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Establishment of Teak plantations for high-value timber production in Ghana

Background and Objectives: The project area is located in the Ashanti Region of Ghana / West Africa in the transition zone of the moist semideciduous forest and tropical savannah zone. Main land use in this region is subsistence agriculture with large fallow areas. As an alternative land-use, forest plantations are under development by the Ghanaian wood processing company DuPaul Wood Treatment Ltd. Labourers from the surrounding villages are employed as permanent or casual plantation workers. Within three forest plantation projects of approximately 6,000 ha, DuPaul offers an area of 164 ha (referred to as Papasi Plantation) - which is mainly planted with Teak (Tectona grandis) - for research purposes. In return, the company expects consultations to improve the management for sustainable timber and pole production with exotic and native tree species. Results: In a first research approach, the Papasi Plantation was assessed in terms of vegetation classification, timber resources (in qualitative and quantitative terms) and soil and site conditions. A permanent sampling plot system was established to enable long-term monitoring of stand dynamics including observation of stand response to silvicultural treatments. Site conditions are ideally suited for Teak and some stands show exceptionally good growth performances. However, poor weed management and a lack of fire control and silvicultural management led to high mortality and poor growth performance of some stands, resulting in relative low overall growth averages. In a second step, a social baseline study was carried out in the surrounding villages and identified landowner conflicts between some villagers and DuPaul, which could be one reason for the fire damages. However, the study also revealed a general interest for collaboration in agroforestry on DuPaul land on both sides. Thirdly, a silvicultural management concept was elaborated and an improved integration of the rural population into DuPaul's forest plantation projects is already initiated. If landowner conflicts can be solved, the development of forest plantations can contribute significantly to the economic income of rural households while environmental benefits provide long-term opportunities for sustainable development of the region. Funding: GTZ supported PPP-Measure, Foundation

End biodiversity loss through improved tracking of threatened invertebrates

In today's biodiversity crisis, there is an urgent need to monitor terrestrial and aquatic species in their natural habitats, especially those that may be endangered, invasive or elusive. Traditional species observation methods, based on acoustic or observational surveys are inefficient, costly and time consuming. On the other hand, DNA is continuously deposited in the environment from natural processes and this environmental DNA (eDNA) allows us to detect species and reconstruct their communities with a high level of sensitivity. These data can be used to obtain occurrence records and to collect more population information in field. Crucially, these data are necessary to inform management agencies about the current state of our biodiversity, and are especially urgent for species that are currently data deficient. The aims of this study are to firstly identify occurrence records from diverse sources (databases, literature) and generate a database of distributional data for species of crustacean and mollusks that are data deficient in Sweden. Secondly, we aim to detect threatened species in Swedish marine, freshwater and terrestrial habitats using novel genomic methods (DNA metabarcoding, ddPCR). Finally, based on the new data, we will run species distribution and population models, to improve information on geographic range and population status for threatened invertebrates. The results will be integrated into current monitoring programmes (e.g. red-listing) and action plans.

Strategiepapier Neobiota Kanton Aargau

Die auf den 1. Oktober 2008 in Kraft gesetzte revidierte Freisetzungsverordnung (FrSV) weist auch dem Kanton Aargau im Bereich der gebietsfremden Organismen (Neobiota) zahlreiche neue Aufgaben zu. Wir beraten und unterstützen den Kanton dabei, ein Strategiepapier zu entwickeln, das die Leitlinien für den künftigen Umgang mit Neobiota definiert und eine zweckmäßige Organisation sowie die zugehörigen Abläufe festlegt. Ferner werden Sofortmassnahmen vorgeschlagen und die Aktivitäten der kommenden Jahre grob skizziert. Die Neobiota-Strategie des Kantons Aargau bezweckt, schädliche Auswirkungen von gebietsfremden Arten auf die Lebensqualität von Mensch und Tier, die wirtschaftlichen Aktivitäten sowie die Ökosysteme zu minimieren.

Melde-Michel - Portal Hamburg

Der Melde-Michel stellt in der Freien und Hansestadt Hamburg einen Mängelmeldedienst für Bürger und Unternehmen im Rahmen einer Webanwendung zur Verfügung. Die Meldung von Mängeln ist ebenfalls telefonisch über den Telefonischen HamburgService (Telefonnummer 115) möglich. Hierbei werden Infrastruktur-Mängel z. B. Schlaglöcher, beschädigte Verkehrslichter, Schäden beim städtischen Grün und mehr auf einfache Weise an die jeweils zuständige Dienststelle oder das jeweils beauftragte Unternehmen übermittelt. Bei der Nutzung via Smartphone kann die Lokalisierung mittels Standortermittlung erfolgen. Zusätzlich zur auszuwählenden Schaden-Kategorie können optional weitere Informationen, z.B. Beschreibung, Kontaktdaten und Fotos mitgegeben werden.

Carbon, water and nutrient dynamics in vascular plant- vs. Sphagnum-dominated bog ecosystems in southern Patagonia

In bog ecosystems, vegetation controls key processes such as the retention of carbon, water and nutrients. In northern hemispherical bogs, a shift from Sphagnum- to vascular plant-dominated vegetation is often traced back to Climate Change and increased anthropogenic nitrogen deposition and coincides with substantially reduced capacities in carbon, water and nutrient retention. In southern Patagonia, bogs dominated by Sphagnum and vascular plants coexist since millennia under similar environmental settings. Thus, South Patagonian bogs may serve as ideal examples for the long-term effect of vascular plant invasion on carbon, water and nutrient balances of bog ecosystems. The contemporary balances of carbon and water of both a bog dominated by Sphagnum and vascular plants are determined by CO2- H2O and CH4 flux measurements and an estimation of lateral water losses as well as losses via dissolved organic and inorganic carbon compounds. The high time resolution of simultaneous eddy covariance measurements of CO2 and H2O in both bog types and the strong interaction between climatic variables and the physiology of bog plants allow for direct comparisons of carbon and water fluxes during cold, warm, dry, wet, cloudy or sunny periods. By the combination with leaf-scale measurements of gas exchange and fluorescence, plant-physiological controls of photosynthesis and transpiration can be identified. Long-term peat accumulation rates will be determined by carbon density and age-depth profiles including a characterization of peat humification characteristics. A reciprocal transplantation experiment with incorporated shading, liming and labeled N addition treatments is conducted to explore driving factors affecting competition between Sphagnum and vascular plants as well as the interactions between CO2-, CH4-, and water fluxes and decisive plant functional traits affecting key processes for carbon sequestration and nutrient cycling. Decomposition rates and driving below ground processes are analyzed with a litter bag field experiment and an incubation experiment in the laboratory.

Online-Anliegen - extern

Die Mängelmeldungen der Bürger und Unternehmen wie z.B. Schlaglöcher oder beschädigte Verkehrszeichen werden in einer Datenbank gespeichert und bereitgestellt und im Melde-Michel sichtbar dargestellt.

WFS Melde-Michel extern

Der WebFeatureService (WFS) stellt die gemeldeten "Online-Anliegen" der Bürger und Unternehmen, wie z.B. Schlaglöcher oder beschädigte Verkehrslichter, im Melde-Michel dar. Zur genaueren Beschreibung der Daten und Datenverantwortung nutzen Sie bitte den Verweis zur Datensatzbeschreibung.

Modes of vector transmission of Cherry leaf roll virus (CLRV) - molecular basis and potential arthropod vector species

Cherry leaf roll virus (CLRV) is a plant pathogen of economic and ecologic importance. It is globally distributed in a wide range of forest, fruit, and ornamental trees and shrubs. In several areas of cherry and walnut production CLRV causes severe losses in yield and quality. With current reference to the rapid dissemination and strong symptom expression in Finnish birches and the Germany-wide distribution of CLRV in birches and elderberry, we continuously investigate and gradually reveal CLRV transmission pathways as by pollen, seeds or water. However, modes and interactions responsible for the wide intergeneric host transmission as well as for the exceptional CLRV epidemic in Fennoscandia still remain unknown. In this project systematic studies shall investigate biological vectors as a causal agent to finally derive control mechanisms and strategies to avoid new epidemics in different hosts and geographic regions. Detailed monitoring of the invertebrate fauna of birch stands/forests and elderberry plantations in Germany and Finland shall reveal potential vectors to subsequently study them in detail by approved virus detection methods and transmission experiments. Molecular analyses of the CLRV coat protein shall prove its role as a viral determinant for a virus/vector interaction. Consequently, this project essentially will contribute important answers on the CLRV epidemiology, and this will be a key element within the first network of research on plant viral pathogens in forest trees.

A behavioural economic analysis of moral hazards in food production: the case of deviant economic behaviour and disclosure policies on the restaurant, ready-to-eat and retail level

Deviant behaviour on various levels of the food supply chain may cause food risks. It entails irregular technological procedures which cause (increased probabilities of) adverse outcomes for buyers and consumers. Besides technological hazards and hitherto unknown health threats, moral hazard and malpractice in food businesses represent an additional source of risk which can be termed 'behavioural food risk'. From a regulatory perspective, adverse outcomes associated with deviance represent negative externalities that are caused by the breaking of rules designed to prevent them. From a rational choice perspective, the probability of malpractice increases with the benefits for its authors. It decreases with the probability of detection and resulting losses. It also decreases with bonds to social norms that protect producers from yielding to economic temptations. The design of mechanisms that reduce behavioural risks and prevent malpractice requires an understanding of why food businesses obey or do not obey the rules. This project aims to contribute to a better understanding of malpractice on the restaurant/retail level through comparative case studies and statistical analyses of food inspection and survey data. Accounting for the complexity of economic behaviour, we will not only look at economic incentives but consider all relevant behavioural determinants, including social context factors.

Florenwandel und Vegetationsentwicklung in Feuchtbiotopen des ueberregionalen Schutzgebietes 'Unterer Niederrhein' (Nordrhein-Westfalen, BRD)

Floristische und soziologische Untersuchungen im Naturschutzgebiet Alter Rhein bei Bienen-Praest (Altrheinschlinge im Kreis Kleve), Kernstueck des ueberregionalen Schutzgebiets Unterer Niederrhein, deuten auf dramatische, voellig unerwartete Verschiebungen im Florenbestand und im Gesellschaftsaufbau innerhalb von nur 15 Jahren hin: Zwar stieg die Artenzahl von rund 170 (1975) auf knapp 200 (1990) an, doch spiegeln sich darin vor allem negative Biotopveraenderungen wider (zB Zunahme von Trockniszeigern, Stickstoffzeigern und Salzzeigern). Auf Gesellschaftsebene ergab sich ein aehnliches Bild. Auch hier darf der zahlenmaessige Anstieg deutlich unterscheidbarer Gefaesspflanzengemeinschaften (1975: 18, 1990: 21) nicht ueber negative Entwicklungstendenzen hinwegtaeuschen (zB ernsthafte Gefaehrdung der seltenen Seekannengesellschaften und des Wasserschwadenroehrichts). Als Gruende dafuer wurden ua eine Verschlechterung der Wasser- und Bodenqualitaet durch Ueberweidung, Intensivduengung umliegender Kulturflaechen, Herbizidverschleppung, Abwassereinleitung, Salzfracht des Hauptstroms und nicht zuletzt atmosphaerischer Schadstoffeintrag festgestellt. Im Interesse grossraeumiger Planungen zur Erhaltung und Sicherung, vor allem aber auch einer naturnahen Rueckentwicklung wurden inzwischen auch andere Feuchtbiotope des genannten Schutzgebiets von internationaler Bedeutung in die Erhebungen und Untersuchungen einbezogen.

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