Simple Principles for Guiding of Large-Scale Landscape Restorations

Restoration projects are complex and especially upscaling of restoration represent challenges that must be solved in a multidisciplinary setting. To establish cooperation between the wide range of professions there is a need for “fixed points” of communication that allows for constructive dialogue and to prevent misconceptions. We have developed and tested four simple principles that are aimed for use throughout the restoration process and to be immediately applicable for “on-the-ground” interventions. They are designed to work dynamically in the dialog between all personnel involved in a project, such as project owners, contractors, authorities, and consultants. By organizing the dialogue towards the four simple principles it is easier to explain the link between goals, specific work procedures and how they are solved. The principles can also be used when the projects are evaluated. The article focuses mainly on the use of the principles for nature diversity and landscapes, but they are also used and intended for all professions involved in restoration projects. Ecosystem Restoration; Project Principles; “Green Training”; Multidisciplinary Integration; Natural Processes; DialoguepublishedVersio

Forsterking av vegetasjonsdekke i Rødsmoen - skyte- og øvingsfelt – 7 år etter

Magnetoencefalografija (MEG) je metoda funkcionalnog oslikavanja mozga koja ima izrvrsnu vremensku rezoluciju od 1 ms, a uz to i dovoljno dobru prostornu rezoluciju od 2-3 mm, što je čini sjajnim alatom za proučavanje funkcije mozga u stvarnom vremenu, na milisekundnoj razini. Cilj ove radnje je proučavanje učinaka endogene, prikriveno usmjerene, prostorne vidne pažnje na najranije vidne odgovore, koji uključuju prvih 100 ms od prezentacije vidnog podražaja. Donedavno se smatralo da je aktivnost primarnog vidnog korteksa V1 modulirana prostornom vidnom pažnjom tek na latencijama nakon 100 ms od prezentacije vidnog podražaja, i to putem povratnih veza iz viših područja vidnog sustava, poput V2 i V3, međutim nekoliko EEG studija poput Kelly i suradnici [15] i dosad samo jedna MEG studija Poghosyan i suradnici [24] nalaze modulaciju endogenom prikrivenom prostornom vidnom pažnjom čak i te najranije aktivnosti. Pitanje je i dalje otvoreno i predstavlja glavni cilj naše radnje. Neuromagnetska mjerenja su napravljena na 15 ispitanika prosječne dobi 26 godina u MEG laboratoriju u Biomagnetism Center, Department of Neurology, Jena University Clinic u Jeni, u okviru bilateralne sveučilišne suradnje izmedu sveučilišta u Zagrebu i Technical University of Ilmenau. Korišteni su Gabor vidni podražaj i target podražaj (Gabor sa superponiranim prstenom promjenjive osvijetljenosti), pažljivo izabrane veličine, prostorne frekvencije, kontrasta i osvijetljenosti prstena te položaja prikazivanja u vidnom polju, kao i adaptivna eksperimentalna paradigma. Provjeru postoji li modulacija aktivnosti prostornom vidnom pažnjom vršili smo usporedbom slučajeva kada je prostorna vidna pažnja bila i kad nije bila usmjerena vidnim usmjerivačem na dio vidnog polja u kojem je prezentiran Gabor podražaj, izravno iz izmjerenih neuromagnetskih odgovora, kao i pomoću izračunate kortikalne dinamike dobivene koristeći CSST (Constrained Start Spatio-Temporal) metodu. Rezultati naše MEG analize pokazuju modulaciju prostornom vidnom pažnjom, čak i najranijeg vidnog odgovora, u slučajevima nasumično usmjeravane i održavane prostorne vidne pažnje, što je u skladu s nedavnim studijama poput [15] [24]. Rezultat analize za održavano usmjeravanje, kao i usporedba među nasumičnom i održavanom pažnjom, koja je pokazala jače izražen učinak modulacije u slučaju održavane pažnje, predstavljaju novi doprinos razumijevanju najranijih učinaka moduliranja endogenom prikrivenom prostornom vidnom pažnjom. Također, pokazali smo da nema utjecaja pažnje na latenciju maksimuma najranijeg vidnog odgovora, što je u skladu sa svim prethodnim studijama.Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is functional brain imaging method with great temporal resolution of 1 ms and good enough spatial resolution of 2-3 mm, what makes it a great tool for studying brain functioning in real time, on the milisecond level. The goal of this work is to study effects of endogenous, covertly oriented, spatial visual attention on the earliest visual responses, involving first 100 ms from the presentation of the visual stimulus. Until recently it was considered that the activity of the primary visual cortex V1 is modulated by spatial visual attention only on the latencies later than 100 ms after the stimulus presentation, by feedback connections from the higher visual areas, like V2 or V3, but few recent EEG studies, like Kelly et al. [15], and until now only one MEG study, Poghosyan et al. [24], find attentional modulatin of even the earliest evoked visual activity. The question is still open and represents the main goal of our study. Neuromagnetic measurements were made on 15 subjects, of average age 26, in the MEG laboratory in Biomagnetism Center, Department of Neurology, Jena University Clinic in Jena, as a part of bilateral university collaboration between University of Zagreb and Technical University of Ilmenau. We used Gabor visual stimulus and target stimulus (Gabor with superimposed ring of changing luminosity), with specifically chosen size, spatial frequency, contrast, luminosity of the ring and position of appearing in the visual field, just as adaptive experimental paradigm. Checking of the activity modulation by attention was done by comparing tasks when spatial visual attention was and when it was not oriented on the part of visual field where the stimulus was presented, directly from the measured neuromagnetic responses and by using cortical dynamics calculated using CSST (Constrained Start Spatio-Temporal) method. The results of our MEG analysis show activity modulation by spatial visual attention of the earliest visual response, in the tasks of random and sustained orienting, what is in accordance with recent studies like [15] [24]. Result of the analysis for sustained orienting and comparison between the random and sustained orienting, which showed greater effect of attentional modulation, represent the new contribution to understanding of the earliest effects of modulation by endogenous covertly oriented spatial visual attention. We also showed that there is no effect of attention on the latency of maximal earliest visual response, which is in accordance with all the studies

Working with Natural Processes: Restoring a Mining Landscape in the High Arctic, Svalbard, Norway

The Svea coal mines in Svalbard have been closed, and the area is under restoration. The goal of the landscape restoration was to enable dynamic ecological and geomorphological processes by removing roads, housing, industrial facilities, airports, landflls, and quarries that once dominated the area. Cultural heritage features, such as pre-1946 buildings, structures, and mining traces, have been preserved, while the rest of the landscape has been restored to a near-natural state. The focus has been restoring geodiversity in this arctic environment, where biotic processes are slow. Geomorphological processes such as glacial, slope, fuvial, coastal, and permafrost processes dominate and give the landscape its geological character. The objective of the restoration is not merely to re-create the landscape’s previous appearance but rather to ensure that natural processes can function as they did in the past, contributing to the ongoing development and evolution of all restored land surfaces. As of 2023, most of the area has already been restored. In areas with rapid geomorphological processes, the land will soon be dominated by these processes. Revegetation is one of the major ecological processes the restoration seeks to facilitate. Revegetation is a slow process in arctic environments, and it will take many decades before vegetation covers restored bare surfaces. The project forms a valuable baseline for studying and discussing geomorphology, landscape dynamics, geodiversity, biodiversity, and ecology for nature management and landscape restoration.publishedVersio

Aspects of Integrated Water Resources Management in River Basins Influenced by Mining Activities in Lower Lusatia

In Lower Lusatia, eastern Germany, the changing impacts of lignite coal mining and potential climate change have put the naturally low water yield conditions under pressure. Water resources balances describe the hydrological situation in the region and the need for action due to changing boundary conditions. Extended transfer of flood water from neighbouring catchments is considered inevitable for sustainable regional development and the establishment of a quantitatively and qualitatively selfregulated water system. Using the river basin management system WBalMo®, potential water transfer scenarios to compensate for water deficits resulting from regional and global change are analysed

Alpine restoration: planting and seeding of native species facilitate vegetation recovery

Vegetation recovery in severely disturbed alpine ecosystems can be accelerated through active restoration measures. This study evaluated the short-term effects of two restoration treatments, planting of propagated native Salix (willow) shrubs in three different densities (1, 2.5, and 4 plants/m2) and seeding of the native grass Festuca ovina (sheep fescue), in a disturbed alpine heathland. We evaluated natural vegetation recovery (i.e. vegetation cover, vascular plant species richness, and Salix recruitment) in permanent plots, 5 years after the implementation of restoration measures. The results showed that both treatments had positive but different effects on vegetation recovery; Salix plantings (with densities ≥2.5 plants/m2) increased vascular plant species richness and recruitment of Salix seedlings, whereas seeding of F. ovina increased bottom and field layer cover. Our results also show the importance of soil conditions for vegetation recovery, as moister plots with a higher percentage of fine soil substrate had a higher vegetation cover and vascular plant species richness. This study shows that different restoration treatments can work complementary and also highlights the importance of considering different indicators of vegetation recovery when evaluating the effectiveness of restoration measures.publishedVersio

Recovery of vegetation on former alpine roads: how long does it take?

Alpine areas worldwide are under heavy land-use pressure and degradation. Active restoration treatments can contribute to accelerating recovery of degraded areas. However, monitoring data are needed to understand the contribution of restoration treatments to long-term management and to predict time to recovery (TR). In this study, we used monitoring data on removed roads in an alpine area in Norway to investigate TR of three vegetation-based indicators. Four restoration treatments were tested: 1) removal of added gravel down to original terrain surface, and stirring of topsoil; 2) adding fertilizer to the stirred topsoil; 3) adding seeds to the fertilized topsoil; and 4) no removal of added gravel, but stirring of top layer (gravel and soil). The restoration of roads took place in 2002, and monitoring of permanent plots was carried out in 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019. Reference plots in intact vegetation next to removed roads were monitored in 2014 and 2019. We used species composition and species richness of vascular plants as well as total vegetation cover as indicators of restoration outcome and investigated predicted TR for these indicators under different restoration treatments. Species composition changed significantly with time since restoration in all treatments, approaching that of the reference vegetation. The recovery of species composition was slowest in fertilized and seeded plots, where estimated TR was 2–3 times longer (> 45 years) than in the other treatments (< 20 years). Species richness of vascular plants was restored quickly (< 5 years) within all restoration treatments, whereas recovery of vegetation cover varied more (20–30 years). Our study confirms that vegetation recovery in alpine environments is a long-term process, but that adding seeds and nutrients is unnecessary for, and even inhibits, the recovery of narrow, disturbed sites such as former roads. alpine ecosystems, indicators, restoration, seeding, time to recoverypublishedVersio

Methods for assessment of innovative medical technologies during early stages of development

Conventional Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is usually conducted at a point in time at which the development of the respective technology may no longer be influenced. By this time developers and/or purchasers may have misinvested resources. Thus the demand for Technology Assessment (TA) which incorporates appropriate methods during early development stages of a technology becomes apparent. Against this health political background, the present report describes methods for a development-accompanying assessment of innovative medical technologies. Furthermore, international research programmes set out to identify or apply such methods will be outlined. A systematic literature search as well as an extensive manual literature search are carried out in order to obtain literature and information. The greatest units of the identified methods consist of assessment concepts, decision support methods, modelling approaches and methods focusing on users and their knowledge. Additionally, several general-purpose concepts have been identified. The identified research programmes INNO-HTA and MATCH (Multidisciplinary-Assessment-of-Technology-Centre-for-Healthcare) are to be seen as pilot projects which so far have not been able to generate final results. MATCH focuses almost entirely on the incorporation of the user-perspective regarding the development of non-pharmaceutical technologies, whereas INNO-HTA is basically concerned with the identification and possible advancement of methods for the early, socially-oriented technology assessment. Most references offer only very vague descriptions of the respective method and the application of greatly differing methods seldom exceeds the character of a pilot implementation. A standardisation much less an institutionalisation of development-accompanying assessment cannot be recognized. It must be noted that there is no singular method with which development-accompanying assessment should be carried out. Instead, a technology and evaluation specific method selection seem to be necessary as medical innovations are diverse and none of the methods are exhaustive. Because of a variety of issues (e. g. ideal time of evaluation, lack of data and uncertainty of data) a development-accompanying assessment should not replace a comprehensive HTA, but rather form a possible preceding step in a multi-staged HTA-process. A final appraisal of the methods for development-accompanying assessment cannot be made based on the available sources. However, the present review may serve as a starting point for further development and application of these methods as well as further examination of the concept of development-accompanying assessment. There is a substantial need for further research concerning the application, validation and comparison of the various methods for development-accompanying assessment

Assessing the effect of mitigation efforts to improve vegetation recovery inpowerline construction sites across Norway

Land-use related to technical infrastructure puts great pressure on nature and landscapes globally. We used a screening approach to evaluate vegetation development in 295 construction sites related to upkeeping of the national power grid in Norway and assessed if and how active measures for vegetation recovery can contribute to mitigate negative impacts on biodiversity and natural carbon storage. Bayesian networks were developed to assess the effect of interventions on the vegetation cover, and an ensemble learning algorithm (Boruta) was used to assess variable importance. Multivariate analysis was run to investigate plant functional group composition. The screening approach uncovered some broad results; A large diversity of installation types are associated with gridline-systems, and the large variation of mitigation measures are hard to classify and evaluate. Years since restoration, region and site ID were important to explain the total vegetation cover, while restoration treatment, soil and installation type were not important. Graminoids dominate the total vegetation cover, in both seeded and non-seeded sites. More detailed studies will contribute to more accurate evaluation of different measures and vegetation recovery. Lack of documentation and well-designed monitoring hamper the development of reliable procedures of mitigation in construction projects, as the ecological outcome of the efforts can be questioned.e efforts of municipalities and tour operators to develop sustainable local nature-based tourism products, particularly in remote areas. Construction sites Evaluation Land-use Mitigation Revegetation Vegetation coverpublishedVersio

Herbivores reduce seedling recruitment in alpine plant communities

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Herbivores reduce seedling recruitment in alpine plant communities

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