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New saga in Finland : The rise of Diplodia sapinea in Scots pine
Full text linkThe intensity of fungal virulence is likely to increase in northern forests as climate change alters environmental conditions, favoring pathogen proliferation in existing ecosystems while also facilitating their expansion into new geographic areas. In Finland, Diplodia sapinea, the causal agent of disease called “Diplodia tip blight”, has emerged as a new pathogen within the past few years. To reveal the current distribution of the novel fungal pathogen, and the effect of temperature and rainfall on its distribution, we utilized citizen science for the detection and collection of symptomatic Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) shoots. The Finnish culture collection of D. sapinea was initiated using in vitro cultured symptomatic samples, and selected strains were studied for their virulence and disease cycle. Furthermore, the mycobiome of selected symptomatic and asymptomatic Scots pine shoots was studied using amplicon sequencing and the presence of D. sapinea was confirmed with culturing, qPCR, and species-specific PCR. Based on over 500 Scots pine shoots testing positive for D. sapinea, the distribution of this fungal pathogen is concentrated along the coastal areas of Finland, extending up to 200 km inland from the coastline. The observed presence of D. sapinea followed the period of highest average temperatures recorded in Finland in 2023 and was also found to be related to less precipitation. The amplicon sequencing showed that abundance of D. sapinea was higher in the healthy tissues of symptomatic shoots compared to visually healthy shoots. Similarly, the abundance was higher in samples collected from coastal areas in Southwestern Finland, which are the most heavily impacted by this disease. Here, we show that the presence of D. sapinea is more extensive than previously assumed, and lastly illustrate the hypothesized disease cycle of the fungal pathogen in Finland based on observations made in the field from 2021 to 2024 and in vivo and in vitro studies
Debulking Influenza and Herpes Simplex virus strains by a wide-spectrum anti-viral protein formulated in clinical grade chewing gum
Full text linkLack of Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) vaccine, low vaccination rates of Influenza viruses, waning immunity and viral transmission after vaccination underscore the need to reduce viral loads at their transmission sites. Oral virus transmission is several orders of magnitude higher than nasal transmission. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated neutralization of viruses using a natural viral trap protein (FRIL) formulated in clinical-grade chewing gum. FRIL is highly stable in the lablab bean powder (683 days) and in chewing gum (790 days), and fully functional (794 days) when stored at ambient temperature. They passed the bioburden test with no aerobic bacteria, yeasts/molds, with minimal moisture content (1.28–5.9%). Bean gum extracts trapped HSV-1/HSV-2 75–94% in a dose-dependent manner through virus self-aggregation. Mastication simulator released >50% release of FRIL within 15 min of chewing the bean gum. In plaque reduction assays, >95% neutralization of H1N1 and H3N2 required ∼40 mg/mL, HSV-1 160 mg/mL, and HSV-2 74 mg/mL of bean gum for 1,000 copies/mL virus particles. Therefore, a 2000 mg bean gum tablet has more than adequate potency for clinical evaluation and is safe with no detectable levels of glycosides. These observations augur well for evaluating bean gum in human clinical studies to minimize virus infection/transmission
Time consumption models for predicting harvester productivity when selection cutting, thinning from below, and clearcutting Scots pine-dominated stands in Finnish Lapland
No full textEffects of converting cropland to grassland on greenhouse gas emissions from peat and organic-rich soils in temperate and boreal climates: a systematic review
Full text linkBackground
To align with climate goals, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture must be reduced significantly. Cultivated peatlands are an important source of such emissions. One proposed measure is to convert arable fields on peatlands to grassland, as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) default emission factors (EF) for organic soils are lower from grasslands. Yet, these EFs are based on limited data with high variability and comparisons are difficult due to differences in climate, soil properties, and crop management. This systematic review synthesizes available evidence on the effects of converting cropland to grassland on GHG emissions from peat and organic-rich soils in temperate and boreal climates using data from comparable fields.
Methods
Literature was searched using five bibliographic databases, four archives or search engines for grey literature, and Google Scholar. Eligibility screening was performed in two steps on (1) title/abstract, with consistency among reviewers assessed by double-screening 896 articles, and (2) full text screened by two reviewers. Eligible articles were critically appraised independently by at least two reviewers. Disagreements were reconciled through discussions. Data and key metadata are presented in narrative synthesis tables, including risk of bias assessments. Meta-analyses comparing grasslands with croplands were performed using raw mean difference as the effect size.
Review findings
A total of 10,352 unique articles were retrieved through the literature searches, and 18 articles including 29 studies were considered relevant to answer the review question. After critical appraisal, it was concluded that two articles reported the same data, so a total of 28 studies, comprising 34 comparisons were included in the systematic review. Most of the included studies were conducted in the Nordic countries and Germany, one in Belarus and one in Canada. A meta-analysis was conducted on 24 studies pairing cropland and grassland sites. No significant differences in carbon dioxide (CO2) or methane (CH4) emissions were found. Emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) from grasslands were found to be 7.55 kg ha−1 y−1 lower than from cropland, however the sensitivity analysis showed that the difference was not robust, making it uncertain whether conversion from cropland to grassland has a significant effect on N2O emissions from organic soils. The difference was also smaller when root crops were excluded from the comparator group. Further, net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of CO2 and net ecosystem carbon balance (NECB) were higher in grasslands compared to croplands in cases where the grasslands were fertilized.
Conclusions
This systematic review underlines the ambiguity of GHG emissions from peatlands and their relationship to land use. Our understanding of the factors influencing emissions from these soils remains incomplete, and the specific impact of land use on emissions is still unclear. CO2 emissions represent a major part of the climate impact of cultivated peat soils, so the data analyzed allow to draw the conclusion that a conversion from arable to grassland would not lead to large benefits in terms of GHG emissions, especially if root crops are not part of the arable crop rotation, or the grassland is fertilized
Siian kalastus ja istutustoiminta Suomenlahdella
Full text linkSuomenlahden siikasaalis on viimeisen vuosikymmenen aikana (2012–2023) ollut noin 125 tonnia vuodessa. Siikaa hyödyntävät eniten suomalaiset vapaa-ajankalastajat, joiden arvioidaan pyytäneen siikaa noin 80 tonnia vuodessa eli noin 65 % koko Suomenlahden siikasaaliista. Suomen alueelta pyydetty kaupallinen saalis on ollut noin 30 tonnia vuodessa, Virossa ja Venäjällä kummassakin noin 7 tonnia vuodessa. Lisäksi Virossa vapaa-ajankalastajat pyytävät siikaa muutaman tonnin vuodessa.
Kaikissa kolmessa maassa kaupalliset saaliit ovat olleet 2000-luvulla selvässä laskussa. Suomessa saaliit ovat laskeneet 15 viimeisen vuoden (2008–2023) aikana kolmasosaan ja Virossa neljäsosaan jakson alkuvuosien tasosta. Venäjällä saaliit ovat laskeneet 10 vuodessa alle puoleen aiemmista saaliista. Suomen kaupallisen kalastuksen pyyntiponnistus on samana ajanjaksona laskenut tuntuvasti ja merkittävänä syynä pidetään harmaahylkeiden runsastumista.
Siikaistutuksia on tehty käytännössä vain Suomessa, jossa voimavarat on perinteisesti keskitetty yksikesäisten poikasten istutuksiin, jotka alkoivat jo 1960-luvun lopulla. Istutusmäärät olivat itäisellä Suomenlahdella korkeimmillaan 1990-luvulla, lähes miljoona poikasta vuodessa. Istutusmäärät ovat sittemmin laskeneet ja vuosina 2022 ja 2024 alueelle istutettiin enää alle 200 000 poikasta vuodessa. Läntisellä Suomenlahdella (Uusimaa) yksikesäisten vaellussiikojen istutusmäärät olivat 1990-luvulla hieman alhaisemmat kuin idässä, usein noin puoli miljoonaa poikasta vuodessa. Toisaalta läntiselle Suomenlahdelle istutettiin vuosina 2022–2024 vielä 200 000–600 000 poikasta vuodessa. Lisäksi läntiselle Suomenlahdelle on istutettu yksikesäisiä Bengtsårin saaristosiikoja, jonka istutusmäärät olivat 2000-luvulla lähes yhtä suuria kuin yksikesäisten vaellussiian istutusmäärät, mutta toiminta loppui 2020-luvun alussa.
Siian vastakuoriutuneiden poikasten istutukset aloitettiin Kymijoen alueella jo 1900-luvun alkupuolella. Itäisellä Suomenlahdella vastakuoriutuneiden poikasten vuosittaiset istutusmäärän olivat 1990- ja 2000-luvuilla puolen miljoona ja kolmen miljoonan välillä. Istutusmäärät ovat vähitellen hieman kasvaneet 2010- ja 2020-lukujen aikana keskimäärin runsaan kolmen miljoonan yksilön paikkeille. Läntisellä Suomenlahdella vastakuoriutuneiden istutusmäärät ovat edelleen olleet vähäisiä.
Yksikesäisten poikasten istutusten arvioitiin tuottaneen saalista Suomenlahdella 1990 -luvulla kohtalaisen hyvin, 100–250 kiloa tuhatta istukasta kohti. Arviot ovat todennäköisesti vanhentuneita eivätkä vastaa enää 2020-luvun tilannetta. Vastakuoriutuneiden poikasten istutusten tuloksellisuudesta tai siihen mahdollisesti vaikuttavista tekijöistä ei ole Suomenlahdelle soveltuvaa tutkittua tietoa. Kirjallisuudesta löytyvien tietojen perusteella ensimmäiset istutusten jälkeiset viikot ovat vastakuoriutuneiden poikasten eloonjäännin kannalta kriittistä aikaa
Pilot scale hydrodynamic cavitation and hot-water extraction of Norway spruce bark yield antimicrobial and polyphenol-rich fractions
Full text linkNorway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst) tree bark contains high concentrations of polyphenolic compounds with antibacterial, antioxidant, and antiviral properties. While laboratory-scale extraction studies are relatively abundant, the behavior of biomass properties and compound profiles during upscaled processing have remained underexplored. This study addresses the gap by assessing the industrial feasibility of using an industrial-scale assortment of bark biomass obtained directly from a sawmill. It compares two green pilot-scale extraction methods using only water as the solvent: hydrodynamic cavitation and hot-water extraction. The resulting lyophilized and spray-dried extracts were analyzed for their antibacterial, antiviral, and antioxidant activities, as well as their chemical composition, including carbohydrate, stilbene, tannin, and terpene contents. To further evaluate the industrial potential, a technical feasibility analysis was conducted, highlighting material and energy balances for both extraction processes and identifying areas for improvement. The findings indicate that both extraction methods effectively yielded polyphenol-rich extracts with desirable bioactivities. Notably, hot-water extracts, with slightly higher condensed tannin and stilbene content, exhibited higher antioxidant activity and greater efficacy against enterovirus (coxsackievirus A9), while hydrodynamic cavitation products showed higher activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Lyophilization resulted in slightly lower chain-length, but higher concentrations of tannins and stilbenes compared to spray-drying. Overall, this study demonstrates that upscaled processing of spruce bark can effectively and sustainably produce commercially viable extraction products
Utvikling av fiskemetoder for pukkellaks i Tanaelva : Tilpasning av tradisjonelle laksefiskeredskaper til fiske av fremmede arter
Full text linkPukkellaks er en fremmed art hentet fra Stillehavet, som ble satt ut i Russland fra 1950-tallet i området Kvitsjøen og Kolahalvøya. Siden 2017 har antallet og utbredelsen av pukkellaks vært økende, og spesielt i elvene ved Barentshavet, også i Tanaelva, har antallet blitt mangedoblet i påfølgende oddetallsår. Sommeren 2023 utviklet og utprøvde fiskelag bestående av lokale fiskere redskap tilpasset fiske av pukkellaks i Tanaelva, basert på tradisjonelle laksefiskeredskap, drivgarn og not. Hensikten var også å utvikle metodene slik at bifangsten av de opprinnelige artene, spesielt atlantisk laks, skulle bli minst mulig.
Drivgarnsfiske fungerte bra etter midten av juli for å fange stimer av pukkellaks som samlet seg på grunne, steinete gyteplasser. I begynnelsen av juli, mens pukkellaksen steg oppover, var ikke bruk av drivgarn like effektivt som senere, noe som delvis skyldtes de avvikende forholdene sommeren 2023, da vannstanden i Tanaelva var usedvanlig lav i begynnelsen av sommeren. Av de utprøvde garntypene fungerte de selvlagde drivgarna best, og deretter ferdiggarn med tynnere tråd (0,15–0,25 mm) fra Kivikangas OY, som var svært fiskeeffektive, i begynnelsen av sommeren bedre enn de selvlagde garna med tykkere tråd. De ferdigproduserte garna hadde imidlertid svakere slitestyrke enn de selvlagde, og sensom- merens pukkellaks med skarpe tenner viklet seg på en mer komplisert måte inn i de tynne trådene sammenlignet med de 0,40 mm sterke trådene. Lengden og høyden på garna bør utprøves i enda større utstrekning på ulike fiskeplasser og ved ulik vannstand. Også ulike fargealternativ på trådene skulle sammenlignes.
Å få pukkellaksen løs fra garna og redskapen klar til bruk for fisket på nytt viste seg å være tidskrevende. Dersom drivgarnsfiske skulle utvikles til en mer utvidet form for uttaksfiske, bør det forberedes ved å øke mengden garn og arbeidskraft for å klargjøre garna, slik at selve fisket kan effektiviseres. Som bifangst i drivfisket ble det fanget bare litt atlantisk laks (15 laks, 4845 pukkellaks). For å unngå bifangst er det avgjørende å velge fiskeplassene med omhu. Grunne, steinete områder, også nær bredden, samler gyteferdig pukkellaks, men der treffer man vanligvis ikke på atlantisk laks.
Når gytetiden nærmer seg, fungerte notfiske spesielt godt på grunn steingrunn, hvor man på kort tid kunne fjerne pukkellaks mer effektivt enn med drivgarn. Av forsøk med ulike not- strukturer viste nota laget med færre masker (40mm) uten separat endedel seg som den best egnede, med lettere bevegelighet i strømmen. Fiske med not kunne utvikles videre ved å effektivisere notlagets funksjon, samt ved å utvikle bruk av drone for å lokalisere fisken og styre plasseringen av fiskerne og båtene. Fisket ved bruk av not var på til sammen 703 pukkellaks og 7 atlantisk laks
Soil trenching : are microbial communities alike in experimental peatland plots measuring total and heterotrophic respiration?
Full text linkSoil trenching is a generally applied method used to differentiate heterotrophic respiration (RHET) from total respiration in soil CO2 flux data collection. However, the soil microbial community composition may change due to trenching and estimates of the impacts of any human-induced disturbance on RHET might be inflated if the microbial community involved was not the same as in the ambient untrenched environment. Here, we report that the bacterial and fungal community, as measured by amplicon sequencing, of 30 different research sites in peatland forests was mostly alike in trenched and untrenched plots still four years after trenching. Soil trenching thus seems to be a feasible method to study the RHET from peatland forest soils from the overall microbial community composition point of view as no major changes were observed
Future images of youth on food systems transformation– study with the Finnish high school students
Full text linkAlthough youth have been recognized as an increasingly important group in sustainable development, their participation in the existing practices of food policy and societal decision-making is still limited. This paper analyses future images of youth to better understand how young people assess future trajectories of food systems, and what they see important in terms of sustainability. The future images were collected as essays from 123 high school students from Finland. The results comprise of six different future images: BAU+ , conscious consumer, back to the roots, strict regulation, technology solves sustainability problems and food for survival. The future images of youth question the continued growth narrative by emphasizing technological transformation, consumer responsibility and local food systems as solutions to sustainability problems. Dystopian image is also present in the future images of youth, calling attention to issues worth saving in our current food systems. The exploration of the future images of youth contributes to the Dator’s future typology contextualizing them to the food systems. The results point towards strengthening of futures literacy both in food policy and in education. Futures literacy is needed to act upon challenges faced in a more inclusive manner, whilst building agency in the meantime
Policy Brief: Forest soil challenges in Europe : solutions through sustainable forest management and monitoring
Full text linkSummary of the messages
1. Further measurements and sharing of soil data, models, and expertise are needed to reduce uncertainty in carbon stock changes in GHG inventories.
2. Enhancing soil carbon sequestration on mineral soils and reducing emissions on peatlands can help meet LULUCF climate targets in the EU.
3. Reducing harvests, increasing stocking density and extending rotation length, as well as sustainable post fire management practices, can increase soil carbon stock.
4. Partial peatland hydrology restoration and emission reduction in drained peatland forests can be combined with timber production through continuous cover forestry, avoiding further ditching.
5. Forest restoration to more resilient mixed and broadleaf dominated stands enhances adaptation to climate change.
6. Readily available methods for assessing soil biodiversity, functional redundancy, and community resilience facilitate implementation of the proposed Soil Monitoring Law