Brage INN
Not a member yet
8669 research outputs found
Sort by
Dune Hares: Population Indices, Home Range Size, and Habitat Selection of the European Hare on a Danish Island
Get PDFPopulation indices, such as transect counts of animals, can provide important information concerning population changes over time. Moreover, data concerning the home range size and habitat selection of individuals can provide valuable insight into spatial requirements of animals and how they can adapt to variable environments. Here, we describe the population development of European hares (Lepus europaeus) and investigated home range sizes and habitat selection of six radio-tagged individuals on the small (80 ha) Danish Wadden Sea island Langli. The average minimum hare population density from 1983 to 1997 was 64 ± 36 (mean ± SD) hares/km2, with hare numbers varying among years and seasons. The average home range size was 23.3 (CI: 18.9–28.7) ha, which is comparable to agricultural areas of high structural diversity. Moreover, hare habitat selection was generally bimodal, with hares moving over larger areas and selecting marsh habitat for foraging during nighttime, and dune and grassland habitat for resting during daytime, especially during winter. Combined, our results indicate that hare abundance and space use in the dunal landscape of Langli Island were similar to agricultural areas of comparatively high habitat quality. Thus, dunal marsh landscapes offer high-quality habitat for hares and might be of importance as population strongholds at a time when hare populations are declining in many agricultural areas across Europe.publishedVersio
Bottom-up rather than top-down mechanisms determine mesocarnivore interactions in Norway
Get PDFInteractions among coexisting mesocarnivores can be influenced by different factors such as the presence of large carnivores, land-use, environmental productivity,or human disturbance. Disentangling the relative importance of bottom-up and top-down processes can be challenging, but it is important for biodiversity conservation and wildlife management. The aim of this study was to assess how the interactions among mesocarnivores (red fox Vulpes vulpes, badger Meles meles, and pine marten Martes martes) were affected by large carnivores (Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx and wolf Canis lupus), land cover variables (proportion of agricultural land and primary productivity), and human disturbance, as well as how these top-down and bottom-up mechanisms were influenced by season. We analyzed 3 years (2018–2020) of camera trapping observations from Norway and used structural equation models to assess hypothesized networks of causal relationships. Our results showed that land cover variables were more strongly associated with mesocarnivore detection rates than large carnivores in Norway. This might be caused by a combination of low density of large carnivores in an unproductive ecosystem with strong seasonality. Additionally, detection rates of all mesocarnivores showed positive associations among each other, which were stronger in winter. The prevalence of positive interactions among predators might indicate a tendency to use the same areas and resources combined with weak interference competition. Alternatively, it might indicate some kind of facilitative relationship among species. Human disturbance had contrasting effects for different species, benefiting the larger mesocarnivores (red fox and badger) probably through food subsidization, but negatively affecting apex predators (wolf and lynx) and smaller mesocarnivores (pine marten). In a human-dominated world, this highlights the importance of including anthropogenic influences in the study of species interactions. camera trap, carnivore community, intraguild interactions, Norway, structural equation modelingpublishedVersio
The relationship between trampling damages on roots and wood decay in Norway spruce forests used for silvopasture
Get PDFForest grazing by free-roaming livestock is a common practice in many countries. The forestry sector sees the practice as unfortunate owing to several reasons, such as damages inflicted by grazing in young plantations. Concerning Norway spruce forests, a tree species known to develop wood decay with high frequency followed from stem bark damage, there is a strong perception among foresters that the trampling damage caused by livestock on the superficial root system of this tree leads to decay. Because of the very limited scientific documentation available on this topic, we pursued a clarification by investigating three 38- to 56-year-old Norway spruce forests used for silvopasture. Two types of injuries were observed on exposed roots: bark cracks characterized by resin exudation, and injuries involving localized bark peeling and exposure of the underlying wood. These injuries occurred up to 250 cm away from the root collar, with the sector 50–150 cm away from the root collar showing the highest incidence of injuries. In two of the forest stands, wood within the injured root areas was primarily colonized by the wound parasite Corinectria fuckeliana or species of the order Helotiales, fungi that do not cause wood decay. Wood colonization of injured roots by Heterobasidion species, the most frequent wood decay fungi of Norway spruce, was common in the third stand, but only in a few cases it was possible to deduce that the colonization had probably initiated via trampling injuries on roots. In a few cases, an injury was located at stem base at the root collar height along paths used by animals, and in such cases, it was obvious that stem colonization by Heterobasidion species had initiated via the wound. The relatively small amount of data warrants caution when drawing conclusions. Considering the high establishment frequency of decay via stem bark wounds of Norway spruce observed in previous studies, our data would suggest that roots are generally better equipped to defend themselves upon infliction of superficial wounds than stem of this tree species. The likelihood of trampling injuries leading to decay may vary considerably between different stands, this presumably depending on the level of local propagule pressure by pathogenic wood decay fungi and the frequency of damages close to root collar.publishedVersio
Familieråd som mildt maktuttrykk. En Foucault-inspirert studie av samhandling mellom familier og ansatte i barnevernet
Get PDFFamilieråd som mildt maktuttrykk. En Foucault-inspirert studie av samhandling mellom familier og ansatte i barnevernet
I løpet av de siste tiårene har det skjedd store endringer når det gjelder relasjonen mellom brukere, profesjonelle og systemer. I barnevernet har barn og foreldres rettigheter til medvirkning blitt styrket i den nye barnevernloven. Barnevernets rutiner og praksiser har også endret seg i retning av å løfte frem brukernes stemmer. Familierådsmodellen er et eksempel på et tiltak som er ment å imøtekomme denne utviklingen. Denne avhandlingen undersøker ikke om familieråd er et egnet tiltak i barnevernet. Interessen rettes mot hvordan makt fungerer i familierådene. Inspirert av Michel Foucaults perspektiv på makt som produktiv, utforskes en form for makt som er vanskelig å gripe dersom man legger en mer tradisjonell forståelse av makt til grunn.
I avhandlingen undersøkes følgende problemstilling: Hvordan kommer produktiv makt til uttrykk som handlinger i familierådene? Følgende forskningsspørsmål stilles:
1.Hva skjer i samhandlingen mellom aktørene i familierådene, og hvordan kommer motstand til uttrykk?
2.Hvordan kommer produktiv makt til uttrykk gjennom de ansatte i barnevernet og koordinatorenes tale- og væremåter?
3.Hvordan kommer produktiv makt til uttrykk gjennom familierådsmodellens prosedyrer?
I studien ble det gjort deltakende observasjon av tre ulike familieråd, inkludert familierådets «private del» der ingen offentlig ansatte var til stede. I etterkant av familierådene ble mødrene, familierådskoordinatorer og ansatte i barnevernet intervjuet. Erfaringene som kom frem, var tvetydige. For å forstå det som skjedde, ble oppmerksomheten rettet mot motstandspunkter i relasjonen, og hvordan disse ble håndtert. I analysen kommer det frem at deltakerne gir uttrykk for sine viljer, at de har en posisjon som autonome, og at familierådene bærer preg av å være et sårbart rom. Dette tolkes som motstandspunkter som blir møtt med kreative, vennlige og finstemte handlinger. Handlingene tolkes som produktive makt-teknikker som bidrar til å bevege familierådene i retning av målene som var satt. Tolkningene synliggjør på denne måten en annen form for makt enn det vi vanligvis tenker på som makt. Avhandlingen illustrerer behovet for et bredt spekter av ulike metoder og teoretiske perspektiver i forståelsen av et komplekst og tvetydig felt.publishedVersio
Conflicts over public value within public service ecosystems: a strategic action field approach
Get PDFIn this paper, strategic action field theory and public value theory are utilized to develop knowledge about conflicts over public value in public service ecosystems (PSEs), with disabled people’s striving for independent living serving as an illustration. Five propositions are developed to show how conflicts in PSEs i) are centred around public value, ii) occur between incumbents and challengers, iii) implicate social skills, iv) are triggered by exogenous shocks, and v) eventually settle. This paper also responds to calls for research on theory building about PSEs by integrating public value with public service logic (PSL) and conceptualizing power in PSL.publishedVersio
‘Creating strong Sámi children’: teachers’ positioning of heritage language students
Get PDFThis article presents an ethnographic study of Sámi heritage languageeducation in public schools in a city in Norway. The Sámi people, theonly recognised Indigenous people in Europe, are reclaiming theirlanguage and culture after intense assimilatory efforts by the Norwegianstate. Based on ten weeks of fieldwork in Sámi heritage language (HL)education in an urban setting far from the Sámi core areas, the currentarticle investigates how Sámi teachers and students negotiate subjectpositions in HL education based on Sámi culture, values, and traditionalknowledge. The researcher observed lessons, wrote field notes, collectedteaching materials, conducted interviews, and made video and audiorecordings of classroom interactions. The analysis demonstrates how theteachers purposefully and iteratively attempted to position their studentsas Sámi and how the students responded to their teachers’ constructionof a Sámi subject position. The findings suggest that HL teachers need torecognise and accommodate the complex and diverse connections thatHL students have with their culture, language, and community,particularly in contexts of historical colonisation and assimilation. Bymaking multiple subject positions available to students, teachers cancontribute to a more inclusive and empowering learning environmentthat acknowledges the nuances of HL students’ subjectivities.publishedVersio
Pre-service teachers’ agency to enact multilingual pedagogies: A longitudinal case study
Get PDFStudents with migrant backgrounds continue to underperform across European education systems, highlighting the need for teachers to be prepared for multicultural and multilingual schools. However, even teachers who are open to multilingual pedagogies report being restricted by monolingual language policies, language beliefs and assessment schemes. Hence, it is necessary to investigate the conditions for pre-service teachers to exercise their agency in enacting multilingual pedagogies within monolingual education systems. Through a longitudinal case study involving interviews with five pre-service teachers at the outset and completion of their teacher education in Norway, the study explores the following research question: To what degree has teacher education provided the necessary conditions for pre-service teachers to exercise their agency in enacting multilingual pedagogies within a monolingual education system? A thematic analysis comparing responses given at the onset and completion of their teacher education suggests that the pre-service teachers had altered their beliefs, acquired more knowledge and reported more skills in working with multilingual learners. Moreover, they had developed a greater ability to imagine alternative approaches to multilingualism and become more flexible in these approaches. The longitudinal and qualitative research design offers a detailed picture of pre-service teachers’ development over the course of their teacher education.publishedVersio
Beyond medications: a multifaceted approach to alleviating comorbid anxiety and depression in clinical settings
Get PDFBackground: Comorbid anxiety and depression are common and can make the problems more complex and sometimes resistant to pharmacological treatment. In existing research, the diagnoses are often studied separately, and physical activity, healthy nutrition, psychoeducation, and social support have shown good effects. The aim of the present study was to explore the longitudinal effects of a comprehensive treatment on patients with comorbid anxiety and depression in a clinical context. Method: Eighty inpatients (15 men and 65 women) in age range 23–65 years receiving psychiatric treatment in Norwegian clinic participated in the longitudinal study. Treatment was person-centered and was most frequently given for anxiety and depression, e.g., pharmacological treatment and psychotherapy, individually and in groups. In combination with this, physical activity, healthy nutrition, psychoeducation and social support in contacts with authorities and relatives were also a part of treatment. Depression and anxiety were assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory at three points in time: baseline, at the end of treatment, and 3 months after treatment. The answers were categorized and combined into four groups according to severity of anxiety and depression to measure effects on comorbidity. Mann Whitney U test, Chi-square, Friedmans test, and McNemar test were used to analyze the data. Result: The results showed a significant increase of frequencies in the group with mild anxiety and depression 3 months past treatment compared to baseline. Conclusion: Through the comprehensive, person-centered treatment more patients had low levels of both anxiety and depression 3 months after treatment. We suggest that clinics working with comorbid depression and anxiety patients should add physical activity, nutrition advice, social support, and psychoeducation to the traditional treatment regimes. More research concerning comorbid anxiety and depression are urgent to further expand the treatment possibilities.publishedVersio
Intercultural family-school cooperation and the dilemma of involving child language brokers versus professional interpreters
Get PDFThis is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.This study explores the complexities of intercultural family-school cooperation, particularly focusing on the dilemma of involving child language brokers versus professional interpreters in the context of compulsory schooling in Denmark, Iceland, and Norway. Utilising critical pedagogy as the theoretical framework, the study examines the experiences and perspectives of student teachers regarding cooperation with families who require language assistance. The data were collected via individual interviews with 36 student teachers. At the time of the study, they were enrolled in full-time teacher education programmes in their respective home countries and were in the final year of their educational journey. Drawing on their field experiences, the student teachers presented diverse scenarios in which they articulated a reasoned preference for involving either professional interpreters or child language brokers. As implications derived from the findings, it is evident that the involvement of professional interpreters and child language brokers in intercultural family-school cooperation necessitates a comprehensive evaluation by school personnel of the power dynamics, the emotional well-being of all parties involved, and the issues of confidentiality and professionalism. The study highlights the need for teacher education to address intercultural family-school cooperation holistically. It advocates for an enhanced focus on sustainable language support strategies, extending beyond reliance on interpreters or child language brokers.publishedVersio
Exploring mediagramsas a visual tool to encourage teacher critical multilingual awareness through parent-school interaction in Norway
Get PDFTeachers hold a key position for processes of inclusion and exclusion in parentteacher relationships. Through teachers’ critical analysis of their own contributions in these processes, inclusion can be enhanced. This article explores how a visual representation of a person’s linguistic and media repertoires, a mediagram, can foster such teacher critical awareness. More specifically, it investigates the research question: How can mediagrams contribute to teachers’ critical awareness related to existing language ideologies in parent-teacher interaction in multilingual settings? To answer this question, an innovative use of the mediagram, where pupils and parents created a shared mediagram, is presented and discussed. Qualitative in-depth interviews with three teachers and four parents who took part in the activity are analysed. Interviews with the teachers are explored in terms of different dimensions of language awareness before and after implementation of the mediagram activity, while interviews with parents complement the teachers’ perspectives with parents’ perspectives. The study shows that the mediagram has promising potential to enhance teacher critical multilingual awareness in an extended understanding of the concept which also includes digital resources in interaction. Yet, it also points to important discrepancies in the parents’ and teachers’ evaluations of the tool.publishedVersio