The present-day configuration of Indonesia and SE Asia is the results of a long history of tectonic movements, volcanisms and global eustatic sea-level changes. Not indifferent to these dynamics, fauna and flora have been evolving and dispersing following a complicate pattern of continent-sea changes to form what are today defined as Sundaland and Wallacea biogeographical regions. The modern intraannual climate of Indonesia is generally described as tropical, seasonally wet with seasonal reversals of prevailing low-level winds (Asian-Australian monsoon). However at the interannual scale a range of influences operating over varying time scales affect the local climate in respect of temporal and spatial distribution of rainfall. Vegetation generally reflects climate and to simplify it is possible to distinguish three main ecological elements in the flora of Malaysia: everwet tropical, seasonally dry tropical (monsoon) and montane. Within those major ecological groups, a wide range of specific local conditions caused a complex biogeography which has and still attract the attention of botanists and biogeographers worldwide. Being one of the richest regions in the Worlds in terms of species endemism and biodiversity, Indonesia has recently gone through intensive transformation of previously rural/natural lands for intensive agriculture (oil palm, rubber, cocoa plantations and rice fields). Climate change represents an additional stress. Projected climate changes in the region include strengthening of monsoon circulation and increase in the frequency and magnitude of extreme rainfall and drought events. The ecological consequences of these scenarios are hard to predict. Within the context of sustainable management of conservation areas and agro-landscapes, Holocene palaeoecological and palynological studies provide a valuable contribution by showing how the natural vegetation present at the location has changed as a consequence of climate variability in the long-term (e.g. the Mid-Holocene moisture maximum, the modern ENSO onset, Little Ice Age etc.). The final aim of my PhD research is to compare the Holocene history of Jambi province and Central Sulawesi. In particular: - Reconstructing past vegetation, plant diversity and climate dynamics in the two study areas Jambi (Sumatra) and Lore Lindu National Park (Sulawesi) - Comparing the ecological responses of lowland monsoon swampy rainforest (Sumatra) and everwet montane rainforests (Sulawesi) to environmental variability (vulnerability/resilience) - Investigating the history of human impact on the landscape (shifting cultivation, slash and burn, crop cultivation, rubber and palm oil plantation) - Assessing the impact and role of droughts (El Niño) and fires - Adding a historical perspective to the evaluation of current and future changes.
This project focuses on the long-term stability (or otherwise) of vegetation, based on a series of multi-proxy records in southern South America. We will build a network of sites suitable for high-resolution reconstructions of changes in vegetation since the Last Glacial Maximum, and use these to test a null hypothesis that changes in vegetation over the past 14,000 years are driven by internal dynamics rather than external forcing factors. The extent to which the null hypothesis can be falsified will reveal the degree to which we can expect to be able to predict how vegetation is affected by external events, including future climate change. The southern fringes of the South American landmass provide a rare opportunity to examine the development of moorland vegetation with sparse tree cover in a wet, cool temperate climate of the Southern Hemisphere. We present a record of changes in vegetation over the past 17,000 years, from a lake in extreme southern Chile (Isla Santa Inés, Magallanes region, 53°38.97S; 72°25.24W; Fontana, Bennett 2012: The Holocene), where human influence on vegetation is negligible. The western archipelago of Tierra del Fuego remained treeless for most of the Lateglacial period. Nothofagus may have survived the last glacial maximum at the eastern edge of the Magellan glaciers from where it spread southwestwards and established in the region at around 10,500 cal. yr BP. Nothofagus antarctica was likely the earlier colonizing tree in the western islands, followed shortly after by Nothofagus betuloides. At 9000 cal. yr BP moorland communities expanded at the expense of Nothofagus woodland. Simultaneously, Nothofagus species shifted to dominance of the evergreen Nothofagus betuloides and the Magellanic rain forest established in the region. Rapid and drastic vegetation changes occurred at 5200 cal. yr BP, after the Mt Burney MB2 eruption, including the expansion and establishment of Pilgerodendron uviferum and the development of mixed Nothofagus-Pilgerodendron-Drimys woodland. Scattered populations of Nothofagus, as they occur today in westernmost Tierra del Fuego may be a good analogue for Nothofagus populations during the Lateglacial in eastern sites. Climate, dispersal barriers and/or fire disturbance may have played a role controlling the postglacial spread of Nothofagus. Climate change during the Lateglacial and early Holocene was a prerequisite for the expansion of Nothofagus populations and may have controlled it at many sites in Tierra del Fuego. The delayed arrival at the site, with respect to the Holocene warming, may be due to dispersal barriers and/or fire disturbance at eastern sites, reducing the size of the source populations. The retreat of Nothofagus woodland after 9000 cal. yr BP may be due to competitive interactions with bog communities. Volcanic disturbance had a positive influence on the expansion of Pilgerodendron uviferum and facilitated the development of mixed Nothofagus-Pilgerodendron-Drimys woodland.
Salinity reduces the productivity of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) through osmotic and ionic effects. For given atmospheric conditions we hypothesize the existence of an optimal canopy structure at which water use efficiency is maximal and salt accumulation per unit of dry matter production is minimal. This canopy structure optimum can be predicted by integrating physiological processes over the canopy using a functional-structural plant model (FSPM). This model needs to represent the influence of osmotic stress on plant morphology and stomatal conductance, the accumulation of toxic ions and their dynamics in the different compartments of the system, and their toxic effects in the leaf. Experiments will be conducted to parameterize an extended cucumber FSPM. In in-silico experiments with the FSPM we attempt to identify which canopy structure could lead to maximum long-term water use efficiency with minimum ionic stress. The results from in-silico experiments will be evaluated by comparing different canopy structures in greenhouses. Finally, the FSPM will be used to investigate to which extent the improvement of individual mechanisms of salt tolerance like reduced sensitivity of stomatal conductance or leaf expansion can contribute to whole-plant salt tolerance.
Glendonites are pseudomorphs after the mineral ikaite (CaCO3 x 6H2O) and composed of calcite (CaCO3). In the past, they have been used as a paleo-thermometer because the primary mineral ikaite, according to observations and experiments, seems to be formed at temperatures near freezing, high alkalinity and high phosphate concentrations in marine sediments. An enigmatic occurrence of the largest glendonites known world-wide, in the Early Eocene Fur Formation of northwestern Denmark offers the unique possibility to shed more light on the actual mechanism and controlling parameters of ikaite formation. Right in the aftermath of the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum, a time known for its global pertubation in the global carbon cycle, the formation of authigenic calcium carbonate concretions start in the Fur Formation. In a specific stratigraphic interval inbetween these concretions, the glendonites can be found. We will investigate if termperature changes or changes in geochemical parameters of the Danish Basin caused the sudden formation of ikaite during a time interval that was based on known paleoclimatic reconstructions (semi tropic) not favorable for ikaite formation.
This proposal outlines the motivation for the design and fabrication of a solar thermogravimetric system (Solar-TG) necessary for investigating the kinetics of high-temperature endothermic reactions driven by concentrated solar radiation. The need for a Solar-TG stems from fundamental research in solar thermochemistry being performed by the Professorship of Renewable Carriers (PRE) at ETH Zurich, in close collaboration with PSI's Solar Technology Laboratory. The R&D projects are directed towards the efficient production of solar fuels and materials. Examples are thermochemical cycles based on metal oxides redox reactions for splitting H2O and CO2, the carbothermal reduction of metal oxides for extracting metals (e.g. Al, Si), and the gasification of carbonaceous materials for producing syngas and liquid fuels. A major challenge in the solar reactor design and optimization for maximum solar-to-fuel energy conversion efficiency is matching the radiative heat transfer to the chemical reaction kinetics. For accomplishing that, it is important to acquire fundamental understanding of the reaction mechanisms and determine overall kinetic rate laws under the similar heat and mass transfer characteristics existing in highly concentrating solar systems, such as solar towers and solar parabolic dishes. The proposed Solar-TG should deliver the information needed by allowing temporal monitoring of the reaction with reactants directly exposed to concentrated solar radiation. Temperatures up to 3000 K and heating rates exceeding 1000 K/second can be achieved with solar concentration ratios equivalent to 5000 suns. The Solar-TG offers the additional advantage of being able to operate at vacuum pressures. Coupled with gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, and pyrometric temperature measurements, the mechanisms of high-temperature solar thermochemical processes can be examined in-depth. The significance of this research lies in the advancement of the thermo-sciences and engineering directed at developing solar chemical technologies, which in turn have the potential of making significant contributions to sustainable, clean, and efficient energy utilization.
Implementation of EU waste legislation shows large differences in the EU Member States especially with regard to municipal waste management. Major discrepancies prevail particularly in the implementation and application of the Waste Framework Directive and proper transposition of EU requirements into national legislation. The waste management performance of all EU Member States was subject to screening to identify those Member States with the largest implementation gaps, in particular in relation to municipal waste management. For screening the main elements and legal requirements stemming from EU waste directives (mainly from the Waste Framework and the Landfill Directive) were considered for the design of suitable criteria. These core elements comprise the practical implementation of the waste management hierarchy, application of economic and legal instruments to move up the waste hierarchy, sufficiency of treatment infrastructure and quality of waste management planning, the fulfilment of targets and infringement procedures. These elements were assessed by 18 criteria for each Member State taking into account information sources at EU, national or regional level. Latest available statistical data and data of former years for comparison of development within a country were extracted from the EUROSTAT database. References comprised reports published by the European Commission, the European Topic Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production, internal working documents of EUROSTAT and the EU Commission as well as national/regional Waste Management Plans. Where available also Waste Prevention Programmes were screened. The screening results confirmed the assumption of large differences within the EU-27 with regard to treatment of municipal waste, compliance with the WFD and Landfill Directives and application of legal or economic instruments as well as planning quality. For each criterion two, one or zero points could be achieved, leading to maximum points of 42 for all criteria. The methodology includes weighting of results for three selected criteria related to the application of the treatment options recycling, energy recovery and disposal of municipal waste.
The scientific objective of CLOUD is to investigate the influence of galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) on ions, aerosols, cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and clouds, with the CLOUD facility at CERN, and thereby to assess the significance of a possible 'solar indirect' contribution to climate change. Aerosols and clouds are recognised as representing the largest uncertainty in the current understanding of climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that changes of solar irradiance ('direct solar forcing') have made only a small (7Prozent) contribution to the observed warming. However, large uncertainties remain on other solar-related contributions, such as the effects of changes of galactic cosmic rays on aerosols and clouds. CLOUD aims to settle the important unanswered questions of the IPCC on possible cosmic ray effects on clouds and climate, and to help sharpen our understanding of the anthropogenic contribution to global warming. We have established a central CLOUD facility in the beamline T11 at the CERN Proton Synchrotron accelerator, comprising a large aerosol chamber, within which the atmosphere is recreated from ultra-pure air with added water vapour, trace gases under study and, for certain experiments, aerosols. The chamber is equipped with a wide range of sensitive instruments to analyse their contents via optical ports or sampling probes. The accelerator provides an adjustable and precisely measurable beam of 'cosmic rays' that closely matches natural cosmic rays in ionisation density, uniformity and intensity, spanning the atmospheric range from ground level to the maximum around 15 km altitude. In contrast with experiments in the atmosphere, CLOUD is able to compare processes when the cosmic ray beam is varied, and all experimental parameters can be precisely controlled and measured. More information is found at the CLOUD websites
CLOUD is an acronym for Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor Droplets. The scientific objective of CLOUD is to investigate the influence of galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) on ions, aerosols, cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and clouds, with the CLOUD facility at CERN, and thereby to assess the significance of a possible 'solar indirect' contribution to climate change. Aerosols and clouds are recognised as representing the largest uncertainty in the current understanding of climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that changes of solar irradiance ('direct solar forcing') have made only a small (7Prozent) contribution to the observed warming. However, large uncertainties remain on other solar-related contributions, such as the effects of changes of galactic cosmic rays on aerosols and clouds. CLOUD aims to settle the important unanswered questions of the IPCC on possible cosmic ray effects on clouds and climate, and to help sharpen our understanding of the anthropogenic contribution to global warming. The scientific programme of CLOUD will involve the establishment of a central CLOUD facility in a beamline (T11) at the CERN Proton Synchrotron accelerator, comprising a large aerosol chamber, within which the atmosphere is recreated from ultra-pure air with added water vapour, trace gases under study and, for certain experiments, aerosols. The chamber will be equipped with a wide range of sensitive instruments to analyse their contents via optical ports or sampling probes. The accelerator provides an adjustable and precisely measurable beam of 'cosmic rays' that closely matches natural cosmic rays in ionisation density, uniformity and intensity, spanning the atmospheric range from ground level to the maximum around 15 km altitude. In contrast with experiments in the atmosphere, CLOUD will be able to compare processes when the cosmic ray beam is varied, and all experimental parameters can be precisely controlled and measured. More information is found at the CLOUD website http://cloud.web.cern.ch/cloud/.
In daily life, construction polymers play an important role. Most of products are not reusable for different reasons (cost, hygiene, ) so the need of an environment saving production and disposal is evident. To besides from the obvious task on saving resources and environment, there is also a growing economical interest in this issue. On of the most promising candidates for a thermoplastic construction polymer that can be manufactured from bio-renewable resources and is biodegradable is Polylactic acid (PLA), for which Corn starch (in the U.S.) or sugarcanes (rest of world) are the common feedstock. Polylactic acid can be processed like most thermoplastics into fiber (for example using conventional melt spinning processes) and film. However, the low glass transition temperature prohibits many applications, like usage for coffee cups that will simply soften and flow away upon filling with hot drinks. One popular option to cope with this is the modification with other polymers, either conventional product or even enantiomers of PLA itself. For example, the melting temperature can be increased 40-50 C and the Heat Deflection temperature of PLLA can be increased from approximately 60 C to up to 190 C for by physically blending the polymer with PDLA (poly-D-lactide). PDLA and PLLA are known to form a highly regular stereocomplex with increased crystallinity. The maximum effect in temperature stability is achieved when a 50-50 blend is used, but even at lower concentrations of 3-10Prozent of PDLA a substantial effect is achieved. In the latter case PDLA is used as a nucleating agent, thereby increasing the crystallization rate. Due to the higher crystallinity of this stereo-complex, the biodegradability will become slower. The interesting feature is that the polymer blend remains transparent, which is one to the desirable properties that must be kept upon modification.
The MSY concept was included as a principle in the 2009 Green Paper on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) in accordance with the global imperative to manage fish stocks according to the maximum sustainable yield (MSY). This implies a commitment to direct management of fish stocks towards achieving MSY by 2015. Attaining this goal is complicated by the lack of common agreement on the interpretation of 'sustainability' and 'yield' and by the effects that achieving MSY for one stock may have on other stocks and broader ecosystem, economic, or social aspects. MYFISH will provide definitions of MSY variants which maximize other measures of 'yield' than biomass and which account for the fact that single species rarely exist in isolation. Further, MYFISH will redefine the term 'sustainable' to signify that Good Environmental Status (MSFD) is achieved and economically and socially unacceptable situations are avoided, all with acceptable levels of risk. In short, MYFISH aims at integrating the MSY concept with the overarching principals of the CFP: the precautionary and the ecosystem approach. MYFISH will achieve this objective through addressing fisheries in all RAC areas and integrating stakeholders (the fishing industry, NGOs and managers) throughout the project. Existing ecosystem and fisheries models will be modified to perform maximization of stakeholder approved yield measures while ensuring acceptable impact levels on ecosystem, economic and social aspects. Implementation plans are proposed and social aspects addressed through active involvement of stakeholders. Finally, effects of changes in environment, economy and society on MSY variants are considered, aiming at procedures rendering the MSY approach robust to such changes. The expertise of 26 partners from relevant disciplines including fisheries, ecosystem, economic and social science are involved in all aspects of the project. Global experience is engaged from North America and the South Pacific.
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