Am 29. Juli 2014 fing ein Fischer einen Unechten Bonito (Auxis Rochei) in der Ostsee bei Kiel. Laut Fischereibiologen Uwe Krumme, Thünen-Institut für Ostseefischerei in Rostock, wurde diese Art das erste Mal als Irrgast in der Ostsee nachgewiesen. Normalerweise kommt der Unechte Bonito oder Makrelenthun in warmen Gewässern vor. Der Wissenschaftler hatte den Fisch anhand von Fotos identifiziert. Vermutlich ist er mit einer Warmwasserblase über die Nordsee in die Ostsee gelangt.
Das Projekt "Pasture rehabilitation on, and management of degraded areas in the Andes of South Ecuador" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Bayreuth, Fachgruppe Biologie, Bayreuther Zentrum für Ökologie und Umweltforschung (BayCEER), Lehrstuhl für Pflanzenphysiologie durchgeführt. Project abstract: This knowledge transfer project will be centered in the San Francisco valley in the South Ecuadorian Andes. However, the problem of abandoning pastures because of heavy infestation by weeds, in particular by bracken fern (Pteridium spec.), is a general issue in the tropical Andes. Pastures which have been abandoned for that reason amount meanwhile to 11Prozent of the area of the San Francisco valley. Infestation by bracken fern and shrubs is a consequence of the traditional use of fire for clearing of the natural forest and pasture management. Growth of both, bracken and woody weeds, is fostered by recurrent burning. In a 2-phase experiment on a heavily bracken-infested slope at c. 2000 m altitude, substantial control of the weed and subsequent pasture rehabilitation could be achieved. In the planned project, this procedure shall be scaled-up to farm level and the altitudinal range of repasturisation shall be extended from 1000 m to 2400 m altitude. To that end local farmers will put respective parts of their land to the projects disposal and public authorities will provide man-power. There are several challenges to be met: (i) Long-term bracken infestation has depleted the soils from nutrients, in particular P and N. Therefore targeted fertilization is needed for profitable grass productivity. (ii) Since bracken can never be completely eradicated, its regrowth must be suppressed by trampling, i.e. frequent grazing. A sustainable grazing management has to be developed which corresponds to soil fertility. (iii) The dominating pasture grass is the C4-type grass Setaria sphacelata. It is growing well in a warm climate but its competitive strength in the harsher climate above 2000 m is low. Bracken as a C3-type plant is less dependent on the temperature. To this adds that it occurs in 2 species in the area, one of which is an upland type. Thus the climate gradient over the elevational transect will influence the competitive strength of both competitors. Therefore the suitability of the traditional monoculture of this grass species for pasture rehabilitation shall be tested in the context of a comprehensive pasture management experiment which the farmers will be involved. (iv) A special problem is the high oxalate concentration in the growing parts of the Setaria leaves which can cause calcaemia in cattle. In a pot experiment which will be run in collaboration with a research team of the UTPL, feeding quality and toxicity of a monotonous diet of Setaria will be tested. Beside the experimental areas, demonstration sites will be installed where regular training workshops will be organized to encourage the farmers to apply the developed rehabilitation and management strategy to their own farms.
Das Projekt "Sub project: Communication and services for the research group 'Reactions in porous media'" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Tübingen, Zentrum für Angewandte Geowissenschaften, Arbeitsgruppe Hydrogeochemie durchgeführt. In order to maintain coherence and establish good collaboration within the research group TP Z has the task to coordinate communication of the partners, establish contact points for outside communication (web page etc.) and the DFG, organize seminars (including invitation of lecturers), provide and distributes funds for guest researchers (travel etc.) and administrate central services available for all participants of the project.
Das Projekt "DFG Priority Program (Schwerpunktprogramm) SPP-1362 Porous metal-organic frameworks" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Technische Universität Dresden, Fachrichtung Chemie und Lebensmittelchemie, Professur für Anorganische Chemie 1 durchgeführt. The priority program concentrates on the synthesis, the physical properties and the specific integration of functionality into Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs), a new class of porous materials surpassing significantly the adsorption capacity of established materials such as activated carbons and zeolites. They are characterized by a modular construction principle allowing for a rational design of custom made pore systems. Using suitable building blocks, the integration of specific interactions for molecules inside the framework shall be realized for the storage, sensing, transformation, or separation of molecular species inside MOFs. In this way, new materials for energy storage (for example hydrogen or methane) will be constructed. For sensor materials, a change of physical properties should be used for the detection of molecules. For the chemical transformation, materials are important, having specific active catalytic sites in the framework or the pores. In all cases, the focus is to achieve a basic understanding of the interactions of the framework and the adsorbed or reacting molecules. In this context, the experimental determination of the preferred adsorption sites and the dynamics of molecules inside the pore system are crucial. For this purpose, also modeling using modern theoretic methods is needed. In order to enhance the interdisciplinary exchange between chemists, materials scientists, physicists and engineers, generally only such projects will be funded, providing a synergistic cooperation of two or three PIs with different expertise in the following areas of competence: - Synthesis, structure, and reactivity of MOFs - Physical characterization of molecular interactions and dynamics - Theoretic description, simulation, and modeling - Systems and functions. In the program, the modular construction principles of MOFs are used in a rational way for the design of porous frameworks, with functions defined by the constituting building blocks. For the analysis of adsorption, diffusion, and the reaction of guests inside MOFs, structural changes of the molecules and dynamic processes in the frameworks are monitored. Energetic states of molecules inside MOFs and their dynamics are simulated using theoretic quantum chemical calculations and MD-methods for the interpretation of analytic methods and the prediction of functions. An important issue is the application and development of spectroscopic and diffraction methods for the in situ analysis. In this way, formation mechanisms of MOFs, molecular binding sites and catalytic mechanisms in the frameworks are illuminated. By testing the functionality of MOFs, the priority program evaluates the potential of porous Metal-Organic Frameworks in the areas of storage, recognition, separation, or catalytic transformation of molecules.
Das Projekt "Teilvorhaben: Universität Stuttgart; GuEST" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Stuttgart, Zentrum für Interdisziplinäre Risiko- und Innovationsforschung durchgeführt. ZIRIUS wird in diesem Projekt die sozialwissenschaftliche Aspekte bearbeiten und vor allem die Befragung der Taxifahrer und der Fahrgäste übernehmen sowie das Schulungs- und Informationsmaterial nach dem Stand des Wissens gemeinsam mit den Partnern erstellen und empirisch evaluieren. Ziel der sozialwissenschaftlichen Arbeiten ist die Überprüfung der Motivation und der Überzeugungskraft der teilnehmenden Personen, die Erfahrung mit dem Elektrotaxi als Impuls und Ansporn für eine weitere Verbreitung der Elektromobilität zu sehen. Im einzelnen umfasst der Arbeitssauftrag an ZIRIUS folgende Aufgaben: Befragung von ausgewählten Taxifahrern(TF) über Präferenzen und Besorgnisse im Hinblick auf das Projekt:- Rückkopplung an die techn. Partner über die Wünsche der TF zur Gestaltung und Modifikation der Ausgangsbedingungen - Festlegung der techn. Hilfsmittel zur Datenerfassung - Erarbeitung von Instrumenten zur Erfahrungsermittlung für TF und Fahrgäste (FG) - Pre-test der entwickelten Instrumente bei eine Auswahl an TF und Nutzern mit Hilfe von 2 Fokusgruppen TF, FG) - Testfahrten mit den TF zur Optimierung der Erhebungsinstrumente.- Erstellung der konkreten Fragenbögen für TF und FG- Auswertung Befragungsergebnisse- Test von Infomaterial und von Kommunikationsangeboten.- Durchführung einer Fokusgruppe mit FG sowie mit Nicht-TF: Eindrücke, Bewertungen, Einfluss auf das eigene Handeln (z.B. Wahl eines neuen PKWs).- Mitwirkung Evaluation des Trainingsprogramms - Mitwirkung am Endbericht.
Das Projekt "From Innovation to Common-use (NBS2017)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Ministry of the Environment Estonia durchgeführt.
Das Projekt "Drought induced leaf protein alterations in wheat (DILPA)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Bern, Departement Biologie, Institut für Pflanzenwissenschaften durchgeführt. Climate models predict more frequent and more severe extreme events in Europe during the next decades. The potential impact of extended drought periods on agricultural production represents a key aspect in this context. Drought causes metabolic changes in cereals related to protein metabolism (alterations in protein synthesis and adaptation of the protein pattern, protein degradation). The relation of these changes to yield quantity and quality is not yet well understood. Plant exposure to various environmental stresses often leads to the synthesis of stress-inducible proteins with chaperonine functions, dehydrins or proteases. The relationship among the stress-inducible proteins is very important for the survival of plants during drought stress and for the subsequent recovery phase. One of the major signals to be considered during drought stress is the plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA). Drought triggers the production of ABA which induces various genes involved in a signaling cascade for the regulation of downstream biochemical protective mechanisms. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a widely cultivated crop plant with high sensitivity to water deprivation. In view of this, it is important for agricultural practice to understand the relation between the stress-inducible proteins and the growth of wheat varieties differing in their drought sensitivity. The comparison of selected wheat genotypes may be relevant for basic research on one hand (identification of mechanisms and of potentials in wheat lines differing in their drought tolerance) and may be relevant for agronomy on the other hand (selection of wheat lines for agronomic use in a changing climate). A team from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (leader: Professor Klimentina Demirevska-Kepova) and a team from the Institute of Plant Sciences of the University of Bern (leader: Prof. Urs Feller) will collaborate in this project. Successful interactions between the two institutions started several years ago. Initially the contacts were restricted to correspondence and the exchange of reprints. In 2002 a direct collaboration started, when Prof. Klimentina Demirevska-Kepova was as a guest researcher for three months at the Institute of Plant Sciences of the University of Bern. Antibodies previously raised by her team in Bulgaria were helpful tools for the joint experiments. This project will allow to intensify the interactions between the two institutions and to involve more scientists from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in this collaboration.
Gaedike & Heinicke (1999) teilen einen Einzelfund 1997 aus Leverkusen (Nordrhein-Westfalen) mit (nach Kinkler, AG Rheinisch-Westfälische Lepidopterologen); dabei handelt es sich um eine sehr unwahrscheinliche Angabe (Irrgast?), möglicherweise liegt auch eine Verwechselung vor.
Das Projekt "Regionalökonomische Effekte des naturnahen Tourismus im Schweizer Wald (RENaTour/Wald)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Stadt Winterthur, Umwelt- und Gesundheitsschutz durchgeführt. The research project aims to assess the regional economic impact of nature-based tourism in Swiss forests and to identify possibilities for enhancing the added value. The research strategy was to analyse both demand and supply of tourism products and to identify future trends in the research area, Simmental/Diemtigtal in the Bernese Oberland. To analyse the tourism demand, a value-added survey was conducted to examine the guests' expenditure attitude. The main results of the demand-side analysis are that the regional economic impact of nature-based leisure activities is much higher during the winter season than in summer. The expenditures in the winter season are higher than in summer because more money is spent on cable-cars and retail sales. Moreover the amount of visitors' spending is to a great extent determined by category and price of the chosen ac-commodation. In the supply-side analysis, the generated value-added impact of nature-based pack-age tours was estimated by implementing a semi-standardised telephone survey. The main results of the supply-side analysis are that the proportion of visitors booking an organised outdoor/trekking tour is comparatively low and that the tours are often simple day-offers. The overall economic im-pact of these tours is relatively small due to the high proportion of day-trippers. A brief analysis of the outdoor-equipment business made it possible to assess the relevance of this market with regard to nature-based tourism activities. The results of the equipment branch-analysis suggest that the expenditures for equipment and sporting goods are significantly higher than the direct spending while in the region. A Delphi-survey conducted with selected experts aimed to identify success fac-tors for nature-based tourism supply. The Delphi-survey predicts that the demand for nature-based tourism activities will continue to rise in the mid-term. Possibilities to generate added value can be enhanced through the development of the tourist supply-chain by implementing attractive accom-modation, gastronomy and services.
Das Projekt "Wie sanft ist der sanfte Tourismus zu subalpin-alpinen Rasengesellschaften?" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, Institut für Botanik durchgeführt. Die Auswirkungen von Betritt auf Almvegetation wurden in 4 Gebieten (zwei über Kalk, zwei über Silikatgestein) in den österreichischen Alpen untersucht. Artenzusammensetzung, vertikale und horizontale Struktur und Biomasse sowie Diasporengesellschaften gestörter und ungestörter angrenzender Vegetation wurden erhoben. Trittresistente Arten wie Poa supina sind in gestörter Vegetation häufiger als in ungestörter, sie können unter Betritt reproduzieren und in der Diasporenbank über 20.000 Samen/m lagern. Einige Arten,z.B. Deschampsia cespitosa, zeigen kaum negative Auswirkungen auf Häufigkeit und Diasporenbank, aber Wachstum und Biomasse der Triebe sind reduziert; die meisten Arten jedoch, darunter einige seltene und bedrohte Taxa der Ostalpen, können auf gestörten Stellen nicht keimen oder sich etablieren. Auch die Diasporenbanken der meisten Arten dürften nicht ausreichen für eine selbsttätige Regeneration der Pflanzendecke.