Supplerande kartlegging av biologisk mangfald i jordbrukets kulturlandskap i Sogn og Fjordane : registrering for kommunane Flora, Førde, Gloppen, Eid og Stryn

Rapporten presenterer artsregistreringar på 23 kulturlandskapområde i 5 kommunar i Sogn og Fjordane. Føremålet med registreringa er å analysere dei ulike urte- og beitesamfunn og utarbeide ei så komplett artsliste som mogeleg for dei ulike lokalitetane

Effekter av flatehogst på bakkevegetasjon i en boreal granskog i SØ Norge – til 15 år etter hogst

Som del av et feltforsøk opprettet i en semi-naturlig blåbærgranskog i Gaupen (Ringsaker) i SØ-Norge i 2008, for å undersøke effekter av konvensjonell flatehogst og heltrehogst med GROT-uttak, ble det etablert 84 permanent merkete 1 m2 vegetasjonsruter for registrering av bakkevegetasjon. Tidligere er det gjort artsregistreringer én gang i intakt skog før hogst (2008) og tre ganger etter flatehogst (2010, 2012 og 2014). I denne rapporten utvider vi tidsserien med en re-analyse av vegetasjonsrutene i 2023, 15 år etter flatehogst. Flatehogsten førte til store endringer, særlig i artsdekning og artssammensetningen. For ingen av analyseårene var det forskjeller i artssammensetning (målt som posisjon langs ordinasjonsakser) mellom konvensjonell hogst og heltrehogst (med GROT-uttak). Mest i øyenfallende etter hogst var en redusert dekning av moser (alle artsgrupper: bladmoser, levermoser og torvmoser) og økt dekning av gras og halvgras, samt en tilstrømning av nye arter (hovedsakelig urter og moser). 11 arter registrert før hogst ble ikke gjenfunnet femten år etter hogst, mens 47 arter kun ble funnet etter hogst. Det totale artsmangfoldet av karplaner og moser økte over nivået før hogst. De viktigste suksesjonsendringene fra blåbær (Vaccinium myrtillus) og bladmose dominert vegetasjon før hogst var representert ved et stort skifte mot dominans av smyle (Avenella flexuosa) og et mindre skifte mot nitrofil vegetasjon på hogstavfall. Dekningen av graminider, som før hogst var henholdsvis 9 % og 14 % for konvensjonell og heltrehogst, økte til et maksimum på om lag 70 % dekning fire år etter hogst, hvorpå dekningen ble noe redusert, og femten år etter hogst var 50 %.Effekter av flatehogst på bakkevegetasjon i en boreal granskog i SØ Norge – til 15 år etter hogstpublishedVersio

Report from the Terrestrial Environmental Monitoring Project in Central Asia (TEMP-CA). Establishment of monitoring reference area in Besh-Tash, Talas oblast, the Kyrgyz Republic, 2006. TEMP-CA monitoring site No.4

The collapse of the Soviet Union in the Central Asian countries has led to enormous challenges for them in ensuring a sustainable environment. Weak economies and lack of expertise in environmental sciences were important reasons for the Norwegian support to the environmental sector in this region. The State Forest Service of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Norwegian Forestry Group initiated the TEMP project, later renamed TEMP-CA, in the Kyrgyz Republic in 2004. Activities in the Republic of Tajikistan were included in 2007 and in the Republic of Uzbekistan from 2008. The forestry sectors in the Kyrgyz Republic and neighbouring countries in Central Asia, surrounding the Fergana Valley, are closely linked to the environmental and emergency planning sectors. Overgrazing and overharvesting have contributed to a dramatic decline in forest cover. The TEMP-CA project contributes to a better understanding of environmental problems and sustainable forestry in Central Asia. The TEMP-CA project has promoted institutional co-operation between Norway and the Central Asian countries as well as between different institutions both within and between the countries of Central Asia. Increased expertise for scientists, fieldworkers, laboratory staff and staff in different forest departments as well as institutional development in general are important outputs from the TEMP-CA project. […]publishedVersio

Report from the Terrestrial Environmental Monitoring Project in Central Asia (TEMP-CA). Establishment of monitoring reference area in Sary-Chelek, Jalal-Abad oblast, the Kyrgyz Republic, 2007. TEMP-CA monitoring site No.5

The collapse of the Soviet Union in the Central Asian countries has led to enormous challenges for them in ensuring a sustainable environment. Weak economies and lack of expertise in environmental sciences were important reasons for the Norwegian support to the environmental sector in this region. The State Forest Service of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Norwegian Forestry Group initiated the TEMP project, later renamed TEMP-CA, in the Kyrgyz Republic in 2004. Activities in the Republic of Tajikistan were included in 2007 and in the Republic of Uzbekistan from 2008. The forestry sectors in the Kyrgyz Republic and neighbouring countries in Central Asia, surrounding the Fergana Valley, are closely linked to the environmental and emergency planning sectors. Overgrazing and overharvesting have contributed to a dramatic decline in forest cover. The TEMP-CA project contributes to a better understanding of environmental problems and sustainable forestry in Central Asia.The TEMP-CA project has promoted institutional co-operation between Norway and the Central Asian countries as well as between different institutions both within and between the countries of Central Asia. Increased expertise for scientists, fieldworkers, laboratory staff and staff in different forest departments as well as institutional development in general are important outputs from the TEMP-CA project.publishedVersio

Report from the Terrestrial Environmental Monitoring Project in Central Asia (TEMP-CA). Establishment of monitoring reference area in Urumbash, Jalal-Abad oblast, the Kyrgyz Republic, 2009. TEMP-CA monitoring site No.9

The collapse of the Soviet Union in the Central Asian countries has led to enormous challenges for them in ensuring a sustainable environment. Weak economies and lack of expertise in environmental sciences were important reasons for the Norwegian support to the environmental sector in this region. The State Forest Service of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Norwegian Forestry Group initiated the TEMP project, later renamed TEMP-CA, in the Kyrgyz Republic in 2004. Activities in the Republic of Tajikistan were included in 2007 and in the Republic of Uzbekistan from 2008. The forestry sectors in the Kyrgyz Republic and neighbouring countries in Central Asia, surrounding the Fergana Valley, are closely linked to the environmental and emergency planning sectors. Overgrazing and overharvesting have contributed to a dramatic decline in forest cover. The TEMP-CA project contributes to a better understanding of environmental problems and sustainable forestry in Central Asia. The TEMP-CA project has promoted institutional co-operation between Norway and the Central Asian countries as well as between different institutions both within and between the countries of Central Asia. Increased expertise for scientists, fieldworkers, laboratory staff and staff in different forest departments as well as institutional development in general are important outputs from the TEMP-CA project. [...]publishedVersio

Report from the Terrestrial Environmental Monitoring Project in Central Asia (TEMP-CA). Establishment of monitoring reference area in Navobod, Sogdi oblast, the Republic of Tadjikistan, 2007. TEMP-CA monitoring site No.6

The collapse of the Soviet Union in the Central Asian countries has led to enormous challenges for them in ensuring a sustainable environment. Weak economies and lack of expertise in environmental sciences were important reasons for the Norwegian support to the environmental sector in this region. The State Forest Service of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Norwegian Forestry Group initiated the TEMP project, later renamed TEMP-CA, in the Kyrgyz Republic in 2004. Activities in the Republic of Tajikistan were included in 2007 and in the Republic of Uzbekistan from 2008. The forestry sectors in the Republic of Tajikistan and neighbouring countries in Central Asia, surrounding the Fergana Valley, are closely linked to the environmental and emergency planning sectors. Overgrazing and overharvesting have contributed to a dramatic decline in forest cover. The TEMP-CA project contributes to a better understanding of environmental problems and sustainable forestry in Central Asia. The TEMP-CA project has promoted institutional co-operation between Norway and the Central Asian countries as well as between different institutions both within and between the countries of Central Asia. Increased expertise for scientists, fieldworkers, laboratory staff and staff in different forest departments as well as institutional development in general are important outputs from the TEMP-CA project.publishedVersio

Short-term effects of hardened wood ash and nitrogen fertilisation on understory vegetation in a Norway spruce forest in south-east Norway

In a fertiliser experiment in a Norway spruce forest in SE Norway, four treatments were applied in a block design with three replicates per treatment. Treatments included 3 t wood ash ha−1 (Ash), 150 kg nitrogen ha−1 (N), wood ash and nitrogen combined (Ash + N), and unfertilised control (Ctrl). Treatment effects on understory plant species numbers, single abundances of species and (summarised) cover of main species groups were studied. Two years after treatment there were no significant changes for species numbers or abundances of woody species, dwarf shrubs or pteridophytes, nor for Sphagnum spp. in the bottom layer. The cover of graminoids decreased in Ctrl plots. Herb cover increased significantly in Ash + N and N plots due to the increase of Melampyrum sylvaticum. In Ash + N plots, mosses decreased significantly in species number, while their cover increased. Moss cover also decreased significantly in N plots. The species number and cover of hepatics decreased significantly in Ash and Ash + N plots. Hepatics cover also decreased in Ctrl plots. Both the lichen number and cover decreased in Ash + N plots. Single species abundances decreased for many bryophytes in fertilised plots. To conclude, fertilisation had modest effects on vascular plants, while bryophytes were more strongly affected, especially by Ash + N.acceptedVersio

Climate change drives substantial decline of understorey species richness and abundance in Norway spruce forests during 32 years of vegetation monitoring

Questions Observations in permanent forest vegetation plots in Norway and elsewhere indicate that complex changes have taken place over the period 1988–2020. These observations are summarised in the “climate-induced understorey change (CIUC)” hypothesis, i.e. that the understorey vegetation of old-growth boreal forests in Norway undergoes significant long-term changes and that these changes are consistent with the ongoing climate change as an important driver. Seven testable predictions were derived from the CIUC hypothesis. Location Norway. Methods Vegetation has been monitored in a total of 458 permanently marked plots, each 1 m2, in nine old-growth forest sites dominated by Picea abies at intervals of 5–8 years over the 32-year study period. For each of the 52 combinations of site and year, we obtained response variables for the abundance of single species, abundance and species density of taxonomic–ecological species groups and two size classes of cryptogams, and site species richness. All of these variables were subjected to linear regression modelling with site and year as predictors. Results Mean annual temperature, growing-season length and the number of days with precipitation were higher in the study period than in the preceding ca. 30-year period, resulting in increasingly favourable conditions for bryophyte growth. Site species richness decreased by 13% over the 32-year study period. On average, group abundance of vascular plants decreased by 24% (decrease in forbs: 38%). Patterns of group abundance change differed among cryptogam groups: although peat-moss abundance increased by 39%, the abundance of mosses, hepatics and lichens decreased by 13%, 49% and 67%, respectively. Group abundance of small cryptogams decreased by 61%, whereas a 13% increase was found for large cryptogams. Of 61 single species tested for abundance change, a significant decrease was found for 43 species, whereas a significant increase was found only for 6 species. Conclusions The major patterns of change in species richness, group species density and group abundance observed over the 32-year study period accord with most predictions from the CIUC hypothesis and are interpreted as direct and indirect responses to climate change, partly mediated through changes in the population dynamics of microtine rodents. The more favourable climate for bryophyte growth explains the observed increase for a few large bryophyte species, whereas the decrease observed for small mosses and hepatics is interpreted as an indirect amensalistic effect, brought about by shading and burial in mats of larger species and accelerated by reduced fine-scale disturbance by microtine rodents. Indirect effects of a thicker moss mat most likely drive the vascular plant decline although long-term effects of tree-stand dynamics and former logging cannot be completely ruled out. Our results suggest that the ongoing climate change has extensive, cascading effects on boreal forest ecosystems. The importance of long time-series of permanent vegetation plots for detecting and understanding the effects of climate change on boreal forests is emphasised.publishedVersio

Shift in tree species changes the belowground biota of boreal forests

The replacement of native birch with Norway spruce has been initiated in Norway to increase long-term carbon storage in forests. However, there is limited knowledge on the impacts that aboveground changes will have on the belowground microbiota. We examined which effects a tree species shift from birch to spruce stands has on belowground microbial communities, soil fungal biomass and relationships with vegetation biomass and soil organic carbon (SOC). Replacement of birch with spruce negatively influenced soil bacterial and fungal richness and strongly altered microbial community composition in the forest floor layer, most strikingly for fungi. Tree species-mediated variation in soil properties was a major factor explaining variation in bacterial communities. For fungi, both soil chemistry and understorey vegetation were important community structuring factors, particularly for ectomycorrhizal fungi. The relative abundance of ectomycorrhizal fungi and the ectomycorrhizal : saprotrophic fungal ratio were higher in spruce compared to birch stands, particularly in the deeper mineral soil layers, and vice versa for saprotrophs. The positive relationship between ergosterol (fungal biomass) and SOC stock in the forest floor layer suggests higher carbon sequestration potential in spruce forest soil, alternatively, that the larger carbon stock leads to an increase in soil fungal biomass.publishedVersio

Effekter av gjødsling med nitrogen og aske i et rikt granbestand på Østlandet

I norsk skog på mineraljord er det stort sett nitrogen (N) som gir positivt utslag på trærnes vekst. Men også andre næringsstoffer kan i visse tilfeller øke veksten, blant annet i bestand på høy bonitet. Treaske inneholder både fosfor og kalium i tillegg til andre næringsstoffer, og har en kalkvirkning. Asken kan derfor være en bærekraftig gjødselressurs. I 2012 ble det anlagt et forsøk i Hobøl, Viken, hvor en rik granskog ble gjødslet med N (15 kg per daa), treaske (300 kg per daa) og en kombinasjon. Vi studerte effektene på trær, vegetasjon og jordsmonn. Humuskjemien ble undersøkt før behandling og to år etter, og jordvannkjemien under vekstsesongen i samme periode. Trærnes tilvekst ble undersøkt etter fem og ti år, og effekter på vegetasjonen etter to og ni. Ren N-gjødsling ga en viss effekt på trærnes tilvekst. Etter ti år var det ikke lenger økt årringvekst etter N-gjødsling. Derimot var effekten av å tilføre aske sammen med N god. Effekten av ren aske var liten i starten, men stigende gjennom perioden. Resultatene bekrefter at asketilførsel på fastmark kan gi positive tilveksteffekter på felt med god bonitet, men særlig i kombinasjon med N. To år etter gjødsling fant vi små effekter på mangfold av karplanter, men redusert mangfold av moser og lav. Antall og dekning av urter hadde økt i alle gjødslingsbehandlingene etter ni år, mens artsmangfold av bladmoser og levermoser var ytterligere redusert. Dekningen av blåbær og store moser som etasjemose og furumose økte i alle behandlinger, og antyder at andre faktorer enn gjødslingen også bidro. Det ble ikke funnet signifikante effekter av å tilføre aske eller aske + N på karbon- eller N-innholdet i humusen. Plantetilgjengelig konsentrasjon av flere andre stoffer som aluminium, kobolt, jern, nikkel, bly og sink gikk ned etter asketilførsel. Jordvannet viste kortvarige økninger av nitrat, ammonium og ulike grunnstoffer, samt lavere pH, etter tilførsel av N. Askegjødsling ga ikke effekter på jordvannkjemien.Effekter av gjødsling med nitrogen og aske i et rikt granbestand på ØstlandetpublishedVersio