The classical point wise Cornell-McGuire probabilistic seismic hazard assessment (PSHA), which is widely used for seismic hazard mapping and development of design codes, does not allow direct estimation of multiple-location hazard for distributed structures and facilities: what is the (annual) probability that specific level of ground motion will be exceeded simultaneously in several sites? It is possible to extent the classical methodology to the multiple sites problem considering also ground-motion correlation. We study multiple-location PSHA, as compared with the classical point wise PSHA, using Monte Carlo simulation. Specific items are:(1) Development of the algorithms for multiple-location PSHA;(2) Analysis of the role of the geometry of multiple sites, correlation of ground motion, and evel of seimicity for multiple-location PSHA;(3) Study of correspondence and differences between multiple-location PSHA and classical point wise PSHA and analysis of possibility of utilization of classical PSHA procedures for simplified multiple-location hazard assessment.The project is innovative because only few attempts have been made so far regarding our research questions.
The aim of P2 within the Research Unit 'The Forgotten Part of Carbon Cycling: Organic Matter Storage and Turnover in Subsoils (SUBSOM)' is to contribute to the understanding of the different sources and stabilization processes of subsoil organic matter. This will be achieved by the analysis of the soil organic matter composition in topsoil versus subsoil by 13C NMR spectroscopy in bulk soils as well as organo-mineral associations. This will be done on a number of soil profiles differing in parent material and mineralogy and therefore also in the relevance of organo-mineral associations for subsoil C stabilization. In addition, a specific sampling approach will allow to differentiate three zones associated with the dominating effect of (1) leaching of DOC (the 'bulk soil' between trees), (2) root litter decomposition (the 'root-affected zone'), and (3) direct rhizodeposition of root exudates (the 'rhizosphere' sensu strictu). The contribution of above-ground versus below-ground litter is differentiated by the analysis of cutin and suberin biomarkers. Organic matter derived from microbial sources will be identified by the microbial signature of polysaccharides in the subsoil through the analysis of neutral sugars and amino sugars. Organo-mineral associations will be further characterized by N2-BET analyses to delineate the coverage of the mineral phase with organic matter. With these analyses and our specific analytical expertise at the submicron scale (nanoSIMS) we will participate in selected joint experiments of the research unit.
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.
The biogeochemical interface (BGI) in this project is defined as the organo-mineral surface of soil particles colonized by microorganisms. In the preceding project it was demonstrated that the different soil particle size fractions were associated with specifically structured microbial communities, a characteristic amount of soil organic carbon, and a specific capacity for adsorption of the organic chemicals phenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol, respectively. While the diversity of the microbial community was responsive to fertilization-determined additional organic soil carbon in the larger particle size fractions, it was unaffected in clay. Stable isotope probing with 13C-labelled phenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol revealed that the soil organic carbon in the BGIs also affected the diversity of microorganisms involved in the degradation of these chemicals. All these results are yet only based on studying one soil with three organic carbon variants (Bad Lauchstädt) and only two organic compounds. The objective of this 2nd phase project is to apply the innovative technology developed in the 1st phase for studying the BGI processes with soil organic carbon variants from another soil (Ultuna, SPP 1315 site) and with the chiralic anilide Fungicide metalaxyl as an additional compound. This 2nd phase SPP 1315 project will also, in a collaborative effort with two other SPP 1315 partners, investigate (1) the importance of BGIs for the entantio-selective degradation of metalaxyl and (2) the role of soil microorganisms in the formation of bound residues, respectively. Furthermore, the project will utilize stable isotope probing and next-generation DNA sequencing to link the structural and functional diversity of the microbial communities responsible for metabolism of organic chemicals in the different BGIs determined by particle size fractions and soil organic carbon variants.
Magnetic properties of ferrimagnetic minerals depend on their crystal lattice, anisotropy, chemical composition and grain size. The latter parameter is strongly controlled by microstructures, which are significant for the interpretation of the magnetic properties of shocked magnetic minerals. Fracturing and lattice defects are the main causes for magnetic domain size reduction and generate an increase in coercivity and the suppression of magnetic transitions (e.g. 34 K transition in pyrrhotite, Verwey transition in magnetite).Especially for an adequate investigation of shock-induced modifications in ferromagnetic minerals, a combination of microstructural and magnetic measurements is therefore essential.This project focusses on two significant aspects of extreme conditions - the consequence of shock waves on natural material on Earth and on the magnetic mineralogy of exotic magnetic minerals in iron meteorites. In order to obtain general correlations between deformation structures and magnetic properties, the specific magnetic properties and carriers as well as microstructures of samples from two impact structures in marine targets (Lockne and Chesapeake Bay) will be compared with shocked magnetite ore and magnetite-bearing target lithologies from outside the crater (Lockne) as well as from undeformed megablocks within the crater (Chesapeake Bay). We will test the hypothesis if shock-related microstructures and associated magnetic properties can significantly be overprinted by postshock hydrothermal alteration. We especially want to focus on the Verwey transition (TV) as lower TVs are described for shocked impact lithologies. Hence, the main focus of this study lies on magneto-mineralogical investigations which combine low- and high-temperature magnetic susceptibility and saturation isothermal remanent magnetization with mineralogical and microstructural investigations. The same methods will then be used for the investigation of iron meteorites, whose magnetic properties are often controled by exotic magnetic minerals like cohenite, schreibersite and daubreelite in addition to the metal phases. Magnetic transition temperatures of those phases are poorly documented in relation to their chemical composition as well as to their crystallographic and microstructural configuration. For a general understanding of shock-related magnetization processes in extraterrestrial and terrestrial material, however, it is crucial to obtain a general correlation between the initial 'unshocked' state and the subsequent shock- and alteration-related overprints.
Comprehension of belowground competition between plant species is a central part in understanding the complex interactions in intercropped agricultural systems, between crops and weeds as well as in natural ecosystems. So far, no simple and rapid method for species discrimination of roots in the soil exists. We will be developing a method for root discrimination of various species based on Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR)-Attenuated Total Reflexion (ATR) Spectroscopy and expanding its application to the field. The absorbance patterns of FTIR-ATR spectra represent the chemical sample composition like an individual fingerprint. By means of multivariate methods, spectra will be grouped according to spectral and chemical similarity in order to achieve species discrimination. We will investigate pea and oat roots as well as maize and barnyard grass roots using various cultivars/proveniences grown in the greenhouse. Pea and oat are recommendable species for intercropping to achieve superior grain and protein yields in an environmentally sustainable manner. To evaluate the effects of intercropping on root distribution in the field, root segments will be measured directly at the soil profile wall using a mobile FTIR spectrometer. By extracting the main root compounds (lipids, proteins, carbohydrates) and recording their FTIR-ATR spectra as references, we will elucidate the chemical basis of species-specific differences.
Fusarium species of the Gibberella fujikuroi species complex cause serious diseases on different crops such as rice, wheat and maize. An important group of plant pathogens is the Gibberella fujikuroi species complex (GFC) of closely related Fusarium species which are associated with specific hosts; F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum are particularly associated with maize where they can cause serious ear-, root-, and stalk rot diseases. Two other closely related species of the GFC, F. mangiferae and F. fujikuroi, which share about 90Prozent sequence identity with F. verticillioides, are pathogens on mango and rice, respectively. All of these species produce a broad spectrum of secondary metabolites such as phytohormones (gibberellins, auxins, and cytokinins), and harmful mycotoxins, such as fumonisin, fusarin C, or fusaric acid in large quantities. However, the spectrum of those mycotoxins might differ between closely related species suggesting that secondary metabolites might be determinants for host specificity. In this project, we will study the potential impact of secondary metabolites (i.e. phytohormones and certain mycotoxins) and some other species-specific factors (e.g. species-specific transcription factors) on host specificity. The recently sequenced genomes of F. mangiferae and F. fujikuroi by our groups and the planned sequencing of F. proliferatum will help to identify such determinants by genetic manipulation of the appropriate metabolic pathway(s).
In Fragebogen-Untersuchungen zur Lärmwirkung wurden bisher sehr unterschiedliche Operationalisierungen von Wirkungsvariablen (wie z.B. Belästigung, Störung von Aktivitäten) und außer-akustischen Faktoren (sog. Moderatoren wie z.B. Lärmempfindlichkeit, misfeasance) verwendet. Deshalb hat sich die Arbeitsgruppe community response der International Commission on the Biological Effects of Noise (ICBEN, Team No. 6) als langfristiges Ziel die Entwicklung von Fragebogen-Guidelines und die Formulierung eines Muster-Fragebogens für die Lärmwirkungsforschung gesetzt. D.h. es soll ein Vorschlag erarbeitet werden, in welcher Form globale und spezifische Lärmwirkungen in Befragungen erhoben werden sollten. Um dieses Vorhaben zu unterstützen, hat der Arbeitskreis Ökologische Lärmforschung die Erstellung einer systematischen Übersicht über vorhandene Fragebögen aus Lärmwirkungsstudien auf internationaler Ebene in Angriff genommen. Diese Übersicht soll es u.a. ermöglichen, die Struktur von verschiedenen Fragebögen sowie die in ihnen verwendeten Operationalisierungen für Lärmwirkungs- und Moderatorvariablen (hinsichtlich Art der Frageformulierung sowie der Antwortformate) zu vergleichen. Für den/die einzelne/n Lärmforscher/in bietet diese Übersicht die Möglichkeit, sich auf sehr effiziente Art und Weise darüber zu informieren, wie bestimmte Konstrukte in bisherigen Untersuchungen operationalisiert worden sind bzw. welche Alternativen zu den bereits selbst angewandten Operationalisierungen bestehen. Nach einer systematischen Ermittlung von Namen und Adressen einschlägiger Lärmforscher/innen, wurden diese um die Zusendung von Fragebögen sowie ergänzender Materialien aus eigenen Lärmwirkungsstudien gebeten. Die zugesandten Fragebögen werden gegebenenfalls übersetzt und mit der Methode der qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse ausgewertet. Hierbei werden die Fragebögen im Hinblick auf formelle Aspekte (z.B. Jahr der Erhebung, Sprache, Art der Befragungsmethode) wie auch im Hinblick auf strukturelle Aspekte (z.B. Umfang des Fragebogens, abgefragte Variablengruppen, Antwortformate) ausgewertet. Hauptgegenstand der Auswertung ist aber insbesondere die Auswertung der Lärmwirkungsvariablen (z.B. die Abfrage der globalen Lärmbelästigung, Aktivitätenstörungen, Kommunikationsstörungen) sowie der Moderatorvariablen (z.B. Lärmempfindlichkeit, Lärmbewältigungsvermögen, misfeasance). Parallel dazu wurde eine Datenbank entwickelt, in der die Ergebnisse der Analysen dargestellt und verwaltet werden. Diese Datenbank wird ab November 2001 im Internet unter http://www.eco.psy.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/nqd für jede/n interessierte/n Forscher/in zugänglich und nutzbar sein. Langfristig ist darüber hinaus geplant, ein Archiv mit den Original-Fragebögen aufzubauen, in dem einzelne Fragebögen auf Wunsch eingesehen werden können.
Objectives: Sustainable management of tropical moist forests through private forest owners will become increasingly important. Media report that in Brazil, particularly in Amazonia, approx. 80 percent of the timber harvested is from illegal sources. Private management of forests according to internationally acknowledged standards offers an opportunity to significantly lower the portion of illegally cut timber. Moreover, it contributes significantly to the conservation of the Amazon forest. Private forest owners show a clear long-term commitment towards the implementation of management standards according that is ecologically compatible, socially acceptable and economically viable. The project area, a pristine forest in legal Amazonia in the transition zone between moist tropical forests and savannas (cerrado), is extremely diverse in floristic and faunistic terms. The institute cooperates with the private forest owner. Main tasks are to document the faunistic and floristic diversity, to calculate the Annual Allowable Cut and to elaborate concepts for site-specific silviculture. Results: To date (Oct. 2006) the following activities were started: - a comprehensive inventory system for planning at the FMU-level has been successfully introduced; - the inventory system for the annual coupe area has been designed and data for the first coupe are being processed; - the annual allowable cut is currently calculated based on the results of the above described inventories; - two fauna surveys are completed; one focusing on large mammals and one on the avi-fauna. A long-term monitoring concept to assess the influence of forest management on the faunistic diversity is currently under development; - forest zoning is completed applying terrestrial surveys and interpreting high-resolution satellite images; - a study on the use of Bethollethia excelsa-fruits (Brazil nuts) is currently implemented; - a study on timber properties of lesser known species is currently implemented.
For surface soils, the mechanisms controlling soil organic C turnover have been thoroughly investigated. The database on subsoil C dynamics, however, is scarce, although greater than 50 percent of SOC stocks are stored in deeper soil horizons. The transfer of results obtained from surface soil studies to deeper soil horizons is limited, because soil organic matter (SOM) in deeper soil layers is exposed to contrasting environmental conditions (e.g. more constant temperature and moisture regime, higher CO2 and lower O2 concentrations, increasing N and P limitation to C mineralization with soil depth) and differs in composition compared to SOM of the surface layer, which in turn entails differences in its decomposition. For a quantitative analysis of subsoil SOC dynamics, it is necessary to trace the origins of the soil organic compounds and the pathways of their transformations. Since SOM is composed of various C pools which turn over on different time scales, from hours to millennia, bulk measurements do not reflect the response of specific pools to both transient and long-term change and may significantly underestimate CO2 fluxes. More detailed information can be gained from the fractionation of subsoil SOM into different functional pools in combination with the use of stable and radioactive isotopes. Additionally, soil-respired CO2 isotopic signatures can be used to understand the role of environmental factors on the rate of SOM decomposition and the magnitude and source of CO2 fluxes. The aims of this study are to (i) determine CO2 production and subsoil C mineralization in situ, (ii) investigate the vertical distribution and origin of CO2 in the soil profile using 14CO2 and 13CO2 analyses in the Grinderwald, and to (iii) determine the effect of environmental controls (temperature, oxygen) on subsoil C turnover. We hypothesize that in-situ CO2 production in subsoils is mainly controlled by root distribution and activity and that CO2 produced in deeper soil depth derives to a large part from the mineralization of fresh root derived C inputs. Further, we hypothesize that a large part of the subsoil C is potentially degradable, but is mineralized slower compared with the surface soil due to possible temperature or oxygen limitation.
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