Greenhouse Gas Inventory for Land Use Change and Forestry in Finland Based on International Guidelines

Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change - Guidelines of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) were used to assess a greenhouse gas inventory for land use change and...     

Infrared thermography reveals effect of working posture on skin temperature in office workers

Introduction. Musculoskeletal symptoms related to using traditional computer workstations are common. Quantitative methods for measuring muscle stress and strain are needed to improve ergonomics of workstations. We hypothesize that infrared thermography (IRT) is suited for this purpose. Methods. This hypothesis was evaluated by estimating muscle activity in upright and traditional working postures with IRT and surface electromyography (sEMG). IRT and sEMG measurements were conducted in 14 female participants with both working postures. First, measurements with the traditional posture were performed. Later, participants had 1?month to adjust to the upright working posture before repeating the measurements. IRT images were acquired before and after a full working day, with sEMG recordings being conducted throughout the measurement days. Participants evaluated their neck pain severity using neck disability index (NDI) questionnaires before the first and after the second measurement day. Results. Spatial variation in upper back temperature was higher (p?=?0.008) when working in traditional posture and the upright working posture reduced (p?p?=?0.003) after working in the upright posture. Conclusion. IRT was found suitable for evaluating muscle activity and upright working posture to reduce the NDI and muscle activity in the upper back.     

Model Computations on Sequestration of Carbon in Managed Forests and Wood Products under Changing Climatic Conditions in Finland

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of forest management on carbon sequestration in forests and wood products by using a gap-type forest model interfaced with a wood product model. The assessment is based on total carbon sequestration, i.e. the amount of carbon left in vegetation, litter, soil organic matter and products when the flows of carbon back to the atmosphere have been subtracted. Thirty mixed-species stands, representing medium fertility sites in southern Finland, were included in each simulation for 300 years under current climatic conditions and predicted conditions of changing climate. The average total balance for the first 100 years was higher in the unmanaged system than in the managed system, but for the second and third 100-year periods the results were clearly opposite. Differences in the total balance between the treatments were larger during the first 100 years than over the whole 300-year period. Under conditions of changing climate, differences in carbon sequestration between management options were more pronounced than under current climatic conditions. Under current climatic conditions with the 100-year time frame, the ratio between the total annual balance and annual gross production was 0·208–0·289. Over the whole 300 years, however, efficiency was much lower, 0·088–0·121. Under changing climatic conditions, efficiency was also lower, 0·182–0·252 and 0·081–0·096, respectively. Different management alternatives clearly produced different amounts of timber for the production process; under conditions of changing climate, timber production was substantially enhanced. However, total carbon storages at the end of the simulation varied less than timber production. In the managed system, the flow back into the atmosphere was largest from litter, 41–51% of the total outflow, the flow from vegetation was 23–28%, from soil organic matter 22–25%, emissions from products 1–7%, and emissions from landfills 0–3%. If emissions due to the use of machinery in timber harvesting and transportation were included, they made up only 0·03–0·33% of the total outflow.     

Polychlorinated phenols,guaiacols and catechols in environment

Emissions, bioaccumulation and possible food chain enrichment of polychlorinated phenols, guaiacols and catechols have been studied by analyses of water, snow, ash, benthic animal, fish and bird samples in Finland. Seventeen individual compounds were analyzed using authentic reference model compounds and internal standard by GC/ECD. Although the enrichment potential of the studied compounds appeared to be lower than that of the chlorinated hydrocarbons, they proved to be very general pollutants and some of them showed specific bioaccumulation to certain species and high persistency thus forming environmental hazards.     

Emission of the greenhouse gases nitrous oxide and methane from constructed wetlands in europe

The potential atmospheric impact of constructed wetlands (CWs) should be examined as there is a worldwide increase in the development of these systems. Fluxes of N(2)O, CH(4), and CO(2) have been measured from CWs in Estonia, Finland, Norway, and Poland during winter and summer in horizontal and vertical subsurface flow (HSSF and VSSF), free surface water (FSW), and overland and groundwater flow (OGF) wetlands. The fluxes of N(2)O-N, CH(4)-C, and CO(2)-C ranged from -2.1 to 1000, -32 to 38 000, and -840 to 93 000 mg m(-2) d(-1), respectively. Emissions of N(2)O and CH(4) were significantly higher during summer than during winter. The VSSF wetlands had the highest fluxes of N(2)O during both summer and winter. Methane emissions were highest from the FSW wetlands during wintertime. In the HSSF wetlands, the emissions of N(2)O and CH(4) were in general highest in the inlet section. The vegetated ponds in the FSW wetlands released more N(2)O than the nonvegetated ponds. The global warming potential (GWP), summarizing the mean N(2)O and CH(4) emissions, ranged from 5700 to 26000 and 830 to 5100 mg CO(2) equivalents m(-2) d(-1) for the four CW types in summer and winter, respectively. The wintertime GWP was 8.5 to 89.5% of the corresponding summertime GWP, which highlights the importance of the cold season in the annual greenhouse gas release from north temperate and boreal CWs. However, due to their generally small area North European CWs were suggested to represent only a minor source for atmospheric N(2)O and CH(4).     

Dependence on forest resources and tropical deforestation in Ghana

In Ghana, forests provide many products on which the local population subsists. However, these resources are depleting due to a variety of factors including agricultural expansion and over-exploitation of forest resources. This paper presents an analysis of the level of local dependence on forest resources and its implications for forest management in Ghana. The paper also outlines the causes of continuing deforestation in the studied region from the perspective of the local residents and discusses what role they could play in addressing the problem. The aim is to share more light on the current causes of deforestation and make suggestions for improved community-based forest management practices that could help to reduce deforestation. Primary data was collected through personal interviews and focus group discussions with 431 household heads randomly selected from three Forest Districts in Ghana. The survey showed that income from agriculture constituted 60% of the average total rural household income. Forest income provided 38% of total household income, and off-farm income 2%. The four most highly ranked causes of deforestation are poverty-driven agriculture, lack of alternative rural wage employment other than farming, household population levels, and conflict in traditional land practices. This shows a shift in the view of local people who in the past were quick to blame logging companies and government policies for deforestation. The majority of the respondents depended on wild animals like snail, bush meat, wild honey and wild and cultivated vegetables. Given the reasons for deforestation, much thought needs to go into agroforestry practices (e.g. snail farming, bee keeping, fish farming, and vegetable production) in efforts to reduce deforestation, which are currently less promoted. Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.