Omställningen till förnybar energi går fort, vindkraften har utvecklats snabbt i Sverige desenaste åren. Vindkraftsanläggningar har effekt på omgivande fågelliv såsom förändring avbiotoper, bullerstörningar och risk för kollision med rotorblad. Uppsatsen undersöker vilkafaktorer som styr kungsörnens rörelsemönster, samt vilken effekt vindkraften har på kungsörnen,biotoper, födoval och häckning. Kan vindkraft och kungsörn kombineras i ett område?Exempel finns på dåligt placerade vindkraftverk, vilka har skördat många fågelliv, orsakadeav kollisioner med rotorblad, här är det inte bara rovfåglar utan också andra fågelarter somutsätts för risker.Kungsörnen är en känslig art som har uppmärksammats vid miljöprövningar inför vindkraftsbyggen.Kungsörnen har långsam reproduktion, men också att den är beroende av just debiotoper som hotas och förändras vid en större utbyggnad av vindkraft. Kungsörnen i Sverigebygger bon på klipphyllor eller i äldre skog med branter, miljöer som ofta är potentiellaområden för vindkraftsparker. Kungsörnen rör sig över stora hemområden, områdenas storlekberor på hur tät skogen är och om det finns gamla bo-träd. Kungsörnen jagar på öppna ytorsom kalhyggen, men den föredrar en kombination av gammal skog och kalhyggen.För att skydda kungsörnen vid vindkraftsetablering, kan verken etableras i samklang medskogsbruket, för att bevara värdefulla biotoper för kungsörnen. Skogsbruket ska vara hållbartoch framblickande för att bäst skydda arter som kungsörn. Kollisionsrisker med fågeldöd,beteendeförändring och habitatförlust, biotopförlust, barriäreffekter är exempel på olikafaktorer som påverkar artens fortlevnad på platser med vindkraftverk.Studier av kungsörnens rörelsemönster och utbredning har gjorts i Sverige. Örnarna märktesmed GPS-sändare i början av häckningssäsongen. Resultatet från dessa studier visade attkungsörnarna flög över långa sträckor efter häckning, det vill säga att de kan ha stora jakt- ochhäckningsområden. Vissa örnar flög längre än andra. Orsakerna var att häckningen misslyckadesoch att det kan ha varit ont om mat. Kunskaper om den hotade fågelartens beteendeoch häckning kan öka möjligheter till anpassningar vid vindkraftsanläggningar. Utformningenav vindkraft har skett i en balansgång mellan effektiv energiproduktion och miljöhänsyn. Fördet senare har olika mätmetoder påverkat utformningen av vindkraftverk, exempelvisklassning av höjdintervaller fåglarna flyger i. Kompromisser har gjorts för att lösa vissaintressekonflikter, det vill säga att man har klassificerat kungsörnspopulationer utifrån desslivskraft.Rekommendationer var vindkraft ska placeras är i kuperade områden med ungskog, då det ären biotop som kungsörnen undviker. Kungsörnens val av hemområden är väldigt individuella,vilket bör tas i beaktning vid etablering av skyddszoner intill en potentiell störningskälla som vindkraft.

<p>In this project, the maintenance of dynamic cycling of inorganic phosphate is discussed in terms of a phosphate transporter, ANTR3. Reverse genetics are applied with the help of bioinformatics and other web based tools which provided valuable initial information. The model organism <em>Arabidopsis thaliana</em>, both wild-type and mutants was cultivated hydroponically. Screening for homozygotes proceeded standardization of a protocol for isolation of plastids from the roots of these plants. Presence and absence of protein in root plastids was confirmed by western blotting in wild-type and mutants respectively. This was followed by functional and biochemical analysis of the protein by transport experiments using radioactively tagged phosphate.</p><p>The development of a protocol for isolation of root plastids from roots of <em>Arabidopsis thaliana</em> with high yields has been successful. <em>In-vitro</em> studies by radioactive phosphate transport experiments were possible with the help of knock out mutants. It has been concluded that transport of Pi <em>via</em> ANTR3 is dependent either on an H⁺ or a Na⁺ gradient. Back exchange experiments have aided us in establishing its activity in export and import of Pi. Last but not the least, phenotypic analysis have observed larger biomass in mutants leading to the conclusion that even though other transporters are present the sink (roots) – source (leaves) balance is disturbed.</p>

<p>The Barents Sea contains one of the most productive marine areas in the world. For centuries, Northeast Arctic cod and Norwegian spring spawning herring have been of vital importance for the Norwegian fish export industry and hence economic growth in Norway. It has been common knowledge that the biomass of different Barents Sea species experiences both shortand long-term fluctuations. These fluctuations have been explained by changes in herring cycles and cod cycles, or by the introduction of new fishing equipment, and more. Norwegian marine research began in earnest at the beginning of the 19th century. The main task for researchers was to discover how nature influenced cod stocks and the effects these fluctuations had on the lives of people who depended on fishing for a living. Nearly 100 years later, scientists still disagree over the causes for the biomass fluctuations in the Barents Sea. At the same time, marine research has produced long time series, which can now be analyzed using new methods. This thesis represents an investigation of a number of long time series of Arctic climate indicators and biomasses in the Barents Sea. The purpose of this analysis has been to identify a potential stationary cycle in the biomasses. A stationary cycle in the biomass allows for expanded possibilities for better long-term biomass forecasting.</p><p>The methods are based on general systems theory, analysis of systems dynamics and a wavelet analysis of time series. The wavelet analysis has identified the cycle time and the cycle phase of the dominant cycles in the time series. The phase-relation between the identified cycles contains information abort the dynamic chain of events between climate indicators and the biomasses in the Barents Sea.</p><p>The investigation has identified harmonic and sub-harmonic cycles of the 18.6-year lunar nodal cycle in all analyzed time series. The identified lunar nodal spectrum is explained by a gravity force from the 18.6-year lunar nodal cycle as the First Cause. The energy from the 18.6-year gravity force from the moon introduces a chain of oscillating events. The oscillating gravity introduces a lunar nodal spectrum in the lunar nodal tide and the polar position. A wavelet analysis of time series indicates that movement of the polar position introduces a new lunar nodal spectrum of circulating water in the Arctic Ocean. This circulation water interacts with the 18.6-year lunar nodal tide in the Atlantic Ocean and introduces an oscillation in the extent of Arctic ice, and an oscillation in the inflow of the Atlantic Ocean to the Barents Sea. The lunar nodal spectrum of Atlantic inflow introduces a lunar nodal spectrum in the Barents Sea ecology system. Analysis of the biomass in the Barents Sea shows that long-term growth, reduction and collapse are associated with the phase-relation between the biomass eigen dynamics and the lunar nodal spectrum of Atlantic inflow.</p> / Papers I - VI reprinted with kind permission of Elsevier, www.sciencedirect.com

<p>Studies show that the interest and knowledge about science among teenagers is decreasing. They also reveal the difficulties to explain the ecological processes and that the ideas about the nature are collected from everyday life and early school years.</p><p>The intention of this investigation was to find out more about children’s ideas and knowledge about the ecological processes and to compare these results with the curriculum.</p><p>The method was a questionnaire and interviews with children in school year 1 – 6. The aim of the studies was also to find out if any progress connected to age could be found, concerning understanding of the ecological processes.</p><p>The results showed difficulties in achieving the predestined goals for biology and chemistry concerning ecology cycles and they differed a lot between the children. Often the learning process showed very little progress. No matter the age there was a huge difference individually in their knowledge and understanding of the nature. Many of the children in this research had the idea about the soil to be a final destination for decomposition rather than a part of an ecology cycle. Also the idea about plants getting their food from the soil showed to be common.</p><p>Keywords: ecological processes, early school years, biology, children’s ideas, circulation</p>

<p>Cyanobacteria which can form resting cells (in this case akinetes) are common in meso-eutrophic lakes in temperate regions, often dominating the phytoplankton communities during summer. The life cycles of akinete-forming cyanobacteria has been studied with <i>Gloeotrichia echinulata</i> as a model organism. <i>Anabaena</i> and <i>Aphanizomenon</i> were also included in a migration study. The focus of this thesis has been the factors influencing the processes of germination and subsequent growth, the factors influencing migration from the sediment, and the amount of growth occurring in the water. </p><p>Germination of <i>G. echinulata</i> was strongly favoured by light, and recruitment was highest from organic-rich sediments in shallow, sheltered littoral areas, between 0-3 m. Recruitment of <i>Anabaena</i> and <i>Aphanizomenon</i> was less light dependent, yet the highest recruitment occurred from shallow sediments (0-2 m). This means that organic-rich sediments (0-3 m) in shallow areas are the most important seed-banks of akinete-forming cyanobacteria. The inocula contributed only to a minor extent to the maximum pelagic populations. 4% for <i>G. echinulata</i> in the mesotrophic Lake Erken, and 0.03% for both <i>Anabaena</i> and <i>Aphanizomenon</i> in the eutrophic Lake Limmaren. This implies that processes of growth and division in the water are important for the maximum size of the pelagic population. Prolonged recruitment from the sediment strongly promoted establishment of the species in the water, especially <i>G. echinulata</i>. </p>

<p>Members of Zygophylloideae are shrubs, shrublets and herbs of arid and semiarid areas of almost all continents, and many of the species are major components of the vegetation in their areas of distribution. A phylogenetic analysis of Zygophylloideae based on noncoding <i>trnL</i> plastid DNA sequences and morphological data, indicates that the currently recognised genera <i>Augea</i>, <i>Tetraena</i>, and <i>Fagonia</i>, are embedded in <i>Zygophyllum</i>. A new generic classification based on six monophyletic and morphologically distinctive entities is proposed here: <i>Augea</i>, <i>Fagonia</i>, <i>Melocarpum</i>, <i>Roepera</i>, <i>Tetraena</i> and <i>Zygophyllum</i>. </p><p>The taxonomy of the genus <i>Fagonia</i> is revised in detail. A key to the 34 species recognised is presented, as well as descriptions and distribution maps for each species. Five new species are described and illustrated, <i>F. densispina</i>, <i>F. gypsophila</i> and <i>F. latistipulata </i>from Somalia, and <i>F. hadramautica</i> and <i>F. mahrana</i> from the southern part of the Arabian peninsula. Of the accepted species, 26 are restricted to the Old World and eight to the New World. The names of all four species of <i>Fagonia</i> currently on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants are put into synonymy. Instead, eight other species are proposed for this list.</p><p>Relationships within <i>Fagonia</i> are inferred from analysis of plastid <i>trnL</i> intron and nuclear ribosomal ITS sequences. The phylogenetic analysis is performed using parsimony and Bayesian model averaging. All species of <i>Fagonia</i> in the Old World, except <i>F. cretica</i>, form a weakly supported clade, and all <i>Fagonia</i> species of the New World, except <i>F. scoparia</i>, form a second, well supported clade, sister to the Old World clade. <i>Fagonia scoparia</i>, endemic to northeastern Mexico,<i> </i>is sister to all other <i>Fagonia</i> species. Vicariance-dispersal analysis indicated that the occurrences of <i>Fagonia</i> in South America and southern Africa are due to dispersals, and that the ancestor of <i>Fagonia</i> had a distribution in agreement with the boreotropics hypothesis.</p>

<p>This thesis concerns the history and the intrafamilial delimitations of the plant family Colchicaceae. A phylogeny of 73 taxa representing all genera of Colchicaceae, except the monotypic <i>Kuntheria</i>, is presented. The molecular analysis based on three plastid regions—the <i>rps16</i> intron, the <i>atpB-rbcL</i> intergenic spacer, and the <i>trnL-F</i> region—reveal the intrafamilial classification to be in need of revision. The two tribes Iphigenieae and Uvularieae are demon-strated to be paraphyletic. The well-known genus <i>Colchicum</i> is shown to be nested within <i>Androcymbium</i>, <i>Onixotis</i> constitutes a grade between <i>Neodregea</i> and <i>Wurmbea</i>, and <i>Gloriosa</i> is intermixed with species of <i>Littonia</i>. Two new tribes are described, Burchardieae and Tripladenieae, and the two tribes Colchiceae and Uvularieae are emended, leaving four tribes in the family. At generic level new combinations are made in <i>Wurmbea</i> and <i>Gloriosa</i> in order to render them monophyletic. The genus <i>Androcymbium</i> is paraphyletic in relation to <i>Colchicum</i> and the latter genus is therefore expanded. An investigation of the distribution of colchicine within the expanded Colchicaceae is conducted to evaluate the potential of colchicine as a synapomorphy of the re-circumscribed family. The results demonstrate presence of colchicine in all genera previously not examined in Colchicaceae and in the genus <i>Burchardia</i>, earlier reported to lack colchicine. Hence, demonstrating colchicine to be a synapomorphy for the family. An attempt to date the phylogeny of the order Liliales together with a dispersal-vicariance (DIVA) analysis indicates that the split between Colchicaceae and Alstromeriaceae-Luzuriagaceae represents a vicariance event following the disintegration of the Australian-Antarctican-South American link, ~34 million years ago. Further, the DIVA analysis indicates that Colchicaceae originated in Australia, first reached Asia and North America, and later Africa, from where they expanded to Europe and also dispersed back to Australia. </p>

Cyanobacteria which can form resting cells (in this case akinetes) are common in meso-eutrophic lakes in temperate regions, often dominating the phytoplankton communities during summer. The life cycles of akinete-forming cyanobacteria has been studied with Gloeotrichia echinulata as a model organism. Anabaena and Aphanizomenon were also included in a migration study. The focus of this thesis has been the factors influencing the processes of germination and subsequent growth, the factors influencing migration from the sediment, and the amount of growth occurring in the water. Germination of G. echinulata was strongly favoured by light, and recruitment was highest from organic-rich sediments in shallow, sheltered littoral areas, between 0-3 m. Recruitment of Anabaena and Aphanizomenon was less light dependent, yet the highest recruitment occurred from shallow sediments (0-2 m). This means that organic-rich sediments (0-3 m) in shallow areas are the most important seed-banks of akinete-forming cyanobacteria. The inocula contributed only to a minor extent to the maximum pelagic populations. 4% for G. echinulata in the mesotrophic Lake Erken, and 0.03% for both Anabaena and Aphanizomenon in the eutrophic Lake Limmaren. This implies that processes of growth and division in the water are important for the maximum size of the pelagic population. Prolonged recruitment from the sediment strongly promoted establishment of the species in the water, especially G. echinulata.

Members of Zygophylloideae are shrubs, shrublets and herbs of arid and semiarid areas of almost all continents, and many of the species are major components of the vegetation in their areas of distribution. A phylogenetic analysis of Zygophylloideae based on noncoding trnL plastid DNA sequences and morphological data, indicates that the currently recognised genera Augea, Tetraena, and Fagonia, are embedded in Zygophyllum. A new generic classification based on six monophyletic and morphologically distinctive entities is proposed here: Augea, Fagonia, Melocarpum, Roepera, Tetraena and Zygophyllum. The taxonomy of the genus Fagonia is revised in detail. A key to the 34 species recognised is presented, as well as descriptions and distribution maps for each species. Five new species are described and illustrated, F. densispina, F. gypsophila and F. latistipulata from Somalia, and F. hadramautica and F. mahrana from the southern part of the Arabian peninsula. Of the accepted species, 26 are restricted to the Old World and eight to the New World. The names of all four species of Fagonia currently on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants are put into synonymy. Instead, eight other species are proposed for this list. Relationships within Fagonia are inferred from analysis of plastid trnL intron and nuclear ribosomal ITS sequences. The phylogenetic analysis is performed using parsimony and Bayesian model averaging. All species of Fagonia in the Old World, except F. cretica, form a weakly supported clade, and all Fagonia species of the New World, except F. scoparia, form a second, well supported clade, sister to the Old World clade. Fagonia scoparia, endemic to northeastern Mexico, is sister to all other Fagonia species. Vicariance-dispersal analysis indicated that the occurrences of Fagonia in South America and southern Africa are due to dispersals, and that the ancestor of Fagonia had a distribution in agreement with the boreotropics hypothesis.

This thesis concerns the history and the intrafamilial delimitations of the plant family Colchicaceae. A phylogeny of 73 taxa representing all genera of Colchicaceae, except the monotypic Kuntheria, is presented. The molecular analysis based on three plastid regions—the rps16 intron, the atpB-rbcL intergenic spacer, and the trnL-F region—reveal the intrafamilial classification to be in need of revision. The two tribes Iphigenieae and Uvularieae are demon-strated to be paraphyletic. The well-known genus Colchicum is shown to be nested within Androcymbium, Onixotis constitutes a grade between Neodregea and Wurmbea, and Gloriosa is intermixed with species of Littonia. Two new tribes are described, Burchardieae and Tripladenieae, and the two tribes Colchiceae and Uvularieae are emended, leaving four tribes in the family. At generic level new combinations are made in Wurmbea and Gloriosa in order to render them monophyletic. The genus Androcymbium is paraphyletic in relation to Colchicum and the latter genus is therefore expanded. An investigation of the distribution of colchicine within the expanded Colchicaceae is conducted to evaluate the potential of colchicine as a synapomorphy of the re-circumscribed family. The results demonstrate presence of colchicine in all genera previously not examined in Colchicaceae and in the genus Burchardia, earlier reported to lack colchicine. Hence, demonstrating colchicine to be a synapomorphy for the family. An attempt to date the phylogeny of the order Liliales together with a dispersal-vicariance (DIVA) analysis indicates that the split between Colchicaceae and Alstromeriaceae-Luzuriagaceae represents a vicariance event following the disintegration of the Australian-Antarctican-South American link, ~34 million years ago. Further, the DIVA analysis indicates that Colchicaceae originated in Australia, first reached Asia and North America, and later Africa, from where they expanded to Europe and also dispersed back to Australia.