Within-site adaptation: growth and mortality of Norway spruce, Scots pine and silver birch seedlings in different planting positions across a soil moisture gradient

Adapting to site conditions is a central part of forest regeneration and can be done through selec-tion of different planting positions. Requirements are tree species specific, and the use of soil moisture maps could be a way to support decision making in forest regeneration planning. At two experimental sites with varying soil moisture conditions in southern Sweden Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), and silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) seedlings were planted in four different planting positions following mounding site preparation; Depression, Hinge, Mound and Unscarified. Soil moisture estimates were obtained from a high-resolution depth-to-water raster for each planting spot. The effect of soil moisture, planting position and their interactions on mortality, height and diameter was evaluated for each tree species. In wet conditions mounds proved to be the best option to minimize seedling mortality for conifers, but with decreasing soil moisture, differences between the planting positions decreased. Birch on the other hand had the greatest survival in the hinge. The coniferous species displayed increased height and diameter when planted in mounds independent of the soil moisture conditions, whereas silver birch was less dependent on a specific planting position. Results from this study shows that a soil moisture map can explain mortality, height and diameter and thus can be a useful tool when choosing planting position in different soil moisture conditions

Successful spruce regenerations - impact of site preparation and the use of variables from digital elevation models in decision-making?

Various site preparation methods are used in Swedish forestry. However, some methods can lead to unnecessary disturbance, which could be avoided by using variables from digital elevation models in management decisions. The current study aimed to investigate how different site preparation methods, and their intensities, affect Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) regeneration. Additional aims were to clarify how these methods affect soil disturbance and vegetation development, along with how variables from digital elevation models could be used in silvicultural decision-making. Experimental sites were established in southern Sweden to assess five different site preparation treatments with different planting densities: (1) conventional disc trenching 2500 seedlings/ha (DT2500); (2) low intensity disc trenching 1250 seedlings/ha (LDT1250); (3) low intensity disc trenching 2500 seedlings/ha (LDT2500); (4) low-intensity patch-wise 1250 seedlings/ha (PW1250); and (5) patch-wise 2500 seedlings/ha (PW2500). Site preparation intensity had no effect on seedling growth and, survival or vegetation development; the tested treatments differed in terms of soil disturbance. Planting spot properties and weather conditions influenced the seedling performance. DTW and slope could not substantially explain either seedling growth or survival. The results indicate that the choice of site preparation method should consider flexibility when planting while adapting the level of disturbance accordingly

Boomerang behaviour and emerging adulthood : moving back to the parental home and the parental neighbourhood in Sweden

Open access funding provided by Umeå University. The research has been conducted at the Centre for Demographic and Ageing Research (CEDAR), Umeå University, and is part of the research on the Ageing and Living Conditions. Financial support from Umeå University, ‘Mobility, Transformation and Regional Growth’, Dnr UMU-300- 2054-12.This paper makes two original contributions to research on young adults’ boomerang mobility. First, it reveals the magnitude and complexity of return moves by young people to their parental home and neighbourhood. Secondly, it shows that the determinants and associates of return migration vary significantly when analysed at two different geographical scales—the parental home and the parental neighbourhood area. Using longitudinal data (1986–2009) on four cohorts of young adults, we find that boomeranging to the parental home in Sweden has increased in times of economic recession and is associated with economic vulnerability, such as leaving higher education or entering unemployment, and partnership dissolution. While returning to the parental home can offer financial support in times of life course reversal, we found gender differences indicating a greater independence among young women than men. Returning to the parental neighbourhood is found to be a very different kind of mobility than returning to co-reside with one’s parents, involving the migration decisions of more economically independent young adults. Results also indicate that returns to the parental neighbourhood, as well as returns to the parental home, can be part of young people’s life course changes.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Интеграционные процессы в восточно-славянском межграничье

By using the term ‘sensemaking’ our intention isto deepen the understanding of young people and risk. Four focusgroup interviews with young people were made in 2004/05, twoin an urban area (Greater Stockholm) and two in a rural area(the county of Jämtland). Three reference interviews withadults were also made (two in Greater Stockholm and one in Jämtland).The results indicate that sensemaking of risk is a fruitfulway of capturing hidden heterogeneity regarding how young peoplewith similar risk perceptions give risk meaning. Based on theempirical results, that is, depending on where young peoplelive they make sense of risk differently, a two–dimensionaltheoretical model for sensemaking of risk is proposed; individualism–collectivism,and local attachment–local detachment

Statlig finansiering av nyföretagande - ur ett jämställdhetsperspektiv

Syfte: Vi vill ta reda på hur fördelningen ser ut mellan män och kvinnor som söker lån hos ALMI i samband med nyföretagande samt om det finns skillnader mellan de som får avslag och de som blir beviljade lån. Metod: Undersökningen kombinerar tillväxtteori och optimal resursallokering samt bygger på kvantitativ analys med både kvantitativa och kvalitativa variabler. Resultat: En fjärdedel av ALMI Företagspartner Stockholm ABs (ALMI S) låneansökningar härrör från kvinnor och två femtedelar av ansökningarna härrör från män och kvinnor tillsammans. Resultatet visar att avslagsfrekvensen är något högre för kvinnor än för män. Frekvensen ökar dock ytterligare när man och kvinna söker tillsammans. Den främsta avslagsorsaken avviker mellan könen. För män beror avslaget på svaga ekonomiska utsikter eller enär kvinnor anses sakna branschkompetens. Slutsatser: Enligt 3§ i SFS 2000:1178 ska NUTEK och ALMI tillsammans främja integration och jämställdhet. Enligt primärdata från ALMI S sker en systematisk snedfördelning som präglar en omedveten diskriminering av kvinnor som söker lån till nyföretagande. Detta tyder på att ALMI inte har lyckats med att komplettera kreditmarknaden, vilket är orsaken till ALMI-koncernens uppkomst. Enligt sekundärdata sker en tydlig diskriminering då kvinnor blir beviljade banklån men inte lån hos ALMI Företagspartner Skåne AB

Widening global variability in grassland biomass since the 1980s

Global change is associated with variable shifts in the annual production of aboveground plant biomass, suggesting localized sensitivities with unclear causal origins. Combining remotely sensed normalized difference vegetation index data since the 1980s with contemporary field data from 84 grasslands on 6 continents, we show a widening divergence in site-level biomass ranging from +51% to −34% globally. Biomass generally increased in warmer, wetter and species-rich sites with longer growing seasons and declined in species-poor arid areas. Phenological changes were widespread, revealing substantive transitions in grassland seasonal cycling. Grazing, nitrogen deposition and plant invasion were prevalent in some regions but did not predict overall trends. Grasslands are undergoing sizable changes in production, with implications for food security, biodiversity and carbon storage especially in arid regions where declines are accelerating

Identification of genetic variants associated with Huntington's disease progression: a genome-wide association study

Background Huntington's disease is caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene, HTT. Age at onset has been used as a quantitative phenotype in genetic analysis looking for Huntington's disease modifiers, but is hard to define and not always available. Therefore, we aimed to generate a novel measure of disease progression and to identify genetic markers associated with this progression measure. Methods We generated a progression score on the basis of principal component analysis of prospectively acquired longitudinal changes in motor, cognitive, and imaging measures in the 218 indivduals in the TRACK-HD cohort of Huntington's disease gene mutation carriers (data collected 2008–11). We generated a parallel progression score using data from 1773 previously genotyped participants from the European Huntington's Disease Network REGISTRY study of Huntington's disease mutation carriers (data collected 2003–13). We did a genome-wide association analyses in terms of progression for 216 TRACK-HD participants and 1773 REGISTRY participants, then a meta-analysis of these results was undertaken. Findings Longitudinal motor, cognitive, and imaging scores were correlated with each other in TRACK-HD participants, justifying use of a single, cross-domain measure of disease progression in both studies. The TRACK-HD and REGISTRY progression measures were correlated with each other (r=0·674), and with age at onset (TRACK-HD, r=0·315; REGISTRY, r=0·234). The meta-analysis of progression in TRACK-HD and REGISTRY gave a genome-wide significant signal (p=1·12 × 10−10) on chromosome 5 spanning three genes: MSH3, DHFR, and MTRNR2L2. The genes in this locus were associated with progression in TRACK-HD (MSH3 p=2·94 × 10−8 DHFR p=8·37 × 10−7 MTRNR2L2 p=2·15 × 10−9) and to a lesser extent in REGISTRY (MSH3 p=9·36 × 10−4 DHFR p=8·45 × 10−4 MTRNR2L2 p=1·20 × 10−3). The lead single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in TRACK-HD (rs557874766) was genome-wide significant in the meta-analysis (p=1·58 × 10−8), and encodes an aminoacid change (Pro67Ala) in MSH3. In TRACK-HD, each copy of the minor allele at this SNP was associated with a 0·4 units per year (95% CI 0·16–0·66) reduction in the rate of change of the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) Total Motor Score, and a reduction of 0·12 units per year (95% CI 0·06–0·18) in the rate of change of UHDRS Total Functional Capacity score. These associations remained significant after adjusting for age of onset. Interpretation The multidomain progression measure in TRACK-HD was associated with a functional variant that was genome-wide significant in our meta-analysis. The association in only 216 participants implies that the progression measure is a sensitive reflection of disease burden, that the effect size at this locus is large, or both. Knockout of Msh3 reduces somatic expansion in Huntington's disease mouse models, suggesting this mechanism as an area for future therapeutic investigation

Supporting management of the risk of wind damage in south Swedish forestry

Private forest owners in southern Sweden consider wind damage to be one of the most problematic risks from an economic perspective. A potential climate change also raises the question of the possible impact of such a climate change on the risk of wind damage. Taking into consideration the spatial aspects, and the uncertain occurrence of windstorms over time and in space, this thesis aims at providing information to support the management of the risk of wind damage in south Swedish forestry. Computer models were used to assess the probability of wind damage to forest stands, and to project forest stands within case study landscapes in southern Sweden. Although the topography is relatively gently in southern Sweden, it significantly influences the probability of wind damage on a landscape scale. A possible cost-effective means to manage the risk of wind damage can be to target risk-reducing forestry measures to topographically induced wind exposed locations. To support the targeting of risk-reducing forestry measures a tool was constructed, accounting for different risk-preferences among forest owners, for the identification of stands with a high probability of wind damage. The results emphasize the possibility to reduce the risk of wind damage by spatial forestry planning, taking wind shelter from topographic features and surrounding stands into consideration. Based on regional climate change scenarios, it cannot be ruled out that a climate change can lead to an increasing probability of wind damage in southern Sweden. In southernmost Sweden, a climate change very likely can lead to an increasing probability of wind damage. With implications for spatial forestry planning, the probability of strong wind from the sector west to southwest is indicated to remain comparatively high. Shortening the lengths of rotation periods appears to be one possible means for forestry in southern Sweden to adapt to climate change

Kontaktmannaskap inom äldreomsorgen : en studie ur ett anhörigperspektiv

Validerat; 20101217 (root

Reading difficulties in upper secondary school : A qualitative study about teachers', special needs teachers' and special education teachers' work and cooperation experiences

The aim of the study is to examine how Swedish teachers, special needs teachers and special education teachers experience cooperation in assessments and pedagogical practices towards upper secondary school students facing reading difficulties. We also aim to investigate how these pedagogues experience cooperation in providing appropriate support for these students. Four teachers, two special needs teachers and two special educators participated in qualitative semi-structured interviews. The result shows the importance of a well-functioning communication when students leave compulsory school for upper secondary school, to make sure that information about language difficulties and special educational needs is passed on. The result also highlights the need of resources for long term reading interventions as well as an experienced need to increase teachers’ competence regarding language difficulties and additional adjustments.