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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.

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.

Combined development of compact thermal energy storage technologies (COMTES)

The COMTES project has as goal to develop and demonstrate three novel systems for compact seasonal storage of solar thermal energy. These systems will contribute to the EU 20-20-20 targets by covering a larger share of the domestic energy demand with solar thermal energy. Main objective of COMTES is to develop and demonstrate systems for seasonal storage that are significantly better than water based systems. The three technologies are covered in COMTES by three parallel development lines: solid sorption, liquid sorption and supercooling PCM. Strength of this approach is the collaboration of three development groups in activities that pertain to the analyses, methods and techniques that concern all technologies, without risking the exchange of confidential material. In this way, the development is much more effective than in three separate projects. The project starts with a definition of system boundary conditions and target applications. Next comes the investigation of the best available storage materials. Detailed numerical modelling of the physical processes, backed by experimental validations, will lead to optimum component design. Full-scale prototypes are simulated, constructed and tested in the laboratory in order to optimize process design. One year of fully monitored operation in demonstration buildings is followed by an integrated evaluation of the systems and their potential. When deemed successful, the involved industry partners will pick up the developed storage concepts and bring them further to a commercial level. The COMTES project is a cooperation of key scientific institutions active in the above mentioned heat storage technologies. For the first time, all relevant research disciplines are covered in an international effort. For each development line, a top-Ieading industry partner contributes its know-how and experience, providing the basis for further industrial development and exploitation of project results.

Nano-particle products from new mineral resources in Europe (ProMine)

The objectives of the ProMine IP address the Commission s concerns over the annual 11 billion trade deficit in metal and mineral imports. Europe has to enhance the efficiency of its overall production chain putting higher quality and added value products on the market. ProMine focuses on two parts of this chain, targeting extractive and end-user industries. Upstream, the first ever Pan-EU GIS based mineral resource and advanced modeling system for the extractive industry will be created, showing known and predicted, metallic and non-metallic mineral occurrences across the EU. Detailed 4D computer models will be produced for four metalliferous regions. Upstream work will also include demonstrating the reliability of new (Bio) technologies for an eco-efficient production of strategic metals, driven by the creation of on-site added value and the identification of specific needs of potential end-users. Downstream, a new strategy will be developed for the European extractive industry which looks not only at increasing production but also at delivering high value, tailored nano-products which will form the new raw materials for the manufacturing industry. ProMine research will focus on five nano-products, (Conductive metal (Cu, Ag, Au) fibres, rhenium and rhenium alloy powders, nano-silica, iron oxyhydroxysulphate and new nano-particle based coatings for printing paper), which will have a major impact on the economic viability of the extractive industry. They will be tested at bench scale, and a number selected for development to pilot scale where larger samples can be provided for characterisation and testing by end-user industries. It will include production, testing and evaluation of these materials, with economic evaluation, life cycle cost analysis, and environmental sustainability. ProMine with 26 partners from 11 EU member states, has a strong industrial involvement while knowledge exploitation will transfer ProMine results to the industrial community.

Brokering environmentally sustainable sanitation for europe (BESSE)

Objective: This collaborative research project will last 36 months and involve 10 partners. Its general aim is to contribute to the EU Renewed Sustainable Development Strategy through the enhancement of the links between policy and research on sustainable development in the field of sanitation (a crucial area with regard to environmental sustainability and quality of life in general). The project has two specific aims. - Generating new knowledge on the factors hindering the dissemination of scientific and technological knowledge that can be immediately applied in support to sustainable development, and of identifying knowledge brokerage methods enabling to overcome these hindering factors and to maximise the exploitation of relevant knowledge. - Starting up a learning process on knowledge brokerage in general as a tool for the socialisation of Scientific and Technological Research. The project components, to be implemented in the partner countries, are: - Research. Activities will carried out for mapping the knowledge and technological options for environmentally sustainable sanitation (ESS), and the actors that possess this knowledge. This, together with a consultation of experts aimed at listing the obstacles to knowledge brokerage dissemination, will provide the basis for experimentations. - Experimentation. Knowledge brokerage experiments on ESS will be carried out in the Netherlands, Italy and Bulgaria via 3 pilot projects. - Learning. The results achieved will serve to start up a process aimed at drafting policy guidelines (including a position paper) on knowledge brokerage on ESS. - Dissemination. Dissemination and awareness-raising initiatives will be carried out on the project issues and results. 9 WPs are foreseen. WP1 and 2 for the first part of the research; WP3-6 will be devoted to the design and implementation of 3 pilot projects, WP7 will be devoted to learning process; WP8 will deal with dissemination and WP9 with project management.

FP6-SUSTDEV, European Seas Observatory NETwork (ESONET)

The aim of ESONET is to create an organisation capable of implementing, operating and maintaining a network of ocean observatories in deep waters around Europe from the Arctic Ocean to the Black Sea connected to shore with data and power links via fibre optic cables. The fundamental scientific objective is to make continuous real-time observations of environmental variables over decadal, annual, seasonal, diel and tidal time scales. Constant vigilance will allow resolution of quasi-instantaneous hazardous events such as slides, earthquakes, tsunamis and benthic storms. ESONET will form a sub sea segment of the GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security) with sensors extending from the sub sea floor, through the water column to sub-surface sensors providing calibration of satellite borne sensors. ESONET brings together leading oceanographic and geosciences institutes in Europe together with universities, industry and regional agencies. It will provide integration across disciplines from geosciences, through physical, chemical and biological oceanography to technologies of instrumentation, cables, data processing and archiving. Jointly executed research will demonstrate functioning observatories at several cabled and non-cabled sites around Europe. Existing deep-sea cables installed for neutrino telescopes will be utilised in the Mediterranean sea and shallower tests sites will be established elsewhere. Principles of sensor management, calibration, metadata and data quality will be established with real-time dissemination and generation of hazard warning. ESONET will run a training and education program through courses, scholarships, exchange of personnel between participating institutes, and outreach to the general public. Dissemination will also include a web portal, with links to the INSPIRE Geo-Portal, and with all sub sea observatory projects worldwide, enabling the widest possible access to information. Prime Contractor: Institut Francais de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer; Issy-les-Moulineaux; France.

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.

FP6-POLICIES, Comparison and Assessment of Funding Schemes for the Development of New Activities and Investments in Environmental Technologies (FUNDETEC)

The project examines funding of environmental technology development and commercialisation. The objectives are to: measure the performance of existing funding schemes (emphasising commercial-type funding); determine how environmental aspects are dealt with; identify obstacles; and suggest evolution of new schemes. Eight project work packages address these objectives, and also include development of environmental technology typologies, analysis of funding gaps, and comparison to Japan and the USA. The project supports SSP 5A by connecting policy and practice, linking researchers from across the EU, and using wide consultation to disseminate knowledge and maximise exploitation of research results. Consortium partners are drawn from five EU states, and have expertise and networks in private and public environmental technology funding and technology development processes. Stakeholder consultation with private and public funders, developers, academics, policy makers and NGOs will support research and knowledge dissemination. Consultation will include major public conferences and forums, sector-specific focus groups, and workshops to test analysis and geographic variations. Consultation and publication and dissemination of the final report will spur innovation by private and public funders, supporting knowledge exploitation after project completion. Research will emphasise private sector solutions, but will also include public-private partnerships, which are innovative measures that can assist in closing the funding gap. The varying applicability of such partnerships across different EU states will also be considered. The two project deliverables will be a database containing research and contact information, and a widely published final report that will integrate all research and recommendations. Prime Contractor: Partenaires Europeens pour l'Environnement; Bruxelles; Belgium.

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.

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