Planning the first view: Establishing a landscape monitoring scheme based on photography

The visual impacts of landscape change are important for how people perceive landscapes and whether they consider changes to be positive or negative. Landscape photographs and photographs of landscape elements may capture information about the visual qualities of landscapes and can also be used to illustrate, and even to quantify, how these visual qualities change over time. We developed a methodology for a monitoring scheme, based on taking photographs from exactly the same locations at different points in time. We tested two methods: one where fieldworkers chose freely the location and direction of photographs, and one where photo locations and four out of five directions were predefined. We found that the method using predefined locations provided a representative sample of the visual qualities present in the landscape and was relatively person-independent but missed rare landscape components. The method using free selection of photo locations and directions captured rarities, but the content of the photos varied from photographer to photographer. Considering the strengths and weaknesses of the two approaches, we recommend a method that combines aspects of both when establishing a monitoring scheme based on repeat photography, with predefined locations to ensure that the entire area is covered, and additional freely chosen photo locations to capture special subject matter that would otherwise be missed.publishedVersio

Preparing Future Flashbacks – Repeat Photography as a Method in Landscape Monitoring

When ground level photography is to be used in landscape monitoring, it is important to record when, where, how and possibly even why the photographs are taken. Standardisation enables better repeat photography in the future and maximises comparability of photos over time. We used a Cultural Environment protected by law on the peninsula of Bygdøy,Oslo municipality, as a study area to document advantages and disadvantages of different approaches to the first round of landscape photography for long-term monitoring.publishedVersio

How dopamine shapes representations in auditory cortex

The neural representation of sound in the auditory cortex is not invariably predetermined by its  acoustical properties, but it is constantly reshaped while the listener acquires new experiences. Such plastic changes are a prerequisite for lifelong learning and allow some degree of rehabilitation after brain injuries. Several neurotransmitter systems modulate these plastic changes. In this paper, we focus on how the neurotransmitter dopamine modulates learning-related plasticity in auditory cortex, and how animal and human research can complement each other in providing an experimental approach that has relevance for studying mechanisms of recovery of functio

Methodischer Vergleich zur Bestimmung von Volumina unregelmäßig geformter Aggregate/Bodenkörper

Das Bezugsvolumen bodenphysikalischer und chemischer Kenngrößen von strukturierten Bodenproben basiert häufig auf Stechzylinderentnahme (geometrischer Körper). Auf der Aggregatebene dagegen ist eine Volumenbestimmung durch die unregelmäßige Form deutlich schwerer und mit größerer Ungenauigkeit behaftet. Daher wurden in einem Methodenvergleich die Grenzen der Bestimmungsgenauigkeit von vier Verfahren zur Messung von Aggregatvolumina ermittelt: paraffinumhüllte Tauchwägung, automatisiertes Dry-Flo Pyknometer, 3D-Laser-Scanner und Mikro-Computer Tomographie. Alle Methoden liefern verlässliche Ergebnisse über das Aggregatvolumen, wobei Pyknometer und 3D-Laser-Scanner die Aggregatvolumina leicht überschätzen. Wesentliche Vorteile des 3D-Laser-Scanners und der Mikro-Computer Tomographie sind der Gewinn zusätzlicher Parameter wie z.B. Oberflächenrauigkeit und Achsenverhältnisse, die für weitere Fragestellungen von Interesse sein können (z.?B. Sorptionsoberflächen oder Aggregatstabilität bei crushing tests). Vor- und Nachteile der Methoden und potentielle Anwendungsmöglichkeiten werden diskutiert

The Contribution of Cognitive Factors to Individual Differences in Understanding Noise-Vocoded Speech in Young and Older Adults

Noise-vocoded speech is commonly used to simulate the sensation after cochlear implantation as it consists of spectrally degraded speech. High individual variability exists in learning to understand both noise-vocoded speech and speech perceived through a cochlear implant (CI). This variability is partly ascribed to differing cognitive abilities like working memory, verbal skills or attention. Although clinically highly relevant, up to now, no consensus has been achieved about which cognitive factors exactly predict the intelligibility of speech in noise-vocoded situations in healthy subjects or in patients after cochlear implantation. We aimed to establish a test battery that can be used to predict speech understanding in patients prior to receiving a CI. Young and old healthy listeners completed a noise-vocoded speech test in addition to cognitive tests tapping on verbal memory, working memory, lexicon and retrieval skills as well as cognitive flexibility and attention. Partial-least-squares analysis revealed that six variables were important to significantly predict vocoded-speech performance. These were the ability to perceive visually degraded speech tested by the Text Reception Threshold, vocabulary size assessed with the Multiple Choice Word Test, working memory gauged with the Operation Span Test, verbal learning and recall of the Verbal Learning and Retention Test and task switching abilities tested by the Comprehensive Trail-Making Test. Thus, these cognitive abilities explain individual differences in noise-vocoded speech understanding and should be considered when aiming to predict hearing-aid outcome

Tap av jordbruksareal i Norge: en fotodokuentasjon med refleksjoner om årsaker, virkninger og mottiltak

Rapporten viser et temautvalg av bildepar som primært fokuserer på tap av jordbruksareal gjennom nedbygging eller nedlegging, dvs. opphør av jordbruksdrift med påfølgende utbygging til nærings, bolig- eller transportformål, eller gjengroing til kratt og skog. Avslutningsvis fokuseres det også på mulige strategier for å redusere tap av jordbruksareal. Det ligger fra 1 time og 45 minutter til 128 år mellom fototidspunktene.publishedVersio

Tap av jordbruksareal i Norge: en fotodokuentasjon med refleksjoner om årsaker, virkninger og mottiltak

Rapporten viser et temautvalg av bildepar som primært fokuserer på tap av jordbruksareal gjennom nedbygging eller nedlegging, dvs. opphør av jordbruksdrift med påfølgende utbygging til nærings, bolig- eller transportformål, eller gjengroing til kratt og skog. Avslutningsvis fokuseres det også på mulige strategier for å redusere tap av jordbruksareal. Det ligger fra 1 time og 45 minutter til 128 år mellom fototidspunktene

Langtidsovervåking av fredete kulturmiljøer – veileder for innsamling av data

På oppdrag fra Riksantikvaren har NIBIO gjennom flere år arbeidet med å utvikle en metode for langtidsovervåking av fredete kulturmiljøer. Metoden dokumenteres i denne veilederen. Arbeidet inkluderte en utprøving av metoden gjennom et første omdrev på Havrå kulturmiljø. Metode og resultater fra arbeidet ble presentert på et møte hos Riksantikvaren i januar 2016