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Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors Conflicting interests make forests an inevitably political issue. We examine the political roles that Finnish forest owners take as decision-makers and citizens. Inspired by post-political theories of democracy, we examine forest owners’ aim of open, constructive treatment of the controversies between views, ideologies and actors. Our data consisted of a survey (n = 452) informed by an interview (n = 24). We applied a mixed-method critical discourse analysis. The forest owners produced four alternative discourses of forest-related controversies, the major controversy being that between productivism and environmentalism. The ‘involved discourse’ positioned itself in between these two ideologies, although closer to the former. From this position, it expressed an eagerness to discuss any issue with anyone. The ‘pragmatist discourse’ criticised ideological environmentalism but did not perceive its own productivist ideology. The ‘receding discourse’ perceived its own environmentalist ideology and criticised the productivist one but was not eager to discuss forest policy issues. The ‘uninvolved discourse’ excluded controversies, and thus the political dimension, from a forest owner's life. The involved discourse was closest to the constructed ideal of respectful, agonist, re-politicisation of forest issues. Recognition of one's own ideology while being comfortably close to the hegemonic view of the forest seemed to be the main factor behind this orientation. Yet, political views that challenged the status quo and demanded a transformative change towards sustainability were pushed into a silent antagonism. A major forest policy challenge is how to bring forest owners with these transformative ideas – the proponents of ecological citizenship – into the sphere of agonist re-politicisation.

This paper presents the results of an analysis of the most important skills and competences that will be important in the coming years for future geographers involved in assessing and managing low-...

Competing discourses of the forest guide forest-owners’ ideas about the proper forest use and about the need to conserve biodiversity. In this paper, we examine how five predefined forest discourses (re)produced by Finnish forest owners treat nature and biodiversity conservation. Our critical discourse analysis combines qualitative content analysis with quantitative multivariate methods (NMDS). The data consists of in-depth interviews with 24 Finnish forest-owners. The five forest discourses formed a gradient from an absence of nature issues to a profound ecological pondering with deep affection and responsibility for nature. The discourses in between these two ends of the gradient contained narration on personal experiences but lacked the moral responsibility and deep theorizing typical of the nature-oriented discourse. The nature-oriented discourse proposed forest uses where the needs of nature were raised to a determining role whereas the other four discourses adhered to the standard economy-driven forest management paradigm. Both nature and the forest-owners with a strong relationship with nature appeared marginalised in the prevailing order of the forest discourses. The discoursal conditions that we evidenced did not favour biodiversity conservation among forest-owners. The results thus call for active forest policy that aims to transform the prevailing order of the discourses, but also tries to overcome the discoursal hinders for biodiversity conservation within the prevailing order.

In many parts of the world, the success of biodiversity conservation strongly depends on the decisions of private landowners. These decisions are guided by the shared perceptions of the biodiversity problem. In this study, we applied a mixed method critical discourse analysis and examined how alternative discourses of biodiversity guide Finnish forest owners to maintain, or not maintain, biodiversity on their lands. Data collection combined a preliminary interview (n = 24) with a forest owner survey (n = 452). We identified four discourses of biodiversity. The concerned discourse acknowledges the biodiversity problems in forests caused by current forestry. The sceptical discourse denies the existence of all biodiversity problems and defends contemporary forestry against the accusations of environmentalists. The harmonising discourse emphasises the harmony of all forest uses in the spirit of multi-objective forestry. The uninvolved discourse distances itself from the biodiversity issue. Overall, only 21% of the survey respondents worried about biodiversity loss in Finnish forests. The discourses illustrate three different ways in which Finnish forest owners moderate the cognitive dissonance caused by 'unpleasant' information on biodiversity loss by either excluding or rejecting it, or assimilating it into multi-objective harmony. Overcoming these kinds of discursive barriers - the mechanisms that help decision-makers ignore alarming realities - is a major challenge for all those who aim to halt biodiversity loss.

The aim of the article is to get a closer overview of the non-instructional methods of the teaching-learning process of geography. To achieve this goal, the results of the international project Borderland: Border Landscapes Across Europe (undertaken in 2012 and 2013, within the framework of LLP-Erasmus Programme) was presented. Special attention was paid on the innovative approach to learning methods, namely learning by doing (LBD) that was experienced in a multinational environment during the project’s implementation.

Our understanding of the world is essentially based on shared meanings that are intersubjectively produced and reproduced in different social practices. In this study we analyse private forest owners’ discourses of the forest as a social practice that produces alternative competing truths about the forest and forest ownership. We examine the order of five predefined discourses (1–5) in relation to discoursal power by analysing the signs of hegemony and marginalisation within these discourses. Importantly, we also analyse the position of different kinds of forest owners within the prevailing order of discourses. Our critical discourse analysis combines qualitative content analysis with quantitative multivariate analysis (NMS) and is based on in-depth interviews with 24 Finnish forest owners. The harmonious discourses of the forester (1) and the economist (2) demonstrated many hegemonic features. This essentially illustrates the hegemony of the economic truth about the forest and its proper use among forest owners, as economically effective wood production was emphasised in both of these discourses. The signs of marginalization were common in the discourses of the distant economist (3), the critical anti-economist (4), and the dutiful forest owner (5). Discourse 4 was characterised by an open critique of the hegemonic economic truth. Forest owners with primarily non-monetary objectives were placed in an unfavourable position in the order of the discourses. The results reflect a wider discursive environment where economic meanings and practices prevail as the most natural and proper ways of thinking and acting. Being a forest owner is easy in Finnish society if the hegemonic economic truth about the forest functions as a natural and unproblematic part of one's forest ownership. However, discourses 4 and 5 indicate that the prevailing discursive conditions make forest ownership unfulfilling for some owners. Openness to alternative ways to understand the forest and forest ownership should thus be enhanced in research, policy, practical forestry, and the media.

We still understand inadequately how ideological shared meanings affect private forest owners' ideas about forests and forest ownership. In this study, we examine how private forest owners adhere to different discourses of forests when producing meanings for forests and forest ownership. We especially concentrate on forest owners’ objectives as a part of these discourses. Our discourse analysis combines qualitative (content analysis) and quantitative (NMS ordination) methods and is based on in-depth interviews with 24 Finnish forest owners. We identified the discourse types of 1) the forester, 2) the economist, 3) the distant economist, 4) the critical anti-economist and 5) the dutiful forest owner in the analysis. The first main gradient separating the discourse types illustrated variation from uncertainty (distant economist, dutiful forest owner) to self-confidence in forest management (forester). The second main gradient ran from pure economic emphasis and non-criticalness (economist, distant economist) to an emphasis on non-monetary meanings and a critique of overriding economic orientation (critical anti-economist). Our findings support the view that the position in relation to the economic utilization of the forest is an essential dividing factor among forest owners. More importantly, our discourse analysis revealed some important aspects of forest owners' objectives: 1) forest owners’ general appreciations are often interpreted as actual objectives, resulting in an overly multi-objective impression of forest owners; and 2) careful consideration is always needed before emphasizing the complementarity of economic and non-monetary objectives. For some forest owners, a conflict between these two exists as long as economic objectives equal wood production. In conclusion, meanings for forests and forest ownership are produced and reproduced whenever we speak or write about forests. Policy-makers, scientists, planners and counsellors especially should be more aware of the ideological discourses as a part of their argumentation if we aim to guarantee pleasant and fulfilling forest ownership for every forest owner.

In this paper, the borderlands, in the context of the psychological perception of frontiers, were presented. The common relationships between different nationalities living in border twin towns was a principal point of analysis. During the investigation two main research questions were asked: Is a frontier a barrier or a bridge in the common relationships between nationalities living on both sides of the borderline? and Does the trans-border casual social integration stimulate openness to neighbours? The study was conducted in two double towns: la Jonquera (Els límits) - Le Perthus at the Spanish-French border and Słubice - Frankfurt-am-Oder at the Polish-German border. The data were gathered from surveys by questioning locals and visitors during street polling. The design of the questionnaire included three main groups of questions relating to: 1) the perception of the borderline and the role of the border twin towns, 2) the attitude towards neighbours and identification with the borderlands, and 3) the future of the borderline in the context of the twin towns existence and cross-border linkages. The results showed that the historical circumstances and cultural background play a crucial role in the current bilateral interrelations between nations sharing the common space of the twin towns. These two aspects of the borderland have an influence on the psychological perception of the border that creates mental boundaries in local societies. However, as the results proved, the necessity of living together pushed locals to be more open-minded, which as a consequence supported the establishment of social bonds.

The purpose of this study was to compare hormonal, neuromuscular, and aerobic performance changes between a constant 2-minute interset recovery time and an interset recovery time based on individual heart rate (HR) responses during a 7-week (3 sessions per week, 3 × 10 repetition maximum [RM]) hypertrophic strength training period. The HR-dependent recovery time was determined with a Polar FT80 HR monitor, whereas the control groups used constant 2-minute periods between sets. From 24 male subjects who were divided in 2 equal groups, 21 completed the study (FT80, n = 12; CONTROL, n = 9). Serum blood samples analyzed for testosterone (TES) and cortisol (COR) were taken before and after the 7-week training period at rest. Concentric knee extension 1RM was measured before, after 4 weeks, and at the end of the training period. Concentric knee extension and knee flexion 10RM, central activation ratio (CAR), and max[latin capital V with dot above]o2 were measured before and after the training. Serum TES concentrations were significantly higher after the training period in FT80 (p < 0.001), whereas no significant changes were observed in the CONTROL. Serum COR and max[latin capital V with dot above]o2 were unchanged in both groups. In FT80 (p < 0.001), the increase in 10RM was higher (p < 0.05) than in CONTROL (p < 0.001). Central activation ratio increased in both groups, with the significant increase observed in FT80 (p < 0.05). The higher TES responses, 10RM, and CAR development in FT80 suggest that an HR-based recovery period system of the FT80 may be more efficient in this type of hypertrophic strength training (3 × 10RM). The protocol in this study may be considered as a metabolic training cycle that coaches and trainers can use within a longer periodized training program.

The last 4 weeks of basic military training are very stressful. We tested the hypothesis that changes in cardiac autonomic function during this period are associated with changes in maximal oxygen uptake and/or serum hormonal concentrations in male conscripts (n=22). Cardiac vagal autonomic function was assessed by measuring the high-frequency (0.15–0.4 Hz) spectral power of R–R intervals. Maximal oxygen uptake ([Vdot]O2max) and basal serum testosterone concentration were measured at the beginning and end of the period. Individual changes in vagally mediated high-frequency power (range −15% to +25%) correlated (r=0.73, P=0.001) with changes in [Vdot]O2max (range −9% to +6%) and changes in testosterone concentration (range −52% to +43%; r=0.43, P=0.047). The mean values of [Vdot]O2max and testosterone concentration did not change during the study period. Measurements of autonomic function could be a useful tool for indicating adaptation to the highly stressful conditions associated with basic mili...

The purpose was (a) to study the effect of an 8-week Finnish military basic training period (BT) on physical fitness, body composition, mood state, and serum biochemical parameters among new conscripts; (b) to determine the incidence of overreaching (OR); and (c) to evaluate whether initial levels or training responses differ between OR and noOR subjects. Fifty-seven males (19.7 ± 0.3 years) were evaluated before and during BT. Overreaching subjects had to fulfill 3 of 5 criteria: decreased aerobic physical fitness (VO2max), increased rating of perceived exertion (RPE) in 45-minute submaximal test at 70% of VO2max or sick absence from these tests, increased somatic or emotional symptoms of OR, and high incidence of sick absence from daily service. VO2max improved during the first 4 weeks of BT. During the second half of BT, a stagnation of increase in VO2max was observed, basal serum sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) increased, and insulin-like growth factor-1 and cortisol decreased. Furthermore, submaximal exercise-induced increases in cortisol, maximum heart rate, and postexercise increase in blood lactate were blunted. Of 57 subjects, 33% were classified as OR. They had higher basal SHBG before and after 4 and 7 weeks of training and higher basal serum cortisol at the end of BT than noOR subjects. In addition, in contrast to noOR, OR subjects exhibited no increase in basal testosterone/cortisol ratio but a decrease in maximal La/RPE ratio during BT. As one-third of the conscripts were overreached, training after BT should involve recovery training to prevent overtraining syndrome from developing. The results confirm that serum SHBG, cortisol, and testosterone/cortisol and maximal La/RPE ratios could be useful tools to indicate whether training is too strenuous.

Leptin regulates body weight, metabolism, and tissue adaptations to environmental stressors. We examined the association of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of leptin promoter G-2548A (rs7799039) and leptin receptor Gln223Arg (rs1137101) with body composition, plasma leptin levels, and peak oxygen uptake (VO(2)peak) in response to 8 weeks of physical training in 48 male military conscripts. AA homozygotes of leptin promoter SNP-2548 showed higher body fat and BMI values than G allele carriers. Acute exercise decreased leptin levels in G allele carriers, but increased in AA homozygotes. Physical training significantly decreased BMI values and also a tendency for decreased plasma leptin levels was observed in all subjects. In G allele carriers, BMI loss was mainly due to decreased fat mass, whereas in AA homozygotes due to loss of fat-free mass. Training increased VO(2)peak in all subjects with most prominent effects in G allele carriers. Regarding leptin receptor SNP, there were no statistically significant differences in BMI values between the genotype groups at baseline or after physical training. Our results suggest that physical training-induced alterations in body composition and plasma leptin may be influenced by a genetic variation of leptin promoter but not of leptin receptor.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between oxidative stress and overtraining syndrome. Indicators of oxidative stress (plasma protein carbonyls, nitrotyrosine, and malondialdehyde) and antioxidant status (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) were measured in severely overtrained (two women, five men) and control athletes (five women, five men). Samples were collected from both groups at baseline (i.e. in the overtraining state of overtrained athletes) and after 6 months of recovery, both at rest and immediately after an exercise test to volitional exhaustion. At baseline, overtrained athletes had higher plasma protein carbonyls at rest than controls (mean difference 0.03 nmol · mg−1, 95% CI = 0.01–0.05 nmol · mg−1, P = 0.003, effect size = 0.40). Both at baseline and after recovery, exercise to exhaustion led to an increase in oxygen radical absorbance capacity and malondialdehyde (P = 0.001–0.006) in the controls but not in the overtrained athletes. Furthermore, at baseline, only overtrained athletes showed negative correlations between oxygen radical absorbance capacity at rest and protein carbonyls after exhaustive exercise (r = −0.98, P = 0.0001). These results suggest that increased oxidative stress has a role in the pathophysiology of overtraining syndrome. The attenuated responses of oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity to exercise in the overtrained state could be related to an inability to perform exercise effectively and impaired adaptation to exercise. peerReviewed

The present study examined whether activity energy expenditure related to body mass (AEE/kg) is associated with maximal aerobic fitness (VO(2max)), energy balance, and body mass index (BMI) during the 2 hardest weeks of the military basic training season (BT). An additional purpose was to study the accuracy of the pre-filled food diary energy intake. Energy expenditure (EE) with doubly labeled water, energy intake (EI), energy balance, and mis-recording was measured from 24 male conscripts with varying VO(2max). AEE/kg was calculated as (EE x 0.9-measured basal metabolic rate)/body mass. The reported EI was lower (P

Summary Study aim: to develop and estimate the validity of non-exercise methods to predict VO2max among young male conscripts entering military service in order to divide them into the different physical training groups. Material and methods: fifty males (age 19.7 ± 0.3 years) reported their physical activity before military service by IPAQ and SIVAQ questionnaires. Furthermore, Jackson’s non-exercise method was used to estimate VO2max. Body mass and height were measured, body mass index calculated and VO2max measured directly in a maximal treadmill test. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups. The results of the Group 1 (N = 25) were used to develop a regression equation to estimate VO2max. The results of the Group 2 (N = 25) were used to evaluate the validity of the developed non-exercise methods and Jackson’s non-exercise methods to estimate VO2max by Bland and Altman plot. The validity was further evaluated by comparing the results to 12-minute running test performed by 877 male conscripts (age 19.6 ± 0.2 years). Results: the developed models explained 68–74% of the variation in VO2max. Mean difference between directly measured and estimated VO2max was not significant, while Jackson’s method overestimated VO2max (p < 0.001). Both developed models were equally valid to divide conscripts into tertile group of fitness. However, 5% of the conscripts were classified into the highest fitness group based on both methods, but they were actually in the lowest fitness group based on a running test. Conclusion: in practice, these findings suggest that developed methods can be used as a tool to divide conscripts into different fitness groups in the very beginning of their military service.

Background Previous military studies have shown an energy deficit during a strenuous field training course (TC). This study aimed to determine the effects of energy bar supplementation on energy balance, physical activity (PA), physical performance and well-being and to evaluate ad libitum fluid intake during wintertime 8-day strenuous TC. Methods Twenty-six men (age 20±1 yr.) were randomly divided into two groups: The control group (n = 12) had traditional field rations and the experimental (Ebar) group (n = 14) field rations plus energy bars of 4.1 MJ•day−1. Energy (EI) and water intake was recorded. Fat-free mass and water loss were measured with deuterium dilution and elimination, respectively. The energy expenditure was calculated using the intake/balance method and energy availability as (EI/estimated basal metabolic rate). PA was monitored using an accelerometer. Physical performance was measured and questionnaires of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI), hunger and mood state were recorded before, during and after TC. Results Ebar had a higher EI and energy availability than the controls. However, decreases in body mass and fat mass were similar in both groups representing an energy deficit. No differences were observed between the groups in PA, water balance, URTI symptoms and changes in physical performance and fat-free mass. Ebar felt less hunger after TC than the controls and they had improved positive mood state during the latter part of TC while controls did not. Water deficit associated to higher PA. Furthermore, URTI symptoms and negative mood state associated negatively with energy availability and PA. Conclusion An easy-to-use protein-rich energy bars did not prevent energy deficit nor influence PA during an 8-day TC. The high content of protein in the bars might have induced satiation decreasing energy intake from field rations. PA and energy intake seems to be primarily affected by other factors than energy supplementation such as mood state.

We assessed the ability of the Polar activity recorder (AR) to measure energy expenditure (EE) during military training. Twenty-four voluntary male conscripts participated in the study and wore an AR on the non-dominant wrist 24 h a day for 7 d. The AR analyzed and stored the frequency of hand movements (f_hand) into memory at 1 min intervals. The relationship between f_hand and EE was studied over a 7 d period of military training using the doubly labeled water (DLW) technique. In addition, the relationship between f_hand and EE was analyzed during walking and running on a treadmill with an indirect calorimeter (IC), and f_hand was measured during a supervised 45 min field march test where the conscripts carried combat gear. EE was expressed as physical activity level (PAL), total energy expenditure (TEE), and activity-induced energy expenditure adjusted for body mass (AEE/BM). Over the 7 d period, f_hand alone explained 46% of inter-individual variation in PAL(DLW). After inclusion of body height and mass in the model used to predict PAL(DLW) from f_hand, a very high positive correlation and a low standard error of estimate (SEE) were observed between the AR and DLW techniques: for TEE r = 0.86 (p < 0.001), the SEE was 6.3%, and for AEE/BM r = 0.84 (p < 0.001), the SEE was 12.8%. In the treadmill exercise, f_hand correlated highly with PAL(IC) (r = 0.97 +/- 0.02). In the 45 min field march test, the AR measured similar f_hand as on the treadmill at the same speed. In conclusion, the wrist-worn AR can be regarded as a reliable and valid method for assessing EE during intensive training.

We hypothesized that increased oxidative stress and disrupted redox balance may be predisposing factors and markers for overreaching (OR). Purpose: The study's purpose was to examine whether oxidative stress markers and antioxidant status and physical fitness are related to OR during an 8-wk military basic training (BT) period. Methods: Oxidative stress and antioxidant status were evaluated in the beginning and after 4 and 7 wk of training in 35 males (age = 19.7 ± 0.3 yr) at rest and immediately after a 45-min submaximal exercise. Physical activity (PA) was monitored by an accelerometer throughout BT. Indicators of OR were also examined. Results: From baseline to week 4, increased daytime moderate to vigorous PA led to concomitant decreases in the ratio of oxidized to total glutathione (GSSG/TGSH) and GSSG. After 4 wk of BT, GSSG/TGSH and GSSG returned to the baseline values at rest, whereas PA remained unchanged. At every time point, acute exercise decreased TGSH and increased GSSG and GSSG/TGSH, whereas a decrease was observed in antioxidant capacity after 4 wk of training. In the beginning of BT, OR subjects (11 of the 35 males) had higher GSSG, GSSG/TGSH, and malondialdehyde (a marker of lipid peroxidation) at rest (P < 0.01-0.05) and lower response of GSSG and GSSG/TGSH ratio (P < 0.01) to exercise than non-OR subjects. Moreover, OR subjects had higher PA during BT than non-OR (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The sustained training load during the last 4 wk of BT led to oxidative stress observable both at rest and after submaximal exercise. Increased oxidative stress may be a marker of insufficient recovery leading possibly to OR.

Nature is a strongly dualistic concept close to the concept of culture. On the one hand, nature is external, nonhuman reality, pure and God given but, on the other hand, it is an abstraction that incorporates human, as well as nonhuman spheres of reality. Nature and culture can be seen as contiguous and the major subfields and the key concepts of human geography focus on the intersections between them. The aim of the text is to focus on the ways in which human geographers have paid attention to history of nature, how it has been defined in human geography, and what its role is in the current human geographical research. The topic is exemplified by approaches of historical geography. The roots of nature-oriented geography are presented by introducing some classics and their authors, and the question of the role of nature in human geographical studies is also viewed. The concept of nature exists in the core of human geography, and the relationship between humanity and nature is one of the most important research themes. History of nature is not an established course of study in human geographical research but is defining, for example, historical geography, a subfield of human geography.