Long-Term Effects of Climate and Litter Chemistry on Rates and Stable Fractions of Decomposing Scots Pine and Norway Spruce Needle Litter—A Synthesis

We have reviewed information on early-, late- and limit-value decomposition stages for litter of Norway spruce (Picea abies) and Scots pine (Pinus silvestris). This synthesis covers c 16 studies/papers made along a climatic gradient; range in mean annual temperature (MAT) from −1 to +7 °C and mean annual precipitation (MAP) from 425 to 1070 mm. Scots pine has an early stage dominated by carbohydrate decomposition and a late stage dominated by decomposition of lignin; Norway spruce has just one stage dominated by lignin decomposition. We used data for annual mass loss to identify rate-regulating factors in both stages; climate data, namely, MAT and MAP, as well as substrate properties, namely, nitrogen (N), acid unhydrolyzable residue (AUR), manganese (Mn). Early-stage decomposition for Scots pine litter was dominated positively by MAT; the late stage was dominated negatively by MAT, N, and AUR, changing with decomposition stage; there was no effect of Mn. Norway spruce litter had no early stage; decomposition in the lignin-dominated stage was mainly negative to MAP, a negative relationship to AUR and non-significant relationships to N and MAT. Mn had a positive relationship. Limit values for decomposition, namely, the accumulated mass loss at which decomposition is calculated to be zero, were related positively to Mn and AUR for Scots pine litter and negatively to AUR for Norway spruce litter. With different sets of rate-regulating factors as well as different compounds/elements related to the limit values, the decomposition patterns or pathways are different

Long-Term Effects of Climate and Litter Chemistry on Rates and Stable Fractions of Decomposing Scots Pine and Norway Spruce Needle Litter—A Synthesis

We have reviewed information on early-, late- and limit-value decomposition stages for litter of Norway spruce (Picea abies) and Scots pine (Pinus silvestris). This synthesis covers c 16 studies/papers made along a climatic gradient; range in mean annual temperature (MAT) from −1 to +7 °C and mean annual precipitation (MAP) from 425 to 1070 mm. Scots pine has an early stage dominated by carbohydrate decomposition and a late stage dominated by decomposition of lignin; Norway spruce has just one stage dominated by lignin decomposition. We used data for annual mass loss to identify rate-regulating factors in both stages; climate data, namely, MAT and MAP, as well as substrate properties, namely, nitrogen (N), acid unhydrolyzable residue (AUR), manganese (Mn). Early-stage decomposition for Scots pine litter was dominated positively by MAT; the late stage was dominated negatively by MAT, N, and AUR, changing with decomposition stage; there was no effect of Mn. Norway spruce litter had no early stage; decomposition in the lignin-dominated stage was mainly negative to MAP, a negative relationship to AUR and non-significant relationships to N and MAT. Mn had a positive relationship. Limit values for decomposition, namely, the accumulated mass loss at which decomposition is calculated to be zero, were related positively to Mn and AUR for Scots pine litter and negatively to AUR for Norway spruce litter. With different sets of rate-regulating factors as well as different compounds/elements related to the limit values, the decomposition patterns or pathways are different

Investigating an Incubator for Digital innovation in Cultural Heritage

In this case study we investigate a cultural heritage incubator, using theoretical constructs suggested suitable for the study of digital innovation in open-ended value landscapes or ecosystems. Interviews are conducted with eight entrepreneurial firms participating in the incubator, who develop digital innovations within the cultural heritage domain, representatives from museums, also a document study and active participation in incubator activities has been utilized for data collection. A content analysis was conducted using a deductive approach where theoretical constructs from digital innovation literature were used to derive themes connected to concepts of value creation and value capture, value co-creation and co-destruction as well as value spaces paths and recombination. Recommendations are made and the ability of existing theoretical constructs to capture the specific characteristics of the case are made

The Promise of a Crowd

This paper presents an evaluation of a mobile complaint and problem-reporting solution made for Swedish municipalities and their citizens. The evaluation is made through a government 2.0 framework to assess the appropriateness of the initiative as a citizen-sourcing solution. The research approach consists of a secondary analysis of empirical data. The researchers have been active participants in gathering the data for the secondary analysis. The results show that although the promise of the crowd is very prominent in the technical platform, municipalities are not prepared to fully utilize the citizen-sourcing solution. The main contribution for research is a widening of the body of knowledge regarding citizen-sourcing by an empirical application of a previously developed theoretical citizen-sourcing framework. The paper contributes to society and practice through highlighting difficulties that can be expected when realizing the promise of the crowd

DESIGNING AN M-GOVERNMENT SOLUTION: ENABLING COLLABORATION THROUGH CITIZEN SOURCING

y combining openness with m-government, OECD and the research community envisage benefits, and action is called for within this field. The objective of this paper is to answer these calls and address the research question How to design a citizen sourcing m-government solution to facilitate collaboration between governments and citizens? An instantiation of a complaint and problem management solution is designed and evaluated using design science. The solution (named Munizapp) comprises a mobile application (app) and an integration platform (ePlatform). The app is the front-end for citizens, enabling them to report complaints and problems to municipalities. The ePlatform facilitates seamless two-way communication between the app and back-end case management system in municipalities. Different evaluation activities have been carried out that proved the enabling features of the solution for facilitating collaboration. Usability evaluation and knowledge gained through the research process provides new knowledge to citizen sourcing and m-government theory. One example is the need to expand citizen sourcing frameworks to also include stakeholders other than citizens and governments as well as the need to explicate value co-creation between all stakeholders touched by the solution. The paper ends with suggestion for future research on value co-creation

Baltic Sea Coastal Eutrophication in a Thousand Year Perspective

Sediment cores from three sites along the east-coast of Sweden, north-western Baltic Proper, have been studied with respect to lithologies, geochemistry and diatom assemblages to trace and date early human impact with emphasis on nutrient discharge. The three sites Bråviken, Himmerfjärden and Ådfjärden, have been impacted to various degree during the last millennia by multiple stressors like excessive nutrient discharge and hazardous substances, leading to coastal hypoxia, eutrophication and pollution. These stressors are mainly caused by drivers in the drainage area as increased human population, changed land use and point sources as industries and a sewage treatment plant. Even though their detailed history differs, the results show similar general patterns for all three sites. We find no evidence in our data from the coastal zone supporting the hypothesis that the extensive areal distribution of hypoxia in the open Baltic Sea during the Medieval Climate Anomaly was caused by human impact. Timing of the onset of man-made eutrophication, as identified from d15N and changes in diatom composition, differs between the three sites, reflecting the site specific geography and local environmental histories of these areas. The onset of eutrophication dates to 1800 CE in Bråviken and Himmerfjärden areas, and to 1900 CE in the less urban area of Ådfjärden. We conclude that the recorded environmental changes during the last centuries are unique in a thousand year perspective

An m-Government Solution for Complaint and Problem Management : Designing a Solution for Government 2.0

In recent years emphasis has been placed on opening up governments and empowering and engaging citizens in governmental activities: this view of e-government is referred to as government 2.0. Government 2.0 focuses on governments becoming more transparent, accessible, and responsive, and on governments promoting increased collaboration and participation.  There is also an increasing demand from citizens to interact and gain access to government services through mobile devices. Adopting mobile and wireless technology within the public sector is referred to as mobile government (m-government) and this new phenomenon is expected to become an important part of the development of e-government. By combining government 2.0 and m-government, The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the research community envisages benefits and calls for action within this field. This research answers this call, and addresses the research problem of how to design an m-government solution for complaint and problem management that enables government 2.0. Challenges that inhibit Swedish municipalities from adopting and utilizing such a solution are also identified in this research. Citizens in Sweden can submit complaints and problems concerning a community, such as broken streetlights, to municipalities. By enabling complaints and problems to be reported through mobile devices it facilitates reporting at the point and time of discovery of the issue. Complaint and problem reporting is therefore a suitable m-government service. The m-government solution for complaint and problem management was designed and evaluated within a research project. This compilation thesis builds on and communicates research performed within the research project. By following a design science research methodology, the complaint and problem management solution is designed and evaluated. The solution (Munizapp) comprises a mobile application (app) and an integration platform (ePlatform). The app is the front-end that enables citizens to report complaints and problems to municipalities. The ePlatform facilitates seamless two-way communication between the app and back-end case management system in municipalities. A theoretical evaluation shows that the solution has functionalities that enable all aspects of government 2.0. Additional evaluations indicate evidence of citizens finding the solution valuable and easy to use. There is willingness among municipalities to adopt and utilize the designed m-government solution, but there are challenges that inhibit them from realizing the full potential of the solution. The challenges identified in this research are described and related to business process management and to government 2.0. Future research should investigate how to overcome these challenges

E-Government Collaboration in the Swedish Public Sector : Multiple Studies on Collaboration Facilitators and Collaboration Modes

Collaboration in the public sector is imperative to achieve e-government objectives such as improved efficiency and effectiveness of public administration and improved quality of public services. Collaboration across organizational and institutional boundaries requires public organizations to share e-government systems and services through for instance, interoperable information technology and processes. Demands on public organizations to become more open also require that public organizations adopt new collaborative approaches for inviting and engaging citizens in governmental activities. E-government related collaboration in the public sector is challenging, however, and collaboration initiatives often fail. Public organizations need to learn how to collaborate since forms of e-government collaboration and expected outcomes are mostly unknown. How public organizations can collaborate and the expected outcomes are thus investigated in this thesis by studying multiple collaboration cases on the acquisition and implementation of a particular e-government investment (digital archive). This thesis also investigates how e-government collaboration can be facilitated through artifacts. It is done through a case study, where objects that cross boundaries between collaborating communities in the public sector are studied, and by designing a configurable process model integrating several processes for social services. By using design science, this thesis also investigates how an m-government solution that facilitates collaboration between citizens and public organizations can be designed. The thesis contributes to literature through describing five different modes of interorganizational collaboration in the public sector and the expected benefits from each mode. It also contributes with an instantiation of a configurable process model supporting three open social e-services and with evidence of how it can facilitate collaboration. This thesis further describes how boundary objects facilitate collaboration between different communities in an open government design initiative. It contributes with a designed mobile government solution, thereby providing proof of concept and initial design implications for enabling collaboration with citizens through citizen sourcing (outsourcing a governmental activity to citizens through an open call). This thesis also identifies research streams within e-government collaboration research through a literature review and the thesis contributions are related to the identified research streams. This thesis gives directions for future research by suggesting that future research should focus further on understanding e-government collaboration and how information and communication technology can facilitate collaboration in the public sector. It is suggested that further research should investigate m-government solutions to form design theories. Future research should also examine how value can be co-created in e-government collaboration

Friluftsliv i Skolan : en komparativ studie av friluftslivsundervisning i den svenska och norska grundskolan

Syfte Studiens övergripande syfte var att studera friluftsundervisningen i utvalda grundskolor i Oslo och Stockholm och därvid jämföra möjligheter och inställningen till friluftsliv samt ställa detta i relation till hur friluftsliv behandlas i respektive lands styrdokument. Metod Studien tar sin utgång i den kvalitativa forskningstraditionen och består av en litteraturstudie, där bl. a. styrdokument för respektive land studerats för att kunna jämföra skillnader och utvecklingen i momentet friluftsliv. Därutöver genomfördes sex telefonintervjuer, tre i vardera stad, för att få en bild av dagens friluftundervisning. De intervjuade skolorna har slumpmässigt valts ut. En förfrågan sändes till åtta skolor i varje stad, de sex skolor som först visade intresse deltog i studien. Resultat Kursplanerna för respektive land skiljer sig i den mån att den norska är centralt styrd och den svenska lokalt styrd. I den norska kursplanen för Idrott (kroppsøvning) finns tydliga instruktioner om vad eleverna ska undervisas i, beträffande friluftsliv. I den svenska kursplanen för Idrott och Hälsa finns friluftsliv med som ett obligatoriskt moment men vad som ska/bör ingå i undervisningen är upp till varje skola att bestämma.¨ I de telefonintervjuer som genomfördes deltog sex idrottslärare, tre från varje land. De tre intervjuskolorna från Oslo hade alla en uteprofil, vilket resulterade i att eleverna var ute 1 gång/vecka till 1gång/varannan vecka. Utöver dessa dagar genomfördes två heldagar varje år, en på vintern och en på hösten alternativt våren. I de svenska skolorna genomfördes i regel två friluftsdagar varje år, en på vintern och en på våren. I de norska skolorna samarbetade klassläraren med idrottsläraren och de tillsammans planerade och genomförde dagarna, allt från enkel matlagning till paddling kunde prägla dessa dagar. De svenska skolorna lade stort fokus på orienteringsundervisning på vår/höstdagarna och vinterdagen bjöd på valmöjligheter som slalom, skridskor, pulka osv. Slutsats Friluftsundervisningen i de intervjuade skolorna skiljer sig markant, både i mängd och i innehåll. Integrering verkar vara nyckelordet för en väl fungerande friluftsundervisning. Det som skiljer skolorna åt och som kan vara förklaringen till variation i mängd friluftsundervisning är läroplanernas skillnader, pedagogernas personliga intresse, tidsramar, tradition/nationalism

Long-term effects of climate and litter chemistry on rates and stable fractions of decomposing Scots pine and Norway spruce needle litter - A synthesis

We have reviewed information on early-, late- and limit-value decomposition stages for litter of Norway spruce (Picea abies) and Scots pine (Pinus silvestris). This synthesis covers c 16 studies/papers made along a climatic gradient; range in mean annual temperature (MAT) from −1 to +7 °C and mean annual precipitation (MAP) from 425 to 1070 mm. Scots pine has an early stage dominated by carbohydrate decomposition and a late stage dominated by decomposition of lignin; Norway spruce has just one stage dominated by lignin decomposition. We used data for annual mass loss to identify rate-regulating factors in both stages; climate data, namely, MAT and MAP, as well as substrate properties, namely, nitrogen (N), acid unhydrolyzable residue (AUR), manganese (Mn). Early-stage decomposition for Scots pine litter was dominated positively by MAT; the late stage was dominated negatively by MAT, N, and AUR, changing with decomposition stage; there was no effect of Mn. Norway spruce litter had no early stage; decomposition in the lignin-dominated stage was mainly negative to MAP, a negative relationship to AUR and non-significant relationships to N and MAT. Mn had a positive relationship. Limit values for decomposition, namely, the accumulated mass loss at which decomposition is calculated to be zero, were related positively to Mn and AUR for Scots pine litter and negatively to AUR for Norway spruce litter. With different sets of rate-regulating factors as well as different compounds/elements related to the limit values, the decomposition patterns or pathways are different