Strengthening Europe’s knowledge on nature and sustainability

Trine Hay Setsaas

2026-03-16T13:07:00.0000000 2026-03-17T11:57:54.9970000

Illustration photo: Dag Alexander Hultgren Olsen/NINA

– Our involvement in these projects strengthens NINA’s role as a key actor in European biodiversity research and ensures that Norwegian expertise contributes to addressing shared societal challenges across Europe, says Jørgen Rosvold, Research Director at NINA.

– In fact, NINA is part of both winning consortia under the call addressing alternative socio-economic models for improvement of biodiversity. This places NINA in a central position in exploring and shaping tomorrow's new, nature-friendly socio-economic models, he says.

New socio-economic models for nature and justice

The project SPARK4B+ explores how societies can develop beyond today’s growth-oriented economic systems, which contribute to increased biodiversity loss, climate change and rising inequality.

– By developing and testing alternative socio-economic models, the aim is to contribute to more sustainable, resilient and just societies in the future, says NINA Senior Advisor Maja Vasilijevic.

SPARK4B+ brings together researchers and societal actors from ten European countries. NINA plays a key role in analysing barriers and drivers of societal change, developing models to assess how different choices affect biodiversity and society, and contributing to scenario development and policy design.

Next-generation biodiversity monitoring

The project BEAGLE will develop the next generation of biodiversity monitoring in Europe, covering terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. The project combines new technologies such as automated sensors, environmental DNA (eDNA), artificial intelligence and citizen science to generate more detailed and comparable data on the state of biodiversity.

The project is set to deliver up to 1 billion new data points from various camera traps and acoustic recorders deployed in nature. Combined with new AI methods we will be able to fill gaps in biodiversity monitoring across Europe and strengthen efforts to protect biodiversity, explains NINA researcher Benjamin Cretois.

The data will help policymakers, researchers and businesses track biodiversity trends and evaluate the impacts of restoration and conservation measures.

Bringing nature’s values into decision-making

The aim of RELATE4NATURE is to ensure that the values of nature are better reflected in societal decision-making. Today, economic considerations often dominate, while values such as wellbeing, justice and people’s relationships with nature receive less attention.

– The project will develop and test new models for integrating these values into decision-making in areas such as agriculture, energy development, urban and regional planning, and nature management, says Bálint Czúcz, Senior Researcher at NINA.

NINA contributes expertise in nature valuation, decision support and policy-relevant research.

SPARK4B+ contact: Maja Vasilijevic

BEAGLE contact: Benjamin Cretois

RELATE4NATURE contact: Bálint Czúcz

From Restoration to Results: Why Monitoring Matters

Anne Olga Syverhuset

2026-02-25T09:19:00.0000000 2026-03-04T10:23:02.1370000

The monitoring at Hjerkinn ranges from detailed vegetation surveys in small permanent plots to large-scale landscape monitoring and drone-based remote sensing. Photo credit: Dagmar Hagen/NINA

Norway’s largest-ever restoration project, carried out in the Dovre mountains, was completed in 2021. The Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) has since continued monitoring vegetation and landscapes in the former Hjerkinn military firing range on behalf of the Norwegian Environment Agency.

This long-term and systematic monitoring provides important knowledge about the long-term effects of nature restoration, which measures have worked well, and why.

– The knowledge we gain from monitoring allows for better planning and outcomes of future restoration projects, says Marianne Evju, Senior Researcher at NINA.

Restoring mountain vegetation in alpine Norway takes time. Monitoring shows that there are still significant differences between vegetation on former road sections and in the surrounding terrain.

However, the results also show positive development: nature is gradually reclaiming the restored areas.

Different Monitoring Methods Provide a Comprehensive Overview

To restore the Hjerkinn firing range, roads and other installations were removed, and various measures were implemented to facilitate vegetation recovery.

Researchers have used three main monitoring methods.

The first is detailed vegetation monitoring in fixed, small plots. All species and their abundance are recorded, allowing researchers to track indicators such as vegetation cover, species richness, and species composition over time.

Because the restored areas are extensive, broader-scale monitoring is also necessary. Through large-scale field assessments, researchers evaluate the effects of restoration measures on landscape structure, terrain, regrowth, and wetland systems. Among other things, they have examined whether short-term results can predict long-term outcomes.

The third method involves drone-based remote sensing. Researchers have assessed how useful drones are for evaluating terrain forming and vegetation recovery following restoration.

Nature is gradually erasing the former roads that were removed in the Hjerkinn firing range. Drone photo credit: Andrew Gray/NINA

Insights from Hjerkinn

Results from all three monitoring approaches point in the same direction and together provide several important insights.

– For example, we see that removing imported gravel and reshaping the terrain to match the surrounding landscape is key to restoring vegetation when former roads are removed, says Evju.

Another important lesson is that both the technical solutions chosen during restoration and the natural conditions at the site influence how vegetation develops over time.

– Decisions made during the process – concerning costs, time use, choice of machinery, and so on – are important for the final result. That is why knowledge and expertise among the involved actors are crucial, Evju explains.

Monitoring also shows that the effects of restoration measures can change over time. Short-term results do not necessarily predict long-term outcomes.

– This demonstrates why long-term monitoring is essential. In Norway and internationally, we know that the lack of long-term data following restoration limits our ability to plan and implement effective restoration measures, says Evju.

The different monitoring methods offer complementary perspectives on ecological condition and development.

Drone monitoring is well suited to assessing vegetation regrowth. It covers larger areas than traditional vegetation plots and is more objective and repeatable than large-scale field evaluations.

– At the same time, drone monitoring does not capture species composition, information about the restoration measures themselves, or the trade-offs made during implementation. It is a valuable supplement to other methods, but it does not replace them, says Evju.

Essential for Expanding Nature Restoration Efforts

Systematic and long-term monitoring of completed restoration efforts is essential for increasing the knowledge on the effects of various restoration methods under varying environmental conditions. This provides a foundation for more effective and efficient restoration in future projects.

– Without proper documentation and monitoring, there is a risk that good solutions are overlooked – or that ineffective solutions are continued. Thorough follow-up is also important for building legitimacy for technical solutions and for the fact that restoration takes time. Such legitimacy is crucial for scaling up restoration efforts and achieving the global biodiversity target of restoring 30 percent of degraded nature by 2030, says Dagmar Hagen, Research Director at NINA.

Read more: Hjerkinn Firing Range – Monitoring of Restored Areas. Results from 2023–2025 (Summary in English).

Learn more about nature restoration at Hjerkinn here

Contact: Marianne Evju

Norwegian Research Contributes to Global 'Dark Diversity' Study, Offering New Insights into Biodiversity Loss

Trine Hay Setsaas

2025-04-15T13:25:00.0000000 2025-04-15T13:23:42.8270000

Photo credit: Robert Lewis, NINA

Behind the study is a global research network of more than 200 researchers, called  DarkDivNet, coordinated by the University of Tartu in Estonia, and advised by an international scientific committee, including Robert John Lewis, researcher at The Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA).

“This isn’t just about what's visible. It's about what’s missing, silently and systemically,” says Lewis, who led NINA’s contribution to the study. “By identifying species that could thrive in a habitat but are absent, we gain a sharper lens for restoration planning and biodiversity assessments.”

Mapping dark diversity world wide

Dark diversity of vascular plants was assessed at nearly 5500 sites in 119 regions across all vegetated continents of the world, spanning a wide range of vegetation types and representative of most global climatic conditions. In Norway, contributions were made through coordinated sampling at sites in Nordhordland, Skjelingahaugen, and Ulvehaugen, spanning coastal to alpine grasslands.

Fieldwork at these locations was conducted by master’s students at the University of Bergen (UiB), Ruben Schelbred Thormodsæter and Kristine Birkeli, under the supervision of Vigdis Vanvik at UiB and Lewis, highlighting the vital role of student-led research in global ecological science.

“The success of global networks like DarkDivNet relies on meticulous fieldwork, Lewis noted. The dedication of Master students like Kristine and Ruben ensured the collection of high-quality data that now feeds into global ecological understanding.”

The data showed a clear decline in community completeness as human impact increased (estimated using the human footprint index), with the strongest effect at distances of several hundred kilometers away. The strong relation with the human footprint index was not, however, found when assessing the number of species at a particular site nor all species found in the surrounding region.

Also, the study found that the negative impact of human activities on community completeness was less pronounced when at least 30% of the natural vegetation in a landscape remained intact. This further supports Target 3 of the Global Biodiversity Framework under the Convention of Biological Diversity, stating that “by 2030 at least 30 per cent of terrestrial, inland water, and of coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, are effectively conserved and managed”.  

A powerful tool for conservation and restoration

In addition to revealing hidden threats to biodiversity, dark diversity offers valuable guidance for conservation and restoration efforts. As species in the dark diversity still remain present in a region, populations and their connectivity can be restored through appropriate measures, enhancing the long-term viability of species and populations.    

“By integrating the concept of dark diversity into conservation and land-use planning, policymakers and ecologists can more effectively identify areas where restoration is possible and prioritize habitats that still retain ecological potential, a critical step toward addressing both visible and hidden biodiversity loss”, says Lewis.

Read the full article in Nature here: Global impoverishment of natural vegetation revealed by dark diversity

Contact: Robert Lewis

Invading Norway in the billions through imported garden plants

Jørn J. Fremstad

2024-11-18T07:33:00.0000000 2024-11-25T16:27:03.5200000

Thuja, belonging to the Cupressaceae (cypress family) is one of the imported garden plants bringing the most stowaways to Norway. Here, two Rhaphigaster nebulosa are brought along. Photo credit: Anders Endrestøl, NINA

Invasive species are considered one of the five most important drivers of global biodiversity loss, a threat growing at an unprecedented rate. The ecological and socioeconomic costs are dramatic, with a global economic cost exceeding $423 billion annually in 2019.   

Early detection is key

Eradication measures are often expensive, and their success and cost effectiveness rely heavily on early detection and rapid response, says Research Director Jørgen Rosvold at the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA).

Commissioned by the Norwegian Government, NINA is monitoring and assessing risks associated with the introduction of alien species via garden plant imports to Norway. The results of 10 years of monitoring is now summarized.

The import of plant products to Norway over the last 30 years has increased greately, and more than 20 000 metric tons of garden plants were imported in 2023 alone. Both soil and plant material have been subjected to analyses by NINA experts.

700 kilograms of soil containing 850 000 insects

More than 700 kilograms of soil have been analyzed in the period 2014-2023, showing large amounts of germinating seeds, insects and other invertebrates introduced to the country as stowaways.

As many as 857 199 insects have been identified and assessed according to the Norwegian Invasive Species List. At least 65 of the 764 species detected in either soil, foliage or flying in between plants do not belong in Norway. NINA experts also identified and assessed 35 913 vascular plants, of which 39 species were alien to Norway.

Estimates gave answers in the billions

Random samples made by the experts add up to only 0.0001 percent of the total volume of garden plants imported during the monitoring period.

Based on the samples, however, we have estimated imports of 800 million germinating seeds and 1.9 billion insects and other invertebrates annually along with garden plants, explains senior researcher Marie Davey at NINA. 

Detects alien species in Norwegian ecosystems

NINA also runs a program to detect and report alien species at an early stage in the wild.  Experts have mapped plants and insects at 90 locations around the Oslofjord, chosen because of being a hotspot for alien species.

We have found 24 species listed on the Norwegian Invasive Species List through this monitoring. Several of them are insects and other invertebrates that have not previously been recorded in Norwegian nature, says Davey.

Call for earlier warning

We have a unique opportunity to follow the invasion process through our monitoring programs. Ideally, we would like to be able to report new alien species detections immediately so that measures can be implemented with the aim of halting a possible invasion. In this way, major negative impacts on nature and society can be prevented, says Rosvold.

As an important step, NINA therefore recommends intensifying sampling of garden plant imports, in order to provide more accurate estimates. The experts also recommend using environmental DNA for a more precise mapping of possible alien species.

Read the report here (Summary in English): Davey, M.L., Westergaard, K.B., Endrestøl, A., Fossøy, F., Hanssen, O., Brandsegg, H., Laugsand, A.E., Opsahl, N.N., Dahle, S., Andersskog, I.P.Ø., Staverløkk, A., Åström, J. 2024. Monitoring the invasion pathway of imported horticultural plants. Basic monitoring 2023 and a ten year summary of results. NINA Rapport 2484. Norwegian Institute for Nature Research.

Learn more about the monitoring of garden plant import here

Contact: Jørgen Rosvold

Presence of microplastics in European shag faeces identified for the first time

Trine Hay Setsaas

2024-11-01T06:00:00.0000000 2024-11-01T09:52:16.6030000

A pair of European shag (Gulosus aristotelis) at the Sklinna Archipelago, Norway. Photo credit: Nina Dehnhard, NINA.

Plastic pollution is an increasing problem in the marine environment, and microplastics are frequently ingested by wildlife, including seabirds. Once ingested, microplastics can be transferred through the food web to higher trophic levels. Once in the gastrointestinal system, it can lead to inflammatory processes and biochemical changes.

Seabirds are one of the most threatened groups of birds worldwide, undergoing severe population declines, and plastic pollution is a potential new and increasing threat. In fact, it is expected that 99 % of seabird species will be exposed to plastic ingestion by 2050.

Quantifying microplastics with minimal-invasive sampling

Faeces is an increasingly used matrix to quantify ingested microplastics, although still under development. Faeces can be sampled without harming and often without handling the animal, and microplastic analyses of faeces can also deliver information on excretion rates.

Most studies of seabirds have focused on larger microplastic particles (> 1 mm) in surface-feeding species and are based on necropsies of dead birds. With this method however, the origin of carcasses (e.g. beached or bycatch) is unknown, and hence plastic levels cannot be reliably linked to breeding populations.

Presence of microplastics in 69% of faecal samples

A team of researchers has now undertaken the first quantitative assessment of microplastics in seabird faeces in Northern Europe.

They investigated microplastics in faecal samples from chicks of European shags (Gulosus aristotelis) sampled at Sklinna, central Norway. The species is a pursuit-diving seabird, and therefore ingests plastics most likely through secondary ingestion by feeding on fish containing microplastics.

We found microplastics in more than 69% of the samples, a very high proportion unfortunately within the same range as for other seabird species around the world, says Nina Dehnhard, Senior Research Scientist at The Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA).

The researchers also found a much higher proportion of small microplastic particles (100-300 μm) in the faeces than have been described by others, probably because shags are able to egest larger microplastic particles due to their behaviour of regurgitating indigestible items as pellets.

In addition, our results suggest that a faecal sample from one chick is representative for all siblings at a given moment in time. Also, as chicks receive their food from their parents, it proofs that parents transfer microplastics to their chicks, says Dehnhard.

Providing valuable baseline information

The study shows for the first time that microplastics are present in the faeces of European shags in central Norway, and provides valuable baseline information about quantity, colour- and size distribution as well as polymer composition. The study also represents the first quantitative assessment of MP in seabird faeces in Northern Europe, at the same time confirming that minimal-invasive sampling of faeces in seabirds for plastic monitoring is possible.

Read the full article: Microplastics in faeces of European shags Gulosus aristotelis in central Norway

Learn more about our seabird research here

Contact: Nina Dehnhard

Developing global indicators with data from Norway

Trine Hay Setsaas

2024-10-29T11:25:00.0000000 2024-10-29T11:23:33.8700000

Services provided by ecosystems include cultural services such as enjoying evenings by the fjords of Norway. Photo credit: Bálint Czúcz, NINA.

The member states to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity adopted in 2022 new global goals for biodiversity, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), to be implemented by all Parties to the Convention.

One of the ambitions of the GBF is to provide a concise yet comprehensive set of indicators that can be used for assessing progress towards the main goals and targets in a scientifically robust and practically feasible way.

Testing proposed methodologies

A newly published report now presents results from the first round of developing the B.1 headline indicator “Services provided by ecosystems”, where different proposed methodologies were tested on ecosystem services time series from six countries and regions, including Norway.  

Headline indicator B.1 builds on the UN System of Environmental Economic Accounting/Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EA), transforming the contents of national ecosystem service accounts into a metric quantifying progress (or decline) in meeting GBF GOAL B: “Prosper with Nature” and Target 11: “Restore, Maintain and Enhance Nature’s Contributions to People”.    

We present the initial proposal for the indicator and the testing process that aimed to compare options for design and mathematical aggregation approaches using ecosystem services (ES) time series data from Norway, says Bálint Czúcz, Senior Research Scientist at the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA).

Towards a fit-for-purpose indicator

Findings from the testing exercise highlight sensitivity of the B.1 indicator to the content of ES accounts, where the proposed aggregation methodology is particularly sensitive to fluctuations in ES flows. Variations between countries in reporting on the indicator, e.g. in the delineation/distinction of ES categories and the level of detail in defining ES flows, can also create challenges for the comparability of the indicator. Accordingly, a fit-for-purpose B.1 indicator can best be achieved if alignment with the GBF's objectives is already ensured during the compilation of ES accounts according to SEEA EA.

Based on our results, we see that further testing and refinement of the B.1 indicator methodology are still necessary before we have a fit-for-purpose indicator, particularly regarding the selection of ES, treatment of monetary data, and handling of data revisions, Czúcz concludes.

Delivering local knowledge for global use  

The indicator testing exercise was undertaken on behalf of the dedicated “B.1 subgroup” of the official CBD Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group (AHTEG) on indicators. This AHTEG group was established by the CBD Member States to bring forward the development of the indicators and make them operational and assess the gaps and needs of the GBF. The “B.1 subgroup” was coordinated by Amanda Driver (South African National Biodiversity Institute, Republic of South Africa), and Emily Nicholson (Melbourne University, Australia).

The Norwegian analysis was commissioned by the Norwegian Environment Agency (coordinated by Lucrezia Gorini, member of the AHTEG), and performed by Bálint Czúcz (NINA), with inputs from Michael Traurig and Emily Nicholson (Melbourne University).

Read the full report in English: Czúcz, B. 2024. Testing headline indicator “B.1 services provided by ecosystems” of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework using data from Norway. NINA Report 2492. Norwegian Institute for Nature Research

Learn more about the monitoring framework of the GBF here

Contact: Bálint Czúcz

Fishing gear entangle Norway’s protected cold-water corals

Trine Hay Setsaas

2024-10-03T12:36:00.0000000 2024-10-04T12:19:19.1370000

Coral reef in Skarnsundet, Trondheimsfjord. A fishing line can be seen in the corals. Photo credit: Johanna Järnegren, NINA.

The world’s shallowest cold-water coral reef is found in the Trondheimsfjord in Norway. These Lobelia reefs are regarded as hot spots for biodiversity and carbon cycling, and they play a key role in benthic ecosystems in Norwegian waters.  

Following decades of human pressure from a variety of threats, the reefs have been protected from harmful bottom trawling. However, today’s regulations do not prohibit fishing or use of fishing gear in the marine protected areas (MPAs).

Old and slow growing

Using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), a small underwater vessel, experts from the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) mapped the condition of the cold-water corals in the three MPAs Skarnsundet, Tauterryggen and Rødberget in the Trondheimsfjord.

Large parts of the corals in the MPAs appear to be in good condition, with clear exceptions. It is worrying that more or less all areas are impacted by fishing, says NINA senior researcher Johanna Järnegren.

Fishing net entangled in the corals in Skarnsundet MPA. Photo credit: Johanna Järnegren, NINA.

As cold-water corals have great longevity and grow slowly, the impacts accumulate over time, even if the impact from fishing with nets and lines are far less destructive than for example bottom trawling. It may take centuries to millennia for the corals to recover if they are destroyed, she says.

Need for strengthened protection

The study was conducted on behalf of the County Governor in Trøndelag, management authority in the area, in an attempt to avoid damage by fishing gear by knowing the exact location of the reefs. 

However, deriving from the results of these investigations, it is recommended that the protection of the corals in the three MPAs in the Trondheimsfjord is strengthened, Järnegren concludes.

Want to learn more? Read the report here (Summary in English)

Contact: Johanna Järnegren

Detecting bird sounds across the globe to deliver reliable biodiversity insights

Trine Hay Setsaas

2024-09-23T07:30:00.0000000 2024-09-23T13:12:20.9870000

(A) More than 150,000 hours of acoustic data were recorded. (B) A state-of-the-art convolutional neural network model was used to detect and classify bird vocalizations. (C) Experts manually labeled a subset of the detections. (D) Filtered detections were used to derive reliable avian biodiversity insight across spatial and temporal scales.

Monitoring trends and dynamics of biodiversity is crucial if we are to address steadily increasing global environmental challenges. Using animal vocalizations in already existing audio data offers an inexpensive and taxonomically broad way to monitor these trends. However, expertise required to label new data and fine-tune algorithms has been a barrier.

Unlocking the potential of acoustic monitoring

A team of researchers have now shown that a single vocalization detection model can deliver community- and species-level insights across diverse datasets, unlocking the scale at which acoustic monitoring can deliver immediate applied impact.

The declines in cost and increased accessibility of robotics platforms and electronic sensors have transformed our ability to survey ecosystems at larger scales, says Carolyn Rosten, Researcher at the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research NINA.

In this study, the team applied a pretrained bird vocalization detection model (BirdNET) to more than 150,000 hours of audio datasets from Taiwan, Costa Rica, Brazil, and Norway. They manually listened to a subset of detections for each species in each dataset and found precisions of over 90% for 109 of a total of 136 species.

Growing libraries of sound

Bird vocalizations have been recorded by hobbyists and scientists for decades culminating in rich libraries of annotated data which span the globe.

If training datasets are able to grow in size and accessibility while addressing systematic taxonomic and geographic biases, the performance of machine learning models will continue to improve, says Rosten. This could unlock further opportunities for fully autonomous acoustic monitoring to be used at scale and deliver impact around the world, she concludes.

Read the article: Sarab S. Sethi et al.: Large-scale avian vocalization detection delivers reliable global biodiversity insights, PNAS, 2024.

Contact: Carolyn Rosten

Researchers map the world’s fungi with airborne DNA

Anne Olga Syverhuset

2024-07-10T17:00:00.0000000 2024-09-04T14:14:10.9870000

Fungi are among the most diverse and ecologically important living organisms, although their diversity, distribution and activity remain poorly known. An international team of researchers have now surveyed fungi from air samples around the world using a recently developed DNA-survey method – a breakthrough in its field. NINA researchers Jenni Nordén and Björn Nordén are part of the team.

Air - a treasure chest for nature research

The results are published in Nature, showing that the sampling of airborne DNA can provide a holistic view of global fungal diversity, representing a breakthrough in the understanding of the whole fungal kingdom.

The study further presents highly predictable patterns of spatial and seasonal variation in fungi and suggests that the drivers of the fungal community are largely similar to those affecting communities of larger species.

Thus, the team of researchers strongly believe that such new techniques for investigating biodiversity will revolutionize the monitoring of biodiversity and make us better able to predict future trends.

Air samples are collected with a so-called cyclone sampler that sucks air into the sample tube at a given speed over a long period of time. Small particles such as spores are collected in test tubes which are frozen and then sent for DNA sequencing.

- We hope that new methods for monitoring biodiversity also can be used in Norwegian and European monitoring schemes such as the Norwegian national forest inventory, says Jenni Nordén.

Read more: Airborne DNA reveals predictable spatial and seasonal dynamics of fungi

Contact: Jenni Nordén and Björn Nordén

Steep decline in radioactive caesium after 30 years of monitoring

Trine Hay Setsaas

2024-06-21T15:30:00.0000000 2024-06-21T15:25:36.4900000

Reindeer grazing in the mountains. Photo credit: Olav Strand, NINA

Norway received large amounts of radiocaesium from atmospheric tests of nuclear weapons in the 1950–60's and with the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 1986. Mid and central regions of Norway experienced the highest deposition rates, resulting in detrimental exposure for both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. 

In Norway, concerns were immediately raised following the Chernobyl accident, especially because the most heavily contaminated areas overlapped with key grazing areas for reindeer and domestic sheep, with possible harmful consequences for human health.

Faster declines than predicted 

In a recently published paper, NINA researchers present the results from a long-term study of radiocaesium in selected alpine plant species in Rondane National Park and Dovrefjell National Park, central Norway. Data were collected over a 31-year period from 1991 to 2022, comparable to the physical half-life of the radioactive substance. 

We found that the effective rates of decay of radiocaesium in alpine plants were much faster than the rate predicted from the physical half-life, says Signe Nybø, Research Director at NINA and head author.  

Further, functional groups of plants differed in concentrations in early years after the accident, with higher rates of contamination in lichens and bryophytes than vascular plants. Also, variations were also observed among plant species important for grazing.  

These results are encouraging because current estimates of radiocaesium concentrations in alpine plants in central Norway lead to levels of radiocaesium concentrations in wild game and reindeer that are less than national guidelines for acceptable concentrations of radiocaesium.   

Filling crucial knowledge gaps 

Early investigations of radiocaesium in plants in Europe focused on grazed pastures and agricultural crops on cultivated lands. Therefore, estimates of concentrations in plants in natural habitats have been a knowledge gap for models of exposure for wild and domestic animals. 

Since plant herbivory is one of the main pathways for radioactive caesium to enter the food chain, new information on this substance in alpine plants will help to understand the environmental impacts of radioactive contamination for other trophic levels, says Nybø. 

The study states further that knowledge on plant uptake and differences among plant species are important for implementing effective strategies to minimize the transfer not only from soil to wild plants, but also to wildlife, livestock, agricultural products, and potentially to humans.

Read the full article here

Contact: Signe Nybø

Seabirds reveal mercury distribution across the North Atlantic

Trine Hay Setsaas

2024-05-31T10:43:00.0000000 2024-05-31T10:44:39.1130000

Map showing mercury concentrations with highest values in dark blue and lowest in yellow. Figure: NINA

Mercury (Hg) is a toxic substance that accumulates in the food chain and causes detrimental effects on wildlife and human health. The spatial distribution of this toxicant, however, is not well known, especially in food webs and at larger scales in the marine environment.

Seabirds as indicators

In a groundbreaking study recently published, a group of researchers use seabirds to assess the spatial distribution of mercury in the North Atlantic food web. The high resolution, and population and geographic magnitude of the study is unprecedented, says NINA researcher and head author, Céline Albert.

Tracking data from 837 seabirds from seven different species and 27 breeding colonies combined with feather analyses revealed the presence of mercury through the North Atlantic Arctic.

Mercury increasing from east to west

The maps show an east-west gradient in mercury concentrations, increasing from the Barents Sea in the east to the East coast of Canada in the west. Along the mercury concentration gradient, we see hot spots around southern Greenland and the East coast of Canada and a cold spot in the Barents and Kara Seas, says Albert.

The study indicates that the observed gradients could be influenced by ocean currents and melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet.

Of great importance for Arctic communities

This study is considered of great importance for Arctic communities who rely on the marine environment for their livelihoods.

Indeed, Arctic Indigenous Peoples, and especially the Greenlandic and Canadian Inuit communities, possess some of the highest concentrations of mercury in the world, with several documented negative health effects.    

With this background, the group of researchers behind this study urge the international community, including under the Minamata Convention on Mercury, to take new and rapid action to address mercury contamination of the environment and the subsequent risk to human health.  

Our work demonstrates how wildlife can be used as cost-efficient bioindicators to gather important information on mercury distribution at a large scale, essential to enable decision-makers to take necessary action, concludes Albert.

Read the article published in PNAS here

Contact:

Céline Albert

Børge Moe

Weather radars reveal where birds migrate

Jørn J. Fremstad

2024-02-12T08:39:00.0000000 2024-02-12T11:55:15.2670000

For many years, information on bird migration has been an unwanted biproduct for meteorologists. The Norwegian Meteorological Institute operates 12 weather radars in Norway designed to record precipitation. The radars also capture everything else moving in the air, including birds within a radius of several tens of kilometers. Now, Norwegian bird researchers will use the technology for the first time.

Can map large scale migration

– Weather radars provide continuous data on the quantity of birds in the air within a massive area and is therefore well suited to study large scale bird migration. This makes weather radars into one of the most important tools for studying bird migration, says PhD student Øyvind Nyheim at the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA).

Studies from other countries shows that many birds fly higher than what we can see with the naked eye, and that around 80% of the migration takes place at night.

– Weather radars are an excellent tool for capturing this migration, Øyvind adds.

Starten på det nattlige fugletrekket fanget opp ved en værradar i Sør-Norge 18. september 2022. Illustrasjon: Øyvind Nyheim, NINA

Migrating birds facing pressure

A lot of Norwegian birds migrate and are only here part of the year. Thus, millions of birds migrate along the Norwegian coast and out into the world to exploit seasonal fluctuations in food access. Today however, many birds are under strong and increasing pressure during their migration. This is due to many factors, among them loss of important stopover sites along the migration route, poaching, climate change and collisions with windows and wind turbines.

To find solutions to the challenges bird migrants face, researchers have used a multitude of methods. Among the most common ones are ringing, direct observations and GPS tracking, but new methods are still being developed. One of these newer methods are weather radars, which are already used for researching bird migration in the US and parts of Europe.

Finding more suitable areas for turbines

– The goal of my PhD is to use weather radars to map important migratory routes and stopover sites in Norway. We will also map when and how many birds migrate in different parts of the country. Many migratory birds die from collisions with wind turbines, and increased knowledge on birds migration routes can make it easier to place wind turbines in areas where the bird migration is less vulnerable.

– We are also planning to develop a website with visualizations of the bird migration we are seeing on the weather radars. Here, anyone will be able to enter and explore the bird migration at the different radars almost in real time, and going back several years, Øyvind continues.

His work is part of the research project Visualizing Avian migration across Norway supporting sustainable coastal and offshore wind energy development (VisAvis). The project will use data from both weather radars, specialized bird radars and bird observations from Artsdatabanken and dedicated bird observatories to map coastal and offshore migration. This will produce much needed knowledge on the migratory routes of birds important for the decision-making process around establishing wind farms.

Amazing feats of migration

• Norway is home to the longest migrating bird in the world, the Arctic Tern. It migrates from the Arctic to Antarctica every year and can during its lifetime migrate over a distance equivalent to traveling three times back and forth to the moon.
• Another Norwegian bird, the Bar-tailed Godwit, has the record for the longest non-stop migration. A radio-tagged individual traveled non-stop 11 000 kilometers from Alaska to New Zealand. This journey lasted nine days, and upon arrival the bird had lost almost half its body weight.
• Birds demonstrate an amazing ability to find the way to their final destination, that continues to fascinate and confuse scientists. Birds use an internal clock telling them how far and in which direction they need to fly, but they also rely on landmarks, the stars, the sun and earth’s magnetic field.

The history of migration research

Knowledge on bird migration is relatively new. Only 200 years ago, the common explanation for why birds disappeared during winter was that they were hibernating in the same way as bears. The earliest recorded indication that birds actually migrate came in 1822.

A stork that had been impaled by a spear was observer flying around in Germany. When the bird was later shot, people noticed the spear design came from Vest-Africa. Migration research has come a long way since then, and increasingly sophisticated study methods are being developed.

Contact: Øyvind Nyheim

NINA opens Centre for Biodiversity Genetics

Jan Arne Stokmo

2022-10-25T13:07:00.0000000 2022-10-25T14:53:35.6400000

The official opening of NINAGEN was carried out by State Secretary Aleksander Øren Heen from the Ministry of Climate and Environment. Present at the opening were many of the users of NINA's genetic laboratory services.

Strengthens nature monitoring

All living things have their own unique DNA profile and access to these ‘biological nametags’ opens up a new world of possibilities for efficiently gathering knowledge about individuals, species and ecosystems. Genetic analyses have become an increasingly important part of contemporary nature management and NINA has a long track record of suppling genetic data and its conclusion to government and industry.

– DNA analyses have become a key tool in natural resource management and assignments from the government and other institutions are only increasing. Today we are opening a new, modern laboratory and establishing a new centre of competence to meet this growing demand, says Norunn S. Myklebust, managing director of NINA.

DNA has many uses

NINAGEN delivers genetic services to many areas of nature management. For example, DNA analyses are used when monitoring populations of Scandinavian carnivores, including brown bears, wolverines, wolves and golden eagles.

NINAGEN also uses DNA to monitor the condition of wild salmonid fishes in Norway and for example to quantify the degree of hybridization between wild and farmed salmon in Norwegian rivers.

With Environmental DNA, NINAGEN can simultaneously identify the presence of hundreds of species from only a small sample of water or soil. This methodology can also be used to assess the diets of individual animals via genetic analysis of fecal samples.

– New applications for the use of DNA in monitoring and research are continually emerging, and among others, have been implemented by NINAGEN staff in the management of deer, salamander, insect and plant populations. NINA stands at the cutting edge of this work, says Myklebust.

NINAGEN – a national centre of competence

The Centre for Biodiversity Genetics in Trondheim consists of several geneticists and researchers from various disciplines. Together with a team of experienced laboratory technicians, the centre forms a unique research platform, which can deliver a broad portfolio of genetic analyses. This capability is strengthened by a close collaboration with NINA's many ecologists and taxonomic specialists.

The centre provides services across terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems, and in organism groups ranging from insects and plants to birds and mammals.

Genetic diversity is very important

– Genetic variation is a key part of biological diversity and is critical for the survival and adaptation of all species. This is more relevant than ever given the rapid pace of environmental change that is unfolding around the world. In this respect, NINAGEN will work efficiently to meet the increasing demand for genetic services, says Frode Fossøy, senior researcher at NINA.

For a research field that is constantly advancing due to technological development, NINAGEN will ensure that contemporary knowledge and methodology are efficiently implemented in Norwegian natural resource management.

Read more about NINAGEN on our new website (link)

Contact persons in NINA: 

Norunn S. Myklebust, managing director of NINA
Jonas Kindberg, head of Rovdata 
Frode Fossøy, senior researcher at NINA

Norwegian-Russian cooperation aims to stop the spread of alien species to the Arctic

Jan Arne Stokmo

2021-04-20T13:10:00.0000000 2021-06-30T14:51:09.3600000

The main message for travelers to Arctic regions is that they should brush, hoover and wash clothes, shoes, luggage and equipment before they start their journey. Fishing equipment should be disinfected. Such simple measures will protect the vulnerable plant and wildlife in arctic regions.

The campaign is launched this year in northwest Russia after being tested on travelers to Svalbard in a pilot project in 2018-2019. It is also now expanding to Iceland and Greenland.

Serious threat to species

"Alien species are a threat to biodiversity globally, but also in the Arctic. Our goal is to inform travelers that they can easily help reduce this problem. Seeds can get stuck on mountain shoes, parasites can follow fishing gear and so on. With simple measures, the dispersion of such stowaways can be avoided, explains Jørn Thomassen, head of the project in the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA).

NINA is leading the campaign in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Finland and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency in Sweden. For the launch in Russia, The National Park Russian Arctic (NPRA) is the central partner.

Will raise awareness of travelers

Alien species are species that have come to an area where they naturally do not belong, due to human activity. They are one of the biggest threats to biodiversity globally. Many people are unaware that they can unconsciously carry alien species to the vulnerable natural areas. This is what the campaign is going to do something with.

"Alien species can establish themselves and displace local species, and also threaten entire ecosystems. Climate change increases the chance of unwanted species gaining a foothold in the Arctic, Thomassen warns.

Collaboration with the tourism industry

In order for the campaign to succeed, we depend on good cooperation with tour operators, airlines, governments and more. The pilot project in Svalbard showed that the industries themselves took responsibility and were a crucial piece in reaching out to the travelers.

In Russia, the authorities and Russian tour operators carrying guests and workers to Arctic parts of Russia are also involved.

Uses animation film

An important part of the campaign consists of a two-minute animation film in which a speaking polar bear examines various travelers for alien species.

The film and accompanying website is translated into Russian and is meant to convince Russian-speaking travelers to take steps to stop the spread of alien species. The film is also subtitled in 13 languages for use in other parts of the Arctic.

Joint efforts

The campaign in northwest Russia is funded by the Ministry of Climate and Environment in Norway through the environmental cooperation programme with Russia.

For more information on the problem of alien species in the Arctic and measures to stop the spread of them on www.stoparcticaliens.com.

On behalf of the Norwegian Environment Agency, NINA has produced a report showing the status of mapping and monitoring of foreign species in the Arctic and recommended measures for further mapping and monitoring. The report from NINA (in Norwegian) can be read here.

Contacts:

NINA: Jørn Thomassen

NINA: Inga Elise Bruteig

NINA: Kristine Bakke Westergaard

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (Finland): Johanna Niemivuo-Lahti 

Swedish Environmental Protection Agency: Melanie Josefsson 

National Park Russian Arctic: Ivan Mizin

More about invasive species: Aliens in the Arctic (podcast)

Facts:

• Alien species are a global threat to biodiversity.
• Plant and wildlife in the Arctic is particularly vulnerable to intruders from outside.
• Travelers to arctic regions can carry seeds, insects and parasites on clothes, equipment and luggage to the Arctic without knowing it.
• The Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Finland have therefore made a film to raise awareness of the problem.
• The information campaign and film will now also be spread in northwest Russia.
• The main message is that you can help protect the vulnerable nature of the Arctic by taking some simple measures.
• The main measures are brushing, hovering and washing clothes, shoes, luggage and equipment before departure. Fishing equipment should be disinfected.
• The film is produced by the Trondheim-based company Klipp og lim, and is funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers, the Norwegian Environment Agency and the Governor of Svalbard.

A ray of hope for the golden deer of Myanmar

Bjørg Bruset

2019-05-29T14:24:00.0000000 2019-06-03T14:26:42.0000000

For a rare species Eld’s deer has many names! Variously known as thamin, golden deer or brow-antlered deer (Rucervus eldii in latin) the species is native to eastern India, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and parts of China.

Standardization and facilitation of seabird data for use in impact and environmental risk assessments

juliet.landro

2018-07-02T12:14:00.0000000 2022-10-12T15:07:43.5030000

Norwegian Oil and Gas and BaSEC (Barents Sea Exploration Collaboration) put together an expert group to provide standardization and facilitation of seabird data for use in impact and environmental risk assessments. The report describes how seabir