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C-STAR: Coastal Sediment Transport Assessment Using SAR Imagery

Das Projekt "C-STAR: Coastal Sediment Transport Assessment Using SAR Imagery" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Hamburg, Zentrum für Meeres- und Klimaforschung, Institut für Meereskunde (IfM) durchgeführt. C-STAR was a joint European project, carried out by ten partner institutions in the Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain, and Germany; financially supported by the Commission of the European Community as a part of the Marine Science and Technology (MAST) program under contract no. MAS3-CT95-0035.. C-STAR was devoted to an improved theoretical understanding of the radar imaging of underwater bottom topography in tidal waters and to an investigation of the potential of inverse models which retrieve topographic maps from radar images, for morphological research and monitoring applications. C-STAR included a major field experiment off the Dutch coast, which was carried out in April, 1996. The activities of the Satellite Oceanography group of the University of Hamburg within C-STAR focused on the improvement of theoretical models for the hydrodynamic wave-current interaction and for the radar backscattering at the sea surface, which appears to be described relatively well by the existing composite surface model.

Trees in multi-Use Landscapes in Southeast Asia (TUL-SEA): A Negotiation Support Toolbox for Integrated Natural Resource Management

Das Projekt "Trees in multi-Use Landscapes in Southeast Asia (TUL-SEA): A Negotiation Support Toolbox for Integrated Natural Resource Management" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Hohenheim, Institut für Tropische Agrarwissenschaften (Hans-Ruthenberg-Institut), Fachgebiet Pflanzenbau in den Tropen und Subtropen (490e) durchgeführt. Trees use water while storing carbon; tree crops replace natural forest while reducing poverty; market-oriented monocultures compete with risk-averse poly-cultures, trading off income and risk; plantations displace smallholders, trading off local rights and income opportunities; national reforestation programs use public resources, promising an increase in environmental services that may not happen. Trees in all these examples are closely linked to tradeoffs and conflict, exaggerated expectations and strong disappointment. Integrated Natural Resource Management (INRM) requires site-specific understanding of tradeoffs between and among the goods and services that trees in agro-ecosystems can provide. It is thus costly when compared to readily scalable green revolution technologies. Replicable, cost-effective approaches are needed in the hands of local professionals with interdisciplinary skills to help stakeholders sort out positive and negative effects of trees in multi-use landscapes ( agroforestry) on livelihoods, water and (agro) biodiversity, associated rights and rewards, and thus on Millenium Development Goals (reducing poverty - promoting equitable forms of globalisation - building peace). ICRAF in SE Asia has developed a negotiation support approach for reducing conflict in multi-use landscapes. The approach aims to bridge perception gaps between stakeholders (with their local, public/policy and scientific knowledge paradigms), increase recognition and respect for these multiple knowledge systems, provide quantification of tradeoffs between economic and environmental impacts at landscape scale, and allow for joint analysis of plausible scenarios. Building on the achievements of participatory rural appraisal, we can now add quantitative strengths with the toolbox for tradeoff analysis. The TUL-SEA project (NARS, ICRAF and Hohenheim) will in 3 years lead to: Tests of cost-effectiveness of appraisal tools for tradeoff analysis in a wide range of agroforestry contexts in SE Asia represented by 15 INRM case studies; building on ASB (Alternatives to Slash and Burn; http://www.asb.cgiar.org/) benchmark areas with significant positive local impacts on poverty, environment and peace (www.icraf.org/sea/Publications/searchpub.asp?publishid=1290); Enhanced national capacity in trade-off analysis, information-based INRM negotiations and ex ante impact assessments; An integrated toolbox ready for widespread application. The toolbox consists of instruments for rapid appraisal of landscape, tenure conflict, market, hydrology, agrobiodiversity and carbon stocks, and simulation models for scenario analysis of landscape-level impacts of changes in market access or agroforestry technology.

Asessing the potential of various instruments for sutainable consumption practises and greening of the market (ASCEE)

Das Projekt "Asessing the potential of various instruments for sutainable consumption practises and greening of the market (ASCEE)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Institut für ökologische Wirtschaftsforschung (IÖW) GmbH durchgeführt. The main objectives are : - to identify, structure and assess instruments addressing and promoting sustainable consumption and greening of the market; - to identify and evaluate best practice examples; - to develop policy strategies for transferring best practices; - to carry out a workshop; - to finalise insights by preparing a guideline for policy makers; - to prepare a scientific report and a summary. After a prephase connected with an internal kick-off meeting, the first phase analyses policy instruments, measures and actions and the gained experiences in WP 2 ' Basic instrumental overview . The instrumental overview is intended to be of a broader nature to collect insights into existing, but also discussed, proposed and/or rejected tools which have lead or could lead to a greening of the markets by addressing supply and/or demand. We will concentrate on promising tools and actions. The gained and collected information will be assessed along certain criteria developed beforehand in WP 3 'Assessment . WP 4 'Best practises and market transformation patterns will bring together the most instructive findings and consider what could be learned from them. The key question behind that approach is to look for the patterns behind successful greening strategies. The second phase is dedicated to the potentials for transferring of the results and their dissemination. WP 5 'Extension and transfer strategies picks up the results of the preceding work. It considers the findings and prepares strategies for the transfer of promising approaches. Results and proposals will be documented and discussed at a one-day workshop (WP 6 'Workshop ) which will collect insights, opinions and experiences of a broader auditorium. The discussion and results of the workshop will be documented and will contribute to the update of the preliminary findings. WP 7 'Dissemination brings together all findings and insights. Here we will prepare guidelines, a report, including a summary. Prime Contractor: Institut für Ökologische Wirtschaftsforschung GgmbH; Berlin; Germany.

Science for the Protection of Indonesian Coastal Environment (SPICE)

Das Projekt "Science for the Protection of Indonesian Coastal Environment (SPICE)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Stiftung Alfred-Wegener-Institut für Polar- und Meeresforschung e.V. in der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft (AWI) durchgeführt. The Indonesian Archipelago harbours the most diverse marine habitat on earth, but also the presently most endangered. Overfishing, deleterious fishing practices and land-based sources of pollution result in a dramatic decline of the reef-based ecosystems. Coral reefs thrive in clear oligotrophic water. Deteriorating water quality due to increased terrigenous inputs of sediments, nutrients and pollutants are believed to be among the major causes of the demise of Indonesian coral reefs over the last decades. The pelagic cycling of material, production and development of larvae in shallow coastal waters as well as the exports of material to the benthos and adjacent deep water ecosystem are yet poorly understood. In this program 12 Indonesian and 14 German universities and institutions are involved. From the German side it is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The Center for Tropical Marine Ecology (ZMT) is responsible for the overall coordination. The main goal of the project is to strengthen the scientific basis for the protection of coral reefs in Southeast Sulawesi, harbouring some of the richest but also most endangered coral reefs in the world. In the Spermonde Archipelago off Makassar coral reef losses amounted to 20 Prozent over the last 12 years, eroding the income base for many thousands of families. Regulations related to the marine environment and its valuable resources have not been effectively implemented, and public awareness among the growing local population is still very limited. The aim of the AWI plankton group is to assess the significance of suspended matter for the reef organisms and to demonstrate that environmental changes are an important factor for phyto- and zooplankton communities and hence, for their consumers. To achieve this goal, quantitative studies of plankton occurrence and distribution are essential on various spatial and temporal scales. Further topics are the duration of the pelagic phase of economically important benthic organisms and the life cycles of dominant zooplankton species.

Assessment of Air Pollution Effects on Cultural Heritage - Management Strategies (CULT-STRAT)

Das Projekt "Assessment of Air Pollution Effects on Cultural Heritage - Management Strategies (CULT-STRAT)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Umweltbundesamt durchgeführt. CULT-STRAT will establish a scientific reference for developing strategies for policy and decision-makers on European and national levels within the CAFE Programme and for heritage managers for strategic decisions at local level. It will do this through a choice of material indicators and pollution threshold levels based on best available scientific data including deterioration models, spatial distribution and mapping of pollutants and of stock of materials at risk, cost estimates, comparison studies off different conservation approaches. Damage caused to objects of cultural heritage belongs to the most serious among the detrimental effects of anthropogenic air pollutants as it endangers a vital part of the European identity. There is therefore an urgent need to include the impact of pollutants on cultural heritage alongside the human health and parts of the ecosystem that are already concerned in the EU Directives on urban air quality. This is especially relevant for the CAFE (Clean Air for Europe) programme of the Commission and the Community interventions through the 'Culture 2000' framework programme and the structural funds. The overall aim is to identify material indicators and threshold levels of pollutants to be used for development of strategies for sustainable maintenance and preventive conservation of European cultural heritage and air quality policy to reduce damage. The models will permit ranking of the effects of pollutants on corrosion and soiling of materials. The air pollution models will be related to local fluxes, including indoor concentrations. The stock of cultural heritage materials at risk in selected areas (Paris, Rome, Florence, Prague, Madrid, and Berlin) will be used for assessment and mapping of areas where cultural heritage objects are endangered. Prime Contractor: Korrosionsinstitutet Sci AB, R&D Department Atmospheric Corrosion, Stockholm SE.

Dense water overflows off continental shelves (cascading)

Das Projekt "Dense water overflows off continental shelves (cascading)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Hamburg, Zentrum für Meeres- und Klimaforschung, Institut für Meereskunde (IfM) durchgeführt.

Umrüstung einer Galvanik auf ein umweltfreundliches Beizverfahren

Das Projekt "Umrüstung einer Galvanik auf ein umweltfreundliches Beizverfahren" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Metallveredlung Emil Weiss GmbH & Co. KG durchgeführt. Im Rahmen des Vorhabens wurden ausgewählte Produktionslinien der Galvanik auf ein neues, umweltschonendes Beizverfahren umgestellt. Dabei wurde erstmalig der Beizzusatz PRO-pHx großtechnisch eingesetzt, um die den Beizprozess störenden organischen und anorganischen Stoffe aus der Beizlösung zu entfernen und den damit verbundenen ökologischen (Ressourcenschonung und Abfallreduzierung) und ökonomischen Vorteil (Kostenminimierung) zu erschließen. In einer Beize erfolgte die PRO-pHx-Anwendung in jeder Hinsicht unproblematisch und zielkonform, ohne negative Auswirkungen auf Beizbedingungen, Werkstück und Beschichtung. Der Verbrauch an Säure und Beizzusatzmittel konnte erheblich minimiert werden. Der Verbrauch an Salzsäure sank um mehr als 90 Prozent während der Verbrauch an Schwefelsäure auf gleichem Niveau blieb. Auf teure Beizinhibitoren konnte gänzlich verzichtet werden. Der Einsatz von PROpHx bei Werkstücken mit glatten Oberflächen und einfacher Formgebung ist offensichtlich problemlos möglich, bietet ökonomische Einsparpotenziale und trägt zur Umweltentlastung bei. Bei Werkstücken mit komplexer Geometrie, z. B. mit Sacklöchern/Bohrungen, oder Teilen mit Schweißstellen führte der PRO-pHx-Einsatz hingegen zu Störungen (unzureichende Beizwirkung bei Schweißstellen, fehlerhafte Beschichtung bei geometrisch komplexen Teilen wegen Rückständen). Die PRO-pHx-Verwendung in diesen Fertigungslinien musste abgebrochen werden. Eine Untersuchung der Ursachen konnte im Rahmen des Projekts nicht durchgeführt werden. Die Abklärung noch offener Punkte wurde vorgeschlagen. Die Anwendung von PRO-pHx in galvanotechnischen Fertigungslinien ist daher nur eingeschränkt zu empfehlen. Es bleibt ein Risiko, mit dem Badzusatz PRO-pHx in die laufende Produktion zu gehen.

Assessment of Desalination Mortars and Poultices for Historic Masonry (DESALINATION)

Das Projekt "Assessment of Desalination Mortars and Poultices for Historic Masonry (DESALINATION)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Fachhochschule Köln, Institut für Restaurierungs- und Konservierungswissenschaften durchgeführt. European cultural heritage is often damaged by salt related damaging processes. There appears to be an increasing risk of salt damage to our monuments, due to climate changes and possibly resulting floods. According to recent research, in some situations, desalination may be the only possible conservation technique. For buildings, desalination still constitutes a major problem as the bath-method can not be used. The use of desalination mortar/poultices seems to be the most promising conservation technique for immovable objects. However, the performance and especially the effectiveness of different desalination systems is not clear, which hinders the choice of an appropriate mortar/poultice. The research project DESALINATION will result in a clear guideline how to choose an adequate desalination system. This is of great importance to the European decision makers and will incorporated in a knowledge based decision tool. A second major result will be better knowledge of moisture and salt transport from the historic material to the desalination product. This knowledge will give raise to a recommendation for a test to assess the effectiveness of desalination products. The better understanding of the transport process may be used in product development and increases the competitiveness of European SMEs, and may have a much broader spin-off in all kind of salt related problems. Prime Contractor: Universita IUAV; Venezia; Italy.

Population Genetics of Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) in the Swiss Alps

Das Projekt "Population Genetics of Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) in the Swiss Alps" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Eidgenössische Forschungsanstalt für Wald, Schnee und Landschaft durchgeführt. Population vulnerability may have a genetic background which is tightly connected to population size and spatial position relative to neighbouring populations. Interrupted gene flow and inbreeding or genetic drift may accelerate decreases of vulnerable species. In the long term, populations that are small or isolated from large core populations are expected to show low genetic diversity and a high degree of differentiation as a consequence of low or absent gene flow. Population decline of capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) in the Alps has put this species at great risk of regional extinction. To understand the dynamics of capercaillie populations, genetic variation will be analysed in three study regions using nuclear microsatellite markers (simple sequence repeats, SSR). Allelic diversity, gene flow, and differentiation among populations as well as heterozygosity within populations will be used as key parameters to evaluate possible metapopulation dynamics. To determine whether reduced numbers of populations and individuals indeed show a loss of allelic diversity, we will genotype museum specimens from the same regions as a reference to present-day diversity, whereas individuals from extinct areas may mediate, in a genetic sense, between extant, differentiated populations. The aims of this project are to estimate historical gene flow: How many individuals per generation dispersed among populations and regions? detect genetic relatedness and differentiation among populations: Are geographic and genetic distances between populations positively correlated? relate estimated population size to genetic diversity and differentiation: Is inbreeding more pronounced in small compared with large populations? determine genetic variation of museum specimens from remnant populations: Can we detect higher allelic diversity in museums compared to extant populations? establish genetic relationships among populations of the past and present: Do extinct genotypes mediate between extant, genetically separated populations? These results will be implemented in a spatially explicit metapopulation model including respective data from studies on habitat suitability and population dynamics. Description and modelling of population genetic processes at the regional level will help to understand the dynamics among and within populations of vulnerable species. This study will provide guidelines for conservation strategies applicable to other organisms with large-scale demands for suitable habitat areas, and which are at the brink of extinction due to human-altered landscape. This project is part of WWK-Modul 4 (Gefährdete Arten: Modellfall Rauhfusshühner).

Transgenic strawberries and their wild relatives - a potential model for extinction by hybridisation

Das Projekt "Transgenic strawberries and their wild relatives - a potential model for extinction by hybridisation" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Basel, Botanisches Institut, Abteilung Pflanzenökologie durchgeführt. Do genetically modified strawberries pose a threat to wild varieties? Do genetically modified strawberries pose a threat to wild varieties? Strawberries are an important niche product in Switzerland. Breeders are experimenting with genetic engineering methods to enhance the marketability of this product. There are risks inherent in this approach since the transfer of modified genes to wild strawberries could endanger the continued existence of the wild varieties. Background Transgenic varieties of strawberry with higher yields and enhanced root development already exist. The first release trials have already begun in Italy. However, if transgenic varieties of strawberry cross-breed with wild ones, there may be negative effects. The hybrids produced in this way are often sterile, yet by back-crossing with wild types or by producing prolific numbers of offshoots they can penetrate the native flora and displace it. Objectives This project has two basic goals. First, it seeks to assess the extent to which transgenic strawberries are capable of cross-breeding with their wild relatives. Second, it seeks to investigate the possible ecological impact of such crossbreeding under various environmental conditions in order to assess the risks associated with cultivating transgenic strawberries in the open. Methods Greenhouse experiments with honey bees, the most important pollinators of strawberries, will be carried out to show whether and how efficiently natural pollination occurs between transgenic and wild strawberries. Genetic methods will be used to determine how frequently foreign pollination between cultivated and wild strawberries has already occurred in the open in the past. The possible ecological implications of this will be quantified using life history data such as growth and competitive pressure. In these experiments, transgenic and artificially cross-bred strawberries from the laboratory will be planted in various soils. Significance The cultivation of transgenic plants is associated with potential risks for their wild relatives. Scientists have warned that the latter could become extinct as a result of undesirable cross-breeding. However, to date the true extent of these risks has barely been investigated. This project aims to close this gap by generating basic data with transgenic and wild strawberries as model organisms. These data could ultimately be relevant for other related crop plants such as apple trees or cherry trees.

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