ABSTRACTThis pilot study examines the knowledge about tree root systems amongst five treeplanting professionals. The aim is to find out the professionals? collective knowledge ofthe nature of root systems of various trees used in green areas. Furthermore; to explorehow the professionals adapt landscaped green areas to the tree root properties in asustainable manner. Questions: Which tree species have special root properties toconsider and how do the professionals utilize this knowledge? And: How do theprofessionals in general adjust planting according to the root systems of trees in areas tocreate sustainable green environments?Interviews with the professionals were performed.

The concentration and storage of organic chlorine and chloride were determined in soil, to a depth of 40 cm, in a coniferous forest in the Stubbetorp catchment area in south-east Sweden. Also, the spatial distribution of the two forms of chlorine was determined. Soil samples were collected at 49 of the nodes in a grid with approximately 105 m between the nodes. The analysis of spatial variability suggested that no spatial autocorrelation was present either within the variable organic chlorine or chloride. This means that no sample was more influenced by another nearby sample, as compared to other samples further away.

Allanblackia is a genus of trees that grows in the rainforests of West, Central and Eastern Africa. Its big fruits contain seeds very rich in oil which has been used by local communities for cooking and making soaps. The native stands are threatened by overexploitation and the demand for the oil is much greater than the supply. Domestication programs, aiming at introducing the trees to small holder agroforestry systems, have been started for some of the species. The main aim of this study was to investigate the soil requirements of Allanblackia stuhlmannii in terms of chemical and physical parameters, as revealed by the soil conditions in native stands. Another aim was to see if these varied along an altitudinal transect.

Agricultural soils constitute the base in human food production and soil content of organic matter and plant nutrients together with soil microbial activity are all important parameters for high crop yield of good quality. These parameters are dependant on proper fertilization.Anaerobic digestion of organic wastes for biogas production generates a liquid residue called biogas residue (BR). It contains organic material and plant nutrients which makes ita potential fertilizer for arable cropping. However, it also contains heavy metals and toxic organic compounds and it is therefore in need of evaluation before usage.Microbial tests were performed aiming to evaluate the agronomic traits of four different BR and to find a viable procedure for evaluating slurry fertilizers. Two experiments where soil respiration and soil potential denitrification activity (PDA) was measured at fertilizer addition were performed.

The incidence of damage to the claws and legs in piglets caused by the floor in farrowing pens is a widely known problem and very common in today's pig herds. Although the association between floor and damage has been known for over 35 years, no suitable solution has been found to reduce the negative impact. The purpose of this study was to make a literature study to document the experiences of the use of different types of flooring in farrowing pens and also, in an own study, examine if soft floor in farrowing crates could lead to reduced damage to the claws and legs in piglets compared to concrete floor. The study was conducted in two herds, A and B. In each herd, farrowing pens with concrete floor and concrete floor with polyurethane coating were compared.

AbstractThis report intends through a case study to investigate if lightweight concrete isappropriate as main material in the outer wall of a seven storey residential building.A technical design is carried out in accordance with the definitions and requirementsfor passive houses, given by FEBY?s1 ?Demand specification for passive houses?.A literature review is also carried out for a comparison between regular bolt wall andlight weight concrete wall, with a focus on the safety of moisture.The lightweight concrete block used in the report is as a celblock produced by thecompany H+H Sweden AB.The methods used have resulted in compliance with requirements andrecommendations from authorities. Calculations of energy, noise and moisture riskassessment has been carried out.The work has resulted in the conclusion that the lightweight concrete itself is notable to isolate in the extent necessary to obtain chosen U-value of 0,1 W/m2 ° C,without getting to thick. Therefore additional insulation is needed. There are fewrelevant reference objects built with only light weight concrete.

Using biofuels from regeneration cuttings is becoming more common in Sweden. Ash from the combustion of biofuels contains many valuable nutrients and base cations. The Swedish Forest Agency recommends that ash should be recycled to clearings where biofuels have been removed, to avoid future impoverishment of Swedish woodlands. In Jämtland, in northern Sweden, a large quantity of biofuels are taken out from cuttings but ash recycling has not yet been tried. The aim of this thesis was to examine the conditions for ash recycling in Jämtland regarding to soil chemistry and heavy metal content in soil and biofuels.

Using the Introductory Carbon Balance Model, ICBM, five different crop rotations with rye 1. Rye-Ley-Ley-Rye-Beans-Rye 2. Rye-Rye-Rapeseed-Rapeseed 3. Rye-Ley-Ley-Rye-Potatoes-Rye 4. Rye-Rye-Potatoes-Wheat 5. Rye-Rye-Potatoes-Beans-Wheat-Rye-Potatoes-Rapeseed were tested theoretically in four different cultivation scenarios ? Straw left on the field, biogas digestate added as fertilizer. Labelled ?+straw+BD?. ? Straw left on the field, only synthetic fertilizer. Labelled ?+straw-BD?. ? Straw harvested, biogas digestate added as fertilizer.

AbstractThis report intends through a case study to investigate if lightweight concrete isappropriate as main material in the outer wall of a seven storey residential building.A technical design is carried out in accordance with the definitions and requirementsfor passive houses, given by FEBY?s1 ?Demand specification for passive houses?.A literature review is also carried out for a comparison between regular bolt wall andlight weight concrete wall, with a focus on the safety of moisture.The lightweight concrete block used in the report is as a celblock produced by thecompany H+H Sweden AB.The methods used have resulted in compliance with requirements andrecommendations from authorities. Calculations of energy, noise and moisture riskassessment has been carried out.The work has resulted in the conclusion that the lightweight concrete itself is notable to isolate in the extent necessary to obtain chosen U-value of 0,1 W/m2 ° C,without getting to thick. Therefore additional insulation is needed. There are fewrelevant reference objects built with only light weight concrete.

A field experiment was carried out in 2006 to investigate the effects of deep rotary cultivation on sugarbeet growth. The background to the experiment was a 2005 study showing potentially higher yield, higher cleanness and higher sugar content when primary tillage was carried out to 35 cm depth with a rotary cultivator. On four field sites in Skåne (L:a Isie, Ädelholm, Stävie and Vragerup), five different treatments were compared: mouldboard ploughing in the autumn to 20 cm; mouldboard ploughing in the autumn to 20 cm + rotary cultivation in the spring to 35 cm; rotary cultivation in the autumn to 35 cm; rotary cultivation in the spring to 35 cm; and mouldboard ploughing in the spring to 20 cm. The rotary cultivator used in the treatments is manufactured by a Dutch company, Imants. The implement cultivates the soil with spade tines fitted on arms that are mounted on a horizontal rotating PTO-driven axle. Beet plants were inspected and yield determined in the experiment, and three soil parameters were examined: penetration resistance, water infiltration and infiltration of blue dye. Root shape was also examined. The site at Stävie was not harvested due to poor beet establishment. At the other sites, the highest yield was found when the soil was rotary-cultivated in the autumn.

Soils in a metal contaminated site on Stångberget in Gusum in southeastSweden were investigated and compared to relatively unaffected soils a fewkilometres away. Pollution came from historical release of untreated flue gasesfrom a brass mill. The objective was to find information on how high the metalconcentrations are, if metals from the polluted soil affect the surroundings andif the metal contamination affects the microbial community. The soil wasinvestigated using several different methods, such as field XRF measurements,chemical analysis of metal, carbon and nitrogen content, pH, acid neutralizingcapacity, texture, soil depth, field leach tests, sequential extraction and microbialfunctional profiles. The study showed that copper and zinc concentrationswere above Swedish Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for lesssensitive land use on the entire investigated area.

The most predominant method for forest harvesting in Sweden is the cut-to-length method based on two-machines, a harvester that fells trees and cut them in a predefined length, and a forwarder which transports logs to a landing area for further transport to a processing facility. New machine solutions have to be much gentler to the ground than today?s machines. To be able to develop a forestry machine that preserves the terrain requires a proper understanding of the interaction between tire and soil.The goal of the project is to contribute to the existing knowledge of forest machine tire-soil interaction and to develop a tire-soil model that enables dynamic simulations of forest machines operating in rough terrain. The modeling has especially been focused on the interaction between tires and soft ground.A comparison of theoretical data of different WES-based terrain interaction models and a comparison test data from a full scale field test is presented.

Eutrophication is an environmental problem that affects more than ten percent of Swedish lakes. Excess nutrients increase the growth of algae, and cause major problems in the ecosystem through oxygen-free bottoms, fish kills, and at worst dead bottoms. Agriculture accounts for 44% of human emissions of phosphorus to lakes and rivers. Leaching occurs of particle bound phosphorus and of dissolved phosphate. The amount of phosphate in the soil solution that may be leached is partly due to the prevailing pH in the soil solution. The purpose of this study was to investigate how the relationship between phosphate solubility and pH was affected by liming.

The background of this work is the media discussion about the effect of cultivation on peatsoils on greenhouse gas emissions. It has been argued that row sown and intensivelycultivated crops such as carrots are more likely to emit carbon dioxide than for example grassleys. The association KRAV (an association promoting organic farming) shall, from this yearadapt their environmental policy to be more climate smart and have asked the question if thecultivation of some crops is more climate smart than others? Carbon dioxide emissions fromsoil are due to degradation of organic material and the rate is controlled by microbial activity.The microbial activity is determined by a variety of factors such as temperature, soil organicmatter quality and water content. I have measured the carbon dioxide emission from fourdifferent crops at two different farms.

In times of increased flooding, enhanced by climate change, polluted stormwater poses an increased threat to the environment through contaminated water entering waterways. Bioretention utilizes natural processes in soil and vegetation to treat pollutants and combat this threat. Biochar produced through pyrolysis, has a high cation exchange capacity (CEC) and could therefore increase treatment in bioretention systems. This research applies a literature review, interview, and a model to explore the benefits and disadvantages of biochar in order to specify a soil-mix through an understanding of the production process and preferred application rate. High purification through CEC, increased water holding capacity, and carbon sequestration being the benefits discussed.