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Hästars användning av ligghall i förhållande till dess utformning
Get PDFHästen är ett flockdjur som är i behov av social interaktion, fri rörlighet i alla tre gångarter och tillgång till grovfoder. Enligt lag ska hästar få möjlighet till daglig kontakt med andra hästar. Att vistas i flock dygnet runt ökar hästars trygghet. Grupphästhållning utformat enligt Active Stable® system uppfyller hästars behov av födosök, tuggtid och socialt umgänge. Utevistelse i mer än 16 timmar per dygn under vintern kräver skydd i form av ligghall för att hästarna ska kunna söka skydd samt bibehålla en stabil kroppstemperatur. Placering av ligghallen ska möjliggöra för hästarna att söka skydd mot väder och vind. Utformningen och storlek på ligghall beror på hästarnas storlek, personlighet samt sociala behov. Ligghallen ska också vara utformad så att alla hästar i grupphästhållningen kan vistas i den samtidigt.
För en god hästvälfärd i en grupphästhållning är det viktigt att utforska hästarnas preferenser gällande hur många ligghallar den totala liggytan ska fördelas på. Det saknas studier på vad som händer med hästens beteende när ligghallens yta fördelas på en eller flera ligghallar. Syftet med studien var att undersöka och analysera hästarnas preferenser när det gäller utformning av och antal ligghallar. Frågeställningen för studien var; Hur påverkas användningen av ligghallen om dess yta fördelas på en eller tre ligghallar?
Studien utfördes på Ridskolan Strömsholms aktiva grupphästhållning. Hästarna var av rasen svenskt varmblod, mellan tre och sexton år gamla. Hästarna studerades under två behandlingar, genom inspelningar med kameror. I den första behandlingen hade hästarna tillgång till tre små ligghallar, i den andra behandlingen hade hästarna tillgång till en stor ligghall. Under båda behandlingarna låg den totala liggytan på 280 m². Resultatet visade ingen skillnad i användning av ligghallen beroende på om dess yta fördelades på tre små ligghallar respektive en stor. Den procentuella användningen låg på 36% vid tillgång till tre små ligghallar motsvarande 35% vid tillgång till en stor ligghall. Slutsatsen var att användningen av ligghallen skiljde sig inte om dess yta fördelades på tre små eller en stor ligghall, hästarna spenderade lika mycket tid i ligghallen oberoende av dess indelning. När hästarna hade tillgång till tre små ligghallar förekom mer aggressivt beteende än när de hade tillgång till en stor ligghall.Horses live naturally in a herd on grassland and have therefore a need for social contact and interaction, free movement, and access to roughage. According to the law, horses should have the opportunity for daily contact with other horses. Living in a herd therefore increases horses' feel of security. Housing horses in group according to the Active Stable® system fulfills horses' needs for foraging and chewing time. According to Swedish animal welfare regulations outdoor turnout for more than 16 hours per day during winter requires shelter in the form of a lying hall so that the horses can seek shelter and maintain a stable body temperature. The placement of the lying hall should allow the horses to seek shelter from weather and wind. The design and size of the lying hall depend on the horses' size, personality, and social needs and should also allow all horses in a group to be there at the same time.
For good horse welfare in group housing, it is important to explore the horses' preferences regarding how many lying halls the total resting area should be divided into. There is a lack of studies on what happens to the horse's behavior when the lying area is distributed over one or more lying halls. The aim of the study was to investigate and analyze the horses' preferences regarding the design and number of lying halls. The research question for the study was; How does the use of the resting barns change if their area is divided into one or three resting lying halls?
The study was conducted in the active group housing system at Strömsholm Riding School. The horses were Swedish Warmbloods, ranging from three to sixteen years old. The horses were observed during two treatments through camera recordings. In the first treatment, the horses had access to three small resting areas, while in the second treatment, they had access to one large resting area. Both treatments had a total resting area of 280 m². The results showed no significant difference in the usage of the resting area based on whether it was distributed among three small areas or one large area. The percentage of usage was 36% with three small resting areas and 35% with one large resting area. The conclusion was that the usage of the resting area did not differ whether it was divided into three small areas or one large area, as the horses spent the same amount of time in the resting area regardless of its division. When the horses had access to three small resting areas, there was more aggressive behavior compared to when they had access to one large resting area
Gastrointestinal parasites in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus sp.) : Explorative study of gastrointestinal parasites in reindeer in Norrbotten, Sweden: Prevalence and presence of dominant species
Get PDFRenar i Sverige hålls semi-domesticerade och lever under hårt tryck från predatorer och miljöför-ändringar. Under senare år har dessa utmaningar lett till att utfodring i hägn blivit allt vanligare under vintern, vilket utgör en risk för ökad spridning av parasiter. Med ökat parasittryck samt årlig massanvändning av anthelmintikum ökar risken för uppkomsten av resistenta parasiter. Renens migratoriska natur möjliggör sedan för spridning av de resistenta parasiterna till nya betesområden, där de potentiellt kan infektera våra domesticerade idisslare. Genom att öka vår kunskap om renens parasiter, deras förekomst och smittvägar, blir rennäringen mer rustad att förebygga dessa förändringar och upprätthålla renens goda hälsotillstånd.
Vid undersökning av parasiter i träckprover från 72 renar från Norrbottens län, Sverige, var låggradig, subklinisk infektion vanlig och ägg från släktet Strongylida var det vanligaste fyndet, men även ägg av släktena Capillaria och Trichuris kunde påvisas. Inget statistiskt samband mellan ålder eller årstid vid tidpunkten för provtagning och äggutsöndring kunde fastställas, men äggutsöndringen var genomsnittligt högre hos kalvar samt under sommaren.
Vid sekvensering av nio isolerade nematoder efter larvodling var Mazamastrongylus dagestanica den vanligaste arten, en nematod som även förekommer hos svenska älgar. Ostertagia lepto-spicularis kunde påvisas hos en av individerna och är av intresse då den kan infektera nötkreatur och får, och utgör därmed en risk för spridning av parasiter från vilda till domesticerade idisslare. Renens hjärnhinnemask, Elaphostrongylus rangiferi, påvisades hos en kliniskt frisk sarv, och stärker informationen att E. rangiferi kan förekomma asymptomatiskt och är vanlig hos renar i Fenno-skandia.
Makroskopiska förändringar var ett vanligt fynd vid postmortemundersökning och hade i vissa fall fynd i enlighet med de beskrivna vid infektion med Setaria tundra, renens bukhinnemask, vilket kan ha betydelse för renens generella hälsostatus och motståndskraft.Reindeer management is an ancient form of pastoralism in Sweden where reindeer are held semi-domesticated by the indigenous Sami people. Living under wild conditions, reindeers face significant challenges from predators and environmental changes. In recent years, these challenges have led to an increasing practice of supplementary feeding in corrals during winter, posing a risk of increased parasite load. With increased parasitic pressure and annual use of anthelmintics, the risk of developing resistant parasites grows. The migratory nature of reindeer further enables the spread of resistant parasites to new grazing areas, potentially infecting our domesticated ruminants. By advancing our understanding of reindeer parasites, their prevalence and transmission, the reindeer husbandry becomes better equipped to prevent these changes and maintain the reindeer's overall good health.
When examining parasites in fecal samples from 72 reindeer in Norrbotten County, Sweden, low-grade, subclinical infections were common. Eggs from the Strongylida genus were the most prevalent finding, with occasional findings of eggs from the Capillaria and Trichuris genera. No statistically significant correlation was established between reindeer age or the season at the time of sampling and fecal egg count. However, the average fecal egg count was higher in calves compared to adults and during the summer as opposed to during fall.
Sequencing nine isolated nematodes following larval cultivation revealed Mazamastrongylus dagestanica as the most common species, also found in Swedish moose. Ostertagia leptospicularis was found in one individual, raising concerns as it can infect cattle and sheep as well, posing a risk of parasite transmission from wild to domestic ruminants. The brainworm Elaphostrongylus rangiferi was identified in a clinically healthy yearling, reinforcing that E. rangiferi can occur asymptomatically and is prevalent in reindeer in Fennoscandia.
Macroscopic changes of the liver were a common finding in postmortem examinations, with some changes similar with those described in setariosis (Setaria tundra), potentially impacting the overall health and resilience of reindeer
Corporate narratives in CSR communication?
Get PDFThe thesis explores online CSR communication of mission-oriented companies with the lens of multimodal discourse analysis in order to interpret both instrumental and constitutive nature of the semiotic modes of online CSR communication and its incorporation of corporate narratives. Analysis shows that corporate sustainability and ethical practices are commonly portrayed in their online communication, depicting these brands as front-runners in environment preservation and social responsibility. Through combining cause-based design, branding strategies and encouraging actions in their communication methods, mission-oriented companies portray themselves as ethically accountable entities within public space. Their narratives reinforce the ethical and environmental market landscape which might suppress or challenge viewpoints of the prevailing trends. Their common use of hedonic philanthropy suggests hegemonization of responsibility. This study adds to comprehend the way in which multimodal CSR communication by mission-oriented companies mirrors corporate narratives. Their portrayal of corporate responsibility as an empty signifier in CSR communication leaves room for further investigation into its constitutive landscape
Vart är vi på väg?
Get PDFStadens offentliga gaturum är inte anpassade för att fylla de behov som personer med synnedsättning har, vilket leder till bristande tillgänglighet och exkludering. Syftet med denna fallstudie var därmed att undersöka hur personer med synnedsättning orienterar sig i offentliga gaturum för att få kunskap om deras behov, samt utforska vilka konflikter som kan uppstå i mötet med andra funktioner i gaturummet. I detta ingick även en problematisering av begreppet tillgänglighet, och en diskussion kring koncept såsom aktiva gaturum och estetiska värden som en målsättning för utformningen av gaturum. För att uppnå detta mål genomfördes en litteraturstudie av rådande forskning inom ämnet och semistrukturerade intervjuer med medlemmar i Synskadades riksförbund, både individuellt och under ett av deras evenemang, samt med representanter från stadsbyggnadsförvaltningen i Uppsala kommun, arkitektkontoret Karavan, och Funktionsrätt Uppsala. Parallellt studerades det utvalda gaturummet Stora torget & södra gågatan i Uppsala genom upprepade platsstudier, där gaturummets utformning och tillgänglighet inventerades och analyserades. Resultaten från intervjuerna bearbetades genom tematisering för att hitta gemensamma koncept, och presenterades sedan utefter vilken del av fallstudiens frågeställningar de besvarade. Inventeringskartan, platsstudierna, och kunskapen från Vita käppens dag användes för att utvärdera tillgängligheten för målgruppen i det undersökta gaturummet, där både korrekta och felaktiga inslag lyftes. Resultatet omarbetades ytterligare en gång för att identifiera konflikterna, samt föreslå potentiella lösningar till dem. Lösningsförslagen var enhetlig utformning, samexistens & valmöjligheter, förbättrat informationsutbyte, och en utveckling av tillgänglighetsbegreppet. Som en avslutande del diskuterades resultatet jämfört med teorin som fallstudien vilar på, applikationer av resultatet, andra tolkningar av det, metodkritik, och en reflektion.Public street spaces are not adapted to fulfil the needs of people with visual impairment, which leads to faulty accessibility and exclusion. The purpose of this case study was therefor to investigate how people with visual impairment navigate public street spaces to gain knowledge of their needs, as well as examine what conflicts could arise when meeting other functions in the public street space. This also included an examination of the term accessibility, and a discussion regarding concepts such as active street spaces and aesthetic values as a goal for the design of those spaces. In order to achieve this goal, this case study carried out a literature study of current knowledge within the field, and held semi-structured interviews with members from Synskadades riksförbund, both individually and during one of their events, as well as representatives for the urban planning administration in Uppsala municipality, the architect company Karavan, and Funktionsrätt Uppsala. The chosen public street space Stora torget & södra gågatan was studied parallel to this through repeated place studies, where the public street space’s design and accessibility was inventoried and analysed. The results of the interviews were processed through finding common themes, and were then presented in accordance with which part of the case study’s questions they answered. The inventory map, place studies, and the knowledge collected during Vita käppens dag was used to evaluate the accessibility for the studied group in this public street space, where both correct and incorrect aspects were highlighted. The results were processed once more in order to identify the conflicts, as well as suggest potential solutions to them. The suggested solutions were uniform design, coexistence & creating options, improved communications, and an evolution of the term accessibility. Lastly, the results were discussed, comparing them to the theory the case study is based on, potential applications of the result, other interpretations, critique of the method, and a final reflection on the process
Skolhundar för att minska problematisk skolfrånvaro
Get PDFGenom upplevelsebaserat lärande som bygger på att eleven är både fysiskt och mentalt engagerad och stimulerad genom sensoriska intryck kan en utbildad hund vara en bidragande komponent i undervisningen. Forskning har visat att skolhundar kan ge stöd till elever med problematisk skolfrånvaro genom att vara en del av lärsituationen och välkomnar till klappar, finnas som socialt stöd och reducera stress i lärmiljön. Denna studie är en del av ett pågående forskningsprojekt som undersöker effekterna av utbildade skolhundar och deras hundförare på elever med hög frånvaro i skolan jämfört med en grupp som träffat enbart en pedagog. Projektet omfattar elever i årskurs 4-9 med en förväntad frånvaro på 20-50% innan insatsen. Syftet med detta examensarbete var att utvärdera hur skolhundarna stödjer lärmiljön för några av projektets elever och hur frånvaron förändrades under och efter insatsen. På tre skolor träffade sex elever ett hundteam och fem elever en pedagog individuellt under 30 minuter två gånger per vecka i 10-12 veckor. Instruktioner har getts till alla pedagoger och hundförare om att försöka inkludera skolarbete i sina träffar. Videofilmer från en träff i början, en träff i mitten och en träff i slutet av interventionen analyserades utifrån ett etogram för beteendekodning. Data analyserades deskriptivt och där det fanns tillräckligt med data analyserades det med Wilcoxon Rang Summe test. De aktiviteter som eleverna utförde med hunden var att klappa, ge godis, spela spel, borsta pälsen och prata med hunden. De beteenden hunden utfört med eleven är att sitta eller ligga nära eleven. Resultatet visar att eleverna som fick insats med skolhund skrattade signifikant mer både i duration (p<0,01) och frekvens (p<0,01) samt log signifikant fler gånger (p<0,01) än de elever som fick insats av pedagog. Resultaten visar även att eleverna kommunicerade signifikant (p<0,04) mer samt hade svenska med hundteamet under längre tid än med pedagogen. Frånvaron minskade för nio av elva elever under insatsen, men skiljde sig inte mellan insats med skolhund eller med pedagog. Slutsatsen är att lärmiljön berikades av skolhunden genom de olika aktiviteter som erbjöds och framför allt var anpassade till individens behov. Med hunden som stöd för hundföraren i undervisningen erbjöds ett socialt stöd för eleven och goda relationer kunde skapas genom en anknytning till hunden.Through experiential learning that engages the pupil both physically and mentally, stimulated by sensory impressions, a trained dog can be a contributing component in the educational setting. Research has shown that school dogs can support students with problematic school absence by being part of the learning situation and welcoming the child to pet the dog, providing social support, and reducing stress in the learning environment. This study is part of an ongoing research project investigating the effects of trained school dogs and their handlers on students with high absenteeism in school, compared to a group that only met with a special pedagogue. The project involves students in grades 4-9 with an expected absenteeism of 20-50% before the intervention. The purpose of this master thesis was to evaluate how school dogs support the learning environment for some of the students and how the school absence changed during and after the intervention. At three schools, six students met with a dog team and five students met a special pedagogue individually for 30 minutes twice a week for 10-12 weeks. Instructions were given to all teachers and dog handlers to try to include schoolwork in their meetings. Video recordings from one meeting at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of the intervention were analysed based on an ethogram for behaviour coding. Data were analysed descriptively, and where sufficient data were available, it was analysed using the Wilcoxon Rang Summe test. The activities that students performed with the dog included petting, giving treats, playing games, brushing the dog’s fur, and talking to the dog. The behaviours that the dog performed with the student included sitting or lying close to the student. The results show that students who received the intervention with the school dog laughed significantly more in both duration (p<0.01) and frequency (p<0.01) and smiled significantly more times (p<0.01) than the students who received the intervention from a teacher. The results also show that the students communicated (p<0,04) significantly more and spent more time on Swedish language studies with the dog team than with the teacher. Absenteeism decreased for nine out of eleven students during the intervention but did not differ between the interventions with the school dog or the teacher. The conclusion is that the learning environment was enriched by the school dog through the various activities that were offered, which were especially adapted to the individual's needs. With the dog supporting the handler in teaching, social support was offered to the student, and good relationships through attachment could be formed through a bond with the dog
Kartlaggning av miljofarlig verksamhet i Uppsala under 1800- och 1900-talen
Get PDFThe purpose of the project is to identify and map old industries and businesses in Uppsala who could have caused ground pollutions. The report is intended as a starting point for later more detailed inventories, but also to make fast assessments of the risk of ground pollutions in an area.
The project is based on literature studies, including old maps, photos and old telephone books. Much information was found in the Uppland collection in the Uppsala City library and in the Room of Facts in the Upplands museum.
The report contain, except information about the object themselves, a historical background of the industrial development of the city over the last two hundred years, a description of the different branches and a general risk classification.
Thanks to the clay as an industrial resource, and the location of the city, Uppsala developed from a small rural area to Sweden's forth largest town. In the 19th century most people was working in the agriculture or in numerous small handicraft businesses. In the 19th century many clay industries started outside the town and were, together with the milling industries, the largest enterprises industries in the town.
At the tum to the 20th century,· many businesses changed from handicraft too industrial production. This resulted in larger but fewer enterprises. Larger industries could no longer fit in the city centre and had to move to the outer area, especially to areas close to larger roads, the railroad and the river. Most of the industries were built on the east side of the river because the Crown, the Church and the University owned most land on the west side.
In particular three areas became dominated by industries; Svartbacken in the North, the area around Vaksala torg in the east and Kungsangen in the south. Among the largest were Hastens shoe factory and Fyrisvalls tegelbruk in Svartbacken, Nymans verkstader and Uppsala valskvam near Vaksala torg and Gahns chemical industry, Uppsala silk industry and the Gas works in Kungsangen.
In the beginning of the 20th century the metal industry was one of the largest branches in Uppsala. The largest single company was the bicycle industry ofNymans verkstader, with up to 1 300 employees. Other large branches were textile and shoe industry, grocery industry and chemical industry. The report contains several hundred objects in many different branches.
In the middle of the 20th century many of the industries disappeared. Some of them became bankrupt or was bought up and moved from the town. Instead, people started working at the University, at government offices and in the military. Many of the old industry areas were tom down and were replaced by blocks of flats and business premises. The new industry areas are today located in Libroback, and in the north, in the outer Kungsangen area and in Bolandema and Fyrislund in the South
Glyphosate residues in surface water
Get PDFThe substance glyphosate is widely used in herbicide preparations around the world. The fate of pesticide residues in water and their effect on non-target organisms are of considerable public concern. There is a fear about the potential long-term toxicity of herbicides to man and to aquatic organisms.
There are no formal limits for pesticide concentrations in surface water today. EU, who regulates drinking water in Europe, recommends that the level of 0.1 µgll for individual pesticide shall not be exceeded, a regulation that has been adopted by the Swedish National Food Administration.
The herbicide Roundup with its active substance glyphosate is widely used by farmers in Sweden. Of the total usage of pesticides in Sweden, 30% are pesticides with glyphosate. A rapid annual increase of the glyphosate sale started in 1995. The causes of increased usage of glyphosate are complex.
The aim of this study was to find out if there were any traceable concentrations of glyphosate in surface water from the Uppsala area, in connection with rain events following application in the summer of 2000. This study will hopefully give a hint to the present situation regarding the occurrence of glyphosate residues in surface water in Uppsala.
The sampling of water and soil were made at intervals between the end of June and the end of August. Three different sites were chosen for the study. One at Storvad, River Fyris, the other site is at the Fyris River in Storvreta, at storm water pipe outflows. The third site is the brook Libroback. Soil samples were also taken from a field beside Libroback.
The limit of detection in this study was 0.1 µgll for AMPA and varied from 0.03- 0.05 µ/1 for glyphosate. Sample concentration of glyphosate varied between traces of the substance up to 0.12 µgll. No sample showed concentrations above the detection limit for AMP A.
The concentration of glyphosate and AMPA in soil samples varied between 0.01 µgig and 1.22 µgig for glyphosate, and 0.05 µgig and 0.2 µgig for AMPA
Detection of pesticide residues in rivers of an Atlantic rain forest reserve in Brazil
Get PDFA screening of pesticides in different environmental compartments was performed in rivers of a protected Atlantic rain forest reserve, Parque Estadual Turístico do Alto Ribeira (PETAR). PETAR is located in Ribeira Valley, which is a poor and less developed region in the southern part of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. PETAR is affected by different human activities both inside the reserve and in the surroundings. In the watershed of the rivers draining the reserve there are plantations with tomato as main cash crop. Pesticides are used to a large extent and have been detected in river water sampled in PETAR in 1998 and 1999. In addition to water, this study also includes river sediment and fish muscle tissue. A sampling survey was conducted during the wet season in Betari, Iporanga and Pilões River and small tributaries in their watershed in mid-January 2000. Altogether seven different sites were visited. Two species of bottom dwelling catfish (Order Siluriforme) were selected for the study. One is a carnivorous-insectivorous and piscivorous species called bagre (Rhamdioglanis frenatus, Family Pimelodidae) and the other is a primary consumer called cascudo (Isbrueckerichthys sp. Family Loricariidae). The samples were analysed on GC-ECD/NPD after extraction and clean-up. Pesticides were detected in samples from all the sites examined and the fish have even accumulated some of the more persistent pesticides or metabolites. In all, 27 different pesticides or metabolites were detected. In the screening of water, 106 pesticides were included and 16 were found in the samples. A few of them are considered highly toxic to fish and other aquatic organisms. The sediment was screened for 27 organochlorine compounds (OCs) and pyrethroid pesticides and 14 OCs were included in the study of fish. Seven OCs were found in sediment and ten OCs in fish. Fish from two small streams in Iporanga and Betari watershed seemed to be more contaminated than the other sites and sediment samples from the same Betari tributary contained the highest number of pesticides found in sediment. The results show that the aquatic flora and fauna of PETAR are exposed to pesticides both dissolved in the water and in the sediment. There may be a risk that pesticides in the water reach levels that stress the organisms and cause adverse effects on the aquatic ecosystem. However, it is difficult to quantify the risk to biota exposed since several different stress factors affect them simultaneously and synergistic or antagonistic effects cannot be excluded
Disentangling the effects of goose disturbance and warming on aboveground and belowground processes
Get PDFThe High Arctic tundra is experiencing disproportionate warming compared to the global trend. This warming allows for carbon emissions to be released from organic soil at a higher rate: nevertheless, the warming conditions pose a higher risk in terms of permafrost thaw. Permafrost is any soil that remains frozen for a period of two or more years, trapping carbon and other nutrients in an inaccessible environment. Hence, permafrost acts as a carbon sink. When the permafrost region warms, it allows for this resource to become available for decomposition and release into the atmosphere. This study has been designed to further understand permafrost thaw in the High Arctic under conditions of grubbing disturbance, vegetation community composition shifts, and warming climates. Above-ground and below-ground interactions were investigated through a field study and compared to a 4-month incubation experiment measuring CO2 and CH4 fluxes in organic layer soil The field study found that wet moss tundra created a habitat with high plant productivity and high moisture content. Furthermore, areas with higher grubbing had a thinner organic layer depth, increasing the soil temperature and reducing the moisture level. Nutrient availability was highly dependent on the vegetation, but organic N was the most abundant form of N no matter the site. Through the incubation, it was discovered that CO2 was emitted at much higher levels than CH4. The permafrost inoculated with 10% organic soil had much higher levels of CH4 than organic soils. Furthermore, CH4 emissions changed based on the vegetation, with dry moss tundra emitting higher levels. Overall, this field of study still needs continued research, yet this study has helped to add to the search for an understanding of this environment in changing conditions
Measurement of water content in green stems using thermal properties
Get PDFThe boreal region of Europe has seen a notable increase in spring temperatures which affects the onset of transpiration. Freeze-thaw temperature cycles are characteristic of early spring, but transpiration is difficult to measure under these conditions. Sap flow sensors can estimate transpiration in trees by using the relationship between wood thermal properties (volumetric heat capacity and thermal diffusivity) and stem water content. Rapid temperature changes that occur during freeze-thaw cycles are known to introduce error in these calculations, and the relationship between stem water content and thermal properties needs validation across temperature gradients to produce reliable estimates of transpiration in spring. The purpose of this study is to achieve the following research aims: 1) Establish a relationship between changes in water content and volumetric heat capacity of three boreal tree species: birch, pine and spruce. 2) Establish a relationship between changes in volumetric heat capacity and thermal diffusivity of the three boreal tree species. 3) Identify whether heat pulse sap flow sensors can reliably estimate thermal properties within a temperature range of -15 to 25ºC. 4) Use point dendrometers to determine the role of stem water content in diameter fluctuations during freeze-thaw cycles. The results showed a temperature-dependent limit to reliable measurements of stem water content using current sensor methods. Thermal properties can be related to water content, but require parameterization near the freezing threshold and for rapid temperature change. Stem expansion from ice formation does occur during freezing, and should be taken into account when using diurnal cycles of stem diameter change to mark the onset of spring transpiration. This study contributes to understanding whole-tree water use and measurements of transpiration during shifting spring conditions, with implications for measuring the effect of climate change on forest functioning