Nitrogen availability and transformation in acidified and N saturated soils of Czech (The Bohemian Forest, Ore Mountains) and Ukraine (Pop Ivan massif) mountain forest ecosystems were investigated. The study was primarily focused on the role of microbial immobilization in soil N retention. The study was based on field measurements (ion exchange resins), analyses of selected soil biochemical and microbial characteristics, and on laboratory experiments (15N labelling).

The main aim of this dissertation is to suggest an application of unmanned aircrafts and to compare them with the currently used methods. In the introductory part the dissertation deals with the history and development of unmanned aircrafts. Further, it presents a theory essential to understand a principle of operation of the proposed methods and its analysis of the currently used methods and procedures. In the final part the dissertation explains a proposal of use of unmanned aircrafts in the industry and compares them with the methods currently used.

Granbarkborre är en av Sveriges mest destruktiva skadeinsekter som angriper granskog. Insekten har medfört förödande konsekvenser för granskog, framför allt sedan2018 där stora arealer granskog nästan har eliminerats. Insekten trivs i varmt ochtorrt klimat. Växthuseffekten i form av värmeböljor och perioder av minskad nederbörd tros gynna denna skadliga insekt då de kan fortplanta sig flera gånger och erövra nya områden under en enda sommarsäsong. En vital och nödvändig åtgärd vid bekämpning av skadeinsekter är att föra bort angripna träd innan granbarkborren lämnar barken. Dock är det nästan omöjligt attundersöka all granskog på det traditionella sättet, det vill säga till fots eftersom detär mycket tids- och resurskrävande. I det tidiga skedet visar det angripna trädet ingabetydande färgförändringar i det synliga spektrumet inom fjärranalys, vilket försvårar tidig upptäckt. Men för att försöka göra detta möjligt ämnar det här arbetet undersöka skillnaderna hos friska och angripna träd i tid, där det användes band i detosynliga spektrumet som ShortWave Infrared. Detta användes bland annat i form avbandkombinationer, som Atmospheric Penetration och Agriculture. Dessutom utfördes empiriska experiment på olika vegetationsindex (VI) som var NormalizedSimple Ratio, Enhanced Vegetation Index, Green Chlorophyll Vegetation Index,Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Moisture Indexoch Normalized Distance RED and SWIR. I denna studie användes satellitbilder från Sentinel-2 över studieområdet i Mellansverige under månaderna maj-september från 2020 till juli 2022. Inrapporterade dataför angrepp av granbarkborren i studieområdet hämtades från databasarkiven GlobalBiodiversity Information Facility och Holmen AB. Skogsstyrelsens öppna karttjänstanvändes för att erhålla data över Sveriges skogsarter, för att säkerställa att studieområdet bestod av granskog. Genom att utföra empiriska experiment av de olika VI och bandkombinationer sompresenteras i denna studie kunde några indikationer utmärkas. På grund av problematiken med de olika påverkande faktorerna, som bland annat lokalt klimat i kombination med tröskelvärden, var det svårt att fastställa en fullständig bedömning. Vårslutsats visar att de använda vegetationsindex och de två bandkombinationer tillsammans med den spatiala upplösningen, som Sentinel-2 erbjuder, inte uppnår det someftersträvas i denna studie. Anledningen till detta var att möjligheten att identifieraenstaka sjuka träd i studieområdet saknades. / The spruce bark beetle is one of Sweden's most destructive pests that attack spruceforests. The insect has had devastating consequences for spruce forests, especiallysince 2018 where large areas of spruce forest have been almost eliminated. The insect thrives in warm and dry climates. The greenhouse effect in the form of heatwaves and periods of reduced rainfall is believed to favor this harmful insect as theycan reproduce several times and conquer new areas in a single summer season. A vital and necessary measure in combating pests is to remove infested trees beforethe spruce bark beetle leaves the bark. However, it is almost impossible to examineall the spruce forest in the traditional way, which is on foot, because it is time- andresource-consuming. In the early stage, the infested tree shows no significant colorchanges in the visible spectrum in remote sensing, which makes early detection difficult. To try to make this possible, this work intends to investigate the differences inhealthy and infested trees in time, where bands in the invisible spectrum such asShortWave Infrared were used. This was used, among other things, in the form ofband combinations, such as Atmospheric Penetration and Agriculture. In addition,empirical experiments were performed on different vegetation indices (VI) whichwere Normalized Simple Ratio, Enhanced Vegetation Index, Green ChlorophyllVegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Normalized DifferenceMoisture Index and Normalized Distance RED and SWIR. In this study, satellite images from Sentinel-2 were used over the study area in central Sweden during the months of May-September from 2020 to July 2022. Reported data for attacks by the spruce bark beetle in the study area were retrievedfrom the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and Holmen AB database archives.The Forestry Agency's open map service was used to obtain data on Sweden's forestspecies, to ensure that the study area consisted of spruce forest. By performing empirical experiments of the different VI and band combinationspresented in this study, some indications could be distinguished. Due to the problems with the various influencing factors, such as local climate in combination withthreshold values, it was difficult to establish a complete assessment. Our conclusionshows that the used vegetation indices and the two band combinations together withthe spatial resolution offered by Sentinel-2 do not achieve what is sought in thisstudy. The reason for this was that the possibility of identifying individual diseasedtrees in the study area was missing.

The Eurasian spruce bark beetle Dendroctonus micans is a major pest of spruce which is expanding its range in France, Turkey, England and Wales. Its monospecific predator Rhizophagus grandis has followed naturally the bark beetle into most areas and, since the 1960s, has also been mass-produced and successfully released within newly infested locations. In this scope, the development of an effective trapping method would be very useful to assess the bark-beetle presence at previously uninfested sites, or predator establishment after release or natural spread. We demonstrated the efficiency of oxygenated monoterpenes-baited kairomone traps to monitor R. grandis in various epidemiological conditions, including areas localized behind or at the limit of the pest’s distribution, or in areas where artificial releases were performed. Because the predator is strictly species-specific, another exciting possibility offered by the kairomone trapping is the indirect monitoring of the pest itself in areas of unknown status (e.g. areas under colonization, or considered as at risk at medium- term). R. grandis is also considered as one of the most valuable natural enemies to strike aggressive North-American Dendroctonus species. In this respect, R. grandis has been recently applied in a neo-classical biological program against the red turpentine beetle D. valens, which invaded China from North America in the late 1990’s. In laboratory tests conducted on pine logs in the laboratory, or on living pine trees in the field, we demonstrated that R. grandis adults can successfully enter and reproduce into D. valens galleries. In Europe, R. grandis is the only species regularly found in the brood systems of D. micans, where adults and larvae attack the gregarious larvae of their prey. In such enclosed systems, R. grandis’ functional response is therefore influenced by various interrelated components, such as the prey density, the predator density, or the prey distribution. Measuring the predator’s success in terms of larval survival and growth rates, we demonstrated the time spent by R. grandis larvae to wound and kill their prey to be the main factor limiting their development. This factor may be considerably influenced by the proportions of diseased, wounded or molting prey rise in the brood system, for instance as a result of an increase in prey density, or due to the presence of conspecific adults (which wound their prey but do not consume them entirely). Furthermore, our tests suggest that no cannibalism or noticeable intraspecific competition occurred between R. grandis larvae, whereas some lighter mode of competition probably took place. R. grandis also exhibits a reproductive numerical response to prey density, which mainly relies on the perception of chemical stimuli and inhibitors released in the bark beetle brood system. In the current study, we developed a non-destructive approach to follow the dynamics of volatile compound production, using sequential sample collection on SPME fibers. Our tests demonstrated that the larval activity of D. micans or D. valens strongly influences the release of some oxygenated monoterpenes. However, our attempts to correlate the relative quantities of some identified chemicals to offspring production were less successful as it concerns the identification of potential oviposition stimuli and inhibitors. The problematic rose by the progression of D. micans, as well as detailed results of each of the described above studies are discussed in the two published papers and the three manuscripts forming this thesis. Bringing all these studies together, several perspectives are also presented in the general discussion. / Ravageur des épicéas, Dendroctonus micans est toujours en voie d’extension en France, en Turquie, en Angleterre et au Pays de Galles. Dans la plupart de ces zones, le dendroctone est accompagné de manière naturelle par son prédateur monospécifique, Rhizophagus grandis. Depuis les années 1960, le prédateur a également fait l’objet d’une production de masse et de programmes de lâchers dans les zones d’arrivée récente du scolyte. Dans le cadre de la lutte biologique contre D. micans, les gestionnaires forestiers doivent donc estimer au plus tôt la présence du ravageur dans des zones jusque là indemnes, mais également vérifier l’établissement du prédateur par progression naturelle ou résultant d’introductions délibérées. Dans la présente étude, nous avons démontré l’efficacité de pièges d’interception appatés à l’aide de monoterpènes oxygénés pour la capture de R. grandis. Celle-ci s’est faite dans différentes conditions épidémiologiques, incluant notamment des zones situées en arrière du front de progression du scolyte et des zones où des lâchers artificiels ont été réalisés. Comme R. grandis est strictement inféodé au dendroctone, un autre avantage de la technique est la possibilité de réaliser un dépistage indirect du ravageur dans les zones où son statut est incertain (zones en cours de colonisation, ou considérées comme à risque à moyen terme). Par ailleurs, R. grandis est également considéré comme un des meilleurs ennemis naturels potentiels pour lutter contre d’autres espèces de Dendroctonus aggressifs. Dans cette optique, R. grandis a été récemment utilisé dans un programme de lute biologique contre D. valens, ravageur invasif arrivé en Chine dans la fin des années 1990 en provenance d’Amérique du Nord. Nous avons démontré la capacité de R. grandis à s’introduire et à se reproduire dans les galeries de D. valens lors de tests de laboratoire, mais aussi sur des arbres vivants en pinèdes. En Europe, R. grandis est strictement inféodé aux galeries de D. micans, où larves et adultes du prédateur s’attaquent aux larves grégaires du scolyte. Dans ce système clos, la réponse fonctionelle de R. grandis est influencée par plusieurs facteurs étroitement corrélés, la densité de proies, la densité de prédateurs, et la distribution des proies. En mesurant l’efficacité de prédation de R. grandis en termes de survie des larves et de taux de croissance, nous avons démontré l’influence sur leur développement du temps passé par les larves à blesser et à tuer leurs proies. Ce facteur est par ailleurs fortement dépendant de la proportion de larves malades, blessées ou en cours de mue au sein du système ; une proportion qui peut augmenter en réponse à une augmentation de la densité de proies, ou lorsque des adultes sont présents (ceux-ci blessent les proies mais ne les consomment pas entièrement). Enfin, nos tests suggèrent qu’il n’existe que peu de cannibalisme ou de compétition intraspécifique entre larves de R. grandis, tandis que des modes de compétition moins importants prennent vraisemblablement place. R. grandis présente également une réponse numérique reproductive à la densité de proies disponibles, principalement basée sur la perception de stimuli et d’inhibiteurs présents dans les galeries du scolyte. Par la collecte de composés volatils présents dans ces systèmes à l’aide de fibres SPME, nous avons développé une méthode non-destructive pour suivre la dynamique de production des médiateurs chimiques. Nos tests ont démontré que l’activité des larves de D. micans ou D. valens influence fortement la dynamique de production de certains monoterpènes oxygénés. En revanche, il n’a pas été été possible de corréler les différents composés identifiés au nombre de larves de R. grandis présentes dans le système. La problématique soulevée par la progression de D. micans, de même que les résultats détaillés de chacune des études décrites ci-dessus sont discutés dans les deux papiers publiés et les trois manuscrits formant cette thèse. Les différentes perspectives apportées par ce travail sont également présentées dans la discussion générale.

Naturnahe Verfahren im Management bast- und holzbesiedelnder Insekten basieren auf der Ausnutzung olfaktorischer Reaktionen dieser Insekten und teilweise auch derer Antagonisten auf Semiochemikalien käferbürtigen und baumbürtigen Ursprungs. Verfahren, die im Rahmen der Forschungsarbeit verfolgt wurden, waren zum überwiegenden Teil das Wirkungsprinzip Allochthoner Kairomone sowie Abwehrverfahren bei denen Nichts-Wirtsbaum-Volatile zum Einsatz kommen. Als biologischer Detektor von zu identifizierenden Semiochemikalien aus Laubwaldhabitaten wurde der Ameisenbuntkäfer Thanasimus formicarius verwendet. Von T. formicarius ist eine stark generalistische Lebensweise bekannt, die zur Annahme verleitet, dass dieser auch als Prädator an diversen Laubholz besiedelnden Borkenkäferarten auftritt. Entsprechend wurden als Beuteobjekte in Laubwaldhabitaten die Arten Trypodendron domesticum, Trypodendron signatum, Leperisinus varius und Scolytus intricatus vermutet und schwerpunktartig untersucht. Mittels GC-MS/EAD-Analysen konnte nachgewiesen werden, dass T. formicarius Substanzen aus den Habitaten in Wäldern von Rot-Buche, Gemeiner Esche und Eiche wahrnehmen kann. Für einen Teil der von T. formicarius wahrgenommenen Substanzen wurden Dosis-Antwort-Kurven aufgenommen, um Erkenntnisse über die Wahrnehmungsschwelle bei T. formicarius zu erhalten und eine mögliche Bedeutungen der Substanzen in der olfaktorischen Orientierung im Laubwaldhabitat abzuleiten. Die Ergebnisse verdeutlichten, dass T. formicarius neben käferbürtigen Substanzen auch eine Vielzahl von pflanzenbürtigen Volatilen wahrnehmen kann. Dabei wurden für einige dieser Substanzen sehr geringe Wahrnehmungsschwellen festgestellt, was eine besondere Bedeutung der Substanzen in der olfaktorischen Orientierung von T. formicarius vermuten lässt. Substanzen, von welchen eine signifikante Wahrnehmung von T. formicarius erfasst werden konnte, wurden in Olfaktometerexperimenten auf verhaltensmodifizierende Wirkungen beim Ameisenbuntkäfer untersucht. Die in Laborexperimenten auf Wahrnehmung von T. formicarius getesteten Substanzen wurden letztlich in Fallenfangexperimente und Fangholzexperimente eingebunden. Ein Anflug von T. formicarius auf die in den Laborexperimenten erprobten Substanzen, konnte in Fallenfangexperimenten im Freiland, bei der Verwendung der zu erprobenden Substanzen als Einzelsubstanzen, kaum beobachtet werden. Auch die Kombination der Einzelsubstanzen zu Mixturen erzeugte keine nennenswerten Attraktivitäten auf T. formicarius und andere Prädatoren im Freiland. Dennoch schienen die Substanzen aufgrund ihrer teilweise repellenten Wirkung auf bast- und holzbesiedelnde Insekten geeignet, um zumindest in naturnahen Managementverfahren eingesetzt zu werden. Den Ergebnissen der Fallenfang- und Fangholzexperimente entsprechend können die aus dem Nadelwaldhabitat stammenden Pheromondispenser Sexowit® und Chalcogran als Allochthone Kairomone im Laubwaldhabitat empfohlen werden. Darüber hinaus scheint eine Applikation von exo-Brevicomin und endo-Brevicomin als Allochthone Kairomone im Nadelwaldhabitat denkbar, muss jedoch noch am Fangholz geprüft werden. Aus den Fallenfangexperimenten konnten zudem Substanzen abgeleitet werden, welche sich im Monitoring von bast- und holzbesiedelnden Insekten aus Laub- und Nadelwaldhabitaten eignen. / Nature-based methods in the regulation of bark and wood boring insects are based upon the use of olfactory responses of these insects and also partly of their antagonists to semiochemicals that originate from bark and wood boring insects or their host plants. Methods used during this research were the Allochthonous Kairomones principle and defense methods with non-host volatiles. Thanasimus formicarius was used as biological detector for identifying semiochemicals from deciduous forest habitats. T. formicarius is known to be a highly generalist predator, which led to the assumption that T. formicarius may occur as predator of various bark and wood boring insects living on deciduous tree species. Accordingly, Trypodendron domesticum, Trypodendron signatum, Leperisinus varius and Scolytus intricatus were assumed to be prey species in deciduous forest habitats and hence focused on in this study. A GC-MS/EAD analysis demonstrated that T. formicarius is able to perceive substances from the habitats of European beech, common ash and oak. For some of the perceived substances dose-response-curves were recorded to obtain knowledge about the perception threshold of T. formicarius and to derive the potential importance of the substances in the olfactory orientation in deciduous forest habitats. The results show that T. formicarius is able to recognize a variety of plant-derived volatiles as well as substances from bark and wood boring insects. For some of these substances very low perception thresholds were determined, suggesting a particular importance of these substances in the olfactory orientation of T. formicarius. Substances that were found to be significantly perceived by T. formicarius were further examined in olfactometer experiments in order to test for behavior-modifying effects. Substances that were tested for perception by T. formicarius in the laboratory experiments were finally included in trapping experiments and trap log experiments. When used as single compounds, low numbers of T. formicarius were attracted to substances used in trapping experiments. Also the combination of single substances to mixtures produced no significant attractions of T. formicarius and other predators in trapping experiments. However, some of the substances seemed to be appropriate for using in nature-based management methods because of repellent effects to bark and wood boring insects. According to the results of trapping and trap log experiments, pheromone dispensers such as Sexowit® and chalcogran from coniferous forest habitats can be recommended as Allochthonous Kairomones in deciduous forest habitats. In addition, an application of exo- and endo-brevicomin as Allochthonous Kairomones in coniferous forest habitats seems possible, but still has to be tested with trap log experiments. In addition within these experiments substances were detected that can be used in the monitoring of bark and wood boring insects in coniferous and deciduous forest habitats.

This thesis is focused on environmental preferences of wood-decaying fungi and their relationships with forest structure and development. Relationships of fungi to properties of wood and forest stands were studied on the basis of field observations in Central-European mountain spruce forests. Plot-based approach was used to reveal a general pattern in the diversity of fungi within a single forest stand and between different stands. The analysis of stand structure provided a background for plot-based approach. Substrate-based approach was used to study single species preferences and their communities. In addition, the influence of wood properties (including fungi and their rots) on the regeneration of spruce on logs was studied.

Naturnahe Verfahren im Management bast- und holzbesiedelnder Insekten basieren auf der Ausnutzung olfaktorischer Reaktionen dieser Insekten und teilweise auch derer Antagonisten auf Semiochemikalien käferbürtigen und baumbürtigen Ursprungs. Verfahren, die im Rahmen der Forschungsarbeit verfolgt wurden, waren zum überwiegenden Teil das Wirkungsprinzip Allochthoner Kairomone sowie Abwehrverfahren bei denen Nichts-Wirtsbaum-Volatile zum Einsatz kommen. Als biologischer Detektor von zu identifizierenden Semiochemikalien aus Laubwaldhabitaten wurde der Ameisenbuntkäfer Thanasimus formicarius verwendet. Von T. formicarius ist eine stark generalistische Lebensweise bekannt, die zur Annahme verleitet, dass dieser auch als Prädator an diversen Laubholz besiedelnden Borkenkäferarten auftritt. Entsprechend wurden als Beuteobjekte in Laubwaldhabitaten die Arten Trypodendron domesticum, Trypodendron signatum, Leperisinus varius und Scolytus intricatus vermutet und schwerpunktartig untersucht. Mittels GC-MS/EAD-Analysen konnte nachgewiesen werden, dass T. formicarius Substanzen aus den Habitaten in Wäldern von Rot-Buche, Gemeiner Esche und Eiche wahrnehmen kann. Für einen Teil der von T. formicarius wahrgenommenen Substanzen wurden Dosis-Antwort-Kurven aufgenommen, um Erkenntnisse über die Wahrnehmungsschwelle bei T. formicarius zu erhalten und eine mögliche Bedeutungen der Substanzen in der olfaktorischen Orientierung im Laubwaldhabitat abzuleiten. Die Ergebnisse verdeutlichten, dass T. formicarius neben käferbürtigen Substanzen auch eine Vielzahl von pflanzenbürtigen Volatilen wahrnehmen kann. Dabei wurden für einige dieser Substanzen sehr geringe Wahrnehmungsschwellen festgestellt, was eine besondere Bedeutung der Substanzen in der olfaktorischen Orientierung von T. formicarius vermuten lässt. Substanzen, von welchen eine signifikante Wahrnehmung von T. formicarius erfasst werden konnte, wurden in Olfaktometerexperimenten auf verhaltensmodifizierende Wirkungen beim Ameisenbuntkäfer untersucht. Die in Laborexperimenten auf Wahrnehmung von T. formicarius getesteten Substanzen wurden letztlich in Fallenfangexperimente und Fangholzexperimente eingebunden. Ein Anflug von T. formicarius auf die in den Laborexperimenten erprobten Substanzen, konnte in Fallenfangexperimenten im Freiland, bei der Verwendung der zu erprobenden Substanzen als Einzelsubstanzen, kaum beobachtet werden. Auch die Kombination der Einzelsubstanzen zu Mixturen erzeugte keine nennenswerten Attraktivitäten auf T. formicarius und andere Prädatoren im Freiland. Dennoch schienen die Substanzen aufgrund ihrer teilweise repellenten Wirkung auf bast- und holzbesiedelnde Insekten geeignet, um zumindest in naturnahen Managementverfahren eingesetzt zu werden. Den Ergebnissen der Fallenfang- und Fangholzexperimente entsprechend können die aus dem Nadelwaldhabitat stammenden Pheromondispenser Sexowit® und Chalcogran als Allochthone Kairomone im Laubwaldhabitat empfohlen werden. Darüber hinaus scheint eine Applikation von exo-Brevicomin und endo-Brevicomin als Allochthone Kairomone im Nadelwaldhabitat denkbar, muss jedoch noch am Fangholz geprüft werden. Aus den Fallenfangexperimenten konnten zudem Substanzen abgeleitet werden, welche sich im Monitoring von bast- und holzbesiedelnden Insekten aus Laub- und Nadelwaldhabitaten eignen. / Nature-based methods in the regulation of bark and wood boring insects are based upon the use of olfactory responses of these insects and also partly of their antagonists to semiochemicals that originate from bark and wood boring insects or their host plants. Methods used during this research were the Allochthonous Kairomones principle and defense methods with non-host volatiles. Thanasimus formicarius was used as biological detector for identifying semiochemicals from deciduous forest habitats. T. formicarius is known to be a highly generalist predator, which led to the assumption that T. formicarius may occur as predator of various bark and wood boring insects living on deciduous tree species. Accordingly, Trypodendron domesticum, Trypodendron signatum, Leperisinus varius and Scolytus intricatus were assumed to be prey species in deciduous forest habitats and hence focused on in this study. A GC-MS/EAD analysis demonstrated that T. formicarius is able to perceive substances from the habitats of European beech, common ash and oak. For some of the perceived substances dose-response-curves were recorded to obtain knowledge about the perception threshold of T. formicarius and to derive the potential importance of the substances in the olfactory orientation in deciduous forest habitats. The results show that T. formicarius is able to recognize a variety of plant-derived volatiles as well as substances from bark and wood boring insects. For some of these substances very low perception thresholds were determined, suggesting a particular importance of these substances in the olfactory orientation of T. formicarius. Substances that were found to be significantly perceived by T. formicarius were further examined in olfactometer experiments in order to test for behavior-modifying effects. Substances that were tested for perception by T. formicarius in the laboratory experiments were finally included in trapping experiments and trap log experiments. When used as single compounds, low numbers of T. formicarius were attracted to substances used in trapping experiments. Also the combination of single substances to mixtures produced no significant attractions of T. formicarius and other predators in trapping experiments. However, some of the substances seemed to be appropriate for using in nature-based management methods because of repellent effects to bark and wood boring insects. According to the results of trapping and trap log experiments, pheromone dispensers such as Sexowit® and chalcogran from coniferous forest habitats can be recommended as Allochthonous Kairomones in deciduous forest habitats. In addition, an application of exo- and endo-brevicomin as Allochthonous Kairomones in coniferous forest habitats seems possible, but still has to be tested with trap log experiments. In addition within these experiments substances were detected that can be used in the monitoring of bark and wood boring insects in coniferous and deciduous forest habitats.

This thesis focuses on critical analysis of the discourse on the Bohemian Forest National Park (BFNP) between 1991 and 2010. This large-size protected area has over the long term been the subject of highly critical debate among various participants including top political representatives, particularly as a result of several cases of massive disturbances of mature forest stands. Hence this discussion offers some very suitable material for an analysis aiming to help expose the links between regional subjects and general politics - and to demonstrate the relations between language and power. The introductory two chapters presenting the subject and a clarification of the position from which my critical analysis is to be performed is followed by a section describing the basic procedures and concepts defining the theoretical and methodological framework of the critical discourse analysis (CDA). This third chapter deals with the mutual relations between the initial CDA qualitative approach and the quantitative corpus approach, particularly in view of the issues surrounding the replicability of critical research. However, it also presents such key terms as discourse, critique, ideology, identity and intertextuality/interdiscursivity. The fourth chapter forms the analytical core of the work - made up of two...

This thesis discusses the responsibility of and risk for infestations of spruce bark beetle. The spruce bark beetle, Ips typographus, is a natural part of the Swedish forest ecosystem but causes severe financial damage in forestry. Since 2018, the spruce bark beetle infestations have been substantial in Sweden. The first task of the thesis is to evaluate the balance between the forest production interests and the environmental interests, based on the legal regulation of spruce bark beetle control. Production and environment are the equal aims of the Swedish Forestry Act. The regulation of spruce bark beetle control differs depending on whether the forest is in a conservation area or not. For example, owners of forests outside conservation areas are obliged to take care of damaged, fresh wood of spruce and pine, while such an obligation in general does not exist in conservation areas. In this evaluation, I conclude that the balance between the two interests in the spruce bark beetle regulation is good as a whole.  The second question of the thesis is the legal allocation of risk for spruce bark beetle infestations. In this investigation, it is examined whether established law presents a possibility to claim damages for spruce bark beetle infestations that may derive from an adjacent forest. The conclusion drawn is that the regulation of compensation for certain kinds of environmental damage in the Swedish Environmental Code probably would not be applicable as a legal basis for such a claim. By contrast, neighbour law and the Swedish Torts Act could be used as the basis of an action for damages. However, to prove causality regarding the origins of a specific infestation might bring problems, which altogether means that an action for damages faces considerable difficulties. Therefore lastly, some alternative ways of allocating the risk for spruce bark beetle infestations are presented. / I denna uppsats diskuteras ansvar och risk för granbarkborreangrepp. Granbarkborren, Ips typographus, är en naturlig del av skogens ekosystem men orsakar stora ekonomiska skador i skogsbruket. Sedan 2018 har granbarkborreangreppen i Sverige varit omfattande.  Uppsatsens första uppgift är att utifrån regleringen av granbarkborrebekämpning i skogen utvärdera avvägningen mellan produktions- och miljöintresset, som är skogsvårdslagens jämställda mål. Den rättsliga regleringen av bekämpning av granbarkborrar skiljer sig åt beroende på om skogen är skyddad eller oskyddad. Bland annat är ägare av oskyddad skog ålagda att ta hand om skadat, färskt barrvirke, medan en sådan skyldighet ofta saknas i skyddade områden. I utvärderingen kommer jag fram till att avvägningen mellan de två intressena över lag är god i granbarkborreregleringen.  Den andra frågan i uppsatsen är fördelningen av risk för granbarkborreangrepp. För att undersöka det utreds om det enligt gällande rätt är möjligt att få skadestånd för granbarkborreangrepp som kan härstamma från närliggande skyddad eller oskyddad skog. Slutsatsen är att 32 kap. miljöbalken förmodligen inte skulle vara tillämplig, medan däremot grannelagsrätten och skadeståndslagen kan läggas till grund för en sådan talan. Att bevisa orsakssambanden kan dock innebära problem, vilket sammantaget gör att en skadeståndstalan för granbarkborreangrepp från närliggande skog möter ansenliga hinder. Sist presenteras därför några alternativa sätt att fördela risken för barkborreangrepp.

Norway spruce (Picea abies) is a vital tree species in Sweden's extensive forested landscape. However, the planting of spruce beyond its natural range has made it vulnerable to pests like the spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus), which has caused substantial damage to Swedish forests. With the effects of global warming and climate change becoming increasingly apparent, understanding the factors influencing spruce mortality is crucial for effective forest management. This study aimed to investigate the impact of soil moisture and tree size on the susceptibility of Norway spruce to spruce bark beetle attacks. Using a combination of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) program detecting dead spruce trees and soil moisture data from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), areas in Stockholm County with dead spruce trees were identified. Spatial analysis using Geographic Information System (GIS) tools and a field survey were conducted to evaluate the hypotheses: H1: Spruce mortality will be higher in areas occurring within mesic soil moisture class (1) than within mesic-moist soil moisture class (2) and moist-wet soil moisture class (3). H2: Large diameter spruce trees will have a higher mortality rate from spruce bark beetle than smaller diameter trees. H3: Spruce mortality will be higher in areas located inside nature reserves. The results confirmed that spruce mortality was higher in areas with dryer soil, Additionally, larger diameter spruce trees exhibited higher mortality rates from spruce bark beetle attacks than smaller trees. Contrary to the initial hypothesis, the study did not find a higher spruce mortality rate in areas located outside nature reserves. The conclusion of this study is that both tree size and soil moisture affect the Norway spruce’s ability to defend itself from spruce bark beetle attacks, but it does not confirm that spruce trees inside nature reserves have a greater mortality rate due to bark beetle attacks than the surrounding areas. The study has contributed to a better understanding of how spruce bark beetles choose trees. It has also provided more knowledge and validation of the Swedish Forest Agency AI program, which is trained to find dead spruce trees. The fact that this is a working tool opens a lot of possibilities for further use. The knowledge of soil moisture’s effect on spruce survival will also help forest managers make better choices when selecting areas for planting spruce. This will also benefit both the forest owners economically and help suppress the spread of spruce bark beetle. / Gran (Picea abies) är en viktig trädart i Sveriges omfattande skogslandskap. Dock har plantering av gran utanför dess naturliga utbredningsområde gjort den sårbar för skadedjur så som Granbarkborre (Ips typographus), vilket har orsakat betydande skador på svenska skogar. Med effekterna av klimatförändringar är det alltmer viktigt att förstå vilka faktorer som påverkar granens sårbarhet mot granbarkborren för en effektiv skogsförvaltning. Denna studie syftade till att undersöka påverkan av markfuktighet och trädstorlek. Genom att använda en kombination av ett artificiellt intelligensprogram (AI) som identifierar döda granar och markfuktighetsdata från Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (SLU), identifierades områden i Stockholms län där det fanns döda granar. En spatial analys med hjälp av geografiska informationssystem (GIS) och en fältundersökning genomfördes för att utvärdera hypoteserna: H1: Granens dödlighet kommer att vara högre i områden med torr-frisk mark (1) jämfört med områden med frisk-fuktig markfuktighet (2) och fuktig-våt markfuktighet (3). H2: Granar med större diameter kommer att ha en högre dödlighetsgrad från granbarkborrsangrepp än granar med mindre diameter. H3: Granens dödlighet kommer att vara högre i områden i naturreservat än utanför. Resultaten bekräftade att granens dödlighet var högre i torrare områden. Dessutom uppvisade granar med större diameter högre dödlighetsgrad från garnbarkborreangrepp än mindre träd. Resultatet kunde inte bekräfta hypotes H3, man fann inte en högre dödlighetsgrad hos gran i områden inom naturreservat. Slutsatsen av denna studie är att både trädstorlek och markfuktighet påverkar granens förmåga att försvara sig mot granbarkborreangrepp, men den bekräftar inte att naturreservat har en påverkan på granens dödlighet till följd av granbarkborreangrepp än omgivande områden. Studien har bidragit till en bättre förståelse för hur granbarkborren väljer granar. Den har också tillfört mer kunskap och bekräftat att Skogsstyrelsens AI-program hittar döda granar. Att AI-programmet är ett fungerande verktyg öppnar upp många möjligheter för framtida användningsområden. Kunskapen om markfuktighetens effekt på granens överlevnad kommer också att kunna hjälpa skogsförvaltare att fatta bättre beslut vid val av områden för plantering av gran. Detta kommer att gynna både skogsägarna ekonomiskt och bidra till att minska antalet granbarkborreangrepp.