The impact of land-use change on floristic diversity at regional scale in southern Sweden 600 BC-AD 2008

International audienceThis study explores the relationship between landuse and floristic diversity between 600BC and AD2008 in the uplands of southern Sweden. We use fossil pollen assemblages and the Regional Estimates of Vegetation Abundance from Large Sites (REVEALS) model to quantitatively reconstruct land cover at a regional scale. Floristic richness and evenness are estimated using palynological richness and REVEALS-based evenness, respectively. We focus on the period AD350 to 750 to investigate the impact of an inferred, short-lived (<200 yr) period of land-use expansion and subsequent land abandonment on vegetation composition and floristic diversity. The observed vegetation response is compared to that recorded during the transition from traditional to modern land-use management at the end of the 19th century. Our results suggest that agricultural land use was most widespread between AD350 and 1850, which correlates broadly with high values of palynological richness. REVEALS-based evenness was highest between AD500 and 1600 which indicates a more equal cover among taxa during this time interval. Palynological richness increased during the inferred land-use expansion after AD350 and decreased during the subsequent regression AD550-750, while REVEALS-based evenness increased throughout this period. The values of palynological richness during the last few decades are within the range observed during the last 1650 yr. However, REVEALS-based evenness shows much lower values during the last century compared to the previous ca. 2600 yr, which indicates that the composition of presentday vegetation is unusual in a millennial perspective. Our results show that regional scale changes in land use have had clear impacts on floristic diversity in southern Sweden, with a vegetation response time of less than 20 to 50 yr. We show the importance of traditional land use to attain high biodiversity and suggest that ecosystem management should include a regional landscape perspective

Floristic diversity in the transition from traditional to modern land-use in southern Sweden A.D. 1800-2008

International audienceWe aim to provide a long-term ecological analysis of land-use and floristic diversity in the transition from traditional to modern land-use management in the time A.D. 1800-2008 in southern Sweden. We use the Regional Estimates of Vegetation Abundance from Large Sites (REVEALS) model to quantify land-cover changes on a regional scale at 20-year intervals, based on the fossil pollen record. Floristic richness and evenness are estimated using palynological richness and the Shannon index applied to the REVEALS output, respectively. We identified a transition period of 60 years between 1880 and 1940 when the total tree cover increased and the tree composition changed from deciduous to coniferous dominance. Within the shrinking area of open land, arable land taxa expanded, while the number and coverage of herbs in the remaining grasslands decreased. The succession from open grasslands to more tree-covered habitats initially favoured palynological richness, which reached its highest values during the first 40 years of the transition period. The highest REVEALS-based evenness was recorded in the time of traditional land-use and at the beginning of the transition period, reflecting higher habitat diversity at these time intervals. Our results support a more dynamic ecosystem management that changes between traditional land-use and phases of succession (\40 years) to promote floristic diversity. We have developed and applied a palaeoecological methodology that contributes realistic estimates to be used in ecosystem management

Spatial characterization of seabed environmental conditions and geotechnical properties for the development of marine renewable energy in Sweden

Although knowledge of seabed properties is of high importance in selecting sites and determining technical designs and solutions for renewable energy offshore installations, it is often overlooked in marine spatial planning, owing to the absence of appropriate spatial analysis of these conditions. Identification and quantification of seabed conditions and geotechnical properties in finding safe and environmentally sustainable areas for installations of offshore renewable energy are therefore presented, using information produced in marine geological mapping. Six seabed environmental and 13 geotechnical parameters, which can be extracted from existing marine geological information and are of importance in analysing environmental conditions and planning designs are identified and presented, in addition to the suitability of various installation techniques for different areas on the Swedish seabed. Geographical information systems (GIS) are used to geo spatially evaluate the different parameters in finding suitable locations and cable routes for a wave energy plant with gravity and/or suction caisson foundations. The presented categories and ranges of the environmental and geotechnical values for the various parameters have the possibility to be improved as new data are produced from future mapping. The parameters identified and presented here are valuable as they can be incorporated into multi-parameter evaluations for optimal site selection of different offshore installations

Hypoxia-Related processes in the Baltic Sea

Hypoxia, a growing worldwide problem, has been intermittently present in the modern Baltic Sea since its formation ca. 8000 cal. yr BP. However, both the spatial extent and intensity of hypoxia have increased with anthropogenic eutrophication due to nutrient inputs. Physical processes, which control stratification and the renewal of oxygen in bottom waters, are important constraints on the formation and maintenance of hypoxia. Climate controlled inflows of saline water from the North Sea through the Danish Straits is a critical controlling factor governing the spatial extent and duration of hypoxia. Hypoxia regulates the biogeochemical cycles of both phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) in the water column and sediments. Significant amounts of P are currently released from sediments, an order of magnitude larger than anthropogenic inputs. The Baltic Sea is unique for coastal marine ecosystems experiencing N losses in hypoxic waters below the halocline. Although benthic communities in the Baltic Sea are naturally constrained by salinity gradients, hypoxia has resulted in habitat loss over vast areas and the elimination of benthic fauna, and has severely disrupted benthic food webs. Nutrient load reductions are needed to reduce the extent, severity, and effects of hypoxia.Hypoxia, a growing worldwide problem, has been intermittently present in the modern Baltic Sea since its formation ca. 8000 cal. yr BP. However, both the spatial extent and intensity of hypoxia have increased with anthropogenic eutrophication due to nutrient inputs. Physical processes, which control stratification and the renewal of oxygen in bottom waters, are important constraints on the formation and maintenance of hypoxia. Climate controlled inflows of saline water from the North Sea through the Danish Straits is a critical controlling factor governing the spatial extent and duration of hypoxia. Hypoxia regulates the biogeochemical cycles of both phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) in the water column and sediments. Significant amounts of P are currently released from sediments, an order of magnitude larger than anthropogenic inputs. The Baltic Sea is unique for coastal marine ecosystems experiencing N losses in hypoxic waters below the halocline. Although benthic communities in the Baltic Sea are naturally constrained by salinity gradients, hypoxia has resulted in habitat loss over vast areas and the elimination of benthic fauna, and has severely disrupted benthic food webs. Nutrient load reductions are needed to reduce the extent, severity, and effects of hypoxia.Hypoxia, a growing worldwide problem, has been intermittently present in the modern Baltic Sea since its formation ca. 8000 cal. yr BP. However, both the spatial extent and intensity of hypoxia have increased with anthropogenic eutrophication due to nutrient inputs. Physical processes, which control stratification and the renewal of oxygen in bottom waters, are important constraints on the formation and maintenance of hypoxia. Climate controlled inflows of saline water from the North Sea through the Danish Straits is a critical controlling factor governing the spatial extent and duration of hypoxia. Hypoxia regulates the biogeochemical cycles of both phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) in the water column and sediments. Significant amounts of P are currently released from sediments, an order of magnitude larger than anthropogenic inputs. The Baltic Sea is unique for coastal marine ecosystems experiencing N losses in hypoxic waters below the halocline. Although benthic communities in the Baltic Sea are naturally constrained by salinity gradients, hypoxia has resulted in habitat loss over vast areas and the elimination of benthic fauna, and has severely disrupted benthic food webs. Nutrient load reductions are needed to reduce the extent, severity, and effects of hypoxia.Peer reviewe

Projected climate change impact on a coastal sea-As significant as all current pressures combined

Climate change influences the ocean's physical and biogeochemical conditions, causing additional pressures on marine environments and ecosystems, now and in the future. Such changes occur in environments that already today suffer under pressures from, for example, eutrophication, pollution, shipping, and more. We demonstrate how to implement climate change into regional marine spatial planning by introducing data of future temperature, salinity, and sea ice cover from regional ocean climate model projections to an existing cumulative impact model. This makes it possible to assess climate change impact in relation to pre‐existing cumulative impact from current human activities. Results indicate that end‐of‐century projected climate change alone is a threat of the same magnitude as the combination of all current pressures to the marine environment. These findings give marine planners and policymakers forewarning on how future climate change may impact marine ecosystems, across space, emission scenarios, and in relation to other pressures

Hypoxia is increasing in the coastal zone of the Baltic sea

Hypoxia is a well-described phenomenon in the offshore waters of the Baltic Sea with both the spatial extent and intensity of hypoxia known to have increased due to anthropogenic eutrophication, however, an unknown amount of hypoxia is present in the coastal zone. Here we report on the widespread unprecedented occurrence of hypoxia across the coastal zone of the Baltic Sea. We have identified 115 sites that have experienced hypoxia during the period 1955-2009 increasing the global total to ca. 500 sites, with the Baltic Sea coastal zone containing over 20% of all known sites worldwide. Most sites experienced episodic hypoxia, which is a precursor to development of seasonal hypoxia. The Baltic Sea coastal zone displays an alarming trend with hypoxia steadily increasing with time since the 1950s effecting nutrient biogeochemical processes, ecosystem services, and coastal habitat

Hypoxia is increasing in the coastal zone of the Baltic sea

Målet med examensarbetet är att svara på frågan: "Är det resurssparande att öka detaljeringsgraden i BIM-modellen genom virtuellt uppreglade gipsväggar?" Rapporten behandlar en BIM-laboration som genomförts i samarbete med NCC i projektet Signalfabriken i Sundbyberg. Med programmet Lindab Revit Tools (LRT) reglades gipsväggar upp virtuellt och adderades till projektets byggnadsinformationsmodell (BIM). Materialet kvalitetssäkrades vid samgranskningsmöten och användes för att generera A3-handlingar för test i produktion. Testet och handlingen diskuterades med representanter från olika delar av byggprocessen och en reviderad handling utvecklades samt godkändes. Laborationen upprepades med syftet att effektivisera processen och erfarenheterna från detta ledde till att frågeställningen fick följande svar: Ja, om endast komplicerade områden modelleras. Ja, för hela modellen om programvaran utvecklas.Nej, om LRT används för att virtuellt regla upp alla gipsväggar i projektet. Förutom dessa svar innehåller rapporten ett förslag på A3-handling som optimerats för användning i produktion. En lista på rekommenderade förändringar i programvaran. En beskrivning av hela processen för ett område där resursåtgången angetts i tid. Denna rapport riktar sig till läsare med byggingenjörsexamen eller motsvarande kunskapsnivå. This report aims to answer the question: "Can an increased level of detail in the Building Information Model by virtually constructed framing for drywalls save resources?" The report concerns a BIM laboration conducted in collaboration with NCC in the project Signalfabriken in Sundbyberg. Lindab Revit Tools (LRT) was used to virtually construct framing for drywalls that was added to the building information model of the project. The virtual material was subject to clash detection analysis and then used to generate A3-sheets for use in the production line. The result of this test and the quality of the sheet was discussed by representatives from different parts of the construction process. A revised sheet was formed from this discussion and then approved by NCC. The process was repeated to find the most efficient process and the experiences from this led to these answers for the original question: Yes, when only complex areas are modeledYes, if all areas are modeled and LRT is improvedNo, if LRT is used to virtually construct all dry walls in the project Besides these answers the report includes: a suggestion for a sheet optimized for use in the production line, a list of improvements for LRT and a description of the process in full for a curtain area together with the details of how much time resources were spent. This report is directed towards construction engineers and readers with equivalent level of knowledge

Mångreligiositet och sekularitet i svenskt polisväsende, vård, skola och offentlig förvaltning : en forskningsöversikt

Under de senaste decennierna har Sverige genomgått stora demografiska och politiska förändringar. Tillsammans har dessa inneburit att Sverige idag samtidigt är ett av Europas mest sekulariserade och mest mångreligiösa länder. Den snabba demografiska förändring Sverige har genomgått har ställt många inför nya, stora och i vissa fall skyndsamma kunskapsbehov samtidigt är forskningen om situationen delvis eftersatt. I denna rapport identifieras hur den nya situationen relaterar till det lagstadgade uppdrag som svenskt polisväsende, vård, skola och offentlig förvaltning har. Den forskning som gjorts inom dessa områden sammanfattas och de viktigaste forskningsbehoven identifieras