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Mulching, as a cultivation technique, has been adopted since the early twentieth century in agriculture for improving various aspects of crop production. However, the use of mulching was boosted by the introduction of plastic mulch, which has been reported as a harmful substance to the farm environment. Therefore, the need for an environmentally benign mulch material is obvious. The present study investigated the effects of paper and biodegradable plastic mulches on the cucumber yield, soil temperature and moisture content (at 10 cm depth), and the control of weed growth in an agricultural field located at the University of Helsinki in Southern Finland. The degradability of mulches was also investigated. The null hypothesis was that all the mulches would have a similar effect on the abovementioned aspects. Four paper mulches, i.e., BP, KB, CK, and OB, accompanied by biodegradable mulch (BIO) and a bare soil (BG) treatment were under investigation. Each of these treatments had 4 replicates, and a randomized complete block design (RCBD) was adopted. Sensors were installed at 10 cm depth in each study plot to measure the soil temperature and moisture content. In addition, the experimental plots were watered by drip irrigation. All the attained data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software. The results of the study revealed noteworthy positive effects (P<0.05) of mulch application on cucumber yields together with soil temperature, early fruiting, and weed growth regulation compared to the un-mulched bare ground, exclusive of soil moisture content. The daytime soil temperature (DST) was higher than at night (NST), indicating a positive association of the mulch effect with plant growth and crop earliness. However, no suggestive improvement in soil moisture was found through mulch application during the study period. Edge degradation was only found for paper mulches during the study period, suggesting their environment friendliness. The CK and KB papers were the most effective and most environmentally positive mulch materials, and could be a suitable choice for Finnish vegetable growers. The findings of this study could assist paper manufacturers in improving the qualities of mulch papers regarding vegetable production. Future research aims at assessing the effects of mulches on the physiology of plants studied under mulched techniques together with the development of cheaper and more environmentally benign mulch materials.

Among financial institutions, there is a growing concern about risks in their portfolios related to biodiversity, and its closely related affiliate, climate change. Investors are demanding greater transparency and biodiversity management in order to make informed investment decisions in listed equity and to act as responsible shareholders. The aim of this thesis is to explore, from the Nordic pension investor point of view, how the risk related to biodiversity loss is assessed and managed in the financial markets. Following qualitative approach, primary data was collected with 14 semi-structured in-depth interviews of two target groups: pension investors in the Nordic countries and ESG specialists which refers to specialists in sustainable finance or biodiversity related sustainability fields. The results were analyzed using template analysis. The results show that taking biodiversity into consideration in investment processes is constantly evolving and Nordic pension investors are paying close attention to the topic. Among drivers to incorporate biodiversity into investment decision-making, risk management was the most important. ESG specialists' experience of institutional investors' means to influence biodiversity loss mitigation differed from pension investors' perspective. Nordic pension investors are not fully aware of the existing methods for analyzing the risks and impacts of biodiversity loss in their own investment portfolio. However, they are highly motivated to find reliable ways to manage portfolio risks. Integrating biodiversity risks and impacts into the investment process can be challenging due to a lack of investment tools and best practices. Investors are preparing for increasing statutory and voluntary regulation. Both ESG specialists and Nordic pension investors see that lack of comparable, transparent, reliable data is an essential barrier when it comes to listed-equity investments and biodiversity loss mitigation. The data available lacks financial materiality and the impacts of biodiversity loss on the real-world return expectations, and return-risk-profiles are unknown. To solve problems regarding the lack of data in general and especially transparent and comparable data, companies are expected to disclose material nature-related dependencies and impacts, and report associated metrics and targets.

Tiivistelmä – Referat – Abstract In this Master’s thesis I investigate Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) involvement, experiences and outcomes in Madagascar, including the limiting and enabling factors for impact of conservation interventions driven by NGOs. The focal point of the research is the lived experiences from the field, including identification of processes and forces shaping the preconditions for NGO interventions. As part of the research I explore experiences of NGOs from their interventions and from engaging with local communities, government, policy makers and other NGOs in Madagascar. Many NGOs are active in biodiversity hotspots like Madagascar, but evaluation outcomes and lessons learned tend not to be extensively shared across organizations and thematic focus areas. This in turn affects preconditions to influence outcome determinants not only in isolated interventions but also across organizational borders. This study aims to define the situation and the issues faced by NGOs in Madagascar to suggest how the landscape could be navigated to improve the preconditions for long term intervention impact. The purpose is not to evaluate specific projects, but to assess the mechanisms through which the NGO sector can make a significant contribution to conservation, as well as the challenges in doing so. As the analysis seeks to broaden and contextualize the discussion of NGO involvement in conservation interventions, the theoretical framework for the research is based on theory on Non-Governmental Organizations and grounded theory. The theoretical framework facilitates the analysis of the findings, understanding of the results, as well as structuring and highlighting new insights. The theory is complemented with a background assessment of the environmental context in Madagascar, reviewing other research on conservation and its challenges in the country. This helps to understand the dimensions of the challenges, as well as the avenues open for exploration. Insights are gathered from representatives of long-term in situ NGOs to better understand the wider playing field in which they operate. The empirical research is based on semi-structured interviews conducted with 21 representatives from 12 international and local NGOs working with biodiversity conservation in Madagascar. The data was transcribed and analyzed through thematic network analysis and constructivist grounded theory analysis. The interviews were combined with a literature review, a group interview, a field visit to a project site, and more informal conversations with academic researchers and experts in the field. As part of the study, a two-week field trip to Madagascar was undertaken. To present the findings from this research, thematic categorizations were used to illustrate factors that affect outcomes of conservation interventions driven by NGOs. The categories are related to internal organization specific factors, cooperation with other actors (including other NGOs, government and actors in the local communities), as well as the Malagasy environment and politics (including government, laws and policies). The findings reveal challenges especially with systematic coordination of NGO interventions, NGO evaluation practices, resources, as well as issues with implementing sustainable community involvement in project design and decision making. Local community involvement is considered important, but in practice is not fully scaled up and inclusive in terms of decision making and consistent involvement. Findings indicate that the cooperation between NGOs and their key stakeholders works reasonably well from the NGO perspective, but still has potential to be better utilized in order to improve long-term sustainability. Consideration of external constraints is important to assess the potential of different types of interventions and approaches, allowing NGOs to focus their efforts according to the context and their capacities. While acknowledging and navigating the diversity of viewpoints, it is essential to be aware of the impact of structural challenges, the political complexity and the often-conflicting interests between conservation, the commercial and extractive sector, as well as local livelihoods and practices. Findings indicate issues with policy implementation and harmonization, and with conservation prioritization and law enforcement by the government. Local and national ownership and leadership backing is seen as essential for biodiversity conservation, pushing for stronger leadership from within the society. My research provides insights, recommendations and conclusions from which NGOs and conservation actors can gain better understanding of factors impacting interventions, as well as on the Malagasy playing field and its dynamics. This can be helpful in order to capitalize on opportunities and counter challenges, focusing actions on areas that make a difference. The findings can also be of value to other biodiversity conservation researchers, funding agencies, associations, communities and government stakeholders specifically focused on Madagascar. The research may also benefit NGOs and conservation actors involved in other countries, which confront similar challenges concerning conservation, governance, NGO involvement and interventions.

The need to develop and expand urban areas is increasing in most countries, but urbanization also increases the threat for global biodiversity. Some cities have acknowledged this challenge and formed strategies and action plans for biodiversity preservation. How can we ensure that such strategies are realized in city planning? Negotiations are a crucial part of urban planning, and therefore can be a leverage point of intervention to effectively implement strategies to pro-tect biodiversity. However, little is known about the dynamics of the actual negotiation process in city planning. I applied a game theoretic approach to study how information availability influences the suc-cess and efficiency of negotiations. A role-playing game was used to simulate a negotiation on specific measures to preserve biodiversity in a residential building project. Eleven urban devel-opment specialists played the game with different sets of information. In addition to the direct outcomes of the negotiation, I analysed the post hoc discussion and arguments used to gain in-sights into perceptions of biodiversity-related negotiations in urban planning. Results indicate that information availability can increase the efficiency of negotiations. Partici-pants favour principled and integrative negotiation, but incomplete information seems to push them to take a more positional stance. The post hoc discussion also reveals some issues rele-vant to the design of urban planning process for biodiversity. The overall results suggest that a simple game-theoretic framework, implemented in (a) game-like simulation with quasi-experimental control and (b) qualitative analysis of discussions, holds potential for both under-standing (i) how decision makers frame and resolve the negotiation with conflicting interests and (ii) how to design efficient administrative processes taking into account not only the partic-ipants’ preferences but also wider public interests, such as biodiversity preservation.

In this study the economic values for the breeding goal traits for Finnish Ayrshire cattle were determined by the bioeconomical model. Additionally, the economic value was determined for a new trait, feed efficiency, which was modelled as residual feed intake (RFI). Feed efficiency was added to breeding goals because of intrest in reduction of harmful environmental effects of dairy cattle production. The effect of increasing feed costs on the economic weights was also studied. Economic values were determined by the program ECOWEIGHT. The bioeconomical model included 21 traits, which can be divided a few categories: milk production traits, growth and carcass traits and functional traits (calving difficulty, stillbirth, calf mortality in the rearing period, fertility traits, productive lifetime of cows, incidence of clinical mastitis, somatic cell score (SCS) and residual feed intake (RFI)). Economic values and standardized economic weights were defined for the traits. Profitability of the milk production was negative (?13,3%), when the subsidies were not included in the calculations. Adding RFI didn’t have any effect on the economic values of the other traits and it didn’t change the order of the traits in standardized economical weight. The marginal economic values for RFI of cows and heifers were ?55,8 and ?24,9 €/kg/d, respectively. The highest relative economic weights was found for 305-d milk (36%), protein (14%), fat (9%), mature weight (7%) and calving interval (5%). Relative economic weights for RFI of cows and heifers were 4,6% and 1,5%, respectively. An increase in the feeding costs (10, 30 and 50%) changed the order of the traits in standardized economical weights. The weights of milk production traits were decreased and the weights of growth traits, RFI and calving interval were increased. RFI of cows was the fifth important trait when feeding costs increased 30%. According to the results of this study would be beneficial, especially if the relative im-portance of feed efficiency will increase in the future due to increasing feed costs or in-creasing requirements to mitigate the environmental impact of milk production. However, more research will be needed before adding RFI to the breeding goals.

Bakteerit voivat kasvaa plantonisesti eli vapaana nesteessä tai ne voivat kasvaa kiinnittyneenä elolliseen tai elottomaan alustaan. Alustassaan kasvavia mikrobiyhteisöjä kutsutaan biofilmeiksi. Yli 99,9 % bakteereista kasvaa biofilmeissä. Biofilmi muodostuu mikrobeista, joita voi olla yhtä tai useampaa lajia. Bakteerit tuottavat ympärilleen soluväliainetta, joka koostuu erilaisista ekstrasellulaarisista polymeerisistä materiaaleista (EPS) kuten polysakkarideista, proteiineista ja DNA:sta. Biofilmit ovat huomattava ongelma ihmis- ja eläinlääketieteessä, sillä ne ovat osallisena noin 80 %:ssa kaikista ihmisten mikrobiologisissa infektioissa. Biofilmeissä kasvavat bakteerit ovat 10–1000 kertaa resistentimpiä kuin planktoniset bakteerit. Biofilmien resistenssimekanismeja ovat muun muassa heterogeenisyys (monimuotoisuus), lisääntynyt mutaationopeus, antimikrobisia aineita ulospumppaavat pumput ja hidas kasvunopeus. Biofilmit on yhdistetty moniin vaikeasti parannettaviin infektioihin. Eläimillä ne ovat osallisina muun muassa haava- ja vierasesineinfektioiden, osteomyeliitin (luuydintulehdus), utaretulehduksen, keuhkotulehdusten ja monien muiden sairauksien taudinaiheutuksessa. Biofilmien diagnosointi on haastavaa, sillä perinteisillä osoitus- ja hoitomenetelmillä ei saavuteta hyviä tuloksia. Biofilmien diagnosointiin voidaan käyttää mikroskopointia, erilaisia värjäyksiä, viljelymenetelmiä ja DNA-pohjaisia menetelmiä. Näissä kaikissa on omat hyvät ja huonot puolensa. Biofilmien hoito on vaikeaa. Sen vuoksi on tärkeää kyetä ehkäisemään niiden muodostumista. Tärkein keino niiden ehkäisyssä on käyttää hoitotoimenpiteissä aseptisia menetelmiä, jolloin bakteerit eivät pääse kolonisoitumaan. Joskus voidaan käyttää antibiootteja biofilmien muodostuksen ehkäisyyn, sillä planktoniset bakteerit ovat herkkiä antibiooteille toisin kuin biofilmissä kasvavat bakteerit. Antibioottien ehkäisevä käyttö voi kuitenkin suosia resistenttien bakteerikantojen kehittymistä. Vierasesineinfektioiden ehkäisyssä voidaan käyttää erilaisilla antimikrobisilla aineilla päällystettyjä vierasesineitä. Antibiootit eivät ole tehokas keino hoitaa biofilmejä. Niiden hoitoon voidaan käyttää mekaanista poistoa, lääkehunajaa tai erilaisia fysikaalisia menetelmiä kuten ultraääntä

Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds play a major role in the atmosphere by acting as precursors in the formation of secondary organic aerosols and by also affecting the concentration of ozone. The chemical diversity of BVOCs is vast but global emissions are dominated by isoprene and monoterpenes. The emissions of BVOCs from plants are affected by environmental parameters with temperature and light having significant impacts on the emissions. The Downy birch and Norway spruce trees consist of heavy and low volatile compounds but published results are limited up to observing sesquiterpenoid emissions from these two trees. In this study, the Vocus proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer is deployed in the field to examine BVOC emissions from Downy birch and Norway spruce trees. With higher mass resolution, shorter time response and lower limits of detection than conventional PTR instruments, the Vocus can effectively measure a broader range of VOCs. For the first time, real-time emissions of diterpenes and 12 different oxygenated compounds were observed from birch and spruce trees. The emission spectrum of birch was dominated by C10H17+, while for spruce C5H9+ contributed the most. The sum emissions of oxygenated compounds contributed significantly to the observed total emissions from both the trees. The emission rates of all compounds varied dramatically throughout the period due to fluctuations in temperature and light. Due to lack of data from spruce, conclusive results for temperature and light response on terpene emissions could not be drawn. For birch, the emission rates were well explained by the temperature and temperature-light algorithms. The terpene emissions modelled using both algorithms correlated similarly with experimental data making it difficult to decisively conclude if the emissions originated from synthesis or pools.

Pohjoismaissa syntypaikkalajitellun biojätteen kompostointi suurissa kompostointilaitoksissa on yleistynyt merkittävästi 2000-luvun aikana. Viime vuosina biojätteiden ja muiden orgaanisten jätteiden käsittelyssä on alettu suosimaan yhä enemmän mädätysprosessia sekä mädätyksen ja kompostoinnin yhdistävää osavirtamädätysprosessia. Mädätysprosessin avulla orgaanisten jätteiden sisältämästä energiasta pystytään tuottamaan biokaasua ja siitä edelleen uusiutuvaa energiaa. Tämän tutkimuksen lähtökohtana oli tarkastella biohiilen lisäyksen vaikutuksia kompostointiprosessiin, jossa yhdistyvät mädätys ja kompostointi. Aiempien tutkimusten perusteella biohiilen lisäyksellä on todettu olevan positiivisia vaikutuksia erilaisten orgaanisten jätteiden kompostointiprosessiin. Aiemmat tutkimukset on suurimmaksi osaksi tehty pienemmässä mittakaavassa ja ne ovat keskittyneet enemmän maatalousjätteiden kompostointiin. Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli selvittää, voidaanko verrattain pienellä biohiilen lisäyksellä nopeuttaa orgaanisen aineksen hajoamista sekä parantaa typen pidättymistä kompostimassassa erilliskerätyn biojätteen osavirtamädätysprosessin kompostointivaiheessa. Tutkimuksen kokeellinen osuus koostui laboratoriomittakaavan kompostointikokeesta sekä laitosmittakaavan kompostointikokeesta Ämmässuon jätteenkäsittelykeskuksessa. Laboratoriomittakaavan kokeiden tarkoituksena oli saada tietoa eri biohiilipitoisuuksien vaikutuksesta kompostointiprosessiin ja toistomäärien kautta saada tuloksille tieteellistä pätevyyttä. Laboratoriokokeissa saatuja tuloksia sovellettiin laitosmittakaavan kokeissa. Tuloksia pyritään tarkastelemaan mikrobiologisen prosessin lisäksi osana jätehuoltoa ja sen kehittämistä. Tulosten perusteella biohiilen lisäyksellä oli myönteinen vaikutus kompostointiprosessiin osavirtamädätysprosessin kompostointivaiheessa. Laboratoriokokeissa biohiilen lisäyksellä oli merkitsevä vaikutus orgaanisen aineksen hajoamiseen ja siten kompostimassan mikrobiaktiivisuuteen. Vaikka laitosmittakaavan kokeessa biohiilen lisäys ei vaikuttanut orgaanisen aineksen hajoamiseen tilastollisesti merkitsevästi, voidaan kokonaisuutena arvioida, että biohiililisäsi kompostien mikrobiaktiivisuutta. Biohiilellä havaittiin merkitsevä vaikutus kompostien stabiloitumisnopeuteen ja ammoniumtypen pidättymiseen kokeen lopputilanteessa. Verrattain pienet biohiilipitoisuudet eivät vaikuttaneet haihtuneen ammoniakin määrään eivätkä kokonaistyppihäviöön kompostoinnin alkuvaiheessa. Biohiilikompostien stabiloitumisnopeudella ja mikrobiaktiivisuuden lisääntymisellä on kompostoinnin ympäristövaikutusten vähentämisen lisäksi kompostointilaitoksille myös taloudellinen merkitys, koska niiden avulla pystytään mahdollisesti säästämään tuotantokustannuksissa sekä säästämään kompostien jälkikypsytykseen tarvittavaa tilaa tai vastaavasti lisäämään kompostointilaitosten kapasiteettia. Tulevaisuudessa biohiili on teoriassa mahdollista saada osaksi orgaanisten jätteiden käsittelykokonaisuutta. Jäteperäisten biohiilten käytöllä voi tulevaisuudessa olla mahdollista parantaa resurssien kestävää käyttöä ja alueellisia kierrätysmääriä.

Runsas väkilannoitetypen käyttö kasvien typen tarpeen tyydyttämiseksi ja runsaampien satojen saamiseksi sekä karjatalouden keskittyminen tietyille alueille, ovat lisänneet maataloudesta aiheutuvaa typen vesistökuormitusta. Lisääntynyt ympäristötietoisuus on kuitenkin nostanut kestävyyden ja ilmastoviisaan ruoantuotannon osaksi maatalouden tavoitteita, mikä on lisännyt eloperäisten tai kierrätysaineista valmistettujen tai yhteiskunnan sivuvirroista valmistettujen maanparannusaineiden käyttöä. Maanparannusaineina käytettävien tuotteiden kenttä on laaja ja niiden vaikutukset moninaiset, mutta biohiilestä on etsitty ratkaisua liukoisen nitraatin (NO3-) ympäristökuorman vähentämiseksi. Tämän maisterintutkielman tavoitteena oli kartoittaa kahden kaupallisen biohiilen sekä synteettisen hiilipolymeerin vaikutusta nitraatin pidättymiseen, ja toisaalta pidättymisen vaikutusta nitraatin käyttökelpoisuuteen kasveille. Tutkimus koostui kahdesta osasta, josta ensimmäisessä osassa tutkittiin maanparannusaineiden kykyä pidättää maanparannusaineisiin esimuhitettua nitraattia peräkkäisten uuttojen avulla. Toinen osa koostui kasvatuskokeesta, jossa tarkasteltiin maanparannusaineisiin mahdollisesti pidättyneen nitraatin käyttökelpoisuutta ohralle kasvin kasvun ja klorofyllipitoisuuksien avulla. Uuttokokeen perusteella saksanpähkinänkuoresta valmistettu biohiili (Biohiili 1) osoitti kykyä pidättää nitraattia, koska kahden ensimmäisen uuton aikana biohiilestä ei vapautunut käytännössä lainkaan esimuhituksessa lisätystä nitraatista. Sen sijaan kuusesta valmistettu biohiili (Biohiili 2) ja hiilipolymeeri vapauttivat merkittävästi ja asteittain vähemmän nitraattia peräkkäisissä uutoissa. Kolmen peräkkäisen uuton jälkeen Biohiili 1:sta uuttui vain 1,8 % esimuhituksessa lisätystä typestä, kun taas Biohiili 2:sta uuttui 80 %. Hiilipolymeerillä uuttuneen nitraatin määrä oli yli 100 %, josta osa NO3-N oli peräisin itse tuotteesta. Kasvatuskokeen perusteella typpi ei todennäköisesti ollut ohrien kasvua rajoittava tekijä, ja vaikka Hiilipolymeeri sisälsi itsessään merkittävästi enemmän epäorgaanista typpeä, se ei johtanut korkeam-paan biomassaan. Erot ohrien biomassan ja klorofyllin kehityksessä liittyvät todennäköisimmin muihin ympäristötekijöihin. Mahdollisia selityksiä ovat fysikaalis-kemialliset erot kasvualustassa, mukaan lukien kasvualustan pH (biohiilillä emäksinen ja Hiilipolymeerillä hapan), irtotiheys ja huokoisuus, mutta lisäksi kesällä 2021 koettu poikkeuksellisen kuuma sää vaikutti todennäköisesti myös ohran kasvuun. Biohiilet ovat potentiaalisia maanparannusaineita vähentämään maataloudesta aiheutuvaa typen ympäristökuormitusta, ilman että ne vaikuttavat kasveille käyttökelpoisen typen määrään merkittävästi. Biohiilen valmistuksessa käytetty raaka-aine sekä valmistusprosessi vaikuttavat kuitenkin merkittävästi lopulliseen tuotteeseen, minkä vuoksi tarvitaan lisää tutkimusta ominaisuuksista, jotka vaikuttavat nitraatin pidättymisen tehokkuuteen.

Tiivistelmä – Referat – Abstract Proteins differ from one another on the basis of their amino acid sequences, display a different spatial shape and structure, and have different functions. The linear order of amino acid residues are chained to one another by peptide bond. The ß-strands and α-helices can be considered as the key components present in the three-dimensional structure of a protein. There are several bioinformatic methods involved to predict structure and function of protein such as searching sequencing similarities, multiple sequence alignment, characterisation of domains, solvent accessibility, and modelling three-dimensional structures at atomic level. The main focus of this study was to build the three-dimensional structure models and then compare the homologues regions in different models. 36 reviewed capsid L1 and L2 protein sequences of human papilloma virus subtypes were selected based on 65% sequences similarity from Universal Protein database. We utilised several computational algorithms in this study for the analysis of protein sequences for the evolutionary relationship and modelled the three-dimensional structures of capsid L1 and L2 proteins of oncogenic human papilloma virus subtypes. For domains analysis in the protein sequences, we used Simple Modular Architecture Research Tool algorithms and predicted secondary structure of protein using Protein Prediction Protein 4.0 tool. I-TASSER Iterative threading assembly refinement algorithms were utilised for three-dimensional structure modelling of capsid L1 and L2 proteins. We found out a different evolutionary relationship and conserved residues in capsid L1 protein of human papilloma virus and L2 protein of human papilloma virus, and their different level of effect on the protein structure. We also predicted three-dimensional structure models for capsid L2 protein of human papilloma virus subtypes 41 and 13 which are folded completely differently from the rest L2 proteins. X-ray crystallography study is suggested for the determination of three-dimensional structure of L2 protein for understanding their contribution in viral assembly process.