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(2014)Variation of the protein and amino acid content of barley, wheat and oats were studied. Diets based on grain samples of different protein content were optimized for pigs and poultry.The study went on to optimize diets for pigs and poultry with grains of different protein contents. The amino acid and raw protein analysis was undertaken on 38 grain samples. Correlations were calculated between different variables in grain samples and linear regression analysis was conducted between the protein and amino acid composition. The best estimate for amino acid concentrations of cereals was the protein content. The relative content of amino acids decreases as protein content increases and especially so in barley and wheat. Most reliable regression equations between amino acid and protein content were made for barley and wheat samples. For oat reliable regression equations could not be made. Oats also differed by other features from barley and wheat as it correlated with different variables compared to barley and wheat. Amount of needed protein concentrate levels decreased when barley and wheat protein and amino acid contents were considered in optimization. Protein concentrate levels did not decrease when used oat sample with highest protein content.
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(2010)Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena on tuoda esille REIT-metsäkiinteistörahastot ja niiden mahdolliset vaikutukset Suomen metsätalouteen. Tutkimusmenetelmänä on tulevaisuuden tutkimisessa käytettävä Delfoi-menetelmä, joka perustuu asiantuntijoilta saadun argumentaation käsittelyyn. Tämän tutkimuksen asiantuntijapaneeli käsittää 16 metsäalan asiantuntijaa, jotka työskentelevät eri instituutioissa. Asiantuntijat valittiin tarkan harkinnan perusteella ja heille lähetettiin sähköpostitse kysymys, johon he saivat vastata vapaasti. Sähköpostikysely oli kaksivaiheinen, Delfoi-menetelmän periaatteen mukaisesti. Asiantuntijoilta saadun aineiston avulla tutkittiin, skenaarioita hyväksikäyttäen, miten REITmetsäkiinteistörahasto voisi vaikuttaa Suomen metsätalouteen ja sen tämän hetkisiin ongelmiin. Ongelmiksi on luokiteltu tässä tutkimuksessa mm. Suomen yksityismetsien pirstoutuminen, epäsuoran sijoitusinstrumentin puute metsätaloudessa ja yksityismetsänomistajien metsänhoidon tehottomuus. Lisäksi asiantuntijoilta haluttiin argumentaatioita REIT-metsäkiinteistörahastojen olemassaolon mahdollisuuksiin Suomessa. Saadut vastaukset lajiteltiin aiheittain, kirjoitettiin tulevaisuusskenaarioiksi ja erilliseksi argumentaation tarkasteluksi. Suomessa ei ole mahdollista perustaa yhtiötasolla verovapaata REIT-metsäkiinteistörahastoa. Suomen kiinteistörahastolainsäädäntö ja osakeyhtiölaki pitävät huolta siitä, että yhtiömuotoinen metsänomistus ei kannata Suomessa. Epäsuora metsänomistus ei ole Suomessa mahdollista ja metsää voi omistaa vain hankkimalla metsäkiinteistön. REIT-metsäkiinteistörahasto mahdollistaisi metsänomistamisen yhtiön kautta. Se tarkoittaisi, että osakkeiden kautta omistettu metsä ei vaatisi osakkeenomistajilta metsänhoidollisia ja hallinnollisia toimenpiteitä. Tämän tutkimuksen tulokset viittaavatkin siihen, että Suomeen tarvittaisiin nopeasti REIT-metsäkiinteistörahaston salliva lainsäädäntö, jotta voitaisiin hyötyä REIT:n mahdollisesti tuomista uudistuksista. Tulokset viittaavat myös siihen, että nykyiset metsien yhteisomistusmuodot ovat riittämättömiä kattamaan uuden metsänomistajasukupolven tarpeet, ja sijoitusluontoiselle metsänomistukselle olisi kysyntää. Asiantuntijoiden mielipiteet osoittavat, että REIT-metsäkiinteitärahastolle olisi hyvät edellytykset toimia Suomessa. Niiden kautta voisi metsien arvostus nousta uudelle tasolle. Perusteena arvonnousulle olisi metsäomaisuuden saattaminen pörssiin ja sitä kautta metsänomistajaksi voisi tulla lähes kuka tahansa.
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(2021)Every company receives customer complaints and negative customer feedback. With functional customer complaint management and service recovery processes, it is possible to restore customers’ satisfaction and loyalty towards the company, enhance the self-efficacy of the staff and improve service processes of the company. Objective of this study was to find out, how recovery process is recognized, how it is utilized, and which are the main needs of development. In this study, current customer complaint process is examined through service recovery theory highlighting the role of process recovery and employee recovery. The effect of current customer complaint process on customer experience is also discussed. The research material of this study was collected in summer 2020 by questionnaire. Questionnaire was sent by e-mail to personnel who handle customer complaints in their tasks. The questionnaire was sent to 323 person and 85 approved responses were received. The response rate was 26 %. Research method in this thesis is quantitative analysis. Based on the results, the customer complaint process could be utilized further. Better distribution of responsibility, recognizing the importance of customer complaint and service blueprints will improve the quality of the customer complaint process. Furthermore, customer complaint process should be more straightforward and continuous training for personnel should be added. Employees have high motivation to restore customer satisfaction and secure good customer experience. Further study is needed to clarify the customers’ view of customer experience of customer complaint process.
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(2017)Hyvällä työnantajamielikuvalla on todettu olevan selvä yhteys yritysten kykyyn houkutella parhaita osaajia palvelukseensa, ja siksi sen kehittämiseen on viime vuosina alettu panostaa yhä enemmän. Rekrytointiprosessi on yksi osa työnantajamielikuvan luomista, minkä vuoksi hakijakokemuksen parantaminen on tärkeää. Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli selvittää, mitkä tekijät yritysten rekrytointiprosessissa vaikuttavat hakijakokemukseen ja miten tätä kokemusta parantamalla voidaan tukea positiivista työnantajamielikuvaa. Tutkimuksessa verrattiin positiivisessa ja negatiivisessa hakijakokemuksessa korostuvia tekijöitä. Tutkimuksessa käytettiin kvalitatiivista tutkimusotetta ja aineistonkeruu toteutettiin eläytymismenetelmällä, jossa vastaajien tulee kehyskertomuksen avulla eläytyä rekrytointiprosessiin ja kuvata tähän tilanteeseen johtaneet tapahtumat. Aineistoksi kerättiin 36 tarinaa 3. vuoden kone- ja sähkötekniikan opiskelijoilta kahdesta suomalaisesta teknillisestä yliopistosta keväällä 2017. Aineiston analysoinnissa käytettiin teemoittelua. Tutkimuksen tulokseksi saatiin, että hakijakokemukseen vaikuttivat erityisesti rekrytoinnin tuloksesta viestiminen ja sen oikea ajoitus. Lisäksi merkitystä oli työpaikkailmoituksella, hakemisen vaivattomuudella, miellyttävällä haastattelutilanteella sekä ympäristön kannustuksella työpaikan hakemiseen. Tutkimuksen perusteella voidaan päätellä, että hakijakokemuksessa keskeistä on riittävän tiedon oikea-aikainen tarjoaminen hakijan epävarmuuden vähentämiseksi. Kun tällainen perustaso on saavutettu, hakijan huomio kiinnittyy muihin tekijöihin, joita parantamalla voidaan vahvistaa työnantajamielikuvaa.
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(2022)The end point chopping temperature influences different properties of the sausage batter and consequently the properties of the final product. If the end point chopping temperature of the sausage batter is either too high or too low the properties of the final product, especially texture, colour, sensory properties, and water-holding capacity (in this context cooking loss) will be affected. However, in the industrial scale, the end point chopping temperatures are hard to alter due to the continuous nature of the processes. The aim of the thesis was to study could marked differences be found from sausage batches that had been chopped to opposite extreme end point chopping temperatures that had been reported by the sausage factory staff. The study was carried out by using following three different meat choppers: standard bowl chopper, two different continuous choppers. Two separate, identically composed preblended meat masses were prepared in such way that their initial temperatures were approximately 0 and 10 °C. The preblended mass with lower initial temperature was made from non-frozen and frozen thawed meat assortments (50 % and 50 %), whereas the other mass was produced from non-frozen meat only. In turn, the chosen values for end point chopping temperatures were 13 and 23 °C. Texture properties, colour and cooking loss were determined from the cooked sausages and the differences were compared statistically.
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(2012)The aim of this study was to assess the relative validity of an interactive 24-hour recall used in a large randomized controlled trial among 15-month-old Malawian children. Relative validity studies should always be done when a dietary method is applied to a new population. The interactive 24-hour recall is a modified version of the traditional 24-hour recall. It was developed in 1995 in order to improve the validity of 24-hour recall in measuring nutrient intake in poor rural areas in Africa. The modifications of the interactive 24-hour recall are designed to make remembering food items and estimating portion sizes easier for the respondent. In the interactive 24-hour recall, the day before the recall interview the respondents are asked to use standard sized bowls and cups when eating, and to mark off each eaten food item on a picture chart containing pictures of local foods. The picture chart is intended to reduce memory lapses, and the use of cups and bowls is intended to facilitate estimating quantities of consumed foods. In this study, the relative validity of the interactive 24-hour recall was assessed among 44 children aged 15 months. The subjects were healthy children living in rural villages in Mangochi district, southern Malawi. To mimic the trial conditions, an intervention was included in this study. Half of the children were randomly assigned to receive a lipid-based nutrient supplement and the other half were assigned to follow their usual diet. The relative validity of the interactive 24-hour recall was assessed against a more accurate method of dietary assessment, the weighed food record (reference method). Intakes of energy, protein, fat, iron, zinc and vitamin A were measured by the two methods. Statistical analyses were done to assess the relative validity of the interactive 24-hour recall at both the population and the individual level. Food level data were analyzed to describe memory lapses and inaccuracies in portion size estimates as sources of measurement error. Furthermore, a description of differential measurement error was calculated to see whether such a bias might exist between the two study groups. Correction values developed in an earlier study in Malawi were tested to see whether they can be successfully used for adjusting values obtained by the interactive 24-hour recall. The relative validity of the interactive 24-hour recall was good at the group level, and moderate in estimating the intake of individuals. Memory lapses and portion size estimates introduced some errors to measurement. The interactive 24-hour recall performed well in assessing the intake of staple foods. Notable differential measurement error between the study groups did not exist. The correction values did not improve the results. Together, the results of the present investigation suggest that the interactive 24-hour recall is a relatively valid method for estimating the average energy and nutrient intakes of rural 15-month old Malawian children at the group level, and it is an acceptable method to be used to estimate selected individual nutrient intakes.
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(2019)The thesis literature review is about the effects of brine to meat and manufacturing process. Possible ingredients the brine of broiler and their impact on meat was also introduced. Possible ingredients properties were explored as well. The aim of experimental work was to test in practice how a new brine works versus the currently used brine and investigate how the brines behave with broiler meat using different methods. The samples were injection salting cured pea-psyllium fibre back quarters and bamboo-psyllium fibre back quarters, drum cured pea-psyllium fillet steaks and bamboo-psyllium fibre fillet steaks. These samples were tested microbiologically with TEMPO®-method, sensory evaluation with descriptive method, by measuring pH, by determining cooking loss and drip loss and by determining samples salt contents. Microbiologically the cured back quarters and fillet steaks remained good at least during the 15 days tested with both brines and thus the shelf life could be at least 15 days. In sensory evaluation there was no statistical difference between the two brines used for curing fillet steaks and back quarters. Neither, there was no statistical difference in cooking losses and drip losses. Samples pH values were an appropriate level and there were no deviations. Salt contents were consistent when comparing to the amount of added salt. In conclusion, the new bamboo-psyllium fibre brine works nearly as well as the currently used pea-psyllium brine in broiler meat. The bamboo-psyllium fibre brine could work better if recipe would be optimized.
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(2014)The ongoing industrial globalization and high dependence on natural resources have stimulated forest companies to balance diverse and conflicting stakeholder demands and to disclose sustainability initiatives through corporate disclosures (Li and Toppinen, 2011). The identification of business impacts and risks associated with biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005) has triggered corporations to report their initiatives and performance on such issues, especially corporations in the environmentally sensitive sectors. In order to investigate the current state of reporting on biodiversity and ecosystem services in the forest sector, a content analysis was implemented based on the Global Reporting Initiatives (the G3.1 version) environmental performance indicators for analyzing sustainability-related reports of thirteen globally operating forest companies in this study. The focus of the content analysis was on initiatives and environmental performance regarding five key threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services: the threat of habitat loss and degradation, the threat of over exploitation and unsustainable use, the threat of climate change, the threat of pollution and nutrient load and the threat of invasive alien species. The results indicate that reporting variations exist in terms of geographical locations and content-specific characteristics. In general, environmental subcategories of products and services, emission/effluents and biodiversity are the most reported. Regarding the five key threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services, the threat of over exploitation and unattainable use is the most comprehensively reported while the threat of invasive alien species is the least reported. Based on the GRI sector supplements in other environmentally friendly sectors, industrial features of the forest sector and inter-linking issues detected between/among three sustainability dimensions, tentative suggestions and indicators are proposed for the forest sector supplement from biodiversity and ecosystem services perspective. Biodiversity and ecosystem services will probably be a subject of mandatory reporting with the assistance of a transparent and rigid reporting system. Inter-linking issues between/among sustainability dimensions and stakeholder involvement in environmental issues will be cornerstones in integrated reporting in the future.
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(2014)To acquire sufficient amount of vitamin B12 (2-3 ?g/day), humans mostly consume animalderived foods in their diet, making vegetarians and vegans highly susceptible to vitamin B12.deficiency. Although sufficient vitamin B12 intake can also be met by consuming fortified foods and vitamin B12 supplements, there is an increasing trend to consume natural and food grade products rather than supplements in tablet form. However, plant-based fermented foods that contain naturally synthesized vitamin B12 are limited. This study therefore aimed to investigate the requirement of different precursors in the biosynthesis of vitamin B12 in optimal media conditions and then in cereal matrices using strains of Propionibacterium freudenreichii. Vitamin B12 was produced by three selected P. freudenreichii strains (strain 1, 2 and 3) in supplemented whey permeate (SWP) medium, 30% w/v barley malt matrix and 6% barley flour matrix. The additions of 5 mg/L cobalt chloride, 15 mg/L DMBI, 15.05 mg/L riboflavin and 3.29 g/L nicotinamide were investigated. The effects of three different time points (0, 72, 144 h) in adding riboflavin and nicotinamide were also investigated. Depending on the type of precursors and the timing of adding the precursors, six conditions were tested in the SWP medium, while three conditions were tested in the cereal matrices. After extraction in the presence of sodium cyanide, vitamin B12 was then quantified by microbiological assay (MBA) and ultra high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC). The two-stage fermentation of 72-hour anaerobic/96-hour aerobic fermentation led to high vitamin B12 yields with maximum production of 2.20 ?g/mL and 1.41 ?g/g produced in the SWP medium and the barley malt matrix, respectively. Depending on the type of precursors added in the culture samples, the capacity of the P. freudenreichii strains in vitamin B12 production varied. The strain 3 produced maximum vitamin B12 yields with the addition of riboflavin and nicotinamide at 0 h. With the vitamin B12 amount achieved in the fermented cereal matrices, this study successfully demonstrated the promising possibilities to enrich plantbased foods with vitamin B12 through in situ fermentation.
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(2012)Root and butt rot is the most harmful fungal disease affecting Norway spruce in southern Finland. In approximately 90 % of cases the causal agent is Heterobasidion parviporum. Root and butt rot infections have not been reported in Finnish peatlands. However, the increase in logging operations in peatlands means there is a risk that the fungus will eventually spread to these areas. The aim of this study was to find out the impact of growing site on the resistance of Norway spruce to Heterobasidion parviporum infections. This was investigated by artificially inoculating H. parviporum to spruce trees in pristine mire, drained peatland and mineral soil and comparing the defence reactions. Additionally, the effect of genotype on resistance was studied by comparing the responses of spruce clones representing different geographic origins. The roots and stems of the trees to be sampled were wounded and inoculated with wood dowels pre-colonised by H. parviporum hyphae. The resulting necrosis around the point of inoculation was observed. It was presumed that increased length of necrosis indicates high susceptibility of the tree to the disease. The relationship between growth rate and host resistance was also studied. The results indicated that growing site does not have a statistically significant effect on host resistance. The average length of necrosis around the point of inoculation was 35 mm in pristine mire, 37 mm in drained peatland and 40 mm in mineral soil. It was observed that growth rate does not affect resistance, but that the genotype of the tree does have an effect. The most resistant spruce clone was the one with Russian origin. The results suggest that the spruce stands in peatlands are not more resistant to root and butt rot infections than those in mineral soil. These findings should be taken into consideration when logging peatland forests.
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(2020)The growth and development of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is affected by photoperiod and temperature. Photoperiod has various signalling functions affecting reproductive development and its rate. It also affects the rates of leaf area extensions and dry matter production. Increase in photoperiod hastens the plant developmental processes and affects the leaf area and tiller formation. Primary tillers form from axillary buds in the leaf nodes on the main culm and increase the leaf area of the plant. Under favourable conditions, initiated tillers grow to separate culms with grain bearing ears. However, the environmental conditions during the growing season in northern latitudes affect tiller formation. The aims of the experiments were to investigate the effects of photoperiod on barley leaf and tiller development. Other aims were to compare the differences expressed by the two row-types and tillering habits. Seven barley accessions, differing in tillering habit and row-type, were used in the experiments. Three pairs of near-isogenic accessions six-rowed ‘Morex’ and ‘Uniculm Morex’, ‘Kindred’ and ‘Uniculm Kindred’, two-rowed ‘Ingrid’ and ‘3-503’, differing in tillering habit, and two-rowed ‘Saana’ were grown in growth chamber at humidity of 60/70 % and at temperature 18/12 ºC (day/night), in three different photoperiods (15 h, 18 h and 21 h). The leaf length and width were measured from the full-grown leaves. The samples to identify main culm and tillers were taken after the plants reached the 4-leaf-stage. The effects of photoperiod, accession, tillering habit and row-type on the plant, leaf and tiller growth were statistically analysed. Increase in photoperiod hastened the plant development as well as leaf and tiller emergence rates. The leaf size and main culm leaf area decreased as the photoperiod increased. The number of tillers increased as photoperiod increased. The uniculm accessions had larger leaves and a larger main culm leaf area than the conventional tillering accessions. Six-rowed accessions had larger leaves and a larger main culm leaf area than the two-rowed accessions. The two-rowed accessions had a faster tiller emergence rate and a higher tiller number compared to the six-rowed accessions. Photoperiod treatments affected the leaf and tiller growth and development as expected apart from the number of tillers produced in the longest, 21h photoperiod. Differences between the two tillering habits and row-types were also as expected, although some exceptions occurred. Potentials and limitations of uniculm growth habit in agricultural production were also discussed.
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(2016)Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) has been cultivated all around the world since the ancient times. It has different cultivars having diverse characteristics that are suited for different environments and conditions. However, alfalfa is not being widely cultivated in northern latitudes, especially in the Nordic countries. In this experiment, six alfalfa cultivars from different origins, namely Alexis, Lavo, Live, Hunter River, Nexus and Rangelander were tested in four different treatments and control. The treatments simulated Finnish fall conditions, focusing on temperature and day-length. Plants were grown in controlled conditions with 12 h and 14 h day-length at 10°/5°C (day/night) and 18°/15°C (day/night) for six weeks. Control plants stayed in greenhouse conditions at 16 h day-length and 18°/14°C (day/night) until flowering. Both temperature and day-length affected plant growth and development. All cultivars flowered in the greenhouse conditions, characterized by the higher temperature and longest day-length. Cultivars Alexis, Hunter River and Rangelander developed flowers most rapidly (560 GDD), whereas Lavo, a cultivar bred for cold climates, flowered last (941 GDD). Only two cultivars, Hunter River and Alexis were able to flower at 14 h DL 18/15°C, while flower buds died at 14 h 10/5°C. Moreover, all flowers died under 12 h DL treatments both at 10/5°C and 18/15°C. The combination of short day-length and low temperature (12h DL 10/5°C) seems to delay or restrict the development to generative stage in Lavo, Nexus and Live. Cultivar Lavo seemed to have good fall dormant characteristics such as prostrate behavior, short stems, fewer internodes and a strong response to low temperature and short day-length. Although alfalfa is a long-day plant, it seems that temperature rather than day-length affected dry matter accumulation. Cultivar Lavo also responded more to low temperature conditions and started to accumulate more dry matter in roots. Global warming may increase the use of new crops such as alfalfa, in the Nordic countries. Alfalfa cultivars have interesting genetic variations that could be utilized for selecting most appropriate cultivars for growing in Finland.
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(2013)Forested wetlands throughout the world are valuable habitats; especially in relatively species-poor northern regions, they can be considered biological hotspots. Unfortunately, these areas have been degraded and destroyed. In recent years, however, the biological importance of wetlands has been increasingly recognized, resulting in the desire to restore disturbed habitats or create in place of destroyed ones. Restoration work is taking place across the globe in a diversity of wetland types, and research must be conducted to determine successful techniques. As a result, two studies of the effects of wetland restoration and creation were conducted in forested wetlands in northern Michigan and southern Finland. In North America, northern white-cedar wetlands have been declining in area, despite attempts to regenerate them. Improved methods for successfully establishing northern white-cedar are needed; as a result, the target of the first study was to determine if creating microtopography could be beneficial for white-cedar recruitment and growth. In northern Europe, spruce swamp forests have become a threatened ecosystem due to extensive drainage for forestry. As part of the restoration of these habitats, i.e. rewetting through ditch blocking, Sphagnum mosses are considered to be a critical element to re-establish, and an in-depth analysis of how Sphagnum is responding to restoration in spruce swamp forests has not been previously done. As a result, the aim of the second study was to investigate the ecophysiological functioning of Sphagnum and feather mosses across a gradient of pristine, drained, and restored boreal spruce swamp forests.
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(2021)Background: Migration has found to be associated with changes in eating habits. Typically, dietary acculturation occurs which means that the person adopts host country’s ways of eating. Previous studies suggests that dietary acculturation can have negative effects on person’s diet if the person adopts the host country’s way of eating processed foods that replace the traditional healthy foods of their own culture. The phenomenon is also reflected in other generations, with children and young people with a foreign background being found to eat more sweets and soft drinks than other peers. To promote the eating habits of families with children with a foreign background, a deeper understanding is needed of the factors behind eating habits. Ethnography offers an opportunity to increase understanding of everyday eating and produces descriptive data to complement traditional nutrition research. Objectives: The aim of this MS's thesis was to draw a picture of everyday eating in families with children and with a foreign background in Finland. The study participants were mothers with first- and second-generation foreign backgrounds and with different ethnic backgrounds. Methods: This was a qualitative study using an ethnographic design. The field of research was an open community space in the Helsinki metropolitan area. The data consisted of ethnographic interviews with mothers (n=23) and field workers (n=2), as well as participatory observations and pictures. The data was analyzed by coding and theming. The results were compared with the model of dietary acculturation created by Satia-Abouta and with previous literature. Results: The role of mothers in the food supply of families was central. They made a distinction between “everyday food”, “cultural food” and “Finnish food”. Everyday food was something easy and fast, while cultural food required time and expertise. Some of them prepared cultural food as everyday food, as it was a means of maintaining cultural heritage. Except for fruits, vegetables and vegetarian dishes played a smaller role in mothers’ stories than animal-based products (meat, chicken, fish) and carbohydrate-containing products (rice, pasta, potatoes). Ethnic shops in the area were perceived as comprehensive, although many bought only (halal) meat there. The mothers' eating habits showed dietary acculturation, as they had begun to prepare “Finnish foods” such as mashed potato or lasagna that were new to them. It was important for the mothers that their children ate well, and children’s lack of eating emerged as a concern. The mothers balanced between what foods children liked and what they considered as good for the child. They had searched and received ideas and information regarding eating on the Internet and from a Finnish counseling center. Conclusions: This study brought understanding of everyday eating in families with children with a foreign background in Finland. The ethnographic approach made it possible to describe mothers’ own perspectives and was an effective way to recruit people with a foreign background. More ethnographic research is needed from the perspective of children and adolescents with foreign backgrounds to make their voices heard as well.
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(2018)When concerning birdlife, Helsinki has two major wetland areas; the shores of Vanhankaupunginlahti and Östersundom. These areas include both natural wildlife conservation areas, and Natura 2000 -protected areas. In addition to an abundant nesting waterbird population, sightings of rarer birds and other vertebrates also occur regularly. The number of pairs of birds and their population density are on top of Finland’s rates. The eutrophic sea gulfs with their plentiful array of vertebrate species lure in small carnivorous mammals. In the valuable birdlife areas, the main concern is the predation pressure imposed by these mammals onto nesting birds. The fox (Vulpes vulpes), badger (Meles meles), pine marten (Martes martes) and the invasive alien species, raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), all prey on birds and their eggs. To ensure the vitality of the bird population and other species, it is justified to hunt for the small preying mammals on the wetlands in question. On the lands of the city of Helsinki, Helsinki City Construction Services’ unit of nature preservation is primarily responsible for the hunting. The traditional hunting method uses traps that catch the targets alive. Since these traps have to be checked in person once a day, this method is extremely time and resource consuming with a large number of traps. Utilising modern trail cameras with remote control option and realtime photo transmission is a way to save the time used for hunting considerably. The first objective of this study was to find out just how much time could be saved in the trap hunting of preying mammals when using trail cameras that send realtime photos and could be remotely controlled. To achieve this objective, I collected data of how long trap visits and moving between them took. Furthermore, I obtained information about the frequency of different occurrences around the traps. Using this data, I compared workdays with varying number of traps and the aforementioned two hunting methods. The study shows that as the number of traps increases, the time save does so also when using trail cameras. The biggest difference is in the time used moving between traps, since the trail cameras eliminate unnecessary visits. This enables resources to be used towards keeping more traps active, which increases the efficiency of the hunt and thus may benefit the wellfare of waterbirds and other animals. The second objective was to utilise the photographic material of small carnivorous mammals and to determine their trap catching rate, and study the possible differences between different predator species. Clear divergences were found between these probabilities: the raccoon dog and the badger had the highest catching rate (55 % ja 57 %, respectively), while a pine marten would be trapped with 38 % probability, and a fox with only 12 %. The divergences were tested with an χ2–test, and exluding the raccoon dog-badger pairing were statistically significant.
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(2019)The modern, intensive silviculture has affected negatively to the grouses. Main reasons are changes in the ground vegetation and decreasing proportion of blueberry. Main features for grouse habitats are variety in the forest cover and protection from the understorey. In managed forests fluctuation can be increased via thickets. Thicket size varies from couple of trees to approximately two ares. Tickets are uncleared patches containing trees in various sizes. To highlight grouses via game-friendly forest management, information about the habitat is required in the forest site and broader area. Observations about the grouses in the forest site and the information about capercaillie’s lekking sites, willow grouse’s habitats and the wintering areas have been beneficial. Information about grouse densities and population’s fluctuations has been gathered via game triangles. Guide books about game husbandry contain information about grouse habitats and thicket characteristics. The aim of this study was to investigate, whether it is possible to model suitable thickets and grouse habitats with open GIS (Geographical Information Systems) material via GIS- analyses. Examined grouse species in modelling were capercaillie, black grouse and hazel grouse. Weighted Overlay was done with ArcMap- software. Suitable thickets and habitats were examined in the whole research area and in suitable figures. Based on the results of the analysis, theme maps were made to represent the research area’s suitability for thickets and grouse habitats. The needed material for the thickets was collected and GIS- analyses were made in the research area in Tavastia Proper, Hausjärvi. For the research, 12 one-hectare squares were created. Together 45 suitable areas for thickets were charted via field inventory. After the field inventory and GIS- analyses, the results were compared. Key figures from the tickets were number of the thickets, areas, distance to the nearest thicket, averages and standard deviations. Statistical methods were applied to examine possible statistically significant differences between areas and between distances to the nearest thicket. Performed tests were One-Way ANOVA and Kruskall-Wallis. Grouse habitat’s tree characteristics were examined with up-to-date forest management plan. Tree characteristics were examined from 17 suitable figures, covering total area of 42,6 hectares. In field inventory, the average amount of found thickets in research grid was 3,8 and with modelling 1,4. The average area of thicket was 76,9 m2 in field inventory and 252 m2 in modelling. The average distance between thickets was 12,6 meters in field inventory and 24,8 meters with modelling. In field inventory thickets covered approximately 2,9 percent and modelled 3,6 percent of the research grid’s total area. According to statistical analyses, there was statistically significant difference between the inventory method to the total thicket area and distance to the nearest thicket. According to the modelling and forest management plan, capercaillie’s habitats were located in mature pine stands. Black grouse habitats were located in spruce dominated, young forest stands. Hazel grouse habitats included high proportion of broad-leaved trees, which were visible in ecotones between forest and field. Common for capercaillie, black grouse and hazel grouse habitats were minor surface area and mosaic-like structure. As a result, thickets and grouse habitats can be modeled with open GIS-material. However, modelling requires knowing the characteristics of thickets and examined species. With weighted overlay thickets were not found in areas where canopy density and spruce volume were naturally low. Research is needed to verify thicket’s occupation with trail cameras. The ecological impacts on the research area by saving thickets require evaluation.
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(2015)The thesis focuses on essential consumption of university students in Helsinki metropolitan area. This study utilizes the consensual or so called consumer-driven method for building reference budgets in which the students have participated in. The data were collected in four group interviews with a total of 19 college students. On the basis of group interviews of higher education students, the reference budget is built on a reasonable minimum, according to the monthly and annual basis. Budget reference is built on consumption expenditure groups which are: food, housing, mobility and travel, clothing, household goods and appliances, leisure, and health and hygiene. Data has been analyzed with content analysis and thematic analysis. This work aims to answer how the necessary consumption of university students is composed, and how they perceive the adequacy of their money and how they fund living. The aim is to determine which kind of consumption determines the minimum level of consumption, with which university students get along and feel that they can participate in social activities. The study shows that the student benefit is not enough to cover the necessary expenditure of university students. Interviews show that the main aids for economic survival are student loans, support from parents and work. According to the interviewees, work slows the progress of studies. In group interviews, the students reacted quite positively to their economic situation. Some, however, felt that survival was difficult and, for example, without parental support, it would be almost impossible. Only a few of the interviewees is trying to survive only with student benefit, but they have to calculate very carefully what they are able to buy.
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(2014)Tukkimiehentäi (Hylobius abietis) on merkittävä metsänuudistamisvaiheen tuhohyönteinen Pohjois- Euroopassa. Se aiheuttaa syönnillään tuhoa etenkin istutetuille havupuun taimille. Näin ollen Suomen istutusta suosiva metsätalous on erityisen herkkä tukkimiehentäituhoille. Tukkimiehentäituhojen torjuntaan on perinteisesti käytetty kemiallisia kasvinsuojeluaineita, joilla taimet on käsitelty ennen istutusta. Torjunta-aineilla on saatu helposti ja edullisesti vähennettyä taimien tukkimiehentäituhoja. Torjunta-aineisiin liittyvien ympäristö- ja terveysriskien takia niiden käyttö on kuitenkin kyseenalaistettu tai jopa kielletty monissa maissa viime aikoina. Vaihtoehtoisten torjuntatapojen kehitys ja tutkimus on noussut yhä tarpeellisemmaksi. Maanmuokkauksen tukkimiehentäituhoja pienentävä vaikutus on todistettu useaan otteeseen aikaisemmissa tutkimuksissa. Tässä tutkimuksessa tavoitteena oli selvittää, voisiko maanmuokkaus olla sellainen metsänhoitotoimenpide, joka laadukkaasti tehtynä suojaisi taimia tukkimiehentäituhoilta niin, että torjunta-aineilla tehtävää suojausta ei tarvittaisi lainkaan. Laadukkaan maanmuokkauksen ja torjunta-ainekäsittelyn vaikutuksia tukkimiehentäituhoihin tutkittiin keväällä 2012 perustetulla maastokokeella. Koe koostui 11:sta uudistusalasta. Uudistusaloille istutettiin torjunta-aineella käsiteltyjä ja käsittelemättömiä yksivuotiaita kuusen paakkutaimia laikkumättäisiin. Torjunta-ainekäsittely tehtiin 0,75 % Karate Zeon tukkimiehentäin torjunta-aineliuoksella, jossa oli tehoaineena lambda-syhalotriini. Taimia seurattiin yhden kasvukauden ajan siten, että istutuksen jälkeisenä syksynä taimien kasvu, kunto ja tukkimiehentäin syönti kartoitettiin. Lisäksi mitattiin taimien maatakertuma, etäisyys hakkuutähteisiin ja etäisyys humusreunaan. Näin voitiin tutkia maanmuokkauksen ja torjunta-ainekäsittelyn lisäksi myös muiden mahdollisten ympäristötekijöiden vaikutuksia tukkimiehentäituhoihin. Ensimmäisen kasvukauden jälkeen kaikista taimista laskettu tukkimiehentäin kokonaissyönti oli 12 % ja tukkimiehentäin syönnin seurauksena vakavasti syötyjä taimia oli 3 % (kuolleita tai vakavasti heikentyneitä taimia). Sekä kokonaissyönnissä että vakavassa syönnissä käsittelemättömiä taimia oli syöty enemmän kuin käsiteltyjä taimia. Vakavasti syötyjä oli käsittelemättömistä taimista 5 % ja käsitellyistä taimista 1 %. Kun taimen etäisyys humusreunaan kasvoi syönnin todennäköisyys laski. Myös taimen runkoon tarttunut maa, maatakertuma, pienensi tukkimiehentäin syönnin todennäköisyyttä. Tutkimuksen perusteella tyydyttävä uudistamistulos voidaan saada aikaan Keski-Suomen ilmasto-oloissa ilman torjunta-aineiden käyttöä, kun taimet istutetaan laadukkaisiin kivennäismaapintaisiin mättäisiin tarpeeksi etäälle humusreunasta.
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(2022)Weed management is a challenge in organic agriculture and consequently investigation for developing mechanical weed control methods is needed. The aim is to decrease competition between weeds and crop to prevent reduction of the crop yield. Weed control aims at preventing seedbank of the weeds increasing in the fields and weed pressure in the future as well. The effect of the different weed harrowing methods for crop yield and controlling annual weeds in the spring cereal fields were examined in the Mustiala farm as a part of the project “Luomussa vara parempi” for three years. The weed harrowing methods were single post emergence harrowing and combination of pre-emergence and post emergence harrowing. Different weed harrowing treatments were compared with each other and the untreated control treatment. Pre-emergence harrowing was carried out after sowing before emerging of the crop and post emergence harrowing at 2–4 leaf stage of the crop. The most abundant annual weed species was fat hen (Chenopodium album L.) and number of other weed species were proved to be minor during the years of the field experiment. Therefore, the effects of the weed harrowing treatments were concentrated to examine for fat hen. The occurence of fat hen was assessed three times from the experimental plots: before post emergence weed harrowing treatments, after weed harrowing treatments and before harvest. Biomasses of fat hen and yields of the crop were determined in August. Combination of pre-emergence and post emergence harrowing was proved to be the most effective and reliable treatment. Fat hen was controlled substantially by single post emergence harrowing as well. None of the weed harrowing treatments affected significantly crop yield. The smallest crop yield was in the experimental plots of the combination treatment where soil compaction was the greatest due to the weed harrowing. The infestation of fat hen was most effectively decreased by a combination of pre-emergence and post emergence harrowing as well as single post emergence treatment during the next successive years of cereals. Annual reductions in the number of weeds could reduce the yield of the crop in the long term.
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(2008)Weeds cause hard surfaces and pavements in cities to break down more quickly than they naturally would. Weed control on hard surfaces is mainly based on herbicides, of which glyphosate is the most effective and also most widely used. However, the use of glyphosate on paved areas has been restricted in some countries because of the risk of leaching in to groundwater and watercourse. Alternative methods for weed control on urban areas include mechanical, physical and biological methods and natural product herbicides. Many of the physical methods are based on thermal effect, and the most suitable on hard surfaces are flaming, hot water and hot steam. Vinegar is an alternative herbicide that is commonly in use. Oils have been used as adjuvants in herbicides, but many plant originated oils have phytotoxic effects of their own. Herbicides based on vegetable oils are available in several countries. Steaming and vinegar were tested on hard surface weed control during three growing seasons 2005-2007. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether steaming and vinegar have an effect on the number of weeds on hard surfaces, and how many applications are required to provide adequate control. The aim of the greenhouse experiment was to compare the effects of 12 % vinegar and different concentrations of pine oil and birch oil distillate on two weed species in two different developmental stages. The aim of the third experiment was to test pine oil, birch oil distillate and vinegar for weed control in practice on the bases of ornamental trees. The experiment was carried out during summer 2007. Vinegar and steaming controlled vegetation on hard surfaces, and the best result was obtained by three applications during one growing season. In this experiment vinegar provided better control than steaming. The greenhouse experiment proved the largest concentrations of pine oil and birch oil distillate to control weeds as well as or even better than vinegar. In the field experiment birch oil distillate and pine oil were slightly more effective than vinegar. Reducing the use of herbicides in cities is an important task, and successful weed control requires careful planning. Herbicides should be used only when other means are insufficient.
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