Download Ecology and Environmental Science

FORSKNING VID
HÖGSKOLAN I HALMSTAD
RESEARCH AT
HALMSTAD UNIVERSITY
Ecology and Environmental Science
The research performed within Ecology and Environmental Science is oriented towards applications within environmental and nature management. It connects to the unique profile of the region combining agriculture, huge forests,
the sea, tourism, and outdoor life. A large proportion of the research is performed in collaboration with the Wetland
Research Centre. This research is described under the Wetland Research Centre. Other projects are described here.
Wind turbines and humans (Eja Pedersen, [email protected], +46 35 167139). Wind turbines produce renewable energy with low impact on the environment, but the planning process is often delayed by public objections based
on fear of disturbances. Are people living in the vicinity of wind turbines affected by noise and shadows? If so, is this
effect due to the exposure or to other factors influencing the variation in perceived annoyance?
Environmental effects of nitrogen deposition (Siegfried Fleischer, siegfried.fl[email protected], +46 35 167766). The
northern hemisphere receives large amounts of atmospheric inorganic nitrogen deposition. Beneficial effects that initially appear, e. g. increased forest production or decreased emissions of carbon dioxide from soils may turn into negative effects after long-term high deposition. Such negative effects are increased emissions of the greenhouse gas dinitrogen oxide and coastal water eutrophication. The possibilities to counteract negative effects are poorly known and are
studied from regional and global perspectives.
Effects of nitrogen deposition on plants (Marie Mattsson, [email protected], +46 35 167532). Other effects
of nitrogen deposition are increased concentrations of different nitrogenous compounds in forest trees and ground flora which may lead to changes in plant nutrient balance and in plant species composition. Plant species show differences in their sensitivity to high nitrogen deposition. Studies are made on forest edge effects and in areas near point sources of ammonia in order to find the limits for stable forest ecosystem functioning.
Högskolan i Halmstad • Box 823 • 301 18 Halmstad • Tfn 035-16 71 00 • www.hh.se
Halmstad University • Box 823 • SE-301 18 Halmstad, Sweden • Phone: +46 35 16 71 00 • www.hh.se
Environmental effects of use of biogas residue as fertilizer (Marie Mattsson, [email protected], +46 35
167532). Farm-scale anaerobic digestion produces, apart from gas, also a digested residue. Digestion of manure and
agricultural residues produces a stabilised fertilizer with a more controlled nutrient release than regular manure. Thus,
emissions of ammonia and greenhouse gases to the atmosphere and nutrient leaching can be avoided. Studies are made
on how different substrates and process conditions influence the quality of the digested residue, including nutritional
and environmental aspects.
Effects of eutrophication on suspension feeders in Fucus communities in the south-east Kattegatt (Lars-Erik Widahl,
[email protected], +46 35 167394). Eutrophication has a negative impact on various suspension-feeding organisms. Further studies in this field may relieve a variety of shortterm- and longterm effects on the biodiversity in the
coastal seaweed communities. These are important breeding and feeding areas for many species of fish and should be
considered of major environmental interest.
Biodiversity, indicator species and morphological adaptations (Göran Sahlén, [email protected], +46 35
167398). Dragonflies (Insecta: Odonata) are used to detect changes in species richness in agricultural and forested areas in Sweden. Dragonflies are predators and their presence in aquatic habitats may indicate high diversity. Similar studies are performed in tropical environments: rain forests in Costa Rica and deserts in Namibia. In addition, morphological and ecological adaptations of these insects to different environments are studied in relation to their known phylogeny.
Contact: Research leader is Stefan Weisner, [email protected], phone +46 35 167348.
The different project leaders are mentioned above.
Högskolan i Halmstad • Box 823 • 301 18 Halmstad • Tfn 035-16 71 00 • www.hh.se
Halmstad University • Box 823 • SE-301 18 Halmstad, Sweden • Phone: +46 35 16 71 00 • www.hh.se