We study the effects of plants and root-associated fungi on wind erosion within the alpine environment of Tibet. China is one of the countries most affected by desertification processes and Tibet, in particular, a key region in desertification combat. The presented project focuses on the Barkha Plain surrounded by Mount Kailash and the Lake of Manasarovar (Ngari Prefecture). This Western Tibet region experienced little scientific attention but, nowadays, faces rapidly increasing touristic activities and expanding local settlements associated with socio-economic changes that are serious threats to the delicate ecological balance and potential triggers of desertification. It exists almost unanimous agreement that revegetation is the most efficient and promising strategy to combat wind erosion and desertification in the long term. However, re-colonising success is often poor, mainly under extreme environmental conditions. Compared to conventional practices, the approach of the presented project attains better accordance with natural succession processes and promises acceleration of both plant and soil development and, conclusively, more efficient desertification control. The project assesses the potential of native plants and symbiotic fungi to control wind erosion and desertification processes. It aims to identify key plants and fungi that increase soil aggregate stability and efficiently drive succession into a natural and self-maintaining cycle of the ecosystem. Furthermore, it provides crucial information for implementing environmentally compatible and cost-effective measures to protect high-elevation ecosystems against desertification. Within three successional stages (early, intermediate, late), field investigations are performed on the basis of Modified-Whittaker plots. Classic methods of vegetation analysis and myco-sociology are combined with analysis of distribution patterns at different scales (patchiness, connectivity). Comprehensive soil analysis is performed comprising grain size distribution, aggregate stability, pH as well as water and nutrient contents. Additionally, important parameters of wind erosion are measured concurrently and continuously to assess their magnitude and variability with respect to vegetation and soil at different levels of development. The parameters addressed, include sediment transport, air temperature, radiation, precipitation, relative humidity as well as speed and direction of wind. Surface moisture is recorded periodically and roughness described. Species and environmental parameters are checked for spatial correlation. Cutting edge technologies are applied in laboratory work, comprising molecular methods for fungal species identification and micro-tomography to analyse soil structure. Furthermore, successfully cultivated fungi and plants are subject of synthesis experiments and industrial propagation in view of practical implementation in restoration measures.
In dem Vorhaben wird untersucht, wie wirksam die absorbierte Lichtenergie in Biomasse konvertiert wird. Vergleichend werden Grünalgen und Diatomeen unter verschiedenen Licht- und Nährstoffbedingungen studiert. Auf diese Weise können die metabolischen Kosten unter Nährstoffmangel oder anderen produktivitätsbegrenzenden Bedingungen studiert werden. So wird auch die Säureanpassung ausgewählter Phytoplankter untersucht, um die Biomassebildung in extrem sauren Tagebaurestseen auf physiologischer Ebene zu verstehen. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass unter Stickstoffmangel die Überführung anorganischen Kohlenstoffs in Biomassebildung durch eine Veränderung der makromolekularen Zusammensetzung der Zellen ähnlicher Effizienz stattfindet, wie unter optimaler Stickstoffversorgung. Dies führt zu einer ökologisch bedeutsamen Teilentkopplung des C und N Kreislaufs im Ökosystem. Ähnliches beobachtet man auch bei der Anpassung von Phytoplanktonalgen an extrem saure Bedingungen wie man sie in sauren Tagebaurestseen vorfindet.
In recent years science has taken an increased interest in mineralization processes in tropical soils in particular under minimal tillage operations. Plant litter quality and management strongly affect mineralization-nitrification processes in soil and hence the fate of nitrogen in ecosystems and the environment. Plant secondary metabolites like lignin and polyphenols are poorly degradable and interact with proteins (protein binding capacity) and hence protect them from microbial attack. Nitrification, a microbiological process, directly and indirectly influences the efficiency of recovery of N in the vegetation as well as the loss of N (through denitrification and leaching) causing environmental pollution to water bodies and contributes to global warming (e.g. the greenhouse gas N2O is emitted as a by-product of nitrification and denitrification). Nitrifiers comprise a relatively narrow species diversity (at least as known to date) and are generally thought to be sensitive to low soil pH and stress. Despite these properties nitrification occurs in acid tropical soils with high levels of aluminium and manganese. Thus the main objective of the project will be the identification of micro-organisms and mechanisms responsible for mineralization-nitrification processes in acid tropical soils and the influence of long-term litter input of different chemical qualities and minimal tillage options. The project will include the use of stable isotopes (15N, 13C), mass spectrometry, gas chromatography (CO2, N2O), biochemical methods (PLFA) and molecular biology (16s rRNA., PCR, DGGE)
Der Anbau von Ölpflanzen zur Gewinnung von Speiseöl und Energie ist bislang im Organischen Landbau wenig entwickelt. Zum einen mindern Probleme bei der Regulierung von Schaderregern und Unkraut die Wirtschaftlichkeit, zum anderen konkurriert der Anbau von Energiepflanzen um Fläche für die Erzeugung von Lebensmitteln. Der Gemengeanbau leistet einen Beitrag zur Diversifizierung im Ackerbau und lässt Synergie-Effekte zwischen den Gemengepartnern wirksam werden. Eine effizientere Ressourcennutzung, geringere Anfälligkeit gegenüber Schaderregern und reduziertes Unkrautaufkommen können zu höheren Gesamterträgen bzw. Gewinnen je Flächeneinheit führen. Im Hinblick auf diese Aspekte wird untersucht, inwieweit die Ölsaaten Öllein (Linum usitatissimum L.), Saflor (Carthamus tinctorius L.) bzw. Senf (Sinapis alba L.) für den jeweils zeitgleichen Anbau mit Ackerbohnen (Vicia faba L.) geeignet sind. In Abhängigkeit von verschiedenen Standraumzumessungen werden die Erträge und die Konkurrenzverhältnisse um Stickstoff und Wasser bei den jeweiligen Gemengepartnern untersucht,sowie die Ölsaaten hinsichtlich Ölgehalt und Fettsäurezusammensetzung analysiert. Arbeitshypothesen: - Der zeitgleiche Anbau von Ackerbohnen und Ölfrüchten führt zu höheren Gesamterträgen bei nur unwesentlich verminderten Ackerbohnen-Erträgen. - Die hauptsächlich im Bodenraum zwischen den Ackerbohnenreihen freigesetzten Stickstoffmengen werden zur Ertragsbildung der Ölfrüchte effizient genutzt. - Ein weiterer Abstand zwischen Ölfrucht- und Ackerbohnenreihe führt zu geringerer interspezifischer Konkurrenz und durch gleichmäßigere Durchwurzelung des Bodenraumes zur effizienteren Nutzung von bodenbürtig freigesetztem Stickstoff und Wasser. Die Folge sind, verglichen mit engerem Reihenabstand, höhere Ölfruchterträge und nur unwesentlich geringere Ackerbohnen-Kornerträge. - Die Ölfrüchte Saflor, Öllein und Senf nehmen aufgrund ihres Pfahlwurzelsystems Stickstoff auch aus tieferen Bodenschichten auf und senken so das Austragungspotential von bodenbürtig freigesetztem Stickstoff bzw. Stickstoff-Restmengen.
Die Hochwasserereignisse im Dezember 1993 und Januar 1995 am Rhein, Juli/August 1997 an der Oder sowie im August 2002 an der Elbe und die hervorgerufenen Schäden haben in Deutschland zu der Erkenntnis geführt, dass baulich-technische Hochwasserschutzmaßnahmen nicht ausreichen, sondern dass ein vorsorgeorientiertes, die Ziele einer dauerhaft umweltgerechten Entwicklung verfolgendes Hochwassermanagement erforderlich ist. Dazu zählen der technische Hochwasserschutz, die weitergehende Hochwasservorsorge und die Flächenvorsorge zum natürlichen Rückhalt als vorbeugender Hochwasserschutz. Allerdings treten Defizite bei der Operationalisierung dieser politischen Ziele und Strategien auf der Umsetzungsebene auf. Es bleibt bisher die Frage unbeantwortet, ob es sich dabei um Regelungs- oder Vollzugsdefizite handelt. Das Forschungsvorhaben am Institut für Forst- und Umweltpolitik verfolgt das Ziel, die Bedingungen für die Implementation von existierenden politischen Initiativen zum vorbeugenden Hochwasserschutz zu untersuchen. Bedeutsam für die Untersuchung ist dabei die Betrachtung von Akteuren der verschiedenen politischen Ebenen und Sektoren im Durchführungsprozess, deren Kommunikations- und Machtstrukturen sowie der eingesetzten Instrumente, um hieraus Erkenntnisse über die politische Steuerung und deren Wirkung gewinnen zu können. Die Politikfeldanalyse sieht den Vergleich der Hochwasserschutzpolitik der Bundesländer Nordrhein-Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz und Baden-Württemberg vor und wird unter Verwendung von Methoden der qualitativen Sozialforschung durchgeführt. Im Ergebnis sollen Effizienzfaktoren ermittelt und schließlich Handlungsempfehlungen für die Implementation von ressort- und grenzübergreifenden Planungsprozessen in komplexen politischen Systemen abgeleitet werden.
Non wood fuels for small-scale furnaces have attracted increasing interest in several European countries. New technological approaches are on the way, but the verification of any such developments is difficult and there is a large uncertainty about testing procedures and equipment. While for wood combustion standardized European measuring regulations are available and broadly applied, the testing of cereal fuel combustion is generally not following a commonly accepted procedure. Consequently the results of such measurements are not fully comparable. This applies particularly for the international level, which is here of particular relevance due to the fact that a combustion technology development for a niche application can only be economically viable if a sufficiently large marketing area can be taken into focus. The overall objective of the proposal is therefore to contribute through research to the development of uniform and comparable European procedures for testing of small-scale boilers up to a power out of 300 kW for solid biomass from agriculture like straw pellets and energy grain. The driving forces and barriers will be worked out; existing legal regulation for the installation (approval by the local authorities) in the participating countries will be collected. The state of the art of the non wood biomass boiler technology will be identified; the need for standardized tests for type approval tests and the measures to establish a European Standard will be shown. Measurement methods with special emphasis on efficiency and emissions will be worked out and the requirements and specifications of test fuels will be proposed. Test runs will be carried out following preliminary test procedures based on existing European standards for wood boilers. Based on the results of these test runs a draft for a Europe-wide uniform test procedure will be proposed. Preparatory work for a European standardization process including a round robin test will be done.
The project main goal is to contribute to our understanding of tsunami processes in the Euro-Mediterranean region, to the tsunami hazard and risk assessment and to identifying the best strategies for reduction of tsunami risk. Focus will be posed on the gaps and needs for the implementation of an efficient tsunami early warning system (TEWS) in the Euro- Mediterranean area, which is a high-priority task in consideration that no tsunami early warning system is today in place in the Euro-Mediterranean countries. The main items addressed by the project may be summarised as follows. The present Europe tsunami catalogue will be improved and updated, and integrated into a world-wide catalogue (WP1). A systematic attempt will be made to identify and to characterise the tsunamigenic seismic (WP2) and non-seismic (WP3) sources throughout the Euro-Mediterranean region. An analysis of the present-day earth observing and monitoring (seismic, geodetic and marine) systems and data processing methods will be carried out in order to identify possible adjustments required for the development of a TEWS, with focus on new algorithms suited for real-time detection of tsunami sources and tsunamis (WP4). The numerical models currently used for tsunami simulations will be improved mainly to better handle the generation process and the tsunami impact at the coast (WP5). The project Consortium has selected ten test areas in different countries. Here innovative probabilistic and statistical approaches for tsunami hazard assessment (WP6), up-to-date and new methods to compute inundation maps (WP7) will be applied. Here tsunami scenario approaches will be envisaged; vulnerability and risk will be assessed; prevention and mitigation measures will be defined also by the advise of end users that are organised in an End User Group (WP8). Dissemination of data, techniques and products will be a priority of the project (WP9). Prime Contractor: Alma Mater Studiorum-Universita di Bologna; Bologna, Italy.
Assessment of the state of archival, museum and library collections is a task of utmost importance. Depending on the type and size of a collection, surveying may also be one of the most demanding tasks in terms of the necessary resources. It is usually done using simple physical and chemical tests, often destructive, in order to reveal the collection condition, the general conservation needs and in order to plan preservation activities. As testing of a single item should take as little time as possible, the information obtained is usually only rudimentary. By providing a near-infrared-spectroscopic instrument prototype, the end-users will be provided with a powerful survey tool allowing reagent-less multi-component low-cost analysis of items. As the technique itself has recently found the way into industry as an in-line production control tool, and as a number of preliminary experiments have already been performed, the risk of its implementation for the purpose is low. Furthermore, the spectra can be taken non-destructively in a matter of minutes, then analysed using advanced statistical methods and as the result, data important for the preservation officer and policy maker may be provided, such as material composition and chemical state in a user-friendly software interface. The tool will be tested in seven collections, thus demonstrating the relevance of the developed approach. The involvement of an SME, a university lab and two libraries, three archives, and two museums, i.e. seven end-users, ensures an efficient and directed dissemination both of knowledge and of the developed technology. Surveying is indispensable in the sustainable impact assessment especially of protection treatments, and is the basis of all planning in collection management, so the project is highly relevant to Task 3 of the work programme. Prime Contractor: Univerza v Ljubljani; Ljubljana; Slovenia
The Commission proposal of Groundwater Directive COM(2003)550 developed under Article 17 of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) sets out criteria for the assessment of the chemical status of groundwater, which is based on existing Community quality standards (nitrates, pesticides and biocides) and on the requirement for Member States to identify pollutants and threshold values that are representative of groundwater bodies found as being at risk, in accordance with the analysis of pressures and impacts carried out under the WFD. In the light of the above, the objectives of BRIDGE are: i) to study and gather scientific outputs which could be used to set out criteria for the assessment of the chemical status of groundwater, ii) to derive a plausible general approach, how to structure relevant criteria appropriately with the aim to set representative groundwater threshold values scientifically sound and defined at national river basin district or groundwater body level, iii) to check the applicability and validity by means of case studies at European scale, iv) to undertake additional research studies to complete the available data, v) and to carry out an environmental impact assessment taking into account the economic and social impacts. The project shall be carried out at European level, involving a range of stakeholders and efficiently linking the scientific and policy-making communities. Considering the requirement of the diary of the Groundwater Daughter Directive proposal, which implies that groundwater pollutants and related threshold values should be identified before December 2005 and listed by June 2006, the duration of the project should be 24 months. In that way the proposed research will contribute to provide research elements that will be indispensable for preparing discussions on further steps of the future Groundwater Directive. Prime Contractor: Bureau de Recherches Geologiques et Minieres, Service Analyse et Caracterisation Minerale, Paris FR
In ecological sanitation, the wastewater is considered not only as a pollutant, but also as a resource for fertiliser, water and energy and for closing water and nutrients cycles (Otterpohl et. al., 1999; Otterpohl et. al., 2003; Elmitwalli et al. 2005). The ecological sanitation based on separation between grey and black water (and even between faeces and urine), is considered a visible future solution for wastewater collection and treatment. Grey water, which symbolises the wastewater generated in the household excluding toilet wastewater (black water), represents the major volume of the domestic wastewater (60- 75 percent) with low content of nutrients and pathogens (Otterpohl et. al., 1999; Jefferson et al., 1999; Eriksson et al., 2002). Most of grey-water treatment plants include one or two-step septic-tank for pre-treatment (Otterpohl et al., 2003). The grey-water treatment needs both physical and biological processes for removal of particles, dissolved organic-matters and pathogens (Jefferson et al., 1999). Recently, many researchers have studied the grey-water treatment either by application of high-rate aerobic systems, like rotating biological contactor (Nolde, 1999), fluidised bed (Nolde, 1999), aerobic filter (Jefferson et al., 2000), membrane bioreactor (Jefferson et al., 2000), or by application of low-rate systems, like slow sand filter (Jefferson et al., 1999), vertical flow wetlands (Otterpohl et. al., 2003). Although high-rate anaerobic systems, which are low-cost systems, have both physical and biological removal, no research has been done until now on grey water in these systems. The grey water contains a significant amount (41 percent) of chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the domestic wastewater (Otterpohl et al., 2003) and this amount can be removed by the highrate anaerobic systems. Although high-rate anaerobic systems have been successfully operated in tropical regions for domestic wastewater treatment, the process up till now is not applied in lowtemperature regions. The COD removal is limited for domestic wastewater treatment in high-rate anaerobic systems at low temperatures and, therefore, a long HRT is needed for providing sufficient hydrolysis of particulate organic (Zeeman and Lettinga, 1999; Elmitwalli et al. 2002). The grey water has a relatively higher temperature (18-38 degree C), as compared to the domestic wastewater (Eriksson et al. 2002), because the grey water originates from hot water sources, like shower (29 degree C), kitchen (27-38 degree C) and laundry (28-32 degree C). Therefore, high-rate anaerobic systems might run efficiently for on-site grey water treatment, even in low-temperature regions. The upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor is the most applied system for anaerobic domestic waster treatment. Accordingly, the aim of this research is to study the feasibility of application of UASB reactor for the treatment of grey water at low and controlled (30 degree C) temperatures.
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