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Development of a modelling system for prediction and regulation of livestock waste pollution in the humid tropics

Das Projekt "Development of a modelling system for prediction and regulation of livestock waste pollution in the humid tropics" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Hohenheim, Institut für Tropische Agrarwissenschaften (Hans-Ruthenberg-Institut), Fachgebiet Pflanzenbau in den Tropen und Subtropen (490e) durchgeführt. Introduction: In Malaysia, excessive nutrients from livestock waste management systems are currently released to the environment. Particularly, large amounts of manure from intensive pig production areas are being excreted daily and are not being fully utilised. Alternatively, the excess manure can be applied as an organic fertiliser source in neighbouring cropping systems on the small landholdings of the pig farms to improve soil fertility so that its nutrients will be available for crop uptake instead of being discharged into water streams. Thus, there is a need for better tools to analyse the present situation, to evaluate and monitor alternative livestock production systems and manure management scenarios, and to support farmers in the proper management of manure and fertiliser application. Such tools are essential to quantify, and assess nutrient fluxes, manure quality and content, manure storage and application rate to the land as well as its environmental effects. Several computer models of animal waste management systems to assist producers and authorities are now available. However, it is felt that more development is needed to adopt such models to the humid tropics and conditions of Malaysia and other developing countries in the region. Objectives: The aim is to develop a novel model to evaluate nutrient emission scenarios and the impact of livestock waste at the landscape or regional level in humid tropics. The study will link and improve existing models to evaluate emission of N to the atmosphere, and leaching of nutrients to groundwater and surface water. The simulation outputs of the models will be integrated with a GIS spatial analysis to model the distribution of nutrient emission, leaching and appropriate manure application on neighbouring crop lands and as an information and decision support tool for the relevant users.

Leichte Solarpanele aus amorphem Silizium

Das Projekt "Leichte Solarpanele aus amorphem Silizium" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Stuttgart, Institut für Physikalische Elektronik durchgeführt. Objective: New process route for lightweight, unbreakable and economically feasible solar panels on the basis of amorphous silicon. Results: From a number of canditates enamel-coated steel sheet as substrate and an organic barrier as protective layer was chosen as an alternative to the dual glass panels. Criteria were vacuum compatibility, surface rougness and insulating properties. This concept requires that the production order of the thin film solar cell is reversed into back electrode, active stack, front transparent electrode. Inverted processes and low temperature processes were investigated in parallel. Protection against damage due to permeating water was reduced with an improved organic barrier coating. Also, less vulnerable back electrode materials were studied. Fluorine doped tin oxide, tin-doped indiumoxide and aluminium-doped zinc oxide were studied. However, the best and most economical results were optained with ITO. For monolithic integration mechanical masking and laser scribing were investigated. Mechanical masking failed due to the uneveness of the enamel surface. Laser scribing is possible due to the diminished power need with each consecutive layer. Some concepts for better light capture (texturing, optical coatings) were investigated. Based on the inverted process route small scale and full scale panels were manufactured and tested. Ultimately, the full scale failed due to the built-up of stress which caused delamination and could not sufficiently be reduced. The panel costs of the new route proved very similar to the existing product, but required an additional investment in vacuum deposition equipment. Surprisingly, ITO with recycling proved to be the most cost effective transparent electrode material.

Entwicklung und Validierung von Instrumenten zur Umsetzung der europäischen Luftqualitätspolitik (VALIUM) - Teilprojekt 3: Erstellung eines auf Naturmessungen basierenden Validierungsdatensatzes zur Ausbreitung von Schadstoffen in Straßenschluchten

Das Projekt "Entwicklung und Validierung von Instrumenten zur Umsetzung der europäischen Luftqualitätspolitik (VALIUM) - Teilprojekt 3: Erstellung eines auf Naturmessungen basierenden Validierungsdatensatzes zur Ausbreitung von Schadstoffen in Straßenschluchten" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Ingenieurbüro Lohmeyer GmbH & Co. KG durchgeführt. Objectives: The EU Air Quality Directives include air pollutant dispersion models as instruments of environmental politics. The quality of the models needs to be guaranteed. One part of the control process is the validation, a comparison of the modelled results with especially designed and acquired, trustworthy reference data sets from field and wind tunnel experiments. Activities: Air pollutants and meteorological parameters are measured continuously by in situ stations at different sites within Goettinger street in Hanover and its vicinity. Apart from these long-term measurements three intensive measurement campaigns are planned with additional tracer experiments. In August 2001 and August 2002 tracer experiments have been executed. A line source consisting of 8 pipe sections with a total length of about 96 m has been installed on the median of Goettinger Strasse. A mixture of the tracer gas SF6 and air, monitored by flow controllers, has been released from openings regularely spaced along the pipes. The source has been operated with a sufficient overpressure to avoid a feedback of external pressure fluctuations on the source strength and distribution. At 12 positions within the street canyon and on the roof of a nearby building, air samples have been collected simultaneously for at least 5 hours. Every 30 minutes a sampling bag has been started to be filled by the sampling equipment at each position. Afterwards, the 30 minutes averaged samples have been analysed on SF6 in the laboratory. Results: The experimental layout had been tested in August 2001. With minor reservations it also passed the second measurement campaign in August 2002 successful. The results of both campaigns exist now. As far as they have been scrutinized they show plausible distributions of the concentra­tions in the street area such as the typical windward-leeward-effect for street canyons. The influence of traffic induced turbulence and advection of the concentration field along the street by the traffic seems to be significant because the concentration field is shifted according to the direction of the motion of the traffic. Further measurements will be carried out in October 2002 and March 2003 to test and to corroborate that hypothesis and to complete the validation data set.

Standortskarte des Nationalparks Berchtesgaden

Das Projekt "Standortskarte des Nationalparks Berchtesgaden" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Technische Universität München, Fachgebiet Geobotanik durchgeführt. The goal of the project is to establish a site map of the Berchtesgaden Nationalpark on the basis of existing information and maps. The following information has to be integrated into the site map: soil, vegetation, geologic and geomorphic maps as well as existing climatic data from the weather stations in the park as well as weather information from the German and Austrian weather service as well as from forest-inventory data gathered in 1983/84 and 1995/97. During the first year of the project the existing information was checked, links between existing data established and plausibility checks tested and documented. Where necessary checks were made on the original data and corrections made. Subsequently the soil types were classified according to substrate groups and the necessary climatic parameters from the nationalpark weather stations compiled and as available, integrated into the soil information over the area of the park. Further climatic parameters still need to be analyzed and be integrated into the map. Combining the soil map with the vegetation map or the forest inventory map of the nationalpark brought large discrepancies with the geometry of the soils map to light. In order to bring out a meaningful interface between the existing information and the soils map considerable refitting of the data must be carried out. Since this time consuming work was not expected at the beginning of the project, the project has been extended for 4 months in agreement with the administration of the Nationalpark Berchtesgaden.

Verbesserung des Maiswertes als Tiernahrung um damit die Lebensgrundlage der Landwirte in Ostafrika zu erhöhen

Das Projekt "Verbesserung des Maiswertes als Tiernahrung um damit die Lebensgrundlage der Landwirte in Ostafrika zu erhöhen" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Hohenheim, Institut für Pflanzenzüchtung, Saatgutforschung und Populationsgenetik durchgeführt. This ILRI and CIMMYT collaboration proposes a new multidimensional approach to maize improvement to provide maize cultivars that better match the needs of resource poor mixed crop livestock farmers for food and fodder. It aims at improving our understanding of where food-feed maize cultivars have potential from both a farmer and agro-ecological perspective, alongside research to develop dual purpose cultivars for diverse and often marginal environments in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania that produce higher grain yield under conditions of biotic (gray leaf spot, stem borer) and abiotic (drought, low fertility) stress than currently used cultivars while providing good stover quantity and quality for livestock fodder. The goal of this project is to investigate the potential of dual-purpose maize to enhance the livelihoods of resource poor crop-livestock farmers of East Africa where the concentration of mixed smallholders is highest and agricultural systems are undergoing further intensification.

Umrüstung einer Galvanik auf ein umweltfreundliches Beizverfahren

Das Projekt "Umrüstung einer Galvanik auf ein umweltfreundliches Beizverfahren" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Metallveredlung Emil Weiss GmbH & Co. KG durchgeführt. Im Rahmen des Vorhabens wurden ausgewählte Produktionslinien der Galvanik auf ein neues, umweltschonendes Beizverfahren umgestellt. Dabei wurde erstmalig der Beizzusatz PRO-pHx großtechnisch eingesetzt, um die den Beizprozess störenden organischen und anorganischen Stoffe aus der Beizlösung zu entfernen und den damit verbundenen ökologischen (Ressourcenschonung und Abfallreduzierung) und ökonomischen Vorteil (Kostenminimierung) zu erschließen. In einer Beize erfolgte die PRO-pHx-Anwendung in jeder Hinsicht unproblematisch und zielkonform, ohne negative Auswirkungen auf Beizbedingungen, Werkstück und Beschichtung. Der Verbrauch an Säure und Beizzusatzmittel konnte erheblich minimiert werden. Der Verbrauch an Salzsäure sank um mehr als 90 Prozent während der Verbrauch an Schwefelsäure auf gleichem Niveau blieb. Auf teure Beizinhibitoren konnte gänzlich verzichtet werden. Der Einsatz von PROpHx bei Werkstücken mit glatten Oberflächen und einfacher Formgebung ist offensichtlich problemlos möglich, bietet ökonomische Einsparpotenziale und trägt zur Umweltentlastung bei. Bei Werkstücken mit komplexer Geometrie, z. B. mit Sacklöchern/Bohrungen, oder Teilen mit Schweißstellen führte der PRO-pHx-Einsatz hingegen zu Störungen (unzureichende Beizwirkung bei Schweißstellen, fehlerhafte Beschichtung bei geometrisch komplexen Teilen wegen Rückständen). Die PRO-pHx-Verwendung in diesen Fertigungslinien musste abgebrochen werden. Eine Untersuchung der Ursachen konnte im Rahmen des Projekts nicht durchgeführt werden. Die Abklärung noch offener Punkte wurde vorgeschlagen. Die Anwendung von PRO-pHx in galvanotechnischen Fertigungslinien ist daher nur eingeschränkt zu empfehlen. Es bleibt ein Risiko, mit dem Badzusatz PRO-pHx in die laufende Produktion zu gehen.

Policy Analysis for Sustainable Agricultural Development - PASAD

Das Projekt "Policy Analysis for Sustainable Agricultural Development - PASAD" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Bonn, Zentrum für Entwicklungsforschung durchgeführt. Objectives: The PASAD project aims at contributing to a deeper understanding of sustainable rural development. Its major objective is to draw a more comprehensive picture of the rural economy through integrating various determinants of rural development and several methodologies, which allows the evaluation of linkages and interaction effects. Decreasing soil fertility implies decreasing yields over time and hence lowers the real incomes of already poor farmers even further. Sustainability in agricultural production depends on various interdependent aspects that require integrated analytical approaches to address the complexity involved. Smallholder production of food crops in poor countries is particularly vulnerable to hazards that are related to (i) production technologies as well as (ii) factor and commodity markets. The former aspect includes appropriate input use and land management, while the latter particularly considers rural labor markets, intermediate input markets, and commercial output markets. In this context, the project focuses on three crucial aspects, namely (i) institutional and other determinants to foster the degree of commercialization of agricultural small-scale produce, (ii) alternative occupational choices in rural labor markets with respect to agricultural and non-agricultural employment, and (iii) biophysical aspects concerning soil-conserving production technologies. The main hypothesis is that all three aspects need to be addressed sufficiently and simultaneously in order to promote sustainable smallholder agricultural production that is able to contribute to overall economic growth and development and, consequently, to food security. Methodology: The project follows an interdisciplinary approach, which combines several methodologies within economic and social sciences: Computable general equilibrium (CGE) modelling, Bio-economic household modelling, Household and labor force survey analysis, Institutional analysis, GIS-based spatial econometrics.

Modellierung neuer Zuchtschemata zur Verbesserung der Wasser- und Stickstoffnutzeneffizienz bei Mais und Weizen für nachhaltige Anbausysteme in der nordchinesischen Tiefebene

Das Projekt "Modellierung neuer Zuchtschemata zur Verbesserung der Wasser- und Stickstoffnutzeneffizienz bei Mais und Weizen für nachhaltige Anbausysteme in der nordchinesischen Tiefebene" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Hohenheim, Institut für Pflanzenzüchtung, Saatgutforschung und Populationsgenetik durchgeführt. In China agricultural productivity needs to be increased by developing improved strategies for sustainable resource use in intensified cropping systems. Among other factors, the genetic potential of cultivars plays an important role in production systems.Adopting novel breeding approaches based on doubled haploids (DHs) can speed up the process of developing new varieties substantially and rapidly provide suitable cultivars for new cropping systems. Therefore, a first objective of this subproject is the improvement of the DH technology in maize. This implements efforts on increasing induction rates by investigating new inducer lines. In addition, intensive collaboration aims to improve the chromosome doubling procedures. The second objective is to find theOptimum use of DH approaches in hybrid maize breeding determined by means of modelling and simulations.

Entwicklung eines Konzepts zur nachhaltigen Konservierung umweltbedingter Pigmentveränderungen der gotischen Ausmalungen in der Burg Ziesar und der Marienkirche Herzberg

Das Projekt "Entwicklung eines Konzepts zur nachhaltigen Konservierung umweltbedingter Pigmentveränderungen der gotischen Ausmalungen in der Burg Ziesar und der Marienkirche Herzberg" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Amt Ziesar durchgeführt. Das Projekt bietet die Möglichkeit, eine Vielzahl von Pigmentveränderungen an Wandmalereien unter besonderer Berücksichtigung schädigender Umwelteinflüsse und der Bauwerksgegebenheiten (Klima, Mikrobiologie, Salze) systematisch zu untersuchen. Es sind allgemeingültige Ergebnisse zu erwarten, die auf vergleichbare Phänomene an anderen Wandmalereien übertragen werden können. Der streng praxisorientierte Forschungsansatz dient der Klärung bisher nicht bekannter oder nicht ausreichend berücksichtigter Zusammenhänge zwischen Bauwerksgegebenheiten und Pigmentumwandlungen. In diesem Thesenpapier wird eine Systematisierung der beobachteten Pigmentveränderungen und der vermuteten Schädigungsprozesse vorgestellt. Diese Einteilung basiert auf visuellen Gesichtspunkten sowie auf den Ergebnissen mikroskopischer und mikrochemischer Untersuchungen sowie der my-RFA und der Raman-Spektroskopie. In weiterführenden restauratorischen und naturwissenschaftlichen Untersuchungen sollen die maßgeblichen physikalischen, chemischen und mineralogischen Abläufe unter Berücksichtigung der objektspezifischen Gegebenheiten ermittelt werden.

Global Observation for Forest and Land Cover Dynamics

Das Projekt "Global Observation for Forest and Land Cover Dynamics" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Jena, Institut für Geographie, Abteilung Geoinformatik und Fernerkundung durchgeführt. The role of GOFC GOLD is to establish the link between space agencies, science community and the users of earth observation data and data products. The primary function of the Land Cover Implementation Team (LC-IT) is to develop and evaluate methods, tools and products for land cover measurements and monitoring using space-borne and in-situ observations. The LC-IT assesses current needs and deficiencies for global and regional monitoring to support Global Change research, national and regional forest inventories and international policy. The team cooperates closely with other GOFC-GOLD implementation teams and regional networks worldwide. Within this framework, the ESA GOFC GOLD project office helps to strengthen the GOFC-GOLD framework, to coordinate, promote and fulfil the GOFC Land Cover implementation plan, and to support the European Space Agency and related projects and services. Specific objectives for the first period (2004-2006) are: (1) To establish a GOFC-GOLD LC PO at the Jena University including the necessary infrastructure required to operate the LC PO. (2) To staff and operate the GOFC-GOLD LC PO for a period of three consecutive years starting February 2004. (3) Management and coordination of the execution of the GOFC-GOLD Land Cover Implementation Plan in close cooperation with the GOFC-GOLD-chairs John Townshend and Alan Belward. (4) To support ESA in the coordination of land cover harmonization and validation activities focussed on the development of a user information service for the (4.1) reporting and exchange of validation results and (4.2) information relating to the operational activities of satellite platforms and data delivery (GLOBCARBON and GLOBCOVER projects). To provide ESA with appropriate progress and annual reports and attend regular review meetings at ESA ESRIN, Italy.

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