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Establishment of flower meadows using donor material from traditional hay meadows
Get PDFDet er i dag et stort behov for å etablere blomsterike arealer for å bevare stedegne, lyskrevende og konkurransesvake engarter. Tradisjonelle slåttemarker, som tidligere har vært viktige leveområder for disse artene, er i sterk tilbakegang. Slåttemark er i dag klassifisert som kritisk truet (CR) i Norge, og tapet av denne naturtypen truer ikke bare plantemangfoldet, men også pollinerende insekter som er avhengige av blomstrende engarter – en økologisk samhandling som er avgjørende for både naturmangfold og matproduksjon. For å motvirke fragmentering av viktige biotoper og sikre spredningsmuligheter for viltvoksende arter, er det viktig å etablere blomsterenger med et artsinventar som speiler regionale engtyper.
Denne bacheloroppgaven tar utgangspunkt i et forskningsprosjekt på NMBU og undersøker hvordan ulike metoder for etablering av blomsterenger påvirker etablering av engarter i en nyanlagt blomstereng på Planteskolen. Blomsterengen ble anlagt i 2021 med plantemateriale fra en artsrik donoreng på Mikkelrud i Aurskog-Høland kommune. Tre metoder ble benyttet: utlegging av høy, såing av frø og planting av pluggplanter. Oppgaven undersøker hvilke engarter som har etablerte seg, og om det var forskjeller i artssammensetning mellom metodene
Resultatene viser at høy-metoden ga høyest artsrikdom og flest etablerte engarter, men var dominert av gras- og sivarter. Plante-metoden førte til høy etablering av blomstrende og konkurransesvake arter, mens så-metoden resulterte i færrest arter totalt, men favoriserte enkelte arter som i mindre grad ble fremmet av de øvrige metodene. Flere av de utplantede artene i plante-metoden ble også funnet i de andre metodene, noe som kan tyde på spredning via frø, vind eller slått.
Oppgaven gir innsikt i hvordan ulike etableringsmetoder påvirker artssammensetning og dekning i nye blomsterenger, og hvordan slike tiltak- med slåttemark som forbilde og donormateriale – kan bidra til å motvirke fragmentering og opprettholde blomsterrike arealer.There is an increasing need to establish flower-rich habitats to preserve native species that are light-demanding and have low competitive ability. Traditional hay meadows, which have historically served as important habitats for such species, are in significant decline. In Norway, hay meadows are currently classified as critically endangered (CR), and the loss of this habitat type threatens not only plant diversity but also pollinating insects that rely on flowering meadow species—an ecological interaction vital to both biodiversity and food production. To counteract the fragmentation of key biotopes and ensure dispersal opportunities for wild species, it is essential to establish meadows with species compositions that reflect regional meadow types.
This bachelor thesis is based on a research project at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) and investigates how different meadow establishment methods influence the establishment of meadow species in a newly created flower meadow at the university’s nursery. The meadow was established in 2021 using plant material from a species-rich donor meadow at Mikkelrud in Aurskog-Høland municipality. Three methods were applied: hay transfer, seed sowing, and planting of plug plants. The study examines which species successfully established and whether there were differences in species composition between the methods.
The results show that the hay transfer method yielded the highest species richness and the greatest number of established meadow species, although it was dominated by grasses and sedges. The planting method led to a high establishment of flowering and poorly competitive species, while the sowing method resulted in the lowest overall species count but favored certain species that were less promoted by the other methods. Several of the species planted as plugs were also found in the other treatments, suggesting potential spread via seeds, wind, or mowing.
This bachelor thesis provides insight into how different establishment methods affect species composition and coverage in newly created flower meadows, and how such measures—using traditional hay meadows as a model and donor material as a source—can help counteract habitat fragmentation and support the maintenance of flower-rich areas across various landscape types.B-L
Environmental and human health risk assessment of the mite Lepidoglyphus destructor in the plant protection product Anso-Mite Plus
Get PDFVKM has assessed the environmental and health risks associated with the use of the mite Lepidoglyphus destructor as feed. Background Anso-Mite Plus consists of the biological control agent Amblyseius andersoni and the feed organisms Carpoglyphus lactis and Lepidoglyphus destructor. Amblyseius andersoni and C. lactis have previously been assessed by VKM. VKM has now assessed the environmental and health risks of L. destructor. Conclusions Lepidoglyphus destructor has been found in homes, agricultural environments, and stored products in Norway. The species is well established in Norway, and introduced individuals are expected to be able to establish and spread. Lepidoglyphus destructor is widespread and common in Norway, and it seems unlikely that further introductions via Anso-Mite Plus will have any additional effects on biodiversity. Several studies report allergies to mites, including to L. destructor. The likelihood of developing mite allergies after handling the product is therefore high. However, the likelihood of allergic reactions after consuming plants treated with the product appears to be low. Lepidoglyphus is not a species-rich genus, and there is no documentation suggesting that L. destructor can be confused with other species. The risk assessment is approved by VKM's Panel on Plant Health.Environmental and human health risk assessment of the mite Lepidoglyphus destructor in the plant protection product Anso-Mite PluspublishedVersio
Dagslys i tett by - regler, metoder og praksis
Get PDFDenne masteroppgaven undersøker hvordan dagslys blir ivaretatt i tette byområder i Norge, med fokus på hvilke regler og metoder som benyttes for å dokumentere dagslystilgangen i eksisterende bygg, og hvordan dette håndteres i praksis. Gjennom en kombinasjon av litteraturstudie, analyse av reguleringsplanforslag og egne dagslyssimuleringer belyses svakheter og utfordringer i dagens system. Oppgaven ser også nærmere på hvordan metodevalg påvirker resultatene, og undersøker om det finnes noen internasjonale eksempler Norge kan ta lærdom av.
Studien viser at det norske regelverket i dag mangler tydelige føringer for hvordan dagslys i eksisterende bygg skal vurderes når nye bygg planlegges. Mangelen på regler og retningslinjer gjør at hensynet til dagslys varierer mellom kommunene. I tillegg bidrar manglende terskelverdier, varierende metodebruk og ulik fagkompetanse hos planmyndighetene til store forskjeller i vurderingene og et uforutsigbart utfall i byggesaker. Faglige anbefalinger blir i mange tilfeller overstyrt av politiske hensyn.
Studien peker også på at internasjonale eksempler, særlig den britiske veilederen BR209: Site Layout Planning for Daylight and Sunlight, presenterer metoder som kan gi bidra til et bedre vern av dagslys.
Det foreslås fire tiltak for å forbedre praksisen i Norge:
1. Innføring av trinnvis metode for vurdering av dagslys, med en enkel førstesjekk (skjermingsvinkel og VSC), slik det gjøres i Storbritannia.
2. Innføring av nasjonal terskelverdi for hvor mye dagslys kan reduseres i eksisterende bygg, samt et minstekrav som sikrer ekstra vern for bygg med allerede lav dagslystilgang, inspirert av britisk praksis (BR209).
3. Krav om obligatorisk uavhengig kontroll av dagslysanalyser, eller alternativt kompetansekrav hos planmyndighetene.
4. En tydeligere kobling mellom dagslys, helse og bokvalitet i regelverket.
Tiltakene vil kunne styrke vernet om dagslys i byggesaker, øke forutsigbarheten i planprosessene og legge til rette for en byutvikling som ivaretar både fortettingsbehov og hensynet til bokvalitet og folkehelse.This thesis investigates how daylight is addressed in densified urban areas in Norway, focusing on the regulations, methods and practices that influence daylight access and residential quality in existing buildings. Through literature review, analysis of zoning proposals and daylight simulations, the study identifies key weaknesses in the current system and examines international approaches for potential improvements.
Findings show that the Norwegian framework lacks clear guidelines for how daylight in existing building should be assessed when new developments are planned. This leads to inconsistent municipal practices and unpredictable outcomes. The absence of threshold values, varying assessment methods, and differing levels of professional competence among the planning authorities contribute to this unpredictability. In many cases, professional recommendations are overruled by political considerations.
Furthermore, the study provides international examples, particularly the British guide BR209: Site Layout Planning for Daylight and Sunlight, which offers methods that can contribute to better daylight protection.
The thesis proposes four measures to improve Norwegian practice:
1. Introduce a stepwise method for daylight assessment, starting with a simple screening (obstruction angle and VSC), as practiced in the UK.
2. Establish a national threshold for acceptable daylight reduction in existing buildings, along with a minimum requirement to protect buildings with already low daylight levels, inspired by British practice (BR209)
3. Require independent verification of daylight analyses, or alternatively, ensure sufficient competence within local planning authorities.
4. Strengthen the link between daylight, health, and residential quality in the regulatory framework.
These measures could help strengthen daylight protection in planning cases, improve predictability in planning processes, and support sustainable densification without compromising quality of life or public health
Captive Chimps, Captured Curiosity: An Anthrozoogical Study of the Mutual Influences Between Zoo Chimpanzees and Their Human Visitors
No full textZoos are uniquely situated in performing a diverse host of roles, which includes conservation, research, leisure/recreation, and education. In contrast with other wildlife housing institutions, zoos are reliant on visitors, which poses the opportunities for human animal interactions. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes spp.) are particularly popular in zoos as they are our closest living relative, exhibit recognisable emotions, and similar behaviour to humans. The overall aim for this study is to shed light on the different ways humans and chimpanzees who interact in zoos influence each other in order to assess how the zoo performs their educational role and how visitor effects may impact animal welfare. The study took place at Kristiansand Zoo, using the group of ten chimpanzees which are housed there and their visitors as study subjects. As different research methods were deemed best suited to collecting and processing the data from the human perspective and the animal perspective, the study is divided into two parts. The effects of visitors on chimpanzee behaviour were measured quantitatively by observation of changes in social behaviour, behavioural states, and enclosure utilisation in response to differing visitor conditions. I hypothesised that increased visitor numbers and/or specific visitor behaviour would induce negative behavioural states such as increased agonistic behaviours and decreased enclosure utilisation. The impact of viewing captive wildlife on learning and emotions in visitors was studied through qualitative interviews with participants to the educational chimpanzee talk and visitors who had interactions with the chimps. The results of part one showed that guests have a significant association with changes in the chimps’ behaviour but there was no clear negative or positive impact. The results of part two found that visitors greatly value viewing chimpanzees live, and that this may notably strengthen guests’ conservation learning. Humans have a great desire to connect with captive wildlife, which zoos can facilitate, but they should ensure that no animal in their care is affected negatively by visitors, whilst they continue to perform their educational duties
Postoperative analgesic effects of different analgesics in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy
Get PDFDenne litteraturstudien omhandler postoperativ smertelindring hos katt etter ovariehysterektomi. Vi har valgt ut 13 artikler for å sammenligne ulike legemidler og deres effekt på postoperativ smerte. Legemiddelgrupper vi har valgt å fokusere på er opioider, NSAIDs, lokalanestetika, dissosiative legemidler og a-2-agonister. På grunn av et begrenset antall studier som direkte sammenligner de ulike legemiddelgruppene, har vi også benyttet indirekte sammenligninger. Flere av studiene trekker frem utfordringer knyttet til bivirkninger, mangel på legemidler og vanskeligheter med å tolke smertetegn hos katt. Dette er faktorer som må tas i betraktning ved utarbeidelse av en analgetisk plan.This literature review focuses on postoperative pain management in cats following an OHE. We have included 13 articles to compare different drugs and their effects on postoperative pain. The main drug classes are opioids, NSAIDs, local anaesthetics, dissociatives and a-2agonists. Due to the limited number of studies directly comparing different drug classes, indirect comparisons have been applied. Common challenges described in multiple studies include side effects, drug shortages and difficulties interpreting feline pain signals. These factors must be considered when developing an analgesic protocol.VE
Using AI on multispectral imaging, to estimate protein level in barley
Get PDFToday’s nitrogen fertilization is highly inefficient. Less than 40% of all applied nitrogen fertilizer is utilized by the crops, the rest dissipates into the environment. This thesis will first try to correlate and calibrate multispectral UAV images with soil/plant and Use machine learning in combination with multispectral images to estimate the soil’s content of plant-available N as well as protein content in barley
Hybridkontor i praksis: En studie av effektivitet, motivasjon og tillit i en norsk bank
Get PDFDenne masteroppgaven undersøker hvordan hybridkontormodellen påvirker effektivitet, motivasjon og gjensidig tillit mellom medarbeidere og ledere.
Formålet er å oppnå en dypere forståelse av hvordan denne arbeidsformen kan påvirke sentrale psykologiske og relasjonelle faktorer i arbeidslivet. Problemstillingen for analysen er: «Hvordan påvirker hybridkontormodellen medarbeideres effektivitet, motivasjon og opplevelse av tillit, og hvordan vurderer ledere disse forholdene?». For å svare på dette benyttes en kvalitativ tilnærming, med datainnsamling gjennom ti semi-strukturerte intervjuer med ansatte i en norsk bank – seks medarbeidere og fire ledere.
I analysen anvender vi både et ledelsesperspektiv og et medarbeiderperspektiv, og benytter oss av selvbestemmelsesteorien samt Leader-Member Exchange teorien for å belyse dynamikken i relasjonen mellom medarbeidere og ledere i hybridkontormodellen.
Funnene viser at hybridmodellen i stor grad oppleves som positiv, spesielt blant medarbeidere. Fleksibiliteten gir økt opplevelse av autonomi, høyere motivasjon og større kontroll over egen arbeidshverdag. Både medarbeidere og ledere rapporterer om høy effektivitet, særlig fordi arbeidsoppgaver kan tilpasses etter arbeidssted. Den gjensidige tilliten mellom medarbeider og leder styrkes i mange tilfeller av hybridmodellen, nettopp fordi den forutsetter selvledelse og resultatfokus.
Samtidig peker funnene på klare utfordringer. Både medarbeidere og ledere uttrykker bekymring for svekket sosial tilhørighet og mindre uformell kommunikasjon. Ledere føler et særlig ansvar for å være fysisk til stede, både som kultur- og relasjonsbærere. Flere informanter trekker frem at kontoret fortsatt har en viktig rolle som sosial og relasjonell møteplass, og at for stor grad av fjernarbeid kan svekke samhold, tilhørighet og lagfølelse.
Studien viser at selv i organisasjoner med gode forutsetninger, som høy digital kompetanse og en etablert hybridmodell, krever en velfungerende hybridmodell aktiv innsats for å opprettholde effektivitet, motivasjon og tillit over tid.This master's thesis explores how the hybrid work model influences efficiency, motivation, and mutual trust between leaders and employees.
The aim is to gain a deeper understanding of how this form of work affects key psychological and relational factors in the workplace. The research question guiding the analysis is: «How does the hybrid work model affect employees’ efficiency, motivation, and experience of trust, and how do leaders assess these factors?». To answer this, a qualitative approach is employed, with data collected through ten semi-structured interviews with employees in a Norwegian bank – six employees and four managers.
The analysis applies both an employee perspective and a leadership perspective, drawing on Self-Determination theory and Leader-Member Exchange theory to illuminate the dynamics of the relationship between employees and leader in the hybrid model.
The findings indicate that the hybrid model is largely perceived positively, particularly among employees. The flexibility fosters a greater sense of autonomy, increased motivation, and stronger control over one’s own workday. Both employees and leaders report high levels of efficiency, especially as tasks can be adapted to the work location. Mutual trust is often strengthened by the hybrid model, precisely because it requires self-leadership and a results-oriented mindset.
At the same time, the study highlights clear challenges. Both employees and leaders express concern about weakened social connectedness and reduced informal communication. Leaders feel a particular responsibility to maintain physical presence as carriers of culture and relationships. Several informants emphasize that the office still plays an important role as a social and relational meeting place, and that excessive remote work may undermine cohesion, a sense of belonging, and team spirit.
The study shows that even in organizations with strong preconditions, such as high digital competence and an established hybrid model, a successful hybrid arrangement requires active effort to sustain efficiency, motivation, and trust over time
Global impoverishment of natural vegetation revealed by dark diversity
Get PDFAnthropogenic biodiversity decline threatens the functioning of ecosystems and the many benefits they provide to humanity1. As well as causing species losses in directly affected locations, human influence might also reduce biodiversity in relatively unmodified vegetation if far-reaching anthropogenic effects trigger local extinctions and hinder recolonization. Here we show that local plant diversity is globally negatively related to the level of anthropogenic activity in the surrounding region. Impoverishment of natural vegetation was evident only when we considered community completeness: the proportion of all suitable species in the region that are present at a site. To estimate community completeness, we compared the number of recorded species with the dark diversity—ecologically suitable species that are absent from a site but present in the surrounding region2. In the sampled regions with a minimal human footprint index, an average of 35% of suitable plant species were present locally, compared with less than 20% in highly affected regions. Besides having the potential to uncover overlooked threats to biodiversity, dark diversity also provides guidance for nature conservation. Species in the dark diversity remain regionally present, and their local populations might be restored through measures that improve connectivity between natural vegetation fragments and reduce threats to population persistence.publishedVersio
Gene silencing of voltage-gated sodium channels in the salmon louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) using RNAi
Get PDFVeterinary Student Research Track Thesis 2025The salmon louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) is an aquatic ectoparasite infesting salmonid fish, feeding on the skin, mucus and blood of its host. Its life cycle includes eight developmental stages: nauplius I and II, copepodite (infective stage), chalimus I and II, preadult I and II, and adult. Dependent on the size of the fish and number of lice, infestation can cause wounds, disruption in osmoregulation, and is at worst lethal. To reduce infestation pressure within aquacultural farms and to wild salmonid stocks, farmed salmon (Salmo salar) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are subjected to substantial delousing operations, either medicinal or non-medicinal. However, due to a frequent use of medicinal delousing compounds over several decades, resistance towards all available medicinal agents are present in salmon lice. Because of the reduced effect from medicinal agents, non-medicinal delousing operations constitute the majority of delousing operations conducted today. Such methods are both invasive and stressful for the fish, in addition to involving a risk of mechanical injuries. Therefore, because of the need for non-medicinal delousing operations, the salmon louse constitutes a great threat to welfare in farmed salmon. For wild populations of salmonids, the parasite poses a great threat to welfare due to the impacts from salmon louse infestations. The parasite is therefore subjected to extensive research in the process of acquiring knowledge on genes and proteins that can be targeted by novel medicinal delousing compounds.
Pyrethroids, such as deltamethrin and cypermethrin, were previously used in substantial amounts for medicinal delousing. Voltage-gated sodium channels, also referred to as Na+-permeable ion channels (NaV), are identified as the proteins targeted by pyrethroid compounds in both insects and mammals. Multiple mutations have been associated with pyrethroid resistance in insects. However, the mechanism involved in pyrethroid resistance in the salmon louse has yet to be understood. Three variants of the voltage-gated sodium channels have been identified in the salmon louse: NaV1.1, NaV1.2 and NaV1.3. Although the gene sequences are well described, the differences regarding function and significance for development and survival are still unknown. Also, their potential involvement in resistance to pyrethroids in the salmon louse appears uncertain.
RNA interference (RNAi) is a cellular mechanism involved in regulation of gene expression and immune responses in eukaryote organisms. The process is initiated by exposure to double stranded RNA (dsRNA), resulting in enzymatic degradation of corresponding messenger RNA (mRNA). As mRNA is necessary for the synthesis of proteins, expression of the protein-coding gene is silenced. RNAi is extensively used in research for evaluation of the significance of protein-coding genes in an organism. For example, the effect from gene silencing on phenotypic characteristics such as mortality, physical appearance and movement patterns can be observed, and the outcome may depend on the organism and target gene.
In this research project, two aims were established. The first aim was to optimize an RNAi protocol using nauplii I at the laboratory facilities of the NMBU’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Ås. The optimization process was based on an already established protocol from the University in Bergen. The second aim was to evaluate the effect from gene silencing of NaV1.1, NaV1.2 and NaV1.3 on copepodite development, by using the optimized RNAi protocol. Both aims of the present study were met. Nauplii I were exposed to dsRNA targeting the three NaV homologues in separate experiments, from which the effect on copepodite development was assessed. For all three experiments, no difference in successfully developed copepodites (%) was observed when comparing larvae used in test groups and control groups. However, the developmental rate of larvae used in the NaV1.3 experiment was slightly slower compared to those used in the NaV1.1 and NaV1.2 experiments. This was most likely due to a lower temperature during egg string hatching of larvae used in the NaV1.3 experiment. Reduced transcript levels were confirmed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays for all three NaV homologues.
The established RNAi protocol has already been implemented in another research project, for evaluating the effect from gene silencing of mRNA transcripts encoding the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor from the salmon louse (results under processing).Lakselus (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) er en akvatisk ektoparasitt som infiserer laksefisk og ernærer seg av huden, slimet og blodet til verten. Livssyklusen til lakselusen inkluderer åtte utviklingsstadier: nauplius I og II, kopepoditt (infektivt stadium), chalimus I og II, preadult I og II, og adult. Avhengig av størrelsen på fisken og antall lus, vil infestasjon kunne forårsake sår, forstyrrelser i osmoregulering, og den er i verste fall dødelig. For å kontrollere infestasjonspress i oppdrettsanlegg og til ville laksefiskbestander, utsettes oppdrettet laks (Salmo salar) og regnbueørret (Oncorhynchus mykiss) for omfattende avlusningsoperasjoner, enten medikamentelt eller ikke-medikamentelt (IMM). På grunn av hyppig bruk av medikamentelle avlusningsmidler over flere tiår er det i dag resistens mot alle tilgjengelige medikamentelle agens i lakselus. Som følge av den reduserte effekten fra medikamentelle agens utgjør IMM majoriteten av avlusningsoperasjonene som gjennomføres i dag. Slike metoder er både invasive og stressende for fisken, i tillegg til å involvere en risiko for mekaniske skader. På grunn av behovet for IMM utgjør derfor lakselusen en stor trussel mot velferden til oppdrettslaks. For ville laksebestander er parasitten en trussel for velferden på grunn av konsekvensene ved lakselusinfestasjoner. Det drives derfor omfattende forskning på lakselus for å øke kunnskap om gener og proteiner som nye medikamentelle avlusningsmidler kan rettes mot.VET-FORS
Bridging the gap : the role of participatory development in the shift from humanitarian aid to long-term development in Uganda
Get PDFThis study was conducted to explore the intricate relations between participation and self-reliance within Uganda’s refugee policies and the potential of participatory development approaches to give an impetus to a more sustainable transition from humanitarian aid to long-term development in post-conflict settings of Uganda. Exercised through a critical literature review, this research examines the implementation of the Self-Reliance strategy (SRS) in Nakivale Refugee Settlement, uncovering a substantial gap between policy aspirations and the limited empowerment that refugees have experienced for decades. Comparing this study with the Third Northern Uganda Action Fund (NUSAF 3), this thesis looks at the impact of participatory development methodologies like PRA and CDD in contributing to local ownership and contextually tailored development outcomes. The thesis further advocated for a paradigm shift towards development strategies that would recognize the simultaneous matter of this issue, prioritize genuine community participation, build local capacities, and address structural vulnerabilities to achieve actual self-reliance in Uganda and similar contexts.B-D