@article{ZentekBruckerCarleetal.2025, author = {Zentek, J{\"u}rgen and Brucker, Lisa and Carle, Reinhold and Kr{\"u}sselmann, Philip and Mart{\´i}nez-Vallesp{\´i}n, Beatriz and Grześkowiak, Łukasz and Holthausen, Johannes Schulze and Saliu, Eva-Maria and Vahjen, Wilfried}, title = {Effects of low levels of mango peels (Mangifera indica L.) and apple pectin on in vitro-fermentability, digestive-physiological, and microbiological parameters in piglet nutrition}, series = {Livestock Science}, volume = {297}, journal = {Livestock Science}, publisher = {Elsevier BV}, issn = {1871-1413}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2025.105724}, year = {2025}, abstract = {Food processing by-products such as mango peel and apple pectin present valuable sources of dietary fibre, pectins and various other beneficial compounds for pig nutrition. The study's objective was to explore the effects of incorporating mango peel and apple pectin into pig feed. Batch fermentations using sow faeces were conducted to assess the fermentability of the substrates over a 24-hour incubation period. Subsequently, a feeding experiment was conducted using post-weaning piglets to examine the impact of adding 1 \% or 2 \% (w/w) mango peel and apple pectin to their diet. The in vitro fermentation studies with sow faeces showed increasing lactate and short-chain fatty acid concentrations when apple and mango pectin were added as substrates. The feeding trial indicated no significant impact on piglets' performance, nor the apparent praecaecal digestibility of crude protein was altered, while the apparent praecaecal digestibility of crude fat decreased with the addition of 1 \% apple pectin, but increased with 2 \% mango peel. Concentrations of microbial metabolites in the digesta were similar, and only slight variations were observed in the bacterial levels as determined by qPCR. In the treatment groups, enhanced utilisation of mango peel and apple pectin by the faecal microbiota was noted compared to the control group (BIOLOG test). In summary, incorporating small quantities of mango peel and apple pectin resulted in only mild alterations within the piglets' digestive system. Additional research to determine the optimal levels for effective usage of mango peels and apple pectin in piglet diets is required.}, language = {en} } @article{RiedelSchermulyRomanetetal.2025, author = {Riedel, Julia and Schermuly, Isabel I. and Romanet, Stella and Saliu, Eva-Maria and Lemme, Andreas and Zentek, J{\"u}rgen and Aschenbach, J{\"o}rg R.}, title = {Transport and expression of transporters for 3-O-methyl-D-glucose and L-methionine along the intestine of broiler chickens receiving different methionine supplements}, series = {Poultry Science}, volume = {104}, journal = {Poultry Science}, number = {6}, publisher = {Elsevier BV}, issn = {0032-5791}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2025.105142}, year = {2025}, language = {en} } @article{YuVallespinGrześkowiaketal.2025, author = {Yu, Xiaoxiao and Vallesp{\´i}n, Beatriz Mart{\´i}nez and Grześkowiak, Łukasz and Rothk{\"o}tter, Hermann-Josef and Vahjen, Wilfried and Saliu, Eva-Maria and Zentek, J{\"u}rgen and Holthausen, Johannes Schulze}, title = {Dietary fibre and weaning age influence morphology, mucin distribution, and immunological traits in the porcine colon}, series = {Journal of Functional Foods}, volume = {131}, journal = {Journal of Functional Foods}, publisher = {Elsevier BV}, issn = {1756-4646}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2025.106947}, year = {2025}, language = {en} } @article{RiedmuellerMonteiroMaenneretal.2025, author = {Riedm{\"u}ller, Jonathan and Monteiro, Alessandra and M{\"a}nner, Klaus and Saliu, Eva M and Vahjen, Wilfried and Zentek, J{\"u}rgen}, title = {Effects of different doses and preparations of zinc oxide in weanling piglets on performance, intestinal microbiota and microbial metabolites}, series = {Translational Animal Science}, volume = {9}, journal = {Translational Animal Science}, publisher = {Oxford University Press (OUP)}, issn = {2573-2102}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txaf073}, year = {2025}, abstract = {Abstract For years, high zinc levels (up to 3000 mg/kg feed) have been used to aid piglets during the weaning phase. However, studies revealed drawbacks like antimicrobial resistance and environmental impact. Since 2022, the EU limits zinc inclusion levels to 150 mg total zinc per kg. Therefore, alternative strategies for replacing high levels of zinc are of great interest. This study compares a potentiated zinc oxide source (HiZox®) and feed grade zinc oxide at various levels on piglet performance, fecal consistency and fecal microbiome. The trial involved a total of 1,440 healthy weaned piglets (DanBred × Duroc; 50\% barrows, 50\% gilts; initial BW 10.1 ± 1.46 kg) over the 28-day duration of the experimental period. Piglets were randomly assigned to 12 treatment groups, each consisting of 12 pens, with 10 piglets per pen. The trial comprised two periods: the starter period (days 1 to 14) focused on comparing the two zinc products, while all animals received a diet supplemented with 150 mg/kg of potentiated ZnO in the grower period (days 15 to 28). Treatment groups receiving feed grade ZnO were denoted as Z150, Z300, Z600, Z900, Z1500, and Z3000, while corresponding groups with the potentiated ZnO product were labeled H150, H300, H600, H900, H1500, and H3000, respectively. Body weight (BW) and feed intake (FI) were measured for every pen at days 1, 14 and 28. Fecal samples were collected on the same days. During the starter phase (days 1 to 14), potentiated ZnO significantly improved average daily gain (ADG) compared to feed-grade ZnO (P ≤ 0.001), with the highest values observed at 3000 mg/kg (H3000: 247 g/d vs. Z3000: 233 g/d). Feed intake (FI) was also higher in potentiated ZnO groups (P ≤ 0.001), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) was more efficient (e.g., H3000: 1.2 vs. Z3000: 1.24; P = 0.001). In the grower phase residual effects from the starter phase persisted: animals previously fed potentiated ZnO had improved FCR (P = 0.003). Fecal microbiota analysis revealed that higher zinc levels reduced Lactobacillus abundance (P ≤ 0.001) and increased the presence of genera typical of adult pigs, such as Clostridium sensu stricto 1 and Terrisporobacter (P \< 0.01). In conclusion, based on the observed shift in fecal microbiota composition characterized by a reduction in lactobacilli and an increase in proteobacteria due to heightened dietary zinc levels, it is advised to adjust zinc supplementation to 150 mg/kg after the initial 2 wk post-weaning.}, language = {en} } @article{FelleEstenfelderWenigetal., author = {Felle, Tim Konrad and Estenfelder, Jannis and Wenig, Charlett and Berendt, Ferr{\´e}ol and Eder, Michaela and Cheng, Tian and Benz, Johan Philipp}, title = {Tree bark as a substrate for mycelium-bound composites with two Ganoderma species}, series = {Discover Materials}, volume = {6}, journal = {Discover Materials}, number = {1}, publisher = {Springer International Publishing}, address = {Cham}, issn = {2730-7727}, doi = {10.1007/s43939-025-00507-0}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10886}, abstract = {Bark is currently considered a by-product of the wood industry and is mostly incinerated for energy, left in forests, or used as a mulch layer in gardens, parks, and forests to help prevent soil from drying out. However, considering that bark makes up about 10-20\% of the tree volume, there is a considerable amount of material that can be exploited and should be investigated in terms of a resource-efficient bioeconomy. One way to use bark as a raw material for innovative products could be as a substrate within mycelium-bound composite materials. However, since one of the natural functions of bark is to inhibit microbial infestation of the trees, it was unclear whether bark could be utilized in this manner. Therefore, we investigate in this study the possibilities of producing such composites by evaluating the performance of several bark-fungus combinations. Three different barks (from Douglas fir, Scots pine and European birch) and two species of fungi ( Ganoderma resinaceum and Ganoderma adspersum ) were selected for the experiments. Mycelium growth rates were evaluated with a newly developed method using fungal "growth tubes". In addition, composites were prepared for performance tests from pure bark and 1:1 mixture of bark and beech wood sawdust. Composites made of mixed bark and beech wood were mostly well overgrown with a thick layer of mycelium on the surface, supporting higher compression strengths. The mycelium layer on the composites made with tree bark only was considerably thinner, resulting in lower compression strength. Water absorption potential was found to be highly dependent on the mycelium layer on the composite surfaces, which has substantial hydrophobic properties. Overall, although the required incubation times tend to be longer than for other commonly used substrates, our experiments demonstrate that bark clearly represents a potential co-substrate for the production of mycelium-bound composites.}, language = {en} } @article{LowitzschHeldewegEppetal., author = {Lowitzsch, Jens and Heldeweg, Michiel and Epp, Julia and Bucha, Monika}, title = {Developing Energy Citizenship—Empowerment Through Engagement and (Co-)Ownership, Individually and in Energy Communities}, series = {Social Sciences}, volume = {15}, journal = {Social Sciences}, number = {1}, editor = {Holz, Sheila and Esteves, Denise}, publisher = {MDPI}, issn = {2076-0760}, doi = {10.3390/socsci15010056}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10895}, abstract = {Opportunities for citizens to become prosumers have grown rapidly with renewable energy (RE) technologies reaching grid parity. The European Union's ability to harness this potential depends on empowering energy citizens, fostering active engagement, and overcoming resistance to RE deployment. European energy law introduced "renewable self-consumers" and "active customers" with rights to consume, sell, store, and share RE, alongside rights for citizens collectively organised in energy communities. This article explores conditions for inclusive citizen engagement and empowerment within the RE system. Building on an ownership- and governance-oriented approach, we further develop the concept of energy citizenship, focusing on three elements: conditions for successful engagement, individual versus collective (financial) participation, and the role of public (co-)ownership in fostering inclusion. The analysis is supported by 82 semi-structured interviews, corroborating our theoretical lens. Findings show that participation, especially of vulnerable consumers, relies on an intact "engagement chain," while energy communities remain an underused instrument for inclusion. Institutional environments enabling municipalities and public entities to act as pace-making (co-)owners are identified as key. Complementing the market and the State, civil society holds important potential to enhance engagement. Inspired by the 2017 European Pillar of Social Rights, we propose a corresponding "European Pillar of Energy Rights."}, language = {en} } @article{HirschGreinerMuellerBodenetal., author = {Hirsch, Mareike and Greiner-M{\"u}ller, Evgenia and Boden, Simon and Hillenmeyer, Katharina and Mattes, Arno and Schuler, Johanna and Spathelf, Peter and Maaten, Ernst van der and Maaten-Theunissen, Marieke van der and Seifert, Thomas}, title = {Drought and masting affect growth allocation along the stem axis in beech, oak, fir and spruce in temperate forests}, series = {Trees}, volume = {40}, journal = {Trees}, number = {1}, publisher = {Springer Berlin Heidelberg}, address = {Berlin/Heidelberg}, issn = {0931-1890}, doi = {10.1007/s00468-026-02723-4}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10906}, abstract = {In temperate forests, tree growth and vitality are significantly influenced by drought, often reflected by low stem diameter growth. Additionally, masting, the cyclic production of seeds, can also affect growth, particularly through its interactions with environmental factors like drought. Despite extensive research on the individual impacts of drought and masting, their combined effects on growth allocation remain underexplored, especially for a broader variety of species. This study aims to bridge this gap by investigating how drought and/or masting influence growth patterns in the coniferous species Abies alba and Picea abies , as well as the deciduous broadleaved species Fagus sylvatica and Quercus petraea . Utilising tree-ring data collected over several decades, we analysed how basal area increment (BAI) at 1.3 m stem height as well as along the stem axis responds to various scenarios of drought and masting. Our results showed that drought consistently reduced BAI in all species. F. sylvatica and P. abies experienced significantly lower BAI during mast years that coincided with drought, suggesting a potential trade-off between vegetative and reproductive growth under resource limitation. In contrast, Q. petraea exhibited higher BAI during mast years, indicating a distinct carbon allocation strategy. Furthermore, our study revealed that differences in BAI between mast and non-mast years were most prominent in the upper stem in the deciduous species, particularly during drought periods. These findings highlight the complex interactions between environmental stress, stem diameter growth and seed production, emphasising the need for further research into whole-tree carbon allocation processes.}, language = {en} } @article{AbdelmegeidZeineldinSeboussietal., author = {Abdelmegeid, Mohamed and Zeineldin, Mohamed and Seboussi, Rabiha and Mohamadin, Mahmoud and Alharthi, Abdulrahman S. and Mansour, Nabil and Okasha, Lamiaa A. and Elolimy, Ahmed A. and Saliu, Eva-Maria}, title = {Metagenomic analysis of the camel rumen archaeome and its functional potential}, series = {Frontiers in Veterinary Science}, volume = {12}, journal = {Frontiers in Veterinary Science}, publisher = {Frontiers Media S.A.}, issn = {2297-1769}, doi = {10.3389/fvets.2025.1738018}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10910}, pages = {17}, abstract = {The camel rumen harbors a unique and underexplored archaeal community that plays a critical role in methanogenesis and ruminal fermentation. This study aimed to characterize the taxonomic composition and functional potential of the camel rumen archaeome using whole-genome shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Across the seven healthy racing camel rumen samples, the archaeal community was dominated by Euryarchaeota (50.1 ± 0.02\%) and the Methanomada group (49.7 ± 0.03\%), with Methanobacteriaceae and Methanobrevibacter representing the predominant family and genus, respectively. Species-level analysis revealed Methanobrevibacter sp. YE315 and Methanobrevibacter millerae as the most abundant archaeal species across all samples. Alpha-diversity analyses indicated a diverse and evenly distributed archaeal population in the camel rumen. Beta-diversity based on Bray-Curtis and Jaccard dissimilarities demonstrated strong similarity among samples, highlighting a conserved archaeal community structure across individuals. Core microbiome assessment (≥ 80\% occurrence) identified seven dominant Methanobrevibacter species as the stable core archaeome. Functional profiling revealed a consistent metabolic repertoire dominated by methanogenesis (PWY-5209), amino acid biosynthesis, and nucleotide metabolism pathways. Functional alpha-diversity metrics and beta-diversity clustering highlighted low inter-sample variability and a stable functional architecture. Overall, the camel rumen archaeome exhibited a stable and conserved community composition and functional architecture, underscoring its central role in hydrogen utilization and methane production within the rumen ecosystem. Although based on a small number of animals from a single location and therefore descriptive in nature, this study provides a comprehensive metagenomic overview of the taxonomic and functional profiles of the camel rumen archaeal community.}, language = {en} } @article{HirschGreinerMuellerBodenetal., author = {Hirsch, Mareike and Greiner-M{\"u}ller, Evgenia and Boden, Simon and Hillenmeyer, Katharina and Mattes, Arno and Schuler, Johanna and Spathelf, Peter and Maaten, Ernst van der and Maaten-Theunissen, Marieke van der and Seifert, Thomas}, title = {Drought and masting affect growth allocation along the stem axis in beech, oak, fir and spruce in temperate forests}, series = {Trees}, volume = {40}, journal = {Trees}, number = {1}, publisher = {Springer Berlin Heidelberg}, address = {Berlin/Heidelberg}, issn = {0931-1890}, doi = {10.1007/s00468-026-02723-4}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10924}, abstract = {In temperate forests, tree growth and vitality are significantly influenced by drought, often reflected by low stem diameter growth. Additionally, masting, the cyclic production of seeds, can also affect growth, particularly through its interactions with environmental factors like drought. Despite extensive research on the individual impacts of drought and masting, their combined effects on growth allocation remain underexplored, especially for a broader variety of species. This study aims to bridge this gap by investigating how drought and/or masting influence growth patterns in the coniferous species Abies alba and Picea abies , as well as the deciduous broadleaved species Fagus sylvatica and Quercus petraea . Utilising tree-ring data collected over several decades, we analysed how basal area increment (BAI) at 1.3 m stem height as well as along the stem axis responds to various scenarios of drought and masting. Our results showed that drought consistently reduced BAI in all species. F. sylvatica and P. abies experienced significantly lower BAI during mast years that coincided with drought, suggesting a potential trade-off between vegetative and reproductive growth under resource limitation. In contrast, Q. petraea exhibited higher BAI during mast years, indicating a distinct carbon allocation strategy. Furthermore, our study revealed that differences in BAI between mast and non-mast years were most prominent in the upper stem in the deciduous species, particularly during drought periods. These findings highlight the complex interactions between environmental stress, stem diameter growth and seed production, emphasising the need for further research into whole-tree carbon allocation processes.}, language = {en} } @article{SchueleHeinken, author = {Sch{\"u}le, Maren and Heinken, Thilo}, title = {Rapid shift in plant species composition in burned pine forests with different post-fire management}, series = {Fire Ecology}, volume = {22}, journal = {Fire Ecology}, number = {1}, publisher = {Springer International Publishing}, address = {Cham}, issn = {1933-9747}, doi = {10.1186/s42408-025-00437-5}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10959}, abstract = {Background Wildfires have burned large areas of forest in Central Europe in recent years, and the risk of fires is predicted to increase. However, this region is still underrepresented in fire ecology research. To help to fill this knowledge gap, we investigated post-fire vegetation composition and mean Ellenberg indicator values (EIV) in two burned Scots pine forests in NE Germany with different levels of salvage logging (no, partial, complete) in the first 6 years after a severe fire. Results Vegetation composition of burned plots differed drastically from unburned control plots, resulting in enhanced species richness (mainly due to open land species) and increased EIV for light, reaction, and nitrogen. In the first year, species richness was generally lower on completely salvage logged plots, as was EIV for light, reaction, and nitrogen. On non-salvage- and partially salvage logged plots, total species richness and the number of open land species, as well as forb cover, increased in the first 3 years and decreased thereafter. The number of forest species, as well as the cover of grasses and bryophytes, increased continuously on all plots. EIV for moisture, reaction, and nitrogen showed a temporal decrease. Conclusions We were able to show that even in the short period of up to 6 years after fire, vegetation changed rapidly. Post-fire species composition shifted from early open land pioneer species towards late successional forest species. Decreasing EIVs for reaction and nutrients indicate that the temporary increase in nutrient availability quickly dissipates, probably due to nutrient leaching. Post-fire management has a strong influence on post-fire vegetation. Even if some successional patterns remained similar for all salvage logging groups, recolonization of completely salvage logged plots was slower, resulting in lower species richness and ground vegetation cover. In the next years, the shift from pioneer towards late successional climax species will probably continue in our study areas as site conditions are expected to change further.}, language = {en} } @article{OllendorfKhaliliMoluhNjoyaetal., author = {Ollendorf, Franziska and Khalili, Niloofar and Moluh Njoya, Hamza and Adou Yao, Constant Yves and Sieber, Stefan and L{\"o}hr, Katharina}, title = {The role of good agricultural practices in achieving sustainability and living income in Ivorian cocoa}, series = {Discover Sustainability}, volume = {7}, journal = {Discover Sustainability}, number = {1}, publisher = {Springer International Publishing}, address = {Cham}, issn = {2662-9984}, doi = {10.1007/s43621-026-02870-1}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10961}, abstract = {In many agricultural sectors and agri-food chains, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) are promoted as a key strategy to improve the quality and quantity of production, thereby boosting local incomes and livelihoods. Although C{\^o}te d'Ivoire is the world's leading cocoa producing country, most cocoa farmers live far below the local Living Income benchmark. Further, given that many poverty-related sustainability challenges persist, a main element of public and private sustainability interventions center on demonstrating GAPs to farmers. Yet, there is no clear picture of not just the isolated associations of GAPs training on farmers' production and wellbeing but also their actual mid-term sustainability. Furthermore, farmers' perspectives on GAPs and major challenges related to their implementation are still not well understood. Applying a mixed methods approach, based on survey data ( N  = 521) and farmer interviews ( N  = 52) from two different cocoa loops in C{\^o}te d'Ivoire, we assess structural dimensions of GAPs training, costs and benefits of adoption, as well as contribution to cocoa yields and revenues. While cost-benefit analyses and robust linear regression models show positive effects of GAPs training on cocoa yields and revenues, our insights from qualitative data revealed largely unrecognized challenges, such as negative impacts on health and livelihood perceptions, as well as major structural barriers to GAPs adoption. We argue that cocoa farmers face limitations in applying GAPs that are beyond their control. Given the urgent need to break the cycle of poverty in cocoa production, the responsibilities of other key stakeholders in the cocoa value chain for reducing farmers' income gaps must be clearly defined.}, language = {en} } @article{HirschGreinerMuellerBodenetal., author = {Hirsch, Mareike and Greiner-M{\"u}ller, Evgenia and Boden, Simon and Hillenmeyer, Katharina and Mattes, Arno and Schuler, Johanna and Spathelf, Peter and Maaten, Ernst van der and Maaten-Theunissen, Marieke van der and Seifert, Thomas}, title = {Drought and masting affect growth allocation along the stem axis in beech, oak, fir and spruce in temperate forests}, series = {Trees}, volume = {40}, journal = {Trees}, number = {1}, publisher = {Springer Berlin Heidelberg}, address = {Berlin/Heidelberg}, issn = {0931-1890}, doi = {10.1007/s00468-026-02723-4}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10973}, abstract = {In temperate forests, tree growth and vitality are significantly influenced by drought, often reflected by low stem diameter growth. Additionally, masting, the cyclic production of seeds, can also affect growth, particularly through its interactions with environmental factors like drought. Despite extensive research on the individual impacts of drought and masting, their combined effects on growth allocation remain underexplored, especially for a broader variety of species. This study aims to bridge this gap by investigating how drought and/or masting influence growth patterns in the coniferous species Abies alba and Picea abies , as well as the deciduous broadleaved species Fagus sylvatica and Quercus petraea . Utilising tree-ring data collected over several decades, we analysed how basal area increment (BAI) at 1.3 m stem height as well as along the stem axis responds to various scenarios of drought and masting. Our results showed that drought consistently reduced BAI in all species. F. sylvatica and P. abies experienced significantly lower BAI during mast years that coincided with drought, suggesting a potential trade-off between vegetative and reproductive growth under resource limitation. In contrast, Q. petraea exhibited higher BAI during mast years, indicating a distinct carbon allocation strategy. Furthermore, our study revealed that differences in BAI between mast and non-mast years were most prominent in the upper stem in the deciduous species, particularly during drought periods. These findings highlight the complex interactions between environmental stress, stem diameter growth and seed production, emphasising the need for further research into whole-tree carbon allocation processes.}, language = {en} } @article{WendaNjoyaAwokeetal., author = {Wenda, Boris D. Soh and Njoya, Hamza Moluh and Awoke, Mahlet D. and Kimaro, Prisca E. and Sieber, Stefan and L{\"o}hr, Katharina}, title = {Integrated Soil Fertility Management for Sustainable Food Security: Evidence From Cameroon}, series = {Food and Energy Security}, volume = {14}, journal = {Food and Energy Security}, number = {5}, issn = {2048-3694}, doi = {10.1002/fes3.70145}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10793}, pages = {18}, abstract = {ABSTRACT The application of organic and mineral soil fertility amendments is widely promoted by agricultural practitioners to cope with land degradation and declining soil fertility, which pose serious threats to food security. However, the impact of the individual and combined use of organic and mineral soil fertility amendments on food security and nutrition is not fully understood. To inform evidence-based policymaking, this study evaluates the individual and synergistic impacts of organic and mineral soil amendments as part of an integrated soil fertility management technology on food security and nutrition. We apply the multinomial endogenous switching regression and inverse probability weighted regression adjustment to survey data collected from 768 farm households in Cameroon. Our results indicate that the combined use of organic and mineral soil amendments has the greatest positive association with household dietary diversity, followed by the individual use of organic and mineral soil amendments, respectively. We find that mineral soil amendments drive the consumption of meat, pulses and nuts, and roots and tubers, whereas organic soil amendments are associated with the consumption of most food groups except fruits and meat. The combined use of mineral and organic soil amendments favors the consumption of cereals, milk and dairy products, eggs, fruits, meat, pulses and nuts, and roots and tubers, highlighting the value of integrated soil fertility management. Our findings reaffirm the value of integrated soil fertility management for food security and nutrition and underscore the need for interventions to promote integrated soil fertility management practices in agrarian settings.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{Wolff2025, author = {Wolff, Ian}, title = {The Role of Universities of Applied Sciences in the Development of a national Research Data Infrastructure}, year = {2025}, abstract = {The presentation highlights the role of Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) in research and their potential for the development of a National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI). To address the growing need for structured research data management (RDM) at UASs, the FDM@HAW network has emerged as a potential connector between NFDI and UAS landscape. It aims to raise awareness of NFDI services across a diverse UAS network, and articulate UAS-specific requirements back to NFDI. In doing so, it strengthens mutual integration and fosters targeted support. With over 200 institutions [1], UASs constitute a significant part of the German science system. Traditionally focused on teaching, UASs have become drivers of applied research and regional innovation. Their contributions to education and research make them essential actors in shaping RDM in Germany. Research at UASs benefits business, science, and society. In many federal states, the right to award doctorates further reinforces their research activities. Strengthening RDM competencies is important to ensure that valuable research data from UAS meet the FAIR principles. Furthermore, employers benefit from graduates equipped with strong data literacy. Despite their potential, UASs remain underrepresented in the NFDI (and partly in the RDM community). Low participation in NFDI consortia and limited association membership indicate a broader lack of engagement, largely due to low awareness of NFDI among UAS researchers and administrations [2, p.42] [3, p.6]. The NFDI structure report 2024 addresses this gap and calls for broader contact to UASs [4, p.27]. Structural challenges limit UAS engagement in RDM and the NFDI, including high teaching loads, minor resources, and partnerships prioritizing data protection over openness or commercial interests. In response, many UASs have implemented strategic networking in research, teaching, and infrastructure to overcome resource limitations. This approach also drives the development of RDM structures, often via projects or state-level initiatives. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research supports 14 projects [5] through its funding guideline for RDM at UASs. This initiative led to the establishment of the FDM@HAW network in 2023, connecting these projects. Since its formation, the network has engaged in continuous exchange on RDM development and contributed to events such as Love Data Week, the FORTRAMA conference [6], Volkswagen Foundation's Digital Skills in Science Week [7] and E-Science-Tage [8]. These activities have helped sharpen the network's focus, identify shared priorities and integrate new members. Members contribute ideas, tools and services developed in RDM projects or collaborations - such as the "NFDI Survival Kit" [9] and the "NFDI-N(HAW)igator" [10] - to promote RDM awareness and inform about NFDI on a national scale. In line with NFDI's mission to "improv[e] the possibilities for using data for science and society" [11], FDM@HAW seeks to disseminate knowledge of and strengthen competence in delving into these possibilities. The network provides valuable support to activate a target group that has largely been untapped. Close cooperation between NFDI and FDM@HAW will then contribute to the successful development of a nationwide RDM ecosystem. In the presentation, proposals for cooperation will be outlined. (The references [1]-[11] are given in the PDF abstract according to the template).}, language = {en} } @article{VanHeeOllendorfCoraletal., author = {Van Hee, Jens and Ollendorf, Franziska and Coral, Claudia and Steinke, Jonathan and Sieber, Stefan and L{\"o}hr, Katharina}, title = {Exploring farmer-driven approaches for sustainable cocoa livelihoods in C{\^o}te d'Ivoire}, series = {Discover Sustainability}, volume = {6}, journal = {Discover Sustainability}, number = {1}, publisher = {Springer International Publishing}, address = {Cham}, issn = {2662-9984}, doi = {10.1007/s43621-025-02263-w}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10362}, abstract = {Abstract The Ivorian cocoa sector faces numerous socio-economic and environmental challenges, including widespread poverty among smallholder farmers. Over decades, multiple approaches have been adopted to address these challenges, often top-down and outcome-based in their design. This study applied a Positive Deviance (PD) approach to explore strategies employed by innovative Ivorian cocoa farming households to identify and learn from locally developed solutions. Analysing data from 303 Ivorian cocoa households, 16 PD households were selected for follow-up in-depth interviews. Key strategies identified among these households included income diversification, the use of organic fertilizers like compost and animal manure, and maintaining diversified plantations and dry-season crops to enhance household resilience. While these practices are not entirely new to the Ivorian context, their strategic combination and anticipation of specific challenges appears to be key to their success. However, their adoption was often depending on the households' access to resources, such as land and labour, limiting their generalizability across all smallholder farmers. The study therefore highlights the need for context-specific approaches to support smallholder farmers and argues for tailored and locally grounded development interventions. Given the critical role that cooperatives play in facilitating access to inputs, knowledge, and credit, they should be strengthened, particularly in their capacity to reach underserved groups. While these exploratory findings offer valuable insights into local innovations and trade-offs within the cocoa sector, future research should incorporate more quantitative data on household income streams to better understand the broader applicability and trade-offs of these strategies.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{MarianoSyPabicoetal., author = {Mariano, Bryan Joel S. and Sy, Emerson Y. and Pabico, Lemuel A. and Bacani-Tabi, Neliza and Loor, Chiara Graziella and Matias, Denise Margaret S.}, title = {Examining the social-ecological dimensions of Philippine pangolin (Manis culionensis) conservation}, series = {Discover Conservation}, volume = {2}, journal = {Discover Conservation}, number = {1}, publisher = {Springer Nature Singapore}, address = {Singapore}, issn = {3004-9784}, doi = {10.1007/s44353-025-00069-5}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10342}, abstract = {Abstract Pangolins are the world's most trafficked mammals due to the persistent international demand for their scales and meat. The critically endangered Philippine pangolin ( Manis culionensis ) is one of the eight extant pangolin species worldwide. It is endemic to Palawan Biosphere Reserve, a province in the Philippines which experiences several social and environmental challenges. We examine the state of Philippine pangolin research using Ostrom's Social-Ecological Systems framework as a conceptual and analytical guide in this paper. By employing a systematic literature review, we analyse the emergent themes from existing research and gathered insights on the interactions and outcomes among habitat, resource use, institutions and policies, and diversity of actors involved in Philippine pangolin research and conservation. We discuss several knowledge gaps and offer recommendations for future research and conservation efforts. Finally, we call for implementing interdisciplinary and multistakeholder approaches to knowledge co-production on Philippine pangolin research and conservation.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{SchmehlAdhikariBalthasaretal., author = {Schmehl, Marie-Therese and Adhikari, Yojana and Balthasar, Cathrina and Binder, Anja and Clerc, Danica and Dobkowitz, Sophia and Gerwin, Werner and G{\"u}nther, Kristin and Hartong, Heinrich and Heinken, Thilo and Hess, Carsten and Ibisch, Pierre L. and Jouy, Florent and Leinen, Loretta and Raab, Thomas and Repmann, Frank and R{\"o}nnefarth, Susanne and Rohlfs, Lilly and Schirrmacher, Marina and Schr{\"o}der, Jens and Sch{\"u}le, Maren and Vieth-Hillebrand, Andrea and Francke, Till}, title = {Monitoring abiotic and biotic parameters of forest regrowth under different management regimes on former wildfire sites in northeastern Germany - data from the PYROPHOB project}, series = {Earth System Science Data}, volume = {17}, journal = {Earth System Science Data}, number = {11}, publisher = {Copernicus Publications}, address = {G{\"o}ttingen, Germany}, issn = {1866-3516}, doi = {10.5194/essd-17-6295-2025}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10302}, pages = {6295 -- 6313}, abstract = {Abstract We present the data recorded by eight institutions within the PYROPHOB project, running from 2020 to 2024 at two forest research sites in the south-west of Brandenburg, Germany. The aim of the project was to monitor abiotic and biotic parameters of forest regrowth under different management regimes on former wildfire sites in northeastern Germany. The observations comprised intermittent and continuous measurements or surveys on meteorological parameters (rainfall, temperature, vapour pressure deficit), soil (soil type and texture, soil chemistry and leaching, water content, soil temperature), deadwood, stand structure, vegetation regrowth, abundance of selected fauna (moths, beetles, mammals), UAV-based remote sensing (stand structure, spatial overview), and photo monitoring (succession). Thus, the multitude of collected data allows not only for detailed analyses of these observables separately, but also considering their interaction for a more multidisciplinary view on forest recovery after a wildfire. The data are available under the following DOIs: 10.23728/b2share.08a6a8b56f774a08a984871e7ef1b5a8 (Part 1, ), under embargo until 31 March 2026 (Part 2, ), 10.23728/b2share.de1661761da5481f938caf460e4f0ca9 (Part 3.1, ), and 10.23728/b2share.51bdf4b6dc854873b6ff44fdddbf4c3b (Part 3.2, ).}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{SchmehlAdhikariBalthasaretal., author = {Schmehl, Marie-Therese and Adhikari, Yojana and Balthasar, Cathrina and Binder, Anja and Clerc, Danica and Dobkowitz, Sophia and Gerwin, Werner and G{\"u}nther, Kristin and Hartong, Heinrich and Heinken, Thilo and Hess, Carsten and Ibisch, Pierre L. and Jouy, Florent and Leinen, Loretta and Raab, Thomas and Repmann, Frank and R{\"o}nnefarth, Susanne and Rohlfs, Lilly and Schirrmacher, Marina and Schr{\"o}der, Jens and Sch{\"u}le, Maren and Vieth-Hillebrand, Andrea and Francke, Till}, title = {Monitoring abiotic and biotic parameters of forest regrowth under different management regimes on former wildfire sites in northeastern Germany - data from the PYROPHOB project}, series = {Earth System Science Data}, volume = {17}, journal = {Earth System Science Data}, number = {11}, publisher = {Copernicus Publications}, address = {G{\"o}ttingen, Germany}, issn = {1866-3516}, doi = {10.5194/essd-17-6295-2025}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10293}, pages = {6295 -- 6313}, abstract = {Abstract We present the data recorded by eight institutions within the PYROPHOB project, running from 2020 to 2024 at two forest research sites in the south-west of Brandenburg, Germany. The aim of the project was to monitor abiotic and biotic parameters of forest regrowth under different management regimes on former wildfire sites in northeastern Germany. The observations comprised intermittent and continuous measurements or surveys on meteorological parameters (rainfall, temperature, vapour pressure deficit), soil (soil type and texture, soil chemistry and leaching, water content, soil temperature), deadwood, stand structure, vegetation regrowth, abundance of selected fauna (moths, beetles, mammals), UAV-based remote sensing (stand structure, spatial overview), and photo monitoring (succession). Thus, the multitude of collected data allows not only for detailed analyses of these observables separately, but also considering their interaction for a more multidisciplinary view on forest recovery after a wildfire. The data are available under the following DOIs: 10.23728/b2share.08a6a8b56f774a08a984871e7ef1b5a8 (Part 1, ), under embargo until 31 March 2026 (Part 2, ), 10.23728/b2share.de1661761da5481f938caf460e4f0ca9 (Part 3.1, ), and 10.23728/b2share.51bdf4b6dc854873b6ff44fdddbf4c3b (Part 3.2, ).}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @techreport{DichteBuczkowskaGrubliauskasetal.2025, author = {Dichte, Angela and Buczkowska, Katarzyna Ewa and Grubliauskas, Raimondas and Mateichyk, Vasyl and Mosciszewski, Jakub and Růžek, Vojtěch and Šerevičienė, Vaida and Śmieszek, Mirosław}, title = {Sustainability Management at EU Partner Universities: The current state of strategy developments and implementations at the EU partner universities in the TransLearnN project}, organization = {Hochschule f{\"u}r nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10281}, pages = {71}, year = {2025}, abstract = {This report presents an overview of the current state of sustainability strategy development at four European universities participating in the TransLearnN project: Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE, Germany), Rzesz{\´o}w University of Technology (RUT, Poland), Technical University of Liberec (TUL, Czech Republic), and Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH, Lithuania). The analysis draws on institutional self-assessments, strategic documents, internal surveys, and supplementary materials such as presentations and posters. The report serves as a comparative reference for Ukrainian partner universities, who are developing their own sustainability governance frameworks in the context of post-war recovery and transformation.}, language = {en} } @techreport{Dichte2025, author = {Dichte, Angela}, title = {Kick-Off and Boot Camp Event (TransLearnN Project Report)}, organization = {Hochschule f{\"u}r nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10278}, pages = {34}, year = {2025}, abstract = {From 5-8 December 2023, the Transformational Learning Network for Resilience project held its inaugural Kick-off and Boot Camp at a venue close to Eberswalde, Germany. This four-day workshop marked the formal launch of the project and brought together over 50 representatives from Ukrainian and EU partner institutions to initiate collaborative structures, thematic work-streams, and network coordination. This report provides an overview and documents the results of this event.}, language = {en} } @article{RodriguezBonattiLoehretal., author = {Rodr{\´i}guez, Tatiana and Bonatti, Michelle and L{\"o}hr, Katharina and Sieber, Stefan}, title = {Rethinking knowledge systems for agroforestry: Insights from the mental models of cacao farmers in Colombia}, series = {Ambio}, volume = {54}, journal = {Ambio}, number = {11}, publisher = {Springer Netherlands}, address = {Dordrecht}, issn = {0044-7447}, doi = {10.1007/s13280-025-02189-7}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10250}, pages = {1852 -- 1866}, abstract = {Abstract Agroforestry is a sustainable land-use strategy that requires better integration of diverse knowledge systems. This paper examines how formal knowledge systems for cacao agroforestry systems in Colombia are structured, and how farmers understand and manage these systems. We interviewed 42 actors involved in knowledge production and dissemination and worked with 18 farmers to create mental maps of their management practices. Our findings show that formal knowledge systems remain predominantly top-down and scientific-based, despite increasing recognition of local knowledge. Farmers' mental models reflect this, showing reliance on external advice and simplified cause-and-effect thinking. When theoretically pooling farmers' perspectives, we observe a more comprehensive understanding of agroforestry, suggesting that social learning can strengthen their independence and adaptive capacity. Moreover, farm management is shaped by context-dependent variables such as climate seasonality and market access, thus highlighting the importance of integrating farmers' experiential knowledge into agroforestry design and dissemination for more sustainable, context-sensitive decision-making.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{ZakirovaAlffSchmidt, author = {Zakirova, Aksana and Alff, Henryk and Schmidt, Matthias}, title = {Unequal fields: Political ecology perspective on organic cotton production in Tajikistan}, series = {Organic Agriculture}, volume = {15}, journal = {Organic Agriculture}, number = {2}, publisher = {Springer Netherlands}, address = {Dordrecht}, issn = {1879-4238}, doi = {10.1007/s13165-025-00491-y}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10242}, pages = {183 -- 198}, abstract = {Abstract The paper explores the adoption of organic cotton production by smallholder farmers in Tajikistan's northern Sughd and southwestern Khatlon regions through the lens of political ecology. The research focuses on the complex interactions among socio-economic, environmental and political variables that influence the decision-making processes of Tajikistani smallholders as they navigate the transition towards adopting organic farming practices. This transition, initiated and guided by the external actors, largely from high-income nations, emphasizes broader power dynamics and asymmetries inherent within the global agricultural system. In addition to illuminating the pivotal role of smallholder farmers in sustainable agriculture and rural development, we ask how power relations, institutional frameworks, and market dynamics impacts the adoption of organic cotton by smallholders in Tajikistan, and the implications this has for local communities. By exploring these dimensions, we emphasize the need for supportive policies and the development of inclusive market mechanisms. This study acknowledges the vulnerability of smallholders to the volatility of the global organic cotton markets, influenced by external shocks such as pandemics, wars, and natural hazards. Considering the absence of domestic markets for organic produce in Tajikistan, we stress the reliance of smallholders on turbulent external markets, highlighting the urgent need for resilient and diversified market linkages to safeguard their livelihoods.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{VarelaJaramilloWinkelmannMarmolGuijarroetal., author = {Varela-Jaramillo, Andrea and Winkelmann, Christian and M{\´a}rmol-Guijarro, Andr{\´e}s and Guayasamin, Juan M. and Rivas-Torres, Gonzalo and Steinfartz, Sebastian and MacLeod, Amy}, title = {Citizen scientists reliably count endangered Gal{\´a}pagos marine iguanas from drone images}, series = {Scientific Reports}, volume = {15}, journal = {Scientific Reports}, number = {1}, publisher = {Nature Publishing Group UK}, address = {London}, issn = {2045-2322}, doi = {10.1038/s41598-025-08381-9}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10234}, abstract = {Abstract Population surveys are essential for conservation, but are often resource-intensive. Modern technologies, like drones, facilitate data collection but increase the analysis burden. Citizen Science (CS) offers a solution by engaging non-specialists in data analysis. We evaluated CS for monitoring marine iguanas, focusing on volunteers' accuracy in detecting and counting individuals in aerial images. During three phases of our Zooniverse project, over 13,000 volunteers contributed 1,375,201 classifications from 57,838 images; each classified up to 30 times. Using a Gold Standard dataset of expert counts from 4,345 images, we evaluated optimal aggregation methods for CS-inputs. Volunteers achieved 68-94\% accuracy in detection, with more false negatives than false positives. The standard 'majority vote' aggregation approach (where the answer given by the majority of individual inputs is selected) produced less accuracy than when a minimum threshold of five volunteers (from the total independent classifications) was used. Image quality significantly influenced accuracy; by excluding suboptimal pilot-phase data, volunteer counts were 91-92\% accurate. HDBSCAN clustering yielded the best results. We conclude that volunteers can accurately identify and count marine iguanas from drone images, though there is a tendency for undercounting. However, even CS-based data analysis remains relatively resource-intensive, underscoring the need to develop an automated approach.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{DelRioDuqueLoehrPerezLoraetal., author = {Del R{\´i}o Duque, Martha Lilia and L{\"o}hr, Katharina and P{\´e}rez-Lora, {\´A}ngela Patricia and Lana, Marcos and Castro-Nunez, Augusto and Sieber, Stefan and Bonatti, Michelle}, title = {Toward understanding the scaling out of sustainable land use systems in Colombia: integrating case study insights and national pathways design for cacao farming}, series = {Discover Agriculture}, volume = {3}, journal = {Discover Agriculture}, number = {1}, publisher = {Springer International Publishing}, address = {Cham}, issn = {2731-9598}, doi = {10.1007/s44279-025-00367-5}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10200}, abstract = {Abstract The unplanned expansion of conventional agriculture resulted in biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. Agroforestry systems (AFS) have emerged as a promising alternative to promote sustainable land use systems (SLUS) in tropical regions. This study explores the potential for scaling out SLUS from localized interventions to broader landscape-level applications in Colombian cacao agroforestry systems (CAFS). We employ a multi-level framework, integrating qualitative and quantitative data from primary and secondary sources. We apply text mining, cluster analysis, and principal component analysis. First, we identify the interconnections among agro-ecological, biophysical, economic, social, institutional, and political factors influencing the scaling out of SLUS in cacao farming in two municipalities located in conflict-affected Colombian departments. Secondly, we conduct a national quantitative exploratory analysis, grouping similar departments based on socioeconomic and biophysical data from official sources. This analysis provides the foundation for the design of regional typologies and an adaptive pathway for the scaling out of SLUS in cacao farming. This pathway encompasses five distinct departmental groups. Our findings highlight the need for a landscape-based approach that is sensitive to regional socio-cultural and institutional nuances. The analysis reveals that key variables, including land availability for agricultural use, water use risk level, deforestation, social conflict, land tenure informality, and agricultural productivity, influence the successful scaling out process across diverse regions. This study advocates for a collaborative approach that links scientific insights with practical initiatives co-created at the regional level, thereby empowering communities to design pathways for scaling out SLUS across Colombia.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{BernertWannerFischeretal., author = {Bernert, Philip and Wanner, Matthias and Fischer, Nele and Barth, Matthias}, title = {Design principles for advancing higher education sustainability learning through transformative research}, series = {Environment, Development and Sustainability}, volume = {27}, journal = {Environment, Development and Sustainability}, number = {9}, publisher = {Springer Netherlands}, address = {Dordrecht}, issn = {1573-2975}, doi = {10.1007/s10668-022-02801-w}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10191}, pages = {20581 -- 20598}, abstract = {Abstract A growing number of transformative research practices that redefine the role of science in engaging with local-mostly urban-transformation processes have emerged in recent decades. However, while education is considered a key driver for sustainability transformations, higher education has been slow to develop and implement dedicated, appropriate and effective transformative education programmes and learning modules. In this paper, we present a framework of design principles for transformative learning modules in higher education. These principles are derived from two growing discourses: higher education sustainability learning , and transdisciplinary and transformative research —both of which are centrally anchored in the field of sustainable development and sustainability science. The principles presented provide guidance for course leaders in higher education to create learning modules aimed at enabling students to become engaged in transdisciplinary and transformative research that fosters sustainability transitions in local and urban contexts. We use the Transformative Innovation Lab (TIL)—a learning course developed and tested at two German universities—as an example of how the design principles can be applied. The module, which runs over two semesters, supports Masters students in their process of developing real-world laboratories and exploring urban sustainability transitions through collaborative experimentation with local practice partners. We discuss the factors that enable and limit the implementation of transformative learning modules and outline aspects of the novel roles adopted by lecturers in transformative teaching environments. Moreover, we highlight the need for both institutional change and transformative teaching formats that go beyond transformative research as key for driving universities to take responsibility for collaboratively fostering sustainability transitions in their local contexts.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{RiveraFieldsendMunozRojasetal., author = {Rivera, Mar{\´i}a and Fieldsend, Andrew and Mu{\~n}oz-Rojas, Jos{\´e} and Martin, Susana and Van Dijk, Lisa}, title = {Drivers of success when scaling innovations: insights from European agricultural and forestry co-innovation processes}, series = {Agronomy for Sustainable Development}, volume = {45}, journal = {Agronomy for Sustainable Development}, number = {4}, publisher = {Springer Paris}, address = {Paris}, issn = {1774-0746}, doi = {10.1007/s13593-025-01025-2}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10185}, abstract = {Abstract Agriculture and forestry are facing numerous challenges, driven by a complex set of social, economic, and ecological factors. Innovation is a key to devising viable, resilient, and sustainable solutions to these challenges, but for innovations to have impact, they need to be "scaled." The current policy context, in the European Union (EU) and elsewhere, encourages the use of the "interactive" model of innovation through the so-called "multi-actor" approach. In this study, we explore the dynamics of scaling in agricultural and forestry co-innovation partnerships. We ask whether such partnerships can be effective instruments to scale innovations and what factors play a role in the scaling process. Thus, the novelty of our paper is that it is the first published study of the dynamics of scaling within the current EU policy framework. Our analysis draws upon evidence from eight co-innovation case studies across Europe, encompassing varied contexts, scales, and funding mechanisms, and identifies three distinct forms of scaling: scaling out, up, and deep. The selection by co-innovation partnerships of strategies and enabling mechanisms in pursuit of scaling is dependent on factors such as funding conditions, contextual norms, and partnership objectives. Partnerships need to be clear about the type of scaling they aim to achieve, have an in-depth understanding of contextual complexities, and ensure that scaling is an integral part of the entire project cycle. Co-innovation partnerships can be effective catalysts for transformative change, provided scaling complexities are navigated, and enabling mechanisms leveraged adeptly. Our insights advance the understanding of scaling dynamics in co-innovation and offer evidence-based strategies for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers to bolster the impact of co-innovation initiatives in agriculture and forestry.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{AlencarArndtNambaetal., author = {Alencar, Pedro Henrique Lima and Arndt, Saskia and Namba, Kei and Somogyv{\´a}ri, M{\´a}rk and Bart, Frederik and Brill, Fabio and Due{\~n}as, Juan F. and Feindt, Peter and Johnson, Daniel and Mahmoodi, Nariman and Merz, Christoph and Mukherjee, Subham and Nissen, Katrin and Paton, Eva Nora and Sauter, Tobias and Tetzlaff, D{\"o}rthe and T{\"u}gel, Franziska and Vogelpohl, Thomas and Vulova, Stenka Valentinova and Zamani, Behnam and Zhang, Hui Hui}, title = {Brief communication: What do we need to know? Ten questions about climate and water challenges in Berlin-Brandenburg}, series = {Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences}, volume = {25}, journal = {Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences}, number = {10}, publisher = {Copernicus Publications}, address = {G{\"o}ttingen, Germany}, issn = {1684-9981}, doi = {10.5194/nhess-25-4043-2025}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10172}, pages = {4043 -- 4051}, abstract = {Abstract As climate change escalates, the Berlin-Brandenburg region faces new challenges. Climate change-induced extreme events including droughts, heatwaves, and floods, are expected to cause new conflicts to emerge and aggravate existing ones. To guide future research, we engaged a transdisciplinary academic community of experts to co-develop a list of key questions on these climate and water challenges in the region. Our findings highlight the urgent need for integrated and participatory research approaches. We expect this list of key questions to provide a roadmap for scientists and policymakers to foster actionable knowledge production to address climate and water challenges in the region.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{DogarBrogiO'Learyetal., author = {Dogar, Salar Saeed and Brogi, Cosimo and O'Leary, Dave and Hern{\´a}ndez-Ochoa, Ixchel M. and Donat, Marco and Vereecken, Harry and Huisman, Johan Alexander}, title = {Combining electromagnetic induction and satellite-based NDVI data for improved determination of management zones for sustainable crop production}, series = {SOIL}, volume = {11}, journal = {SOIL}, number = {2}, publisher = {Copernicus Publications}, address = {G{\"o}ttingen, Germany}, issn = {2199-398X}, doi = {10.5194/soil-11-655-2025}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10152}, pages = {655 -- 679}, abstract = {Abstract Accurate delineation of management zones is essential for optimizing resource use and improving yield in precision agriculture. Electromagnetic induction (EMI) provides a rapid, non-invasive method to map soil variability, while the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) obtained with remote sensing captures aboveground crop dynamics. Integrating these datasets may enhance management zone delineation but presents challenges in data harmonization and analysis. This study presents a workflow combining unsupervised classification (clustering) and statistical validation to delineate management zones using EMI and NDVI data in a single 70 ha field of the patchCROP experiment in Tempelberg, Germany. Three datasets were investigated: (1) EMI maps, (2) NDVI maps, and (3) a combined EMI-NDVI dataset. Historical yield data and soil samples were used to refine the clusters through statistical analysis. The results demonstrate that four EMI-based zones effectively captured subsurface soil heterogeneity, while three NDVI-based zones better represented yield variability. A combination of EMI and NDVI data resulted in three zones that provided a balanced representation of both subsurface and aboveground variability. The final EMI-NDVI-derived map demonstrates the potential of integrating multi-source datasets for field management. It provides actionable insights for precision agriculture, including optimized fertilization, irrigation, and targeted interventions, while also serving as a valuable resource for environmental modeling and soil surveying.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @misc{GriestopKleegreweDeCarloetal.2025, author = {Griestop, Charlotte and Kleegrewe, Maria and De Carlo, Fedane and Fiala, Valentin and Eich, Linda and Welp, Martin and Mann, Carsten and Ferreira, Ana Filipa}, title = {• Citizen Science in European UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. Workshop Proceedings.}, doi = {10.57741/opus4-1014}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10142}, year = {2025}, abstract = {From 3rd to 7th February 2025, 33 participants from 17 European countries gathered on the Isle of Vilm, Germany, to explore the potential of citizen science (CS) in UNESCO Biosphere Reserves (BRs). Hosted by the Biosphere Reserves Institute (BRI) and funded by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), the workshop aimed to advance the Lima Action Plan and the Eberswalde Declaration by exploring how CS in BRs can increase collaboration with local communities, support environmental education, advance data collection and analysis and strengthen research. The workshop programme included presentations, discussion rounds, group work and opportunities for informal exchange. While some presentations focused on conceptualising CS, most shared and reflected on practical experiences with it in BRs. It was noted that CS encompasses a wide spectrum of activities, ranging from citizens using apps to collect data (e.g., on birds) to research projects initiated and conducted by non-(academic) scientists. Participants shared a strong belief in the power of CS to generate data, engage communities and inspire action. Furthermore, some presentations revealed an intrinsic motivation among local communities to be involved in CS. In terms of education, it was revealed that CS can foster a sense of locality and place attachment, as well as trigger community action through experiential learning. Many speakers emphasised collaboration on both local and global scales as essential for ensuring effective CS, emphasising the value of existing networks, early engagement and transdisciplinary partnerships. Identified challenges included difficulties in recruiting and retaining skilled participants, ensuring data quality and long-term data governance and the lack of (long-term) funding. The case studies revealed that the co-creation of knowledge through CS requires spaces of respectful communication, which often means that scientists need to leave their disciplines to acknowledge different knowledge domains and framings of issues. Participants also called for more meaningful collaboration with schools, policymakers and local groups, while the need for user-friendly tools, training, expert validation and inclusive communication was repeatedly stressed. Furthermore, it was revealed that evaluation criteria specifically designed to assess CS projects and their impacts are still lacking. Additionally, participants called for increased promotion of CS by UNESCO. Solutions proposed included the better identification of local research needs, the continuous reflection of the research process and evaluating to what extent different expectations have been met. Participants emphasised the need for better platforms to exchange knowledge and good practices across BRs, and special attention was given to providing opportunities for youth to be part of CS in BRs, which would contribute not only to the production of knowledge, but also nurture the emotional connection to nature and create opportunities for lifelong learning. Many participants highlighted the need for BR-specific research guidelines, and these were further developed during the workshop, with a focus on the synergies between research and CS. Importantly, as a result of this workshop, the German Commission for UNESCO decided to add CS as a criterion for the designation and evaluation of German BRs. Overall, the workshop showed that CS holds great potential for BRs to bridge science and society and to foster inclusive, participatory sustainable development.}, language = {en} } @article{SalemElAdlElmorsyetal., author = {Salem, Mo'men and El-Adl, Khaled and El-morsy, Ahmed and Abulkhair, Hamada S.}, title = {A two-decade overview of oxadiazole derivatives as promising anticancer agents}, series = {RSC Advances}, volume = {15}, journal = {RSC Advances}, number = {39}, publisher = {The Royal Society of Chemistry}, issn = {2046-2069}, doi = {10.1039/d5ra03702f}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10131}, pages = {32778 -- 32795}, abstract = {One of the most difficult illnesses that people today must deal with is cancer. It is distinguished by aberrant cell division and growth, which results in the development of tumors and lumps. The heterocyclic nucleus has drawn a lot of interest in the field of chemotherapeutics; moreover, it is essential in medicinal chemistry. Oxadiazole is a nitrogen-oxygen heterocyclic core with five members that exhibits remarkable anticancer properties. Inhibiting different enzymes and growth factors is the mechanism linked to tumor defeat. This review has covered research conducted over the past 20 years as well as their potential applications in drug development as antineoplastic agents, given the significance of oxadiazole and its derivatives in this global panic problem. This review aims to highlight the anticancer properties of 1,3,4-oxadiazole and its derivatives, 1,2,4-oxadiazole.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{JouySchueleAdhikarietal., author = {Jouy, Florent and Sch{\"u}le, Maren and Adhikari, Yojana and Binder, Anja and Clerc, Danica and Gerwin, Werner and Heinken, Thilo and Raab, Thomas and Repmann, Frank and R{\"o}nnefarth, Susanne and Schirrmacher, Marina and Schmehl, Marie-Therese and Schr{\"o}der, Jens and Ibisch, Pierre L.}, title = {Factors impacting the variability of post-fire forest regeneration in central European pine plantations}, series = {Restoration Ecology}, volume = {33}, journal = {Restoration Ecology}, number = {4}, publisher = {Wiley Periodicals, Inc.}, address = {Malden, USA}, issn = {1061-2971}, doi = {10.1111/rec.70017}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10108}, pages = {15}, abstract = {Fire is increasingly posing a risk to forests and plantations, even in the temperate latitudes of central Europe. Little is known about fire ecology in this region, and therefore, appropriate approaches for the management and reforestation of burned sites are mostly lacking. In a Scots pine plantation region in Brandenburg (northeast Germany), the early tree regeneration of two nearby areas that burned 1 year apart was investigated. We observed that 3 years after the fire events, the forest in one study area showed a relatively high regeneration with a mean density of 7765 saplings/ha, clearly dominated by European aspen (93\%); whereas the other study area showed a lower mean density of 5061 saplings/ha, dominated by Scots pine (71\%) and aspen (15\%). Three years after the fires, the difference in aspen density was 11-fold between the two areas. We studied the effects of several variables about soil and environmental properties on the aspen establishment in these two study areas in the second and third years after the fire events. We found that the post-fire aspen regeneration was influenced by several factors, including soil texture, soil disturbance from forest management, volume of deadwood, and browsing. We also discussed that weather conditions during seed production and germination might have played a role in the difference in aspen establishment between the two study areas. We concluded that the post-fire forest regeneration potential in the study region is highly variable and could come under critical pressure as climate change progresses.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{KipkuleiBellingrathKimuraLanaetal., author = {Kipkulei, Harison K. and Bellingrath-Kimura, Sonoko D. and Lana, Marcos and Ghazaryan, Gohar and Baatz, Roland and L{\"o}hr, Katharina and Matavel, Custodio and Boitt, Mark K. and Chisanga, Charles B. and Rotich, Brian and Sieber, Stefan}, title = {Modeling the impact of climate change on maize (Zea mays L.) production at the county scale in Kenya}, series = {Regional Environmental Change}, volume = {25}, journal = {Regional Environmental Change}, number = {2}, publisher = {Springer Berlin Heidelberg}, address = {Berlin/Heidelberg}, issn = {1436-3798}, doi = {10.1007/s10113-025-02403-y}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10080}, abstract = {Abstract Global climate change is projected to disproportionately impact cereal crop yields in developing regions, such as Kenya, due to increased vulnerability and limited adaptation capacity of the population. This study examines the current and projected influence of climate change on maize yields in two major maize-producing counties of Kenya. Utilizing the calibrated and evaluated DSSAT-CERES-Maize model (where DSSAT is Decision Support Systems for Agrotechnology Transfer and CERES stands for Crop and Environment REsource Synthesis) for the H614 maize cultivar, we investigated the projected impact of climate change on maize production with reference to a baseline period (1984-2013). Simulations were conducted for the mid-century period (2041-2070) and end-of-century period (2071-2100) using projected climate data from regional climate models (RCMs) under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs; 4.5 and 8.5) scenarios. Our findings indicate a substantial decline in maize yields, ranging from 7 to 20\% for the mid-century period and between 22 and 41\% for the end-of-century period, with increased temperature during critical growth phases identified as the primary driver. Spatial clustering and hotspot analysis reveal differential climate impacts across the region. In the end-of-century period, both scenarios revealed that the counties will be marked by hotspots and adaptation spots, areas where climate change adaptation should be intensified. The study underscores the urgency for tailored, location-specific adaptation measures such as maize-legume intercropping, drought-resistant crops, soil water conservation and optimum sowing to mitigate future yield losses and adapt maize production to climate change.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{RakholiaYosefYadavetal., author = {Rakholia, Shrey and Yosef, Reuven and Yadav, Neelesh and Karimloo, Laura and Pleitner, Michaela and Kothari, Ritvik}, title = {TreeGrid: A Spatial Planning Tool Integrating Tree Species Traits for Biodiversity Enhancement in Urban Landscapes}, series = {Animals}, volume = {15}, journal = {Animals}, number = {13}, editor = {Leveau, Lucas M.}, publisher = {MDPI}, issn = {2076-2615}, doi = {10.3390/ani15131844}, abstract = {Urbanization is causing biodiversity loss and harming city ecosystems. To address this issue at decision-making levels, we developed a planning tool for tree plantation in cities of the Northern Plains in India. This tool integrates tree data, spatial maps, and simulations representing a practical spatial decision support system for urban planners, city officials, environmentalists, and policymakers. It quantifies biodiversity potential, shade provision, carbon sequestration aspects, and cooling effects of trees in an urban setting. It employs artificial intelligence to predict areas with high potential for avian habitats. The results show that strategic tree planting can support wildlife, reduce heat, and enhance the connection between green areas.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{SchirrmeisterFuchsOpeletal., author = {Schirrmeister, Lutz and Fuchs, Margret C. and Opel, Thomas and Andreev, Andrei and Kienast, Frank and Schneider, Andrea and Nazarova, Larisa and Frolova, Larisa and Kuzmina, Svetlana and Kuznetsova, Tatiana and Tumskoy, Vladimir and Matthes, Heidrun and Lohmann, Gerrit and Grosse, Guido and Kunitsky, Viktor and Meyer, Hanno and Zimmermann, Heike H. and Herzschuh, Ulrike and B{\"o}hmer, Thomas and Umbo, Stuart and Modestou, Sevi and Breitenbach, Sebastian F. M. and Pismeniuk, Anfisa and Schwamborn, Georg and Kusch, Stephanie and Wetterich, Sebastian}, title = {Newly dated permafrost deposits and their paleoecological inventory reveal an Eemian much warmer than today in Arctic Siberia}, series = {Climate of the Past}, volume = {21}, journal = {Climate of the Past}, number = {7}, publisher = {Copernicus Publications}, address = {G{\"o}ttingen, Germany}, issn = {1814-9332}, doi = {10.5194/cp-21-1143-2025}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10053}, pages = {1143 -- 1184}, abstract = {Abstract In this study, we integrate geochronological, cryolithological, paleoecological, and modeling data to reconstruct the Last Interglacial (LIG) climate around the New Siberian Islands, revealing significantly warmer conditions compared to today. New luminescence dating of the lacustrine deposits mostly preserved in ice-wedge pseudomorphs of 1-3 m thickness along the Dmitry Laptev Strait indicates ages consistent with the LIG (Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5e). Analysis of plant macrofossils and of pollen and faunal records (beetles and chironomids) from these deposits suggests mean temperatures of the warmest month (MTWAs) of 10.3 to 12.9 °C, 9.0 ±3.0 °C, 8 to 10.5 °C, and 9.4 to 15.3 °C for Bol'shoy Lyakhovsky and of 12.7 to 15.3 °C, 9.7 ±2.9 °C, 8 to 14 °C, and 12.0-13.8 °C for Oyogos Yar. The fossil-beetle-based mutual climate range for mean temperatures of the coldest month is -34to -26°C for Bol'shoy Lyakhovsky and -38to -26°C for Oyogos Yar. Our chironomid-based reconstructions of water table depth suggest 1.7 to 5.6 m for Bol'shoy Lyakhovsky, while previous analysis suggested 1.1 to 3.3 m for Oyogos Yar. Pollen-based reconstruction of mean annual precipitation (MAP) suggests 271 ±56 mm for Bol'shoy Lyakhovsky and 229 ±22 mm for Oyogos Yar. The first-time application of clumped isotopes to permafrost-preserved biogenic calcite of ostracods and bivalves for Oyogos Yar reconstructed near-surface water temperatures of 10.3 ±3.0 °C and bottom-water temperatures of 5.3 ±1.5 °C in thermokarst lakes during summer. In summary, the analyzed proxies suggest summers warmer than today by 5.5 to 12.8 °C for Bol'shoy Lyakhovsky and by 0.2 to 7.5 °C for Oyogos Yar and winters warmer than today by up to 7.1 and 8.4 °C for Bol'shoy Lyakhovsky and Oyogos Yar, respectively. Modern mean annual precipitation values are within the uncertainty range of the reconstructions. Climate model simulations for the LIG from PMIP suggest MTWAs warmer than today for Bol'shoy Lyakhovsky (4.4 ±1.0 °C compared to 2.5 °C) and colder than today for Oyogos Yar (4.5 ±1.2 °C compared to 7.8 °C), underestimating the Eemian warming reconstructed from our multiple paleoecological proxies. The LIG warming mainly affected summer conditions, whereas modern and future warming will rather impact winter conditions. As the LIG annual mean temperature is often used as an analog for the future climate in the High Arctic, the proxy-model mismatch highlights the urgent need for more systematic quantitative proxy-based temperature reconstructions in the Arctic and more sophisticated Earth system models capable of capturing Arctic paleoenvironmental conditions.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{DabardMannMartinLopez, author = {Dabard, Caroline H{\´e}l{\`e}ne and Mann, Carsten and Mart{\´i}n-L{\´o}pez, Berta}, title = {Enhancing the transformative potential of sustainability innovations: An application of the values-rules-knowledge framework}, series = {Ambio}, volume = {54}, journal = {Ambio}, number = {7}, publisher = {Springer Netherlands}, address = {Dordrecht}, issn = {0044-7447}, doi = {10.1007/s13280-025-02148-2}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10041}, pages = {1250 -- 1266}, abstract = {Abstract To respond to global sustainability challenges with transformative solutions, there is a need to pinpoint the necessary and sufficient conditions that enhance the transformative potential of sustainability innovations. To this end, we examined 129 sustainability innovations in two European Biosphere Reserves, and analysed (1) their transformative potential, assessed based on a leverage points perspective, and (2) their supportive conditions (i.e. decision contexts, or constellations of values, rules and knowledge). Specifically, we used social network analyses to characterise different rules, or governance arrangements in the two Biosphere Reserves. By comparing the decision contexts of transformative and incremental innovations, we provide empirical evidence that plural values, coproduction and networks that are diverse, collaborative and influential, enable transformative innovations. Shallow leverage points seem insufficient but necessary to operationalise transformative change. Future research should explore the co-evolution of decision contexts and transformative potential, to better understand how to shift incremental to transformative innovations.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{RiveraFieldsendMunozRojasetal., author = {Rivera, Mar{\´i}a and Fieldsend, Andrew and Mu{\~n}oz-Rojas, Jos{\´e} and Martin, Susana and Van Dijk, Lisa}, title = {Drivers of success when scaling innovations: insights from European agricultural and forestry co-innovation processes}, series = {Agronomy for Sustainable Development}, volume = {45}, journal = {Agronomy for Sustainable Development}, number = {4}, publisher = {Springer Paris}, address = {Paris}, issn = {1774-0746}, doi = {10.1007/s13593-025-01025-2}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10038}, abstract = {Abstract Agriculture and forestry are facing numerous challenges, driven by a complex set of social, economic, and ecological factors. Innovation is a key to devising viable, resilient, and sustainable solutions to these challenges, but for innovations to have impact, they need to be "scaled." The current policy context, in the European Union (EU) and elsewhere, encourages the use of the "interactive" model of innovation through the so-called "multi-actor" approach. In this study, we explore the dynamics of scaling in agricultural and forestry co-innovation partnerships. We ask whether such partnerships can be effective instruments to scale innovations and what factors play a role in the scaling process. Thus, the novelty of our paper is that it is the first published study of the dynamics of scaling within the current EU policy framework. Our analysis draws upon evidence from eight co-innovation case studies across Europe, encompassing varied contexts, scales, and funding mechanisms, and identifies three distinct forms of scaling: scaling out, up, and deep. The selection by co-innovation partnerships of strategies and enabling mechanisms in pursuit of scaling is dependent on factors such as funding conditions, contextual norms, and partnership objectives. Partnerships need to be clear about the type of scaling they aim to achieve, have an in-depth understanding of contextual complexities, and ensure that scaling is an integral part of the entire project cycle. Co-innovation partnerships can be effective catalysts for transformative change, provided scaling complexities are navigated, and enabling mechanisms leveraged adeptly. Our insights advance the understanding of scaling dynamics in co-innovation and offer evidence-based strategies for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers to bolster the impact of co-innovation initiatives in agriculture and forestry.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{OtienoOtienoRotichetal., author = {Otieno, Terry Amolo and Otieno, Loventa Anyango and Rotich, Brian and L{\"o}hr, Katharina and Kipkulei, Harison Kiplagat}, title = {Modeling climate change impacts and predicting future vulnerability in the Mount Kenya forest ecosystem using remote sensing and machine learning}, series = {Environmental Monitoring and Assessment}, volume = {197}, journal = {Environmental Monitoring and Assessment}, number = {6}, publisher = {Springer International Publishing}, address = {Cham}, issn = {1573-2959}, doi = {10.1007/s10661-025-14089-0}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10024}, abstract = {Abstract The Mount Kenya forest ecosystem (MKFE), a crucial biodiversity hotspot and one of Kenya's key water towers, is increasingly threatened by climate change, putting its ecological integrity and vital ecosystem services at risk. Understanding the interactions between climate extremes and forest dynamics is essential for conservation planning, especially in the Mount Kenya Forest Ecosystem (MKFE), where rising temperatures and erratic rainfall are altering vegetation patterns, reducing forest resilience, and threatening both biodiversity and water security. This study integrates remote sensing and machine learning to assess historical vegetation changes and predict areas at risk in the future. Landsat imagery from 2000 to 2020 was used to derive vegetation indices comprising the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Soil-Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI), and Bare Soil Index (BSI). Climate variables, including extreme precipitation and temperature indices, were extracted from CHIRPS and ERA5 datasets. Machine learning models, including Random Forest (RF), XGBoost, and Support Vector Machines (SVM), were trained to assess climate-vegetation relationships and predict future vegetation dynamics under the SSP245 climate scenario using Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) downscaled projections. The RF model achieved high accuracy ( R 2  = 0.82, RMSE = 0.15) in predicting the dynamics of vegetation conditions. Model projections show a 49-55\% decline in EVI across forest areas by 2040, with the most pronounced losses likely in lower montane zones, which are more sensitive to climate-induced vegetation stress. Results emphasize the critical role of precipitation in sustaining forest health and highlight the urgent need for adaptive management strategies, including afforestation, sustainable land-use planning, and policy-driven conservation efforts. This study provides a scalable framework for modelling climate impacts on forest ecosystems globally and offers actionable insights for policymakers.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{KipkuleiBellingrathKimuraLanaetal., author = {Kipkulei, Harison K. and Bellingrath-Kimura, Sonoko D. and Lana, Marcos and Ghazaryan, Gohar and Baatz, Roland and L{\"o}hr, Katharina and Matavel, Custodio and Boitt, Mark K. and Chisanga, Charles B. and Rotich, Brian and Sieber, Stefan}, title = {Modeling the impact of climate change on maize (Zea mays L.) production at the county scale in Kenya}, series = {Regional Environmental Change}, volume = {25}, journal = {Regional Environmental Change}, number = {2}, publisher = {Springer Berlin Heidelberg}, address = {Berlin/Heidelberg}, issn = {1436-3798}, doi = {10.1007/s10113-025-02403-y}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-10014}, abstract = {Abstract Global climate change is projected to disproportionately impact cereal crop yields in developing regions, such as Kenya, due to increased vulnerability and limited adaptation capacity of the population. This study examines the current and projected influence of climate change on maize yields in two major maize-producing counties of Kenya. Utilizing the calibrated and evaluated DSSAT-CERES-Maize model (where DSSAT is Decision Support Systems for Agrotechnology Transfer and CERES stands for Crop and Environment REsource Synthesis) for the H614 maize cultivar, we investigated the projected impact of climate change on maize production with reference to a baseline period (1984-2013). Simulations were conducted for the mid-century period (2041-2070) and end-of-century period (2071-2100) using projected climate data from regional climate models (RCMs) under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs; 4.5 and 8.5) scenarios. Our findings indicate a substantial decline in maize yields, ranging from 7 to 20\% for the mid-century period and between 22 and 41\% for the end-of-century period, with increased temperature during critical growth phases identified as the primary driver. Spatial clustering and hotspot analysis reveal differential climate impacts across the region. In the end-of-century period, both scenarios revealed that the counties will be marked by hotspots and adaptation spots, areas where climate change adaptation should be intensified. The study underscores the urgency for tailored, location-specific adaptation measures such as maize-legume intercropping, drought-resistant crops, soil water conservation and optimum sowing to mitigate future yield losses and adapt maize production to climate change.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{GanHalikShietal., author = {Gan, Lu and Halik, {\"U}m{\"u}t and Shi, Lei and Ru, Jiayu and Wei, Zhicheng and Li, Jinye and Welp, Martin}, title = {Integrating Multi-Source Data to Explore Spatiotemporal Dynamics and Future Scenarios of Arid Urban Agglomerations: A Geodetector-PLUS Modelling Framework for Sustainable Land Use Planning}, series = {Remote Sensing}, volume = {17}, journal = {Remote Sensing}, number = {11}, editor = {Alexakis, Dimitrios D.}, publisher = {MDPI}, issn = {2072-4292}, doi = {10.3390/rs17111851}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9993}, abstract = {Land use and landscape changes undermine the balance between humans and the environment, threatening sustainable regional development, yet their driving mechanisms and future trends remain insufficiently understood, particularly in arid areas. This study establishes a long-term analytical framework for the temporal evolution and driving mechanisms of land use and landscape patterns in arid areas, based on Landsat remote sensing imagery and socio-economic data. We investigate spatiotemporal evolution trends, driving mechanisms, and spatial non-stationarity of regional landscapes, and apply the Patch-generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model to predict future landscape changes under business-as-usual (BAU), economic development (ED), and ecological protection (EP) scenarios. The results show that: (1) Grassland and unused land together account for over 80\% of the total area. From 1990 to 2020, built-up land expanded by 1471.58 km 2 , an increase of 190.09\%. The comprehensive land use dynamic degree in the Urumqi-Changji-Shihezi (UCS) region was 0.22\%, with the highest value observed between 2000 and 2010. (2) At the class level, spatial heterogeneity and fragmentation of different landscape types increased, enhancing regional landscape diversity. (3) Spatiotemporal changes in land use and landscape patterns were driven by the combined effects of natural factors, socio-economic conditions, and policy influences. (4) By 2030, under all three scenarios, unused land is expected to decrease, with the most significant reduction under the EP scenario. Grassland will increase most notably under the EP scenario, built-up land will expand, especially under the ED scenario, and cropland will also grow, mainly under the EP scenario. Forest and water areas will show slight decreases with minimal fluctuations. Overall, the proposed framework effectively captures the spatiotemporal dynamics and driving forces of land use and landscape changes, providing support for the formulation of long-term sustainable development policies.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{MunkBiewerDamayetal.2024, author = {Munk, Christoph and Biewer, Raphael and Damay, J{\´e}r{\´e}mie and Jousserand, Michael and G{\´e}rardin, Philippe and Pfriem, Alexander}, title = {Acoustic properties of thermally treated and furfurylated European hardwood species}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9864}, pages = {1 -- 3}, year = {2024}, abstract = {Three hardwood species, including alder (Alnus glutinosa), sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) and hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), were analyzed for changes in their acoustic properties due to thermal treatment (TM), furfurylation (FU) and a combination of both types of treatment (TF). TM was carried out in a nitrogen atmosphere at 200 °C for 4 hours. For FU, a solution of 85\% furfuryl alcohol, 10\% water and 5\% tartaric acid was used, which was impregnated in a vacuum pressure process, followed by polymerization at 120 °C for 16 hours. For each wood species, one test group was left as an untreated reference, the other groups were treated according to the treatment types TM, FU and TF. Per group 10 samples were tested using experimental modal analysis. Due to the orthotropy of the wood, the acoustic parameters dynamic modulus of elasticity (E), damping and sound radiation coefficient were determined in both the longitudinal and radial directions. The results show that TM slightly decreases longitudinal E for all three species and slightly increases radial E for maple and hornbeam. FU and TF strongly increase the E in the radial direction, especially for maple and alder. For all three species the damping is reduced by TM, more in the radial direction than in the longitudinal direction. FU and TF increase the damping in the longitudinal direction, mainly for maple and alder, but also reduce it in the radial direction. The sound radiation coefficient is reduced by FU and TF for all three species, particularly in the longitudinal direction. However, in both the longitudinal and radial directions, TM slightly increases the sound radiation coefficient for all three species. The anisotropy ratio of the longitudinal/radial E of all three species is reduced by FU and TF, whereas TM has no significant effect on it.}, language = {en} } @article{HamzaHozzeinElAdletal., author = {Hamza, Zeinab S. and Hozzein, Wael N. and El-Adl, Khaled and Okla, Mohammad K. and AbdElgayed, Gehad and Fadaly, Wael A. A. and Mohamed, Hussein S.}, title = {Semi-synthesis and biological activities of heterocyclic compounds containing camphor}, series = {RSC Advances}, volume = {15}, journal = {RSC Advances}, number = {17}, publisher = {The Royal Society of Chemistry}, issn = {2046-2069}, doi = {10.1039/d5ra00484e}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9844}, pages = {13199 -- 13213}, abstract = {Breast cancer and lung cancer are two of the most prevalent and deadly malignancies worldwide. Both cancers present significant challenges in terms of effective treatment and management, highlighting the urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies that can improve patient outcomes. This study focuses on the synthesis of novel heterocyclic compounds derived from the naturally formed camphor, aimed at evaluating their cytotoxicity. The research addresses the need for effective cancer treatments by presenting compounds that demonstrate significant inhibitory effects against MCF-7 breast carcinoma cells. Among these, compound 20 exhibited remarkable potency, with an IC50 value of 0.78 μM, surpassing the efficacy of standard chemotherapeutics, dasatinib (IC50 = 7.99 μM) and doxorubicin (IC50 = 3.10 μM). In the context of A549 lung cancer cells, compound 20 also showed strong inhibitory activity (IC50 = 1.69 μM), again outperforming dasatinib (IC50 = 11.8 μM) and doxorubicin (IC50 = 2.43 μM). To further elucidate the biological activities of these compounds, molecular docking studies were performed, revealing that compound 20 exhibited the highest binding energy among the tested compounds, supporting the experimental findings. These results indicate that the synthesized camphor-derived heterocycles, particularly compound 20, have significant potential as potent anticancer agents against breast and lung cancer cell lines.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{AssalRashwanZakariaetal., author = {Assal, Reem A. and Rashwan, Hannah H. and Zakaria, Zeina I. and Sweillam, Jana H. and Fouda, Yasmine M. and Abdelhamid, Abdelhamid M. and Youness, Rana A.}, title = {Deciphering the mysteries of MEG3 LncRNA and its implications in genitourinary cancers}, series = {Frontiers in Oncology}, volume = {15}, journal = {Frontiers in Oncology}, publisher = {Frontiers Media S.A.}, issn = {2234-943X}, doi = {10.3389/fonc.2025.1519103}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9802}, pages = {17}, abstract = {Maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3), a long non-coding RNA, plays a pivotal role in various biological processes, including tumorigenesis. Aberrant expression of MEG3 has been implicated in several cancers, including genitourinary malignancies. This comprehensive review explores the multifaceted functions of MEG3 in the context of genitourinary cancers through unravelling the molecular mechanisms underlying the influence of MEG3 on cellular proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and metastasis. Additionally, we discuss the potential clinical implications of MEG3 as a biomarker and therapeutic target in genitourinary cancers. By unraveling the intricate role of MEG3 in these biological processes, this review aims to contribute to the development of novel strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of genitourinary malignancies.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{LachmuthDoenmezHoffmannetal., author = {Lachmuth, Susanne and D{\"o}nmez, Cenk and Hoffmann, Carsten and Specka, Xenia and Svoboda, Nikolai and Helming, Katharina}, title = {Facilitating Effective Reuse of Soil Research Data: The BonaRes Repository}, series = {European Journal of Soil Science}, volume = {76}, journal = {European Journal of Soil Science}, number = {2}, publisher = {Blackwell Publishing Ltd}, address = {Oxford, UK}, issn = {1351-0754}, doi = {10.1111/ejss.70103}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9793}, pages = {14}, abstract = {ABSTRACT Soil plays a paramount role in addressing complex challenges related to climate change, the agri-food system, and ecosystem services. This importance makes soil research data highly relevant for meta-analysis, research synthesis, modelling, and assessment. As data-intensive techniques proliferate in studying global change impacts on agricultural systems, effective data management and reuse are essential. Repositories that adhere to the FAIR (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability) principles are crucial for maximizing the value and efficiency of research data. While publishing in an Open Access repository is necessary for data reusability, it alone is not sufficient. Specialized repositories enhance data reuse potential by addressing discipline-specific needs through targeted metadata and technical frameworks. The BonaRes Repository was developed for agricultural soil research data and is guided by the FAIR principles, with a focus on data reusability. Here, we introduce the repository's infrastructures and services, including specialized tools for data quality assurance and the management of soil profile as well as long-term field experiment data. We emphasize the ability of these infrastructures and services to promote data publication and reuse specifically in soil and agricultural sciences. We review examples of data reuse, highlighting their scientific contributions to the understanding of soil and agricultural systems. Finally, we discuss the remaining challenges in achieving FAIR and open soil data publication and reusability. From 2018 to date, the BonaRes Repository has facilitated 815 data publications; 62 papers have reused the published data. Reuse applications range widely—from extracting study site metadata or environmental covariates to reanalysing (meta)data in light of new research questions, to developing scenarios and conducting model calibration and evaluation. A key insight from our review of data reuse is that researchers frequently apply reused data to advance method development. Initiatives such as reciprocal metadata harvesting and integration into larger national and international research data infrastructure will further expand the scope and reuse of the repository's data, including in broader agrosystems science.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{AljohaniElHddadAlsulaimanyetal., author = {Aljohani, Ahmed K. B. and El-Hddad, Sanadelaslam S. A. and Alsulaimany, Marwa and Maghrabi, Nader A. and Alhammad, Alaa M. and Aloufi, Mayar N. and Alahmadi, Luai F. and Ali Saeedi, Turkiah and Neyaz, Yousef Yakoub and Anwer, Kurls E. and Abd El-Sattar, Nour E. A. and El-Adl, Khaled}, title = {Design, nanogel synthesis, anti-proliferative activity and in silico ADMET profile of pyrazoles and pyrimidines as topo-II inhibitors and DNA intercalators†}, series = {RSC Advances}, volume = {15}, journal = {RSC Advances}, number = {13}, publisher = {The Royal Society of Chemistry}, issn = {2046-2069}, doi = {10.1039/d5ra00166h}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9766}, pages = {10037 -- 10048}, abstract = {Pyrazole derivatives 2 and 3, pyrimidine derivative 4, and their nanogels as drug delivery systems were synthesized, and their cytotoxicity against MCF-7, HCT-116, HepG2 and A549 cells was evaluated. Herein, we focused on the characterization and synthesis of chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol (Cs/PVA) nanogels loaded with derivatives 2, 3 and 4. The stability of the prepared nanogels 2, 3 and 4 was elucidated by zeta potential measurements, which possessed negative values of -9.7, -1.3 and -1.6 mV, respectively. Our compounds and their nanogels were evaluated as topo-II inhibitors and DNA intercalators. The nanogel delivery system enhanced the cytotoxicity of compound 2 against the A549, HCT116, HepG2 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines by 32.06\%, 28.96\%, 44.32\% and 50.00\%, respectively. Moreover, the nanogel of compound 3 exhibited enhanced cytotoxicity against the A549, HCT116, HepG2 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines by 33.61\%, 30.64\%, 44.69\% and 47.86\%, respectively. Furthermore, the nanogel of compound 4 showed enhanced cytotoxicity against the A549, HCT116, HepG2 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines by 31.82\%, 40.12\%, 50.00\% and 52.61\%, respectively. Moreover, derivatives 2, 2 (nanogel), 3, 3 (nanogel), 4 and 4 (nanogel) exhibited good selectivity against cancer cells and reduced toxicity to VERO cells with IC50 values in the range of 48.29-59.70 μM. Furthermore, our derivatives displayed remarkable in silico predicted ADMET profiles.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{KorschBatakaKodonaetal., author = {Korsch, Katrin and Bataka, Alkmini and Kodona, Maria and Sioulas, Stavros and Tsiakiris, Rigas and Michaelakis, Antonios and Avtzis, Dimitrios N.}, title = {Genetic diversity of Thaumetopoea pityocampa in Greece: the role of Quaternary changes in Aegean Sea}, series = {Open Life Sciences}, volume = {10}, journal = {Open Life Sciences}, number = {1}, publisher = {De Gruyter Open}, issn = {2391-5412}, doi = {10.1515/biol-2015-0038}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9700}, pages = {7}, abstract = {Abstract Thaumetopoea pityocampa, the winter pine processionary moth, is one of the most important pests of pine trees in the Mediterranean region. To learn more about the refugial areas within the greater refugium of Greece, samples from 15 local populations were collected. Analysis of the Cytochrome Oxidase I region identified 15 haplotypes. One strongly supported clade was found, separating the Aegean island of Lesvos from the mainland populations. Mdiv analysis showed that this clade diverged from the general clade 155,000 y.a., suggesting the sea level changes during the Quaternary Period as a possible reason for its seclusion. Additionally, comparisons with similar studies in this region revealed a possible colonization of the eastern Aegean islands from the Turkish mainland rather than from Greece. However, no strong isolation-by-distance events were detected among the mainland populations, which could be attributed to the joint effect of regular gene flow and the lack of insurmountable geographic barriers. Finally, regarding population structure, Bayesian analysis as well as neutrality tests pointed towards an ongoing population expansion which verifies the potential invasiveness of this pest species, something that will have to be dealt with under the influence of climate change.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{GohrvonWehrdenSaatchietal., author = {Gohr, Charlotte and von Wehrden, Henrik and Saatchi, Sassan and Pettorelli, Nathalie and Ibisch, Pierre L.}, title = {Effectiveness of the world network of biosphere reserves in maintaining forest ecosystem functions}, series = {Communications Earth \& Environment}, volume = {6}, journal = {Communications Earth \& Environment}, number = {1}, publisher = {Nature Publishing Group UK}, address = {London}, issn = {2662-4435}, doi = {10.1038/s43247-025-02081-y}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9691}, abstract = {Abstract UNESCO biosphere reserves serve as learning areas for sustainable development, where preserving ecosystem functionality is an imperative. However, this critical assumption has yet to be thoroughly examined. To address this knowledge gap, we investigated differences in satellite-derived proxies of ecosystem functions in forests between inside and surrounding areas of biosphere reserves, globally. Our findings based on linear mixed effect models show that (i) only 18 of 119 biosphere reserves exhibited higher values for all forest ecosystem function proxies inside the reserves compared to outside, (ii) smaller reserves in fragmented forestscapes were more affected by hot day temperatures, and (iii) greater forest cover correlated with increased ecosystem functioning across all biomes. This study underscores the potential significance of biosphere reserves to biodiversity conservation efforts and the need for the integration of satellite-based, outcome-oriented proxies of ecosystem functions in assessments of protected area effectiveness.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{BazzoKamaliBehrendetal., author = {Bazzo, Clara Oliva Gon{\c{c}}alves and Kamali, Bahareh and Behrend, Dominik and Hueging, Hubert and Schleip, Inga and Mosebach, Paul and Behrendt, Axel and Gaiser, Thomas}, title = {Assessing the Effect of Field Disturbances On Biomass Estimation in Grasslands Using UAV-Derived Canopy Height Models}, series = {PFG - Journal of Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Geoinformation Science}, volume = {93}, journal = {PFG - Journal of Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Geoinformation Science}, number = {1}, publisher = {Springer International Publishing}, address = {Cham}, issn = {2512-2789}, doi = {10.1007/s41064-024-00322-x}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9685}, pages = {37 -- 49}, abstract = {Abstract Accurate estimation of biomass in grasslands is essential for understanding ecosystem health and productivity. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have emerged as valuable tools for biomass estimation using canopy height models derived from high-resolution imagery. However, the impact of field disturbances, such as lodging and molehills, on the accuracy of biomass estimation using UAV-derived canopy height models remains underexplored. This study aimed to assess the relationship between UAV-derived canopy height and both reference canopy height measurements and dry biomass, accounting for different management systems and disturbance scenarios. UAV data were collected using a multispectral camera, and ground-based measurements were obtained for validation. The results revealed that UAV-derived canopy height models remained accurate in estimating vegetation height, even in the presence of disturbances. However, the relationship between UAV-derived canopy height and dry biomass was affected by disturbances, leading to overestimation or underestimation of biomass depending on disturbance type and severity. The impact of disturbances on biomass estimation varied across cutting systems. These findings highlight the potential of UAV-derived canopy height models for estimating vegetation structure, but also underscore the need for caution in relying solely on these models for accurate biomass estimation in heterogeneous grasslands. Future research should explore strategies to enhance biomass estimation accuracy by integrating additional data sources and accounting for field disturbances.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{ChenHalikShietal., author = {Chen, Siying and Halik, {\"U}m{\"u}t and Shi, Lei and Fu, Wentao and Gan, Lu and Welp, Martin}, title = {Habitat Quality Dynamics in Urumqi over the Last Two Decades: Evidence of Land Use and Land Cover Changes}, series = {Land}, volume = {14}, journal = {Land}, number = {1}, editor = {Al Sayah, Mario and Der Sarkissian, Rita and Nedja{\"i}, Rachid}, publisher = {MDPI}, issn = {2073-445X}, doi = {10.3390/land14010084}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9652}, abstract = {The integrity of habitat quality is a pivotal cornerstone for the sustainable advancement of local ecological systems. Rapid urbanization has led to habitat degradation and loss of biodiversity, posing severe threats to regional sustainability, particularly in extremely vulnerable arid zones. However, systematic research on the assessment indicators, limiting factors, and driving mechanisms of habitat quality in arid regions is notably lacking. This study takes Urumqi, an oasis city in China's arid region, as a case study and employs the InVEST and PLUS models to conduct a dynamic evaluation of habitat quality in Urumqi from 2000 to 2022 against the backdrop of land use changes. It also simulates habitat quality under different scenarios for the year 2035, exploring the temporal and spatial dynamics of habitat quality and its driving mechanisms. The results indicate a decline in habitat quality. The habitat quality in the southern mountainous areas is significantly superior to that surrounding the northern Gurbantunggut Desert, and it exhibits greater stability. The simulation and prediction results suggest that from 2020 to 2035, habitat degradation will be mitigated under Ecological Protection scenarios, while the decline in habitat quality will be most pronounced under Business-As-Usual scenarios. The spatial distribution of habitat quality changes in Urumqi exhibits significant autocorrelation and clustering, with these patterns intensifying over time. The observed decline in habitat quality in Urumqi is primarily driven by anthropogenic activities, urban expansion, and climate change. These factors have collectively contributed to significant alterations in the landscape, leading to the degradation of ecological conditions. To mitigate further habitat quality loss and support sustainable development, it is essential to implement rigorous ecological protection policies, adopt effective ecological risk management strategies, and promote the expansion of ecological land use. These actions are crucial for stabilizing and improving regional habitat quality in the long term.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{EngelHagemannSchroeder, author = {Engel, Markus and Hagemann, Ulrike and Schr{\"o}der, Jens}, title = {Long-Term Growth Trends of 18 Native and Non-Native Tree Species Based on Data from Experimental Plots Since 1878 in Brandenburg, Germany}, series = {Forests}, volume = {16}, journal = {Forests}, number = {2}, editor = {Diaci, Jurij}, publisher = {MDPI}, issn = {1999-4907}, doi = {10.3390/f16020225}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9644}, abstract = {The rapid environmental changes associated with climate change increase the need for adaptation strategies in forest management based on profound knowledge about tree species, particularly in the context of assisted migration. For research purposes, selected native and non-native tree species were planted in Brandenburg, Germany more than 120 years ago. Today, these sites provide an opportunity to gather insights about their performance and growth-response throughout the past century. We analyzed the height growth increment of 18 tree species on 1765 long-term experimental plots, the earliest of which have been monitored since 1878. We additionally investigated the stand-level volume increments on 60 unmanaged plots for two of these species. Our results show increasing trends in forest stand growth for Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) and Sessile oak ( Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.). However, long-term height increment showed positive, negative, and indifferent growth trends in reaction to changing environmental conditions. Remarkably, 16 out of 18 species showed a growth decline between the years 2000 and 2020, likely attributable to increasing frequencies of single and consecutive drought events. We found non-native species to perform comparably to native tree species. Forest management should reconsider the role of native and non-native species in climate-adapted forests. We recommend focusing on provenance and local site adaptability in assisted migration efforts and argue that maintenance of long-term experiments can provide us with valuable insights on species performance in the near future.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{MadakiLehbergerBavorovaetal., author = {Madaki, Mustapha Yakubu and Lehberger, Mira and Bavorova, Miroslava and Igbasan, Boluwatife Teniola and K{\"a}chele, Harald}, title = {Effectiveness of pesticide stakeholders' information on pesticide handling knowledge and behaviour of smallholder farmers in Ogun State, Nigeria}, series = {Environment, Development and Sustainability}, volume = {26}, journal = {Environment, Development and Sustainability}, number = {7}, publisher = {Springer Netherlands}, address = {Dordrecht}, issn = {1573-2975}, doi = {10.1007/s10668-023-03332-8}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9621}, pages = {17185 -- 17204}, abstract = {Abstract Although pesticides ensure the quality and quantity of agricultural produce, they have adverse effects on farmers, their families, and consumers. Therefore, in order to reduce the unpleasant effects of pesticide use, stakeholders would be well advised to extend guidance and precautions to end users. The objective of this study was to determine the pesticide handling behaviour and the effectiveness of pesticide information on pesticide handling knowledge and personal protective equipment (PPE) use among farmers in southwest Nigeria. One hundred and fifty-six farmers were interviewed using a structured questionnaire in December 2019 and January 2020. The results revealed that a one-third of the farmers dispose their pesticide residues on the field, only 3\% of the farmers dispose the hazardous pesticide waste at a collection point, and 65\% of them dispose the empty containers indiscriminately. The majority of farmers never use respirators (79\%), hats (60\%), and boots (57\%) when applying pesticides. Knowledge of pesticide application and waste management is low (58\% of respondents scored less than 10 on a knowledge scale of 0-14). The result of the regression model shows that information from pesticide labels and farmer-to-farmer exchanges significantly increase farmers' knowledge of pesticide handling and PPE use. Our results suggest that the effectiveness of current information provision to smallholder farmers on the correct use of pesticides is not sufficient. Therefore, we highlight the need for pesticide companies, distributors, and government agencies to intensify and further develop their efforts to empower smallholder farmers to improve their knowledge and use of pesticides.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{WahidKhairyKrause, author = {Wahid, Nadya and Khairy, Wael and Krause, Regina}, title = {Cost-benefit analysis on the implementation of nature-based treated wastewater reuse: case of sekem farm El-Wahat, Egypt}, series = {Discover Water}, volume = {4}, journal = {Discover Water}, number = {1}, publisher = {Springer International Publishing}, address = {Cham}, issn = {2730-647X}, doi = {10.1007/s43832-024-00121-w}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9610}, abstract = {Abstract In a context of increasing pressure on water resources and severe aridity; expansion in the reuse of naturally treated wastewater can be a viable and low-cost solution particularly for irrigation forests, green non-fruit trees, fabric crops, industrial oils, and non-edible raw crops. Wastewater treatment is increasingly recognized as a potential means in El-Wahat El-Bahariya in Egypt. However, investment decisions concerning the reuse of treated wastewater in irrigation needs to be justified in terms of financial and economic feasibility and profitability. Therefore, this research study aims to conduct a cost-benefit analysis (CBA) of an investment project "reuse treated wastewater in irrigation compared to other modes of water irrigation projects. The CBA results revealed that the cost of the initial investment for the production of treated water used for irrigating green non-fruit trees, Bamboo trees, and Cactus in Sekem El-Wahat, is economically efficient with 88\% compared to the exploitation of aquifer groundwater for irrigating the same crops. That project allows for an economic gain of about 4,428.5 €/ha compared to the cost of producing aquifer ground water in Sekem Farm El-Wahat is estimated at 10,800 €/year. Substituting the use of aquifer ground water for irrigating crops with reuse of treated wastewater helps reducing energy consumption and offers great financial benefits to the beneficial communities. A net benefit of the reuse of treated wastewater project is largely positive with NPV equivalent to 4599 €/year with a medium economic efficiency (BCR) of about 0.44.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{AdhikariBachsteinGohretal., author = {Adhikari, Yojana and Bachstein, Nadine and Gohr, Charlotte and Blumr{\"o}der, Jeanette S. and Meier, Caroline and Ibisch, Pierre L.}, title = {Old-growth beech forests in Germany as cool islands in a warming landscape}, series = {Scientific Reports}, volume = {14}, journal = {Scientific Reports}, number = {1}, publisher = {Nature Publishing Group UK}, address = {London}, issn = {2045-2322}, doi = {10.1038/s41598-024-81209-0}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9608}, abstract = {Abstract The climate crisis seriously threatens Central European forests and their ecosystem functions. There are indications that old-growth forests are relatively resilient and efficient in micro-climatic regulation during extreme climatic conditions. This study evaluates five well-protected old beech forests in Germany, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We examined temperature dynamics and vitality in core, buffer, and border zones during hot days from 2017 to 2023, using Landsat 8 and 9 imageries to assess Land Surface Temperature (LST) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), alongside on-site Air Temperature (AT) measurements. Our findings reveal that all five forests were impacted by recent extreme heat events, with core zones remaining cooler and more vital, followed by buffer zones. Temperature-regulating patterns varied with landscape characteristics and the surrounding matrixes. We observed a site-dependent cooling effect of the forest interior that increased with higher LST. Our study highlights the value of old-growth forests and recommends increasing effective protection around mature forests, establishing corridors between isolated patches, and creating mosaics in managed landscapes that include unmanaged areas capable of developing into old-growth ecosystems.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{SydorenkoGumeniukDeMiguelDiezetal., author = {Sydorenko, S. and Gumeniuk, V. and De Miguel-D{\´i}ez, F. and Soshenskiy, O. and Budzinskyi, I. and Koren, V.}, title = {Assessment of the surface forest fuel load in the Ukrainian Polissia}, series = {Fire Ecology}, volume = {20}, journal = {Fire Ecology}, number = {1}, publisher = {Springer International Publishing}, address = {Cham}, issn = {1933-9747}, doi = {10.1186/s42408-024-00265-z}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9599}, abstract = {Abstract Background There is a clearly increasing trend of wildfires that become catastrophic in some countries such as the United States, Australia, Russia, Portugal, Greece, and Spain. Fuel is one of the key components that influences fire behavior and its effects. Assessing the fuel load and distribution of its components in the landscape provides effective fire management treatments in terms of fire prevention campaigns on a scientific basis. This study aims to evaluate the litter, duff, and herb fuels in highly flammable coniferous forest types in Ukrainian Polissia. To estimate relationships between forestry variables that reflect the characteristics of the pine stand (DBH, height of the stand, age, relative density, stock of the plantation etc.) and the load of litter, duff, and herb fuels (CWD, FWD, litter, live grass, etc.), correlation analysis was used. To analyze difference between groups of sampling plots that have different forests, we use generalized linear mixed models including random effects of sampling plot type. Cluster analysis was performed using k-means partitioning method and Calinski-Harabasz criterion. To assess the significance of individual variables on which the variation of forest fuel depends, the random forest algorithm was used; for variable selection, we used two parameters: the percent increase in mean squared error and the Gini impurity index. Results The research revealed that in the pine forest stands, the stock of litter and duff varies from 15.5 (15 years) to 140 ton/ha (139 years). When modeling, the humidity level of the forest site (soil) significantly affects the dynamics of forest fuel accumulation. In fresh types of forest-growing conditions, the forest litter stock increases to the age of 80-90 years; then, it strongly decreases, while in wet forest types, continuous forest fuel stock accumulation is established during the entire growth period. Moreover, the results showed that the forest fuel load was influenced by the soil fertility. The stock of live and dead herbaceous fuel in fresh and wet conditions is not statistically different, and soil moisture has not had a significant impact. Fine woody debris stocks were more dependent on stand productivity and practically does not depend on the soil fertility index, site moisture content, and its age and ranged from 0.4 to 1.9 t/ha (1 h), from 0.1 to 2.2 t/ha (10 h), and from 0 to 1.6 t/ha (100 h). Conclusions The obtained results enabled to develop mathematical models for estimating litter and duff stocks in the Polissia forest stands based on stand characteristic and the soil humidity level. Moreover, the results will serve as basis to develop local forest fuel models as well as to determine potential fire hazards and a fire behavior modeling process in coniferous forests of that region. These models constitute the basis for the national set of fuel model development for each nature zone of Ukraine.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{HoffmannOstapowiczBartońetal., author = {Hoffmann, Monika T. and Ostapowicz, Katarzyna and Bartoń, Kamil and Ibisch, Pierre L. and Selva, Nuria}, title = {Author Correction: Mapping roadless areas in regions with contrasting human footprint}, series = {Scientific Reports}, volume = {14}, journal = {Scientific Reports}, number = {1}, publisher = {Nature Publishing Group UK}, address = {London}, issn = {2045-2322}, doi = {10.1038/s41598-024-79802-4}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9580}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{StarikGygaxGoettert, author = {Starik, Nicole and Gygax, Lorenz and G{\"o}ttert, Thomas}, title = {Unexpected bat community changes along an urban-rural gradient in the Berlin-Brandenburg metropolitan area}, series = {Scientific Reports}, volume = {14}, journal = {Scientific Reports}, number = {1}, publisher = {Nature Publishing Group UK}, address = {London}, issn = {2045-2322}, doi = {10.1038/s41598-024-61317-7}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9570}, abstract = {Abstract Urbanization gradients are increasingly used in ecological studies to discover responses of species communities to different intensities of human-induced habitat transformation. Here, we investigated patterns of bat communities against the background of different urbanization levels using a priori defined urbanization categories based on distance classes (5 km intervals) along a linear transect from the urban core of the city of Berlin westwards into the rural outskirts of the state of Brandenburg. Using linear-mixed effects models, we found that "distance class", as a proxy for urbanization level, is a meaningful and suitable predictor of bat species richness and diversity. We observed an unexpectedly sudden increase in bat species richness and diversity and changes in species-specific activity levels relatively close to the urban center at the transition between urban and peri-urban areas. This change suggests a relevant influence of the peri-urban areas as a "buffer zone" for specific bat species not able to adapt to the heavily modified inner core of the metropolitan area. Although we could demonstrate that anthropogenic noise and artificial light have the potential to predict the variability of bat species activity along the urban-rural gradient, the actual influence on observed shifts in the bat community needs further research.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{WilmsBerendtBroniszetal., author = {Wilms, Florian and Berendt, Ferr{\´e}ol and Bronisz, Karol and Bashutska, Ulyana and Fotelli, Mariangela and Radoglou, Kalliopi and Spyroglou, Gavriil}, title = {Applying taper function models for black locust plantations in Greek post-mining areas}, series = {Scientific Reports}, volume = {14}, journal = {Scientific Reports}, number = {1}, publisher = {Nature Publishing Group UK}, address = {London}, issn = {2045-2322}, doi = {10.1038/s41598-024-63048-1}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9562}, abstract = {Abstract A key process in forest management planning is the estimation of tree volume and, more specifically, merchantable volume. The ability to predict the cumulative stem volume relative to any upper stem diameter on standing trees or stands is essential for forest inventories and the management of forest resources. In the 1980s, the Hellenic Public Power Corporation (HPPC) started the rehabilitation of lignite post-mining areas in Greece by planting mainly black locust ( Robinia pseudoacacia, L.). Today, these plantations occupy an area of approximately 2570 ha, but the stem volume has not yet been estimated. Therefore, we aimed to estimate the over- and under-bark stem volume using taper function models for 30 destructively sampled trees. Of the nineteen calibrated fixed-effects models, Kozak's (2004) equation performed best for both the over-bark and under-bark datasets, followed by Lee's (2003) and Muhairwe's (1999) equations. Two fixed effect models were compared with fitted coefficients from Poland and the United States confirming that the local model fits were better suited, as the foreign model coefficients caused an increase in root mean square error (RMSE) for stem diameter predictions of 13\% and 218\%, respectively. The addition of random effects on a single-stem basis for two coefficients of Kozak's (2004) equation improved the model fit significantly at 86\% of the over-bark fixed effect RMSE and 69\% for the under-bark model. Integrated taper functions were found to slightly outperform three volume equations for predictions of single stem volume over and under bark. Ultimately it was shown that these models can be used to precisely predict stem diameters and total stem volume for the population average as well as for specific trees of the black locust plantations in the study area.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{HoffmannOstapowiczBartońetal., author = {Hoffmann, Monika T. and Ostapowicz, Katarzyna and Bartoń, Kamil and Ibisch, Pierre L. and Selva, Nuria}, title = {Mapping roadless areas in regions with contrasting human footprint}, series = {Scientific Reports}, volume = {14}, journal = {Scientific Reports}, number = {1}, publisher = {Nature Publishing Group UK}, address = {London}, issn = {2045-2322}, doi = {10.1038/s41598-024-55283-3}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9553}, abstract = {Abstract In an increasingly human- and road-dominated world, the preservation of functional ecosystems has become highly relevant. While the negative ecological impacts of roads on ecosystems are numerous and well documented, roadless areas have been proposed as proxy for functional ecosystems. However, their potential remains underexplored, partly due to the incomplete mapping of roads. We assessed the accuracy of roadless areas identification using freely available road-data in two regions with contrasting levels of anthropogenic influence: boreal Canada and temperate Central Europe (Poland, Slovakia, Czechia, and Hungary). Within randomly selected circular plots (per region and country), we visually examined the completeness of road mapping using OpenStreetMap 2020 and assessed whether human influences affect mapping quality using four variables. In boreal Canada, roads were completely mapped in 3\% of the plots, compared to 40\% in Central Europe. Lower Human Footprint Index and road density values were related to greater incompleteness in road mapping. Roadless areas, defined as areas at least 1 km away from any road, covered 85\% of the surface in boreal Canada (mean size ± s.d. = 272 ± 12,197 km 2 ), compared to only 0.4\% in temperate Central Europe (mean size ± s.d. = 0.6 ± 3.1 km 2 ). By visually interpreting and manually adding unmapped roads in 30 randomly selected roadless areas from each study country, we observed a similar reduction in roadless surface in both Canada and Central Europe (27\% vs 28\%) when all roads were included. This study highlights the urgent need for improved road mapping techniques to support research on roadless areas as conservation targets and surrogates of functional ecosystems.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{SousaSilvaFeurerMorhartetal., author = {Sousa-Silva, Rita and Feurer, M{\´e}lanie and Morhart, Christopher and Sheppard, Jonathan P. and Albrecht, Stefanie and Anys, Markus and Beyer, Friderike and Blumenstein, Kathrin and Reinecke, Sabine and Seifert, Thomas and Whitehead, Ian and Pauleit, Stephan and Bauhus, J{\"u}rgen}, title = {Seeing the Trees Without the Forest: What and How can Agroforestry and Urban Forestry Learn from Each Other?}, series = {Current Forestry Reports}, volume = {10}, journal = {Current Forestry Reports}, number = {4}, publisher = {Springer International Publishing}, address = {Cham}, issn = {2198-6436}, doi = {10.1007/s40725-024-00221-9}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9543}, pages = {239 -- 254}, abstract = {Abstract Purpose of Review Agroforestry and urban forestry have evolved mainly as separate disciplines, although they share a long history of tree cultivation in man-made environments. Here, we review their common threads, exploring how trees in both systems interact with and shape their environments. We examine common themes and methodologies - ranging from tree growth dynamics to environmental stressors, ecosystem services provision, and questions of governance - and identify opportunities for synergies between these fields. Recent Findings We emphasize the potential of agroforestry and urban forestry for enhancing multifunctional landscapes. Geographical divides in research are evident, with agroforestry predominantly studied in the Global South and urban forestry receiving more attention in the Global North. However, significant research gaps provide avenues for collaboration, for instance, addressing challenges in capturing the monetary and socio-cultural value of ecosystem services and environmental justice considerations. Summary In light of the growing need for integrated approaches in addressing contemporary challenges, from climate change mitigation and adaptation to community well-being, our review explores what these research fields can learn from each other and provides recommendations for fostering greater interdisciplinary dialogue and new avenues for collaborations in a meaningful and synergistic manner, aiming to advance policy, research, and practice in agroforestry and urban forestry.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{PeterNiessBatjavetal., author = {Peter, Sophie and Niess, Sarah and Batjav, Batbuyan and Dejid, Nandintsetseg and Drees, Lukas and J{\"a}schke, Yun and Kasymov, Ulan and Damdindorj, Sugar and Dorjoo, Khishigdorj and Gonchigsumlaa, Ganzorig and Matias, Denise Margaret S. and M{\"u}ller, Thomas and Mehring, Marion}, title = {The role of traditional ecological knowledge, given the transformation of pastoralism in Central and Eastern Mongolia}, series = {Ambio}, volume = {53}, journal = {Ambio}, number = {12}, publisher = {Springer Netherlands}, address = {Dordrecht}, issn = {0044-7447}, doi = {10.1007/s13280-024-02057-w}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9538}, pages = {1813 -- 1829}, abstract = {Abstract Mongolian nomadic herders traditionally pass on ecological knowledge intergenerationally, mainly within families. However, little is known about how current societal transformation processes may impact the application and transfer of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) amongst herders. Combining quantitative household survey data with qualitative interviews, we show that TEK is still widely applied amongst herders. Our data show that households living under conditions of greater societal transformation apply TEK more often in order to adapt to the situation than households under lower transformation pressure. High transformation pressure goes along with high human population and livestock density and thus competition for good pastureland. In addition, our results show that intragenerational knowledge transfer between families is gaining more importance nowadays. For Mongolia, we recommend facilitating access to and strengthening the exchange of TEK to prepare herders for the future due to the high level of uncertainty accompanying societal transformations.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{CareZaehringerBernsteinetal., author = {Care, O. and Zaehringer, Julie G. and Bernstein, Michael J. and Chapman, Mollie and Friis, Cecilie and Graham, Sonia and Haider, L. Jamila and Hern{\´a}ndez-Morcillo, M{\´o}nica and Hoffmann, Harry and Kernecker, Maria Lee and Pitt, Hannah and Seufert, Verena}, title = {Reaping what we sow: Centering values in food systems transformations research}, series = {Ambio}, volume = {54}, journal = {Ambio}, number = {2}, publisher = {Springer Netherlands}, address = {Dordrecht}, issn = {0044-7447}, doi = {10.1007/s13280-024-02086-5}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9524}, pages = {226 -- 238}, abstract = {Abstract In many transdisciplinary research settings, a lack of attention to the values underpinning project aims can inhibit stakeholder engagement and ultimately slow or undermine project outcomes. As a research collective (The Careoperative), we have developed a set of four shared values through a facilitated visioning process, as central to the way we work together: care, reflexivity, inclusivity, and collectivity. In this paper, we explore the implications of a values-centered approach to collaboration in food system transformation research. The paper presents two cases that illustrate how researchers might approach centering values in practice. Where much research on food system transformation focuses on values of food system stakeholders, we contribute insights into the values of researchers in such transdisciplinary endeavors. Specifically, we argue that researchers working on sustainability transformations need to be better prepared to engage in such reflections and aspire to embody values aligned with the transformations they seek to research.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{AssalAbdElbaryYounessetal., author = {Assal, Reem Amr and Abd El-bary, Rowan Bahaa El-din and Youness, Rana A. and Abdelrahman, Mohamed Mamdouh and Zahran, Hala and Hosny, Karim Adel and Esmat, Gamal and Breuhahn, Kai and El-Ekiaby, Nada and Fawzy, Injie Omar and Abdelaziz, Ahmed Ihab}, title = {OncomiR-181a promotes carcinogenesis by repressing the extracellular matrix proteoglycan decorin in hepatocellular carcinoma}, series = {BMC Gastroenterology}, volume = {24}, journal = {BMC Gastroenterology}, number = {1}, publisher = {BioMed Central}, address = {London}, issn = {1471-230X}, doi = {10.1186/s12876-024-03413-6}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9514}, abstract = {Abstract Background Proteoglycans are important tumor microenvironment extracellular matrix components. The regulation of key proteoglycans, such as decorin (DCN), by miRNAs has drawn attention since they have surfaced as novel therapeutic targets in cancer. Accordingly, this study aimed at identifying the impact of miR-181a in liver cancer and its regulatory role on the extracellular matrix proteoglycan, DCN, and hence on downstream oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Results DCN was under-expressed in 22 cirrhotic and HCC liver tissues compared to that in 11 healthy tissues of liver transplantation donors. Conversely, miR-181a was over-expressed in HCC liver tissues compared to that in healthy liver tissues. In silico analysis predicted that DCN 3'UTR harbors two high-score oncomiR-181a binding regions. This was validated by pmiRGLO luciferase reporter assay. Ectopic miR-181a expression into HuH-7 cells repressed the transcript and protein levels of DCN as assessed fluorometrically and by western blotting. DCN siRNAs showed similar results to miR-181a, where they both enhanced the cellular viability, proliferation, and clonogenicity. They also increased Myc and E2F and decreased p53 and Rb signaling as assessed using reporter vectors harboring p53, Rb, Myc, and E2F response elements. Our findings demonstrated that miR-181a directly downregulated the expression of its direct downstream target DCN, which in turn affected downstream targets related to cellular proliferation and apoptosis. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first study to unveil the direct targeting of DCN by oncomiR-181a. We also highlighted that miR-181a affects targets related to cellular proliferation in HCC which may be partly mediated through inhibition of DCN transcription. Thus, miR-181a could be a promising biomarker for the early detection and monitoring of liver cancer progression. This would pave the way for the future targeting of the oncomiR-181a as a therapeutic approach in liver cancer, where miR-181a-based therapy approach could be potentially combined with chemotherapy and immunotherapy for the management of liver cancer.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{DabardGohrWeissetal., author = {Dabard, Caroline H{\´e}l{\`e}ne and Gohr, Charlotte and Weiss, Fabio and von Wehrden, Henrik and Neumann, Frederike and Hordasevych, Solomiia and Arieta, Bruno and Hammerich, Jenny and Meier, Caroline and Jargow, Janine and Luthardt, Vera and Ibisch, Pierre L. and Ferreira, Ana Filipa}, title = {Correction: Biosphere Reserves as model regions for transdisciplinarity? A literature review}, series = {Sustainability Science}, volume = {19}, journal = {Sustainability Science}, number = {6}, publisher = {Springer Japan}, address = {Tokyo}, issn = {1862-4065}, doi = {10.1007/s11625-024-01589-0}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9506}, pages = {2083 -- 2084}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{DabardGohrWeissetal., author = {Dabard, Caroline H{\´e}l{\`e}ne and Gohr, Charlotte and Weiss, Fabio and von Wehrden, Henrik and Neumann, Frederike and Hordasevych, Solomiia and Arieta, Bruno and Hammerich, Jenny and Meier, Caroline and Jargow, Janine and Luthardt, Vera and Ibisch, Pierre L. and Ferreira, Ana Filipa}, title = {Biosphere Reserves as model regions for transdisciplinarity? A literature review}, series = {Sustainability Science}, volume = {19}, journal = {Sustainability Science}, number = {6}, publisher = {Springer Japan}, address = {Tokyo}, issn = {1862-4065}, doi = {10.1007/s11625-024-01542-1}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9497}, pages = {2065 -- 2081}, abstract = {Abstract The World Network of Biosphere Reserves promotes learning sites for sustainable development, designated under the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere programme (MAB). The programme aims to strengthen biodiversity conservation, economic development and capacity building. Scientific research in and about Biosphere Reserves is expected to support these objectives. In response to a strong focus on natural sciences and conservation issues, calls for transdisciplinary approaches emanated from science and the newest MAB Lima Action Plan. Yet, the extent and contributions of transdisciplinary research in Biosphere Reserves remains unexplored. This study provides a comprehensive and systematic screening of 3304 scientific publications in and about Biosphere Reserves published since 1975. Research within Biosphere Reserves spans a broad spectrum, encompassing social to political to ecological investigations, with a focus on natural sciences and studies conducted mainly in Europe and Asia. We identified an emerging field of transdisciplinary science in research, represented in 336 publications. Most transdisciplinary studies were conducted in Mexican and Indian Biosphere Reserves. While transdisciplinary research provided insights about participation, management and governance in Biosphere Reserves, its transformative potential could be enhanced, notably through stronger forms of participation of non-academic actors in research processes. Our review suggests strengthening knowledge co-creation about transformative solutions and interventions addressing deep leverage points. Scientific research could thereby enhance the role of Biosphere Reserves as model regions for sustainability transformations.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{SchmidingerSchroeterBoeneckeetal., author = {Schmidinger, Jonas and Schr{\"o}ter, Ingmar and B{\"o}necke, Eric and Gebbers, Robin and Ruehlmann, Joerg and Kramer, Eckart and Mulder, Vera L. and Heuvelink, Gerard B. M. and Vogel, Sebastian}, title = {Effect of training sample size, sampling design and prediction model on soil mapping with proximal sensing data for precision liming}, series = {Precision Agriculture}, volume = {25}, journal = {Precision Agriculture}, number = {3}, publisher = {Springer US}, address = {New York}, issn = {1385-2256}, doi = {10.1007/s11119-024-10122-3}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9484}, pages = {1529 -- 1555}, abstract = {Abstract Site-specific estimation of lime requirement requires high-resolution maps of soil organic carbon (SOC), clay and pH. These maps can be generated with digital soil mapping models fitted on covariates observed by proximal soil sensors. However, the quality of the derived maps depends on the applied methodology. We assessed the effects of (i) training sample size (5-100); (ii) sampling design (simple random sampling (SRS), conditioned Latin hypercube sampling (cLHS) and k-means sampling (KM)); and (iii) prediction model (multiple linear regression (MLR) and random forest (RF)) on the prediction performance for the above mentioned three soil properties. The case study is based on conditional geostatistical simulations using 250 soil samples from a 51 ha field in Eastern Germany. Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) and root-mean-square error (RMSE) were used to evaluate model performances. Results show that with increasing training sample sizes, relative improvements of RMSE and CCC decreased exponentially. We found the lowest median RMSE values with 100 training observations i.e., 1.73\%, 0.21\% and 0.3 for clay, SOC and pH, respectively. However, already with a sample size of 10, models of moderate quality (CCC > 0.65) were obtained for all three soil properties. cLHS and KM performed significantly better than SRS. MLR showed lower median RMSE values than RF for SOC and pH for smaller sample sizes, but RF outperformed MLR if at least 25-30 or 75-100 soil samples were used for SOC or pH, respectively. For clay, the median RMSE was lower with RF, regardless of sample size.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{ElmaidomyAbdelmohsenAlsenanietal., author = {Elmaidomy, Abeer H. and Abdelmohsen, Usama Ramadan and Alsenani, Faisal and Aly, Hanan F. and Eldin Shams, Shams Gamal and Younis, Eman A. and Ahmed, Kawkab A. and Sayed, Ahmed M. and Owis, Asmaa I. and Afifi, Naglaa and El Amir, Dalia}, title = {Retraction: The anti-Alzheimer potential of Tamarindus indica: an in vivo investigation supported by in vitro and in silico approaches}, series = {RSC Advances}, volume = {15}, journal = {RSC Advances}, number = {4}, publisher = {The Royal Society of Chemistry}, issn = {2046-2069}, doi = {10.1039/d5ra90010g}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9474}, pages = {2461 -- 2461}, abstract = {Retraction of 'The anti-Alzheimer potential of Tamarindus indica : an in vivo investigation supported by in vitro and in silico approaches' by Abeer H. Elmaidomy et al. , RSC Adv. , 2022, 12 , 11769-11785, https://doi.org/10.1039/D2RA01340A .}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{WeissWinterPflugmacheretal., author = {Weiss, Fabio and Winter, Susanne and Pflugmacher, Dirk and Kolling, Thomas and Linde, Andreas}, title = {Evidence for regional-scale declines in carabid beetles in old lowland beech forests following a period of severe drought}, series = {Landscape Ecology}, volume = {39}, journal = {Landscape Ecology}, number = {7}, publisher = {Springer Netherlands}, address = {Dordrecht}, issn = {1572-9761}, doi = {10.1007/s10980-024-01920-1}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9464}, abstract = {Abstract Context Evidence for declines in insect populations is growing with climate change being one suspected driver. Forests, however, are still underrepresented in the relevant research. Recent droughts (2018-2020) have severely affected forests in Central Europe and have been linked to declines in carabid abundance, biomass as well as changes in species traits at the local scale. Objective We tested drought effects on forest carabids at regional scale. We additionally investigated whether variability in drought effects could be explained with the initial community composition and the local environmental context. Methods We used generalized linear mixed models to compare data from 1999 to 2001 and 2020 to 2022 across eleven old beech forest sites of high conservation interest in North-East Germany and investigated changes in carabid abundance, biomass, Hill numbers and selected species traits. We then tested additional community-related and environmental predictors to explain spatial variability in changes in biomass. Results We found significant declines in biomass of 65\% and in abundance of 51\%. There were no significant changes in Hill numbers. We found consistent evidence that declines affected especially larger and less mobile species. Declines and changes in species traits also occurred in strictly protected old-growth beech forests. Among environmental predictors, landscape composition explained local variability in biomass declines best with stronger decline at forest sites with less forest area in their vicinity. Conclusions Our findings reveal large-scale declines in forest carabids in the context of recent droughts and highlight the exceptional role of landscape composition in this regard. Future insect conservation strategies need to incorporate the landscape context and potential exposure to extreme weather.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{EshetuKipkuleiKoepkeetal., author = {Eshetu, Shibire Bekele and Kipkulei, Harison Kiplagat and Koepke, Julian and K{\"a}chele, Harald and Sieber, Stefan and L{\"o}hr, Katharina}, title = {Impact of forest landscape restoration in combating soil erosion in the Lake Abaya catchment, Southern Ethiopia}, series = {Environmental Monitoring and Assessment}, volume = {196}, journal = {Environmental Monitoring and Assessment}, number = {3}, publisher = {Springer International Publishing}, address = {Cham}, issn = {0167-6369}, doi = {10.1007/s10661-024-12378-8}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9454}, abstract = {Abstract As an effect of forest degradation, soil erosion is among Ethiopia's most pressing environmental challenges and a major threat to food security where it could potentially compromise the ecosystem functions and services. As the effects of soil erosion intensify, the landscape's capacity to support ecosystem functions and services is compromised. Exploring the ecological implications of soil erosion is crucial. This study investigated the soil loss and land degradation in the Lake Abaya catchment to explore forest landscape restoration (FLR) implementation as a possible countermeasure to the effects. The study used a geographic information system (GIS)-based approach of the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) to determine the potential annual soil loss and develop an erosion risk map. Results show that 13\% of the catchment, which accounts for approximately 110,000 ha, is under high erosion risk of exceeding the average annual tolerable soil loss of 10 t/ha/year. Allocation of land on steep slopes to crop production is the major reason for the calculated high erosion risk in the catchment. A scenario-based analysis was implemented following the slope-based land-use allocation proposal indicated in the Rural Land Use Proclamation 456/2005 of Ethiopia. The scenario analysis resulted in a reversal erosion effect whereby an estimated 3000 t/ha/year of soil loss in the catchment. Thus, FLR activities hold great potential for minimizing soil loss and contributing to supporting functioning and providing ecosystem services. Tree-based agroforestry systems are among the key FLR measures championed in highly degraded landscapes in Ethiopia. This study helps policymakers and FLR implementors identify erosion risk areas for future FLR activities. Thereby, it contributes to achieving the country's restoration commitment.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{VijayanGirindranSametal., author = {Vijayan, Dhanya and Girindran, Renoy and Sam, Anu Susan and Sathyan, Archana Raghavan and Kaechele, Harald}, title = {The large-scale expansion of rubber plantations in southern India: major impacts and the changing nature of drivers}, series = {Environmental Monitoring and Assessment}, volume = {196}, journal = {Environmental Monitoring and Assessment}, number = {4}, publisher = {Springer International Publishing}, address = {Cham}, issn = {0167-6369}, doi = {10.1007/s10661-024-12517-1}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9443}, abstract = {Abstract This study investigates the major environmental and socio-economic impacts of an increase in the area of rubber plantations and the changing patterns of drivers of land use changes. Using a combination of geospatial techniques and socio-economic methods, we mainly analyzed the rate of increase in area under rubber plantations, the major impacts of land use changes, and the changing drivers of land use changes. Our results show that the area under rubber plantations has increased significantly within the study area, with the area under rubber plantations increasing from 30 to 74\% of the total area within five decades. Impact assessment of land use changes based on household surveys showed significant improvement in the socio-economic conditions of the farmers, however, at the expense of severe environmental degradation. Our results also indicate that while areas under rubber plantations continue to increase, the drivers of land use changes have changed over time. Furthermore, it has been observed that in the past, many interventions prioritized social and economic development and placed less emphasis on the ecological stability of the region. Perceptions of farmers revealed that the effects of ecological fragility already affected the economic robustness of the whole area. Therefore, we conclude that government interventions to support additional rubber cultivation should also focus on ecosystem stabilization in order to minimize the risk of an ecological catastrophe that would significantly affect the economic prosperity of the region.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{RuehlmannBoeneckeGebbersetal., author = {Ruehlmann, Joerg and B{\"o}necke, Eric and Gebbers, Robin and Gerlach, Felix and Kling, Charlotte and L{\"u}ck, Katrin and Meyer, Swen and Nagel, Anne and Palme, Stefan and Philipp, Golo and Scheibe, Dirk and Schr{\"o}ter, Ingmar and Vogel, Sebastian and Kramer, Eckart}, title = {Predicting the Base Neutralization Capacity of Soils Based on Texture, Organic Carbon and Initial pH: An Opportunity to Adjust Common Liming Recommendation Approaches to Specific Management and Climate Conditions}, series = {Agronomy}, volume = {13}, journal = {Agronomy}, number = {11}, editor = {Ciavatta, Claudio}, publisher = {MDPI}, issn = {2073-4395}, doi = {10.3390/agronomy13112762}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9435}, abstract = {

Liming is an effective measure to increase the soil pH and to counterbalance soil acidification. Therefore, the liming recommendations (LRs) for agricultural practice consider two aspects: changing the initial pH to the desired pH and compensating for all pH decreases taking place within the liming interval. The separation of these aspects is essential to optimize LRs and to minimize lime losses to the environment. Therefore, we developed a pedotransfer function (PTF) to calculate the lime demand to change the initial pH to the desired pH and compared the results with the LRs for agricultural practice. Applying this PTF to a set of 126 soil samples that were analyzed for base neutralization capacity could explain approximately 78\% of the variability in the pH changes after the addition of different amounts of Ca(OH)2. Consequently, the lime demand to change the initial pH to the desired pH increased by approximately one-sixth compared to the lime demand proposed by the liming recommendation scheme, which is commonly used in Germany. From the numerical difference between the lime demand according to the LRs and the PTF, we calculated the annual acidification rates based on the soil texture, organic matter content and initial pH. Decoupling the abovementioned two aspects of LRs might be helpful to optimize the LRs by adapting to different regions, diverse management strategies and a changing climate.

}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{MayarHamidovAkramkhanovetal., author = {Mayar, Mohammad Assem and Hamidov, Ahmad and Akramkhanov, Akmal and Helming, Katharina}, title = {Consideration of the Environment in Water-Energy-Food Nexus Research in the Aral Sea Basin}, series = {Water}, volume = {16}, journal = {Water}, number = {5}, editor = {Disse, Markus and Huang, Jingshui}, publisher = {MDPI}, issn = {2073-4441}, doi = {10.3390/w16050658}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9426}, abstract = {

The water-energy-food (WEF) nexus is a holistic concept used to understand the synergies and trade-offs of interdependent water, energy, and food resources. Despite its widespread use, this concept often overlooks environmental concerns. In addition, the lack of a systemic approach in the Aral Sea Basin (ASB) has resulted in serious environmental degradation. For instance, the Aral Sea, situated at the terminus of the basin, is steadily shrinking, yet researchers studying the WEF nexus tend to overlook the upstream tributaries of the basin. This study aims to determine the extent to which research on the WEF nexus in the ASB in Central Asia has considered the environment through a systematic review of the literature published between 2012 and 2022. The results indicate that the number of WEF publications regarding the ASB has seen an upward trend, with a primary focus on the transboundary level and less research available on the local and national levels. This confirms the strong reliance of Central Asian states on one another for food, energy, and water resources. Furthermore, the results show that the majority of published studies either do not consider environmental concerns in their analyses at all or do so with little precision. Therefore, to achieve precise and sustainable outcomes, this study recommends the inclusion of environmental concerns along with basin-wide coverage in future WEF analyses. Finally, the WEF concept should be downscaled to the national and local levels in order to facilitate its implementation.

}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{MasonBispoMattetal., author = {Mason, Elo{\"i}se and Bispo, Antonio and Matt, Mireille and Helming, Katharina and Rodriguez, Elena and Lansac, Rocio and Carrasco, Violeta and Hashar, Mohammad Rafiul and Verdonk, Loes and Prokop, Gundula and Wall, David and Francis, Nancy and Laszlo, Peter and L{\"o}bmann, Michael T.}, title = {Sustainable soil and land management: a systems-oriented overview of scientific literature}, series = {Frontiers in Soil Science}, volume = {3}, journal = {Frontiers in Soil Science}, publisher = {Frontiers Media S.A.}, issn = {2673-8619}, doi = {10.3389/fsoil.2023.1268037}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9418}, pages = {14}, abstract = {

Healthy soil is vital for our wellbeing and wealth. However, increasing demand for food and biomass may lead to unsustainable soil and land management practices that threaten soils. Other degradation processes such as soil sealing also endanger soil resources. Identifying and accessing the best available knowledge is crucial to address related sustainability issues and promote the needed transition towards sustainable soil and land management practices. Such knowledge has to cover all knowledge domains, system knowledge, target knowledge, and transformation knowledge. However, a comprehensive overview of existing research addressing societal needs related to soil is still missing, which hinders the identification of knowledge gaps. This study provides a detailed analysis of scientific literature to identify ongoing research activities and trends. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of scientific literature related to sustainable soil and land management was conducted. A systems-oriented analytical framework was used that combines soil and land related societal challenges with related knowledge domains. Our analysis revealed a significant increase in scientific publications and related interest in soil and land use-related research, above the average increase of publications within all scientific fields. Different forms of reduction and remediation of soil degradation processes (e.g. erosion, contamination) have been studied most extensively. Other topic areas like land take mitigation, soil biodiversity increase, increase of ecosystem services provision and climate change mitigation and adaption seem to be rather recent concerns, less investigated. We could highlight the importance of context-specific research, as different regions require different practices. For instance, boreal, tropical, karst and peatland regions were less studied. Furthermore, we found that diversifying soil management practices such as agroforestry or including livestock into arable systems are valuable options for increasing biomass, mitigating/adapting to climate change, and improving soil related ecosystem services. A recent trend towards the latter research topic indicates the transition from a soil conservation-oriented perspective to a soil service-oriented perspective, which may be better suited to integrate the social and economic dimensions of soil health improvement alongside the ecological dimension.

}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{JulichJulichFegeretal., author = {Julich, Dorit and Julich, Stefan and Feger, Karl-Heinz and Klauder, Tobias and Zethof, Jeroen H. T.}, title = {Effects of Past Sulfur Deposition on the Soil Microbial Biomass at Spruce Forest Sites}, series = {Soil Systems}, volume = {8}, journal = {Soil Systems}, number = {2}, editor = {Viti, Carlo}, publisher = {MDPI}, issn = {2571-8789}, doi = {10.3390/soilsystems8020037}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9404}, abstract = {

During the last decades, forest soils in Central Europe recovered from former sulfur and acid deposition. As external S input into forests has strongly decreased and legacy S pools in the soils are diminishing, internal S cycling through mineralization will increasingly become important for ecosystem nutrition. However, it is not known how microbial biomass is affected by the S pool change in the formerly S surplus soils. Here, we present data on the status quo of C, N, and S in microbial biomass in relation to contents in mineral soil and organic layer. The results of forest soil in Eastern Germany (low and high liming), which is slowly recovering from former pollution, are compared to those of a site remote from air pollution in the Swiss Alps. The contents of C, N, and S in soil as well as in microbial biomass were clearly higher in the organic layer than in mineral topsoil at all sites. Despite the generally low content in the mineral A-horizon, the clean-air site showed indications of a more active S-turnover as compared to the high-pollution site. Liming at the high-pollution site improved the conditions for microbial growth (pH increase) in the organic layer resulting in more mobile S.

}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{ElHddadSobhyElmorsyetal., author = {El-Hddad, Sanadelaslam S. A. and Sobhy, Mohamed H. and El-morsy, Ahmed and Shoman, Nabil A. and El-Adl, Khaled}, title = {Quinazolines and thiazolidine-2,4-dions as SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors: repurposing, in silico molecular docking and dynamics simulation}, series = {RSC Advances}, volume = {14}, journal = {RSC Advances}, number = {19}, publisher = {The Royal Society of Chemistry}, issn = {2046-2069}, doi = {10.1039/d4ra02029d}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9395}, pages = {13237 -- 13250}, abstract = {

This paper presents an extensive analysis of COVID-19 with a specific focus on VEGFR-2 inhibitors as potential treatments. The investigation includes an overview of computational methodologies employed in drug repurposing and highlights in silico research aimed at developing treatments for SARS-CoV-2. The study explores the possible effects of twenty-eight established VEGFR-2 inhibitors, which include amide and urea linkers, against SARS-CoV-2. Among these, nine inhibitors exhibit highly promising in silico outcomes (designated as 3-6, 11, 24, 26, 27, and sorafenib) and are subjected to extensive molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to evaluate the binding modes and affinities of these inhibitors to the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro across a 100 ns timeframe. Additionally, MD simulations are conducted to ascertain the binding free energy of the most compelling ligand-pocket complexes identified through docking studies. The findings provide valuable understanding regarding the dynamic and thermodynamic properties of the interactions between ligands and pockets, reinforcing the outcomes of the docking studies and presenting promising prospects for the creation of therapeutic treatments targeting COVID-19.

This paper presents an extensive analysis of COVID-19 with a specific focus on VEGFR-2 inhibitors as potential treatments.

}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{StevensAdamiAlietal., author = {Stevens, Bjorn and Adami, Stefan and Ali, Tariq and Anzt, Hartwig and Aslan, Zafer and Attinger, Sabine and B{\"a}ck, Jaana and Baehr, Johanna and Bauer, Peter and Bernier, Natacha and Bishop, Bob and Bockelmann, Hendryk and Bony, Sandrine and Brasseur, Guy and Bresch, David N. and Breyer, Sean and Brunet, Gilbert and Buttigieg, Pier Luigi and Cao, Junji and Castet, Christelle and Cheng, Yafang and Dey Choudhury, Ayantika and Coen, Deborah and Crewell, Susanne and Dabholkar, Atish and Dai, Qing and Doblas-Reyes, Francisco and Durran, Dale and El Gaidi, Ayoub and Ewen, Charlie and Exarchou, Eleftheria and Eyring, Veronika and Falkinhoff, Florencia and Farrell, David and Forster, Piers M. and Frassoni, Ariane and Frauen, Claudia and Fuhrer, Oliver and Gani, Shahzad and Gerber, Edwin and Goldfarb, Debra and Grieger, Jens and Gruber, Nicolas and Hazeleger, Wilco and Herken, Rolf and Hewitt, Chris and Hoefler, Torsten and Hsu, Huang-Hsiung and Jacob, Daniela and Jahn, Alexandra and Jakob, Christian and Jung, Thomas and Kadow, Christopher and Kang, In-Sik and Kang, Sarah and Kashinath, Karthik and Kleinen-von K{\"o}nigsl{\"o}w, Katharina and Klocke, Daniel and Kloenne, Uta and Kl{\"o}wer, Milan and Kodama, Chihiro and Kollet, Stefan and K{\"o}lling, Tobias and Kontkanen, Jenni and Kopp, Steve and Koran, Michal and Kulmala, Markku and Lappalainen, Hanna and Latifi, Fakhria and Lawrence, Bryan and Lee, June Yi and Lejeun, Quentin and Lessig, Christian and Li, Chao and Lippert, Thomas and Luterbacher, J{\"u}rg and Manninen, Pekka and Marotzke, Jochem and Matsouoka, Satoshi and Merchant, Charlotte and Messmer, Peter and Michel, Gero and Michielsen, Kristel and Miyakawa, Tomoki and M{\"u}ller, Jens and Munir, Ramsha and Narayanasetti, Sandeep and Ndiaye, Ousmane and Nobre, Carlos and Oberg, Achim and Oki, Riko and {\"O}zkan-Haller, Tuba and Palmer, Tim and Posey, Stan and Prein, Andreas and Primus, Odessa and Pritchard, Mike and Pullen, Julie and Putrasahan, Dian and Quaas, Johannes and Raghavan, Krishnan and Ramaswamy, Venkatachalam and Rapp, Markus and Rauser, Florian and Reichstein, Markus and Revi, Aromar and Saluja, Sonakshi and Satoh, Masaki and Schemann, Vera and Schemm, Sebastian and Schnadt Poberaj, Christina and Schulthess, Thomas and Senior, Cath and Shukla, Jagadish and Singh, Manmeet and Slingo, Julia and Sobel, Adam and Solman, Silvina and Spitzer, Jenna and Stier, Philip and Stocker, Thomas and Strock, Sarah and Su, Hang and Taalas, Petteri and Taylor, John and Tegtmeier, Susann and Teutsch, Georg and Tompkins, Adrian and Ulbrich, Uwe and Vidale, Pier-Luigi and Wu, Chien-Ming and Xu, Hao and Zaki, Najibullah and Zanna, Laure and Zhou, Tianjun and Ziemen, Florian}, title = {Earth Virtualization Engines (EVE)}, series = {Earth System Science Data}, volume = {16}, journal = {Earth System Science Data}, number = {4}, publisher = {Copernicus Publications}, address = {G{\"o}ttingen, Germany}, issn = {1866-3516}, doi = {10.5194/essd-16-2113-2024}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9388}, pages = {2113 -- 2122}, abstract = {Abstract

To manage Earth in the Anthropocene, new tools, new institutions, and new forms of international cooperation will be required. Earth Virtualization Engines is proposed as an international federation of centers of excellence to empower all people to respond to the immense and urgent challenges posed by climate change.

}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{VogelEmmerichSchroeteretal., author = {Vogel, Sebastian and Emmerich, Katja and Schr{\"o}ter, Ingmar and B{\"o}necke, Eric and Schwanghart, Wolfgang and R{\"u}hlmann, J{\"o}rg and Kramer, Eckart and Gebbers, Robin}, title = {The effect of soil moisture content and soil texture on fast in situ pH measurements with two types of robust ion-selective electrodes}, series = {SOIL}, volume = {10}, journal = {SOIL}, number = {1}, publisher = {Copernicus Publications}, address = {G{\"o}ttingen, Germany}, issn = {2199-398X}, doi = {10.5194/soil-10-321-2024}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9377}, pages = {321 -- 333}, abstract = {Abstract In situ soil pH measurements with ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) are receiving increasing attention in soil mapping for precision agriculture as they can avoid time-consuming sampling and off-site laboratory work. However, unlike the standard laboratory protocol, in situ pH measurements are carried out at lower and varying soil moisture contents (SMCs), which can have a pronounced effect on the sensor readings. In addition, as the contact with the soil during in situ measurements should be relatively short, effects of soil texture could be expected because texture controls the migration of protons to the electrode interface. This may be exacerbated by the fact that the electrodes used for in situ measurements are made of less sensitive but more robust materials as compared to the standard glass electrode. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of soil moisture and soil texture on pH measurements using robust antimony and epoxy-body ISEs pressed directly into the soil for 30 s. The SMC was gradually increased from dry conditions to field capacity. A wide range of soil texture classes were included, with sand, silt, and clay contents ranging from 16 \% to 91 \%, 5 \% to 44 \%, and 4 \% to 65 \%, respectively. An exponential model was fitted to the data to quantify the relationship between SMC and pH. The results show that an increase in SMC causes a maximum increase in pH of approximately 1.5 pH units, regardless of the type of pH ISE used. Furthermore, for sandy soil textures, a rather linear relationship between pH and SMC was observed, whereas, with decreasing mean particle diameter (MPD), the model had a pronounced exponential shape, i.e., a greater pH increase at low SMC and a plateau effect at high SMC. With increasing SMC, the pH values asymptotically approached the standard pH measured with a glass electrode in 0.01 M CaCl 2(soil : solution ratio of 1:2.5). Thus, at high SMC, subsequent calibration of the sensor pH values to the standard pH value is negligible, which may be relevant for using the sensor pH data for lime requirement estimates. The pH measurement error decreases exponentially with increasing soil moisture and increases with decreasing MPD. Using a knee point detection, reliable pH values were obtained for SMC  > 11 \%, irrespective of the pH ISE used. An analysis of the regression coefficients of the fitted exponential model showed that the maximum pH increase also depends on soil texture; i.e., the influence of soil moisture variation on the pH value increases with decreasing MPD. Moreover, the concavity of the exponential curve increases with decreasing MPD.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{StevensAdamiAlietal., author = {Stevens, Bjorn and Adami, Stefan and Ali, Tariq and Anzt, Hartwig and Aslan, Zafer and Attinger, Sabine and B{\"a}ck, Jaana and Baehr, Johanna and Bauer, Peter and Bernier, Natacha and Bishop, Bob and Bockelmann, Hendryk and Bony, Sandrine and Brasseur, Guy and Bresch, David N. and Breyer, Sean and Brunet, Gilbert and Buttigieg, Pier Luigi and Cao, Junji and Castet, Christelle and Cheng, Yafang and Dey Choudhury, Ayantika and Coen, Deborah and Crewell, Susanne and Dabholkar, Atish and Dai, Qing and Doblas-Reyes, Francisco and Durran, Dale and El Gaidi, Ayoub and Ewen, Charlie and Exarchou, Eleftheria and Eyring, Veronika and Falkinhoff, Florencia and Farrell, David and Forster, Piers M. and Frassoni, Ariane and Frauen, Claudia and Fuhrer, Oliver and Gani, Shahzad and Gerber, Edwin and Goldfarb, Debra and Grieger, Jens and Gruber, Nicolas and Hazeleger, Wilco and Herken, Rolf and Hewitt, Chris and Hoefler, Torsten and Hsu, Huang-Hsiung and Jacob, Daniela and Jahn, Alexandra and Jakob, Christian and Jung, Thomas and Kadow, Christopher and Kang, In-Sik and Kang, Sarah and Kashinath, Karthik and Kleinen-von K{\"o}nigsl{\"o}w, Katharina and Klocke, Daniel and Kloenne, Uta and Kl{\"o}wer, Milan and Kodama, Chihiro and Kollet, Stefan and K{\"o}lling, Tobias and Kontkanen, Jenni and Kopp, Steve and Koran, Michal and Kulmala, Markku and Lappalainen, Hanna and Latifi, Fakhria and Lawrence, Bryan and Lee, June Yi and Lejeun, Quentin and Lessig, Christian and Li, Chao and Lippert, Thomas and Luterbacher, J{\"u}rg and Manninen, Pekka and Marotzke, Jochem and Matsouoka, Satoshi and Merchant, Charlotte and Messmer, Peter and Michel, Gero and Michielsen, Kristel and Miyakawa, Tomoki and M{\"u}ller, Jens and Munir, Ramsha and Narayanasetti, Sandeep and Ndiaye, Ousmane and Nobre, Carlos and Oberg, Achim and Oki, Riko and {\"O}zkan-Haller, Tuba and Palmer, Tim and Posey, Stan and Prein, Andreas and Primus, Odessa and Pritchard, Mike and Pullen, Julie and Putrasahan, Dian and Quaas, Johannes and Raghavan, Krishnan and Ramaswamy, Venkatachalam and Rapp, Markus and Rauser, Florian and Reichstein, Markus and Revi, Aromar and Saluja, Sonakshi and Satoh, Masaki and Schemann, Vera and Schemm, Sebastian and Schnadt Poberaj, Christina and Schulthess, Thomas and Senior, Cath and Shukla, Jagadish and Singh, Manmeet and Slingo, Julia and Sobel, Adam and Solman, Silvina and Spitzer, Jenna and Stier, Philip and Stocker, Thomas and Strock, Sarah and Su, Hang and Taalas, Petteri and Taylor, John and Tegtmeier, Susann and Teutsch, Georg and Tompkins, Adrian and Ulbrich, Uwe and Vidale, Pier-Luigi and Wu, Chien-Ming and Xu, Hao and Zaki, Najibullah and Zanna, Laure and Zhou, Tianjun and Ziemen, Florian}, title = {Earth Virtualization Engines (EVE)}, series = {Earth System Science Data}, volume = {16}, journal = {Earth System Science Data}, number = {4}, publisher = {Copernicus Publications}, address = {G{\"o}ttingen, Germany}, issn = {1866-3516}, doi = {10.5194/essd-16-2113-2024}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9367}, pages = {2113 -- 2122}, abstract = {Abstract To manage Earth in the Anthropocene, new tools, new institutions, and new forms of international cooperation will be required. Earth Virtualization Engines is proposed as an international federation of centers of excellence to empower all people to respond to the immense and urgent challenges posed by climate change.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{PerryGoettert, author = {Perry, Gad and G{\"o}ttert, Thomas}, title = {The City as an Evolutionary Hothouse—The Search for Rapid Evolution in Urban Settings}, series = {Diversity}, volume = {16}, journal = {Diversity}, number = {6}, editor = {Wink, Michael}, publisher = {MDPI}, issn = {1424-2818}, doi = {10.3390/d16060308}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9356}, abstract = {Cities are ubiquitous and, though a novel phenomenon by evolutionary standards, provide a home for many species and exert particularly strong and novel selection pressures on them. They thus offer a unique opportunity to study rapid evolutionary processes. We conducted a scoping review of published studies documenting evolutionary processes in urban environments, focusing primarily on more recent work. Unfortunately, cities have not been attractive environments for biological research and thus remain poorly studied, despite slowly growing interest in recent years. Nonetheless, we found studies documenting the effects of mutation, genetic drift, and selection in cities. However, studies show some geographic bias and were not always as conclusive as might be desired. There is even support for incipient urban speciation. Evidence across the board is less abundant and less conclusive than desirable, suggesting the need for more data collection. The urban setting, with its stronger selection, more common intermixing, and abundance of both human and widespread potential non-human zoonosis hosts and human-associated species offers great opportunities to further document evolution in action and explore its conservation implications.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{BayoumiIbrahimDahabetal., author = {Bayoumi, Hatem Hussein and Ibrahim, Mohamed-Kamal and Dahab, Mohammed A. and Khedr, Fathalla and El-Adl, Khaled}, title = {Exploration of the VEGFR-2 inhibition activity of phthalazine derivatives: design, synthesis, cytotoxicity, ADMET, molecular docking and dynamic simulation†}, series = {RSC Advances}, volume = {14}, journal = {RSC Advances}, number = {30}, publisher = {The Royal Society of Chemistry}, issn = {2046-2069}, doi = {10.1039/d4ra03459g}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9342}, pages = {21668 -- 21681}, abstract = {Novel phthalazine derivatives were designed, synthesized and evaluated against Hep G2 and MCF-7 as VEGFR-2 inhibitors. In particular, compounds 2g and 4a were found to be the most potent derivatives among all the tested compounds against MCF-7 and Hep G2 cancer cell lines with IC50 values of 0.15 and 0.12 and 0.18 and 0.09 μM respectively. Moreover, compounds 3a, 3c, 5a and 5b displayed excellent anticancer activities against MCF-7 and Hep G2 cancer cell lines. The highly active derivatives 2g, 3a, 3c, 4a, 5a and 5b were evaluated for their inhibitory activities against VEGFR-2. The tested compounds displayed high to low inhibitory activities with IC50 values ranging from 0.148 to 0.892 μM. Among them, compounds 2g and 4a were found to be the most potent derivatives that inhibited VEGFR-2 with IC50 values of 0.148 and 0.196 μM respectively. Compounds 3a, 3c, 5a and 5b exhibited good activity with IC50 values of 0.375, 0.892, 0.548 and 0.331 μM respectively. Sorafenib was used as a reference drug in this study. Molecular modeling studies were carried out for all compounds against the VEGFR-2 active site. The data obtained from biological testing highly correlated with those obtained from molecular modeling studies. Moreover, MD simulation results indicated the stability of ligand-target interaction. Furthermore, our derivatives 2g and 4a showed a good in silico calculated ADMET profile.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{BayoumiIbrahimDahabetal., author = {Bayoumi, Hatem Hussein and Ibrahim, Mohamed-Kamal and Dahab, Mohammed A. and Khedr, Fathalla and El-Adl, Khaled}, title = {Rationale, in silico docking, ADMET profile, design, synthesis and cytotoxicity evaluations of phthalazine derivatives as VEGFR-2 inhibitors and apoptosis inducers†}, series = {RSC Advances}, volume = {14}, journal = {RSC Advances}, number = {37}, publisher = {The Royal Society of Chemistry}, issn = {2046-2069}, doi = {10.1039/d4ra04956j}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9332}, pages = {27110 -- 27121}, abstract = {New phthalazine derivatives as vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) inhibitors were synthesized joined to different spacers including pyrazole, α,β-unsaturated ketonic fragment, pyrimidinone and/or pyrimidinthione. A docking study was carried out to explore the suggested binding orientations of the novel derivatives inside the active site of VEGFR-2. The obtained biological data were extremely interrelated to that of the docking study. In particular, compounds 4b and 3e showed the highest activities against Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7) and Hepatocellular carcinoma G2 (HepG2) with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) = 0.06, 0.06 μM and 0.08, 0.19 μM respectively. Our derivatives 3a-e, 4a,b and 5a,b were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against normal VERO cells. Our compounds exhibited low toxicity concerning normal VERO cells with IC50 = 3.00-4.75 μM. In addition, our final derivatives 3a-e, 4a, 4b, 5a and 5b were investigated for their VEGFR-2 inhibitory activities. Derivative 4b exhibited the highest VEGFR-2 inhibitory activities at an IC50 value of 0.09 ± 0.02 μM. Derivatives 3e, 4a and 5b demonstrated good activities with IC50 values = 0.12 ± 0.02, 0.15 ± 0.03 and 0.13 ± 0.03 μM respectively. Furthermore, the activities of 4b were assessed against MCF-7 cancer cells for apoptosis induction, cell cycle distribution and growth inhibition. Compound 4b caused cell growth arrest in growth 2-mitosis (G2-M) phase; accumulation of cells at that phase became 6.92\% after being 13.2 in control cells. Moreover, our derivatives 3e, 4b and 5b revealed a good in silico considered absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) profile in comparison to sorafenib.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{AbdelshafyMohamadLiuHuangetal., author = {Abdelshafy Mohamad, Osama Abdalla and Liu, Yong-Hong and Huang, Yin and Kuchkarova, Nigora and Dong, Lei and Jiao, Jian-Yu and Fang, Bao-Zhu and Ma, Jin-Biao and Hatab, Shaimaa and Li, Wen-Jun}, title = {Metabonomic analysis to identify exometabolome changes underlying antifungal and growth promotion mechanisms of endophytic Actinobacterium Streptomyces albidoflavus for sustainable agriculture practice}, series = {Frontiers in Microbiology}, volume = {15}, journal = {Frontiers in Microbiology}, publisher = {Frontiers Media S.A.}, issn = {1664-302X}, doi = {10.3389/fmicb.2024.1439798}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9329}, pages = {15}, abstract = {In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on microbial ecology and its possible impact on agricultural production, owing to its eco-friendly nature and sustainable use. The current study employs metabolomics technologies and bioinformatics approaches to identify changes in the exometabolome of Streptomyces albidoflavus B24. This research aims to shed light on the mechanisms and metabolites responsible for the antifungal and growth promotion strategies, with potential applications in sustainable agriculture. Metabolomic analysis was conducted using Q Exactive UPLC-MS/MS. Our findings indicate that a total of 3,840 metabolites were identified, with 137 metabolites exhibiting significant differences divided into 61 up and 75 downregulated metabolites based on VIP >1, |FC| >1, and p < 0.01. The interaction of S. albidoflavus B24 monoculture with the co-culture demonstrated a stronger correlation coefficient. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) demonstrates that PCA1 accounted for 23.36\%, while PCA2 accounted for 20.28\% distinction. OPLS-DA score plots indicate significant separation among different groups representing (t1) 24\% as the predicted component (to1) depicts 14\% as the orthogonal component. According to the findings of this comprehensive study, crude extracts from S. albidoflavus demonstrated varying abilities to impede phytopathogen growth and enhance root and shoot length in tested plants. Through untargeted metabolomics, we discovered numerous potential molecules with antagonistic activity against fungal phytopathogens among the top 10 significant metabolites with the highest absolute log2FC values. These include Tetrangulol, 4-Hydroxybenzaldehyde, and Cyclohexane. Additionally, we identified plant growth-regulating metabolites such as N-Succinyl-L-glutamate, Nicotinic acid, L-Aspartate, and Indole-3-acetamide. The KEGG pathway analysis has highlighted these compounds as potential sources of antimicrobial properties. The inhibitory effect of S. albidoflavus crude extracts on pathogen growth is primarily attributed to the presence of specific gene clusters responsible for producing cyclic peptides such as ansamycins, porphyrin, alkaloid derivatives, and neomycin. Overall, it is apparent that crude extracts from S. albidoflavus exhibited varying abilities to inhibit the growth of three phytopathogens and enhancement in both root and shoot length of tested plants. This research enhances our understanding of how secondary metabolites contribute to growth promotion and biocontrol, supporting ecosystem sustainability and resilience while boosting productivity in sustainable agriculture.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{SeydewitzPradhanLandholmetal., author = {Seydewitz, Tobias and Pradhan, Prajal and Landholm, David M. and Kropp, Juergen P.}, title = {Deforestation Drivers Across the Tropics and Their Impacts on Carbon Stocks and Ecosystem Services}, series = {Anthropocene Science}, volume = {2}, journal = {Anthropocene Science}, number = {1}, publisher = {Springer Nature Singapore}, issn = {2731-3980}, doi = {10.1007/s44177-023-00051-7}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9312}, pages = {81 -- 92}, abstract = {Abstract Globally, deforestation produces anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, contributing substantially to climate change. Forest cover changes also have large impacts on ecosystem services. Deforestation is the dominant type of land cover change in tropical regions, and this land cover change relates to distinct causes recognized as direct deforestation drivers. Understanding these drivers requires a significant effort. Further, GHG emissions due to deforestation are quantified only in terms of biomass removal, while linking emissions from soil organic carbon (SOC) loss to deforestation is lacking. A closer picture of associated ecosystem service changes due to deforestation is also needed. We analyze for 2001-2010: (1) the magnitudes of deforestation drivers, (2) the related carbon loss, and (3) the ecosystem service value change. On the global scale, agriculture (90.3\%) is the primary deforestation driver, where grassland expansion contributed the most (37.5\%). The deforestation drivers differ in magnitude and spatial distribution on the continental scale. The total carbon loss by biomass removal and SOC loss accounted for 8797 Mt C and 1185 Mt C, respectively. Furthermore, tropical deforestation caused the ESV loss of 408 billion Int.\$ year -1, while the resulting land cover has the ESV of 345 billion Int.\$ year -1. Our findings highlight that agriculture substantially contributes to global carbon loss and ecosystem service loss due to deforestation. The deforestation drivers differ in magnitude and distribution for different continents. Further, we highlight the danger of putting a monetary value on nature.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{RecklingWatsonWhitbreadetal., author = {Reckling, Moritz and Watson, Christine A. and Whitbread, Anthony and Helming, Katharina}, title = {Diversification for sustainable and resilient agricultural landscape systems}, series = {Agronomy for Sustainable Development}, volume = {43}, journal = {Agronomy for Sustainable Development}, number = {4}, publisher = {Springer Paris}, issn = {1774-0746}, doi = {10.1007/s13593-023-00898-5}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9302}, abstract = {Abstract This virtual issue comprises papers that address diversification for providing sustainable solutions at different scales from cropping and grassland to food systems. The authors investigated processes in case studies at the landscape scale where synergies and trade-offs between social and environmental objectives become the most tangible. Contributions from all continents highlighted regional specificities related to diversification and include research from natural and social sciences, with inter- and transdisciplinary approaches including synthesis of knowledge (reviews), empirical studies with experiments as well as assessments with interviews in case studies: Model-based design of crop diversification, the role of digitalization for achieving sustainability in the European context, ecological engineering for rice pest suppression in China, the role of cereal species mixtures in Ethiopian smallholder farmers, diversified planting in arid irrigation areas in northwestern China, integration of legumes in European and Canadian cropping systems, screening of native forage legumes for northern Swedish grassland systems, cropping system diversification of smallholder farmers in south-central Bangladesh, identification of how farmers imagine diversified landscapes in southern Idaho in the US, farm diversification affecting impacts from COVID-19 across Europe, the role of diversified farming in Mato Grosso Brazil, diversification and soil management measures in Germany, value chain formation for the scaling of crop diversification, and the design process with farmers and scientists for the transition toward legume-supported farming in Europe. A key finding from these examples is that agricultural intensification has led to the simplification of cropping systems and landscapes in terms of species diversity and ecosystem function. To instead move towards sustainable transformation, all system levels (i.e. from the plot, farm, landscape, governance and overall food systems) need to interact and reinforce each other for diversification to deliver the desired outcomes.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{StraussPaulDoenmezetal., author = {Strauss, Veronika and Paul, Carsten and D{\"o}nmez, Cenk and L{\"o}bmann, Michael and Helming, Katharina}, title = {Sustainable soil management measures: a synthesis of stakeholder recommendations}, series = {Agronomy for Sustainable Development}, volume = {43}, journal = {Agronomy for Sustainable Development}, number = {1}, publisher = {Springer Paris}, issn = {1774-0746}, doi = {10.1007/s13593-022-00864-7}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9293}, abstract = {Abstract Soil degradation threatens agricultural production and soil multifunctionality. Efforts for private and public governance are increasingly emerging to leverage sustainable soil management. They require consensus across science, policy, and practice about what sustainable soil management entails. Such agreement does not yet exist to a sufficient extent in agronomic terms; what is lacking is a concise list of soil management measures that enjoy broad support among all stakeholders, and evidence on the question what hampers their implementation by farmers. We therefore screened stakeholder documents from public governance institutions, nongovernmental organizations, the agricultural industry, and conventional and organic farmer associations for recommendations related to agricultural soil management in Germany. Out of 46 recommended measures in total, we compiled a shortlist of the seven most consensual ones: (1) structural landscape elements, (2) organic fertilization, (3) diversified crop rotation, (4) permanent soil cover, (5) conservation tillage, (6) reduced soil loads, and (7) optimized timing of wheeling. Together, these measures support all agricultural soil functions, and address all major soil threats except soil contamination. Implementation barriers were identified with the aid of an online survey among farmers ( n = 78). Results showed that a vast majority of farmers (> 80\%) approved of all measures. Barriers were mostly considered to be economic and in some cases technological, while missing knowledge or other factors were less relevant. Barriers were stronger for those measures that cannot be implemented in isolation, but require a systemic diversification of the production system. This is especially the case for measures that are simultaneously beneficial to many soil functions (measures 2, 3, and 4). Results confirm the need for a diversification of the agricultural system in order to meet challenges of food security and climate change. The shortlist presents the first integrative compilation of sustainable soil management measures supporting the design of effective public or private governance.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{MacPhersonVoglhuberSlavinskyOlbrischetal., author = {MacPherson, Joseph and Voglhuber-Slavinsky, Ariane and Olbrisch, Mathias and Sch{\"o}bel, Philipp and D{\"o}nitz, Ewa and Mouratiadou, Ioanna and Helming, Katharina}, title = {Future agricultural systems and the role of digitalization for achieving sustainability goals. A review}, series = {Agronomy for Sustainable Development}, volume = {42}, journal = {Agronomy for Sustainable Development}, number = {4}, publisher = {Springer Paris}, issn = {1774-0746}, doi = {10.1007/s13593-022-00792-6}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9282}, abstract = {Abstract By leveraging a wide range of novel, data-driven technologies for agricultural production and agri-food value chains, digital agriculture presents potential enhancements to sustainability across food systems. Accordingly, digital agriculture has received considerable attention in policy in recent years, with emphasis mostly placed on the potential of digital agriculture to improve efficiency, productivity and food security, and less attention given to how digitalization may impact other principles of sustainable development, such as biodiversity conservation, soil protection, and human health, for example. Here, we review high-level policy and law in the German and European context to highlight a number of important institutional, societal, and legal preconditions for leveraging digital agriculture to achieve diverse sustainability targets. Additionally, we combine foresight analysis with our review to reflect on how future frame conditions influencing agricultural digitalization and sustainability could conceivably arise. The major points are the following: (1) some polices consider the benefits of digital agriculture, although only to a limited extent and mostly in terms of resource use efficiency; (2) law as it applies to digital agriculture is emerging but is highly fragmented; and (3) the adoption of digital agriculture and if it is used to enhance sustainability will be dependent on future data ownership regimes.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{UllahZebSaqibetal., author = {Ullah, Ayat and Zeb, Alam and Saqib, Shahab E. and K{\"a}chele, Harald}, title = {Constraints to agroforestry diffusion under the Billion Trees Afforestation Project (BTAP), Pakistan: policy recommendations for 10-BTAP}, series = {Environmental Science and Pollution Research}, volume = {29}, journal = {Environmental Science and Pollution Research}, number = {45}, publisher = {Springer Berlin Heidelberg}, issn = {0944-1344}, doi = {10.1007/s11356-022-20661-9}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9271}, pages = {68757 -- 68775}, abstract = {Abstract Effective agroforestry diffusion under the newly started 10-Billion Trees Afforestation Project (10-BTAP) needs a thorough understanding of the policy and implementation shortfalls of the already completed BTAP. This study examines the factors that affected the diffusion of the agroforestry in the Hindu-Kush Himalayan (HKH) region of Pakistan under BTAP. The data were gathered through in-depth interviews with Village Development Committee (VDC) members, Forest Department (FD) officials, and local farmers. Important factors positively affecting agroforestry diffusion included locations of crop fields on the river sides, community dependency on firewood, and market value of agroforestry timber. The logistic regression model shows that household head's age, access to information, and area under cropland positively affected household level adoption of agroforestry under BTAP; forest cover was negatively related. In-depth interviews show that key barriers to FD in diffusion of agroforestry included provision of false information by farmers to monitoring teams, non-availability of extension staff, lack of communication among project staff and community, as well as a lack of sufficient budget for activities. Primary barriers to community adoption of agroforestry included no participation of VDCs in planning and monitoring of agroforestry programs, lack of plant need assessments on the part of the project staff, poor quality of plants distributed by FD, farmers' poor know-how of plantations, lack of trust among community and project staff, as well as the waste of plants by farming community. Thus, this study recommends that policy-makers and project designers should consider these factors when planning agroforestry diffusion under 10-BTAP to improve its success.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{HorfBoeneckeGebbersetal., author = {Horf, Michael and B{\"o}necke, Eric and Gebbers, Robin and Kling, Charlotte and Kramer, Eckart and R{\"u}hlmann, J{\"o}rg and Schr{\"o}ter, Ingmar and Schwanghart, Wolfgang and Vogel, Sebastian}, title = {Utility of visible and near-infrared spectroscopy to predict base neutralizing capacity and lime requirement of quaternary soils}, series = {Precision Agriculture}, volume = {24}, journal = {Precision Agriculture}, number = {1}, publisher = {Springer US}, issn = {1385-2256}, doi = {10.1007/s11119-022-09945-9}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9257}, pages = {288 -- 309}, abstract = {AbstractDetailed knowledge of a soil's lime requirement (LR) is a prerequisite for a demand-based lime fertilization to achieve the optimum soil pH and thus sustainably increasing soil fertility and crop yields. LR can be directly determined by the base neutralizing capacity (BNC) obtained by soil-base titration. For a site-specific soil acidity management, detailed information on the within-field variation of BNC is required. However, soil-base titrations for BNC determination are too laborious to be extensively applied in routine soil testing. In contrast, visible and near-infrared spectroscopy (visNIRS) is a time and cost-effective alternative that can analyze several soil characteristics within a single spectrum. VisNIRS was tested in the laboratory on 170 air-dried and sieved soil samples of nine agricultural fields of a quaternary landscape in North-east Germany predicting the soil's BNC and the corresponding lime requirement (LRBNC) at a target pH of 6.5. Seven spectral pre-processing methods were tested including a new technique based on normalized differences (ND). Furthermore, six multivariate regression methods were conducted including a new method combining a forward stagewise subset selection algorithm with PLSR (FS-PLSR). The models were validated using an independent sample set. The best regression model for most target variables was FS-PLSR combined with the second Savitzky-Golay derivation as pre-processing method achieving R2s from 0.68 to 0.82. Finally, the performance of the direct prediction of LRBNC (R2 = 0.68) was compared with an indirect prediction that was calculated by the predicted BNC parameters. This resulted in slightly higher correlation coefficients for the indirect method with R2 = 0.75.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{GillichMichlerStolteretal., author = {Gillich, Benjamin and Michler, Frank-Uwe and Stolter, Caroline and Lorenz, Antje and Metze, Katrin and Tischew, Sabine and Rieger, Siegfried}, title = {Space-time interactions between free-ranging red deer (Cervus elaphus) and grazing livestock on a fenced pasture}, series = {European Journal of Wildlife Research}, volume = {69}, journal = {European Journal of Wildlife Research}, number = {3}, publisher = {Springer Berlin Heidelberg}, issn = {1612-4642}, doi = {10.1007/s10344-023-01692-0}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9242}, abstract = {Abstract Livestock farming, which produces milk and meat, is practised by nearly all cultures. But in addition to this, grazing livestock fulfils other fundamentally important roles, one of which is the maintenance of open landscapes, which in turn provides habitat for many rare plant and animal species. Whether wild large herbivores, such as red deer ( Cervus elaphus ), benefit from the management of the open landscapes is unknown, and there are conflicting views on the nature of the interaction between livestock and wildlife. To investigate this question, we studied interactions in space and time between red deer and livestock in an 787 ha fenced pasture in eastern Germany. First, we used faecal pellet counts to determine whether red deer were using the fenced pasture and whether livestock were using the entire available pasture. Second, we fitted ten red deer, as well as eight Konik horses ( Equus ferus caballus ) and eight Heck cattle ( Bos taurus ) with GPS-collars. These data allowed us to perform analyses of space-time interactions. The faecal pellet data showed that red deer did indeed use the fenced pasture and that livestock used the entire extent of the pasture. Further, we verified a neutral space-time interaction between red deer and livestock within the pasture. Thus, there was no indication of a negative effect of the presence of livestock on red deer inside the pasture. For these reasons, we recommend that low-intensity grazing by cattle and horses can maintain open landscapes without detrimental effects on the use of the area by red deer.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{DabardMann, author = {Dabard, Caroline H{\´e}l{\`e}ne and Mann, Carsten}, title = {Sustainability innovations: a proposal for an analytical framework and its empirical application in the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve}, series = {Sustainability Science}, volume = {18}, journal = {Sustainability Science}, number = {3}, publisher = {Springer Japan}, issn = {1862-4065}, doi = {10.1007/s11625-022-01241-9}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9239}, pages = {1085 -- 1098}, abstract = {A bstract Sustainability innovations influence societal transformations through the development of new products, processes, organizations, behaviors or values. Although various research approaches have tackled technological innovations in the last few decades, the specificities and enabling conditions of individual sustainability innovations remain rather unknown. We therefore propose an analytical framework, built on learning from the social-ecological systems and transitions literature. The sustainability innovation framework features four dimensions: context, actors, process and outcomes, which are detailed in 31 variables. We use the sustainability innovation framework to analyze two case studies selected in the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve, Germany. The first refers to technological and organizational innovation in mobility, while the second relates to social and organizational innovation in agriculture. As a result, we highlight commonalities and differences in enabling conditions and variables between the two cases, which underpin the influence of trust, commitment, resource availability, experimenting, learning, advocating, and cooperating for innovation development. The cases further demonstrate that sustainability innovations develop as bundles of interdependent, entangled novelties, due to their disruptive character. Their specificity thereby resides in positive outcomes in terms of social-ecological integrity and equity. This study therefore contributes to transitions studies via a detailed characterization of sustainability innovations and of their outcomes, as well as through a generic synthesis of variables into an analytical framework that is applicable to a large and diverse range of individual sustainability innovations. Further empirical studies should test these findings in other contexts, to pinpoint generic innovation development patterns and to develop a typology of sustainability innovation archetypes.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{WeissMichlerGillichetal., author = {Weiss, Fabio and Michler, Frank Uwe and Gillich, Benjamin and Tillmann, J{\"o}rg and Ciuti, Simone and Heurich, Marco and Rieger, Siegfried}, title = {Displacement Effects of Conservation Grazing on Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) Spatial Behaviour}, series = {Environmental Management}, volume = {70}, journal = {Environmental Management}, number = {5}, publisher = {Springer US}, issn = {0364-152X}, doi = {10.1007/s00267-022-01697-6}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9222}, pages = {763 -- 779}, abstract = {Abstract Conservation grazing uses semi-feral or domesticated herbivores to limit encroachment in open areas and to promote biodiversity. However, we are still unaware of its effects on wild herbivores. This study investigates the influence of herded sheep and goats on red deer ( Cervus elaphus ) spatial behavior by testing three a-priori hypotheses: (i) red deer are expected to avoid areas used by livestock, as well as adjacent areas, when livestock are present, albeit (ii) red deer increase the use of these areas when sheep and goats are temporarily absent and (iii) there is a time-lagged disruption in red deer spatial behavior when conservation grazing practice ends. Using GPS-telemetry data on red deer from a German heathland area, we modelled their use of areas grazed by sheep and goats, using mixed-effect logistic regression. Additionally, we developed seasonal resource selection functions (use-availability design) to depict habitat selection by red deer before, during, and after conservation grazing. Red deer used areas less during conservation grazing throughout all times of the day and there was no compensatory use during nighttime. This effect mostly persisted within 21 days after conservation grazing. Effects on habitat selection of red deer were detectable up to 3000 meters away from the conservation grazing sites, with no signs of either habituation or adaption. For the first time, we demonstrate that conservation grazing can affect the spatio-temporal behavior of wild herbivores. Our findings are relevant for optimizing landscape and wildlife management when conservation grazing is used in areas where wild herbivores are present.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{NoeltingKoenigZimmermannetal., author = {N{\"o}lting, Benjamin and K{\"o}nig, Bettina and Zimmermann, Anne B. and Di Giulio, Antonietta and Sch{\"a}fer, Martina and Schneider, Flurina}, title = {Dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic: an opportunity to reflect on sustainability research}, series = {Sustainability Management Forum | NachhaltigkeitsManagementForum}, volume = {30}, journal = {Sustainability Management Forum | NachhaltigkeitsManagementForum}, number = {1}, publisher = {Springer Berlin Heidelberg}, issn = {2522-5987}, doi = {10.1007/s00550-022-00528-w}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9216}, pages = {11 -- 27}, abstract = {Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has jolted societies out of normality, possibly creating new conditions for sustainability transformations. What does this mean for sustainability research? Because of the scope of the crisis, researchers have been heavily involved: not only have they had to speed up the pace of scientific production to provide urgently needed COVID-19 knowledge, but they have also been affected citizens. For sustainability science, this calls for an experience-based reflection on the positionality and orientation of research aiming to support sustainability transformations. Twenty sustainability researchers discussed their sustainability research on COVID-19 in three workshops based on the following questions: How does the pandemic—and the measures taken to deal with it—affect sustainable development? What can we learn from the pandemic from the perspective of societal transformation? The present discussion paper emerged from this multidisciplinary exchange among sustainability researchers, considering five topics: impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on sustainability transformations; learning for sustainability transformations; the role of solidarity; governance and political steering; and the role of science in society. Our discussions led to a meta-level reflection on what sustainability research can learn from research on COVID-19 regarding topics and disciplinary angles, time dimensions, the role of researchers, and how adequate preparation for both crises and long-term transformations requires interdisciplinary interaction.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{WeissLinde, author = {Weiss, Fabio and Linde, Andreas}, title = {How to estimate carabid biomass?—an evaluation of size-weight models for ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and perspectives for further improvement}, series = {Journal of Insect Conservation}, volume = {26}, journal = {Journal of Insect Conservation}, number = {4}, publisher = {Springer International Publishing}, issn = {1366-638X}, doi = {10.1007/s10841-022-00391-6}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9200}, pages = {537 -- 548}, abstract = {Abstract Biomass is an important metric for monitoring carabid populations and serves as an ecological indicator. Models that predict carabid weight based on body size represent a simple and straightforward method to estimate biomass and are therefore commonly used. However, such models are rarely evaluated against independent validation data. In this study, we evaluated the two widely used size-weight models by Szyszko ( 57 ) and Booij et al. ( 7 ) drawing on previously published independent data. Additionally, we developed and tested four new models to also evaluate the potential effect of taxonomic parameters; and compared model predictions with actual measurements of biomass using relative deviation graphs and observed versus predicted from regression. We show that the two models by Szyszko ( 57 ) and Booij et al. ( 7 ) contain systematic bias towards larger and smaller carabids, respectively, suggesting restricted applicability of such models. Additional taxonomic parameters improved weight predictions, indicating one possible solution to the issue of restricted applicability. We discuss further relevant limitations of size-weight models and their application and recommend a combined use of the models of Szyszko ( 57 ) and Booij et al. ( 7 ) for carabids ≥ 11.8 mm and < 11.8 mm, respectively. Implications for insect conservation : Size-weight models are a suitable and simple method to estimate the biomass of carabids and have great potential to be used in monitoring schemes, the investigation of long-term trends and ecological studies. It is, however, essential that researchers pay special attention to potential restrictions in their applicability and methodological limitations.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{BehrendtPeterSterlyetal., author = {Behrendt, Gerlinde and Peter, Sarah and Sterly, Simone and H{\"a}ring, Anna Maria}, title = {Community financing for sustainable food and farming: a proximity perspective}, series = {Agriculture and Human Values}, volume = {39}, journal = {Agriculture and Human Values}, number = {3}, publisher = {Springer Netherlands}, issn = {0889-048X}, doi = {10.1007/s10460-022-10304-7}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9191}, pages = {1063 -- 1075}, abstract = {Abstract An increasing number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the German organic agri-food sector involves citizens through different community financing models. While such models provide alternative funding sources as well as marketing opportunities to SMEs, they allow private investors to combine their financial and ethical concerns by directly supporting the development of a more sustainable food system. Due to the low level of financial intermediation, community financing is characterized by close relations between investors and investees. Against this background, we apply the proximity concept from economic geography to explore spatial and relational aspects of community financing in the German organic agri-food sector. Based on a qualitative multiple case study approach, we find that the relevance of proximity is twofold. While different forms of proximity between SMEs and their potential investors are key success factors, proximity is also considered as one desired outcome of community financing. Furthermore, our results reveal that the extent to which SMEs rely on particular proximity dimensions distinguishes two different approaches to community financing.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{HernandezMorcilloTorralbaBaigesetal., author = {Hern{\´a}ndez-Morcillo, M. and Torralba, M. and Baiges, T. and Bernasconi, A. and Bottaro, G. and Brogaard, S. and Bussola, F. and D{\´i}az-Varela, E. and Geneletti, D. and Grossmann, C. M. and Kister, J. and Klingler, M. and Loft, L. and Lovric, M. and Mann, C. and Pipart, N. and Roces-D{\´i}az, J. V. and Sorge, S. and Tiebel, M. and Tyrv{\"a}inen, L. and Varela, E. and Winkel, G. and Plieninger, T.}, title = {Scanning the solutions for the sustainable supply of forest ecosystem services in Europe}, series = {Sustainability Science}, volume = {17}, journal = {Sustainability Science}, number = {5}, publisher = {Springer Japan}, issn = {1862-4065}, doi = {10.1007/s11625-022-01111-4}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9186}, pages = {2013 -- 2029}, abstract = {Abstract Forests are key components of European multifunctional landscapes and supply numerous forest ecosystem services (FES) fundamental to human well-being. The sustainable provision of FES has the potential to provide responses to major societal challenges, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, or rural development. To identify suitable strategies for the future sustenance of FES, we performed a solution scanning exercise with a group of transdisciplinary forest and FES experts from different European regions. We identified and prioritized fifteen major challenges hindering the balanced provision of multiple FES and identified a series of potential solutions to tackle each of them. The most prominent challenges referred to the increased frequency and impacts of extreme weather events and the normative mindset regarding forest management. The respective solutions pointed to the promotion of forest resilience via climate-smart forestry and mainstreaming FES-oriented management through a threefold strategy focusing on education, awareness raising, and networking. In a subsequent survey, most solutions were assessed as highly effective, transferable, monitorable, and with potential for being economically efficient. The implementation of the solutions could have synergistic effects when applying the notion of leverage points. Seven emerging pathways towards the sustainable supply of FES have been identified. These pathways build on each other and are organized based on their potential for transformation: (1) shifting forest management paradigms towards pluralistic ecosystem valuation; (2) using integrated landscape approaches; (3) increasing forest resilience; (4) coordinating actions between forest-related actors; (5) increasing participation in forest planning and management; (6) continuous, open, and transparent knowledge integration; and (7) using incentive-based instruments to support regulating and cultural FES. These pathways can contribute to the implementation of the new EU Forestry Strategy to support the balanced supply of multiple FES. Graphical abstract}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{BernertWannerFischeretal., author = {Bernert, Philip and Wanner, Matthias and Fischer, Nele and Barth, Matthias}, title = {Design principles for advancing higher education sustainability learning through transformative research}, series = {Environment, Development and Sustainability}, journal = {Environment, Development and Sustainability}, publisher = {Springer Netherlands}, issn = {1387-585X}, doi = {10.1007/s10668-022-02801-w}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9174}, pages = {1 -- 18}, abstract = {Abstract A growing number of transformative research practices that redefine the role of science in engaging with local-mostly urban-transformation processes have emerged in recent decades. However, while education is considered a key driver for sustainability transformations, higher education has been slow to develop and implement dedicated, appropriate and effective transformative education programmes and learning modules. In this paper, we present a framework of design principles for transformative learning modules in higher education. These principles are derived from two growing discourses: higher education sustainability learning , and transdisciplinary and transformative research —both of which are centrally anchored in the field of sustainable development and sustainability science. The principles presented provide guidance for course leaders in higher education to create learning modules aimed at enabling students to become engaged in transdisciplinary and transformative research that fosters sustainability transitions in local and urban contexts. We use the Transformative Innovation Lab (TIL)—a learning course developed and tested at two German universities—as an example of how the design principles can be applied. The module, which runs over two semesters, supports Masters students in their process of developing real-world laboratories and exploring urban sustainability transitions through collaborative experimentation with local practice partners. We discuss the factors that enable and limit the implementation of transformative learning modules and outline aspects of the novel roles adopted by lecturers in transformative teaching environments. Moreover, we highlight the need for both institutional change and transformative teaching formats that go beyond transformative research as key for driving universities to take responsibility for collaboratively fostering sustainability transitions in their local contexts.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{VoglhuberSlavinskyLemkeMacPhersonetal., author = {Voglhuber-Slavinsky, Ariane and Lemke, Nahleen and MacPherson, Joseph and D{\"o}nitz, Ewa and Olbrisch, Mathias and Sch{\"o}bel, Philipp and Moller, Bj{\"o}rn and Bahrs, Enno and Helming, Katharina}, title = {Valorization for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in the Agri-Food Value Chain}, series = {Environmental Management}, volume = {72}, journal = {Environmental Management}, number = {6}, publisher = {Springer US}, issn = {0364-152X}, doi = {10.1007/s00267-023-01860-7}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9162}, pages = {1163 -- 1188}, abstract = {Abstract This article defines the term valorization of biodiversity and ecosystem services (BES) measures, as distinguished from their valuation, and underpins it with an assessment of private valorization examples along the agri-food value chain. Valorization incentivizes measures for promoting BES, while valuation refers to its quantification. Valuation can be a step of valorization but is not indispensable. In scientific literature, the terms valorization and valuation are often used interchangeably. In addition, there is a lack of research on private options versus conventional, public policy options. Therefore, we searched for private valorization options primarily in public sources (gray literature and websites). This led to the identification of four clusters (markets for voluntary services, labeling, and certification, environmental management/CSR, and tradable permits and quotas). Based on these clusters the options were assessed from a legal and systems dynamics perspective. In addition, the viability of selected valorization options in different future scenarios was examined. The analysis revealed a wide range of private valorization options, which in contrast to public policy options that focus almost entirely on the production stage, are spread across the agri-food value chain. Their suitability differs under different future scenarios, legal and systems conditions.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{FriisHernandezMorcilloBaumannetal., author = {Friis, Cecilie and Hern{\´a}ndez-Morcillo, M{\´o}nica and Baumann, Matthias and Coral, Claudia and Frommen, Theresa and Ghoddousi, Arash and Loibl, David and Rufin, Philippe}, title = {Enabling spaces for bridging scales: scanning solutions for interdisciplinary human-environment research}, series = {Sustainability Science}, volume = {18}, journal = {Sustainability Science}, number = {3}, publisher = {Springer Japan}, issn = {1862-4065}, doi = {10.1007/s11625-022-01271-3}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9158}, pages = {1251 -- 1269}, abstract = {Abstract To tackle the twenty-first-century challenges for sustainability, a deeper understanding of their complexity is needed. Hence, interdisciplinary human-environment research integrating knowledge, perspectives, and solutions across scales is crucial. Yet, questions of 'scale' and 'scaling' continue to challenge human-environment research. Despite substantial scholarly attention to scales, no unified definitions and understanding exist, causing confusion among researchers. In this paper, we aim to provide clarity to the challenges and potential solutions to bridging scales in interdisciplinary human-environment research as well as identify leverage points and arenas of change that would enable it. We used a three-step methodology to (a) identify the challenges and solutions based on a survey of 82 interdisciplinary researchers, (b) prioritise the challenges and solutions based on expert elicitation, and (c) organise the solutions according to their potential for leveraging change at three system arenas: individual researchers, institutions and organisations, and the wider academic structures. The main challenges ranged from issues related to differences in research approaches, lack of resources for deeper collaborations, or conflicting perspectives on problem and scale definitions, to miscommunication. The specific solutions linked to these challenges were predominantly related to the potential of improving the research process through open communication, data sharing, or new techniques for upscaling or downscaling results. We argue that bridging scales requires open and humble conversations across disciplines on scale understandings as well as improved collaboration through data sharing, method development, result dissemination, and contribution to theory. Facilitating such collaboration requires enabling spaces of interaction across three systemic arenas: the individual researcher's personal commitment to open communication and reflection, the research institution's capacity to enable interdisciplinary spaces, and the wider academic system valuing and supporting interdisciplinary and cross-scale initiatives.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{TannebergerBirrCouwenbergetal., author = {Tanneberger, Franziska and Birr, Friedrich and Couwenberg, John and Kaiser, Moritz and Luthardt, Vera and Nerger, Monique and Pfister, Sonja and Oppermann, Rainer and Zeitz, Jutta and Beyer, Colja and van der Linden, Sebastian and Wichtmann, Wendelin and N{\"a}rmann, Felix}, title = {Saving soil carbon, greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity and the economy: paludiculture as sustainable land use option in German fen peatlands}, series = {Regional Environmental Change}, volume = {22}, journal = {Regional Environmental Change}, number = {2}, publisher = {Springer Berlin Heidelberg}, issn = {1436-3798}, doi = {10.1007/s10113-022-01900-8}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9142}, abstract = {AbstractPeatlands in the European Union are largely drained for agriculture and emit 25\% of the total agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. Drainage-based peatland use has also negative impacts on water quality, drinking water provision and biodiversity. Consequently, key EU environmental policy objectives include the rewetting of all drained peatlands as an essential nature-based solution. Rewetting of peatlands can be combined with site-adapted land use, so-called paludiculture. Paludiculture produces biomass from wet and rewetted peatlands under conditions that maintain the peat body, facilitate peat accumulation and can provide many of the ecosystem services associated with natural, undrained peatlands. The biomass can be used for a wide range of traditional and innovative food, feed, fibre and fuel products. Based on examples in Germany, we have analysed emerging paludiculture options for temperate Europe with respect to greenhouse gas fluxes, biodiversity and indicative business economics. Best estimates of site emission factors vary between 0 and 8 t CO2eq ha-1 y-1. Suitability maps for four peatland-rich federal states (76\% of total German peatland area) indicate that most of the drained, agriculturally used peatland area could be used for paludiculture, about one-third of the fen area for any paludiculture type. Fen-specific biodiversity benefits from rewetting and paludiculture, if compared to the drained state. Under favourable conditions, paludiculture can be economically viable, but costs and revenues vary considerably. Key recommendations for large-scale implementation are providing planning security by paludiculture spatial planning, establishing best practice sites and strengthening research into crops, water tables and management options.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{LinkevičiusSchroeder, author = {Linkevičius, Edgaras and Schr{\"o}der, Jens}, title = {Climatic Effects on the Growth of Fagus sylvatica L. in Mixed Stands with Pinus sylvestris L. in Lithuania}, series = {Sustainability}, volume = {16}, journal = {Sustainability}, number = {20}, editor = {Perazzo, Alejandro Javier Rescia}, publisher = {MDPI}, issn = {2071-1050}, doi = {10.3390/su16208847}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9136}, abstract = {Climate change and warming will potentially profoundly affect forest growth and yield. However, climate change is not only a threat but also an opportunity for tree species to be more productive or colonize new territories where previously they were fragmented or absent. European beech ( Fagus sylvatica L.) is a dominant and significant tree species in European forests with a pronounced ability to grow on a great variety of sites and to form mixtures with other tree species due to its shade tolerance. So far, only a few studies have analysed its growth and reaction to changing climatic conditions outside its natural gradient in the north. The aim of this study was therefore to clarify the main growth patterns and tree ring formation characteristics of beech (outside their natural distribution) in mixed stands with Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) The analyses were carried out in two-layered stands in the western part of Lithuania with tree-ring data measured on stem disks collected at 1 m height that were available from shelter-cut thinning activities in a number of forest stands in the region. Our results show that higher temperatures during the summer months of July and August generally inhibited the radial growth of beech under given site conditions. In contrast, warmer late-autumn and cooler early-winter periods together with warmer springs positively affected the radial increments. Above-average precipitation during the vegetation period contributed to the beech producing additional amounts of radial increments. The increasing temperature trends of the summer months and decreasing monthly amounts of precipitation during the vegetation period in recent decades tend to have adverse effects on the ecological conditions for beech growth and vitality in Lithuania. Despite these results, the European beech successfully grows in the sample region and has produced 200 m 3 ha -1 in the analysed stands.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{MatavelKaecheleSteinkeetal., author = {Matavel, Custodio and K{\"a}chele, Harald and Steinke, Jonathan and Rybak, Constance and Hoffmann, Harry and Salavessa, Jo{\~a}o and Sieber, Stefan and M{\"u}ller, Klaus}, title = {Effect of passive solar drying on food security in rural Mozambique}, series = {Scientific Reports}, volume = {12}, journal = {Scientific Reports}, number = {1}, publisher = {Nature Publishing Group UK}, issn = {2045-2322}, doi = {10.1038/s41598-022-22129-9}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9124}, abstract = {Abstract Achieving food security in Mozambique is critical, since 80\% of the population cannot afford an adequate diet. While increasing agricultural production is a necessary effort to address this challenge, inadequate post-harvest treatment leads to storage losses and quality degradation, with repercussions for food security. The use of solar drying is promoted as a solution to provide efficient and reliable access to food preservation that improves the food security situation in rural communities. However, there is a lack of clear evidence on how the use or access to solar drying affects food security. This study identifies the determinants of farmers' choice to use solar drying and evaluates the effect of a passive solar dryer on food security using survey data from 634 households. We allocated solar dryers to selected communities and all interested individuals belonging to these communities were eligible to use it. Propensity score matching and endogenous switching poisson regression are used to estimate the average effect. The use of solar drying with associated training significantly increases the food security status of participants by increasing household food availability, women's dietary diversity, and months of adequate household food provision and by decreasing the household food insecurity access scale.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} } @article{OsmanElassalHamadaetal., author = {Osman, Doaa A. and Elassal, Mohamed Ismail and Hamada, Hamada Ahmed and Hamza, Reham Hamed Saad and Zakaria, Hoda Mohammed and Alwhaibi, Reem and Abdelsamea, Gehan A.}, title = {Hematological and iron status in aerobic vs. anaerobic female athletes: an observational study}, series = {Frontiers in Sports and Active Living}, volume = {6}, journal = {Frontiers in Sports and Active Living}, publisher = {Frontiers Media S.A.}, issn = {2624-9367}, doi = {10.3389/fspor.2024.1453254}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-9110}, pages = {11}, abstract = {Introduction Physical training induces iron status impairment in athletic females in the short term and over prolonged periods. Nevertheless, the existing literature lacks a comprehensive evaluation of the differential impacts of aerobic vs. anaerobic training on hematological indices and iron status among adolescent female athletes. The aim of this study was to assess the hematological factors and iron status in aerobic vs. anaerobic training in athletic females. Methods This observational, cross-sectional study recruited twenty-five adolescent athletic females; thirteen of them participated in an aerobic sport (long-distance running), while twelve of them participated in an anaerobic sport (broad jumping). Hematological factors were assessed by analyzing blood concentrations of hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), red blood cell (RBC) count, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), while the iron status assessment was conducted through evaluating levels of serum transferrin and serum ferritin. Results Athletic females who participated in the aerobic sport showed significantly lower Hb (MD -0.84; 95\% CI -1.63: -0.04; p  = 0.041), Hct (MD -5.49; 95\% CI -7.86: -3.12; p  = 0.0001), RBC count (MD -0.37; 95\% CI -0.57: -0.17; p  = 0.001), and MCV (MD -5.15; 95\% CI -9.41: -0.89; p  = 0.020), as well as significantly higher MCHC (MD 2.99; 95\% CI 2.18: 3.79; p  = 0.0001) and serum transferrin (MD 46.77; 95\% CI 10.95: 82.59; p  = 0.013) than athletic females who participated in the anaerobic sport. However, there was an insignificant difference in serum ferritin levels (MD -3.18; 95\% CI -11.49: 5.13; p  = 0.437) between both groups. Conclusion Except for the ferritin level that exhibited an insignificant difference between aerobic and anaerobic training, aerobic training was associated with a worse impact on the hematological factors and iron status than anaerobic training in adolescent athletic females.}, subject = {-}, language = {en} }