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The impact of consumers’ preferences for domestic food on dietary sustainability
Get PDFA sustainable dietary transition requires knowledge of the drivers and barriers of dietary choices. We investigate the role of preferences for domestic food, as well as environmental and health concerns, as drivers for the consumption of red and white meat, fish, ready-made plant-based food products and self-identification as some type of meat reducer (flexitarian, vegetarian, or vegan). A survey of 1102 consumers was conducted in Norway with questions about food attitudes, beliefs and preferences regarding health, the environment and domestic food as well as dietary habits and demographics. The results from interval and logistic regression analyses show that stronger preferences for domestic food are associated with higher consumption of red meat and a lower likelihood of eating plant-based food and identifying as a meat reducer. Health concerns are associated with higher consumption of white meat and fish, and environmental concern is associated with lower consumption of white meat and a higher likelihood of eating plant-based food. The results also confirm previous research results that disbelief regarding the negative health and environmental impacts of meat correlate with higher meat consumption and a lower likelihood of eating plant-based food. In addition, we find that people who believe that Norway is a country primarily suited for livestock production have higher consumption of meat and a lower likelihood of eating plant-based food. We conclude that to make certain consumers transition away from meat, it is important to provide domestically produced, plant-based alternatives and to implement policy measures that will generate positive storylines of improved farmer livelihoods.publishedVersio
Toward better targeting of mitigation measures for reducing phosphorus losses from land to water: Andrew Sharpley's legacy in Norway and Sweden
Get PDFNordic agriculture faces big challenges to reduce phosphorus (P) loss from land to water for improving surface water quality. While understanding the processes controlling P loss and seeking for P mitigation measures, Norwegian and Swedish researchers have substantially benefited from and been inspired by Dr. Andrew Sharpley’s career-long, high-standard P research. Here, we demonstrate how Sharpley and his research have helped theNordic researchers to understand the role of cover crops in cold environmental conditions, best manure P management practices, and ditch processes. His work on critical source area (CSA) identification and site assessment tool development have also greatly inspired our thinking on the targeting of mitigation measures and the contextualizing tools for Nordic climate, landscape, and soils.While reflecting on Sharpley’s legacy, we identify several needs for Norwegian and Swedish P research and management. These include (1) tackling the challenges caused by local/regional unevenness in livestock density and related manure management and farm P surpluses, (2) identifying CSAs of P loss with high erosion risk and high P surplus, (3) obtaining more high-resolution mapping of soils with low P sorption capacity both in the topsoil and subsoil, (4) improving cross-scale understanding of processes and mitigation measures and proper follow-up of applied mitigation measures, and (5) increasing collaborations of researchers with farmers and farmers’ advisory groups and watershed groups by developing high-quality educational courses and extension materials. The needs should be addressed in the context of the challenges and opportunities created by climate change.publishedVersio
Kor mykje nitrogengjødsel skal enga ha? Samanstilling av tidlegare forsøksresultat
Get PDFNitrogengjødsling (N-gjødsling) har sterk avlingsdrivande effekt i eng. I seinare tid har det vore ein diskusjon om gjødslingsnormene til eng er for låge, blant anna fordi råproteininnhaldet i surfôr er lågt ut frå det ein meiner bør vera i fôrrasjonen til mjølkeku. Data frå nyare forsøksseriar i eng, gjennomførte mellom 2004 og 2021, der N-gjødslingsnivå var med som forsøksfaktor, vart stilt saman og analysert statistisk. Det var skild mellom forsøk med to og tre slåttar. Maksimal årsavling var ved 31,1 kg N/daa for eng slått tre gonger, men det var ingen sikker forskjell i årsavlinga med gjødsling mellom 24 og 31,1 kg N/daa. Likeins var det maksimal avling ved 27 kg N/daa for eng slått to gonger årleg, men ingen sikker forskjell på årsavlinga med gjødsling mellom 15 og 27 kg N/daa. For eng gjødsla med 10 kg N frå husdyrgjødsel i forsøksperioden og slått tre gonger årleg, var det ingen sikker forskjell i gjødsling mellom 15 og 31,1 kg N/daa. Råproteinkonsentrasjonen i årsavlinga endra seg lite med aukande N-gjødsling ved nivå under 20 kg N/daa ved tre slåttar og 15 kg N/daa ved to slåttar årleg. Men når N-gjødsling auka ut over det som gav maksimal avling, var det sikker auke i råproteinkonsentrasjonen. Aukande N-gjødsling auka fiberinnhaldet (NDF) i årsavlinga, men hadde liten effekt på energiverdien (FEm). Innhaldet av vassløyselege karbohydrat minka med aukande N-gjødsling. Nitrogenavlinga og N-balansen auka lineært med N-gjødslinga. Konklusjonen er at det ikkje er noko grunn til å endre N-gjødslingsnormene i gjødslingshandboka til NIBIOpublishedVersio
The Role of the Agricultural Sector in Renewable Energy Production - Norway compared to EU Countries
Get PDFThis NIBIO report analyzes the role of agriculture in renewable energy production in Norway compared to EU countries. A detailed analysis explores renewable energy from agriculture, particularly biofuels and agricultural biogas.The Role of the Agricultural Sector in Renewable Energy Production - Norway compared to EU CountriespublishedVersio
Mammalian community responses in relation to anthropogenic disturbances and resource gradients in the shade coffee forest ecosystem of Southwestern Ethiopia
Get PDFUnderstanding the effects of variation in resource availability and habitat disturbance on the ecology of mammals is vital for successful conservation management. In this study, we examined how human disturbances, resource availability and elevation gradients influence mammal assemblages in both managed coffee forest and natural forest of the Belete-Gera National Forest Priority Area, southwestern Ethiopia. We surveyed mammals using motion-detecting infrared camera traps in 90 locations for a total of 4142 camera days. We measured distance from main roads and settlements as disturbance factors, and distance from water sources, key grazing sites, and forest edges and woody plant diversity as resource variables. We assessed the mammal assemblages in coffee forest and natural forests using generalized linear models. Further, we used linear modelling to compare the relationships of mammal detection rates by feeding guilds and body size to resource variables. In total, we recorded 8815 videos identifying 23 different mammal species. The mammal assemblages in coffee forests were negatively associated with increasing distances from key grazing sites, water sources, and elevation. In contrast, the association with increasing distance from the road and woody plant diversity was positive. In addition, herbivores and large (25–200 kg) and very large (≥200 kg) mammals, were all negatively associated with increasing distance from the natural forest edges. With the conversion of natural forest to coffee forest and the intensification of coffee forest management, sustainable management of key grazing sites, water sources, and diverse woody plant species will be essential to the conservation of mammals. In addition, to ensure mammal conservation, adjacent natural forests around coffee forests should also be protected.publishedVersio
Uttesting av jordbærsorter i 2023 - Avling og plantevekst hos åtte sorter dyrket ved NIBIO Tromsø
Get PDFBærproduksjon med dyrking av produksjonsklare planter i et vekstsubstrat på opphøyde stativer i høye plasttunneler har gitt nye muligheter for bærproduksjonen i den nordlige landsdelen. Produksjonsformen krever en rekke innsatsfaktorer og setter krav til høye avlinger av god kvalitet, for å sikre lønnsomhet.Uttesting av jordbærsorter i 2023 - Avling og plantevekst hos åtte sorter dyrket ved NIBIO TromsøpublishedVersio
Temporal and spatial variation in the direct and indirect effects of climate on reproduction in alpine populations of Ranunculus acris L
Get PDFPlant reproduction in alpine environments is affected by climate both directly through climate impacts on growth and phenology, and indirectly through impacts on the biotic interactions affecting pollination success. These effects can be highly variable in time and space. In this study we investigated how different abiotic and biotic factors influence reproductive investment and success in populations of Ranunculus acris across an alpine landscape over a two-year period. In an alpine area at Finse, southern Norway, we measured reproductive investment (total seed mass) and reproductive success (seed-set rate) in 38 sites differing in temperature (related to elevation) and length of the growing season (related to time of snowmelt). To assess biotic interactions, we measured floral density and pollinator visits and conducted a supplemental pollen experiment. Reproductive investment and success increased with temperature, but only when floral density and/or number of pollinator visits was high, and only in the warmer year (2016). Reproduction in R. acris was pollen-limited in both years, especially at warmer temperature and in sites with early snowmelt. Pollinator visits increased with temperature and with higher floral density, suggesting a shift in relative importance of the biotic factors (from plants to pollinators) in limiting reproduction with increasing temperature. Our study shows that reproductive investment and success in R. acris is affected by climate through the interactive effects of abiotic and biotic processes. These effects vary between years and across the landscape, suggesting a potential for larger-scale buffering of climate change effects in heterogeneous landscapes.publishedVersio
Semi-mechanized planting of saplings: Pivotal results on the efficiency of a new method
Get PDFLarge clear-cut areas as a consequence of drought and bark beetle infestations necessitate extensive replanting efforts in German forests, leading to an increased interest in efficient planting systems. In addition to manual planting, mechanized and semi-mechanized systems utilizing surplus forest machine capacities available after completion of salvage logging operations are likely required for timely reforestation of the clear-cut areas. A semi-mechanized system utilizing a standard forwarder with a grapple-actuated soil borer for both, the transport of planting material and the preparation of planting pits, combined with two workers carrying out manual planting, was investigated in a time-and-motion study. The frequency method was used after video recording of a planting operation that covered an area of approximately 1.2 hectares. A total of 815 alder saplings (Alnus glutinosa L.) with heights of 1.2–1.5 m were planted. Observed productivity was 93 saplings per system work hour (SWH). With additional placement of stakes for stabilizing the plants, the productivity decreased to 42 saplings per SWH. While directly comparable results were not found in the literature, available productivity figures of purely manual planting systems do not suggest an increased productivity of this semi-mechanized system. Considering ergonomics, however, forwarder utilization provides reduced workload not only in plant hole preparation but also with material transport and clearing of planting spots. Both the ergonomic aspects of the system and, in particular, the suitability of the soil borer for different soil textures should be further investigated.publishedVersio
Willingness to pay for fast-track tickets in the alpine skiing industry: a case study of a Norwegian ski resort
Get PDFWe evaluate a fast-track ticket alternative in the alpine skiing industry using data from a survey of skiers at a major ski resort in Norway. We estimate price-response functions, optimal prices for fast-track tickets and use regression to analyse the most important characteristics of skiers who demand the fast-track ticket alternative. Our findings show that the additional willingness to pay for a fast-track ticket over the standard day-pass ticket ranges from 4% (one minute waiting time) to 13% (20 minutes waiting time). The skiers with the highest demand for the fast-track ticket alternative are typically single men living near the ski resort who do most of their alpine skiing during the weekend. Some respondents expressed critical concerns regarding the fast-track ticket alternative, and we therefore discuss some customer acceptance challenges and ethical aspects associated with such an alternative.publishedVersio
Skjøtselsplan for slåttemarka på Mastervika i Hemnes kommune, Nordland
Get PDFUtarbeidelse av skjøtselsplanen for Mastervika i Hemnes kommune er utført på initiativ fra grunneieren og landbruksavdelingen i Hemnes kommune, Nordland. Skjøtselsplanen gir faglig funderte anbefalinger for skjøtsel av den trua naturtypen slåttemark. Den baserer seg på feltbefaring og intervju med brukeren. Rapporten er delt inn i to hoveddeler. Første del gir en kort beskrivelse av naturtypen. Andre del er rettet mot den som skal utføre skjøtsel og forvaltningen, og omhandler naturgrunnlaget og dagens drift i området, samt beskrivelsen av konkrete restaurerings- og skjøtselstiltak innenfor lokaliteten.Skjøtselsplan for slåttemarka på Mastervika i Hemnes kommune, NordlandpublishedVersio