Impacts of reindeer grazing on soil properties on Finnmarksvidda, northern Norway

Numerous investigations have documented changes in vegetation due to reindeer grazing in Finnmark County, Northern Norway. However, rather few studies have focused on impacts of reindeer grazing on soil properties. The aim of this investigation was to identify possible changes in physical and chemical soil properties due to reindeer grazing. Furthermore, root distribution was detected. At four different locations on Finnmarksvidda three sample sites each were selected subjectively according to lichen and plant cover: A) ample, B) reduced, and C) poor lichen and plant cover. It was supposed that differences in lichen and plant cover were due to differences in reindeer grazing intensity. Results showed that the organic layer beneath ample lichen cover had an about 20% higher CEC and a 30—50% higher concentration of plant available Ca and Mg and total Mg compared to those beneath reduced ones. At sites with poor lichen and plant cover, an organic layer was mostly missing. The exposed mineral Eh-horizons at these sites had a significant (P<0.05) higher organic C content, higher CEC, concentrations of total P, Ca and K, and plant available K, when compared to E-horizons beneath better lichen covers. Rooting depth and amounts of plant available water in the rooting zone were lower at sites with reduced and poor lichen cover. A relation was found between soil organic C and CEC for all soil samples, indicating that soil organic matter is an essential key factor for soil fertility at the investigate sites on Finnmarksvidda. Assuming that differences in lichen and plant cover are related to differences in grazing intensity, results indicate that overgrazing by reindeers can cause a significant degradation of the organic layer, followed by significant losses of essential plant nutrients, a reduction in plant available water and consequently soil fertility

Er skånsk så svært endda? Danskeres forståelse af skånsk og rigssvensk i et sociolingvistisk perspektiv

You often hear Danes say they find it difficult to understand Swedish people with a Scanian dialect, although that is the dialect spoken in the region of Sweden that lies closest to Denmark and whose inhabitants have a great deal of contact with Danes compared to other Swedish regions. But is it really that difficult? This paper seeks to answer two questions: Do Danes actually have more difficulty in understanding Scanian dialect than Standard Swedish? And can Danes actually tell the difference between the two? The experiment was conducted on 22 young Danes who listened to a group of native Swedish speakers, of which three spoke with a Scanian dialect and four spoke Standard Swedish. The conclusions were surprising: Young Danes underestimate their own skills when it comes to recognising and understanding Scanian dialect. It turns out that those who say they don’t hear a difference between the two varieties of Swedish are actually better at recognising them. Furthermore, Danes who rate Scanian dialect to be more difficult to understand when asked, actually find the dialect relatively easier to understand when tested. So, as it seems, Danes judge Scanian dialect to be more difficult than it actually is.You often hear Danes say they find it difficult to understand Swedish people with a Scanian dialect, although that is the dialect spoken in the region of Sweden that lies closest to Denmark and whose inhabitants have a great deal of contact with Danes compared to other Swedish regions. But is it really that difficult? This paper seeks to answer two questions: Do Danes actually have more difficulty in understanding Scanian dialect than Standard Swedish? And can Danes actually tell the difference between the two? The experiment was conducted on 22 young Danes who listened to a group of native Swedish speakers, of which three spoke with a Scanian dialect and four spoke Standard Swedish. The conclusions were surprising: Young Danes underestimate their own skills when it comes to recognising and understanding Scanian dialect. It turns out that those who say they don’t hear a difference between the two varieties of Swedish are actually better at recognising them. Furthermore, Danes who rate Scanian dialect to be more difficult to understand when asked, actually find the dialect relatively easier to understand when tested. So, as it seems, Danes judge Scanian dialect to be more difficult than it actually is

Aggregates explain the high clay retention of small constructed wetlands : a micromorphological study

Earlier studies have shown that small constructed wetlands are more efficient as sedimentation basins for eroded soil material than expected from calculations based on detention time. It has been suggested that this is caused by sedimentation of aggregates. The present microscopic study of thin sections made from undisturbed samples of wetland sediments confirmed that the fine silt and clay fractions are present in aggregated form. Aggregates from the wetland sediments had the same mineralogical composition as those from the corresponding arable land, but were more rounded, indicating erosion during transport. To prevent breakdown of aggregates, wetlands should therefore be constructed as close to the source of erosion as possible. A correct prediction of particle retention in constructed wetlands has to take into account the presence of aggregates. Textural analysis methods, which require clay dispersion pre-treatment, are not suitable for the calculation of the retention of fine silt and clay