synnobo

• Sandbakken, Mari; Botnen, Synnøve Smebye; Kaarby, Karen Marie Eid & Solheim, Elias Rossow (2026). The power of returning to a place over time – early childhood teacher education students’ learning in nature. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education. ISSN 1090-1027. s. 16–16. doi: 10.1080/10901027.2026.2681852. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  This study is situated in the context of early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Norway and explores the perspectives of teacher education students after following children’s activities in nature over the course of a year. As early childhood (EC) teacher educators in a time of nature crisis and declining opportunities for nature experiences, we aim to prepare our students for facilitating children’s interactions with nature. Data were collected through a focus group interview and an anonymous survey for students who had completed the assignment of returning to the same place in nature with children over the course of a year. Our analysis suggests that the approach contributed to multiple dimensions of students’ learning, including increased awareness of the place’s affordances for exploration, physical activity, and a deeper understanding of natural diversity. The time aspect emerged as highly valuable in the students’ learning process, enhancing their ability to become aware of and support children’s play and exploration in nature. Further, the approach enabled students to actualize and reflect on academic knowledge, supporting their professional development by providing a link between theory and practice. The study is a contribution to the development of outdoor learning and professional development in early childhood teacher education.

• Kauserud, Håvard; Sanchez, Pedro Maria Martin; Estensmo, Eva Lena Fjeld; Botnen, Synnøve Smebye; Morgado, Luis & Maurice, Sundy Ursula MaryJanne [Vis alle 8 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2025). Yeasts Prefer Daycares and Molds Prefer Private Homes. Microbial Ecology. ISSN 0095-3628. 88(1). doi: 10.1007/s00248-025-02505-4. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Worldwide, people spend most of their time indoors; in their homes, workplaces, schools, and daycares. Indoor fungi can cause negative health effects due to the production of toxins or volatiles that trigger the immune system of the occupants. To what degree indoor fungi (mycobiomes) differ between buildings with different usage is poorly known. Here, we compare the indoor mycobiomes in 123 children’s daycare centers and 214 private homes throughout Norway, as revealed by metabarcoding of DNA extracted from dust samples collected by community scientists. Although the fungal richness per se was similar in dust samples from daycares and homes, the fungal community composition differed. Yeast fungi, distributed mainly across the orders Saccharomycetales, Filobasidiales, and Tremellales, were proportionally more abundant in the daycares, while filamentous fungi, including spore-producing molds such as Aspergillus, Penicillum, and Cladosporium, were relatively more abundant in homes. Number of occupants, which is considerably higher in daycares, correlated significantly with the fungal community shift. We hypothesize that the density of occupants and their age distribution drive the systematic difference of yeasts and filamentous fungi in the two building types.

• Botnen, Synnøve Smebye & Sandbakken, Mari (2023). Påstandsspill som et verktøy i undervisning om bærekraftig utvikling i barnehagelærerutdanningen. Nordisk barnehageforskning (NBF). 19(23), s. 125–143. doi: 10.23865/nbf.v19.347. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Sammendrag I lys av klimaendringer og tap av natur, blir det å jobbe målrettet med bærekraftig utvikling og utforsking av naturen stadig viktigere for barnehagefeltet. For barnehagelærerutdanningen blir det da nødvending å utvikle undervisning som fremmer både kunnskaper, holdninger og refleksjoner knyttet til natur og bærekraftig utvikling. I denne artikkelen vil vi ta for oss et verktøy for å måle naturtilknytning: nature relatedness scale. Vi ønsker å undersøke og diskutere hvordan påstander fra verktøyet kan fremme refleksjon rundt praksiser, holdninger og kunnskaper relatert til bærekraftig utvikling i barnehagen. Vi har brukt påstandene fra skalaen til å utvikle et påstandsspill som har blitt testet ut av studenter fra arbeidsplassbasert barnehagelærerutdanning. Empirien i studien består av observasjon og dokumentasjon av studentenes dialoger under gjennomføring av spillet, og vi har spurt studentene om hvordan de opplever relevansen av dette for barnehagelæreryrket. Gjennom diskusjonen mellom studentene i påstandsspillet kom barnehageperspektivet fram under de fleste påstandene. Studentene rapporterte at de ble mer bevisste på sine holdninger og handlinger rundt arbeid med bærekraftig utvikling i barnehagen, og vi mener dette derfor kan være et nyttig verktøy i utdanning for bærekraftig utvikling. Considering climate change and loss of nature, working with sustainable development and exploration of nature becomes ever more important in the field of early childhood education. It is therefore necessary to develop teaching practices that highlight both knowledge, attitudes, and reflections related to nature and sustainable development in early childhood teacher education. In this paper, we will explore how statements from a scale called “nature relatedness scale” can stimulate reflections on practices, attitudes and knowledge related to sustainable development in early childhood education. We have used the statements to develop a statement game and tested the game with students in work-based early childhood teacher education. We observed and documented students’ dialogues during the statement game and asked them if they found this relevant for their profession. During the discussions of most of the statements, early childhood perspectives emerged. The students stated that the discussions raised their awareness of working with sustainable development in early childhood education, and we therefore find that this can be a useful tool in education for sustainable development.

• Harder, Christoffer Bugge; Hesling, Emily; Botnen, Synnøve Smebye; Lorberau, Kelsey; Dima, Bálint & Bonsdorff-Salminen, Tea von [Vis alle 13 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2023). Mycena species can be opportunist-generalist plant root invaders. Environmental Microbiology. ISSN 1462-2912. 25(10), s. 1875–1893. doi: 10.1111/1462-2920.16398. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Traditional strict separation of fungi into ecological niches as mutualist, parasite or saprotroph is increasingly called into question. Sequences of assumed saprotrophs have been amplified from plant root interiors, and several saprotrophic genera can invade and interact with host plants in laboratory growth experiments. However, it is uncertain if root invasion by saprotrophic fungi is a widespread phenomenon and if laboratory interactions mirror field conditions. Here, we focused on the widespread and speciose saprotrophic genus Mycena and performed (1) a systematic survey of their occurrences (in ITS1/ITS2 datasets) in mycorrhizal roots of 10 plant species, and (2) an analysis of natural abundances of ¹³C/¹⁵N stable isotope signatures of Mycena basidiocarps from five field locations to examine their trophic status. We found that Mycena was the only saprotrophic genus consistently found in 9 out of 10 plant host roots, with no indication that the host roots were senescent or otherwise vulnerable. Furthermore, Mycena basidiocarps displayed isotopic signatures consistent with published ¹³C/¹⁵N profiles of both saprotrophic and mutualistic lifestyles, supporting earlier laboratory-based studies. We argue that Mycena are widespread latent invaders of healthy plant roots and that Mycena species may form a spectrum of interactions besides saprotrophy also in the field.

• Estensmo, Eva Lena Fjeld; Botnen, Synnøve Smebye; Maurice, Sundy; Sanchez, Pedro Maria Martin; Morgado, Luis & Engh, Ingeborg Bjorvand [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2022). The Indoor Mycobiomes of Daycare Centers Are Affected by Occupancy and Climate. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. ISSN 0099-2240. 88(6). doi: 10.1128/aem.02113-21. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  With an alarming increase in chronic diseases like childhood asthma and allergies, there is an increased focus on the exposure of young children to indoor biological and chemical air pollutants. Our study of 125 daycares throughout Norway demonstrates that the indoor mycobiome not only reflects cooccurring outdoor fungi but also includes a high abundance of yeast and mold fungi with an affinity for indoor environments.

• Tonjer, Lea-Rebekka; Thoen, Ella; N, Luis Morgado; Botnen, Synnøve; Mundra, Sunil & Nybakken, Line [Vis alle 8 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2021). Fungal community dynamics across a forest–alpine ecotone. Molecular Ecology. ISSN 0962-1083. 30(19), s. 4926–4938. doi: 10.1111/mec.16095. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Climate change is causing upward shift of forest lines worldwide, with consequences for soil biota and carbon (C) sequestration. We here analyse compositional changes in the soil biota across the forest line ecotone, an important transition zone between different ecosystems. We collected soil samples along transects stretching from subalpine mountain birch forests to alpine heath. Soil fungi and micro-eukaryotes were surveyed using DNA metabarcoding of the ITS2 and 18S markers, while ergosterol was used to quantify fungal biomass. We observed a strong shift in the soil biota across the forest line ecotone: Below the forest line, there were higher proportions of basidiomycetes and mucoromycetes, including ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi. Above it, we observed relatively more root-associated ascomycetes, including Archaeorhizomycetes, ericoid mycorrhizal fungi and dark septate endophytes. Ergosterol and percentage C content in soil correlated strongly and positively with the abundance of root-associated ascomycetes. The predominance of ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi below the forest line probably promote high C turnover, while root-associated ascomycetes above the forest line may enhance C sequestration. With further rise in forest lines, there will be a corresponding shift in the below-ground biota, probably leading to enhanced release of soil C.

• Maurice, Sundy Ursula Mary Jane; Arnault, Gontran; Nordén, Jenni; Botnen, Synnøve Smebye; Miettinen, Otto & Kauserud, Håvard (2021). Fungal sporocarps house diverse and host-specific communities of fungicolous fungi. The ISME Journal. ISSN 1751-7362. 15, s. 1445–1457. doi: 10.1038/s41396-020-00862-1. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  porocarps (fruit bodies) are the sexual reproductive stage in the life cycle of many fungi. They are highly nutritious and consequently vulnerable to grazing by birds and small mammals, and invertebrates, and can be infected by microbial and fungal parasites and pathogens. The complexity of communities thriving inside sporocarps is largely unknown. In this study, we revealed the diversity, taxonomic composition and host preference of fungicolous fungi (i.e., fungi that feed on other fungi) in sporocarps. We carried out DNA metabarcoding of the ITS2 region from 176 sporocarps of 11 wood-decay fungal host species, all collected within a forest in northeast Finland. We assessed the influence of sporocarp traits, such as lifespan, morphology and size, on the fungicolous fungal community. The level of colonisation by fungicolous fungi, measured as the proportion of non-host ITS2 reads, varied between 2.8–39.8% across the 11 host species and was largely dominated by Ascomycota. Host species was the major determinant of the community composition and diversity of fungicolous fungi, suggesting that host adaptation is important for many fungicolous fungi. Furthermore, the alpha diversity was consistently higher in short-lived and resupinate sporocarps compared to long-lived and pileate ones, perhaps due to a more hostile environment for fungal growth in the latter too. The fungicolous fungi represented numerous lineages in the fungal tree of life, among which a significant portion was poorly represented with reference sequences in databases.

• Vik, Unni; Botnen, Synnøve Smebye & Sandbakken, Mari (2021). Artar som kan skape tilhøyrsle til natur på barnehagen sitt uteområde. I Jørgensen-Vittersø, Kari Anne & Vik, Unni (Red.), Barn i by. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215040936. s. 85–98. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Sandbakken, Mari; Vik, Unni & Botnen, Synnøve Smebye (2021). Dyr i byen. Barns muligheter til å oppleve dyr og dyreliv i byen. I Jørgensen-Vittersø, Kari Anne & Vik, Unni (Red.), Barn i by. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215040936. s. 71–83. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Botnen, Synnøve Smebye; Thoen, Ella; Eidesen, Pernille Bronken; Krabberød, Anders Kristian & Kauserud, Håvard (2020). Community composition of arctic root-associated fungi mirrors host plant phylogeny. FEMS Microbiology Ecology. ISSN 0168-6496. 96. doi: 10.1093/femsec/fiaa185. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  The number of plant species regarded as non-mycorrhizal increases at higher latitudes, and several plant species in the High-Arctic Archipelago Svalbard have been reported as non-mycorrhizal. We used the rRNA ITS2 and 18S gene markers to survey which fungi, as well as other micro-eukaryotes, were associated with roots of 31 arctic plant species not usually regarded as mycorrhizal in Svalbard. We assessed to what degree the root-associated fungi showed any host preference and whether the phylogeny of the plant hosts may mirror the composition of root-associated fungi. Fungal communities were largely structured according to host plant identity and to a less extent by environmental factors. We observed a positive relationship between the phylogenetic distance of host plants and the distance of fungal community composition between samples, indicating that the evolutionary history of the host plants plays a major role for which fungi colonize the plant roots. In contrast to the ITS2 marker, the 18S rRNA gene marker showed that chytrid fungi were prevalently associated with plant roots, together with a wide spectrum of amoeba-like protists and nematodes. Our study confirms that arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are present also in arctic environments in low abundance.

• Botnen, Synnøve Smebye; Mundra, Sunil; Kauserud, Håvard & Eidesen, Pernille Bronken (2020). Glacier retreat in the High Arctic: Opportunity or threat for ectomycorrhizal diversity? FEMS Microbiology Ecology. ISSN 0168-6496. 96(12). doi: 10.1093/femsec/fiaa171. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Climate change causes Arctic glaciers to retreat faster, exposing new areas for colonization. Several pioneer plants likely to colonize recent deglaciated, nutrient-poor areas depend on fungal partners for successful establishment. Little is known about general patterns or characteristics of facilitating fungal pioneers and how they vary with regional climate in the Arctic. The High Arctic Archipelago Svalbard represents an excellent study system to address these question, as glaciers cover about 60% of the land surface and recent estimations suggest at least 7% reduction of glacier area since 1960s. Roots of two ectomycorrhizal (ECM) plants (Salix polaris and Bistorta vivipara) were sampled in eight glacier forelands. Associated ECM fungi were assessed using DNA metabarcoding. About 25% of the diversity was unknown at family level, indicating presence of undescribed species. Seven genera dominated based on richness and abundance, but their relative importance varied with local factors. The genus Geopora showed surprisingly high richness and abundance, particularly in dry, nutrient-poor forelands. Such forelands will diminish along with increasing temperature and precipitation, and faster succession. Our results support a taxonomical shift in pioneer ECM diversity with climate change, and we are likely to lose unknown fungal diversity, without knowing their identity or ecological importance.

• Thoen, Ella; Harder, Christoffer Bugge; Kauserud, Håvard; Botnen, Synnøve Smebye; Vik, Unni & Taylor, Andy F.S. [Vis alle 8 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2020). In vitro evidence of root colonization suggests ecological versatility in the genus Mycena. New Phytologist. ISSN 0028-646X. 227, s. 601–612. doi: 10.1111/nph.16545. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  - The root‐associated habit has evolved on numerous occasions in different fungal lineages, suggesting a strong evolutionary pressure for saprotrophic fungi to switch to symbiotic associations with plants. Species within the ubiquitous, saprotrophic genus Mycena are frequently major components in molecular studies of root‐associated fungal communities, suggesting that an evaluation of their trophic status is warranted. Here, we report on interactions between a range of Mycena species and the plant Betula pendula. - In all, 17 Mycena species were inoculated onto B. pendula seedlings. Physical interactions between hyphae and fine roots were examined using differential staining and fluorescence microscopy. Physiological interactions were investigated using 14C and 32P to show potential transfer between symbionts. - All Mycena species associated closely with fine roots, showing hyphal penetration into the roots, which in some cases were intracellular. Seven species formed mantle‐like structures around root tips, but none formed a Hartig net. Mycena pura and Mycena galopus both enhanced seedling growth, with M. pura showing significant transfer of 32P to the seedlings. - Our results support the view that several Mycena species can associate closely with plant roots and some may potentially occupy a transitional state between saprotrophy and biotrophy.

• Botnen, Synnøve Smebye; Davey, Marie Louise; Aas, Anders Bjørnsgard; Carlsen, Tor; Thoen, Ella & Heegaard, Einar [Vis alle 12 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2019). Biogeography of plant root-associated fungal communities in the North Atlantic region mirrors climatic variability. Journal of Biogeography. ISSN 0305-0270. 46(7), s. 1532–1546. doi: 10.1111/jbi.13613. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Aim Polar and alpine ecosystems appear to be particularly sensitive to increasing temperatures and the altered precipitation patterns linked to climate change. However, little is currently known about how these environmental drivers may affect edaphic organisms within these ecosystems. In this study, we examined communities of plant root‐associated fungi (RAF) over large biogeographical scales and along climatic gradients in the North Atlantic region in order to gain insights into the potential effects of climate variability on these communities. We also investigated whether selected fungal traits were associated with particular climates. Locations Austria, Scotland, Mainland Norway, Iceland, Jan Mayen and Svalbard. Taxa Root fungi associated with the ectomycorrhizal and herbaceous plant Bistorta vivipara. Methods DNA metabarcoding of the ITS1 region was used to characterize the RAF of 302 whole plant root systems, which were analysed by means of ordination methods and linear modelling. Fungal spore length, width, volume and shape, as well as mycelial exploration type (ET) of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) basidiomycetes were summarized at a community level. Results The RAF communities exhibited strong biogeographical structuring, and both compositional variation as well as fungal species richness correlated with annual temperature and precipitation. In accordance with general island biogeography theory, the least species‐rich RAF communities were found on Jan Mayen, a remote and small island in the North Atlantic Ocean. Fungal spores tended to be more elongated with increasing latitude. We also observed a climate effect on which mycelial ET was dominating among the ectomycorrhizal fungi. Main conclusions Both geographical and environmental variables were important for shaping root‐associated fungal communities at a North Atlantic scale, including the High Arctic. Fungal OTU richness followed general biogeographical patterns and decreased with decreasing size and/or increasing isolation of the host plant population. The probability of possessing more elongated spores increases with latitude, which may be explained by a selection for greater dispersal capacity among more isolated host plant populations in the Arctic.

• Botnen, Synnøve Smebye; Davey, Marie Louise; Halvorsen, Rune & Kauserud, Håvard (2018). Sequence clustering threshold has little effect on the recovery of microbial community structure. Molecular Ecology Resources. ISSN 1755-098X. 18(5), s. 1064–1076. doi: 10.1111/1755-0998.12894. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Analysis of microbial community structure by multivariate ordination methods, using data obtained by high‐throughput sequencing of amplified markers (i.e., DNA metabarcoding), often requires clustering of DNA sequences into operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Parameters for the clustering procedure tend not to be justified but are set by tradition rather than being based on explicit knowledge. In this study, we explore the extent to which ordination results are affected by variation in parameter settings for the clustering procedure. Amplicon sequence data from nine microbial community studies, representing different sampling designs, spatial scales and ecosystems, were subjected to clustering into OTUs at seven different similarity thresholds (clustering thresholds) ranging from 87% to 99% sequence similarity. The 63 data sets thus obtained were subjected to parallel DCA and GNMDS ordinations. The resulting community structures were highly similar across all clustering thresholds. We explain this pattern by the existence of strong ecological structuring gradients and phylogenetically diverse sets of abundant OTUs that are highly stable across clustering thresholds. Removing low‐abundance, rare OTUs had negligible effects on community patterns. Our results indicate that microbial data sets with a clear gradient structure are highly robust to choice of sequence clustering threshold.

• Lorberau, Kelsey; Botnen, Synnøve Smebye; Mundra, Sunil; Aas, Anders Bjørnsgard; Rozema, Jelte & Eidesen, Pernille Bronken [Vis alle 7 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2017). Does warming by open-top chambers induce change in the root-associated fungal community of the arctic dwarf shrub Cassiope tetragona (Ericaceae)? Mycorrhiza. ISSN 0940-6360. 27(5), s. 513–524. doi: 10.1007/s00572-017-0767-y. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Høiland, Klaus & Botnen, Synnøve Smebye (2016). A comparison of aboveground sporocarps and belowground ectomycorrhizal structures of Agaricales, Boletales and Russulales in a sand dune ecosystem on Lista, South-western Norway. AGARICA. ISSN 0800-1820. 37, s. 67–77. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  In the present work we put focus on ectomycorrhizal Agaricales, Boletales and Russulales, all with conspicuous sporocarps, giving us an opportunity to compare the below ground ectomycorrhiza diversity with the aboveground sporocarp diversity. In the sand dune area on Lista, South-west Norway, nine plots of 3 m diameter were established in Salix repens (creeping willow) dominated vegetation; i.e. three plots on dune slacks, three plots on hummock dunes, and three plots on eroded dunes. In 2009 ectomycorrhizal Salix repens roots were sampled in each plot. Ectomycorrhizal taxa were identified by pyrosequencing. From 2008 to 2014 fungal sporocarps were collected and identified in the same plots. Of the 30 actual ectomycorrhizal taxa identified on the roots, 10 of them were also accompanied by aboveground sporocarps. In addition, 11 taxa were only recorded as sporocarps. The most frequent ectomycorrhizal taxon was Hebeloma spp, recorded in all nine plots. The most frequent taxon on species level was Cortinarius saniosus, however, only recorded on ectomycorrhizal roots while sporocarps were found outside the plots. The most frequent ectomycorrhizal species with at least one plot housing accompanied sporocarps were Cortinarius casimiri and Russula laccata. Some of the ectomycorrhizal taxa belong to the typical inventory of Salix repens dominated dune vegetation: Lactarius controversus, Russula persicina, Tricholoma cingulatum, Inocybe impexa, I. dunensis and Laccaria maritima; the two last taxa only represented by sporocarps. We conclude that a combination of sampling below ground ECM and monitoring aboveground sporocarps seems to be an optimal approach if we want to cover the diversity of conspicuous ECM fungi in an area.

• Botnen, Synnøve; Kauserud, Håvard; Carlsen, Tor; Blaalid, Rakel & Høiland, Klaus (2015). Mycorrhizal fungal communities in coastal sand dunes and heaths investigated by pyrosequencing analyses. Mycorrhiza. ISSN 0940-6360. 25(6), s. 447–456. doi: 10.1007/s00572-014-0624-1. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Botnen, Synnøve; Vik, Unni; Carlsen, Tor; Eidesen, Pernille Bronken; Davey, Marie Louise & Kauserud, Håvard (2014). Low host specificity of root-associated fungi at an Arctic site. Molecular Ecology. ISSN 0962-1083. 23(4), s. 975–985. doi: 10.1111/mec.12646. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv

Se alle arbeider i NVA

• Brennhovd, Maria; Botnen, Synnøve Smebye; Stranden, Tone Louise & Nyhus, Hans Petter (2026). Barn i danske og tyske barnehager er mer selvstendige enn i Norge. Første steg. ISSN 1504-1891. doi: https:/www.utdanningsnytt.no/barnehage-barnehagelaererstudent-barnehagelaererutdanning/barn-i-danske-og-tyske-barnehager-er-mer-selvstendige-enn-i-norge/491369. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  OsloMet-studenter som hadde praksis i Danmark og Tyskland, opplevde mer selvstendige og robuste barn, mindre stress og mindre voksenstyrte barnehager enn i Norge. Erfaringene reiser spørsmål om omsorg, tillit og barnehagepedagogikk i norske barnehager.

• Fjeld, Martin Nevland & Botnen, Synnøve Smebye (2026). Children’s perspectives on play in Norwegian kindergartens. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  In Norwegian kindergartens, play is highlighted as important for children’s development, formation (bildung), well-being and learning (Department of Education, 2017), and play is normally considered central to the Norwegian kindergarten tradition, both as a pedagogical practice and as a pedagogical value. Kindergarten play has been the focus of rigorous research in the last few decades, especially concerning the perspectives and understandings of the pedagogues and other staff (e.g. Hagen et al., 2019; Olsson & Øksnes, 2023). There have also been several intervention studies concerning guided play and play-based learning (e.g. Størksen et al., 2023) to explore and improve learning through play. However, there has been a lack of research into children’s own perspectives and understandings of play. Thus, our aim in this paper is to explore children’s own perspective on play and how they understand the concept of “play”. We will also explore places and situations related to play, as highlighted by the children themselves. To explore children’s perspective on play, we utilize walking interviews (Evans & Jones, 2011; Winger & Eide, 2017) with 3–6-year-olds in multiple kindergartens. Walking interviews can be described as semi-structured interviews on the move, meaning we interview the children while moving and interacting with the play environment in the kindergarten, thus facilitating the children to share and explain their experience and perspective on play, enabling a three-way dialogue between children, researchers and environment. Preliminary findings show that the children describe play as fun and an important part of everyday life in kindergarten. The children also categorized activities such as games, drawing and beadwork as play. This contrasts with international research, which shows that children clearly distinguish between work (such as games and drawing) and play (e.g. Pyle & Alaca, 2016), and this needs further exploration to corroborate whether this is a general characteristic of kindergarten children or a specific characteristic of the kindergartens visited so far. The findings also show that when children talk about and practice play, the line between construction and dramatic play is blurred. We also observed that children appreciate defined and separated areas for play.

• Fjeld, Martin Nevland & Botnen, Synnøve Smebye (2026). Hva er det barn selv oppfatter som lek? Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Sandbakken, Mari; Botnen, Synnøve Smebye & Fjeldbu, Christian (2025). Estetisk og naturfaglig utforsking i barnehagelærerutdanning. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Botnen, Synnøve Smebye; Sandbakken, Mari; Kaarby, Karen Marie Eid & Solheim, Elias Rossow (2025). Perspectives of teacher students on using a place in nature over time with children. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Botnen, Synnøve Smebye & Fjeld, Martin Nevland (2025). Barns perspektiv på lek. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Lek er sentralt i den norske barnehagetradisjonen, og er viktig for barns utvikling, trivsel, læring og danning (Utdanningsdirektoratet, 2017) og dermed for kvaliteten i barnehagen. Det er derfor nødvendig med kunnskap om barnas perspektiv på lek, men dette finnes det lite norsk forskning på. Flere studier har undersøkt personalets forståelse av barns lek, inkludert hva og hvor de mener barna liker å leke (for eksempel: Hagen et al. 2019; Olsson & Øksnes, 2023). Det er mulig at barn og personale har ulike forståelser av lek. Vårt mål er derfor å utforske barnas perspektiv på lek, og hvilke situasjoner og steder som trekkes fram av barna i en vandrende samtale om lek. For å undersøke dette skal vi bruke «vandrende intervju» (Evans & Jones, 2011; Winger & Eide, 2017) med de eldste barna (4-6 år) i barnehagen. I denne metoden beveger barn og forskere seg rundt i barnehagens lekemiljø og på lekeplassen, og samtaler om lek og lekens muligheter underveis. Slik kan barna beskrive lek mens de er i og samhandler med det aktuelle lekemiljøet, og forskeren kan i tillegg gjøre observasjoner underveis. Barnas utsagn blir analysert i lys av ulike perspektiver på lek (Olofsson,1993; Skovbjerg, 2016) og teorien om affordance (jf. Waters, 2017). Vi presenterer foreløpige data og diskuterer mulige implikasjoner ved funnene for barnehagenes pedagogiske praksis og opplevd kvalitet for barna.

• Tuset, Elly Herikstad & Botnen, Synnøve Smebye (2025). Tasting plate: How can we use food activities to facilitate broadening the children’s taste experiences? Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Skrede, Inger; Kauserud, Håvard; Martin-Sanchez, Pedro María; Estensmo, Eva Lena Fjeld; Botnen, Synnøve Smebye & Morgado, Luis [Vis alle 8 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2024). Fungal diversity in daycare centers and private homes – yeast play in daycares while the molds stay at home. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Botnen, Synnøve Smebye (2024). Stedene er viktig for barns fysiske aktivitet. [Journal]. Første sted. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Botnen, Synnøve Smebye; Sandbakken, Mari; Kaarby, Karen Marie Eid & Solheim, Elias (2024). Kraften av sted - Arbeidsplassen som læringsarena i natur, helse og bevegelse. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Sandbakken, Mari; Botnen, Synnøve Smebye; Kaarby, Karen Marie Eid & Solheim, Elias (2023). Enhanced use of the kindergarten as learning environment and peer-assessments to strengthen the student's learning processes. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Sandbakken, Mari; Botnen, Synnøve Smebye; Kaarby, Karen Marie Eid & Solheim, Elias (2023). Bruk av barnehagen som læringsmiljø og medstudentvurderinger for å styrke studentenes læringsprosesser. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Botnen, Synnøve Smebye; Kaarby, Karen Marie Eid & Sandbakken, Mari (2022). Arbeid med faglig ledelse i undervisningen i kunnskapsområdene, eksempel fra Natur, helse og bevegelse. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Sandbakken, Mari; Hagen, Anikke; Botnen, Synnøve Smebye & Byhring, Anne Kristine (2022). I enjoy being outdoors, even in unpleasant weather students’ nature relatedness. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Vik, Unni; Botnen, Synnøve Smebye & Sandbakken, Mari (2021). Planter som kan skape tilhøyrsle til natur på barnehagen sitt uteområde. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Botnen, Synnøve Smebye & Sandbakken, Mari (2021). Barnehagelærarar si naturtilknyting. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Vik, Unni; Fønnebø, Bente; Langholm, Guri; Skaug, Hilde Nancy; Neegaard, Henrik & Sandbakken, Mari [Vis alle 14 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2019). Plastdekke i barns lekemiljøer - til beste for hvem? Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Høiland, Klaus & Botnen, Synnøve Smebye (2017). Studier av ektomykorrhiza på krypvier i sanddynene på Lista. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Jacobsen, Rannveig M; Birkemoe, Tone; Sverdrup-Thygeson, Anne; Kauserud, Håvard & Botnen, Synnøve Smebye (2016). The potential of insects to act as spore vectors. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Eidesen, Pernille Bronken; Mundra, Sunil; Botnen, Synnøve Smebye; Davey, Marie Louise; Lorberau, Kelsey & Kauserud, Håvard (2016). Spatial diversity and community composition of root associated fungi in the High Arctic archipelago Svalbard - environmental influence is scale dependent. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Danbolt, Ingrid; Lafton, Tove; Hernes, Leif; Imeland, Synne Sagstad; Hyunh, Johnny & Bergvik, Eilen Sunniva [Vis alle 13 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2025). Samlingsstund for studenter. OsloMet - storbyuniversitetet. doi: https:/www.oslomet.no/forskning/forskningsprosjekter/samlingsstund. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Prosjektet undersøker en utvidet forståelse av kulturarv, det vil si ulike kulturelle tradisjoner og ytringer som finnes blant barnehagelærarstudenter og ansatte ved OsloMet.

• Botnen, Synnøve Smebye; Kauserud, Håvard; Davey, Marie Louise; Brysting, Anne Krag & Eidesen, Pernille Bronken (2020). Biodiversity in the dark: root-associated fungi in the Arctic. Universitetet i Oslo. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  In her PhD thesis, Synnøve Smebye Botnen investigated the diversity and community ecology of Arctic fungi, from beforehand a poorly studied group of organisms. Climate change will have major impacts on Arctic ecosystems and in this regard, we need baseline information about the existing and putatively unique arctic biodiversity. As elsewhere, arctic plants live in symbiosis with various root-associated fungi that e.g. feed the host plants with essential nutrients. To assess the diversity of these fungi in the arctic, and which environmental factors influence them, Botnen used a technique called DNA-metabarcoding, relying on modern high-throughput DNA sequencing methods. Her main study area was Svalbard. The DNA-based methods revealed an extensive diversity of root-associated fungi in the arctic, where the majority still are lacking scientific names. To illustrate, a single plant root system at Svalbard may host as many fungi as the number of plant species at entire Svalbard. Only a minor proportion of these fungi produce macroscopically aboveground fruit bodies. Botnen revealed that climate conditions have a significant effect on the distribution of arctic fungi, as well as other environmental factors. This means that the ongoing climate change will re-distribute the fungal diversity. Not only the physical environment shapes the fungal communities; Botnen revealed that some types of root-associated fungi can be highly host specific. However, when it comes to ectomycorrhizal fungi – one specific group of root-associated fungi – Botnen revealed that they typically colonize different host plants and show little host specificity. In addition to empirical studies, Botnen also conducted a method study, where specific elements of the DNA-metabarcoding approach was evaluated. These analyses revealed that the DNA-metabarcoding method provides a very robust framework to study changes in communities of fungi and microorganisms. Taken together, results from the thesis provides baseline information about the extensive diversity of arctic fungi. This baseline information is much needed to better understand the expected changes in arctic ecosystems. However, most of all, the thesis illustrates that we barely have scraped the surface of this largely unknown fungal diversity, calling for intensified research efforts on this topic.

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