The 12th Sternfahrt of the ElbeXtreme and MOSES projects took place in 2024 from September 02 to 13, within the area of the German Bight (North Sea). Its objective was to get a more systematic grid of sampling data by spatially integrated onboard sensors. Therefore, the MOSES-laboratory container was installed again. Water samples were taken from the surface with a rosette or via Niskin bottles. The first part of the cruise was conducted by the research vessel (RV) Ludwig Prandtl, starting on the 2nd of September on Heligoland. From there, the crew navigated towards Cuxhaven covering some stations from previous MOSES cruises. For the next days, the ship followed a rectangular track, shifting northward each day, heading towards Heligoland again. Due to strong winds, the sampling stations were reduced to three on the last day. On Heligoland the RV Mya II took over the laboratory container and other sampling equipment for the second part of the cruise. Persistent strong winds delayed the start of the cruise until September 11. Since most of the planned stations were already covered from the RV Ludwig Prandtl, the crew decided to expand the sampling area using a more systematic zig-zag line. With the return of Mya II in the afternoon of the 13th September 2024, the campaign was successfully finished.
Four sediment cores from the Mayschoß floodplain (Ahr) were analysed for grain size, carbonates and soil organic parameters. For this purpose, the freeze-dried samples were sieved (2 mm) to remove large organic matter and the samples were separated into fine (< 2mm) and coarse (> 2 mm) fractions. For the grain size analysis, the fine fraction (< 2 mm), sieved samples (10 g) were left overnight in 35% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The samples were then heated to remove organic matter. In addition, the samples were dispersed by a 10 ml solution of 0.4 N sodium pyrophosphate (Na4P2O7) and ultrasonicated (45 min). The sand fraction was separated by dry sieving (classes: coarse sand: 2000 - 630 µm, medium sand: 630 - 125 µm, find sand: 200 - 125 µm and finest sand: 125 - 63 µm). X-ray granulometry (XRG, SediGraph III 5120, Micromeritics) was used to measure the fine fraction (coarse silt: 63 - 20 µm, medium silt: 20 - 6.3 µm, fine silt: 6.3 - 2.0, coarse clay: 2.0 - 0.6 µm, medium clay: 0.6 - 0.2 and fine clay < 0.2 µm). The coarse fraction was divided into two classes (2-10 mm, > 10 mm) by dry sieving. The roundness of gravels (> 10 mm) was also determined (> 10 mm rounded, > 10 mm sub-rounded, > 10 mm angular). The carbonate content of the fine fraction was determined using the Scheibler method. A pre-test is therefore carried out to determine the sample quantity. The more carbonate is contained, the smaller the required sample quantity. During the measurement, a defined amount of 10 % hydrochloric acid (HCL) is then added to the sample and the outgassing of the resulting CO2 is measured. The amount of HCL can be used to calculate the amount of dissolved calcium carbonate (CaCO3). For further geochemical analysis, the samples were pulverised and homogenised using the Retsch vibrating mill MM 200. The content of total carbon, nitrogen and sulphur of the fine fraction was analysed using the vario EL cube (Elementar). For this purpose, the ground fine soil sample was mixed with tungsten oxide (WO3) in a ratio of 1:3 and wrapped in tin foil for analysis. Due to the higher accuracy, the sulphur values of the X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) were included in the data set. The samples (8 g) were pressed into uniform pills with a carbon-based binder using a Vaneox press at 20 t for 2 min. Elemental analysis was performed in a He atmosphere using a Spectro Xepos energy dispersive XRF spectrometer. The complete XRF dataset including errors, reproducibility and security of the measurement is also available on Pangaea. Finally, the inorganic and organic carbon as well as the C/N and C/S ratios were calculated. The surface elevation was extracted from Brell et al. (2023).
We surveyed dike grasslands of the river Danube in south-east Germany between 2017 and 2021 with 41 plots (25 m²) at 12 sites. The dike grasslands had an age of 4-19 years. The dikes were raised and restored and our main aim was the monitoring of the vegetation development. In this dataset are the measured local site characteristics like soil samples, landscape factors (using GIS) and historical factors (e.g. information from practitioners).
The file contains data from the Marine Carbon System. It gathered parameters from the inorganic carbon and incorporate the organic alkalinity as a main contributor to the sea surface microlayer (SML) compared to the Underlaying Water (ULW). Data was collected during Mesocosm Study from 18-May to 17-July 2024 in the Sea sURface Facility (SURF), Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Wilhelmshaven, Germany. Discrete samples to measure Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (DIC), Total Alkalinity (TA) and Organic Alkalinity (OA) were collected. For SML data, DIC, TA and OA was collected every third day following the glass‑plate technique (Harvey and Burzell, 1972). The ULW data, DIC, TA and OA were collected every day using a suction system to collect the sample from 0.4 m depth. Discrete samples were transported to the laboratory for further analysis; DIC was determined coulometrically (CM5017, UIC, IL, USA), and TA concentration was directly measured by high-precision closed-cell potentiometric titration (916 Ti-Touch, Metrohm, Switzerland). OA concentration was determined directly after TA was measured, using the same sample (from which all carbonate species had been purged), denoted as back titration. The dataset includes quality flags 0-4 with flags 1 and 2 are ready for use. See metadata for more information.
As part of PhytOakmeter platform (www.phytoakmeter.de), soil chemical parameters were determined in 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2022. Soil pH was measured using a glass electrode in a 1:2.5 soil-to-0.01 M CaCl2 suspension after one hour of equilibration. Gravimetric soil moisture was assessed with a fully automated moisture analyzer (DBS60-3, KERN & SOHN GmbH, Balingen, Germany), here defined as soil moisture (MOI). Total nitrogen (TN) and total carbon (TC) contents in the soil were analyzed in triplicate through dry combustion using a Vario elemental analyzer (EL III, Elementar, Hanau, Germany), and the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (TC/TN) was subsequently calculated from these values. To evaluate the potentially bioavailable soil organic carbon and nitrogen for microbial activity, hot water-extractable carbon and nitrogen (HWC and HWN, respectively) were determined following the methods of Ghani et al. (2003) and Schulz et al. (2011). Additionally, the labile organic carbon and nitrogen easily decomposable by soil microorganisms were measured as cold water-extractable carbon (CWC) and nitrogen (CWN) based on procedures described by Zsolnay (1996), Zakharova et al. (2015), and Schmidt et al. (2017). Ammonium and nitrate (NH4±N and NO3—N, respectively) were quantified, with their sum representing the total mineral nitrogen content (Nmin).
This dataset contains species-resolved phytoplankton and microzooplankton abundance and biomass data from the KOSMOS 2023 Helgoland mesocosm experiment conducted in the coastal waters off Helgoland Island in the North Sea, Germany. The experiment investigated the effects of Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE) on plankton communities during the development of a natural spring bloom. Six mesocosms (~6 m³) were subjected to an immediate dilution OAE scenario, establishing an alkalinity enhancement gradient ranging from ΔTA 0 to 1250 µmol kg⁻¹ in increments of 250 µmol kg⁻¹ through calcium-based alkalinity addition. The dataset includes taxonomically resolved phytoplankton and microzooplankton abundance (cells mL⁻¹), carbon biomass (µg C L⁻¹), functional group classifications, and World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) taxonomic identifiers. Associated carbonate chemistry measurements, including total alkalinity (TA), dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), pH, fugacity of carbon dioxide (fCO₂), salinity, temperature, and calculated ΔTA values are provided for each sampling event.
Ocean acidification causes an accumulation of CO2 in marine organisms and leads to shifts in acid-base parameters. Acid-base regulation in gill breathers involves a net increase of internal bicarbonate levels through transmembrane ion exchange with the surrounding water. Successful maintenance of body fluid pH depends on the functional capacity of ion-exchange mechanisms and associated energy budget. For a detailed understanding of the dependence of acid-base regulation on water parameters, we investigated the physiological responses of the shore crab Carcinus maenas to 4 weeks of ocean acidification [OA, P(CO2)w = 1800 µatm], at variable water bicarbonate levels, paralleled by changes in water pH. Cardiovascular performance was determined together with extra-(pHe) and intracellular pH (pHi), oxygen consumption, haemolymph CO2 parameters, and ion composition. High water P(CO2) caused haemolymph P(CO2) to rise, but pHe and pHi remained constant due to increased haemolymph and cellular [HCO3-]. This process was effective even under reduced seawater pH and bicarbonate concentrations. While extracellular cation concentrations increased throughout, anion levels remained constant or decreased. Despite similar levels of haemolymph pH and ion concentrations under OA, metabolic rates, and haemolymph flow were significantly depressed by 40 and 30%, respectively, when OA was combined with reduced seawater [HCO3-] and pH. Our findings suggest an influence of water bicarbonate levels on metabolic rates as well as on correlations between blood flow and pHe. This previously unknown phenomenon should direct attention to pathways of acid-base regulation and their potential feedback on whole-animal energy demand, in relation with changing seawater carbonate parameters.
Salt marshes along the Wadden Sea coast are often shaped by anthropogenic alterations to their hydrology and sedimentation. To investigate the effects of hydrological restoration through summer dike openings on soil carbon storage capacities, soil samples were collected from four study sites along the Lower Saxony Wadden Sea coast, Germany. Each site featured restored areas, i.e., former summer polders reconnected to tidal exchange, and reference salt marshes adjacent to the polders. The polders varied in restoration age, i.e., 0 (control, not restored), 8, 14, and 28 years, forming a chronosequence for temporal analysis, while the reference salt marshes remained unchanged. Soil samples were taken along transects that represented different marsh zones, including pioneer, lower salt marsh, and upper salt marsh. The soil samples covered soil layers down to a depth of 100 cm and were collected in five sections of 20 cm using an Edelman corer. Total carbon, organic carbon, and inorganic carbon were analyzed using CN-elementary analysis and calcimeter methods. This dataset provides valuable insights into the potential of hydrological restoration measures to enhance soil carbon sequestration in salt marshes.
As part of PhytOakmeter platform (www.phytoakmeter.de), soil chemical parameters were determined in 2016, 2020 and 2022. Soil pH was measured using a glass electrode in a 1:2.5 soil-to-0.01 M CaCl2 suspension after one hour of equilibration. Gravimetric soil moisture was assessed with a fully automated moisture analyzer (DBS60-3, KERN & SOHN GmbH, Balingen, Germany), here defined as soil moisture (MOI). Total nitrogen (TN) and total carbon (TC) contents in the soil were analyzed in triplicate through dry combustion using a Vario elemental analyzer (EL III, Elementar, Hanau, Germany), and the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (TC/TN) was subsequently calculated from these values. To evaluate the potentially bioavailable soil organic carbon and nitrogen for microbial activity, hot water-extractable carbon and nitrogen (HWC and HWN, respectively) were determined following the methods of Ghani et al. (2003) and Schulz et al. (2011). Additionally, the labile organic carbon and nitrogen easily decomposable by soil microorganisms were measured as cold water-extractable carbon (CWC) and nitrogen (CWN) based on procedures described by Zsolnay (1996), Zakharova et al. (2015), and Schmidt et al. (2017). Ammonium and nitrate (NH4±N and NO3—N, respectively) were quantified, with their sum representing the total mineral nitrogen content (Nmin).
This dataset provides information on soil chemistry and soil bulk density as part of the Grassworks project, which investigates the restoration of species-rich grasslands in Germany. Grasslands are globally threatened ecosystems, and the project aims to identify factors that contribute to successful restoration, focusing on ecological complexity and stakeholder engagement. Data was collected from 187 grassland sites across three regions in Northern, Central, and Southern Germany, each with distinct socio-economic and ecological characteristics. Sampling occurred between 2022 and 2023 and included 40–41 restored grassland sites and 20–25 reference sites (10–12 positive, 10–13 negative) per region. At each site in March or early April at each vegetation plot per subtransect, we took soil samples (pooled from six soil cores, 20 mm diameter) that were further pooled into one sample per site (24 in total) and analyzed for total soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen content, pH, and soil texture. Additionally, soil bulk density was measured at vegetation plots per site, to enable future assessment of carbon sequestration over time. Soil and bulk density samples were taken at two depths: 0–10 and 10–30 cm.
| Organisation | Count |
|---|---|
| Bund | 170 |
| Europa | 3 |
| Land | 441 |
| Weitere | 4 |
| Wirtschaft | 1 |
| Wissenschaft | 174 |
| Zivilgesellschaft | 4 |
| Type | Count |
|---|---|
| Daten und Messstellen | 565 |
| Förderprogramm | 140 |
| Text | 10 |
| Umweltprüfung | 1 |
| unbekannt | 7 |
| License | Count |
|---|---|
| Geschlossen | 455 |
| Offen | 263 |
| Unbekannt | 5 |
| Language | Count |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | 561 |
| Englisch | 186 |
| Resource type | Count |
|---|---|
| Archiv | 13 |
| Datei | 131 |
| Dokument | 10 |
| Keine | 538 |
| Unbekannt | 1 |
| Webseite | 53 |
| Topic | Count |
|---|---|
| Boden | 238 |
| Lebewesen und Lebensräume | 694 |
| Luft | 620 |
| Mensch und Umwelt | 723 |
| Wasser | 639 |
| Weitere | 723 |