API src

Found 54 results.

Related terms

Sonderforschungsbereich (SFB) 607: Wachstum oder Parasitenabwehr? Wettbewerb um Ressourcen in Nutzpflanzen aus Land- und Forstwirtschaft, Teilprojekt B1: Allometrie und Raumbesetzung von krautigen und holzigen Pflanzen. Integration von Pflanzen- und Bestandesebene

Das Projekt B1 'Allometrie und Raumbesetzung von krautigen und holzigen Pflanzen' ist Teil des Sonderforschungsbereiches 607 Wachstum und Parasitenabwehr und befindet sich bereits in der vierten Phase des seit 1998 laufenden Forschungsprojektes. Bisher wurde im Projekt B1 die Allometrie als Resultat der pflanzeninternen Steuerung der Allokation untersucht. Auf Individuenebene wurden Allometrie und ihre Veränderung für verschiedene Baumarten in verschiedenen ontogenetischen Stadien untersucht. Auf Bestandesebene wurden die self-thinning-Linien von Yoda und Reineke für krautige bzw. holzige Pflanzenbestände analysiert. Bisherige Allometriebestimmungen erbrachten für diese Arten zwar ähnliche Größenordnung aber auch charakteristische Unterschiede, die Ausdruck spezifischer Strategien der Raumbesetzung und -ausbeutung widerspiegeln. Die bisher vereinzelten Auswertungen sollen in Phase IV in eine übergreifende Analyse (versch. Arten, ontogenetische Stadien, Konkurrenzsituationen, Störfaktoren) der Allometrie auf Pflanzen- und Bestandesebene münden.

Hydrogeological and hydrochemical modelling of density-driven flow in the Tiberias Basin, in particular between Ha'on and Tiberias Regions, Jordan Valley

The aim of the current research is to identify regional sources and trans-boundary flow leading to the observed salinity of Lake Tiberias (LT) -also known as the Sea of Galilee or Lake Kinneret-, and its surroundings, which is considered the only natural surface fresh water reservoir of the area. The current study will include all sources of brines in the Tiberias Basin (TB) with specific emphasis of the relationship between the brines from the Ha'on and Tiberias Regions (HTR).The tasks will be achieved by a multidisciplinary approach involving: (i) numerical modelling of density-driven flow processes (i.e., coupled heat and dissolution of evaporites), (ii) hydrochemical studies, supplemented by investigations of subsurface structures.(i) Numerical modelling will be carried out by applying the commercial software FEFLOW® (WASY, GmbH) complemented with the open source code OpenGeoSys developed at the UFZ of Leipzig (Wang et al., 2009). The final goal is to build a 3D regional-scale model of density-driven flow that will result in: (1) revealing the different interactions between fresh groundwater and natural salinity sources (2) elucidate the driving mechanisms of natural brines and brackish water body's movements.(ii) Hydrochemical study will include major, minor and, if possible, rare earth elements (REE) as well as isotope studies. The samples will be analysed at the FU Berlin and UFZ Halle laboratories. Geochemical data interpretation and inverse modelling will be supported by PHREEQC. Hydrochemical field investigations will be carried out in Tiberias basin and its enclosing heights, i.e. the Golan, Eastern Galilee and northern Ajloun in order to search for indications of the presence of deep, relic saline groundwater infested by the inferred Ha'on mother-brine. The current approaches will be supplemented by seismic and statistical data analysis as well as GIS software applications for the definition of the subsurface structures. The key research challenges are: building a 3D structural model of selected regions of TB, adapting both structural and hydrochemical data to the numerical requirements of the model; calibrating the 3D regional-scale model with observational data. The results of this work are expected to establish suitable water-management strategies for the exploitation of freshwater from the lake and from the adjacent aquifers while reducing salinization processes induced by both local and regional brines.

Landschaftsveränderungsdienst - Laverdi

Die Erkennung von Veränderungen der Landbedeckung der Erdoberfläche auf der Basis von satellitengestützten Fernerkundungsdaten ist seit Jahrzehnten ein sehr aktives Forschungsfeld. Das Ziel des Landschaftsveränderungsdiensts ist es, freie Copernicus-Satellitendaten für eine automatische Ableitung von Landbedeckungsänderungen zu nutzen und diese Informationen regelmäßig für einzelne Landschaftselemente (z.B. für Waldgebiete, Wasserflächen, Landwirtschaftsflächen usw.) über einen Web Service bereitzustellen. Copernicus Daten eignen sich aufgrund der hohen zeitlichen (ca. 3-5 Tage, je nach Sensor) und mittleren räumlichen Auflösung (ab 10m) ideal für eine regelmäßige bundesweite flächendeckende Analyse der Landbedeckung. Um eine hohe Bearbeitungsleistung zu erreichen wird die 'Copernicus Data and Exploitation Platform - Deutschland' (CODE-DE) für die Datenverarbeitung und -analyse genutzt. Es können aktuelle und konsistenteste Informationen über Landdeckungsänderungen abgeleitet werden, um kontinuierlich Geodaten in einer einheitlichen Qualität zu pflegen (siehe Abbildung 1). Andererseits können die gewonnenen Informationen genutzt werden, um statistisch relevante Geoinformationen zur quantitativen Beschreibung der UN-SDG-Indikatoren zu extrahieren. Die 2015 verabschiedete Agenda 2030 mit 17 Entwicklungszielen (SDG) und 169 Unterzielen verknüpft das Prinzip der Nachhaltigkeit mit der ökonomischen, ökologischen und sozialen Entwicklung. Die Umsetzung erfordert einen soliden Überprüfungsmechanismus. Dieser soll durch eine regemäßige nationale Erfassung von ca. 200 definierten UN-SDG-Indikatoren erfolgen, mit dem Ziel Fortschritte zu monitoren und die Politik zu informieren.

Miscanthus 'Giganteus' als Industrierohstoff und für die thermische Nutzung

Die Bereitstellung von Industrierohstoffen und Energie in der Form von Wärme und elektrischen Strom aus Einjahres-, zweijährigen und ausdauernden Pflanzen stellt in allen industrialisierten Ländern und auch in Österreich mittel- und langfristig eine bedeutende Alternative zum Verbrauch fossiler Resourcen dar. Miscanthus Giganteus, eine ausdauernde Pflanze, benötigt eine stark vom Standort abhängige ein- bis zweijährige Etablierungsphase. Die Ernte des Aufwuchses ist erst ab dem zweiten Vegetationsjahr wirtschaftlich. Nach bisherigen Ergebnissen und Erwartungen ist eine ca. 20jährige Nutzungsdauer möglich. Die Feldversuche an fünf bezüglich Klima und Bodenform (Bodentyp und Art) unterschiedlichen Standorten ergaben von 1989 bis 2001 jährlich Trockensubstanzerträge von 17500 bis 24000 kg/ha. Die Ertragsschwankungen zwischen den Jahren sind relativ niedrig, standortbezogen zwischen 2000 und 4000 kg/ha. Zwischen den einzelnen Standorten gibt es bedeutende Ertragsunterschiede. Jährlich hohe Erträge werden an den Standorten ILZ (Steiermark) und in ST. FLORIAN (Oberösterreich) bei durchschnittlichen Jahresniederschlagsmengen zwischen 700 und 900 mm erzielt. Durch die geringeren Niederschläge bedingt ist das Ertragsniveau in MICHELNDORF, MARKGRAFNEUSIEDL, GROSS ENZERSDORF und STEINBRUNN niedriger. Bei Bewässerung in einer Menge von 100 bis 150 mm (Juli bis September) steigt der Biomasseertrag um ca. 2000 bis 5000 kg/ha an. Das Ertragsmaximum wird Ende November - Anfang Dezember erreicht. Bis zum üblichen Erntetermin Ende Februar - Mitte März fällt der Ertrag aufgrund des Blattfalles und Abbrechen der dünnen Stängel und Triebspitzen ab. Der Wassergehalt im Erntegut liegt bei einer Ernte Ende November - Anfang Dezember über 50 Prozent, er fällt je nach mittlerem Stängeldurchmesser und Winter-Witterungsverlauf bis Ende Februar auf 30 bis ca. 42 Prozent ab. Eine Stickstoffdüngermenge über 60 kg N/ha führt nur selten zu steigenden Erträgen. Gülle als Dünger erreicht wegen der meist dichten Blattmulchauflage nur eine geringe Düngerwirkung. Die wesentlichen Qualitätskriterien bei einer thermisch energetischen bzw. stofflichen Nutzung sind konstant. Der Aschegehalt im Erntegut weist ab dem dritten Aufwuchsjahr Werte zwischen 3,2 und 5,0 Prozent auf. Auch der N- Gehalt im Erntegut bleibt ab dem Dritten Aufwuchsjahr beinahe konstant und liegt zwischen 0,3 und 0,42 Prozent. Den größten Anteil der Miscanthusasche bilden Siliciumoxyd (ca. 40 bis 50 5) und K2O (12 bis 20 Prozent). Miscanthuserntegut ist bei entsprechender Technologie ein Rohstoff für die Zellulosegewinnung. Der Gehalt ab dem dritten Aufwuchsjahr liegt bei ca. 47,5 Prozent und ist nur geringfügig niedriger als im Laub- oder Nadelholz.

Response of Arctic submarine continental slopes to global warming

This project aims at investigating a scientific and societal pressing subject which requires urgent attention: the geo-hazards associated with the imminent use of the Arctic Ocean under the changing conditions forced by Global Change. Due to the increasing temperatures, the Arctic region is experiencing a decline of glaciers and sea-ice. Sea-ice reduction will soon expose to exploration yet unknown seafloor and sub-seafloor geology. Given todays interest in natural resources exploitation, the Arctic regions will experience an increase in seafloor and sub-seafloor use and an accelerated development of infrastructures, especially in coastal and continental margin areas. The glacial environment of the Arctic land masses causes that physical processes along continental margins differ substantially from those at lower latitudes, where continental slopes are built with river-fed sediments and glacial influence is comparatively unimportant. Continental margins at lower latitudes are better studied because industrialized nations have previously focused their activities there. The response of the Arctic seafloor and sub-seafloor system to upcoming changes in physical oceanography and glacial conditions, and the resultant sedimentary processes are yet not understood. To evaluate the future response of the Arctic geological system to Global Change is necessary to further understand the interplay among past climate change, continental margin geology, and submarine slope stability. This project aims at filling that critical gap in understanding. The overarching goal of this project is to evaluate how the increase of temperature, within the bounds of current predictions, may change the behavior of the Arctic geological system and alter slope stability. To achieve the goal we will estimate the volume and rate of gas release into the atmosphere that might affect climate, and evaluate the potential feed back of climate change to gas-hydrate dissociation. We will analyze potential future scenarios of slope in-stability in the context of the combined effect of the removal of past ice loading, ongoing temperature change, and stability of the geological elements of the continental margin system.

Towards a Better Sunlight to Biomass Conversion Efficiency in Microalgae (SUNBIOPATH)

SUNBIOPATH - towards a better sunlight to biomass conversion efficiency in microalgae - is an integrated program of research aimed at improving biomass yields and valorisation of biomass for two Chlorophycean photosynthetic microalgae, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Dunaliella salina. Biomass yields will be improved at the level of primary processes that occur in the chloroplasts (photochemistry and sunlight capture by the light harvesting complexes) and in the cell (biochemical pathways and signalling mechanisms that influence ATP synthesis). Optimal growth of the engineered microalgae will be determined in photobioreactors, and biomass yields will be tested using a scale up approach in photobioreactors of different sizes (up to 250 L), some of which being designed and built during SUNBIOPATH. Biomethane production will be evaluated. Compared to other biofuels, biomethane is attractive because the yield of biomass to fuel conversion is higher. Valorisation of biomass will also be achieved through the production of biologicals. Significant progress has been made in the development of chloroplast genetic engineering in microalgae such as Chlamydomonas, however the commercial exploitation of this technology still requires additional research. SUNBIOPATH will address the problem of maximising transgenic expression in the chloroplast and will develop a robust system for chloroplast metabolic engineering by developing methodologies such as inducible expression and trans-operon expression. A techno economic analysis will be made to evaluate the feasibility of using these algae for the purposes proposed (biologicals production in the chloroplast and/or biomethane production) taking into account their role in CO2 mitigation.

Efficient and robust dye sensitzed solar cells and modules (BUST DSC)

ROBUST DSC aims to develop materials and manufacturing procedures for Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSC) with long lifetime and increased module efficiencies (7Prozent target). The project intends to accelerate the exploitation of the DSC technology in the energy supply market. The approach focuses on the development of large area, robust, 7Prozent efficient DSC modules using scalable, reproducible and commercially viable fabrication procedures. In parallel with this objective, more fundamental research, employing new materials and device configurations, will target increasing the efficiency of labscale DSC to 14Prozent. Progress on labscale devices will be fed directly into module development. The approach is based on the use of innovative low-cost materials, scalable manufacturing techniques, predictive device models and in-and outdoor lifetime testing. A sound and scientific understanding of the basic procedures to manufacture the cells and a thorough knowledge of the fundamental processes in the cell are important tools for our success. The partnership consists of: two SMEs (Orionsolar and G24i) that are committed to large-scale production of DSC, one industry (Corning) that has proven experience on inorganic frits for sealing of a variety of applications, three research institutes (ECN, IVF, FISE) with expertise in the field of long-term testing, up-scaling and module fabrication and four academic partners, world leaders in both new materials and concepts, and in fundamental research on cell function and modelling (EPFL, IMPERIAL, ICIQ, UAM). We anticipate that this project will result in the demonstration of a new scalable, low cost, photovoltaic technology. It will therefore form the basis of a potentially substantial business opportunity aiming at developing a new solar cell product with cost and payback characteristics strongly advantaged over existing technologies.

6. RP Aquaterra - Understanding river-sediment-soil-groundwater interactions for support of management of waterbodies (river basin & catchment areas) (AQUATERRA)

Objective: Changes in climatic conditions, land use practices and soil and sediment pollution have large-scale adverse impacts on water quantity and quality. The current knowledge base in river basin management is not adequate to deal with these impacts. Austere is both integrating and developing knowledge to resolve this and disseminating it to stakeholders. In the water cycle, soil is a key element affecting groundwater recharge and the chemical composition of both subsurface and surface waters (the latter is additionally affected by sediments). The proper functioning of the river-sediment-soil-groundwater system is linked to key biogeochemical processes determining the filter, buffer and transformation capacity of soils and sediments. Austere aims at a better understanding of the system as a whole by identifying relevant processes, quantifying the associated parameters and developing numerical models of the groundwater-soil-sediment-river system to identify adverse trends in soil functioning, water quantity and quality. The modelling addresses all relevant scales starting from micro-scale water/solid interactions, the transport of dissolved species, pollutants as well as suspended matter in soil and groundwater systems at the catchments scale, and finally the regional scale, with case studies located in major river basins in Europe. With this integrated modelling system, Austere provides the basis for improved river basin management, enhanced soil and groundwater monitoring programs and the early identification and forecasting of impacts on water quantity and quality during this century. Austere is committed to the dissemination and exploitation of project results through structured workshops, dedicated short courses, and the active participation of consortium partners in national and international conferences. A peer review panel supervises the quality and direction of the project.

Conflict Resolution, Management and Problem Solving for Sustainable Resource Utilization (COMPROMISE)

Renewable natural resources (e.g. fish stocks and forests) are threatened worldwide due to non-sustainable exploitation and global environmental change, making depending industries and regions vulnerable. Over-exploitation is typically characterized by over-capitalization and destructive competition between small-scale and regionally/globally acting enterprises. In COMPROMISE the complex interactions between natural, social and institutional systems related to this will be investigated with an integrative approach. It is a key feature of such system that they characterised by low levels of knowledge. This holds for the dynamics of stocks, the economic characteristics of firms, strategies of the fishing industry, as well as for the impact of policy frameworks. Thus, in order to provide further knowledge qualitative methods are needed. The encompassing analysis starts with case studies of some fisheries in developing countries under stakeholder involvement. Typical factors and agents, patterns and conflicts will be characterized by drawing from expertise from system analysts, social and natural scientists, combined with modern modelling methods. The aim is to identify success factors for a sustainable management of renewable resources.

FP6-POLICIES, Multifunctional Encoding System for Assessment of Movable Cultural Heritage (MULTI-ENCODE)

Nowadays safety, ethical, economical, security issues and the increase demand of loaning for exhibitions in transit, are forcing the Conservation Community to undertake strong initiatives against various types of mistreatment, damage or fraud, during transportation of movable artworks. Therefore the project targets to the development of innovative methodologies and instrumentation to respond to these aspects of increased preservation importance, among which to secure proper treatment, to assess probable damage and to fight fraud actions in transportation. It aims to develop a novel Impact Assessment Procedure by exploiting and providing the holographic technology advances and innovative tools for a highly secure encoding-decoding system of objects features required for sustainable preservation of movable artworks. It may apply in many functional and strategic decision-making aspects in museums operation, from routine seasonal examination of conservation state, to periodic assessment of conservation treatments and materials compatibility, to deterioration control and definition of early-induced damage, to continuous monitoring of transportation impact, to direct confirmation of originality and control of maintenance for any art object in transit. The effective proposed method relies on the original coded extraction of distinct features from the artwork under conservation, transportation and loan that characterizes the state of conservation and its originality. The coding and decoding of characteristic features is performed holographically before and after have been optically and numerically transformed for digital archiving. The archived coded data forming the signatures of the object can be compared at any later time to provide indication of alterations. The project advances the state of the art elaborating in synergy with existing methods and practices and concludes with novel instrumentation and standards for universal application and worldwide exploitation. Prime Contractor: Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas; Heraklion; Greece.

1 2 3 4 5 6