Old forests are rich in diversity and house large numbers of plant, animal and insect species. Clear-cutting and ditching are common forestry practices in Scandinavia used to increase timber yield and production. This is done at a cost as there is often a turnover and a decrease in biodiversity as a result. Ditching reduces water levels, decreases the size of riparian zones and sometimes even dries out wetlands. Habitat change and disturbance affect the whole ecosystem, from small specialized micro-organisms to that of large grazers. The purpose of my study was to investigate the diversity of plants and mosses along a moisture gradient to identify if there is any pattern in diversity. Observations took place along the stream bank of Almarskogen, northeast of Karlstad in April, 2016. The gradient in the forest was divided into three separate categories ranging from moist soil, through an intermediate section to dry soil in the forest. A total of nine transects with three sample areas of two squaremeters each. An analysis of variance was calculated based on the effective number of species applied to Shannon-Wiener index (H´) for each sample plot. No significant difference was found, hence plant and mosses were analyzed separately, showing significance among the categories of vascularplants (P<0,05). The prediction; that the largest diversity will be found in the intermediate category was not supported by the data. For further analysis, Ellenbergs indicator values for moist was applied. No significance was shown, but the average Ellenberg value for the different species showed a pattern along a gradient from moist soils to slightly drier soils.

De ekologiskt betydelsefulla småbiotoperna blir allt färre i det moderna jordbruket på grund av intensifieringen av jordbrukslandskapet som resulterat i ett allt mer fragmenterat landskap. För att kunna ge småbiotoper, såsom åkerholmar, ett optimalt skydd behövs flera studier om organismerna på holmarna, deras diversitet och spridning. I denna undersökning studeras artrikedomen av mossor och lavar på busk- och trädbekädda samt öppna åkerholmar i ett öppet- och ett skogsdominerat landskap. Analysen av artrikedom i studien tyder på att de finns fler arter av mossor och lavar i det öppna landskapet i förhållande till det skogsdominerade landskapet samt på de åkerholmarna som saknade busk- och trädvegetation. Dessa miljöer består av torr och stenig mark och växer igen relativt långsamt, vilket är gynnsamt för vissa mossor och lavar. Det fanns ingen signifikant korrelation mellan diversitet och storleken på åkerholmarna eller mellan diversitet och holmarnas avstånd till skog. Antalet arter i ett habitat kan bero på regionala artpoolen samt antalet potentiella kolonisatörer men även lokala processer. Vidare är det viktigt att nämna att studien tyder på att diversitet av mossor och lavar påverkas av förhållandena på holmarna, såsom busk- och trädtäckningen. Detta i kombination med en variation inom dessa små biotoper kan skapa goda förutsättningar för ett landskap med hög diversitet. / The ecologically important small remnant habitats are becoming fewer in modern agriculture due to the intensification of agricultural landscapes that have resulted in an increasingly fragmented landscape. In order to provide an ideal conservation framework for small habitats, such as midfield islets, several studies about the organisms on the islets, their diversity and distribution are needed. In this study I investigated the diversity of mosses and lichens on open midfield islets with and without shrubs and trees in an open and a forest-dominated landscape. The analysis of species diversity in the study suggests that, overall; there are more species of mosses and lichens in the open landscape in relation to the forest-dominated landscape, and on the opened islets lacking shrub and tree vegetation. These environments consist of dry and rocky soils and overgrow relatively slowly, which is favourable for mosses and lichens. There was no significant correlation between diversity and size of the midfield islets or their distance to forest. The number of species in a habitat may depend on regional species pool and the number of potential colonizers but also local processes. Furthermore, it is important to mention that the study suggests that the diversity of mosses and lichens is influenced by the conditions on the midfield islands, such as shrub and tree cover. These conditions, combined with a variation within these small habitats can create good conditions for a landscape with high diversity.

Generating and developing ideas constitute centerpieces for innovations processes, idea creation methods and techniques most urgent in their initial phases processes, though the need is no less in subsequent phases. Those early phases, however, allow for more deviant ideas, characterized by more of ambiguity and uncertainty. This is an innovation process theme that is recognized as among those least understood. Through comparative studies of seven groups from three different practices, their interactions in idea development and problem solving, a deeper understanding of descriptive languages and modus operandi has been acquired. The research was carried out in three settings: brainstorming in industrial design, musical improvisation and dialogue seminars with participants representing industrial design and music, respectively. The compilation of the three practices’ contributions results in a conceptual framework. It includes such concepts as, for example, ‘momentary formation’, ‘temporary epistemology’ and ‘the play with semantic key signature’. Those concepts give examples of the reconsidering of creative group processes, relative to previous frameworks, that is a result of these studies. From the perspective of group idea, individuals’ creative processes might be perceived as the searching for the different or the deviant while we suggest that group creativity is enhanced throughits members’ abilities to preserve their own perspectives and thought styles. Group creativity is based on a willingness to focus on the central group idea while simultaneously maintaining individual thought styles. A creative group’s way of forming and mediating ideas, its modus operandi, is referred to as its description language. The importance of descriptive languages driving mechanism for creative group processes should be seen in the perspective of fundamental social cognition processes. The problem area is mapped through the strategic use of different descriptive modus. Groups employ iteration as a strategy for stimulating collective reflection, that is, to think about the problem again but in other ways. We argue that critical thinking and the ability to make critical judgements is an important driving force in the creative groups’ iterative processes: criticism makes reconsideration meaningful. Different types of criticism are discussed, as is how they interact with groups’ idea development and creative processes. This research project has resulted in a deeper understanding of the relay race of initiatives that characterizes the interactions in groups solving problems and developing ideas. The project has developed an awareness of which descriptions that stimulate group creativity.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Uppsala universitet, 2006. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

<p></p>



The stretch from the riparian zone of a major river, through the mouth and upstream in tributaries forms a range of differing habitats. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of these different habitats on the riparian frog community in primary rain forest in Borneo; i.e. examine whether any gradients could be demonstrated in terms of species composition, diversity and density of frogs, as well as which environmental characteristics that seem to be of most importance in forming habitats of high conservational value. A major river, Segama, and three of its tributaries were investigated. The surveys were carried out at night by searching for frogs visually and acoustically along the streams, from the shore of the Segama river and 400 metres upstream in the tributaries. In all transects 10 habitat variables were also measured. The results from the study show a significantly lower diversity and abundance of frogs along the shores of Segama and close to the mouths of the tributaries compared to further upstream, and a significant difference in species assemblage. Most species exhibited a negative correlation with the downstream transects or were not found there at all. The habitat characteristics waterfalls and boulders were found to be of most importance for the diversity and abundance of frogs, making these characteristics key components of habitats with high conservational value. Major rivers could also potentially form dispersal corridors for invasive species, which findings of the introduced species Fejervarya limnocharis along the shores of Segama shows.

Syftet med studien är att beskriva och analysera hur revisionsmedarbetare upplever att teamsammansättning avseende synlig diversitet i form av generationstillhörighet, etnicitet och kön i revisionsteam påverkar deras arbetstillfredsställelse. Teamarbete är en central del av arbetet för revisionsmedarbetare. Tidigare forskning har visat diversitet i team å ena sidan kan leda till sämre sammanhållning och kommunikation medan diversitet i team å andra sidan kan leda till fler synsätt och bättre förmåga att lösa komplexa problem. Studien tillämpar en intervjumetod och har huvudsakligen en deduktiv ansats. Primärdata har samlats in genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med 18 revisionsmedarbetare. Empirin har analyserats tematiskt. Studien visar att respondenternas upplevelse om hur synlig diversitet i revisionsteam påverkar deras arbetstillfredsställelse skiljer sig. Studien bidrar till litteraturen genom att identifiera aspekter som kan förklara hur revisionsmedarbetares arbetstillfredsställelse påverkas av att arbeta i synligt diversifierade team. Studiens praktiska bidrag riktas främst till revisionsbyråer då förståelse om hur synlig diversitet i revisionsteam påverkar revisionsmedarbetares arbetstillfredsställelse är viktigt för att utforma revisionsteam på ett optimalt sätt. / The purpose of the study is to describe and analyze how audit staff feel that team composition regarding visible diversity in the form of generational affiliation, ethnicity and gender in audit teams affect their job satisfaction. Teamwork is a central part of the audit staffs' work. Previous research has shown that diversity in teams on one hand can lead to poorer cohesion and communication in teams, while diversity in teams on the other hand can lead to more perspectives and better ability to solve complex problems. The qualitative study applies an interview method and has mainly a deductive approach. Primary data has been collected through semi-structured interviews with 18 audit staff. The empirical data has been analyzed thematically. The study indicates that the respondents' experience of how visible diversity in audit teams affects their job satisfaction differs. The study contributes to the literature by identifying aspects that can explain how audit staffs' job satisfaction is affected by working in visibly diversified teams. The study's practical contribution is mainly directed to audit firms, as an increased understanding of how visible diversity in audit teams affects audit staffs' job satisfaction is important in order to form audit teams in an optimal way.

Lunds kommun har under några somrar tillbaka inventerat olika faunagrupper i olika naturområden i Genarp, en mindre ort som ligger cirka 2,5 mil sydöst om Lund. Under dessa somrar (2007-2010) hittades och registrerades nio olika rödlistade insektsarter i Blüchers park, ett naturområde med en mosaik av olika naturtyper på sandunderlag. Blüchers park är cirka 2,7 hektar stort och ligger i Genarps östra del. Detta arbete kompletterar de ovan nämnda insektsinventeringarna med en florainventering av Blüchers park. Syftet med arbetet är dels att söka förståelse till varför funna kärlväxter i Blüchers park växer där de växer, dels att ta reda på vilka skötselåtgärder som skulle kunna vara lämpliga i området, det vill säga hur förekomsten av funna rödlistade insektsarter kan komma att gynnas genom olika floraskötselåtgärder. Under juni-augusti 2011 återfanns 175 kärlväxtarter i Blüchers park. Av dessa var nio stycken (5 arter och 4 artgrupper) så kallade förbindelseväxter (växter som rödlistade insektsarter är beroende av) av särskilt intresse eftersom åtgärder som gynnar dessa även kan förväntas gynna de tidigare funna rödlistade insektsarterna. För att kunna gynna förbindelseväxterna och mångfalden av andra växtarter samt rödlistade insektsarter i Blüchers park så krävs det en förändring av dagens floraskötsel i parken. Vissa växtarter främjas av en typ av skötsel och således främjas även de insektsarter som livnär sig på dessa växter. Andra växtarter främjas av en annan typ av skötsel. För att klargöra vilken eller vilka typer av floraskötselåtgärder som skulle vara lämpliga för förbindelseväxterna och vidare de funna rödlistade insektsarterna i Blüchers park, så analyseras och diskuteras fakta och data om förbindelseväxterna samt för- och nackdelar med de olika skötselåtgärderna; bränning, bete, slåtter och markomrörning. Slåtter bedöms vara den bästa floraskötselåtgärden för större delen av Blüchers park trots att flera av förbindelsearterna i parken anses mer direkt gynnade av bete än av slåtter (Ekstam 1997). Att bränna av hela eller delar av delområde 4 för att främja ljungen samt att genomföra viss markomrörning i delar av parken för att underlätta för markbobyggande insekter, är också relevant. Fröspridning och utplantering av fler förbindelseväxter samt röjning kring ljuskrävande träd och buskar är ytterligare åtgärder som skulle kunna komma att gynna artrikedomen i området. Sammanfattningsvis uppvisar Blüchers park en flora- och faunadiversitet som är värd att bevara och utveckla. Denna studie bidrar med kunskapsunderlag för detta arbete. / Lund has since a few years back made some inventories of different fauna groups in different natural areas in Genarp; a small community located about 25 kilometers to the southeast of Lund. During those summers (2007-2010) nine red-listed insect species was found and registered in Blüchers Park, a nature area with a mosaic of different habitats on sand ground. Blüchers Park is approximately 2.7 acres and is located in the eastern part of Genarp. The purpose of this work is partly to seek understanding of why the found vascular plants in Blüchers Park grow where they grow, partly to find out which management actions that might be appropriate in the area, that is how the presence of the found red-listed insect species may benefit from different management measures. During June-August 2011, 175 different plant species were found in Blüchers Park. Of these, nine so-called liaison plants (five species and four species groups) were of special interest to benefit. This because they are plants on which red-listed insect species, found in earlier surveys, rely for their survival. To promote the liaison plants and the diversity of other plant species and endangered insect species in Blüchers Park, it requires a change in the flora management in the park. To clarify which type or types of flora management actions that would be appropriate in Blüchers Park, the facts and data about the liaison plants and the pros and cons of the various management actions such as burning, grazing, mowing and soil mixing were analyzed and discussed. Mowing was shown to be the best flora management action for most of Blüchers Park although several of the liaison species in the park are more directly favored by grazing than by mowing (Ekstam 1997). Burning of all or part of subarea 4 to promote the heath and to implement a land agitation in parts of the park to facilitate ground nesting insects, is also relevant. Seed dispersal, planting of more liaison plants and clearing around the light demanding trees and shrubs are additional measures that might benefit biodiversity in the area. In summary Blüchers park exhibits a flora- and faunadiversity that is worth preserving and developing. This study contributes to knowledge base for this work.

During the summer of 2018 Northern Europe, including Sweden, was affected by extremely high temperature and drought. The drought affected the society and environment that we and other organisms live in. Streams are one of the ecosystems sensible to these conditions. Long periods of drought may affect the waterflow or cause desiccation of streams. Since streams provide important ecological services, they are equally important to humans as to organisms living in them. In this study I investigate whether the dry summer of 2018 had any effect on the species diversity, density of individuals and ecological status in 16 randomly chosen southern Swedish streams. This was done by comparing number of species, average number of individuals per sample, ASPT- and MISA-indices in 2018 with reference years 2007–2017. In addition to this, I investigated whether the independent variables geographical location, pH and alkalinity had any effect on the deviation of 2018 compared to the reference years. The results showed that there were no significant differences between 2018 and the reference years for any of the variables. Thus, the dry summer of 2018 had no general effect. However, the southernmost streams generally generated negative deviations, while northern generally generated positive ones for average number of individuals per sample. To further understand how drought affects benthic invertebrates in streams that are not fully dried out further research should be conducted to examine how the composition of species is affected. / Sommaren 2018 var en extremt varm och torr sommar i Sverige och övriga Nordeuropa. Dessa omständigheter medförde torka som påverkade samhället och miljön som vi och andra organismer lever i. En av de miljöer som är känslig mot varma och torra somrar är vattendragen. Långa perioder av torka kan påverka tillrinningen och leda till minskat vattenflöde och eventuell uttorkning. Vattendrag bidrar med ekosystemtjänster och är därför inte bara viktiga för de organismer som lever i dem, utan även för oss människor. I denna studie undersökte jag om den torra sommaren 2018 hade någon påverkan på artdiversiteten, individtätheten och den ekologiska statusen i 16 slumpvis utvalda vattendrag i södra Sverige. Detta gjordes genom att studera data för antal arter, medelantal individer per prov, ASPT- och MISA-index för åren 2007–2018. För dessa år beräknades medelvärden och avvikelser för åren 2007–2017, som referens för jämförelse med 2018. Utöver detta undersöktes även om de oberoende variablerna geografiskt läge, pH och alkalinitet påverkade 2018 års avvikelse från referensåren. Resultaten visade att det inte fanns någon signifikant skillnad mellan 2018 och referensåren för någon av de undersökta variablerna. Dock fanns det ett geografiskt mönster, så att sydliga provpunkter generellt visade mer negativa avvikelser och nordliga mer positiva för medelantal individer per prov. För antalet arter fanns en liknande tendens, som dock inte var signifikant. För att vidare förstå hur torka påverkar bottenfauna i vattendrag som inte torkar ut helt behövs mer forskning som kan undersöka hur sammansättningen av arter påverkas av torka.