Das Projekt "Forest management and habitat structure - influences on the network of song birds, vectors and blood parasites" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Freiburg, Forstzoologisches Institut, Professur für Wildtierökologie und Wildtiermanagement durchgeführt. Forest structure is altered by humans for long times (Bramanti et al. 2009). The long lasting modification of forests pursuant to human demands modified the living conditions for birds as well as for many other animals. This included changes in resource availability (e.g., food, foraging, nesting sites) and changes of interspecific interactions, e.g., parasitism and predation (Knoke et al. 2009; Ellis et al. 2012). Also species compositions and the survivability of populations and even species are affected. The loss of foraging sites and suitable places for reproduction, the limitation of mobility due to fragmented habitats and the disturbances by humans itself may lead to more stressed individuals and less optimal living conditions. In certain cases species are not able to deal with the modified requirements and their populations will shrink and even vanish. Depending on the intensity of management and the remaining forest structure, biodiversity is more or less endangered. Especially in systems of two or more strongly connected taxa changing conditions that affect at least one part may subsequently affect the other, too. One system of interspecific communities that recently attracted the attention of biologists includes birds, blood parasites (haemosporidians) and their transmitting vectors. For instance, avian malaria (Plasmodium relictum) represents the reason for extreme declines in the avifauna of Hawaii since the introduction of respective vectors (e.g. Culicidae) during the 20th century (van Riper et al. 1986, Woodworth et al. 2005). With the current knowledge of this topic we are not able to predict if such incidences could also occur in Germany. All in all, different management strategies and intensity of forest management may influence the network of birds, vectors and blood parasites and change biodiversity. To elucidate this ecological complex, and to understand the interactions of the triad of songbirds as vertebrate hosts, dipteran vectors and haemosporidians within changing local conditions, I intend to collect data on the three taxa in differently managed forest areas, the given forest structure and the climatic conditions. I will try to explain the role of abiotic factors on infection dynamics, in detail the role of forest management intensity. Data acquisition takes place at three spatially divided locations: inside the Biodiversity Exploratory Schwäbische Alb, at the Mooswald in Freiburg, and inside the Schwarzwald.
Das Projekt "Fuel cell power trains and clustering in heavy-duty transports (FELICITAS)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Fraunhofer-Institut für Verkehrs- und Infrastruktursysteme IVI durchgeführt. Objective: The FELICITAS consortium proposes an Integrated Project to develop fuel cell (FC) drive trains fuelled with both hydrocarbons and hydrogen. The proposed development work focuses on producing FC systems capable of meeting the exacting demands of heavy-dut y transport for road, rail and marine applications. These systems will be: - Highly efficient, above 60Prozent - Power dense, - Powerful units of 200kW plus, - Durable, robust and reliable. Two of the FC technologies most suitable for heavy-duty transport applic ations are Polymer Electrolyte FuelCells (PEFC) and Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC). Currently neither technology is capable of meeting the wideranging needs of heavy-duty transport either because of low efficiencies, PEFC, or poor transient performance,SO FC. FELICITAS proposes the development of high power Fuel Cell Clusters (FCC) that group FC systems with other technologies, including batteries, thermal energy and energy recuperation.The FELICITAS consortium will first undertake the definition of the requirements on FC power trains for the different heavy-duty transport modes. This will lead to the development of FC power train concepts, which through the use of advanced multiple simulations, will undertake evaluations of technical parameters, reliab ility and life cycle costs. Alongside the development of appropriate FC power trains the consortium will undertake fundamental research to adapt and improve existing FC and other technologies, including gas turbines, diesel reforming and sensor systems f or their successful deployment in the demanding heavy-duty transport modes. This research work will combine with the FC power trains design and simulation work to provide improved components and systems, together with prototypes and field testing where ap propriate.The FELICITAS consortium approach will substantially improve European FC and associated technology knowledae and know-how in the field of heavv-duty transport.
Das Projekt "Assessing Global Land Use and Soil Management for Sustainable Resource Policies (Land and Soils)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt, Energie gGmbH durchgeführt. Die Arbeitsgruppe für Land- und Bodennutzung des International Resource Panel arbeitet an einem umfassenden Überblick über Herausforderungen und Chancen der Land- und Bodenbewirtschaftung, auf lokaler wie auf globaler Ebene. Globale Landnutzung und Bodenbewirtschaftung sind eng verbunden mit Land- und Forstwirtschaft sowie mit der Entwicklung von Bauland, was wiederum Konsequenzen für die Sicherheit der Versorgung mit Lebensmitteln, Energie, Materialien und Wasser hat. Momentan ist zu beobachten, dass sich landwirtschaftliche Flächen und bebaute Gebiete ausweiten, was mit einer Bodendegradation einhergeht. Dieser Ausbau findet auf Kosten der globalen Wälder, Savannen und von Grasland statt. Sie leiden unter Bodenerosion, Nährstoffmangel, Wassermangel, erhöhtem Salzgehalt oder der Zerstörung biologischer Kreisläufe. Die besten Böden der Welt werden so bedroht. Die Nachfrage nach Anbauland wächst weltweit durch die sich verändernden Ernährungsgewohnheiten und einen wachsenden Konsum bei zunehmend internationalem Handel. Durch die Globalisierung entfernen sich die Orte der Produktion und des Konsums voneinander, sodass im Bewusstsein der Verbraucher Kaufentscheidungen nicht mit den schädlichen Auswirkungen der Produkte verbunden werden. Das Ergebnis ist eine zunehmende Konkurrenz um Nutzflächen, mit unbeabsichtigten und nicht erkannten Nebenwirkungen. Die Politik ist daher aufgefordert, einen doppelten Ansatz zu verfolgen: Einerseits Förderung der nachhaltigen Produktion auf lokaler Ebene und andererseits Förderung der nachhaltigen Nutzung auf der globalen Ebene. Das Projekt untersucht die Verbindungen, Zielkonflikte und die Beziehungen zwischen Landnutzung, Bodenbewirtschaftung und Ressourcensicherheit. Für eine sichere und nachhaltige Versorgung mit Lebensmitteln, Futtermitteln, Kraftstoffen und nachwachsenden Rohstoffen werden Vorschläge erarbeitet, wie die Bodenbewirtschaftung verbessert und die Nachfrage nach Land auf einem vertretbaren Niveau begrenzt werden kann.
Das Projekt "European rail research network of excellence (EUR2EX)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Forschungs- und Anwendungsverbund Verkehrssystemtechnik Berlin durchgeführt. Objective: The strategic objectives of the European Rail Research Network of Excellence (EUR2EX) are: 1.To integrate the fragmented European Rail Research landscape by networking together the critical mass of resources and expertise to provide European leadership and be a world class player, 2.To promote the railway contribution to sustainable transport policy, 3.To improve the competitiveness and economic stability of the railway sector and industry by:creating a durable integrated network of excellence in rail resea rch, technology innovation and knowledge management from the research capacities of universities and institutions, implementing knowledge from rail operators, rail industry incl. SME, with priority given to engineering interfaces and methods for product qu alification in line with ERRAC's SRRA.EUR2EX will have as its foundation six regional/supra regional networks with 67 members and some 670 researchers. Each region has nominated a representative who will be a formal participant for the purpose of the EC co ntract and lean management structure. EUR2EX will encourage new networks to be formed where justified incl. a CEEC network.The members of the regional networks will provide the researchers and research projects that will be integrated and form the research base for new joint projects. UIC, UNIFE and UITP will be EUR2EX participants. They will not provide researchers for integration but their involvement and support are crucial to the success of EUR2EX.EUR2EX will have close links with selected companies tha t have specific knowledge but who may not be able to commit themselves to formal integration. These companies have been identified as associate members.The process of integration of excellence takes place on the basis of a JPA with integrating activities, jointly executed research while sharing research platforms, facilities and activities for spreading excellence to be transferred into a durable integration based on a profound business case.'
Das Projekt "EURopean network of excellence for OCean Ecosystems ANalysiS (EUR-OCEANS)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Stiftung Alfred-Wegener-Institut für Polar- und Meeresforschung e.V. in der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft (AWI) durchgeführt. EUR-OCEANS aims to achieve lasting integration of European research organisations on global change and pelagic marine ecosystems, and to develop models for assessing and forecasting the impacts of climate and anthropogenic forcing on food-web dynamics (structure, functioning, diversity and stability) of pelagic ecosystems in the open ocean. The NOE will favour the progressive integration of research programmes and facilities of major research Institutes all over Europe. The long-term goal of the NOE is to create a multi-site Institute for European Research on Ocean Ecosystems under Anthropogenic and Natural forcings. The international context is provided by Global Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics (GLOBEC), and the forthcoming Integrated Marine Biogeochemistry and Ecosystem Research (IMBER) of the International Geosphere Biosphere Programme (IGBP).EUR-OCEANS' Joint Programme of Activities (JPA) comprises: (1) Integrating activities on: networking (data and model integration); (2) Jointly executed research, organised around four broad modelling tasks (together with observations and experiments) on: pelagic ecosystems end-to-end, biogeochemistry, ecosystem approach to marine resources and within-system integration; (3) Activities to spread excellence, including training of researchers, and spreading excellence to socio-economic users and to the European public (through the Association of Aquaria for EUR-OCEANS public outreach); (4) Management Activities. Administrative and Financial Coordinator: Institut Oceanographique. Governing bodies: General Assembly (Member Organisations); Executive Committee (incl. Scientific Director and the Deputy); Steering Committee (incl. Work Packages Leaders). Councils: Scientific, Intellectual, Gender Equality, and EUR-OCEANS Institute. Composition: 69 Member Organisations, from 25 states (incl. 7 Third countries); 160 PIs selected for their capacity and excellence. Close cooperation with the USA, Australia, Canada, Namibia and Japan. Prime Contractor: France Innovation Scientifique et Transfert; Paris; France.
Das Projekt "Sustainability Tools and Targets for the Urban Thematic Strategy (STATUS)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von ICLEI - Local Goverments for Sustainability, Europasekretariat GmbH durchgeführt. The Urban Thematic Strategy (UTS) is one of 7 Thematic Strategies of the 6th Environment Action Programme. This is a new way of developing environmental policy for complex priority problems that require a holistic approach. The key organising principle for the UTS is sustainable development underpinning . The preparatory work to ensure effective implementation of the UTS in 2005 needs to be undertaken in the next 15 months. In particular, appropriate mechanisms must be put in place to monitor and assess progress during the Strategy, and to provide clear, realistic and appropriate medium term targets for the Priority Themes. The STATUS Project follows the central objective of the relevant SSP, Task 1, in aiming principally to develop locally-relevant targets for local authorities (LAs) across the EU to self-assess progress with urban sustainable development. To do this, a user-friendly on-line tool will be designed onto which will be entered a range of targets and related indicators. These targets will be developed, through building on the synergies between the UTS themes, the Aalborg Commitments, Urban Audit, and European Common Indicators, and through intensive involvement of LAs at key stages of the Project. The tool will use the Lasala On-line approach as a starting point for its development. With this tool, LAs will be able to consult all the targets, and receive useful information on them. They can then select targets relating to the local context and enter relevant baseline data against these. It is anticipated that a more refined version of the Prototype Tool would need to be developed (subsequent to the STATUS project) to permit LAs to regularly input data showing progress on the selected targets, and then receive feedback on this. The Prototype tool will be supported by detailed guidance on how to use and monitor progress on local sustainability targets, and a manual for LAs on using the tool. Prime Contractor: University of Northumbria at Newcastle; Newcastle Upon Tyne; United Kingdom.
Das Projekt "Human dimensions and urban landscape development - A case study in Suzhou, China" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Freiburg, Institut für Geo- und Umweltnaturwissenschaften, Professur für Landespflege durchgeführt. Humanity has influenced and changed the large majority of the earths landscapes, especially those in urban areas. There is no doubt that it is crucial to include human dimensions - perceptions, attitudes, preferences etc. - in terms of landscape inheritance, conservation, development and management or what. Public perception and preference research has a long lasting history in landscape subjects, and has been playing an important role in practical implementation. This study will be conducted in Suzhou, China - a typical Chinese city with numerous ancient cultural heritages and facing endless modernization and urbanization. Literate review will be thoroughly carried out on respect to the processes, states, significances of human dimensions for landscapes. The interpretation of historical materials about landscape changes during decades of the research site will be completed. The targeted objects will be the residents there and visitors. There are still more than 200.000 permanent residents living in the research core, who represent the main force of conserving the ancient heritages lasted thousands years. Therefore, their attitudes towards the landscape changes, ancient landscape elements or symbols are vital, and should be included in routines for landscape design, management and conservation. Moreover, up to millions of visitors from both inside and outside of China come to Suzhou every year, which makes the study concerning their perceptions and preferences even more critical. The well-structured questionnaires, together with semi-open or open interviews will be applied aimed at different targeted groups, and the results will be interpreted and evaluated based on scientific theories and methodologies in both quantitative and qualitative ways. Eventually, how these findings could be used to inform the landscape policy-makers, designer, planner or managers and how to transfer the results into practical status in other cities of China or even in other developing countries facing the same dilemmas would be generated.
Das Projekt "Network of DER laboratories and pre-standardisation (DER-LAB)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Fraunhofer-Institut für Windenergie und Energiesystemtechnik (IWES), Institutsteil München durchgeführt. Objective: The main objective of the proposed Network of Excellence (NoE) DER-Lab is to support the sustainable integration of renewable energy sources (RES) and distributed energy resources (DER) in the electricity supply by developing common requirements, quality criteria, as well as proposing test and certification procedures concerning connection, safety, operation and communication of DER-components and systems. DER-Lab intends to strengthen the EC domestic market and to protect European interests on the international standardisation level. A major objective is to establish a durable European DER-Lab Network that will be a world player in this field. The NoE will bring together a group of organisations for the development of certification procedures for DER- components for electricity grids. The NoE will act as a platform to exchange the current state of knowledge between the different European institutes and other groups. The scattered, but high quality research and test facilities will be combined with great benefit for the European research infrastructure DER-Lab will contribute by developing new concepts for control and supervision of electricity supply and distribution and will bundle at European level specific aspects concerning the integration of RES technologies. The absence of European and international standards for the quality and certification of components and systems for DER is a hindrance to the growth of the European market and for European penetration of the world market. It is within the aims of the proposed NoE to reduce these barriers and to work towards common certification procedures for DER components that will be accepted throughout Europe and the world. Obviously this work cannot be done on a national basis. The results of the project and afterwards the output of the network will be a significant contribution to the European standardisation activities and will contribute to the harmonisation of the different national standards.
Das Projekt "Scientific Support for Regional Downscaling of Precipitation and Temperature Data for Climate Change Impact Assessment in the Nile Equatorial Lakes Region" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Stuttgart, Institut für Wasserbau durchgeführt. The goal of this study was to enable a prognosis on the future rainfall conditions of the Nile Equatorial Lakes regions by delivering time-series of monthly rainfall sums for the time-period from 2021 to 2050 that can be used for all kinds of applications. One example might be the dimensioning of hydraulic structures. In these very long lasting investments, future climatic conditions have to be considered during present planning and construction.The principal sources of information on future climate conditions are General Circulation Models (GCMs). These are physically based atmospheric models that resemble a numerical weather prediction system but on a much coarser scale. This forecast cannot be perfect. Especially, it cannot predict single values, e. g. if January 2050 will be rather wet or dry, but only climatic references, i.e. state, if Januaries in general will become wetter or dryer in the future. Even if the predictions of a GCM were perfect, its output could not be used directly for hydrological purposes, due to its coarse resolution. The monthly precipitation values that are provided by the GCM present the spatially averaged precipitation over a grid cell of several thousand square kilometres. This 'block rainfall' can differ significantly from rainfall measured at the ground. Rain gauges are influenced by local effects like micro climatic conditions or orographic effects of mountain ranges that GCMs are not able to resolve.This study combined the information from different data sources. As global trend information, monthly precipitation values from two GCMs (ECHAM5 and HadCM3) were used. Three CO2-emission scenarios (A1b, A2 and B1) were considered in this data. As local ground reference observed monthly rainfall sums from several rain gauges in East Africa as well as from three reanalysis projects (Climate Research Unit, University of Delaware and GPCC) were used.At each rain gauge or observation point in the reanalysis a technique called 'Quantile-Quantile-Transformation' was applied to establish a relationship between the Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF) of the GCMs and that of the ground references during the calibration period from 1961-1990. The CDFs were fitted by non-parametric Kernel-Smoothing. To account for potential shifts in the annual cycles of GCMs and ground references, the transformations was done separately for each month.Assuming that the relation between Global Model and local response will be constant in the future, the global predictions of the GCM can be downscaled to local scale, leading to future rainfall scenarios that are coherent with observed past rainfall.Combining the data from three CO2-emission scenarios of two GCM with three reanalysis data sets, an ensemble of 18 different rainfall time-series was created for each observation point. The range of this ensemble helps to estimate the possible uncertainties in the prognosis of future monthly precipitation sums from 2021 to 2050.
Das Projekt "Environmentally Compatible Air Transport Systems (ECATS- Network of Excellence)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR), Institut für Physik der Atmosphäre Oberpfaffenhofen durchgeführt. ECATS ist ein so genanntes Exzellenznetzwerk (NoE) der Europäischen Kommission in Brüssel, an dem 13 Gruppen europäischer Universitäten und nationalen Forschungszentren beteiligt sind. Ziel des Projektes ist die Entwicklung eines virtuellen europäischen Forschungsinstitutes durch Bündelung verschiedener nationaler und europäischer Forschungsinitiativen zur Entwicklung umweltfreundlicher Luftverkehrskonzepte.