon farming. Chief among these threats is the increased numbers of ectoparasitic salmon lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) inhabiting the water column, which are known to have specific depth preferences based on light, temperature, and salinity. Here, we present data on the depth use of wild Atlantic salmon post-smolts migrating through fjords. We aimed to investigate to what extent depth use varied throughout the fjord and from year to year. Using acoustic telemetry, tagged fish from four rivers in two fjords in western Norway were monitored as they migrated towards the open sea during two consecutive years. We found that post-smolts predominantly migrated in the top three meters of the water column throughout the length of both fjord systems. Among 61 successful migrants and 7013 detections, 98% of detections were in the top three meters of the water column. This corresponds well with past findings showing similar depth use in hatchery-reared smolt and in adult Atlantic salmon kelts returning to their feeding grounds after spawning. We found little evidence of a consistent diel pattern in depth use. Our results support assumptions of representative sampling when trawling the upper portion of the water column for post-smolts in order to estimate sea lice infection rates and may improve the precision of efforts to model salmon lice infection risk. The results may also be valuable in evaluating other threats to wild salmon.

In Europe, various conservation programs adopted to maintain or restore biodiversity have experienced differing levels of success. However, a synthesis about major factors for success of biodiversity-related conservation programs across ecosystems and national boundaries, such as incentives, subsidies, enforcement, participation, or spatial context, is missing. Using a balanced scorecard survey among experts, we analyzed and compared factors contributing to success or failure of three different conservation programs: two government programs (Natura 2000 and the ecological measures of the Water Framework Directive) and one conservation program of a non-governmental organization (NGO; Rewilding Europe), all focusing on habitat and species conservation. The experts perceived the NGO program as more successful in achieving biodiversity-related aims than governmental conservation legislation. Among the factors perceived to influence the success of biodiversity conservation, several stood out: Biodiversity-damaging subsidies, external economic interests competing with conservation goals or policies conflicting with biodiversity conservation were recognized as major factors for the lack of conservation success. Outreach to raise societal interest and awareness as well as stakeholder involvement were perceived as closely related to the success of programs. Our expert survey demonstrated that external factors from economy and policy often hinder success of conservation programs, while societal and environmental factors rather contribute to it. This study implies that conservation programs should be designed to be as inclusive as possible and provides a basis for developing a standardized methodology that explicitly considers indirect drivers from areas such as economy, policy and society.

Second homes contribute to significant environmental challenges. Despite political goals onrestricting land use and dampening negative impacts, the building of second homes in Norwayand elsewhere seems to have been little affected by such policies to date. Land use planning iscrucial in deciding development of second homes, and in Norway it has been discussed fordecades how such planning could be done more sustainably. The objective of the article is toexplore promising ways forward for more environmentally sustainable second home planningthrough a comprehensive review of literature on characteristics of development trends forsecond homes and the planning and governance system, and drawing on theories on scalesand governance of environmental problems. The main finding and conclusion is that planningof second homes must remain at the local level where most other land use is allocated, buttheir planning needs to be more strongly governed, framed and supported by national andregional levels, in a collective multilevel effort. A further finding and conclusion is that specificsecond home policies are mostly needed in relatively few high-pressure areas.