Das Projekt "Development of a Bayesian estimator for non-stationary Markov transition probabilities and its application to EU farm structural change" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Bonn, Institut für Lebensmittel- und Ressourcenökonomik (ILR), Professur Wirtschafts- und Agrarpolitik durchgeführt. The agricultural sector has experienced substantial structural changes in the past and faces continuing adjustments in the future. The implications of structural change are not only relevant for the sector itself but have broader social, economic and environmental consequences for a region. An understanding of this process is required in order to assess how (agricultural-) policy affects or, if a specific social outcome is desired, can influence this development. A common approach to gain understanding of the process is to model structural change as a Markov process. One problem in the analysis of structural change in the EU is that farm level (micro) data is rarely available such that inference about behaviour of individual farms has to be derived from aggregated (macro) data. Recently, the generalized cross entropy estimator gained popularity in this context since it allows considering prior information such that the often underdetermined 'macro data' Markov models can be estimated. However, the way prior information is considered is also the greatest drawback of the approach. Therefore, the project aims to develop a Bayesian framework as an alternative estimator that allows to consider prior information in a more efficient and transparent way. The project will further provide an evaluation of the statistical properties of the estimator as well as an exemplifying application analyzing the effects of single farm payments on agricultural structural change in the EU.
Das Projekt "Human influences on forests in southern Ethiopia: the case of Shashemane-Munessa-forest" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Bayreuth, Fachgruppe Biologie, Bayreuther Zentrum für Ökologie und Umweltforschung (BayCEER), Lehrstuhl für Pflanzenökologie durchgeführt. Especially during the last decades, the natural forests of Ethiopia have been heavily disturbed by human activities. Some forests have been totally cleared and converted into fields for agricultural use, other suffered from different influences, such as heavy grazing and selective logging. The ongoing research in the Shashemane-Munessa-study area (Gu 406/8-1,2) showed clearly that, in spite of interdiction and control, forests continue to be cleared and degraded. However, it is not yet sufficiently known, how and why these processes are still going on. Growing population pressure and economic constraints for the people living in and around the forests contribute to the actual situation but allow no final answers to the complex situation. Concerning a sustainable management of the forests there is to no solid basis for recommendations from the socioeconomic and socio-cultural view. Therefore, a comprehensive analysis of the traditional needs and forms of forest use, including all forest products, is necessary. The objective of this project is, to achieve this basis by carrying out intensive field observations, the consultation of aerial photographs, satellite imagery and above all semi-structured interviews with the population in the study area in order to contribute to the recommendations for a sustainable use of the Munessa Shasemane forests.
Das Projekt "Evolution of geomagnetic dipole moment and South Atlantic Anomaly" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Helmholtz-Zentrum Potsdam Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum durchgeführt. The geomagnetic field shields our habitat against solar wind and radiation from space. Due to the geometry of the field, the shielding in general is weakest at high latitudes. It is also anomalously weak in a region around the south Atlantic known as South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA), and the global dipole moment has been decreasing by nearly 10 percent since direct measurements of field intensity became possible in 1832. Due to our limited understanding of the geodynamo processes in Earths core, it is impossible to reliably predict the future evolution of both dipole moment and SAA over the coming decades. However, lack of magnetic field shielding as would be a consequence of further weakening of dipole moment and SAA region field intensity would cause increasing problems for modern technology, in particular satellites, which are vulnerable to radiation damage. A better understanding of the underlying processes is required to estimate the future development of magnetic field characteristics. The study of the past evolution of such characteristics based on historical, archeo- and paleomagnetic data, on time-scales of centuries to millennia, is essential to detect any recurrences and periodicities and provide new insights in dynamo processes in comparison to or in combination with numerical dynamo simulations. We propose to develop two new global spherical harmonic geomagnetic field models, spanning 1 and 10 kyrs, respectively, and designed in particular to study how long the uninterrupted decay of the dipole moment has been going on prior to 1832, and if the SAA is a recurring structure of the field.We will combine for the first time all available historical and archeomagnetic data, both directions and intensities, in a spherical harmonic model spanning the past 1000 years. Existing modelling methods will be adapted accordingly, and existing data bases will be complemented with newly published data. We will further acquire some new archeomagnetic data from the Cape Verde islands from historical times to better constrain the early evolution of the present-day SAA. In order to study the long-term field evolution and possible recurrences of similar weak field structures in this region, we will produce new paleomagnetic records from available marine sediment cores off the coasts of West Africa, Brazil and Chile. This region is weakly constrained in previous millennial scale models. Apart from our main aim to gain better insights into the previous evolution of dipole moment and SAA, the models will be used to study relations between dipole and non-dipole field contributions, hemispheric symmetries and large-scale flux patterns at the core-mantle boundary. These observational findings will provide new insights into geodynamo processes when compared with numerical dynamo simulation results.Moreover, the models can be used to estimate past geomagnetic shielding above Earths surface against solar wind and for nuclide production from galactic cosmic rays.
Das Projekt "Carbon acquisition during pathogenic development of Ustilago maydis and Colletotrichum graminicola" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT), Institut für Toxikologie und Genetik (ITG) durchgeführt. The biotrophic fungus Ustilago maydis infects corn and induces the formation of tumors. In order for the fungus to proliferate in the infected tissue, U. maydis has to redirect the metabolism of the host to the site of infection. We wish to elucidate how this is accomplished. To this end we will perform transcript profiling during the time course of infection for both, the fungus and the maize plant. This will be complemented by metabolome analysis of different tissues during infection as well as by apoplastic fluid analysis. The goals will be to identify the carbon sources taken up by the fungus during biotrophic growth, to identify the transporters required for uptake, determine their specificity and elucidate how these carbon sources are provided by the plant. Fungal mutants affected in discrete stages of pathogenic development will be included in these studies. Likely candidate genes for carbon uptake/supply as well as for redirecting host metabolism will be functionally characterized by generating knockouts in the fungus and by isolating plants carrying mutations in respective genes or by generating transgenic plants expressing RNAi constructs.
Das Projekt "Wirtschaftlichkeitsuntersuchung zur Fortschreibung des EnEV-Erlasses bezüglich der energetischen Vorbildfunktion von neu zu errichtenden Bundesbauten" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Institut Wohnen und Umwelt GmbH durchgeführt. Seit Juni 2014 ist der aktuelle Erlass zur 'Energetischen Vorbildfunktion von Bundesbauten' in Kraft. Darin werden Vorgaben für den Bundesbau zur Unterschreitung der Anforderungen aus der Energieeinsparverordnung 2013 gemacht. Mit Inkrafttreten der novellierten EnEV-Anforderungen am 1. Januar 2016 erhöhen sich die Anforderungen für neu zu errichtende Nichtwohngebäude. Will der Bund weiterhin seine Vorbildfunktion wahrnehmen, muss der EnEV-Erlass sinnvoll fortgeschrieben werden. Im Forschungsprojekt sollen dazu die Grundlagen erarbeitet werden. Ausgangslage: Seit Juni 2014 ist der aktuelle Erlass zur 'Energetischen Vorbildfunktion von Bundesbauten' (BI3-8133.2/3) in Kraft. Darin werden Vorgaben für den Bundesbau zur Unterschreitung der Anforderungen aus der Energieeinsparverordnung 2013 (EnEV 2013) gemacht. Mit dem Inkrafttreten der novellierten EnEV-Anforderungen am 1. Januar 2016 erhöhen sich die Anforderungen für neu zu errichtende Nichtwohngebäude. Will der Bund weiterhin seine Vorbildfunktion wahrnehmen, muss der EnEV-Erlass sinnvoll fortgeschrieben werden. Ziel: Bei der Fortschreibung des EnEV-Erlasses sind Anforderungen an die energetische Qualität von neu zu errichtenden Bundesbauten zu formulieren, die über die Anforderungen der EnEV 2016 hinausgehen. Auch im Zusammenhang mit der Anpassung und Weiterentwicklung des Bewertungssystems Nachhaltiges Bauen (BNB) ergeben sich Erfordernisse. Es muss auch hier überprüft werden, welche energetischen Ziele einerseits formuliert und andererseits mit angemessenem Aufwand realisiert werden können. Im Forschungsprojekt sollen dazu die Grundlagen erarbeitet werden, indem Wirtschaftlichkeitsuntersuchungen an geeigneten Referenzgebäuden durchgeführt werden.
Das Projekt "Mineral magnetism of shocked ferrimagnetic minerals" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT), Institut für Angewandte Geowissenschaften, Abteilung Strukturgeologie & Tektonik durchgeführt. Magnetic properties of ferrimagnetic minerals depend on their crystal lattice, anisotropy, chemical composition and grain size. The latter parameter is strongly controlled by microstructures, which are significant for the interpretation of the magnetic properties of shocked magnetic minerals. Fracturing and lattice defects are the main causes for magnetic domain size reduction and generate an increase in coercivity and the suppression of magnetic transitions (e.g. 34 K transition in pyrrhotite, Verwey transition in magnetite).Especially for an adequate investigation of shock-induced modifications in ferromagnetic minerals, a combination of microstructural and magnetic measurements is therefore essential.This project focusses on two significant aspects of extreme conditions - the consequence of shock waves on natural material on Earth and on the magnetic mineralogy of exotic magnetic minerals in iron meteorites. In order to obtain general correlations between deformation structures and magnetic properties, the specific magnetic properties and carriers as well as microstructures of samples from two impact structures in marine targets (Lockne and Chesapeake Bay) will be compared with shocked magnetite ore and magnetite-bearing target lithologies from outside the crater (Lockne) as well as from undeformed megablocks within the crater (Chesapeake Bay). We will test the hypothesis if shock-related microstructures and associated magnetic properties can significantly be overprinted by postshock hydrothermal alteration. We especially want to focus on the Verwey transition (TV) as lower TVs are described for shocked impact lithologies. Hence, the main focus of this study lies on magneto-mineralogical investigations which combine low- and high-temperature magnetic susceptibility and saturation isothermal remanent magnetization with mineralogical and microstructural investigations. The same methods will then be used for the investigation of iron meteorites, whose magnetic properties are often controled by exotic magnetic minerals like cohenite, schreibersite and daubreelite in addition to the metal phases. Magnetic transition temperatures of those phases are poorly documented in relation to their chemical composition as well as to their crystallographic and microstructural configuration. For a general understanding of shock-related magnetization processes in extraterrestrial and terrestrial material, however, it is crucial to obtain a general correlation between the initial 'unshocked' state and the subsequent shock- and alteration-related overprints.
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.
Das Projekt "Überquerung der magmatisch-hydrothermalen Grenzschicht innerhalb lagerstättenbildender Systeme mit numerischen Modellen" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Helmholtz-Zentrum Potsdam Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum durchgeführt. Zukünftige Explorationen für metallische Ressourcen werden auf größere Tiefen und untermeerische Bereiche abzielen, was kostspielig und technisch herausfordernd ist. Für diese Entwicklung benötigen wir belastbare Vorhersagemodelle, welche die entscheidenden Prozesse innerhalb ganzer lagerstättenbildender Systeme abbilden können. Magmatisch-hydrothermale Lagerstätten bilden unsere größten Ressourcen für Cu, Mo, Sn und W und entstehen durch Fluidentmischung aus magmatischen Intrusionen in ein Hydrothermalsystem im Umgebungsgestein. Das Potential, riesige ('world-class') Lagerstätten bilden zu können, hängt wesentlich von Fluidflüssen über diese magmatisch-hydrothermale Grenzschicht hinweg ab, welche jedoch die größte Unbekannte in unserem derzeitigen Verständnis dieser Lagerstätten darstellten und bislang in numerischen Simulationen lediglich parameterisiert werden können. Um diese Grenzprozesse abbilden zu können, benötigt es einen fundamental neuen Modellieransatz mit einem Kontinuum, das über die Tiefenbereiche von Hydrothermalsystemen hinaus reicht und die Lücke zwischen Fluidfluss und Magmadynamik überbrückt. Das Projekt CROWN wird neue Wege beschreiten, indem es eine konsistente Formulierung für Fluidgenese und -transport in einem gekoppelten Modell für viskoses Fliessen gemäß der Navier-Stokes-Gleichungen und poröses Fliessen nach dem Darcy Gesetz entwickelt. Außerdem, und sehr wichtig für die geologische Realitätsnähe, simuliert das Modell dynamische Permeabitätsänderungen und fokussiertes Fliessen entlang von Störungsbahnen. Die Simulationen richten sich an konzeptuellen Modellen aus der Literatur aus - darunter auch neue eigene Arbeit. Der Projektantrag hebt auch angedachte direkte Zusammenarbeiten mit anderen Projekten, die sich mit magmatisch-hydrothermalen Lagerstätten beschäftigen und für das DOME SPP beantragt wurden, hervor. Das Thema hat auch Verbindungen zu anderen SPP-Anträgen, welche sich mit Laborexperimenten beschäftigen, was noch weitere Möglichkeiten zur Zusammenarbeit eröffnet.
Das Projekt "Spatial heterogeneity and substrate availability as limiting factors for subsoil C-turnover" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Bochum, Geographisches Institut durchgeführt. In subsoils, organic matter (SOM) concentrations and microbial densities are much lower than in topsoils and most likely highly heterogeneously distributed. We therefore hypothesize, that the spatial separation between consumers (microorganisms) and their substrates (SOM) is an important limiting factor for carbon turnover in subsoils. Further, we expect microbial activity to occur mainly in few hot spots, such as the rhizosphere or flow paths where fresh substrate inputs are rapidly mineralized. In a first step, the spatial distribution of enzyme and microbial activities in top- and subsoils will be determined in order to identify hot spots and relate this to apparent 14C age, SOM composition, microbial community composition and soil properties, as determined by the other projects within the research unit. In a further step it will be determined, if microbial activity and SOM turnover is limited by substrate availability in spatially distinct soil microsites. By relating this data to root distribution and preferential flow paths we will contribute to the understanding of stabilizing and destabilizing processes of subsoil organic matter. As it is unclear, at which spatial scale these differentiating processes are effective, the analysis of spatial variability will cover the dm to the mm scale. As spatial segregation between consumers and substrates will depend on the pore and aggregate architecture of the soil, the role of the physical integrity of these structures on SOM turnover will also be investigated in laboratory experiments.
Das Projekt "Abundance, activity and interreation of phototrophic and chemotrophic microbial iron oxidation in freshwater sediments" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Tübingen, Zentrum für Angewandte Geowissenschaften (ZAG), Arbeitsgruppe Geomikrobiologie durchgeführt. In freshwater sediments, iron oxidation is dominated by phototrophic and chemotrophic (aerobic and nitrate-reducing) Fe(ll)-oxidizing microorganisms. Although these biogeochemical processes have been investigated in detail in laboratory studies, not much is known about their spatial distribution, interactions (e.g. competition) amongst each other, as well as their response towards environmental perturbations (i.e. temperature, geochemical variations (nutrient, organic matter input)). This research proposal aims to investigate the activity, abundance and resource competition between different chemotrophic (aerobic and (autotrophic/mixotrophic) anaerobic nitrate-reducing) and phototrophic ironoxidizing microorganisms. In order to better understand the spatial distribution of nitrate-reducing iron oxidizing bacteria, microbial nitrate-producing and competing, nitrate-depletion processes will also be studied throughout the sedimentary redox gradient. In addition, the activity and abundance of the ironoxidizing processes will be quantified with (geo)microbiological, molecular and novel spectral imaging techniques. Using high resolution geochemical measurements (microsensors) we will characterize the environmental conditions these bacteria experience in order to determine the role of spatial and functional niche competition in microbial iron oxidation and the interconnection to the N-cycle. Iron mineral formation will be investigated as a function of the microbial spatial and temporal activity, depending on environmental perturbations. The proposed research study will strongly improve the understanding of iron cycling, the interconnection to the N-cycle, as well as interactions and competition between phototrophic and chemotrophic metabolisms in aquatic environments.
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