Table of Contents

SECTION I : HISTORY, ENVIRONMENT AND PLANT SCIENCE 1. History and environment of the Nordic mountain birch. FE Wielgolaski 2. Soils and nutrients in northern birch forests: A case study from Finnmarksvidda, northern Norway. K-D Meier, D Thannheiser, J Wehberg, V Eisenmann 3. Vegetation of the mountain birch forest in northern Fennoscandia. J Wehherg, D Thannheiser, K-D Meier 4. Biomass and production on a landscape level in the northern mountain birch forests. H Tømmervik, FE Wielgolaski, S Neuvonen, B Solberg, KA Høgda 5. Mountain birch growth in relation to climate and herbivores. PS Karlsson, M Weih, C Borg 6. Responses of temperature changes on survival and growth in mountain birch populations. O Skre, J Nilsen, M Naess, B Igeland, K Taulavuori, E Taulavuori, K. Laine 7. Phenology and performance of mountain birch provenances in transplant gardens: latitudinal, attitudinal and oceanity-continentaIity gradients. J Ovaska, J Nilsen, FE Wielgolaski, H Kauhanen, R Partanen, S Neuvonen, L Kapari, O Skre, K Laine 8. A dynamic forest in a changing environment. (SYNTHESIS SECTION 1) PS Karlsson, FE Wielgolaski SECTION 2: HERBIVORY 9. Forest defoliation risks in birch forests by insects under different climate and land use scenarios in northern Europe. S Neuvonen, H Bylund, H Tømmervik 10. Birch sapling responses to severity and timing of domestic herbivore browsing - implications for management. AJ Hester, K Lempa, S Neuvonen, K Høgh, J Feilberg, S Arnthórsdóttir, G Iason 11. Effects of reindeer grazing on pastures in a mountain birch ecosystem. K Lempa, S Neuvonen, H Tømmervik 12. Long-term influence of herbivores on northern birch forests. O Tenow. H Bylund, AC Nilsen, PS Karlsson 13. Herbivory in northern birch forests. (SYNTHESIS SECTION 2) S Neuvonen, FE Wielgolaski SECTION 3: HUMANIMPACT 14. Rates and processes of natural regeneration in disturbed habitats. B Forbes, A Tolvanen, FE Wielgolaski, K Laine 15. Recreation at treeline and interactions with other land use activities. A Tolvanen, B Forbes, S Wall, Y Norokorpi 16. Economic limits and possibilities for sustainable utilization of northern birch forests. B Solberg, H Tømmervik, D Thannheiser, S Neuvonen 17. The vegetation changes and recent impact on the mountain birch forest during the last 40 years. D. Thannheiser, H Tømmervik, J Wehberg 18. Sami approaches to mountain birch utilization in northern Sapmi (Finland and Norway). MS Aikio, L Müller-Wille 19. Sustainable reindeer herding in the mountain birch ecosystem. K Lempa, S Neuvonen, H Tømmervik 20. Competition over nature, space, resources, and management in the northern mountain birch forest ecosystem. (SYNTHESIS SECTION 3) D Thannheiser, L Müller-Wille, FE Wielgolaski, K-D Meier SECTION 4: MODELING DYNAMICS OF MOUNTAIN BIRCH FORESTS, MANAGEMENT AND FUTURE 21. Landscape-scale model relating the Nordic mountain birch forest spatio temporal dynamics to various anthropogenic influences, herbivory and climate change. AO Gautestad, FE Wielgolaski, I Mysterud 22. Scenarios for future development of the mountain birch ecosystem. AO Gautestad, FE Wielgolaski, B Solberg, I Mysterud 23. Managing the mountain birch ecosystem. Local communities and the state in Finlands forestry. L Müller-Wille, MS Aikio, V Luhta 24. Policies and developing plans towards sustainability of mountain birch ecosystems in Scandinavia. L Bäck, B Solberg, H Tømmervik, FE Wielgolaski SECTION 5: INTEGRATION AND CONCLUSION 25. The Nordic mountain birch ecosystem-challenges to sustainable management. (SYNTHESIS SECTIONS 1-4) FE Wielgolaski, PS Karlsson, S Neuvonen, D Thannheiser, H Tømmervik, AO