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Markavvattning i svenskt jordbruk ur ett nutida och framtida perspektiv
Get PDFDen här uppsatsen är resultatet av en litteraturstudie av markavvattning i svensk växtodling. Syftet med studien var att identifiera brister i organisationen av denna vattenverksamhet, både ur ett nutida och ur ett framtida perspektiv, samt att undersöka hur dessa brister kan åtgärdas.
En brist är att det saknas kompetenta rådgivare och konsulter inom området. Särskilt när en samfällighet ska återaktiveras eller en fastighetsägare upptäcker att hen helt eller delvis äger och/eller ansvarar för en vattenanläggning kan det behövas någon att rådfråga. Satsningarna på att ta fram kompetenta rådgivare och konsulter bör ökas.
Ett annat område där det finns utrymme för förbättring är lagstiftningen. Uppdimensionering och nyanläggning för att hantera den ändrade markanvändningen och klimatförändringarna försvåras av hårda krav på tillstånd. En möjlig lösning är att markavvattning delas in i olika nivåer och prövas utifrån hur stor miljöpåverkan skulle bli. Även arrendelagstiftningen kan ses över, för att stimulera investeringar på arrenderad mark.
Utbyte av utslitna delar, uppdimensionering och nyanläggning kan vara kostsamt. Men behovet av sådana investeringar är och kommer fortsatt vara stort. Ökade stöd för dräneringsåtgärder i kommande strategiska planer för den gemensamma jordbrukspolitiken skulle kunna ha en stimulerande verkan.
Markavvattning kan stå i målkonflikt med miljövård. Det är viktigt att jordbruket inte prioriteras bort i vårt miljöarbete.This bachelor’s thesis is a literature review on the subject of artificial soil drainage in Swedish crop production. The purpose was to identify flaws in the organization of this agricultural water management, from both a present-day and a future perspective, as well as investigate what could be done about these flaws.
One flaw is that there is a lack of competent advisors and consultants in the field. Especially when an association owning a drainage system is to be reactivated or a proprietor learns that they have ownership of and/or responsibility for a drainage system there may be need for advice. Investments in increasing the number of competent advisors and consultants in the field should be made.
Another area with room for improvement is legislation. Increasing the dimensions on already existing drainage systems and building new ones is made difficult by the strict requirement to have a permit. A possible solution is to break down the act of increasing dimensions or building new systems into different levels based on how big the environmental impact is and loosen the requirements for the levels where it is small. The legislation regulating tenant farming can be looked over as well, to stimulate investments in drainage systems on sublet land.
Replacement of worn-out parts, increase of dimensions and construction of new systems can expensive. At the same time, the need for these investments is and will continue to be big. Benefits for investing in drainage could have a stimulating effect.
Artificial soil drainage can be in conflict with environmental protection. It is important that agriculture is not overlooked in our work with environmental protection
Dietary effects on growth and fecundity of Chironomus riparius: The role of fatty acids
Get PDFLaboratory experiments were conducted to study the importance of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUF A), in particular eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5ro3), for growth, development, and fecundity of the detrivorous midge Chironomus riparius. Larvae were fed Tetraphyll®, a commercial fish food, oatflakes, and the cyanobacteria Spirulina sp. Tetraphyll® is rich in the essential fatty acids of the ro3- and ro6- families and contains modest concentrations of EPA (PUF A content 36% ). Oatflakes are rich in linoleic acid (18:2ro6) and relatively poor in a.-linolenic acid (18:3ro3) (PDFA 44%) and lack longchain (>20 C) PDFAs. Spirulina, in contrast, contains y-linolenic acid (18:3ro6) and low concentrations of EPA (PUF A 21 % ). Additionally, feeding experiments were conducted with the green alga Scenedesmus obliquus (rich in 18:3ro3, poor in 18:3ro6, but lacking EPA, PDFA 47%), and with artificially EPA-supplemented Scenedesmus. Experimental endpoints were larval and adult size, survival, fatty acid composition of larvae, development rate, and fecundity.
Growth rates of larvae were affected both by food type and food concentration for Tetraphyll®, oatflakes and Spirulina, but only by food concentration for Scenedesmus and EPA-supplemented Scenedesmus. Highest growth rates were reached in the Tetraphyll®, oatflakes and Spirulina treatments. Growth was not improved with supplementation of Scenedesmus with EPA. In larval bodies, palmitic acid (16:0), palmitoleic acid (16:lro7) and linoleic acid (18:2ro6) were the dominant fatty acids. Adult midge size showed strong positive relationship with food concentration in treatments with Tetraphyll® (r=0.97), oatflakes (r=0.98) and Spirulina (r=0.93) whereas no relationship was found between fecundity and food type.
The FA analysis of larval bodies showed that Chironomus is able to synthesise longchain PDF A from shorter precursor FA and that the conversion capacities apparently meet their physiological demands. The results also showed that even at low concentrations Chironomus growth is apparently not limited by the absence oflong-chain PDF A, thereby contradicting results from zooplankton studies
Monkeys and policies
Get PDFIn Nepal, common wild animals outside of protected areas are under the same legal protection as
rare or red-listed species. Meanwhile, monkeys, porcupines, deer, leopards and wild boars are
causing extensive damage on crops and livestock, threatening the livelihoods of people depending
on subsistence farming. This thesis presents an analysis of human-wildlife conflicts in the mid-hill
districts of Nepal, using concepts within the field of political ecology. By examining key actor’s
understandings of causes and possible solutions to the conflicts, the study highlights that the
perspectives and knowledge systems of actors oriented towards conservation dominates in processes
of policy-making, while there is little space for local voices and insufficient intersectoral
collaboration. The strict protection of all species means that conservation is prioritized over the
needs of local livelihoods. Moreover, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the wildlife systems
outside of protected areas in Nepal, and the management of common species is without objectives.
Therefore, the thesis emphasizes the importance of adopting a more nuanced approach to wildlife
management that balance the needs of both people and wildlife
Effects of forest management on understory plant traits and biodiversity
Get PDFBoreal forests are one of the largest terrestrial carbon sinks and provide a variety of ecosystem services. With the threat of climate change and biodiversity loss in these forests, industries that utilize the natural products within the forests share a responsibility to maintain the forest and the ecosystem services they provide. With the majority of vegetation studies focusing on trees, understory vegetation and the services they provide are often overlooked. The Swedish model of forestry is being questioned on its ability to replicate natural disturbances as it is unclear on the differences between clear-cuts and fire disturbances. This study investigates how clear-cuts and fire disturbed forest stands differ over time through nitrogen, plant traits, and biodiversity values. I observed a chronosequence of managed and fire burned stands and measured the total cover, species composition, and available nutrient pools to investigate the differences. The results of this study emphasises the responses forests and their understory have to different disturbances over a long period and show that managed stands had higher available nitrogen pools in the soil, a novel species composition compared to the fire burned stands, and lowered biodiversity values over time. Stands with a known fire history had lower available nitrogen pools, an expected species composition, and higher alpha diversity and lower beta diversity over time. This study highlights the different complex responses understory plants have to management over the long term and shows that management on forests lead to faster degradation of soil and biodiversity over time
Push-pull management of the Black Coffee Twig Borer (Xylosandrus Compactus) in Smallholder Coffee Farms in Uganda
Get PDFThe coffee industry in Uganda plays a critical role contributing to its export earnings. However, it is
severely affected by a biotic stressor, the Black Coffee Twig Borer (BCTB), causing unstable income due to BCTB-infested yield loss in smallholder farms. The Ugandan smallholder coffee farmers face challenges to control the BCTB due to some knowledge gaps such as limited understanding of BCTB biological behavior and environmental triggers of infestations. The field trial employed a push-pull management strategy, i.e a combination of repellents and attractants in search of a sustainable solution.
This was combined with a semi-structured interview and an online survey to draw a full picture of the situation. In eight plots in Kamuli district of Uganda, two repellent treatments i.e. verbenone (T1) and synergy of verbenone and methyl salicylate (T2) were applied in a slow release device and infestation was monitored. Both treatments decreased the total number of infested twigs and total number of new entry
holes at early stages, with T2 showing a more profound effect. T1 and T2 also lowered the number of borers captured by attractant traps as compared to control. However, the effectiveness of both repellents decreased over time. Interestingly, a significant positive relationship was found between shade level and infestation rate under control and T1, also confirmed farmers’ answer in the survey and interview, stating that a higher shade level might contribute to a more severe BCTB infestation. No correlation was,however, found under T2, which may indicate that repellency of BCTB may disrupt the otherwise clear effect of shade on infestation levels. Farmers commonly practiced intercropping in their coffee farms for varying purposes. However, they lacked the knowledge of selecting the best intercrops to avoid elevating the BCTB infestation rate. Additionally, the interview showed good awareness of farmers of the BCTB problem, but poor ability to identify and cope with it. Removing infested material such as twigs and plants
and burning them are known to be an effective way to control BCTC infestation level, but it is hard for coffee farmers to manage to do it due to labor intensive work. The interview also identified a large gap of perception between farmers and extension officers about the accessibility and quality of the services. This results that extensions services are nor fully capable of serving the needs of the farmers, and that communication can be improved. This thesis work aims to examine the effectiveness of the two types of repellents on mitigating BCTB infestation based on data acquired from local Ugandan-farm-grown coffee trees. This work was also designed to update the local people’s perception on BCTB management. The research can be further deepened to more detailed research on the mechanisms behind the repellents. The information extracted from the interview depicts the unstable coffee cultivation system in Uganda, highlighting the need for a more effective extension service system in the future
Harvesting productivity and costs in continuous cover forestry : a case study of continuous cover forestry methods at SCA Skog AB
Get PDFTrakthyggesbruk har dominerat det svenska skogsbruket sedan 1950-talet. På senare år har beslut som påverkar skogssektorn och skogsbruket ökat till följd av olika policyintitiativ inom Europeiska unionen (EU), nationella strategier och lagstiftning. År 2020 presenterades EUs skogsstrategi för år 2030, där hyggesfritt skogsbruk förespråkas, skogsbranschen står inför ett skifte där hyggesfria metoder efterfrågas som alternativ till trakthyggesbruket.
Detta arbete syftade till att undersöka skördarens samt skotarens produktivitet samt kostnader vid drivning av trakter som behandlas med olika hyggesfria metoder. Arbetet genomfördes i samarbete med Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget, SCA.
Studien genomfördes genom att driftsdata samlades in via SCAs IT-system. Dataurval genomfördes utifrån specifika kriterier, datat förbereddes sedan inför analyser. Prediktionsmodeller för produktiviteten skapades för att undersöka faktorer som påverkade produktiviteten, samt om det skiljde sig mellan de olika hyggesfria metoderna. Produktiviteten för skördare samt skotare i hyggesfria metoder jämfördes med slutavverkning. Produktiviteten jämfördes mellan arbetslag med mer eller mindre erfarenhet av hyggesfria metoder. Utifrån produktivitetsdata kunde drivningskostnader samt totalkostnader beräknas för trakter som avverkats med hyggesfria metoder och jämföras med slutavverkning.
Resultaten från de linjära regressionsmodellerna visade att ingen av de hyggesfria modellerna signifikant påverkade produktiviteten och samma modell var tillämpbar för de hyggesfria metoderna.
Produktiviteten var 13 % lägre för skördarna i de hyggesfria metoderna (21,9 m3fub/G0h) jämfört med slutavverkning (24,9 m3fub/G0h) vid samma förhållanden. Produktiviteten var 9 % lägre för skotarna i hyggesfria metoder (21,1 m3fub/G0h) i jämförelse med slutavverkning (23,1 m3fub/G0h) vid samma förhållanden. Följaktligen var den beräknade drivningskostnaden för slutavverkning lägre än den beräknade drivningskostnaden för hyggesfria metoder.
För skotningen hade arbetslagen med mindre erfarenhet av hyggesfria metoder oväntat nog en signifikant högre produktivitet än arbetslagen med mer erfarenhet.
Studien jämförde flera olika hyggesfria metoder med slutavverkning i samma studie. Datamaterialet omfattade ett stort antal trakter i ett stort geografiskt område. Det är ett relativt nytt forskningsområde och fler framtida studier krävs för att skapa en bred förståelse kring drivningsproduktiviteten och kostnader i hyggesfritt skogsbruk.Rotation forestry, with even aged stands regenerated by clearcutting, has been the dominant silvicultural system in Swedish forestry since the 1950s. In recent years, decisions affecting the forestry sector and forest management have increased due to various policy initiatives within the European Union (EU), national strategies, and legislation. In year 2020, the EU presented its Forest Strategy for year 2030, advocating for silvicultural systems that can serve as alternatives to clearcutting (continuous cover forestry, CCF). The forestry sector is facing a shift as continuous cover forestry methods are in demand as replacements or complement to clearcutting. This study aimed to investigate the productivity and costs of harvesters and forwarders in the management of areas treated with different continuous cover forestry methods. The study was conducted in collaboration with Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget (SCA).
The study involved data collection through SCA's monitoring system. Data selection was performed based on specific criteria, and the data were then prepared for analysis. Predictive models for productivity were created to examine factors affecting productivity and whether differences existed between the various continuous cover forestry methods. The productivity of harvesters and forwarders in continuous cover forestry methods was compared to final felling. Productivity was also compared between work teams with varying levels of experience in continuous cover forestry methods. Based on the productivity data, forwarding costs and total costs for stands managed with continuous cover forestry methods were calculated and compared to final felling.
The results from the linear regression models showed that none of the continuous cover forestry methods significantly affected productivity, and the same model could be applied to all continuous cover forestry methods.
Harvester productivity was 13 % lower in continuous cover forestry methods (21.99 m³fub/G0h) compared to clearcutting (24.87 m³fub/G0h) under the same conditions. Forwarder productivity was 9 % lower in continuous cover forestry methods (21.12 m³fub/G0h) compared to clearcutting (23.09 m³fub/G0h) under the same conditions. Consequently, the calculated forwarding cost for final felling was lower than the corresponding cost for continuous cover forestry methods.
Interestingly, for forwarding, work teams with less experience in continuous cover forestry methods had significantly higher productivity than teams with more experience.
The study compared multiple continuous cover forestry methods with final felling within the same research framework. The dataset included many stands across a wide geographical area. This is a relatively new area of research, and further studies are needed to build a comprehensive understanding of productivity and costs in continuous cover forestry
Dynamic outdoor areas in preschools : with focus on Kråkekullen preschool in Gothenburg
Get PDFFörskolegårdar blir allt mindre och har i många fall bristande kvalitet till följd av slitage och en monoton utformning. Samtidigt är förskolegården den plats där barn spenderar den största delen av sin utevistelse. Därför är förskolegårdens kvalitet viktig för barns lek och utveckling.
Arbetets mål har varit att genom litteraturstudier, observationsstudier och gestaltning undersöka och sammanställa kunskap om vilka kvaliteter som är viktiga för en bra förskolegård som främjar barns lust till lek, fysisk aktivitet och lärande. Som fokus för arbetet var förskolan Kråkekullen i Göteborg där förskolegården utvärderas genom en observationsstudie där teorierna affordances och behavior settings utgör en grund till kategoriseringen av olika zoner i lekmiljön. Resultatet av litteraturen och fallstudien sammanfattades i gestaltningsprinciper och ett förslag för hur de skulle kunna implementeras på förskolegården.
Resultatet visade att viktiga egenskaper för nt bra lekmiljö är en kombination av tillräckligt stort utrymme, varierad terräng, rumslighet efter barns behov och närvaron av natur- och lösa material. Det framkom också att möjligheten att manipulera material och påverka sin egen miljö genom att gräva och bygga var meningsfullt för barns lek, liksom möjligheten för riskfylld lek. Kunskapen om att stor yta och varierad terräng är viktig för barn kan vara viktig i framtida planering och placering av förskolegårdar.Preschool outdoor yards are diminishing in size and often lack quality due to excessive wear and a monotonous design. Yet, preschool yards represent where children spend most of their outdoor time. The quality of preschool yards are therefore pivotal for children’s play and development.
This study aimed to investigate and collect knowledge about the essential qualities of a high-quality preschool yard that appeals to children in terms of play, physical activity and learning. This was executed through a literature review, observational studies and a design study. The focus was on Kråkekullen preschool in Gothenburg, where the outdoor yard was evaluated using observational studies based on the theories of affordances and behavior settings, categorizing different zones within the play environment. The literature findings and case study results were synthesized into design principles and proposals for implementation on the yard.
The results highlighted that crucial features for an optimal play environment include sufficient space, varied terrain, spatiality based on children’s needs, and the presence of natural and loose materials. Furthermore, opportunities for material manipulation and shaping their own environment through digging and building were also found to be meaningful for children’s play, alongside opportunities for risky play. Understanding the importance of sufficient space and diverse terrain for children can shed light on future planning and placement of preschool playgrounds
Enkätundersökning – Hur utfodras och hålls den privatägda islandshästen i Sverige?
Get PDFThe population of the Icelandic horse is big in Sweden and according to Hästnäringens Nationella Stiftelse (2023) it is the fourth biggest breed in the country in 2021. According to the insurance company Agria (2023) the Iclandic horse is the second most popular breed in Sweden. In 2014 it was 25 562 Icelandic horses registered in Sweden and 6400 members in the Swedish Icelandic Horse Association. This survey examines how Icelandic horses in Sweden was housed and fed in 2015.
A web-based survey was formed and open for Icelandic horse-owners in Sweden and a total of 591 responses where collected. The results showed that Icelandic horses in Sweden were housed outdoors around the clock or in a stable at night and paddock by day. Of the respondents 36.5 % calculated a diet and 18 % did it for some of the horses. Concentrates were fed by 64.3 % of the respondents and 76.6% were feeding mineral feedstuff. The most popular concentrate was müsli. A mineral pellet was most popular as a mineral feed.
Horses that competed on a national level were fed concentrates at a higher amount than horses that was not competing at all. All over, the horses that were competing were fed concentrate at a higher rate
In harmony with nature : an action proposal for the proposed nature reserve Gamla Uppsala åskullar with a focus on strengthening biodiversity and accessibility
Get PDFMänniskans distansering från naturen är ett allt vanligare fenomen som ökar i takt med att närheten till naturen för många är bristfällig. Det ökade avståndet till naturen och den bristande naturkontakten kan ses som en orsak till den ökade ohälsan som är ett utbrett samhällsproblem, eftersom naturupplevelser har hälsofrämjande effekter. Den svaga naturkontakten kan bero på att allt fler människor bosätter sig i urbana miljöer, där avstånd till grönområden ökar. Den stadsnära naturen utgör därför för många människor den mest förekommande kontakten med grönområden. Samtidigt hotar exploatering värdefulla naturområden och dess biologiska mångfald. Antalet habitat minskar globalt vilket är oroväckande eftersom biodiversitet och ekosystem utgör en nyckelroll till allt liv på jorden. Att skydda och utforma naturområden utifrån ett ekologiskt perspektiv och att åter sammanföra människan med naturen genom att underlätta rörelsen till och användningen av stadsnära naturområden är därför av stor betydelse i omställningen till ett mer hållbart och hälsofrämjande samhälle. Som arbetsområde för denna studie har Gamla Uppsala åskullar valts eftersom det är ett stadsnära naturområde med unik ängsflora som i skrivande stund utreds som ett nytt naturreservat i norra Uppsala. Intentionen med arbetet är att undersöka hur ekologiskt inriktade åtgärdsförslag i ett naturreservat kan tillvarata och stärka befintliga ekologiska värden, såsom habitat och biologisk mångfald, samtidigt som upplevelsevärden skapas och fler målgrupper ges möjligheten att nyttja området. Detta för att bidra till en ökad förståelse för och kunskap om kopplingen mellan människa och natur samt om hur ekologiska åtgärder även kan gynna upplevelsemässiga värden i stadsnära naturområden. Analyser baserade på ekologi synliggör värdefulla aspekter och bedömningar för ett fortsatt utvecklande av naturområdet. Intentionen är att på ett harmoniskt och omsorgsfullt sätt skapa en plats med tydlig koppling till naturen där besökaren på ett enkelt sätt kan röra sig i området. Genom åtgärdsförslag och gestaltningstillägg främjas orienterbarheten och tillgängligheten för fler målgrupper i området Gamla Uppsala åskullar samtidigt som den värdefulla miljön tillvaratas, förstärks och uppmärksammas. Arbetet synliggör att utvecklandet av stadsnära natur baserat på ett ekologiskt tillvägagångssätt både kan skapa betydelsefulla mervärden för naturen och upplevelsemässiga värden. Detta arbete kan därmed ses som ett steg i att öka medvetenheten kring ekologin och dess skörhet genom pedagogiska inslag i gestaltningstilläggen. Åtgärdsförslaget och gestaltningstilläggen blir på så vis ett sätt att uppmärksamma och sprida kunskap om naturens unika värde i det föreslagna naturreservatet Gamla Uppsala åskullar.People's distance from nature is an increasingly common phenomenon that is growing as the proximity to nature for many is inadequate. The increased distance from nature and the lack of contact with nature can be seen as a cause of declining health, which globally is a social problem, as nature experiences have health-promoting effects. The lack of contact with nature may be due to the fact that an increasing amount of people are living in urban environments, where distances to green areas are increasing. For many people, nature close to the city is therefore the most frequent contact with nature. At the same time, exploitation is threatening valuable nature and its biodiversity. The number of habitats is declining globally, which is worrying as biodiversity and ecosystems play a key role for all life on Earth. Protecting and designing green areas from an ecological perspective and reconnecting people with nature by making urban green areas accessible is therefore of great importance in the transition to a more sustainable and health-promoting society. Gamla Uppsala åskullar is currently being investigated as a new nature reserve in northern Uppsala and has been chosen as the work area for this study since it is a nature close to the city with unique meadow flora. The aim of the work is to investigate how ecologically proposed actions in a nature reserve can secure and strengthen existing ecological values, such as habitats and biodiversity, while creating experiential values and giving more people the opportunity to use the area. This is to contribute to an increased understanding and knowledge of the connection between humans and nature and how ecological actions can also benefit experiential values in nature close to the city. Analyses based on ecology highlight valuable aspects and assessments for the continued development of the ecology in Gamla Uppsala åskullar. The intention is to harmoniously and carefully create a place with a strong connection to nature where the visitor can easily move around the area. Proposed actions and design additions will promote orientation and accessibility for more people, while the valuable environment is preserved, strengthened and highlighted. The work highlights that the development of urban nature based on an ecological approach can create both significant added value for nature and experiential values. This work can be seen as a step in raising awareness of ecology and its fragility through educational elements in the design additions. The proposed action and the design additions will thus be a way of drawing attention to and spreading knowledge about the unique value of nature in the proposed nature reserve Gamla Uppsala åskullar