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Mercury in a Swedish landscape over 30 years
Get PDFThe purpose of this thesis is to examine trends in concentrations of total mercury (TotHg) and methylmer¬cury (MeHg) in water streams around Vindeln, Sweden, located northwest of Umeå. The relation¬ship between dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and TotHg were also examined in this thesis. Data gathered for 30 years from four different sample sites collected from Krycklan catchment study (KCS) and Degerö stormyr. All samples were compiled into excel files and sorted by location and date to later analyse the concentrations of TotHg, MeHg and DOC. To analyse the concentrations of TotHg and MeHg a Mann-Kendall test was conducted to identify monotonic trends, with a sig¬nificance level of 0.05, using RStudio. The tests null hypothesis was that there were no monotonic trends in the data. The alternative hypothesis was that a significant trend could be observed. When testing the correlation between DOC and TotHg scatterplots were made with a trendline, with TotHg on the y-axis and DOC on the x-axis. A descriptive analysis was made to observe any trends present in the plots as the samples was dependent to each other a linear regression could not be conducted. The results presented no significant trend in the concentration of TotHg and MeHg on any of the sites. Most surprising, no positive trend could be observed in the correlation between TotHg and DOC. One emphasized importance of this thesis is that it’s furthered and the work of monitoring mercury in these streams are continued, to see how a longer timespan effects concentration
Olika skötselalternativs påverkan på kolinlagringen i boreala skogar
Get PDFPolitiken är tydlig i vad som måste hända för att motverka en global klimatkris; utsläppen måste
minska och inlagringen måste öka. De antagna målen är satta i etapper där det sista innebär ett
nettonollutsläpp till 2045, och efter det ska Sverige vara en kolsänka. Skogen är enormt viktig för
denna utveckling, och inlagringen kommer att ge tid åt att anpassa beteenden för att bruka skogen
hållbart och vara mindre fossilberoende. Då skogen har långa omloppstider talar vi ofta långsiktigt
när vi diskuterar dess klimatnytta, men hur maximerar vi nyttan av den kortsiktigt?
Syftet med denna studie var att sammanställa olika skötselsystems effekt på kolförrådet i gran-
(Picea abies) och tallskog (Pinus sylvestris) efter 20 år. Indatat hämtades ur två bestånd i
Västmanland för att skapa beslutsunderlag åt fastighetsförvaltaren. De olika skötselstrategierna
simulerades i Heureka PlanVis. Studien tar inte substitutionseffekten i hänsyn, på grund av dess
komplexitet.
Efter 20 år är kolförrådet som störst i de bestånd som gödslats och därefter lämnats orört. Det
vore orealistiskt att sköta all skog på detta sätt så därför läggs fokus på de system vilka genererar ett
uttag; trakthygges- och hyggesfri skötsel. För både gran och tall har hyggesfritt ett större kolförråd,
ävenså är gran mer lämplig för hyggesfri skötsel. Först efter 20 år börjar kolförrådet återigen växa i
trakthyggesbrukad skog. Detta ger en fingervisning till hur viktigt val av skötselsystem är, trots att
ett storskaligt beslutsfattande kräver mer omfattande undersökning av främst substitutionseffekten.The policy is clear in what needs to be done to counteract a global climate crisis; the emissions must decrease, and the sequestration must increase. The goals are set in phases, where the last one implies a net zero emissions in 2045, after which Sweden will become a carbon sink. The forest is of critical importance for this to happen. Due to its long rotation periods, we tend to look at forests long term climate benefits, but how do we maximize the benefits in a short time?
The purpose of this study was to compile the effects on carbon sequestration made by different forest management systems in pine (Pinus sylvestris) and spruce (Picea abies) forests after 20 years. Two stands in Västmanland were selected, to get empirical data for the study. The different management strategies were simulated in Heureka PlanWise. The study does not account for substitution effect, due to it being too complex.
The carbon stock after 20 years was largest in the stand that had been fertilized and thereafter left for free development. It would be unrealistic to manage all forests this way, so our focus was on the systems which grants a harvesting yield; clear cutting and continuous cover forestry. For both pine and spruce the CCF granted a larger carbon stock, as well as spruce being more suited for CCF. After 20 years, the carbon stock begins to increase again in CC forests. This is an indicator of how important choice of management system is, albeit large-scale decision making demands a more thorough investigation of mainly substitution effect
Utforskade dataanalys av bäckarna i Undersviks Tillväxtpark före BAG-försök
Get PDFFörorening av vatten är ett stort problem både på lokal och global nivå. Övergödning från mänsklig aktivitet såsom jordbruk och industrier utgör ett markant hot mot våra vatten (Rheinheimer 1998), å andra sidan skulle skogsbruket kunna förbättra sin produktion med större nyttjande av gödsel. Ett ökat bruk av gödsel skulle dock kunna leda till ökade utsläpp av näringsämnen i vattendragen (Larsson 2008). BAG, behovsanpassad gödsling är en metod som ämnar förbättra effektiviteten av gödseln och på så vis minska utsläppen. Metoden utgår ifrån trädens förmåga att ta upp näring och växa och att anpassa gödslingens form efter den. Under 2020 påbörjades mätning av vatten i nio stycken bäckar för att under ett kommande BAG-försök kunna följa vattnets tillstånd. I denna rapport redogörs för en explorativ analys av de halter som uppmätts i vattnet innan försöket börjat. Organiskt kol, pH, kväve, fosfat och vattnets elektriska ledningsförmåga har mätts och noterats på en ungefärligt månadsvis basis. Extra fokus lades på att utforska potentiella kopplingar mellan bäckarna och grupperna av bäckar. Med denna undersökning kan referensramar för framtida undersökningar av försöksdatan skapas. Trots vissa försvårande omständigheter med datan kunde tydliga skillnader upptäckas inom grupperna och mellan dem. Detta kan komma att leda till svårigheter i att bedöma effekterna av gödsling på de lokala vattnen i BAG-försöket.Polluted water is a problem on both a local and global scale. Eutrophication stemming from human activities such as farming and industries pose a notable threat to our waters(Rheinheimer 1998). On the other hand, the forestry industry could increase its production greatly by utilizing fertilization more. An increase in fertilizer use could however lead to more leaching into the water (Larsson 2008). BAG, (behovsanpassad gödsling) is a method of fertilizing which aims to improve the efficiency of the fertilizer and reduce the leeching. The method consists of using the trees ability to grow and absorb nutrients as a guide for the fertilizing form. Sampling of nine streams began in 2020 to follow the conditions of the water. In this report an explorative analysis of the pre-trial values will be presented. The focus will be on the contents of organic carbon, pH, nitrogen, phosphate and the electrical conductivity of the water. These were sampled on a monthly basis. Extra attention will be laid on exploring the potential connection between the streams and the groups of streams. By doing this, extra references for future examinations of the trial data may be generated. Despite some data irregularities clear differences were found within groups and between groups. Due to this there may be difficulty in determining the effects of fertilization on the local waters in the BAG-trial
Investigating organic fertilisers’ ability to mineralize during the first month of plant propagation
Get PDFThere are many forms of organc fertilizers produced and sold in the EU, and it can be difficult to assess which ones are the best in regards of nutrient content and the rate of mineraliztion. Two separate trials were conducted to assess the mineralization rates of three different organic fertilizers, available for private customers, on the Swedish market. One cow manure mix, one algae-based product and a solid fraction of biogas digestate were the tested fertilizers. The trials revealed that there were many differences in nutrient content and plant availability of said nutrients in the fertilizers. Analyses of the fertilizers’ contents showed both several high values of some elements, as well as some completely depleted valuable elements. It was concluded that the cow manure fertilizer performed best of the treatments, in respect of mass of the model plant. The Algomin fertilizer and the biogas digestate fertilizer had more substrate nutrient content than the cow manure fertilizer, but it did not reflect in the size of the tomato plants grown in those treatments
Hundägares identifiering av tecken på smärta hos hundar baserat på inspelat videomaterial
Get PDFHundägare söker ofta veterinärvård när deras hund har smärta, vid dessa möten är det av vikt att
djurhälsopersonal har kunskapen att utföra en god smärtbedömning och besluta om lämplig
smärtlindring. Likväl har hundägares förmåga att identifiera tecken på smärta en stor roll i att
minska hundars lidande och öka deras välfärd. Vid tidig detektering av smärta i en hemmiljö kan
vård uppsökas tidigare och troligtvis leda till en bättre prognos av sjukdomstillståndet med tidigare
insatt behandling. Det är även visat att somliga hundar döljer sin smärta i en klinisk miljö, därav är
det viktigt att kunna använda sig av hundägares smärtbedömning från hemmiljön. Även vid
läkemedelsbehandling av hund hemma är hundägarens smärtbedömning ett viktigt verktyg, detta
för att djurhälsopersonal ska kunna utvärdera läkemedel eller dos. Det är alltså av stor betydelse
att utbilda hundägare i vilka tecken på smärta som ska uppmärksammas i ett tidigt stadie för att
förbättra välbefinnandet för hundar i Sverige.
Detta arbete är en kandidatuppsats inom djuromvårdnad med syfte att undersöka hur väl
svenska hundägare identifierar tecken på smärta hos hundar baserat på inspelat videomaterial samt
undersöka vilka tecken på smärta som kräver mer utbildning. Arbetet består av en
litteraturöversikt och insamlat filmmaterial på hundar som använts i en enkätundersökning.
Filmmaterialet bestod av hundar i stillastående, i skritt och i trav från olika vinklar som antingen
uppvisade tecken på ortopedisk smärta eller var smärtfria. Enkätundersökningen riktade sig endast
till tidigare eller nuvarande hundägare där respondenterna först fick svara på generella frågor om
sin erfarenhet av hundar och smärta hos hundar för att sedan få se fyra videor på hundar och svara
på tillhörande frågor. 243 respondenter besvarade enkäten varav 103 slutförde den, de slutförda
enkäterna är de som legat till grund för resultatet till detta arbete.
Resultatet visade att de vanligaste tecknen på ortopedisk smärta som svenska hundägare
identifierade på videorna var: förändringar i aktivitet, hälta, rörelseavvikelser, ändringar i
kroppsspråk, beteendeförändringar och ansiktsuttryck som tyder på smärta. Respondenternas
gradering av smärtan hos de olika hundarna stämde till viss del överens med graderingen från
expertgruppen bestående av veterinärer. Dock tyder även resultatet på att respondenterna tolkade
normalt beteende eller rörelsemönster som smärta, och även att hundar med mycket päls var
svårare att smärtbedöma. Enkätsvaren visade att de tecken som kräver mer utbildning för att
hundägare ska lyckas identifiera dem är mindre uppenbara tecken på smärta såsom: förändrat
kroppsspråk och kroppshållning. För att dra en slutsats om svenska hundägares förmåga att utföra
en smärtbedömning hos hundar krävs fler studier som undersöker detta.Dog owners often seek veterinary care when their dog is in pain, when this happens it is important
that animal health care personnel have the ability to perform a good pain assessment and decide on
appropriate analgesia. Nevertheless the ability of dog owners´ recognition of pain plays a major
role in reducing dogs suffering and increasing their welfare. Early detection of pain in a home
environment can lead to care being sought up earlier and a better prognosis of the affliction with
early onset treatment. It is also shown that some dogs hide their pain in a clinical environment,
therefore it is of great importance to use the dog owners´ pain assessment in a home environment.
Also when treating a dog with medication at home, the dog owner's pain assessment is an
important tool, so that animal health personnel can evaluate the medication or dose. It is therefore
of great importance to educate dog owners in pain recognition to improve the well-being of dogs
in Sweden.
This study is a bachelor thesis in veterinary nursing with the aim of investigating how well
Swedish dog owners identify signs of pain in dogs based on recorded video material and examine
which signs of pain require more education. This study has been carried out through a literature
review and collection of film material on dogs which was then used in a survey. The footage
consisted of dogs standing still, walking and trotting from different angles that either showed signs
of orthopedic pain or were pain-free. The survey was only aimed at former or current dog owners,
where the respondents had to answer general questions about their experience with dogs and pain
in dogs and then got to see four videos on dogs and answer the associated questions. 243
respondents answered the survey, of which 103 completed the survey, the completed surveys are
the ones that have been used to create a result for this study.
The results showed that the most common signs of orthopedic pain that Swedish dog owners
identified in the videos were: changes in activity, lameness, movement abnormalities, changes in
body language, behavioral changes and facial expressions indicating pain. The respondents'
grading of the pain in the different dogs agrees to some extent with the grading from the expert
group consisting of veterinarians. However, the results also indicate that the respondents interpret
normal behavior or movement patterns as pain, also that dogs with a lot of fur were more difficult
to assess. The survey shows that the signs that need more education for dog owners’ to
successfully identify are the less obvious signs of pain such as: changes in body language and
posture. To draw a conclusion about Swedish dog owners’ ability to perform a pain assessment in
dogs, more studies are required in this field
Kartläggning av utbildande information på svenska djurparkers hemsidor
Get PDFThe way that we as a global society live our lives at the moment is resulting in a decline of biodiversity worldwide. A lot of people want to do something to change this but they do not know how. Conservation professionals work on providing people with the necessary information and knowledge to be able to make sustainable choices and ways to fight the loss of biodiversity. A good place to distribute this information and knowledge is in zoos and aquaria. For such educational programs to be successful there are certain things they need to contain. This includes information about the species and their natural habitats, possible threats, biodiversity, conservation work and ways for visitors to help the species. There is also a lot of evidence that inspiring and positive information can have a large effect in getting visitors to help, for example by donating money. The aim of this study was to map out the availability of such conservation educational information on Swedish zoos websites. Results showed that information about species and their natural habitats was available at all studied websites, but information about biodiversity and ways for visitors to help was missing on all studied websites. These results could indicate that Swedish zoos need to increase the conservation educational information they supply to visitors of their websites. Future research could investigate how to ensure that the educational programs actually lead to visitors taking action to help the environment and changing their behaviours and choices to be more sustainable. The aspect of web design might also be beneficial to look into to find out how best to present the information online
Uppskalning av agroekologi i Sverige : en deltagande-backcasting-strategi för att undersöka top-down-åtgärder för att främja en agroekologisk omställning av det svenska jordbrukssystemet
Get PDFAlongside its important contribution to the increase of yields, industrial agriculture has also generated environmental, social and economical negative side effects. Moreover, the forecasted growth of the world’s population puts more pressure for solutions on how to increase food supply while reducing the negative effects of the current agricultural system. Despite having one of the most sustainable agricultural systems, Sweden presents unsustainable features such as: biodiversity loss, eutrophication, soil wear, and water pollution, high production costs, profitability challenges, low competitiveness in comparison to imported food, unsecure working conditions, rural exodus, and low societal understanding about agriculture.
Under the light of these problems, agroecology has been pointed out by researchers, grassroot movements and FAO as a key framework to achieve a food system that is socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable.
Therefore, this thesis is motivated by the challenge of feeding a growing population while increasing the sustainability and resilience of the agricultural system as well as the lack of scientific literature on how to promote agroecology through top-down approaches. Thus, the aim of this research is fourfold: (i) advance the discussion on how to facilitate an agroecological transition of the Swedish agrifood system through top down measures, (ii) design an agroecological Swedish Agrifood System scenario, (iii) identify main changes between the current SAS and the idealised scenario and (iv) recommend participatory policies that address the necessary changes. So as to achieve these goals, a partly new methodology was adopted. The methodology is developed through semi-structured interviews - with farmers, researchers and a grassroot organisation - thematic analysis and backcasting.
The thematic analysis identified seven themes and eleven sub themes related to the characteristics of an agroecological Swedish agrifood system and the necessary changes to achieve it. Furthermore, five themes and seven sub themes were identified regarding the government's actions in order to promote an agroecological transition of the Swedish agrifood system.
The main features of the agroecological scenario are the focus on resilience, self-supply, developing a new food culture, application of agroecological practices, strong urban agriculture, sharing of information among farmers and decentralised marketing of food. The identified key changes so as to facilitate the emergence of this scenario are: political focus, subsidies orientation, increased communication among farmers, adoption of agroecological principles and the marketing system. By last, the recommended policies to address such changes are i) subsidise smallholders committed to local production and marketing, ii) regulate the adoption of unsustainable agricultural practices, iii) act as the main buyer, in the municipal and regional level, or one of the main buyers of local produced food in order to supply public schools, elderly houses and public institutions, iv) establish a new labelling system that benefits the producers who adopt sustainable practices and v) creates a national platform where farmers can exchange information and look for reliable data.
The results of this research contribute to the advance of the discussion on agroecological transitions by I) putting the farmers’ opinions in the centre of the decision making process of elucidating a possible pathway on how to upscale agroecology in Sweden through the designing of an agroecological scenario as well as the policies that could address the necessary changes and hence facilitate/promote the upscaling of such a scenario, ii) reinforce the multiscale approach for the transformation of agrifood systems and iii) envision an agrifood system in Sweden that is environmental, social and economical sustainable,
identify key changes, and design policies that address such changes
Agroecological Mariculture : a case study of seaweed farming in Denmark
Get PDFThis thesis will seek to analyze the current state of seaweed farming in Denmark through an
agroecological perspective. The focus is on the production systems and their challenges.
Additionally, the future scenario for seaweed cultivation in Denmark and to what extent an increase
is possible without compromising environment are discussed. To conduct this research, a farmer
interview coupled with an overview of the history of seaweed production in Denmark have been
performed. It was evident that seaweed agroecosystems are a new addition to the food system in
Denmark. It occupies a very low market share, but with increased interest from consumers due to
its environmentally friendliness and the health properties of the seaweed. The main challenges faced
by the seaweed farmers are political and economic in nature. This new farming system, as well as
the new food source, are not widely known amongst regulators and consumers, thus, infrastructure
to support its development is lacking. It was also observed that while both the society and the farmers
were in learning phase, the farmers still were confident in their ability and the future of seaweed in
Denmark. The thesis found that it is most likely that seaweed cultivation will increase in both
production and interest. The main reasons for this are the environmentally friendly production, the
health properties of seaweed and increased interest in their bioactive compounds. Thus, the future
of seaweed farming will ultimately be determined by the priorities of consumers, producers and
politicians
Students’ perceptions of genetically modified organisms : what is required to increase acceptance?
Get PDFProducing enough food for the world's growing population is a challenge that puts great pressure on the agricultural food system to ensure global food security Furthermore, climate change is additionally exacerbating this challenge. Part of the solution could be genetically modified organisms (GMOs), but their use has been a source of controversy among various actors that have hindered their adoption. However, the adoption of GMOs is also linked to acceptance by the general public, hence making it important to examine their perceptions of GMOs. Therefore, this study aimed to examine students’ perceptions of GMOs to understand what is required to increase the acceptance of GMOs.
This was carried out through qualitative semi-structured interviews with students enrolled at the Swedish University of Agriculture and a qualitative content analysis of the student's perceptions. The results of the study show, among other things, that there are both similarities and differences between the participating students' perceptions of GMOs. Furthermore, the results also show that some participating students' perceptions are more constructed around values and ethics than others. Therefore, a conclusion that can be drawn from the results is that a good knowledge of GMOs may not lead to a higher acceptance of the technology. Furthermore, the results indicate that what may be required to increase acceptance is a focus on tailored information and targeted communication styles
Resources used for handling of companion animals with stress-related behaviour in a veterinary setting : evaluation of Swedish veterinary practices’ resources and handling of cats and dogs expressing stress-related behaviour
Get PDFCats’ and dogs’ stress levels elevates when visiting veterinary practices, which can propose a welfare risk if not managed properly. Accompanied with raised stress levels, animals may respond with stress-related behaviours, as a result of emotions to frustration, fear, and aggression, presenting a threat to both themselves, their owners, and the veterinary staff. With the use of different resources, including personal knowledge and handling, physical and environmental tools as well as medication, animals performing these behaviours can be handled more easily and help them to lower their stress response to the situations. The aim of this study was to elaborate on what resources are used in Swedish veterinary practices, which are aiding the work and helping cats and dogs exhibiting stress-related behaviours in veterinary environments. Furthermore, the study was conducted to evaluate if the resources used are in accordance with present research within the area, and to what extent more resources should be advised to be implemented. Data was collected through a questionnaire distributed to veterinary clinics via email contact. A small-scale literature study examining the use of resources related to handling of animals in the veterinary practice, and their effects, was also conducted. Results showed varying usage of different resources, many of which were not implemented to the extent shown to be sufficient in decreasing stress-related behaviours. Further, the results indicate that the clinics need more resources, both human, physical, and medical, and that the animals would strongly benefit from implementing more animal-behaviour-centred resources. Future studies ought to examine if there are any patterns related to what kind of veterinary clinics have more or less resources available, and what can be done to further advance the routines and veterinary environments related to the handling of cats and dogs expressing stress-related behaviours