Impacts of climate change on the boreal forest ecosystem. Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Alien Organisms and Trade in Endangered species (CITES) of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment

Source at https://vkm.no/</a

Words apart: Standardizing forestry terms and definitions across European biodiversity studies

Forest biodiversity studies conducted across Europe use a multitude of forestry terms, often inconsistently. This hinders the comparability across studies and makes the assessment of the impacts of forest management on biodiversity highly context-dependent. Recent attempts to standardize forestry and stand description terminology mostly used a top-down approach that did not account for the perspectives and approaches of forest biodiversity experts. This work aims to establish common standards for silvicultural and vegetation definitions, creating a shared conceptual framework for a consistent study on the effects of forest management on biodiversity. We have identified both strengths and weaknesses of the silvicultural and vegetation information provided in forest biodiversity studies. While quantitative data on forest biomass and dominant tree species are frequently included, information on silvicultural activities and vegetation composition is often lacking, shallow, or based on broad and heterogeneous classifications. We discuss the existing classifications and their use in European forest biodiversity studies through a novel bottom-up and top-driven review process, and ultimately propose a common framework. This will enhance the comparability of forest biodiversity studies in Europe, and puts the basis for effective implementation and monitoring of sustainable forest management policies. The standards here proposed are potentially adaptable and applicable to other geographical areas and could be extended to other forest interventions. Forest management Multi-taxon Terminology Silviculture Data harmonizationpublishedVersio

Adolescents with intellectual disability (ID) and their perceptions of, and motivation for, physical activity and organised sports

Individuals with intellectual disability (ID) are less physically active than individuals without ID, and rarely reach the recommended daily level of physical activity (PA). It is understood that both social interaction and the ability to perform physical work affect participation in daily activity as well as PA. Individuals with ID generally have a higher risk of hypertension and obesity-related cardiovascular diseases than individuals without ID. Professional service providers, teachers and parents are often those being asked about potential challenges related to PA, as it is more seldom that this knowledge comes from the target group (ID) themselves. This identifies a lack of knowledge about PA and sports for individuals with ID. The aim of this study was to identify perceptions of, and motivation for, PA and sports among adolescents with ID. Twelve Swedish male and female adolescents with ID participated in the study, which comprised one semi-structured interview. The interviews identified three main categories: Activity, Surroundings and Body- and health awareness. Adolescents with ID seemed intrinsic motivated to participate in PA, organised sports and activities in general. Support from significant others, teachers, family and friends and support as well as the feeling of joy are connected to normative beliefs which all seem crucial. The participants were aware of their limitations, but sometimes feel bullied and afraid of being excluded, which relates to their normative beliefs. Participation in PA and organised sports may be positively associated with health, but limitations such as lack of awareness and support from society challenge the perception of ‘fitting in’. This research has raised the voice of adolescents with ID and identified the need for increased knowledge of their perceptions for a more inclusive world. School PE is an arena where adolescents can still be reached regarding PA and thereby should be prioritised.

EFFECT OF 2.45 GHZ MICROWAVE-RADIATION ON PERMEABILITY OF UNILAMELLAR LIPOSOMES TO 5(6)-CARBOXYFLUORESCEIN - EVIDENCE OF NONTHERMAL LEAKAGE

The influence of 2.45 GHz microwave radiation on the membrane permeability of unilamellar liposomes was studied using the marker 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein trapped in phosphatidylcholine liposomes. The release of the fluorescent marker was followed by spectrofluorimetry after an exposure of 10 minutes to either microwave radiation or to heat alone of the liposome solutions. A significant increase of the permeability of carboxyfluorescein through the membrane was observed for the microwave-exposed samples compared to those exposed to normal heating only. Exposure to 2.45 GHz microwave radiation of liposomes has been previously found to produce increased membrane permeability as compared with heating. However, in contrast to previous studies, the observations reported here were made above the phase transition temperature of the lipid membrane. The experimental setup included monitoring of the temperature during microwave exposure simultaneously at several points in the solution volume using a fiberoptic thermometer. Possible mechanisms to explain the observations are discussed

Education for Sustainable Development and the Young Masters Program

Education is the foundation for achieving sustainable development. The United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development declared from January 2005 to December 2014 demands a concerted effort to expand environmental education around the world. The Young Masters Program is an international education course, which utilises the internet to connect students, teachers, and tutors in different parts of the world. The focus of the Young Masters Program is preventive environmental strategies in the context of sustainable development. More than 2,300 students and teachers in 109 countries have participated in the Young Masters Program since 1998

Klimaendringer og virkninger på hovedøkosystem skog.

Source at https://vkm.no/

Klimaendringer og virkninger på hovedøkosystem skog.

publishedVersio