| 1. |
- van der Plas, F., et al.
(författare)
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Continental mapping of forest ecosystem functions reveals a high but unrealised potential for forest multifunctionality
- 2018
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Ingår i: Ecology Letters. - : Wiley. - 1461-023X .- 1461-0248. ; 21:1, s. 31-42
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Humans require multiple services from ecosystems, but it is largely unknown whether trade-offs between ecosystem functions prevent the realisation of high ecosystem multifunctionality across spatial scales. Here, we combined a comprehensive dataset (28 ecosystem functions measured on 209 forest plots) with a forest inventory dataset (105,316 plots) to extrapolate and map relationships between various ecosystem multifunctionality measures across Europe. These multifunctionality measures reflected different management objectives, related to timber production, climate regulation and biodiversity conservation/recreation. We found that trade-offs among them were rare across Europe, at both local and continental scales. This suggests a high potential for win-win' forest management strategies, where overall multifunctionality is maximised. However, across sites, multifunctionality was on average 45.8-49.8% below maximum levels and not necessarily highest in protected areas. Therefore, using one of the most comprehensive assessments so far, our study suggests a high but largely unrealised potential for management to promote multifunctional forests.
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| 2. |
- Baeten, Lander, et al.
(författare)
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Identifying the tree species compositions that maximize ecosystem functioning in European forests
- 2019
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Ingår i: Journal of Applied Ecology. - : Wiley. - 0021-8901 .- 1365-2664. ; 56:3, s. 733-744
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- 1. Forest ecosystem functioning generally benefits from higher tree species richness, but variation within richness levels is typically large. This is mostly due to the contrasting performances of communities with different compositions. Evidence-based understanding of composition effects on forest productivity, as well as on multiple other functions will enable forest managers to focus on the selection of species that maximize functioning, rather than on diversity per se.2. We used a dataset of 30 ecosystem functions measured in stands with different species richness and composition in six European forest types. First, we quantified whether the compositions that maximize annual above-ground wood production (productivity) generally also fulfil the multiple other ecosystem functions (multifunctionality). Then, we quantified the species identity effects and strength of interspecific interactions to identify the "best" and "worst" species composition for multifunctionality. Finally, we evaluated the real-world frequency of occurrence of best and worst mixtures, using harmonized data from multiple national forest inventories.3. The most productive tree species combinations also tended to express relatively high multifunctionality, although we found a relatively wide range of compositions with high- or low-average multifunctionality for the same level of productivity. Monocultures were distributed among the highest as well as the lowest performing compositions. The variation in functioning between compositions was generally driven by differences in the performance of the component species and, to a lesser extent, by particular interspecific interactions. Finally, we found that the most frequent species compositions in inventory data were monospecific stands and that the most common compositions showed below-average multifunctionality and productivity.4. Synthesis and applications. Species identity and composition effects are essential to the development of high-performing production systems, for instance in forestry and agriculture. They therefore deserve great attention in the analysis and design of functional biodiversity studies if the aim is to inform ecosystem management. A management focus on tree productivity does not necessarily trade-off against other ecosystem functions; high productivity and multifunctionality can be combined with an informed selection of tree species and species combinations.
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| 3. |
- Perez-Cueto, Federico J. A., et al.
(författare)
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How barriers towards plant-based food consumption differ according to dietary lifestyle : findings from a consumer survey in 10 EU countries
- 2022
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Ingår i: International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science. - : Elsevier. - 1878-450X .- 1878-4518. ; 29
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A diet shift towards a more plant-based food consumption is advocated for sustainable, health and ethical reasons. Still, a diet change remains a societal challenge. The objective of this paper is to identify how barriers towards plant-based food consumption are experienced according to dietary lifestyle in 10 European countries. A pan-EU consumer survey was conducted as part of Smart Protein Project. In total 7590 answers were obtained (49.5% women). Omnivores were more likely to score higher in the barriers to diet shift than vegetarians, vegans or flexitarians. Large effect sizes (Eta squared >0.1) were observed for the following barriers a) the lay belief that humans are meant to eat lots of animal-based meat; b) the expectation that plant-based food products would not be tasty enough; c) and the experience of not enjoying such products. Medium effect sizes (Eta sq. > 0.06) were observed for variables addressing nutrition related barriers “would not be filling enough” and “I would not get energy or strength from these products”. Promotion of plant-based food consumption should be targeted according to diet lifestyle, with focus on their sensory characteristics and on addressing cultural (lay) beliefs e.g. through knowledge sharing.
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| 4. |
- Scharis, Inger, et al.
(författare)
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Using morphometrics to quantitatively differentiateAfrican wild dog footprints from domestic dogfootprints – a pilot study
- 2016
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Ingår i: African Journal of Ecology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0141-6707 .- 1365-2028. ; 54:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Reliable population estimation and species inventories areimportant for wildlife conservation, but such estimationsare often difficult due to unreliable identification of thespecies in question. Furthermore, for predator conflictresolution, it is essential to be able to reliably identify thepredator. This study presents a new method to quantitativelydistinguish African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) footprintsfrom feral domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris)footprints. Footprint photographs were digitally processedusing Photoshop and the NIH image processing softwareImageJ, and total pad area and angles between thecentroids of the backpad and the digits of the paw weremeasured. Pad angles showed statistically significantdifferences between the two species and, with the exceptionthat there was no significant difference in pad areabetween African wild dog females and domestic dog males,total pad areas were also diagnostic. Consequently, thecombination of total pad area and the angle betweenbackpad and digits are useful discriminators to reliablyidentify the species from an unknown footprint.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- McKeown, Nicola M., et al.
(författare)
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Comparison of plasma alkylresorcinols (AR) and urinary AR metabolites as biomarkers of compliance in a short-term, whole-grain intervention study
- 2016
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Ingår i: European Journal of Nutrition. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1436-6207 .- 1436-6215. ; 55:3, s. 1235-1244
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Alkylresorcinols (AR) are phenolic lipids present in the bran of wheat and rye. Plasma AR and their urinary metabolites may be suitable biomarkers of whole-grain (WG) wheat and rye consumption. The objective of this study was to examine plasma AR and urinary AR metabolites in response to WG wheat consumption. In a randomized crossover study, 19 subjects (10 males, 9 females; BMI 22.0 kg/m(2); age 26 years) incorporated either 3 servings (48 g) or 6 servings (96 g) of WG wheat daily into their regular diet for 1 week. Subjects completed a 2-week washout period, abstaining from all WG consumption, before each intervention. Fasting blood and 24-h urine were collected before and after each intervention. Plasma AR homologues (C19:0, C21:0, C23:0) were quantified by GC-MS after diethyl ether and solid phase extraction and derivatization. Urinary AR metabolites [3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid and 3-(3,5-dihydroxyphenyl)-propanoic acid] were determined using HPLC with electrochemical detection after enzymatic deconjugation and ethyl acetate extraction. Urinary total AR metabolites were significantly higher after 6 compared with 3 servings of WG wheat (56 vs. 32 mu mol/day, P < 0.001). This dose-response relationship was independent of age, sex, energy intake, and baseline urinary AR metabolite concentration. Plasma total AR tended to be higher after 6 compared with 3 servings of WG wheat (103.0 vs. 86.9 nmol/L), but this difference was not significant (P = 0.42). The results suggest that urinary AR metabolites from 24-h urine collections may be useful as biomarkers of compliance in intervention studies of WG wheat.
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| 7. |
- Nyström, Helena Filipsson, 1966, et al.
(författare)
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Iodine status in the Nordic countries past and present
- 2016
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Ingår i: Food & Nutrition Research. - : SNF Swedish Nutrition Foundation. - 1654-6628 .- 1654-661X. ; 60
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Adequate iodine nutrition is dependent on ground water content, seafood, and, as many countries use iodized cow fodder, dairy products. In most countries, salt fortification programs are needed to assure adequate iodine intake. Objectives: The objectives are threefold: 1) to describe the past and present iodine situation in the Nordic countries, 2) to identify important gaps of knowledge, and 3) to highlight differences among the Nordic countries' iodine biomonitoring and fortification policies. Design: Historical data are compared with the current situation. The Nordic countries' strategies to achieve recommended intake and urine iodine levels and their respective success rates are evaluated. Results: In the past, the iodine situation ranged from excellent in Iceland to widespread goiter and cretinism in large areas of Sweden. The situation was less severe in Norway and Finland. According to a 1960 World Health Organization (WHO) report, there were then no observations of iodine deficiency in Denmark. In Sweden and Finland, the fortification of table salt was introduced 5075 years ago, and in Norway and Finland, the fortification of cow fodder starting in the 1950s helped improve the population's iodine status due to the high intake of milk. In Denmark, iodine has been added to household salt and salt in bread for the past 15 years. The Nordic countries differ with regard to regulations and degree of governmental involvement. There are indications that pregnant and lactating women, the two most vulnerable groups, are mildly deficient in iodine in several of the Nordic countries. Conclusion: The Nordic countries employ different strategies to attain adequate iodine nutrition. The situation is not optimal and is in need of re-evaluation. Iodine researchers, Nordic national food administrations, and Nordic governmental institutions would benefit from collaboration to attain a broader approach and guarantee good iodine health for all. © 2016 Helena Filipsson Nyström et al.
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| 8. |
- Rasmussen, L. H., et al.
(författare)
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Nitrogen transport in a tundra landscape : the effects of early and late growing season lateral N inputs on arctic soil and plant N pools and N2O fluxes
- 2022
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Ingår i: Biogeochemistry. - : Springer Nature. - 0168-2563 .- 1573-515X. ; 157:1, s. 69-84
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Understanding N budgets of tundra ecosystems is crucial for projecting future changes in plant community composition, greenhouse gas balances and soil N stocks. Winter warming can lead to higher tundra winter nitrogen (N) mineralization rates, while summer warming may increase both growing season N mineralization and plant N demand. The undulating tundra landscape is inter-connected through water and solute movement on top of and within near-surface soil, but the importance of lateral N fluxes for tundra N budgets is not well known. We studied the size of lateral N fluxes and the fate of lateral N input in the snowmelt period with a shallow thaw layer, and in the late growing season with a deeper thaw layer. We used 15N to trace inorganic lateral N movement in a Low-arctic mesic tundra heath slope in West Greenland and to quantify the fate of N in the receiving area. We found that half of the early-season lateral N input was retained by the receiving ecosystem, whereas half was transported downslope. Plants appear as poor utilizers of early-season N, indicating that higher winter N mineralization may influence plant growth and carbon (C) sequestration less than expected. Still, evergreen plants were better at utilizing early-season N, highlighting how changes in N availability may impact plant community composition. In contrast, later growing season lateral N input was deeper and offered an advantage to deeper-rooted deciduous plants. The measurements suggest that N input driven by future warming at the study site will have no significant impact on the overall N2O emissions. Our work underlines how tundra ecosystem N allocation, C budgets and plant community composition vary in their response to lateral N inputs, which may help us understand future responses in a warmer Arctic.
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