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B 5.1: Fate of agrochemicals in integrated farming systems in Son-La province, Northern Vietnam

Das Projekt "B 5.1: Fate of agrochemicals in integrated farming systems in Son-La province, Northern Vietnam" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Hohenheim, Institut für Bodenkunde und Standortslehre, Fachgebiet Biogeophysik durchgeführt. In Son La province, Northern Vietnam, many irrigated farming systems include ponds in which small-scale farmers raise fish to produce additional food and income. The main field crops in this area are paddy rice and maize. Often, irrigation water is first used in paddy fields, before it flows to the fishponds. Because farmers regularly apply considerable amounts of agrochemicals, mainly insecticides, to field crops fish production suffers. Moreover, agrochemicals may enter the human food chain. Subproject B5.1 will study the fate of agrochemicals applied in two subcatchments near Yen Chau, Son La province. Investigations will be carried out in close collaboration with A1.3, B4.1, C4.1, D5.2, and G1.2. In the two subcatchments, fishponds have been investigated by D5.1 since 2003. We will carry out a survey of the subcatchments with special emphasis on the water distribution systems (fields, ponds, canals, brooks). The data will be linked to the GIS (Geographical Information System) set up by B4.1. In one subcatchment, B5.1 will install a weather station as well as five TDR (time do-main reflectometry) probes and tensiometers. Water flow through the system will be recorded by means of water meters and V-shaped (Thompson) weirs equipped with automatic pressure sensors. Soil and water samples from selected fields sites, pond inflows, and ponds will be regularly screened for agrochemicals using the procedure developed by B2.1 (Ciglasch et al., 2005; see below). Soil and sediment characteristics that determine water regime and soil-agrochemical interaction, e.g. texture, organic carbon content, hydraulic conductivity, partitioning coefficients, and half-life times will be measured in laboratory and field experiments in cooperation with B4.1. In preparation for the next phase, discharge will be assessed and agrochemical concentrations monitored in the main catchment.

Clean Sky Technology Eco Design (Clean Sky ECO)

Das Projekt "Clean Sky Technology Eco Design (Clean Sky ECO)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH durchgeführt. The Eco-Design ITD (ED-ITD) gathers and structures from one side activities concerned specifically with development of new material and process technologies and demonstration on airframe and rotorcraft related parts stressing the ecolonomic aspects of such new technologies; from the other side, activities related to the All Electrical Aircraft concept related to small aircraft. ED-ITD is directly focused on the last ACARE goal: 'To make substantial progress in reducing the environmental impact of the manufacture, maintenance and disposal of aircraft and related products'. Reduction of environmental impacts during out of operation phases of the aircraft lifecycle can be estimated to around 20 % reduction of the total amount of the CO2 emitted by all the processes (direct emissions and indirect emissions i.e. produced when producing the energy) and 15 % of the total amount of the energy used by all the processes. In addition, expected benefit brought by the All Electric Aircraft concept to be highlighted through the conceptual aircraft defined in the vehicle ITDs is estimated to around 2% fuel consumption reduction due to mass benefits and better energy management. The status of the global fleet in the year 2000 constitutes the baseline against which achievements will be assessed. Progress toward these goals will result not only from ED internal activities but also from the collaboration with the relevant cross-cutting activities in GRA , GRC, SFWA (business jet platform) and SGO (electrical systems).

Grey water treatment in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor

Das Projekt "Grey water treatment in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Technische Universität Hamburg-Harburg, Institut für Abwasserwirtschaft und Gewässerschutz B-2 durchgeführt. In ecological sanitation, the wastewater is considered not only as a pollutant, but also as a resource for fertiliser, water and energy and for closing water and nutrients cycles (Otterpohl et. al., 1999; Otterpohl et. al., 2003; Elmitwalli et al. 2005). The ecological sanitation based on separation between grey and black water (and even between faeces and urine), is considered a visible future solution for wastewater collection and treatment. Grey water, which symbolises the wastewater generated in the household excluding toilet wastewater (black water), represents the major volume of the domestic wastewater (60- 75 percent) with low content of nutrients and pathogens (Otterpohl et. al., 1999; Jefferson et al., 1999; Eriksson et al., 2002). Most of grey-water treatment plants include one or two-step septic-tank for pre-treatment (Otterpohl et al., 2003). The grey-water treatment needs both physical and biological processes for removal of particles, dissolved organic-matters and pathogens (Jefferson et al., 1999). Recently, many researchers have studied the grey-water treatment either by application of high-rate aerobic systems, like rotating biological contactor (Nolde, 1999), fluidised bed (Nolde, 1999), aerobic filter (Jefferson et al., 2000), membrane bioreactor (Jefferson et al., 2000), or by application of low-rate systems, like slow sand filter (Jefferson et al., 1999), vertical flow wetlands (Otterpohl et. al., 2003). Although high-rate anaerobic systems, which are low-cost systems, have both physical and biological removal, no research has been done until now on grey water in these systems. The grey water contains a significant amount (41 percent) of chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the domestic wastewater (Otterpohl et al., 2003) and this amount can be removed by the highrate anaerobic systems. Although high-rate anaerobic systems have been successfully operated in tropical regions for domestic wastewater treatment, the process up till now is not applied in lowtemperature regions. The COD removal is limited for domestic wastewater treatment in high-rate anaerobic systems at low temperatures and, therefore, a long HRT is needed for providing sufficient hydrolysis of particulate organic (Zeeman and Lettinga, 1999; Elmitwalli et al. 2002). The grey water has a relatively higher temperature (18-38 degree C), as compared to the domestic wastewater (Eriksson et al. 2002), because the grey water originates from hot water sources, like shower (29 degree C), kitchen (27-38 degree C) and laundry (28-32 degree C). Therefore, high-rate anaerobic systems might run efficiently for on-site grey water treatment, even in low-temperature regions. The upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor is the most applied system for anaerobic domestic waster treatment. Accordingly, the aim of this research is to study the feasibility of application of UASB reactor for the treatment of grey water at low and controlled (30 degree C) temperatures.

The role of turgor in rain-cracking of sweet cherry fruit

Das Projekt "The role of turgor in rain-cracking of sweet cherry fruit" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Leibniz Universität Hannover, Institut für Biologische Produktionssysteme, Fachgebiet Obstbau durchgeführt. Rain-cracking limits the production of many soft and fleshy fruit including sweet cherries world wide. Cracking is thought to result from increased water uptake through surface and pedicel. Water uptake increases fruit volume, and hence, turgor of cells (Pcell) and the pressure inside the fruit (Pfruit) and subjects the skin to tangential stress and hence, strain. When the strain exceeds the limits of extensibility the fruit cracks. This hypothesis is referred to as the Pfruit driven strain cracking. Based on this hypothesis cracking is related to two independent groups of factors: (1) water transport characteristics and (2) the intrinsic cracking susceptibility of the fruit defined as the amount of cracking per unit water uptake. The intrinsic cracking susceptibility thus reflects the mechanical constitution of the fruit. Most studies focussed on water transport through the fruit surface (factors 1), but only little information is available on the mechanical constitution (i.e., Pfruit and Pcell, tensile properties such as fracture strain, fracture pressure and modulus of elasticity of the exocarp; factors 2). The few published estimates of Pfruit in sweet cherry are all obtained indirectly (calculated from fruit water potential and osmotic potentials of juice extracts) and unrealistically high. They exceed those measured by pressure probe techniques in mature grape berry by several orders of magnitude. The objective of the proposed project is to test the hypothesis of the Pfruit driven strain cracking. Initially we will focus on establishing systems of widely differing intrinsic cracking susceptibility by varying species (sweet and sour cherry, Ribes and Vaccinium berries, plum, tomato), genotype (within sweet cherry), stage of development and temperature. These systems will then be used for testing the hypothesis of Pfruit driven strain cracking. We will quantify Pfruit und Pcell by pressure probe techniques and compression tests and the mechanical properties of the exocarp using biaxial tensile tests. When the presence of high Pfruit and Pcell is confirmed by direct measurements, subsequent studies will focus on the mode of failure of the exocarp (fracture along vs. across cell walls) and the relationship between failure thresholds and morphometric characteristics of the exocarp. However, when Pfruit und Pcell are low, the hypothesis of Pfruit driven strain cracking must be rejected and the mechanistic basis for low pressures (presence of apoplastic solutes) clarified on a temporal (in the course of development) and a spatial scale (exocarp vs. mesocarp). We focus on sweet cherry, because detailed information on this species and experience in extending the short harvest period is available. Where appropriate, other cracking susceptible species (sour cherry, plum, Vaccinium, Ribes, tomato) will be included to further extend the experimental period and to maximize the range in intrinsic cracking susceptibility.

Role of geomagnetic field in atmospheric escape from Earth

Das Projekt "Role of geomagnetic field in atmospheric escape from Earth" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft durchgeführt. The geomagnetic field prevents the Earth from having its atmosphere swept away by the solar wind. But due to the partial ionization of the upper atmosphere by the sun's short-wavelength radiation electrodynamic forces can move the charged particles upward, against gravity, along open field lines. Already in the early space age it was recognized that considerable amounts of ionospheric ions populate the magnetosphere. In this study we will investigate the acceleration mechanisms of the up-welling ions at source regions altitude. For the first time the role of the neutral particles in the thermosphere are also included in the considerations. For our studies we will make use of data from the satellites CHAMP (400km), GRACE (500km) and DMSP (830km). The space observations shall be augmented by suitable EISCAT radar measurements. As a result the total rates of the different out-flow regions, polar cap, cusp, and auroral region will be quantified and their dependence on geophysical conditions determined.

Tools for Sustainabiltity Impact Assessment of the Forestry- Wood Chain

Das Projekt "Tools for Sustainabiltity Impact Assessment of the Forestry- Wood Chain" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Hamburg, Department für Biologie, Zentrum Holzwirtschaft des Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut, Bundesforschungsinstitut für Ländliche Räume, Wald und Fischerei durchgeführt. The objective of EFORWOOD is to develop a quantitative decision support tool for Sustainability Impact Assessment of the European Forestry-Wood Chain (FWC) and subsets thereof (e.g. regional), covering forestry, industrial manufacturing, consumption and recycling. The objective will be achieved by:a) defining economic, environmental and social sustainability indicators ,b) developing a tool for Sustainability Impact Assessment by integrating a set of models ,c) supplying the tool with real data, aggregated as needed and appropriate,d) testing the tool in a stepwise procedure allowing adjustments to be made according to the experiences gained,e) applying the tool to assess the sustainability of the present European FWC (and subsets thereof) as well the impacts of potential major changes based on scenarios,f) making the adapted versions of the tool available to stakeholder groupings (industrial, political and others).The multi-functionality of the FWC is taken into account by using indicators to assess the sustainability of production processes and by including in the analysis the various products and services of the FWC. Wide stakeholder consultations will be used throughout the process to reach the objective. EFORWOOD will contribute to EU policies connected to the FWC, especially to the Sustainable Development Strategy. It will provide policy-makers, forest owners, the related industries and other stakeholders with a tool to strengthen the forest-based sector's contribution towards a more sustainable Europe, thereby also improving its competitiveness. To achieve this, EFORWOOD gathers a consortium of highest-class experts, including the most representative forest-based sector confederations.EFORWOOD addresses with a high degree of relevance the objectives set out in the 3rd call for proposals addressing Thematic Sub-priority 1.1.6.3 Global Change and Ecosystems, topic V.2.1. Forestry/wood chain for Sustainable Development. Prime Contractor: Stiftelsen Skogsbrukets Forskningsinstitut, Skogforsk; Uppsala; Sweden.

DOAS Messungen von der NASA Global Hawk während des NASA-ATTREX Projektes

Das Projekt "DOAS Messungen von der NASA Global Hawk während des NASA-ATTREX Projektes" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Heidelberg, Institut für Umweltphysik durchgeführt. The present project addresses differential optical absorption spectrometry (DOAS) measurements in scanning limb geometry from aboard the unmanned high-flying aircraft NASA Global Hawk (GH). The DOAS measurements are made within the NASA sponsored ATTREX (Airborne Tropical TRopopause EXperiment) project, by a 3 channel (UV/vis/nearer) optical spectrometer financed by NASA, but mostly built in Heidelberg. In fall 2011 and winter 2012/13 successful flights were already successfully performed and the DOAS instrument peformed. Within ATTREX three field campaigns are planned to take place in the Western Pacific (from EAFB, GUAM, and Darwin) in the years 2013 to 2014 (Jan./Feb. 2013, Jan./Feb. 2014 and June/July 2014). The field campaigns comprise about 50 GH sorties with 600 flight hours spent air-borne. Major scientific foci of the NASA-ATTREX project are the photochemistry, the microphysics of aerosols and cloud particles, and air mass transport into and within the tropical tropopause layer (TTL). The DOAS measurements aim to measure the vertical profiles in the TTL of ozone relevant species such as O3, HONO, NO2, C2H2O2, CH2O, O4, BrO, OClO, IO, and OIO, and of some microphysical properties aerosols and clouds, i.e., the particle phase function, Mie scattering extinction coefficient, the ice water path (IWP) and probably the ice water content (IWC). Together with complementary observations made by other instruments aboard the GH, the DOAS measurements may serve to particularily provide new insights into (a) the photochemistry of halogen oxides (OClO, BrO and IO) in the TTL, in particular on the contribution of so called halogenated Very Short Lived Species (VSLS) to the budgets of stratospheric halogens, (b) the impact of lightning produced NOx and HOx (NO2, and HONO) and other of radicals (c.f. CH2O, BrO, IO) to the oxidation capacity of air in the outflow region of deep convection, and (c) to the abundance and micro-physical properties of frozen aerosols and cloud particles in the upper tropical troposphere and TTL.

Sustainable use of fruits of Bertholletia excelsa

Das Projekt "Sustainable use of fruits of Bertholletia excelsa" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Hamburg, Arbeitsbereich für Weltforstwirtschaft und Institut für Weltforstwirtschaft des Friedrich-Löffler-Institut, Bundesforschungsinstitut für Tiergesundheit durchgeführt. Objectives: Bertholletia excelsa Humb. and Bonpl. is one of the protected tree species of Amazonia in Brazil although classified as vulnerable acc. to IUCN. It is prohibited to fell trees and use their timber. However, the fruits, commonly known as Brazil nuts, can be harvested for local consumption and export. The objective of the project is to investigate a natural primary forest in Roraima, Brazil and assess the commercial potential for harvesting nuts, with special reference to international sustainability criteria. Although there has been no timber harvest in the forest in the past, nuts have been collected extensively by the local population - mainly for sale on the local markets. These activities were stopped in 2004. The research is closely connected to the natural forest management project. Results: Results are not yet available. However, preliminary data analyses reveal that - there is hardly any correlation between size of mother trees and available regeneration or available fruit mass located on the ground around those trees; - the amount of nuts per tree (approx. greater than 60 cm dbh) is very variable; - regeneration (seedlings and advanced growth) is sparse which makes long-term survival of the species questionable if collection of nuts in continued like in the past.

Aufkommen und Verwertung von Verpackungsabfällen in Deutschland im Jahr 2019

Das Projekt "Aufkommen und Verwertung von Verpackungsabfällen in Deutschland im Jahr 2019" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von GVM Gesellschaft für Verpackungsmarktforschung mbH durchgeführt. Nach der EU-Richtlinie 94/62/EG über Verpackungen und Verpackungsabfälle vom 20.12.1994 in Verbindung mit der Richtlinie 2018/852 vom 30. Mai 2018 sind die EU-Mitgliedstaaten verpflichtet, jährlich über Verbrauch und Verwertung von Verpackungen zu berichten. Der Bericht hat auf der Grundlage der Entscheidung der Kommission vom 22.03.2005 zur Festlegung der Tabellenformate (2005/270/EG), zuletzt geändert durch den Durchführungsbeschluss (EU) 2019/665 vom 17. April 2019, zu erfolgen. Die Studie bestimmt die in Deutschland in Verkehr gebrachte Menge an Verpackungen (Verpackungsverbrauch) für die Materialgruppen Glas, Kunststoff, Papier / Karton, Aluminium, Eisenmetalle, Holz und Sonstige. Zur Verbrauchsberechnung wurden neben der in Deutschland eingesetzten Menge von Verpackungen auch die gefüllten Exporte und die gefüllten Importe ermittelt. Zur Bestimmung der Verwertungsmengen und Verwertungswege wurden die vorliegenden Daten von Verbänden, der Entsorgungswirtschaft und der Umweltstatistik systematisch zusammengetragen und dokumentiert. Der Verpackungsverbrauch zur Entsorgung stieg 2019 im Vergleich zum Vorjahr um 0,2 % bzw. um 47 kt auf 18,91 Mio. Tonnen an. Insgesamt 18,33 Mio. Tonnen Verpackungsabfälle wurden 2019 verwertet, 13,53 Mio. Tonnen stofflich und 4,8 Mio. Tonnen energetisch. Darüber hinaus dokumentiert der Bericht auch die Verbrauchs- und Recyclingmengen nach der Berechnungsmethode des Durchführungsbeschlusses (EU) 2019/665, die für die Meldung an die Europäische Kommission maßgebend sind. Der Verpackungsverbrauch ändert sich im Gesamtergebnis nicht. Die Recyclingmenge reduziert sich im Vergleich zur bisherigen Berechnungsmethode um 1,4 Mio. Tonnen auf 12,1 Mio. Tonnen. Die Menge der energetisch verwerteten Verpackungen erhöht sich um 1,2 Mio. Tonnen auf 6 Mio. Tonnen.

Impact of Landscape Level Land Use Changes with Study Sites in Nicaragua

Das Projekt "Impact of Landscape Level Land Use Changes with Study Sites in Nicaragua" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Göttingen, Burckhardt-Institut, Abteilung Waldinventur und Fernerkundung durchgeführt. The main cause of loss of natural resources in Central America is the advance of the agricultural border (UICN, 2001), demanding more land area to produce the same amount of food, as a consequence of the loss of the productive capacity of the ground and the decrease sources (García 2003), the traditional farming practices as crop in the zones of greater slopes, exaggerated use of agrochemical substances and overpasturing have caused negative impacts on the ecosystems (Córdoba, 2002). At the moment livestock is one of the activities of production that have the biggest share of the regions economy (ILRI, 2004), although at the same time it has been announced one of the main causes of the natural ecosystems transformation, provocing the loss of the agrosystems sustainability (Kaimowitz 1996). Taking into account that the systems of extensive production are coming along with the degradation of natural ressources that exist in the forest, an approach of new technics, that are compatible with livestock production and the conservation of natural ressources become necessary. One of these approaches is the introduction of Silvopastoral technologies (Ibrahim et al. 1999). SilvoPastoral Systems (SPS) constitute an alternative for cattle production, where wooded perennial (trees and/or shrubs) interact with the traditional components (herbaceous covers and animals) under a system of integral handling (Ibrahim, 1996). This is a system of sustainable production that, through transformations that improve the performance in production, generates environmental services when protecting and conserving the sources (Ibrahim et al. 2003). Objectives: Identify land use of SPS by analysing satellite imagery (Lansat TM/ ETM+ and Quickbird). Identify the contribution of SPS to the recovery of forestal coverage and the cabon stock in Nicaragua by the application of GIS (Geographic Informatic Systems). Determine the duration of the carbon fixation in SPS.

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