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Found 39 results.

The role of gap dynamics for the regeneration of the natural spruce forests in the Harz Mountains

Das Projekt "The role of gap dynamics for the regeneration of the natural spruce forests in the Harz Mountains" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Biowissenschaften - Institut für Biologie, Institutsbereich Geobotanik und Botanischer Garten durchgeführt. In Central Europe only few places are known where vegetation regeneration after natural disturbances can be studied in natural or near-natural Picea abies forests; one example are the slopes of Mt. Brocken. Although being mono-dominant, the spruce forests at Mt. Brocken are unique because they contain autochthonous Picea abies genotypes. In addition, the herb layer is comparably species-poor with a high proportion of clonally reproducing species. Based on the assumption that gap dynamics are equally important for regeneration of the tree and herb layer as in other forest types, the project seeks to test four main hypotheses. For the tree layer, it will be tested whether gaps promote the establishment of allochthonous genotypes of Picea abies and whether the proportion of autochthonous genotypes increases with gap age due to strong environmental selection. For herb layer regeneration the hypotheses are tested that generative reproduction is enhanced in gaps for the abundant clonal species Vaccinium myrtillus, Calamagrostis villosa and Trientalis europaeus and that clone size increases with gap age. To attain its goal the project employs GIS, dendrochronology and molecular genetic approaches. Using aerial photographs, gaps will be stratified according to age and sampled for species composition and population structure of target species. The field observations will be supplemented by experiments on establishment, frost hardiness and vegetative regeneration capacity of spruce as well as on clonal growth of target herbs.

Electrification through Micro Hydro Power Sites in Rural Indonesia

Das Projekt "Electrification through Micro Hydro Power Sites in Rural Indonesia" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung e.V. RWI, Kompetenzbereich Umwelt und Ressourcen durchgeführt. While urban Indonesia is almost completely electrified, two-thirds of the rural population still lack access to electricity. In many cases, the mountainous rural areas are difficult to access and sparsely populated implying high investment costs for infrastructure extension. Against this background the German International Cooperation (GIZ) supports the implementation of micro hydro plants (MHP) in rural communities to supply the population with decentralized electricity. During its first project phase between 2006 and 2009, GIZ has supported the construction of 96 MHPs on two of the five main islands of Indonesia, Sulawesi and Sumatra. These activities have been funded as part of the Dutch-German Energy Partnership Energising Development (EnDev), an output-oriented programme that aims at providing modern energy to 6.1 million people in 21 countries. In a second project phase starting in 2010 (EnDev II), more than 200 micro-hydro schemes are planned to be supported. RWI has been assigned to assess the socio-economic impacts of electrification through MHP on household level through both a cross-sectional and a difference in differences approach. For this purpose, 800 households were interviewed in a first survey wave in September and November 2010. Half of them are located in 20 EnDev II villages that only got connected to an MHP after data collection. The remainder of the sample has already been using electricity at that time from a working micro hydro scheme supported within EnDev I. The second survey wave is scheduled for autumn 2012. The cross-sectional arm of the study allowed for gauging the impacts of the connection to an MHP already after the first wave at the end of 2010. For the electrified, hence, treated EnDev I households, comparable EnDev II households have been used as controls. Having follow-up data at hand at the end of 2012, difference in differences estimators can be applied to more rigorously assess the impacts of the connection to an MHP. In this approach, the EnDev I households already connected in 2010 and still connected in 2012 will serve as a reference group for the EnDev II households who got treated between the 2010 and 2012 survey. This prevents that changes induced by external influences (e.g. general economic development) are falsely ascribed to the treatment. For the reference group of EnDev II households it was found in 2010 that an important share already used 'pre-electrification' sources like generators or very simple traditional waterwheels - so called kincirs. The impact assessment will therefore not only illustrate the change from traditional energy sources like kerosene to electricity but also deliver impact findings on using a modern electricity source in comparison to pre-electrification sources that tend to be either costly and dirty (generators), or unstable and weak (kincir).

Sub project: Global synthesis of surface conditions and climate trends during the MIS11 interglacial (GLOSINT11)

Das Projekt "Sub project: Global synthesis of surface conditions and climate trends during the MIS11 interglacial (GLOSINT11)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Bremen, Zentrum für marine Umweltwissenschaften durchgeführt. Marine Isotope Stage 11 (MIS11), approximately 400,000 years ago, provides the nearest analog to the Holocene in terms of the configuration of the Earth's orbit around the Sun and the resulting insolation. Because of the low precessional forcing, as the Earth's eccentricity was at a minimum, the relative importance of other climatic factors like greenhouse gases may have been higher during MIS11 than during other warm periods and comparable to the Holocene without anthropogenic effects. For these reasons, MIS11 represents a promising ground for testing climate models. As yet, palaeoclimatic data that could be used for such data-model comparison are scattered through the literature and no synoptic picture of the surface conditions and spatial patterns of climate trends exists for MIS11. The aim of this project is to synthesize existing marine, terrestrial and ice-core records of key surface conditions (temperature, humidity) throughout the unusually long MIS11 interglacial and establish the spatial and temporal patterns of surface condition anomalies. This synthesis will allow us to test whether interhemispheric and tropical-to-pole temperature gradients at the Earth's surface were comparable to the Holocene and whether the trends of climate change during MIS11 were more consistent with insolation or greenhouse gas forcing.

Ausgestaltung von NDCs

Das Projekt "Ausgestaltung von NDCs" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von NewClimate - Institute for Climate Policy and Global Sustainability gGmbH durchgeführt. Unter dem Übereinkommen von Paris sind alle Länder verpflichtet, ihre nationalen Beiträge (Nationally Determined Contributions, NDCs) alle fünf Jahre zu aktualisieren und zu verbessern und dadurch ihre Ambitionen mit jedem Zyklus zu steigern. Die ersten NDCs wurde ab 2015 als beabsichtigte nationale Beiträge eingereicht. Für den aktuellen Zyklus haben viele Länder ihre Aktualisierungen 2020/2021 eingereicht, andere sind noch im Aktualisierungsprozess. Ziel dieses Projekts war es, eine Methode zur systematischen Bewertung der Ausgestaltung von NDCs zu entwickeln und diese auf 20 NDCs anzuwenden. Es gibt zwar mehrere Instrumente zur Analyse von NDCs, aber nicht alle sind gleichermaßen umfassend, prägnant, replizierbar und vergleichbar. Unsere Methode zielt darauf ab, die Lücke zu schließen, indem sie diese Kriterien berücksichtigt und neue Erkenntnisse zur Ausgestaltung der NDCs liefert. Wir untersuchen die NDCs entlang von Schlüsselelementen, die für den Erfolg des NDC-Ambitionszyklus entscheidend sind: 1. erhöhtes Minderungsziel, 2. umfassende Darstellung, 3. Plan für die Umsetzung und 4. Transparenz. Diese Methode wurde auf 20 NDCs angewandt, wobei eine Vielfalt an geografischen Kontexten sowie NDCs mit unterschiedlichen Schwerpunkten, Zieltypen und Minderungsansätzen berücksichtigt wurden.

The effect of elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration on gross nitrogen dynamics, plant N-uptake and microbial community dynamics in a permanent grassland

Das Projekt "The effect of elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration on gross nitrogen dynamics, plant N-uptake and microbial community dynamics in a permanent grassland" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Gießen, Institut für Pflanzenökologie (Botanik II) durchgeführt. To predict ecosystem reactions to elevated atmospheric CO2 (eCO2) it is essential to understandthe interactions between plant carbon input, microbial community composition and activity and associated nutrient dynamics. Long-term observations (greater than 13 years) within the Giessen Free Air Carbon dioxide Enrichment (Giessen FACE) study on permanent grassland showed next to an enhanced biomass production an unexpected strong positive feedback effect on ecosystem respiration and nitrous oxide (N2O) production. The overall goal of this study is to understand the long-term effects of eCO2 and carbon input on microbial community composition and activity as well as the associated nitrogen dynamics, N2O production and plant N uptake in the Giessen FACE study on permanent grassland. A combination of 13CO2 pulse labelling with 15N tracing of 15NH4+ and 15NO3- will be carried out in situ. Different fractions of soil organic matter (recalcitrant, labile SOM) and the various mineral N pools in the soil (NH4+, NO3-, NO2-), gross N transformation rates, pool size dependent N2O and N2 emissions as well as N species dependent plant N uptake rates and the origin of the CO2 respiration will be quantified. Microbial analyses will include exploring changes in the composition of microbial communities involved in the turnover of NH4+, NO3-, N2O and N2, i.e. ammonia oxidizing, denitrifying, and microbial communities involved in dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonia (DNRA). Stable Isotope Probing (SIP) and mRNA based analyses will be employed to comparably evaluate the long-term effects of eCO2 on the structure and abundance of these communities, while transcripts of these genes will be used to target the fractions of the communities which actively contribute to N transformations.

Physical properties, climate signals, and structural features of Tertiary sediments in the Southern McMurdo Sound (Antarctica) derived from downhole logging in the ANDRILL-SMS project

Das Projekt "Physical properties, climate signals, and structural features of Tertiary sediments in the Southern McMurdo Sound (Antarctica) derived from downhole logging in the ANDRILL-SMS project" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Leibniz-Institut für Angewandte Geophysik durchgeführt. In the framework of the international ANtarctic DRILLing program (ANDRILL) the 1138 m deep core borehole SMS was drilled in the Southern McMurdo Sound (Ross Sea). The investigations of Antarctic Neogene ice sheet variations, of long-term climate evolutions and of the tectonic history of McMurdo Sound represent the main project aims. One part of the German participation in the ANDRILL project is the extensive geophysical logging of the SMS borehole. It delivers a main basis for answering a lot of questions in the scope of the whole project consisting of about 100 scientists. Interpreting the downhole logging data permits among other things to establish a complete lithological log, to characterize the drilled sediments petrophysically, to determine sedimentary structures and to get evidence about palaeoclimatic conditions during up to 19 Mio years. Seismic experiments in the borehole allow linking detailed geological information with shipborne seismic sections. This way, local results can be transformed into spatial information thus providing an important contribution to the understanding of the tectonic structure of the Ross Sea.

Life in cold oceans:activity dependent on extracellular ion regulation?

Das Projekt "Life in cold oceans:activity dependent on extracellular ion regulation?" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Stiftung Alfred-Wegener-Institut für Polar- und Meeresforschung e.V. in der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft (AWI) durchgeführt. The physiological fundamentals of temperature dependent distribution limits in cold oceans are addressed as a precondition to understand ecological performance and ecosystem function. The study will focus on the specific role of extracellular ion concentration in setting limitations to lifestyle and life history evolution. The biogeography of marine crustaceans in cold oceans is related to the combined effects of extracellular Mg2+ levels (Mg2+)e and low temperature, which act synergistically to slow muscular activity in the cold. The highly active cephalopod molluscs may have overcome the constraint of high (Mg2+)e by slightly increasing the extracellular potassium concentration ((K+)e), thereby exploiting the antagonistic effects of magnesium and potassium. We attempt to develop quantitative knowledge of the temperature dependent effects of potassium and magnesium on animal life cycle resulting from changes in physiology performance, larval development, and growth rate. In addition, it appears most crucial to understand the biochemical mechanisms leading to the increased magnesium effect in the cold. Within the crustacean phyla this work will focus on the lithodid crabs. They are suitable for such studies since they have a wide distribution range north and south of the Antarctic convergence and thus covering a broad temperature regime. For comparable studies boreal reptant crabs and boreal and Antarctic natant shrimps will also be included. Within the cephalopod phyla we will concentrate on the boreal species Sepia officinalis to investigate principle mechanisms. Accordingly, the present study is intended to explore, from a more conceptual point of view, whether limitations in ion regulation capacities and costs may play a role in setting the levels of biodiversity observed in extant Antarctic marine fauna.

Demonstration of direct Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) co-combustion in pulverised fuel plants and implementation of a sustainable waste-to-energy technology in large-scale energy production (RECOFUEL)

Das Projekt "Demonstration of direct Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) co-combustion in pulverised fuel plants and implementation of a sustainable waste-to-energy technology in large-scale energy production (RECOFUEL)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von REMONDIS GmbH, Stoffstrom-Marktentwicklung SBS durchgeführt. Objective: The use of Solid Recovered Fuels (SRF) derived from mixed-/mono waste streams is expected to result in a significant contribution to the generation of sustainable energy. The demand for alternative waste treatment is addressed by production and direct co-combustion of SRF in pulverised fuel fired power plants as an environmentally friendly, energy efficient, short-term available and cost effective technical solution. The project assists the implementation of EU policies (energy, environmental, economic and social goals) by sustainable energy production, CO2 emission reduction, preservation of natural resources and abatement of hazardous impacts on the environment due to landfill. The proposed project comprises large-scale demonstration of SRF co-combustion at a 450MWth brown coal/lignite boiler of RWE Rheinbraun AG in a continuous period of at least 12 months with the scope of permanent and reliable operation. A thermal share of 10% is envisaged (25.000 - 50.000 Mg/a SRF) resulting in a direct environmental benefit up to 50.000 Mg/a CO2 by the efficient use of the renewable share of SRF. With successful demonstration the implementation of the SRF co-combustion technology at further comparable and larger units of RWE is envisaged. Operational problems arising during former short-term co-combustion tests with hard coal could be successfully solved by an improved fuel production and a reliable quality control system. The interaction between a reliable quality control, quality management system and the combustion technology makes this technology competitive in the liberalised energy market without any additional subsidy. To achieve the ambitious goals partners of industry and research centres with substantial expertise in the areas covering the whole waste-to-energy chain created a consortium.

Untersuchungen zu einem möglichen N-Feedbackmechanismus der Regulation der sym-biontischen N2-Fixierung bei Leguminosen

Das Projekt "Untersuchungen zu einem möglichen N-Feedbackmechanismus der Regulation der sym-biontischen N2-Fixierung bei Leguminosen" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Göttingen, Institut für Agrikulturchemie durchgeführt. Der Mechanismus der Regulation der symbiontischen N2-Fixierung auf Ganzpflanzenebene ist unklar. Ein Verständnis dieses Prozesses könnte eine wesentliche Schubwirkung haben, etwa für züchterische Anstrengungen, Sorten mit während der Hülsenfüllung länger andauernder N2-Fixierung zu erzeugen. Es existiert eine Vielzahl mit unterschiedlichsten methodischen Ansätzen erzielter Hinweise dafür, dass eine N-Feedbackwirkung ein wesentliches Bindeglied der Regulation der N2-Fixierung auf Ganzpflanzenebene darstellt. Diese Hinweise sind jedoch nur indirekter Natur und die genaue Funktionsweise einer solchen N-Feedbackwirkung ist nicht geklärt. Eine Hypothese sieht einen Zusammenhang mit der Sauerstoffdiffusion ins Knöllchen, wobei die experimentell gewonnen Daten zur Stützung dieser Hypothese in einzelnen Punkten unsicher erscheinen. Darüber hinaus gibt es unterschiedliche Angaben in welchem Organ der Pflanze eine N-Anreicherung für eine N-Feedbackwirkung erfolgen muss und welche Verbindungen dabei eine Rolle spielen. Das vorliegende Projekt nimmt sich dieser offenen Fragen an. Ziel ist es, ein vertieftes Verständnis der N-Feedbackregulation der N2-Fixierung bei Leguminosen zu gewinnen. Als experimentelle Grundlage dient dabei die bei einigen Leguminosenarten während der Hülsenfüllung zu beobachtende N-Feedbackwirkung infolge der Mobilisierung von N aus während dieser Zeit absterbenden alten (tief inserierten) Blättern. Die detaillierte Untersuchung dieses Phänomens soll klären 1) welche N-haltig(en) Verbindung(en) dabei eine Rolle spielen, 2) wann und wo sie für eine Wirkung akkumulieren müssen und welche Rolle dabei neu fixierter N und die Geschwindigkeit seines Abtransportes aus den Knöllchen spielt, 3) ob die Wirkung über die Sauerstoffpermeabilität der Knöllchen vermittelt wird und schließlich 4) ob der Mechanismus bei unterschiedlichen Leguminosenarten vergleichbar ist.

Impacts of Productive Use of Electricity and Industrial Zones Development in Ghana

Das Projekt "Impacts of Productive Use of Electricity and Industrial Zones Development in Ghana" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung e.V. RWI, Kompetenzbereich Umwelt und Ressourcen durchgeführt. Micro-enterprises are widely believed to play an important role in the economic development of low and middle-income countries. In peri-urban Ghana, though, these enterprises face numerous restraints that impede a sustainable economic development. This is why GIZ's Programme for Sustainable Economic Development (PSED) facilitates the establishment of industrial zones by providing reliable access to energy, complementary infrastructure, financing mechanisms for electrical hardware, and business development services in selected district capitals in several regions of Ghana. As a follow-up to a baseline study conducted in 2007, RWI has been assigned to implement an impact evaluation of the activities carried out between 2007 and 2009. For this purpose, three district capitals with business zones will be surveyed, in which GIZ has implemented its support package. Besides qualitative approaches, 250 businesses will be interviewed with a structured questionnaire, eliciting detailed information on practically all aspects of firm activity. The study will examine to what extent the service package has improved the performance of micro-enterprises in the industrial zones. The methodological challenge in the evaluation of this project is, first, its multi-treatment character and, second, the fact that only parts of the firms surveyed in the baseline phase effectively moved into the industrial zones. Furthermore, comparable control regions for cross-sectional comparison are non-existent. Therefore, an attempt will be made to reconstruct the 'before' situation of firms via retrospective questions, complemented by qualitative interviews. RWI designs the methodology of the study including the questionnaires, trains enumerators, and supervises the data collection and reporting.

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