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.
Sandy soils of the arid/semiarid dune fields of the Palestinian Gaza Strip and the Israeli western Negev are extensively covered by biological soil crusts (BSC), which stabilize the surface and prevent desertification. Political discussions in Israel suggest transferring a large part of this sand belt to the Gaza Strip within a final peace accord. Inappropriate land uses may lead to destruction of the BSC and initiate desertification, as already occurring in parts of the Gaza Strip. In this interdisciplinary project the influence of environmental factors on the vitality, stability and the recovery potential of the BSC will be investigated in order to evaluate the carrying capacity of this fragile landscape, in relation to rainfall, soil and relief conditions. A transect stretching from the Mediterranean coast in the Palestinian Gaza Strip (370 mm rainfall) to 65 km southwards in Israel ( Nizzana , less than 100 mm rainfall) has been selected. The interactions of molecular biological, physiological, physical and soil chemical processes, expressed in specific characteristics of the BSC and the underlying soil, will be assessed from the molecular to the landscape scale.
We consider clay minerals, iron oxides and charcoal as major components controlling the formation of interfaces relevant for sorption of organic chemicals, as they control the assemblage of organic matter and mineral particles. We studied the formation of interfaces in batch incubation experiments with inoculated artificial soils consisting of model compounds (clay minerals, iron oxide, char) and natural soil samples. Results show a relevant contribution of both iron oxides and clay minerals to the formation of organic matter as sorptive interfaces for hydrophobic compounds. Thus, we intend to focus our work in the second phase on the characterization of the interface as formed by organic matter associated with clay minerals and iron oxides. The interfaces will be characterized by the BET-N2 and ethylene glycol monoethyl ether (EGME) methods and 129Xe and 13C NMR spectroscopy for determination of specific surface area, sorptive domains in the organic matter and microporosity. A major step forward is expected by the analysis of the composition of the interface at different resolution by reflected-light microscopy (mm scale), SEM (scanning electron microscopy, micrometer scale) and secondary ion mass spectrometry at the nanometer scale (nanoSIMS). The outcomes obtained in combination with findings from cooperation partners will help to unravel the contribution of different types of soil components on the formation and characteristics of the biogeochemical interfaces and their effect on organic chemical sorption.
This project is aimed at the characterization of the systemic reprogramming in barley, which modulates the compatible interaction with the biotrophic leaf pathogen Blumeria graminis f.sp. hordei upon root infestation with the mutualistic endophyte Piriformospora indica. We have recently shown that the basidiomycete P. indica - upon successful establishment in the roots - reprograms barley to salt stress tolerance, resistance to root diseases and higher yield (Waller et al., 2005). Successful powdery mildew infections in barley leaves are also disturbed by the mutualistic fungus. These processes are associated with a strong change in plant metabolism, especially with a drastic alteration of leaf and root antioxidants. On the basis of these findings we will perform an in-depth analysis of the barley metabolome (B6) and transcriptome (B7) with two specific foci: First, to elucidate the process of establishment of the mutualistic fungus within the barley roots; second, to characterize elements of the systemic response in leaves leading to an interruption or failure of compatibility processes required for successful establishment of biotrophic leaf pathogens like Blumeria. New gene candidates will be pre-selected systematically for their regulatory role in compatibility by means of transiently transformed barley leaves upon Blumeria inoculation. Stable transgenic barley and maize lines (B3) generated with verified gene candidates and genes identified by other projects (A1, A2, B5, B6) will be tested with Blumeria and P. indica. By comparing candidate genes in the different plant - microbe systems, we will identify common regulatory processes, metabolites and metabolic networks implicated in compatibility including those required for successful interactions with mutualistic fungi.
The magnetosphere of a planet is controlled by a number of factors such as the intrinsic magnetic field, the atmosphere and ionosphere, and the solar wind. Different combinations of these control factors are at work at the terrestrial planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, hence they form a very suitable set for quantitative comparative studies. A significant intrinsic dipolar magnetic field is present only on Earth and on Mercury. However, the configuration at Mercury differs considerably from that at Earth because Mercury does not support an atmosphere and ionosphere, the dipolar field is much weaker, the solar wind denser, and the interplanetary magnetic field stronger. Both Mars and Venus have atmospheres but lack a global planetary magnetic field, with regional crustal magnetization being present on Mars. This proposal aims at investigating and comparing electrical current systems in the space environments of terrestrial planets using magnetic vector data collected by orbiting spacecraft such as Venus Express, Mars Global Surveyor, CHAMP (Earth), and MESSENGER (Mercury). We propose to construct data-driven and physically meaningful representations that reveal and quantify the influence of various control factors. To achieve this, we will tailor Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis and other multivariate methods to the specifics of planetary magnetic field observations. In contrast to representations that build on predefined functions like spherical harmonics, basis functions in the EOF approach are derived directly from the data. EOFs are designed to extract dominant coherent variations for further interpretation in terms of known physical phenomena, and then, in a regression step, for modeling using suitable control variables. The EOF methodology thus allows quantifying the relative importance of control factors for each planet individually, and thus contributes to the solution of topical science questions. The resulting empirical models will facilitate comparative studies of current systems at the terrestrial planets.
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.
In structured soils, the interaction of percolating water and reactive solutes with the soil matrix is mostly restricted to the surfaces of preferential flow paths. Flow paths, i.e., macropores, are formed by worm burrows, decayed root channels, cracks, and inter-aggregate spaces. While biopores are covered by earthworm casts and mucilage or by root residues, aggregates and cracks are often coated by soil organic matter (SOM), oxides, and clay minerals especially in the clay illuviation horizons of Luvisols. The SOM as well as the clay mineral composition and concentration strongly determine the wettability and sorption capacity of the coatings and thus control water and solute movement as well as the mass exchange between the preferential flow paths and the soil matrix. The objective of this proposal is the quantitative description of the small-scale distribution of physicochemical properties of intact structural surfaces and flow path surfaces and of their distribution in the soil volume. Samples of Bt horizons of Luvisols from Loess will be compared with those from glacial till. At intact structural surfaces prepared from soil clods, the spatial distribution (mm-scale) of SOM and clay mineral composition will be characterized with DRIFT (Diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform) spectroscopy using a self-developed mapping technique. For samples manually separated from coated surfaces and biopore walls, the contents of organic carbon (Corg) and the cation exchange capacity (CEC) will be analyzed and related to the intensities of specific signals in DRIFT spectra using Partial Least Square Regression (PLSR) analysis. The signal intensities of the DRIFT mapping spectra will be used to quantify the spatial distribution of Corg and CEC at these structural surfaces. The DRIFT mapping data will also be used for qualitatively characterizing the small scale distribution of the recalcitrance, humification, and microbial activity of the SOM from structural surfaces. The clay mineral composition of defined surface regions will be characterized by combining DRIFT spectroscopic with X-ray diffractometric analysis of manually separated samples. Subsequently, the spatial distribution of the clay mineral composition at structural surfaces will be determined from the intensities of clay mineral-specific signals in the DRIFT mapping spectra and exemplarily compared to scanning electron microscopic and infrared microscopic analysis of thin sections and thin polished micro-sections. The three-dimensional spatial distribution of the total structural surfaces in the volume of the Bt horizons will be quantified using X-ray computed tomography (CT) analysis of soil cores. The active preferential flow paths will be visualized and quantified by field tracer experiments. These CT and tracer data will be used to transfer the properties of the structural surfaces characterized by DRIFT mapping onto the active preferential flow paths in the Bt horizons.
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.
Der schnelle Fortschritt der elektronischen Geräte erhöht die Nachfrage nach verbesserten Li-Ionen Batterien. Kommerziell erhältliche Li-Zellen nutzen meist Lithiumkobaltoxid für die positive Elektrode. Doch gerade dieses Material ist ein Hindernis für eine weitere Optimierung, insbesondere für eine Kostensenkung. Vor allem für größere Anwendungen wie Hybrid- oder Elektrofahrzeuge müssen alternative Materialen erforscht werden, die billiger, sicherer und umweltverträglicher sind. Daher wird im ISEA derzeit ein neues Forschungsprojekt ins Leben gerufen und die dafür benötigte Infrastruktur geschaffen. Die Forschung wird sich auf die Untersuchung geeigneter Übergangsmetalloxide und Polyanionen konzentrieren, die besonders gut zur Einlagerung von Li-Ionen geeignet sind. Es werden neue Herstellungsverfahren unter Verwendung wässriger Precurser-Substanzen untersucht, die Verbindungen mit überlegenen Eigenschaften erzeugen und außerdem leicht an eine Massenproduktion angepasst werden können. Ziel der Arbeiten ist, preisgünstiges Elektrodenmaterial zu entwickeln, das eine spezifische Energie von über 200 Wh/kg und eine Leistungsdichte von 400 W/kg aufweist. Außerdem werden Arbeiten im Bereich der physikalisch-chemischen Charakterisierung der neuen Materialien stattfinden sowie elektrochemische Analysen der gesamten Zellen- und Batteriesysteme durchgeführt. Das elektrodynamische Verhalten der neuen Zellen wird u. a. mit Hilfe der elektrochemischen Impedanzspektroskopie analysiert, um präzise und zuverlässige Algorithmen für ein späteres Batteriemonitoring im realen Betrieb zu finden.
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