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Destructive insect outbreaks and cod collapse: Why didn’t the management measures help?
When fundamental changes started to happen in three ecosystems in North America, people reacted: They completely stopped pollution, forestry and fishing. But the attempts were futile. It was impossible to bring the ecosystems back to their original state. Why didn’t the management efforts have any effect?
NIVA and Akvaplan-niva stand out at the SETAC meeting
The aim of the PEACE project is to get a big step closer to a more realistic way of studying the effect of contaminants on natural ecosystems. Last week, the project team presented key findings at the prestigious SETAC conference in Helsinki – and received the Best Platform Presentation Award.
The Myanmar Norway bilateral Environmental Agreement proceeds to phase two
Myanmar has placed high priority on enhancing the protection of its biodiversity and habitats to conserve its natural heritage. However, ongoing deforestation and forests degradation have resulted in decreased forest cover, destruction of habitats and ecosystems, and loss of biodiversity. Norwegian institutions and Myanmar authorities are collaborating for improved environmental management. After four years, The Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) has been given the responsibility for coordinating the second phase of the program.
Contamination of European seas continues despite some positive progress
A new European Environment Agency (EEA) report tells that between 75 and 96 % of the assessed area of Europe’s regional seas have a contamination problem.
It is all in the genes: Decoding the effects of multiple stressors
Genomic markers are the key in a new approach for assessing the toxic effects arising from exposure to multiple stressors.
Researcher believes in kelp farming
By 2050, kelp farming along the Norwegian coast is estimated to cover an area corresponding to half the size of all farmed land in the country. The management agencies need to prepare.
The Helgeland coast: worth its weight in gold
Nordic coastal ecosystems recently got a scientific health check. The Helgeland coast in Norway did well, according to Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA).
A sea lice free salmon prison
In October 2018, the first salmon were “imprisoned” in a brand new fish production prototype in Trøndelag, Norway. With a rigid steel construction and a water current generator included, the new fish cage Aquatraz will both prevent fish escapes and keep the fish in shape, while researchers from the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) are monitoring the sea lice and water quality in the cage.
Quest to solve global water plant mystery
Mass development of water plants in river and lakes causes headache for researchers and water managers all over the world. New research aims to reveal the causes of the explosive development and identify ecosystem effects of removing the water plants.
Improved faunal status at the soft bottom in Skagerrak
Reductions of nutrients have led to a greater species richness at the seafloor in the Skagerrak after 1990. But warmer winter temperatures and increased river runoff might be the new challenges for the animal life at the soft bottom.
Successful tests for U.S. Coast Guard type approval with zero holding time
Alfa Laval has successfully completed additional tests at the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) to verify the biological efficacy of Alfa Laval PureBallast 3 without holding time.
Pollutant-ban has made snails healthy again
The environmental pollutant TBT can mimic hormones to the extent that it sterilizes female snails and make them grow non-functional penises and vas deferens. But for the first time since monitoring started up in 1991 and the total ban of TBT entered force in 2008, only fertile dogwhelk have been found along the Norwegian coastline.
The long road from Arctic science to international law
The road to the Minamata Convention on mercury took almost 15 years and has been significantly influenced by Arctic research and Norwegian efforts. Why and in what way did Arctic research play such a significant role in this road towards the convention?
NIVA will study hot vents 4000 meters under the Artic ice
The HACON project will provide the first comprehensive study of deep (4000 m) hydrothermal vent ecosystems under ice in the Arctic region. HACON targets a key missing piece of the global vent biogeographic puzzle in a region that remains mostly unexplored because of its remote and climatologically challenging location.
Researchers use drones to photograph seaweeds
Drones are the future for nature mapping and monitoring. – Compared to satellite pictures, drone images provide 1,000 times better image resolution and one million times more data points, says Kasper Hancke, marine biologist at NIVA.
Report: Precence of microplastics in Norwegian drinking water are close to zero
There are very low levels of microplastic in the water from Norwegian waterworks, according to a report conducted by Norwegian Water. The Norwegian Institute of Public Health concludes that this does not pose any health risk. The Norwegian Institute of Water Research (NIVA) has carried out the analyzes and the scientific work.
Ny rapport om konsekvenser av havforsuring i Arktis
Havforsuringen i arktiske havområder forventes å føre til store økologiske og sosioøkonomiske konsekvenser i de kommende tiårene – både lokalt og globalt.
New financial tools to fund restoration of contaminated soils and sediments
New financial tools and sources must be harnessed to fund soil restoration and remediation projects to improve communities’ health, according to a new series of reports from a coalition of researchers from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), the Norwegian Institute of Water Research and the Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning (CAEP).
What you wanted to know about kelp but were afraid to ask
Kelp Forests are underwater ecosystems formed in shallow waters. Although they look very much like plants, kelps are actually large brown algae. Kelp forests have been described as one of the most ecologically dynamic and biologically diverse habitats on the planet. View this short video from the Norwegian Blur Forest Network (NBFN) to be enlightened.
Chemicals are leaching from Norwegian roads and tunnels
Despite national objectives of reduced use and substitution of hazardous substances, more than two hundred tons were still in use in transport related products in Norway in 2012. Which chemicals are they, how exposed are we humans, and do they leak out to the environment? Newly published research provides some answers.