TY - GEN A1 - Schaaf, Wolfgang A1 - Bens, Oliver A1 - Fischer, Anton A1 - Gerke, Horst H. A1 - Gerwin, Werner A1 - Grünewald, Uwe A1 - Holländer, Hartmut M. A1 - Kögel-Knabner, Ingrid A1 - Mutz, Michael A1 - Schloter, Michael A1 - Schulin, Rainer A1 - Veste, Maik A1 - Winter, Susanne A1 - Hüttl, Reinhard F. T1 - Patterns and processes of initial terrestrial-ecosystem development T2 - Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science N2 - Ecosystems are characterized as complex systems with abiotic and biotic processes interacting between the various components that have evolved over long-term periods. Most ecosystem studies so far have been carried out in mature systems. Only limited knowledge exists on the very initial phase of ecosystem development. Concepts on the development of ecosystems are often based on assumptions and extrapolations with respect to structure–process interactions in the initial stage. To characterize the effect of this initial phase on structure and functioning of ecosystems in later stages, it is necessary to disentangle the close interaction of spatial and temporal patterns of ecosystem structural assemblages with processes of ecosystem development. The study of initial, less complex systems could help to better identify and characterize coupled patterns and processes. This paper gives an overview of concepts for the initial development of different ecosystem compartments and identifies open questions and research gaps. The artificial catchment site “Chicken Creek” is introduced as a new research approach to investigate these patterns and processes of initial ecosystem development under defined boundary conditions. This approach allows to integrate the relevant processes with related pattern and structure development over temporal and spatial scales and to derive thresholds and stages in state and functioning of ecosystems at the catchment level. KW - soils KW - pedogenesis KW - vegetation succession KW - microbial succession KW - artificial catchment Y1 - 2011 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.201000158 SN - 1522-2624 VL - 174 IS - 2 SP - 229 EP - 239 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Fischer, Thomas A1 - Veste, Maik A1 - Bens, Oliver A1 - Hüttl, Reinhard F. T1 - Dew formation on the surface of biological soil crusts in central European sand ecosystems T2 - Biogeosciences discussions N2 - Dew formation was investigated in three developmental stages of biological soil crusts (BSC), which were collected along a catena of an inland dune and in the initial substrate. The Penman equation, which was developed for saturated surfaces, was modified for unsaturated surfaces and used for prediction of dewfall rates. The levels of surface saturation required for this approach were predicted using the water retention functions and the thicknesses of the BSCs. During a single event, dewfall increased with crust development from 0.08 kg m−2 for the initial substrate to 0.10, 0.20 and 0.25 kg m−2 for crusts stages 1 to 3, respectively, which was well reflected by the model response. The suggested mechanism of dew formation involves a delay in water saturation in near-surface soil pores and EPS where the crusts were thicker and where the water capacity was high, resulting in elevated vapor flux towards the surface. The results also indicate that the amount of dewfall was too low to observe water flow into deeper soil. Analysis of the soil water retention curves revealed that, despite the sandy mineral matrix, moist crusts with clogged by swollen EPS pores exhibited a clay-like behavior. It is hypothesized that BSCs gain double benefit from suppressing their competitors by runoff generation and from improving their water supply by dew collection. Despite higher amounts of dew, the water availability to the crust community decreases with crust development, which may be compensated by ecophysiological adaptation of crust organisms, and which may further suppress higher vegetation or mosses. Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5194/bgd-9-8075-2012 VL - 9 SP - 8075 EP - 8092 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Gerwin, Werner A1 - Raab, Thomas A1 - Biemelt, Detlef A1 - Bens, Oliver A1 - Hüttl, Reinhard F. T1 - The artificial water catchment "Chicken Creek" as an observatory for critical zone processes and structures T2 - Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Y1 - 2009 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5194/hessd-6-1769-2009 SN - 1812-2116 VL - 6 IS - 2 SP - 1769 EP - 1795 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Elmer, Michael A1 - Bachmann, Ute A1 - Gutsch, Martin A1 - Schröder, Jens A1 - Bäucker, Ernst A1 - Lange, Mike A1 - Clauder, Lothar A1 - Bens, Oliver A1 - Suckow, Felicitas A1 - Kätzel, Ralf A1 - Bues, Claus-Thomas A1 - Frommhold, Heinz A1 - Sonntag, Herbert A1 - Fischer, Thomas A1 - Hüttl, Reinhard F. T1 - OakChain: Eichen-Kiefern-Mischbestände im Spannungsfeld von Klimawandel, Waldumbau und internationalem Holzmarkt T2 - Forst und Holz Y1 - 2009 SN - 0932-9315 VL - 64 IS - 7/8 SP - 26 EP - 29 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Hüttl, Reinhard F. A1 - Bens, Oliver A1 - Schneider, Bernd Uwe T1 - Waldnutzung, Waldschäden und Waldumbau Y1 - 2003 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Schäfer, B. A1 - Bens, Oliver A1 - Wahl, Niels Arne T1 - Pedo-hydrologische Wirkung des ökologischen Waldumbaus auf die Wasserretention in Böden Y1 - 2002 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Elmer, Michael A1 - Gutsch, Martin A1 - Bachmann, Ute A1 - Bens, Oliver A1 - Suckow, Felicitas A1 - Hüttl, Reinhard F. T1 - Der Einfluss des Umbaus von Kiefern-Reinbeständen in Traubeneichen-Kiefern-Mischbeständen auf Standortqualität und Bestandesklima T2 - Forst und Holz Y1 - 2009 SN - 0932-9315 VL - 64 SP - 12 EP - 17 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Fischer, H. A1 - Bens, Oliver A1 - Hüttl, Reinhard F. T1 - Changes in humus form, humus stock and soil organic matter distribution as effected by forest transformation in Northeastern lowlands of Germany. Y1 - 2002 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Bens, Oliver A1 - Buczko, Uwe A1 - Wahl, Niels Arne A1 - Wöllecke, Britta A1 - Hüttl, Reinhard F. T1 - Wasserretentionspotential in forstlich und landwirtschaftlich genutzten Böden Y1 - 2004 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Kappler, Christoph A1 - Kaiser, Knut A1 - Ganzenmüller, Raphael A1 - Küster, Mathias A1 - Nicolay, Alexander A1 - Fülling, Alexander A1 - Bens, Oliver A1 - Raab, Thomas ED - Schwab, Markus J. ED - Theuerkauf, Martin ED - Brauer, Achim ED - Wilmking, Martin ED - Lampe, Reinhard T1 - A review of geochronological data from northeastern Germany: evaluating late Quaternary soil formation and land surface dynamics T2 - 3rd Annual ICLEA Workshop 2014, Dynamics of Climate and Landscape Evolution of Cultural Landscapes in the Northern Central European Lowlands since the Last Ice Age Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.2312/GFZ.b103-14028 SP - 43 PB - GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences CY - Potsdam ER - TY - GEN A1 - Rodionov, Andrei A1 - Nii-Annang, Seth A1 - Fischer, Thomas A1 - Gattinger, Andreas A1 - Bens, Oliver A1 - Raab, Thomas A1 - Hüttl, Reinhard F. T1 - Cross-linked polyacrylates in post-mining substrates: persistence and effects on plant growth T2 - Soil Use and Management N2 - Application of hydrophilic polymers composed of cross-linked polyacrylate can improve soil water-holding capacity and accelerate the restoration of post-mining substrates. In this work, we studied the persistence of a polyacrylate polymer incorporated into a soil and its impact on plant nutrients at a reclamation site of former lignite mining in Lusatia (Germany). In contrast to autumn application, the incorporation of the polymer enhanced the sequestration of plant-derived carbon in the soil, which was reflected by a significant increase in the concentration of a lignin marker. Attenuated total reflexion–Fourier transform infrared spectra (ATR-FTIR) and total elemental contents in the applied polymer suggested an intensive cation exchange between the polymer framework and the soil-forming substrate. In addition, there was an enrichment of carbonaceous material, which seems to reduce the swelling and thus the water-holding capacity of the cross-linked polyacrylate. Conversely, this process protected the polymer structure from rapid decomposition. Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.12103 SN - 1475-2743 VL - 30 IS - 1 SP - 78 EP - 87 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Rodionov, Andrei A1 - Nii-Annang, Seth A1 - Bens, Oliver A1 - Trimborn, Manfred A1 - Schillem, Steffi A1 - Schneider, Bernd Uwe A1 - Raab, Thomas A1 - Hüttl, Reinhard F. T1 - Impacts of Soil Additives on Crop Yield and C-Sequestration in Post Mine Substrates of Lusatia, Germany T2 - Pedosphere Y1 - 2012 SN - 1002-0160 VL - 22 IS - 3 SP - 343 EP - 350 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Krümmelbein, Julia A1 - Horn, Rainer A1 - Raab, Thomas A1 - Bens, Oliver A1 - Hüttl, Reinhard F. T1 - Soil physical parameters of a recently established agricultural recultivation site after brown coal mining in Eastern Germany T2 - Soil & Tillage Research N2 - Our study deals with agricultural recultivation of open cast brown coal mining areas in Lusatia, Eastern Germany. In this region the largest brown coal (lignite) mining area of Germany is located. Lignite mining activities lead to major disturbances of the landscape. Recultivation efforts attempt to regenerate mining areas for agricultural land use options. The geological “parent” material is of saaleian origin, has a sandy texture and was excavated from several meters depths before mining and is now used for recultivating the excavated area. Consequently, it is free of recent soil organic carbon. The substrate itself is unstructured. The partly wet or dry substrate is subjected to strong mechanical stresses during the excavation, deposition, refilling and levelling processes throughout the year. This practice leads to more or less compacted soils/substrates which may result in small yields of agricultural crops. In this context we investigate the effect of different organic soil additives in combination with different recultivation crop rotations on the development of soil structure for improved agricultural land use. Our experimental site has been heaped up and levelled off in 2006 and 2007. On each of the 24 experimental sub areas undisturbed soil samples have been taken to characterise the substrates according to their mechanical and hydraulic parameters and to determine the scattering of these parameters on a site that is assumed to be recultivated as homogenously as possible. First results of our ongoing experimental study indicate that the soil physical properties such as texture, bulk density, precompression stress, air permeability and saturated hydraulic conductivity are not identical on each of the 24 subplots. The soil physical properties behave differently in relation to each other. E.g. we found a negative correlation between bulk density (∼1.35–∼1.90 g/cm3) and precompression stress (∼30–70 kPa) and no decisive interrelation between bulk density and air permeability or saturated hydraulic conductivity. Y1 - 2010 UR - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167198710001443 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2010.08.006 SN - 0167-1987 VL - 111 IS - 1 SP - 19 EP - 25 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Bens, Oliver A1 - Felix-Henningsen, Peter T1 - Variability of litter decomposition and nitrogen turnover in different Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) ecosystems in Northwest Germany under the influence of groundwater lowering Y1 - 2001 ER -