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Biopores in the subsoil: Formation, nutrient turnover and effects on crops with distinct rooting systems (BioFoNT)

Das Projekt "Biopores in the subsoil: Formation, nutrient turnover and effects on crops with distinct rooting systems (BioFoNT)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Bonn, Institut für Organischen Landbau durchgeführt. Perennial fodder cropping potentially increases subsoil biopore density by formation of extensive root systems and temporary soil rest. We will quantify root length density, earthworm abundance and biopore size classes after Medicago sativa, Cichorium intybus and Festuca arundinacea grown for 1, 2 and 3 years respectively in the applied research unit's Central Field Trial (CeFiT) which is established and maintained by our working group. Shoot parameters including transpiration, gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence will frequently be recorded. Precrop effects on oilseed rape and cereals will be quantified with regard to crop yield, nutrient transfer and H2-release. The soil associated with biopores (i.e. the driloshpere) is generally rich in nutrients as compared to the bulk soil and is therefore supposed to be a potential hot spot for nutrient acquisition. However, contact areas between roots and the pore wall have been reported to be low. It is still unclear to which extent the nutrients present in the drilosphere are used and which potential relevance subsoil biopores may have for the nutrient supply of crops. We will use a flexible videoscope to determine the root-soil contact in biopores. Nitrogen input into the drilosphere by earthworms and potential re-uptake of nitrogen from the drilosphere by subsequent crops with different rooting systems (oilseed rape vs. cereals) will be quantified using 15N as a tracer.

Luftmassenexport aus dem asiatischen Monsun in die außertropische Stratosphäre: Auswirkungen auf Chemie und Strahlung (AirExam)

Das Projekt "Luftmassenexport aus dem asiatischen Monsun in die außertropische Stratosphäre: Auswirkungen auf Chemie und Strahlung (AirExam)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institut für Energie- und Klimaforschung (IEK), Stratosphäre (IEK-7) durchgeführt. Der asiatische Sommermonsun ist charakterisiert durch hohe Konvektion über Südasien, die mit der asiatischen Monsun-Antizyklone (AMA) zusammenhängt, der sich von der oberen Troposphäre bis in die untere Stratosphäre (UTLS) erstreckt. Diese Antizyclone ist das ausgeprägteste Zirkulationsmuster in diesen Höhen während des borealen Sommer. Es ist bekannt, dass der Export von Monsunluft quasi-isentropisch aus der AMA sowohl im Osten als auch im Westen, einen großen Einfluss auf die Zusammensetzung der außertropischen unteren Stratosphäre hat. Jedoch sind die relative Stärken der beiden Wege bisher unbekannt. Der Transport von Luftmassen aus der AMA in die nördliche außertropische UTLS wirkt sich entscheidend auf die Chemie der Stratosphäre und ihrenStrahlungshaushalt (z.B. durch Transport von H2O, Aerosol oder ozonschädigende Stoffe) aus. Im Rahmen dieses Projekts AirExam wird der quasi-isentropischer Luftmassenexport aus der AMA durch verschiedene Wegen und seine Auswirkungen auf Chemie und Strahlung der außertropische UTLS quantifiziert durch u.a. HALO-Flugzeugmessungen (insbesondere aus die für Sommer 2023 geplanten PHILEAS-Kampagne), Simulationen mit dem Chemischen Transportmodell CLaMS und Strahlungsberechnungen. Unser Projekt AirExam wird sich mit den folgenden offenen Schlüsselfragen befassen:1) Welchen relativen Beitrag leisten die beiden quasi-horizontalen Transportwege (nach Westen und Osten) aus dem asiatischen Monsun-Antizyklon zur Zusammensetzung der außertropischen unteren Stratosphäre?2) Wie groß ist die jährliche Variabilität des Transports aus der asiatischen Monsun-Antizyklone in die außertropische untere Stratosphäre und was sind die Hauptquellenregionen auf der Erde Oberfläche?3) Was ist die Auswirkung des Wasserdampftransports aus der asiatischen Monsun-Antizyklone zum H2O-Budget der außertropischen UTLS und seine Strahlungswirkung?In unserem Projekt werden wir HALO-Messungen (insbesondere H2O) mit globalen 3-dimensionalen CLaMS-Simulationen kombinieren, die von neuen hochaufgelösten ERA-5-Reanalyse des ECMWF angetrieben werden. CLaMS-Simulationen auf der Grundlage von ERA-5 sind ein neues Instrument zur zuverlässigen Beschreibung von Transportprozessen in der Region des asiatischen Monsuns und seiner globalen Auswirkungen. Die Strahlungswirkung des durch den asiatischen Monsun verursachten H2O-Anstiegs im Sommer und Herbst wird mit Hilfe des Strahlungs-Transfercodes Edwards und Slingo berechnet. H2O ist das wichtigste Treibhausgas, und die Befeuchtung der Stratosphäre ist eine wichtige Triebkraft des Klimawandels. Unser Projekt AirExam wird die Auswirkungen des verstärkten H2O-Transports in die untere Stratosphäre quantifizieren und kann daher dazu beitragen, die potenziellen Risiken des Luftmassentransports aus der asiatischen Monsunregion auf die globale Stratosphäre zu bewerten.

Bio-optische Eigenschaften als Echtzeittracer für die Transformation des organischem Materials in der SML (SP 1.3)

Das Projekt "Bio-optische Eigenschaften als Echtzeittracer für die Transformation des organischem Materials in der SML (SP 1.3)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Helmholtz-Zentrum hereon GmbH durchgeführt. Die Sea-Surface Microlayer (SML) als dünne Grenzschicht trennt Hydrosphäre und Atmosphäre. Häufig sind die Konzentrationen bestimmter Verbindungen in der SML höher, entweder durch physikalische Konzentration aus dem darunter liegenden Wasser, durch Produktion in der SML oder durch atmosphärische Ablagerungen. Ein bekannter Aspekt ist die durchweg höhere Konzentration von chromophoren gelösten organischen Stoffen (CDOM) in der SML im Vergleich zum darunter liegenden Wasser. Kürzlich haben wir gezeigt, dass die inhärenten optischen Eigenschaften (IOP) â€Ì d.h. die Lichtstreu- und Absorptionseigenschaften von Wasser und seinen Bestandteilen â€Ì der SML genutzt werden können Komponenten in der SML zu charakterisieren und nützliche Informationen für den Strahlungstransfer und für Fernerkundungsstudien zu liefern. Darüber hinaus war unsere frühere Forschung zu optischen Eigenschaften in der SML unsere Motivation hier vorzuschlagen, IOPs und apparente optischen Eigenschaften (AOPs) â€Ì abgeleitet aus spektralradiometrischen Messungen des Lichtfeldes â€Ì sowie die Fluoreszenz zur Charakterisierung von organischen Stoffen (OM) und deren Transformation für die Echtzeitbewertung der SML als biologischen und chemischen Lebensraum zu nutzen. Hiermit können wir in außergewöhnlicher Weise die Kurzzeitdynamik relevanter biologischer und chemischer Treiber in der SML untersuchen.

Der Einfluss der SML auf die Spurengasbiogeochemie und den Ozean-Atmosphäre-Gasaustausch

Das Projekt "Der Einfluss der SML auf die Spurengasbiogeochemie und den Ozean-Atmosphäre-Gasaustausch" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung Kiel (GEOMAR), Forschungsbereich 2: Marine Biogeochemie durchgeführt. Labor- und Feldstudien zeigen, dass die Oberflächengrenzschicht des Ozeans (â€Ìsurface microlayerâ€Ì, kurz SML) die biogeochemischen Kreisläufe von klimaaktiven und atmosphärisch wichtigen Spurengasen wie Kohlenstoffdioxid (CO2), Kohlenstoffmonoxid (CO), Methan (CH4), Lachgas (N2O) und Dimethylsulfid (DMS) stark beeinflusst: (i) Jüngste Studien aus den PASSME- und SOPRAN-Projekten haben hervorgehoben, dass Anreicherungen von oberflächenaktiven Substanzen (d.h. Tensiden) einen starken (dämpfenden) Effekt sowohl auf die CO2- als auch auf die N2O-Flüsse über die SML/Atmosphären-Grenzfläche hinweg haben und (ii) Spurengase können durch (mikro)biologische oder (photo)chemische Prozesse in der SML produziert und verbraucht werden. Daher kann der oberste Teil des Ozeans, einschließlich der SML, verglichen mit dem Wasser, das in der Mischungsschicht unterhalb der SML zu finden ist, eine bedeutende Quelle oder Senke für diese Gase sein, was von sehr großer Relevanz für die Forschungseinheit BASS ist. Die Konzentrationen von CO2, N2O und anderen gelösten Gasen in der SML (oder den oberen Zentimetern des Ozeans) unterscheiden sich nachweislich von ihren Konzentrationen unterhalb der SML. Typischerweise werden die Nettoquellen und -senken wichtiger atmosphärischer Spurengase mit Konzentrationen berechnet, die in der Mischungsschicht gemessen wurden und mit Gasaustauschgeschwindigkeiten, die die SML nicht berücksichtigen. Diese Diskrepanzen führen zu falsch berechneten Austauschflüssen, die in der Folge zu großen Unsicherheiten in den Berechnungen der Klima-Antrieben und der Luftqualität in Erdsystemmodellen führen können. Durch die Verknüpfung unserer Spurengasmessungen mit Messungen von (i) der Dynamik und den molekularen Eigenschaften der organischen Materie und speziell des organischen Kohlenstoffs (SP1.1; SP1.5), (ii) der biologischen Diversität und der Stoffwechselaktivität (SP1.2), (iii) den optischen Eigenschaften der organischen Materie (SP1.3), (iv) der photochemischen Umwandlung der organischen Materie (SP1.4) und (v) den physikalischen Transportprozessen (SP2.3) werden wir ein umfassendes Verständnis darüber erlangen, wie die SML die Variabilität der Spurengasflüsse beeinflusst.

Quantification of small-scale physicochemical properties of intact macropore surfaces in structured soils

Das Projekt "Quantification of small-scale physicochemical properties of intact macropore surfaces in structured soils" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Leibniz-Zentrum für Agrarlandschaftsforschung (ZALF) e.V., Institut für Bodenlandschaftsforschung durchgeführt. In structured soils, the interaction of percolating water and reactive solutes with the soil matrix is mostly restricted to the surfaces of preferential flow paths. Flow paths, i.e., macropores, are formed by worm burrows, decayed root channels, cracks, and inter-aggregate spaces. While biopores are covered by earthworm casts and mucilage or by root residues, aggregates and cracks are often coated by soil organic matter (SOM), oxides, and clay minerals especially in the clay illuviation horizons of Luvisols. The SOM as well as the clay mineral composition and concentration strongly determine the wettability and sorption capacity of the coatings and thus control water and solute movement as well as the mass exchange between the preferential flow paths and the soil matrix. The objective of this proposal is the quantitative description of the small-scale distribution of physicochemical properties of intact structural surfaces and flow path surfaces and of their distribution in the soil volume. Samples of Bt horizons of Luvisols from Loess will be compared with those from glacial till. At intact structural surfaces prepared from soil clods, the spatial distribution (mm-scale) of SOM and clay mineral composition will be characterized with DRIFT (Diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform) spectroscopy using a self-developed mapping technique. For samples manually separated from coated surfaces and biopore walls, the contents of organic carbon (Corg) and the cation exchange capacity (CEC) will be analyzed and related to the intensities of specific signals in DRIFT spectra using Partial Least Square Regression (PLSR) analysis. The signal intensities of the DRIFT mapping spectra will be used to quantify the spatial distribution of Corg and CEC at these structural surfaces. The DRIFT mapping data will also be used for qualitatively characterizing the small scale distribution of the recalcitrance, humification, and microbial activity of the SOM from structural surfaces. The clay mineral composition of defined surface regions will be characterized by combining DRIFT spectroscopic with X-ray diffractometric analysis of manually separated samples. Subsequently, the spatial distribution of the clay mineral composition at structural surfaces will be determined from the intensities of clay mineral-specific signals in the DRIFT mapping spectra and exemplarily compared to scanning electron microscopic and infrared microscopic analysis of thin sections and thin polished micro-sections. The three-dimensional spatial distribution of the total structural surfaces in the volume of the Bt horizons will be quantified using X-ray computed tomography (CT) analysis of soil cores. The active preferential flow paths will be visualized and quantified by field tracer experiments. These CT and tracer data will be used to transfer the properties of the structural surfaces characterized by DRIFT mapping onto the active preferential flow paths in the Bt horizons.

Biological Regulation of Subsoil C-cycling under Field Conditions

Das Projekt "Biological Regulation of Subsoil C-cycling under Field Conditions" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Hohenheim, Institut für Bodenkunde und Standortslehre, Fachgebiet Bodenbiologie durchgeführt. The nature of the microbial communities inhabiting the deeper soil horizons is largely unknown. It is also not clear why subsurface microorganisms do not make faster use of organic compounds under field conditions. The answer could be provided by a reciprocal soil transfer experiment studying the response of transferred soils to fluctuations in microclimate, organic inputs, and soil biota. The subproject P9 will be responsible for the establishment of reciprocal transfer experiments offering a strong link between subgroups interested in organic matter quality, transport of organic substances, as well as functions of the soil microbial community. A single, high molecular weight substrate (13C labelled cellulose) will be applied at two different levels in the pre-experiment to understand the dose-dependent reaction of soil microorganisms in transferred surface and sub-soils. Uniformly 13C labelled beech roots - representing complex substrates - will be used for the main reciprocal soil transfer experiment. We hypothesize that transferring soil cores between subsoil and surface soil as well as addition of labelled cellulose or roots will allow us to evaluate the relative impact of surface/subsurface habitat conditions and resource availability on abundance, function, and diversity of the soil microbial community. The second objective of the subproject is to understand whether minerals buried within different soil compartments (topsoil vs. subsoil) in the field contribute to creation of hot spots of microbial abundance and activity within a period of two to five years. We hypothesize that soil microorganisms colonize organo-mineral complexes depending on their nutritional composition and substrate availability. The existence of micro-habitat specific microbial communities could be important for short term carbon storage (1 to 6 years). The third objective is to understand the biogeography and function of soil microorganisms in different subsoils. Parent material as well as mineral composition might control niche differentiation during soil development. Depending on size and interconnectedness of niches, colonization and survival of soil microbial communities might be different in soils derived from loess, sand, terra fusca, or sandstone. From the methodological point of view, our specific interest is to place community composition into context with soil microbial functions in subsoils. Our subgroup will be responsible for determining the abundance, diversity, und function of soil microorganisms (13C microbial biomass, 13C PLFA, enzyme activities, DNA extraction followed by quantitative PCR). Quantitative PCR will be used to estimate total abundances of bacteria, archaea and fungi as well as abundances of specific groups of bacteria at high taxonomic levels. We will apply taxa specific bacterial primers because classes or phyla might be differentiated into ecological categories on the basis of their life strategies.

Quantification of functional hydro-biogeochemical indicators in Ecuadorian ecosystems and their reaction on global change

Das Projekt "Quantification of functional hydro-biogeochemical indicators in Ecuadorian ecosystems and their reaction on global change" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Gießen, Institut für Landschaftsökologie und Ressourcenmanagement, Professur für Landschafts-, Wasser- und Stoffhaushalt durchgeführt. Water is an intrinsic component of ecosystems acting as a key agent of lateral transport for particulate and dissolved nutrients, forcing energy transfers, triggering erosion, and driving biodiversity patterns. Given the drastic impact of land use and climate change on any of these components and the vulnerability of Ecuadorian ecosystems with regard to this global change, indicators are required that not merely describe the structural condition of ecosystems, but rather capture the functional relations and processes. This project aims at investigating a set of such functional indicators from the fields of hydrology and biogeochemistry. In particular we will investigate (1) flow regime and timing, (2) nutrient cycling and flux rates, and (3) sediment fluxes as likely indicators. For assessing flow regime and timing we will concentrate on studying stable water isotopes to estimate mean transit time distributions that are likely to be impacted by changes in rainfall patterns and land use. Hysteresis loops of nitrate concentrations and calculated flux rates will be used as functional indicators for nutrient fluxes, most likely to be altered by changes in temperature as well as by land use and management. Finally, sediment fluxes will be measured to indicate surface runoff contribution to total discharge, mainly influenced by intensity of rainfall as well as land use. Monitoring of (1) will be based on intensive sampling campaigns of stable water isotopes in stream water and precipitation, while for (2) and (3) we plan to install automatic, high temporal-resolution field analytical instruments. Based on the data obtained by this intensive, bust cost effective monitoring, we will develop the functional indicators. This also provides a solid database for process-based model development. Models that are able to simulate these indicators are needed to enable projections into the future and to investigate the resilience of Ecuadorian landscape to global change. For the intended model set up we will couple the Catchment Modeling Framework, the biogeochemical LandscapeDNDC model and semi-empirical models for aquatic diversity. Global change scenarios will then be analyzed to capture the likely reaction of functional indicators. Finally, we will contribute to the written guidelines for developing a comprehensive monitoring program for biodiversity and ecosystem functions. Right from the beginning we will cooperate with four SENESCYT companion projects and three local non-university partners to ensure that the developed monitoring program will be appreciated by locals and stakeholders. Monitoring and modelling will focus on all three research areas in the Páramo (Cajas National Park), the dry forest (Reserva Laipuna) and the tropical montane cloud forest (Reserva Biologica San Francisco).

Rehabilitation of Degraded Forests in Yunnan (German-Chinese Cooperation for Agrarian Research)

Das Projekt "Rehabilitation of Degraded Forests in Yunnan (German-Chinese Cooperation for Agrarian Research)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Hamburg, Arbeitsbereich für Weltforstwirtschaft und Institut für Weltforstwirtschaft des Friedrich-Löffler-Institut, Bundesforschungsinstitut für Tiergesundheit durchgeführt. Background: An increasing frequency of massive flooding along the lower Yangtse River in China ended in a disastrous catastrophe in summer 1998 leaving several thousand people homeless, more than 3.600 dead and causing enormous economic damage. Inappropriate land-use techniques and large scale timber felling in the water catchment of the upper Yangtse and its feeder streams were stated to be the main causes. Immediate timber cutting bans were imposed and investigations on land use patterns were initiated by the Chinese Government. The Institute for World Forestry of the Federal Research Centre for Forestry and Forest Products was approached by the Yunnan Academy of Forestry in Kunming to exchange experiences and to cooperate scientifically in the design and application of appropriate afforestation and silvicultural management techniques in the water catchment area of the Yangtse. This cooperation was initiated in 1999 and is based on formal agreements in the fields of agrarian research between the German and Chinese Governments. Objectives: The cooperation was in the first step focussing on the identification of factors which caused the enormous floodings. After their identification measures of prevention were determined and put into practice. In this context experiences made in past centuries in the alpine region of central Europe served as an incentive and example for similar environmental problems and solutions under comparable conditions. Relevant key questions of the cooperation project were: - Analysis of forest related factors influencing the recent floodings of the Yangtse, - Analysis and evaluation of silvicultural management experiences from central Europe for know-how transfer, - Evaluation of rehabilitation measures for successful application in Yunnan, - Dissemination of knowledge through vocational training. Results: - Frequent wild grazing of husbandry is a key factor for forest degeneration beyond unsustainable timber harvests, forest fires and insect calamities leading to increased water run-off in the mountainous region of Yunnan; - Browsing of cattle interrupts succession thus avoiding natural regeneration and leaving a logging ban ineffective; - Mountain pasture in the Alps had similar effects in the past in central Europe. The introduction of controlled grazing has led to an ecologically compatible coexistence of pasture and ecology. Close-to-nature forestry can have positive effects in this sensitive environment. - Afforestation with site adopted broadleaves and coniferous tree species was implemented on demonstration level using advanced techniques in Yunnan.

How should Model Linkages be designed to analyze the Effects of Global Agricultural Trade Liberalization at the Farm Level?

Das Projekt "How should Model Linkages be designed to analyze the Effects of Global Agricultural Trade Liberalization at the Farm Level?" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut Bundesforschungsinstitut für Ländliche Räume, Wald und Fischerei, Institut für Betriebswirtschaft durchgeführt. In the last decades agricultural policy has gained increasingly in complexity. Nowadays it influences the food and agricultural sector from the global market down to the farm level. Widespread research questions, like the impact of the WTO negotiations on the farm structure, most often require comprehensive modeling frameworks. Thus, different types of models are utilized according to their comparative advantages and combined in a strategically useful way to more accurately represent micro and macro aspects of the food and agricultural sector. Consequently, in recent years we have seen an increase in the development and application of model linkages. Given this background, the overall objective of this subproject is a systematic sensitivity analysis of model linkages that gradually involves more and more characteristics of the linkage and the corresponding transfer of results between models. In addition, the project aims to answer the following specific question: How does structural change at the farm level influence aggregate supply and technical progress? Under which conditions is it possible to derive macro-relationships from micro-relationships? How does the aggregation level influence the model results and how can possible problems be overcome? This procedure is used to quantify the effects and to derive conditions for optimal interaction of the connected models. The analysis is based on the general equilibrium model GTAP (Global Trade Analysis Project) and the farm group model FARMIS (Farm Modelling Information System) which are employed in conjunction to analyze the effects of WTO negotiations on the farm level.

Vertical partitioning and sources of CO2 production and effects of temperature, oxygen and root location within the soil profile on C turnover

Das Projekt "Vertical partitioning and sources of CO2 production and effects of temperature, oxygen and root location within the soil profile on C turnover" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut, Bundesforschungsinstitut für Ländliche Räume, Wald und Fischerei, Institut für Agrarrelevante Klimaforschung durchgeführt. For surface soils, the mechanisms controlling soil organic C turnover have been thoroughly investigated. The database on subsoil C dynamics, however, is scarce, although greater than 50 percent of SOC stocks are stored in deeper soil horizons. The transfer of results obtained from surface soil studies to deeper soil horizons is limited, because soil organic matter (SOM) in deeper soil layers is exposed to contrasting environmental conditions (e.g. more constant temperature and moisture regime, higher CO2 and lower O2 concentrations, increasing N and P limitation to C mineralization with soil depth) and differs in composition compared to SOM of the surface layer, which in turn entails differences in its decomposition. For a quantitative analysis of subsoil SOC dynamics, it is necessary to trace the origins of the soil organic compounds and the pathways of their transformations. Since SOM is composed of various C pools which turn over on different time scales, from hours to millennia, bulk measurements do not reflect the response of specific pools to both transient and long-term change and may significantly underestimate CO2 fluxes. More detailed information can be gained from the fractionation of subsoil SOM into different functional pools in combination with the use of stable and radioactive isotopes. Additionally, soil-respired CO2 isotopic signatures can be used to understand the role of environmental factors on the rate of SOM decomposition and the magnitude and source of CO2 fluxes. The aims of this study are to (i) determine CO2 production and subsoil C mineralization in situ, (ii) investigate the vertical distribution and origin of CO2 in the soil profile using 14CO2 and 13CO2 analyses in the Grinderwald, and to (iii) determine the effect of environmental controls (temperature, oxygen) on subsoil C turnover. We hypothesize that in-situ CO2 production in subsoils is mainly controlled by root distribution and activity and that CO2 produced in deeper soil depth derives to a large part from the mineralization of fresh root derived C inputs. Further, we hypothesize that a large part of the subsoil C is potentially degradable, but is mineralized slower compared with the surface soil due to possible temperature or oxygen limitation.

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