Steroid hormones are essential in orchestrating oocyte maturation, i.e. estrogens of follicular origin support the development of the female gamete and fertilization. In this project the concentration of free and conjugated estrogens during follicular development will be analysed and compared to local concentrations in the developing follicle. Cattle are suitable animal models because of the accessibility and suitability for frequent examination and sampling. Furthermore, it has been useful for understanding several features of human reproduction including follicular dynamics, the fate of the emerging follicles is orchestrated mainly by gonadotropins and steroid hormones in a similar manner. Ovarian SULT1E1 participates locally in the regulation of follicular estrogen activity. The ESTcatalysed down-regulation of estrogen activity enables normal ovulation. Conversely, sulfoconjugated estrogens may also be precursors of the production of free estrogens depending on estrogen sulfatase (StS) acitivity. In mammals, follicular luteinisation/ovulation is triggered by a surge in LH and is characterised by numerous physical and biochemical changes, including the decreased production of estradiol (E2). This loss in E2 biosynthetic capacity has been explained by a marked decrease in the expression of key steroidogenic enzymes involved in the follicular production of active estrogens. However, little is known about the regulation of enzymes/proteins responsible for the inactivation and elimination of estrogens, as mediated for example by EST during this period.
The Tropical Glaciology Group's research on Kilimanjaro started in 2002 and is in progress. Central aspects of our research plan are: 1) Development of the working hypothesis: From a synopsis of (i) proxy data indicating changes in East African climate since ca. 1850, (ii) 20th century instrumental data (temperature and precipitation), and (iii) the observations and interpretations made during two periods of fieldwork (June 2001 and July 2002) a scenario of modern glacier retreat on Kibo is reconstructed. This scenario offers the working hypothesis for our project. 2) Impact of local climate on the glaciers: This goal involves micrometeorological measurements on the glaciers, and the application of collected data to full glacier energy and mass balance models. These models quantify the impact of local climate on a glacier, based on pure physical system knowledge. Our models are validated by measured mass loss and surface temperature. 3) Latest Extent of the Kilimanjaro glaciers: Here, a satellite image was analyzed to derive the surface area and spatial distribution of glaciers on Kilimanjaro in February 2003. To validate this approach, an aerial flight was conducted in July 2005. 4) Linking local climate to large-scale circulation: As glacier behavior on Kilimanjaro, a totally free-standing mountain, is likely to reflect changes in larger-scale climate, this goal explores the large-scale climate mechanisms driving local Kilimanjaro climate. Well known large-scale forcings of east African climate are sea surface temperature variations in the Pacific and, more important, in the Indian Ocean. 5) Regional modification of large-scale circulation: The regional precipitation response in East Africa due to large-scale forcing is not adequately resolved in a global climate model as used in 4). Thus, mesoscale model experiments with the numerical atmospheric model RAMS will be conducted within this goal. They are thought to reveal the modification of atmospheric flow by the Kilimanjaro massif on a regional scale. 6) Practical aspects: Based on micro- and mesoscale results, (i) how much water is provided by glaciers, (ii) providing future projections of glacier behavior as basis for economic and societal studies (practical part), e.g., for studies on the impact of vanishing glaciers on Kibo's touristic appeal, and (iii) which impact does deforestation on the Kilimanjaro slopes have on summit climate? Referring to item 2), two new automatic weather stations have been installed in February 2005. They complete a station operated by Massachusetts University on the surface of the Northern Icefield since 2000.
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.
Die landesweite Waldzustandserhebung wird jährlich im bundesweiten Stichprobennetz (16x16 km) und nach einer abgestimmten Methodik durchgeführt. In Thüringen wurde das Stichprobennetz auf 4x4 km verdichtet, um flächenrepräsentative Aussagen für die Hauptbaumarten zu erhalten. Ziel der Waldzustandserhebung ist die langfristige Überwachung des Waldzustandes unter dem Einfluss abiotischer Einflüsse (z.B. Klima/Witterung, Luftschadstoffe) und biotischer Faktoren (z.B. Insektenkalamitäten). Der jährliche Waldzustandsbericht für Thüringen ist unter www.tmil.info zu finden.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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