Showing papers by "University of Lapland published in 1999"
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the occurrence of 22 species in 54 urban parks in the city of Oulu in northern Finland and found that the area of the park explained 39% of the variance of species richness.
Abstract: Occurrences of breeding bird species in 54 urban parks were investigated in the city of Oulu in northern Finland. Park area, human activity, habitat, and landscape structure within a 9-ha square surrounding the study park were related to the bird species richness and occurrence of individual bird species. A total of 22 species was observed. The area of the park explained 39% of the variance of species richness. Seven species (wheatear [Oenanthe oenanthe], common rosefinch [Carpodacus erythrinus], garden warbler [Sylvia borin], lesser whitethroat [Sylvia curruca], linnet [Acanthis cannabina], redpoll [Carduelis flammea], and yellowhammer [Emberiza citrinella]) were not detected in parks of >0.75 ha. Species with lower area demands occurred closer to the town center than species with greater area requirements. Ground-nesting species were poor colonizers of urban parks, whereas high numbers of nest boxes in urban parks attracted many cavity-nesting species. The willow warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) and the magpie (Pica pica) bred more often in unmanaged than in managed parks, probably because of the greater vegetation cover in unmanaged parks. Park structure variables were entered into models for 7 of the 12 most common bird species, whereas broad scale variables were entered into models for 6 of the 12 species. The number of adjacent buildings had a negative affect on three bird species (the willow warbler, hooded crow [Corvus corone cornix], and spotted flycatcher [Muscicapa striata]). The occurrence of breeding species in urban parks depends on the size of the park, park structure, and landscape structure outside the park.
226 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the effects of logging on wood-decomposing Basidiomycetes were studied in the boreal forests in northern Finland and the results showed that some polypores known to prefer old-growth forest habitats can survive for decades in managed forests.
146 citations
TL;DR: A large number of studies have involved the revegetation of arctic sites disturbed by anthropogenic processes, especially in Iceland, Alaska, Canada and Russia as mentioned in this paper, where surrogate non-native species, particularly graminoids, have been introduced to hasten the establishment of plant cover.
101 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a detailed ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey at 50 and 200 MHz on Hansbreen, a polythermal glacier in southern Svalbard, is presented and interpreted.
Abstract: Detailed ground-penetrating radar (GPR) surveys at 50 and 200 MHz on Hansbreen, a polythermal glacier in southern Svalbard, are presented and interpreted Comparison of the variations in character of the radar reflections with borehole thermometry and water levels in moulins suggests that GPR can be used to study the hydrothermal properties of the glacier The high resolution of the GPR data shows that the hydrothermal structure of the glacier is highly variable both along the centre line and on transverse profiles Water contents for many places and depths within the glacier were calculated by estimating radar-wave velocities to point reflectors We find typical water contents of 1-2% for the temperate ice, but wetter ice associated with surface crevassing and moulins (typically 4% water content) There is evidence that wet ice sometimes overlays drier ice The hydrothermal structure is thus shown to be very complex Temperature gradients in the cold ice indicate freezing rates of temperate ice below cold ice of 01-05 ma-1, while isolated point reflectors within the cold ice indicate large water-filled bodies that are probably related to the regular drainage structure of the glacier
82 citations
TL;DR: It is indicated that soluble phenolics, particularly the diacylated flavonol glucosides, may provide an effective preformed protection for young Scots pine seedlings against UV-B and UV-A radiation.
81 citations
TL;DR: The results indicate a harmful edge effect from forest fragmentation for Pied Flycatchers because offspring mass is related to fitness through brood survival to the next breeding season, and evidence that pairs nesting at the extreme edge were forced to use suboptimal foraging areas, whereas interior pairs had a complete circle of suitable habitat in which to forage.
Abstract: We conducted an experimental study of nest-site selection and breeding suc- cess of Pied Flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) in artificial forest edges. The nest-site selection experiment revealed a clear pattern in the order of occupancy of nest boxes by males: boxes situated at the edge between the forest stand and the clearcut were consistently avoided by the earliest-arriving males, which preferentially selected boxes 50 to 100 m from the edge. We also wanted to assess the possible fitness consequences associated with the observed nest location by moving randomly selected breeding pairs to a new location with respect to dis- tance from the edge. The body mass of offspring was lower in nests moved to the edge than in nests moved into the interior of the forest stand. Body mass may be correlated with the lower feeding rate observed at edge nests compared with interior nests. We present evidence that pairs nesting at the extreme edge were forced to use suboptimal foraging areas (i.e. a semicircle of habitat), whereas interior pairs had a complete circle of suitable habitat in which to forage. Pied Flycatchers did not use clearcuts for foraging. Birds may try to com- pensate for suboptimal foraging area by increasing their food-search efficiency, or they may try to enlarge their foraging area by increasing its radius. Both strategies may increase the energy consumption of adults and the time spent searching for food, which may, in turn, decrease feeding frequency. However, we found no support for increased energy consump- tion. Nest-predation rate, food availability, and survival of parents were not associated with the distance of the nest from the edge. Our results indicate a harmful edge effect from forest fragmentation for Pied Flycatchers because offspring mass is related to fitness through brood survival to the next breeding season. Received 15 December 1997, accepted 31 October 1998.
70 citations
TL;DR: Several suppressed and non-suppressed ion chromatography elution systems were compared for the determination of ng ml ˇ1 levels of major cations and anions, including formate and methyl sulphonate, in ice core samples using a small (0.2 − 0.8 ml) sample volume.
47 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss the implications of land use and climate change on the Yamal peninsula of north-west Siberia, homeland of the Yagan Nenets, and show that even without industrial distubance, a slight change of the climate would result in massive thermokarst erosion.
Abstract: Compared to climate, land use change is expected to comprise a more important component of global change in the coming decades. However, climate is anticipated to supass land use as a factor later in the next century, particularly in the Arctic. Discussed here are the implications of land use and climate change on the Yamal peninsula of north-west Siberia, homeland of the Yamal Nenets. Since the discovery of super-giant natural gas fields in the 1960s, extensive exploration has resulted in direct withdrawal of large areas for infrastructure development and associated disturbance regimes have led to cumulative impacts on thousands of additional hectares of land. The land withdrawals have pushed a relatively consistent or increasing number of reindeer onto progressively smaller parcels of pasture. This has led to excessive grazing and trampling of lichens, bryophytes and shrubs and, in many areas, erosion of sandy soils via deflation. The low Arctic tundra lies entirely within the continuous permafrost zone and ice-rich substrates are widespread. One implication of this is that both anthropogenic and zoogenic distubance regimes may easily initiate thermokarst and aeolian rosion, leading to significant further losses of pastures. Even without industrial distubance, a slight change of the climate would result in massive thermokarst erosion. This would have negative consequences equal to or greater than the mechanical distubances described above. The synergistic effects of land use coupled with climate, change therefore have profound implication for the ecosystems of Yamal, as well as the future of the Nenets culture, society and economy.
33 citations
TL;DR: The results may support the assumption that tissue-hidden parasites relapse during the breeding season when birds may have diminished immune response related to egg production and brood rearing and that the high abundance of ornithophilic vectors enhance parasite transmission during breeding season in northern Finland.
Abstract: Leucocytozoon spp. and Trypanosoma spp. blood parasites in the redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) were studied during spring migration 1994 in southern Finland (53 individuals) and the breeding season 1992–1994 in northern Finland (69). Parasite prevalence was higher during the breeding season (48%) than during the migration period (13%), with no age or sex differences in the breeding site birds. In both periods, redstarts were infected by the same blood parasites Leucocytozoon shaartusicum (46% prevalence at the breeding site and 71% during the migration period) and Trypanosoma avium complex (58% and 43%, respectively). One individual at the breeding site had contracted L. dubreuili and one at the stop-over site had T. everetti. Our results may support the assumption that tissue-hidden parasites relapse during the breeding season when birds may have diminished immune response related to egg production and brood rearing. Another explanation could be that the high abundance of ornithophilic vectors enhance...
25 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss the regime of innocent passage in international law through the analysis of relevant treaty rules, including recent developments at IMO, and state practice, focusing on passage by warships and to coastal state jurisdiction over pollution by vessels in general and over ships carrying hazardous cargoes in particular.
22 citations
TL;DR: In this article, it was shown that reindeer grazing is resulting in the thinning of the organic layer on well-drained ground and the exposure of fine-grained sands.
Abstract: The Yamal Nenets have exploited reindeer via hunting and/or husbandry in northwest Siberia for several hundred years, although wild reindeer have been virtually absent on Poluostrov Yamal since the early 1900s. Nonetheless, the region retains large populations of wild animals, indicating that nomadic pastoralists, semi-domestic animals, and wildlife were not competing vigorously for resources or space prior to industrialization. Natural-gas development is a relative newcomer to the region, but has already had a significant impact on the bio-physical and socioeconomic environments. The withdrawal of lands for industrial infrastructure, in addition to direct and cumulative impacts from three decades of exploration, has led to a serious decline in the quantity and quality of the remaining tundrasuitable for reindeer pasture.Available records indicate that some preferred fur-bearing game species have been significantly reduced in recent years, primarily by non-natives. At the same time, it appears that extensive grazing by the reindeer themselves is having an overall negative effect on the area's pastures. Specifically, reindeer grazing is resulting in the thinning of the organic layer on well-drained ground and the exposure of fine-grained sands. The surfaces of these patches are highly erodable and unstable, therefore spreading easily as long as they remain unvegetated. The significant expansion of such areas is a genuine threat as long as, first, industrial development continues to degrade the land, and, second, the numbers of reindeer remain at current levels or increase.
TL;DR: Given the diversity of backgrounds and interests of stakeholders from four different countries, scientist-stakeholder collaboration represents a significant challenge within BASIS, but this notwithstanding, the advantages gained worth the extra effort are considered.
Abstract: Responses to global change impacts require the specification of mitigation and adaptation options. Integrated regional impact studies provide some of the information needed for rational decision making. In order to carry out a comprehensive impact study, the involvement of stakeholders in the planning and execution of the study is seen as a necessary prerequisite for an acceptance of its conclusions by the broad public. One way to pursue such an involvement is through a scientist-stakeholder collaborative. Such a collaborative, for instance institutionalized through a joint scientist-stakeholder steering committee addressing issues related to mutual communication and the integration of individual study results, offers a number of additional advantages. The experience of local residents and the utilization of traditional knowledge may provide insight and expertise inaccessible to scientific investigations. Within the Barents Sea Impact Study, the involvement of stakeholders has been given significant weight early on. One of the main instruments employed in the stakeholder collaborative is the BASIS Information Office. However, given the diversity of backgrounds and interests of stakeholders from four different countries, scientist-stakeholder collaboration represents a significant challenge within BASIS. This notwithstanding, we consider the advantages gained worth the extra effort.
TL;DR: In this paper, multivariate statistics are applied to data on low arctic flora and vegetation in an effort to compare and interpret information derived from contrasting field methods normally considered to be incompatible.
Abstract: Multivariate statistics are applied to data on low arctic flora and vegetation in an effort to compare and interpret information derived from contrasting field methods normally considered to be incompatible. Data were collected using two of the most widespread field techniques currently in use in the circumpolar North: (1) standardized sampling, using a point frame-based protocol; and (2) more traditional phytosociological methods. The comparison is based on simultaneous objective (quantitative) and subjective (qualitative) sampling of identical stands of vegetation at and north of the latitudinal treeline in the Yamal Region of Northwest Siberia. The species composition of vegetation on anthropogenic primary surfaces is emphasized, but undisturbed tundra was also sampled. One hundred and sixty-five quadrats (1 X 1 m) were analyzed together with 33 releves (5 X 5 m) using detrended correspondence analysis (DCA). The ordination results revealed very good correlation within anthropogenic vegetation stands. However, in ordination diagrams derived from samples within undisturbed tundra, samples were clearly separated based on quadrat size because many non vascular taxa were missed in the large quadrats.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explore the mental models with which experts understand environmental problems and justify their efforts to fix the problems, as well as the institutional rules that constrain expert actions.
Abstract: The paper explores environmental institutions that facilitate the trial and error search for sustainable development. The argumentation refers to four case studies of environmental management in the US, Europe, and China. To diagnose the institutional constraints of environmental management, the studies focus on the mental models with which experts understand environmental problems and justify their efforts to fix the problems. As such, the mental models also reflect the institutional rules that constrain expert actions. Design principles for novel environmental institutions are developed on the basis of institutional theory and case study findings. In conclusion, implications of the proposed institutional arrangements for the public role of experts are discussed.
01 Jan 1999
TL;DR: Tundra communities are considered relatively simple in terms of their structure and depauperate for vascular floristics, particularly in more climatically and edaphically severe high arctic zones (Young 1989, Edlund 1990), whereas regional cryptogamic species richness tends to increase here relative to temperate latitudes as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Tundra communities are considered relatively simple in terms of their structure and depauperate in terms of vascular floristics, particularly in more climatically and edaphically severe high arctic zones (Young 1989, Edlund 1990), whereas regional cryptogamic species richness tends to increase here relative to temperate latitudes (Longton 1988). Although variously defined (Tarnocai and Zoltai 1988), wetlands are extremely limited in the high arctic (Bliss 1977, Svoboda and Freedman 1994) and are especially poor in terms of both vascular and non-vascular floristics.
Journal Article•
TL;DR: The content of US policy is discussed as a contradiction of the basis for identifying hard and soft security, and the blurring of these concepts contributes to the threatening character of total security.
Abstract: Part of the rapid change in thinking about security and security policy is occurring in northern Europe. Notions of “hard” and “soft” security are being implemented, most notably in the Visby Process of the Baltic Sea states. These variations of national security also interact with those of the United States and NATO. The direction of US security policy is called “total security” in the paper. The content of US policy is discussed as a contradiction of the basis for identifying hard and soft security. The blurring of these concepts contributes to the threatening character of total security. Implementation of measures to ensure total security involves the creation of pervasive and comprehensive intelligence gathering mechanisms that, because of their lack of sharply defined targets, has the potential for threatening the security of individuals for the sake of preserving national security.