Das Projekt "Analysis of dairy production systems differentiated by location" wird/wurde gefördert durch: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Universität Bonn, Institut für Lebensmittel- und Ressourcenökonomik (ILR), Professur Wirtschafts- und Agrarpolitik.Dairy farming across Germany displays diverse production systems. Factor endowment, management, technology adoption as well as competitive dynamics in the local or regional land, agribusiness and dairy processing sectors contribute to this differentiation on farm level. These differences impact on the ability of dairy farms and regional dairy production systems to successfully respond to pressures arising from future market and policy changes. The overall objective of the research activities of which this project is a part of, is to develop a thorough understanding of the processes that govern the spatial dynamics of dairy farm development in different regions in Germany. The central hypothesis of this research project is that management system and technological choices differ systematically across local production and market conditions. The empirical approach will focus on the estimation of farm specific nonparametric cost functions for dairy farms located in across Germany differentiated by time and location. A spatially differentiated data base with information on input use, resource availability, as well as local market conditions for land and output markets will be compiled. The nonparametric approach is specifically suited to disclose a more accurate representation of dairy production system heterogeneity across locations and time compared to parametric concepts as it provides the necessary flexibility to accommodate non-linearities relevant for a wide domain of explanatory variables. The methodology employed goes beyond the state of the art of the literature as it combines kernel density estimation with a Bayesian sampling approach to provide theory consistent parameters for each farm in the data sample.The specific methodological hypothesis is that the nonparametric approach is superior to current parametric techniques and this hypothesis is tested using statistical model evaluation. Regarding the farm management and technological choices, we hypothesize that land suitability for feed production determines the farm intensity of dairy production and thus management and technological choices. With respect to the ability of farms to successfully respond to market pressures we hypothesize that farms at the upper and lower tail of the intensity distribution both can generate positive returns from dairy production. These last two hypotheses will be tested using the estimated spatially differentiated farm specific costs and marginal costs.The expected outcomes are of relevance for the agricultural sector and the food supply chain economy as a whole as fundamental market structure changes in the dairy sector are ongoing due to the abolition of the quota regulation in the years 2014/2015. Thus, exact knowledge about differences and development of dairy cost heterogeneity of farms within and between regions are an important factor for the actors involved in the market as well as the political support of this process.
Das Fachinformationssystem Boden (FISBO) ist Bestandteil des übergeordneten Bodeninformationssystems. Die Hauptfunktion besteht in der Datensammlung, -pflege und -auswertung. Profil-, Horizont- und Labordaten werden in Datenbanken verwaltet.
Das Projekt "International Collaboration in Chemistry: First Principles Multi-Lattice Kinetic Monte Carlo Simulations of NOx Storage Reduction Catalysts" wird/wurde gefördert durch: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Technische Universität München, Fakultät für Chemie, Lehrstuhl für Theoretische Chemie.The broad objective of the research is to gain a fundamental understanding of the surface reaction chemistry of exhaust catalysts operating under cycling conditions. Using an integrated theoretical approach we specifically target NOx abatement, with particular emphasis on the appearance and destruction of surface oxide phases as the reactor conditions cycle from oxidative to reductive during the operation of the NOx Storage Reduction (NSR) catalyst system. Methodologically this requires material-specific, quantitative and explicitly time-dependent simulation tools that can follow the evolution of the system over the macroscopic time-scales of NSR cycles, while simultaneously accounting for the atomic-scale site heterogeneity and spatial distributions at the evolving surface. To meet these challenging demands we will develop a novel multi-scale methodology relying on a multi-lattice first-principles kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) approach. As representative example the simulations will be carried out on a PdO(101)/Pd(100) surface oxide model, but care will be taken to ensure a generalization of the multi-lattice first-principles kMC approach to other systems in which phase transformations may occur and result in a change in the surface lattice structure depending upon environmental variables.
Das Projekt "Between Path Dependence and Path Creation: The Impact of Farmers' Behavior and Policies on Structural Change in Agriculture" wird/wurde gefördert durch: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Leibniz-Institut für Agrarentwicklung in Mittel- und Osteuropa.Farm structures are often characterized by regional heterogeneity, agglomeration effects, sub-optimal farm sizes and income disparities. The main objective of this study is to analyze whether this is a result of path dependent structural change, what the determinants of path dependence are, and how it may be overcome. The focus is on the German dairy sector which has been highly regulated and subsidized in the past and faces severe structural deficits. The future of this sector in the process of an ongoing liberalization will be analyzed by applying theoretical concepts of path dependence and path breaking. In these regards, key issues are the actual situation, technological and market trends as well as agricultural policies. The methodology will be based on a participative use of the agent-based model AgriPoliS and participatory laboratory experiments. On the one hand, AgriPoliS will be tested as a tool for stakeholder oriented analysis of mechanisms, trends and policy effects. This part aims to analyze whether and how path dependence of structural change can be overcome on a sector level. In a second part, AgriPoliS will be extended such that human players (farmers, students) can take over the role of agents in the model. This part aims to compare human agents with computer agents in order to overcome single farm path dependence.
Das Projekt "Non-destructive characterization and monitoring of root structure and function at the rhizotron and field scale using spectral electrical impedance tomography (ImpTom)" wird/wurde gefördert durch: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, Departement Agrar- und Lebensmittelwissenschaften, Institut für Nutztierwissenschaften, Gruppe Physiologie und Tierhaltung.This subproject aims at the development of spectral electrical impedance tomography (EIT) as a non-destructive tool for the imaging, characterization and monitoring of root structure and function in the subsoil at the field scale. The approach takes advantage of the capacitive properties of the soil-root interface associated with induced electrical polarization processes at the root membrane. These give rise to a characteristic electrical signature (impedance spectrum), which is measurable in an imaging framework using EIT. In the first project phase, the methodology is developed by means of controlled rhizotron experiments in the laboratory. The goal is to establish quantitative relationships between characteristics of the measured impedance spectra and parameters describing root system morphology, root growth and activity in dependence on root type, soil type and structure (with/without biopores), as well as ambient conditions. Parallel to this work, sophisticated EIT inversion algorithms, which take the natural characteristics of root system architecture into account when solving the inherent inverse problem, will be developed and tested in numerical experiments. Thus the project will provide an understanding of electrical impedance spectra in terms of root structure and function, as well as specifically adapted EIT inversion algorithms for the imaging and monitoring of root dynamics. The method will be applied at the field scale (central field trial in Klein-Altendorf), where non-destructive tools for the imaging and monitoring of subsoil root dynamics are strongly desired, but at present still lacking.
Das Projekt "Modeling of ocean overflows using statically and dynamically adaptive vertical discretization techniques" wird/wurde gefördert durch: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung.The goal of the project is the development of a novel vertical discretization that can substantially alleviate or resolve a number of shortcomings associated with the standard vertical coordinates used in the current general circulation models. Any significant improvement in the quality of the vertical approximation achieved in a computationally efficient way can greatly help to address several issues seriously affecting the performance of numerical ocean models, particularly in the context of climate studies. This includes physically consistent treatment of irregular topography, overflows, and vertical mixing. The new discretization will be constructed to capture the most important flow features using locally adapted vertical grid structure within an unstructured prismatic mesh. Those ideas will be further developed by adding a procedure that enables the vertical mesh layers to dynamically change according to the flow conditions. The new methodology incurs negligible computational overhead and preserves all local conservation properties of the algorithm; it will be tested and evaluated using overflow scenarios including the Strait of Gibraltar and the Nordic Seas Overflows. The numerical scheme is based on the discontinuous Galerkin finite element method implemented in UTBEST3D that has a proven track record of highly efficient utilization of massively parallel computer systems.
Das Projekt "Reconciling Adaptation, Mitigation and Sustainable Development for Cities (RAMSES)" wird/wurde gefördert durch: Kommission der Europäischen Gemeinschaften Brüssel. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Potsdam-Institut für Klimafolgenforschung e.V..Objective: The RAMSES project will develop a rigorous, analytical framework for the implementation of adaptation strategies and measures in EU and international cities. It will develop a set of innovative methods and tools that will quantify the impacts of climate change and the costs and benefits of adaptation to climate change and thus provide the evidence to enable policy makers to design adaptation strategies. It integrates the assessment of impacts and costs to provide a much more coherent approach than currently exists. As major centres of population, economic importance, greenhouse gas emissions and infrastructure, RAMSES focuses on adaptation issues in cities. RAMSES will deliver: 1. A strategic frame for evidence-based adaptation decision-making. A pragmatic and standardised framework for decision making using comparable climate change impact assumptions, impact and adaptation costs while taking account of uncertainty. This will apply and combine smart and unconventional scientific methodologies. 2. Multi-level analysis as local administrative units, cities will be used to develop adaptation (and more generally sustainable development) strategies from the bottom-up/top-down, that can be aggregated to consider costs at the national, EU and international levels. 3. Quantification of adaptation costs a framework for assessment of full economic costs and benefits of adaptation (to date a woefully under-researched area). 4. Policy relevance and acceptance of adaptation measures city case studies and stakeholder engagement will ensure the relevance of the framework for policy makers and ensure adaptation measures become better accepted by other stakeholders. The frameworks will be converted into a user-friendly guide for stakeholders who need to prioritize adaptation and mitigation decisions. This reduces costs and enhances understanding and acceptance of adaptation. The data will be fed into the European Clearinghouse Mechanism to increase transparency/stakeholder access.
Das Projekt "The role of intermediate sulfur species (ISS) for isotopic fractionation processes during abiotic and chemolithoautotrophic sulfide oxidation in a natural environment" wird/wurde gefördert durch: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft / Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung GmbH - UFZ, Department Catchment Hydrology.Sulfur isotope fractionation (34S/32S) has been used since the late 1940s to study the chemical and biological sulfur cycle. While large isotope fractionations during bacterial sulfate reduction were used successfully to interpret, e.g., accumulation of sulfate in ancient oceans or the evolution of early life, much less is known about fractionation during sulfide oxidation. The fractionation between the two end-members sulfide and sulfate is commonly much smaller and inconsistencies exist whether substrate or product are enriched. These inconsistencies are explained by a lack of knowledge on oxidation pathways and rates as well as intermediate sulfur species, such as elemental sulfur, polysulfides, thiosulfate, sulfite, or metalloid-sulfide complexes (e.g. thioarsenates), potentially acting as 34S sinks.In the proposed project, we will develop a method for sulfur species-selective isotope analysis based on separation by preparative chromatography. Separation of Sn2- and S0 will be achieved after derivatization with methyl triflate on a C18 column, separation of the other sulfur species in an alkaline eluent on an AS16 column. Sulfur in the collected fractions will be extracted directly with activated copper chips (Sn2-, S0), or precipitated as ZnS (S2-) or BaSO4 and analyzed by routine methods as SO2. Results of this species-selective approach will be compared to those from previous techniques of end-member pool determinations and sequential precipitations.The method will be applied to sulfide oxidation profiles at neutral to alkaline hot springs at Yellowstone National Park, USA, where we detected intermediate sulfur species as important species. Determining 34S/32S only in sulfide and sulfate, our previous study has shown different fractionation patterns for two hot spring drainages with sulfide oxidation profiles that seemed similar from a geochemical perspective. The reasons for the different isotopic trends are unclear. In the present project, we will differentiate species-selective abiotic versus biotic fractionation using on-site incubation experiments with the chemolithotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria Thermocrinis ruber as model organism. For selected samples, we will test whether 33S and 36S further elucidate species-selective sulfide oxidation patterns. We expect that lower source sulfide concentrations increase elemental sulfur disproportionation, thus increase redox cycling and isotope fractionation. We also expect that the larger the concentration of intermediate sulfur species, including thioarsenates, the larger the isotope fractionation. Following fractionation in species-selective pools, we will be able to clarify previously reported inconsistencies of 34S enrichment in substrate or product, elucidate sulfide oxidation pathways and rates, and reveal details about sulfur metabolism. Our new methodology and field-based data will be a basis for more consistent studies on sulfide oxidation in the future.
Das Projekt "Links between local scale and catchment scale measurements and modelling of gas exchange processes over land surfaces" wird/wurde gefördert durch: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institut für Bio-und Geowissenschaften (IBG), IBG-3 Agrosphäre.Gas exchange between the land surface and the atmosphere is becoming an increasingly important component in modelling the state and the future of the climate system for enhanced climate and weather prediction. Due to the vast inhomogeneity of the land surface and the different scale-dependent characteristics of atmospheric motions there exists a scale gap in addressing these processes in current measurement and modelling methods: No clear concept exists to bridge from the local scale where exchange processes happen close to and at the land surface, to the scales which are suitable to describe and model these transports in the atmospheric environment e.g. by eddy-covariance methods and common boundary layer models, respectively. This project will approach this problem by an integrated methodology combining a set of different local measurement techniques with boundary layer scale estimates ranging from traditional techniques up to modern remote sensing tools and a suite of modelling approaches encompassing the whole atmospheric boundary layer. A flux chamber concept especially adapted to closing the scale gap from the measurement aspect will be designed and applied.
Das Projekt "Neue Ansätze zur Landschaftsbewertung" wird/wurde gefördert durch: Bundesamt für Umwelt. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Bundesamt für Umwelt.Die Landschaften der Schweiz sind in ihrer Charakteristik (regionale Eigenart, Vielfalt, Schönheit) von grosser Bedeutung für die wirtschaftliche und gesellschaftliche Entwicklung der Schweiz. Die Bedeutung der Landschaftsqualität wird zunehmend von Politik und Wirtschaft sowie von der Bevölkerung wahrgenommen. Damit die Entwicklung der Landschaften nachhaltig gestaltet werden kann, braucht es neben der Bewertung physischer Landschaftsleistungen auch das Urteil der Bevölkerung zur Landschaftsqualität. Das Modell des Wahrnehmungs- und Deutungsprozesses zur Landschaft bildet die theoretische Grundlage für soziokulturelle Indikatoren zur Bewertung der Landschaftsqualität. Das Forschungsprojekt bezweckt die Weiterentwicklung dieses innovativen Ansatzes sowie die wissenschaftliche Qualitätssicherung bestehender und neuer Indikatoren, die sich als Folge neuer gesellschaftlicher und wirtschaftlicher Herausforderungen ergeben. Projektziele: Die Ziele des Forschungsprojektes sind die wissenschaftliche Fundierung und Weiterentwicklung der neuen Ansätze der Landschaftsbewertung (insbesondere des Wahrnehmungs- und Deutungsmodells zur Landschaft), die Qualitätssicherung sowie die Erarbeitung wissenschaftlicher Grundlagen für die neu zu entwickelnden Indikatoren. Damit wird es möglich, die Landschaftsleistungen gemäss ihrer Bedeutung besser wahrzunehmen, um sie dauerhaft zu sichern.
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