Das Projekt "Soil colour spectra of prehistoric pit fillings as a new analytical tool to measure changing soil characteristics over time on a regional scale" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Institut für Nutzpflanzenwissenschaften und Ressourcenschutz (INRES), Bereich Bodenwissenschaften, Allgemeine Bodenkunde und Bodenökologie durchgeführt. Prehistoric pits are filled with ancient topsoil material, which has been preserved there over millennia. A characteristic of these pit fillings is that their colour is different depending on the time the soil material was relocated. Soil colour is the result of soil forming processes and soil properties, and it could therefore indicate the soil characteristics present during that specific period. To the best of our knowledge, no investigation analysed and explained the reasons for these soil colour changes over time. The proposed project will investigate soil parameters from pit fillings of different archaeological periods in the loess area of the Lower Rhine Basin (NW-Germany). It aims to implement the measurement of colour spectra as a novel analytical tool for the rapid analyses of a high number of soil samples: the main goal is to relate highresolution colour data measured by a spectrophotometer to soil parameters that were analysed by conventional pedogenic methods and by mid infrared spectroscopy (MIRS), with a main focus on charred organic matter (BPCAs). This tool would enable us to quantify the variation of soil properties over a timescale of several millennia, during different prehistoric periods at regional scale and for loess soils in general. Detailed information concerning changing soil properties on a regional scale is necessary to determine past soil quality and it helps to increase our understanding of prehistoric soil cultivation practices. Furthermore, these information could also help to increase our understanding about agricultural systems in different archaeological periods.
Das Projekt "IWaTec - Integrated Water Technologies" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Duisburg-Essen, Zentrum für Wasser- und Umweltforschung durchgeführt. Egypt passed a revolution and changed its political system, but many problems are still lacking a solution. Especially in the field of water the North African country has to face many challenges. Most urgent are strategies to manage the limited water resources. About 80% of the available water resources are consumed for agriculture and the rest are for domestic and industrial activities. The management of these resources is inefficient and a huge amount of fresh water is discarded. The shortage of water supply will definitely influence the economic and cultural development of Egypt. In 2010, Egypt was ranked number 8 out of 165 nations reviewed in the so-called Water Security Risk Index published by Maplecroft. The ranking of each country in the index depends mainly on four key factors, i.e. access to improved drinking water and sanitation, the availability of renewable water and the reliance on external supplies, the relationship between available water and supply demands, and the water dependency of each countrys economy. Based on this study, the situation of water in Egypt was identified as extremely risky. A number of programs and developed strategies aiming to efficiently manage the usage of water resources have been carried out in the last few years by the Egyptian Government. But all these activities, however, require the availability of trained and well-educated individuals in water technology fields. Unfortunately, the number of water science graduates are decreasing and also there are few teaching and training courses for water science offered in Egypt. However, there is still a demand for several well-structured and international programs to fill the gap and provide the Egyptian fresh graduates with the adequate and up-to-date theoretical and practical knowledge available for water technology. IWaTec is designed to fill parts of this gap.
Das Projekt "The scalar organization of environmental governance: an institutionalist perspective on the transformation of water and marine governance in the European Union" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Berlin (Humboldt-Univ.), Albrecht Daniel Thaer-Institut für Agrar- und Gartenbauwissenschaften - Ressourcenökonomie durchgeführt. The project aims to theorize the scalar organization of natural resource governance in the European Union. This research agenda is inspired by critical geographers' work on the politics of scale. The research will examine an analytical framework derived from theories of institutional change and multi-level govern-ance to fill this theoretical gap. Furthermore, it will review conceptualizations of the state in institutional economics, evaluate their adequacy to capture the role of the state in the dynamics identified, and develop them further. The described processes may imply shifts in administrative levels, shifts in relations between different levels and changes in spatial delimitations of competent jurisdictions that result, for example, from decentralization or the introduction of river basin oriented administrative structures. The research investigates the implications of two European Directives: the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). They both have potentially great significance for the organization of marine and water governance at the level of Member States and below, and adhere to similar regulatory ideas for achieving good ecological status of waters. A multiple case study on changes in the scalar reorganization of marine and water governance that result from the implementation of the Directives will be carried out. It will rely on qualitative and quantitative data gathering based on semi-structured interviews and review of secondary and tertiary sources looking at Portugal, Spain, and Germany. It specifically addresses the role of social ecological transactions, the structure of decision making processes and the role of changes in contextual factors (such as ideologies, interdependent institutions and technology).
Das Projekt "Ground-truthing magnetic recording in meteorites" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Department für Geo- und Umweltwissenschaften, Sektion Geophysik durchgeführt. Whether primordial bodies in the solar system possessed internally-generated dynamos is a fundamental constraint to understand the dynamics and timing of early planetary formation. Paleointensity studies on several meteorites reveal that their host planets possessed magnetic fields within an order-of magnitude of the present Earths field. Interpretation of paleointensity data relies heavily on fundamental knowledge of the magnetic properties of the magnetic carriers, such as the single to multidomain size threshold or how the saturation magnetization varies as a function of grain size, yet very little knowledge exists about these key parameters for some of the main magnetic recorders in meteorites: the iron-nickel alloys. Moreover, most meteorites have experienced some amount of shock during their histories, yet the consequence of even very small stresses on paleointensity data is poorly known.We wish to fill these gaps by magnetically characterizing Fe-Ni alloys as a function of grain size and by determining how absolute and relative paleointensity data are biased by strain levels lower than those petrologically observable (less than 4-5 GPa). For example, our preliminary work shows that an imposed stress of 0.6 GPa will reduce absolute paleointensity estimates by 46Prozent for single domain magnetite-bearing rocks. In general, paleointensity determinations possess inherent disadvantages regarding measurement precision and the inordinate amount of human time investment. We intend to overcome these limitations by extending and improving our fully automated magnetic workstation known as the SushiBar.
Das Projekt "Model coupling and complex structures - Evaporation-driven transport and precipitation of salts in porous media" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Stuttgart, Institut für Wasser- und Umweltsystemmodellierung durchgeführt. Degradation of the soil productivity due to salt accumulation (salinization) is a major concern in arid, semi-arid and coastal regions. Soil salinization is an old issue but encouraged irrigation practices have been rapidly increasing its intensity and magnitude in the past few decades. Studies have shown that excess of the irrigated water contributes significantly to evaporation from the bare soil surface and therefore to the salinization. In some parts of the world soil salinity has grown so acute that the agricultural lands have been abandoned. Evaporation salinization is mainly influenced by interaction between the flow and transport processes in the atmosphere and the porous-medium. On the atmosphere side, wind velocity, air temperature and radiation have a strong impact on evaporation. Furthermore, turbulence causes air mixing, influences the vapor transport and creates a boundary layer at the soil-atmosphere interface which indeed influences evaporation. On the porous-medium side, dissolved salt is transported under the influence of viscous forces, capillary forces, gravitational forces and advective and diffusive fluxes. The water either directly evaporates from the water-filled pores or it is transported to air due to diffusive processes. Continuous evaporation promotes salt accumulation and precipitation resulting in soil salinization. In the scope of this work we attempt to develop a model concept capable of handling flow, transport and precipitation processes related to evaporative salinization of an unsaturated porous-medium.
Das Projekt "Sub project:The effect of iron(III)-sulfide interactions on electron transfer processes in anoxic aquifers" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Bayreuth, Fachgruppe Geowissenschaften, Bayreuther Zentrum für Ökologie und Umweltforschung (BayCEER), Lehrstuhl für Hydrologie durchgeführt. Strong evidence exists that the oxidation of H2S by ferric (oxyhydr)oxides occurs also in ground water systems and may exert a major role for the sulphur and iron cycle and in particular for the electron and carbon flow in aquifers. To date, no systematic study has been performed that allows to quantitatively assess its significance in such systems. This project aims to fill this gap of knowledge. The extent of the reaction depends on mineral reactivity, which we hypothesize can be expressed in terms of a generalized kinetic model for the full pH range of environmental relvance. This model accounts for the adsorption of H2S at lower pH values and of HS- at circumneutral pH to the neutral ferric (oxyhydr)oxide surface to form the reactive species FeSH. Variations in reactivity may be caused by intrinsic factors such as surface acidity of the iron mineral and solution composition, such as ionic strength and competition with other ions. The overall goals of this project therefore are to demonstrate the validity of this approach in order to quantify the kinetics for abiotic anaerobic H2S oxidation by ferric (oxyhydr)oxides, and to elucidate the role of this process as a precursor reaction for further microbial transformation of sulphur species in the aquifer.
Das Projekt "Methane Turnover in Alpine Glacier Forefields" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, Institut für Biogeochemie und Schadstoffdynamik durchgeführt. Lead As atmospheric CH4 is an important contributor to climate change, understanding CH4 turnover is crucial for global climate modeling and potential mitigation strategies. In this project we will quantitatively assess CH4 turnover in alpine glacier forefields through specifically adapted methods. Hintergrund Methane (CH4) is among the most abundant greenhouse gases in the atmosphere with a significantly higher global-warming potential than CO2. The CH4 cycle is largely microbially mediated, with anaerobic methanogenic archaea responsible for CH4 production, and aerobic or anaerobic CH4 oxidizing bacteria (MOB) responsible for consumption. Little is known about CH4 turnover and MOB abundance and diversity in pioneer ecosystems such as glacier forefields. Here, a transition occurs from partially anaerobic, methanogenic subglacial sediments to largely aerobic, well-developed CH4 consuming soils in alpine meadows or forests. An initial field survey confirmed substantial CH4 production and consumption in several Swiss glacier forefields, but was limited in its scope by currently available methods to assess CH4 turnover. Ziel The project's overall goal is to quantitatively assess CH4 turnover in alpine glacier forefields through specifically adapted methods. The project will fill a gap in knowledge regarding CH4 turnover during the transformation of soils from the subglacial to the proglacial environment. This is especially valuable for evaluating potential feedback of deglaciation to climate change, and will lead to an improved understanding of colonization patterns of MOB. Bedeutung Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. To date, information on CH4 turnover in glacier forefields is extremely scarce. Thus, it will be important to rigorously assess the occurrence and magnitude of CH4 turnover in this environment. Effects of soil age as well as seasonal effects on CH4 turnover during the transition from an anaerobic, subglacial environment to postglacial, aerobic alpine meadows or forests are hitherto unexplored. However, changes in CH4 turnover during this transition may represent an important feedback to the climate system, in particular in light of glaciers predicted to continue their rapid retreat.
Das Projekt "Safe Implementation of Innovative Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (SIINN)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH - Geschäftsbereich Technologie-Transfer (T) durchgeführt. Objective: The primary aim of the SIINN ERA-NET is to promote the rapid transfer of the results of nano-science and nanotechnology (N&N) research into industrial application by helping to create reliable conditions. In order to strengthen the European Research Area and to coordinate N&N-related R&D work, the project has the aim of bringing together a broad network of ministries, funding agencies, academic and industrial institutions to create a sustainable transnational programme of joint R&D in N&N. The commercial application of nano-materials (NMs) products is increasing rapidly, but one important question, the safety of NMs, still represents a barrier to their wide innovative use. Therefore the first priority of SIINN is to focus on developing a consolidated framework to address nano-related risks and the management of these risks for humans and the environment by investigating the toxicological behaviour of NMs. European R&D activities in N&N remain largely uncoordinated and fragmented, resulting in the sub-optimal use of available resources, such as human resources, research equipment and funding. Since available data on their toxicological behaviour is often scant, unreliable or contradictory, the SIINN Project will focus on ways of remedying this situation. After defining the criteria important for NM toxicology, the environmental health and safety (EHS) information currently available to Europe will be examined. Liaisons will strategically be established and maintained. They will network with organisations looking into the EHS of NMs within Europe and abroad with the aim of continually exchanging information with these. Available information will be examined for their reliability in respect of the assessment of the risks of NMs towards human health and to the environment and major knowledge gaps identified. At least two joint, transnational calls will be organised during the initial lifetime of SIINN in order to fill these gaps.
Das Projekt "Metal Bioavailability to Aquatic Photosynthetic Organisms in Changing Environment (BioChEn)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universite de Geneve, Institut F.-A. Forel durchgeführt. The interactions of climate variability and the changes in the surface radiation are anticipated to affect the aquatic biogeochemical cycles and thus to increase the uncertainty in predicting environmental risks associated with chemical pollution. Therefore the understanding of the processes that govern the contaminant (e.g. toxic metal) interactions with different biotic and abiotic components in changing environment is of crucial importance for development of the predictive models for environmental risk assessment and sustainable water quality in 21st century. The present project address the major question of how the interacting effects of toxic metals, increased solar radiation and natural organic matter (NOM) alterations will impact the photosynthetic organisms in surface waters. The photosynthetic organisms, phytoplankton and macrophytes, are major players in the surface water primary productivity and represent the basis of the aquatic food chain. The following key questions will be addressed: (i) To what extent increased solar radiation affect the speciation of metal - NOM complexes?; (ii) How does the combination of enhanced solar radiation and NOM - alteration affect metal bioavailability?; (iii) What would be consequences for the photosynthetic organisms in the surface waters? The project outcomes are expected to contribute significantly in the filling of the existing gaps in the knowledge and reducing the uncertainty, concerning the combined action of chemical and other environmental stressors on the two major groups of the aquatic primary producers.
Das Projekt "Life cycle approach and human risk impact assessment, product stewardship and stakeholder risk/benefit communication of nanomaterials (LICARA)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Nederlandse Centrale Organisatie voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek durchgeführt.
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