TY - CHAP A1 - Berendt, Ferréol A1 - Pegel, Erik A1 - Blasko, Lubomir A1 - Cremer, Tobias T1 - Bark Characteristics of Scots Pine Logs T2 - Environmental Sciences Proceedings N2 - The wood of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) shows... KW - bark thickness KW - bark volume KW - bark damage KW - industrial wood Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-2040 SN - 2673-4931 PB - MDPI ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Aschenbrand, Erik A1 - Michler, Thomas T1 - Why Do UNESCO Biosphere Reserves Get Less Recognition than National Parks? A Landscape Research Perspective on Protected Area Narratives in Germany JF - Sustainability N2 - This paper explores how landscape research can contribute to our understanding of why integrated protected area concepts like biosphere reserves get less recognition than national parks. In this regard, we analysed policy documents and online communication of biosphere reserves and national parks, conducted qualitative interviews with conservation professionals and volunteers as well as participant observation in order to identify and compare narratives that guide the communication and perception of both protected area categories. The results show how national parks offer a clear interpretation of space by building on landscape stereotypes and creating landscape legibility and experience-ability through touristification. National Parks also experience conflicts about proper management and combine a variety of goals, often including regional development. Nevertheless, their narrative is unambiguous and powerful. Biosphere reserves, on the other hand, have an image problem that is essentially due to the difficulty of communicating their objectives. They confront the difficult task of creating a vision that combines development and conservation while integrating contrarious landscape stereotypes. We argue for a fundamental engagement with protected area narratives, as this improves understanding of protected areas’ transformative potential. KW - protected areas KW - biosphere reserves KW - national parks KW - narrative KW - landscape Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-2166 SN - 2071-1050 PB - MDPI ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Reder, Stefan A1 - Mund, Jan-Peter A1 - Albert, Nicole A1 - Waßermann, Lilli A1 - Miranda, Luis T1 - Detection of Windthrown Tree Stems on UAV-Orthomosaics Using U-Net Convolutional Networks JF - Remote Sensing N2 - The increasing number of severe storm events is threatening European forests. Besides the primary damages directly caused by storms, there are secondary damages such as bark beetle outbreaks and tertiary damages due to negative effects on the market. These subsequent damages can be minimized if a detailed overview of the affected area and the amount of damaged wood can be obtained quickly and included in the planning of clearance measures. The present work utilizes UAV-orthophotos and an adaptation of the U-Net architecture for the semantic segmentation and localization of windthrown stems. The network was pre-trained with generic datasets, randomly combining stems and background samples in a copy–paste augmentation, and afterwards trained with a specific dataset of a particular windthrow. The models pre-trained with generic datasets containing 10, 50 and 100 augmentations per annotated windthrown stems achieved F1-scores of 73.9% (S1Mod10), 74.3% (S1Mod50) and 75.6% (S1Mod100), outperforming the baseline model (F1-score 72.6%), which was not pre-trained. These results emphasize the applicability of the method to correctly identify windthrown trees and suggest the collection of training samples from other tree species and windthrow areas to improve the ability to generalize. Further enhancements of the network architecture are considered to improve the classification performance and to minimize the calculative costs. KW - forest damage assessment KW - windthrow detection KW - deep learning KW - U-Net KW - UAV KW - semantic segmentation KW - natural disaster analysis Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-2213 SN - 2072-4292 VL - 14 IS - 1 PB - MDPI ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Spies, Michael T1 - Promises and perils of the China-Pakistan economic corridor: agriculture and export prospects in northern Pakistan JF - Eurasian Geography and Economics N2 - The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a mega-project of primarily infrastructure-related loans and investments in Pakistan. Recently, the official discourse has increasingly shifted to the agricultural sector. For the region of Gilgit-Baltistan bordering China, academic and policy debates highlight the potential boost of fruit exports to China as the most promising opportunity to be leveraged through the CPEC. This paper scrutinizes these promises from a locally grounded perspective, investigating potential benefits and risks for local farmers. To make sense of the complex interplay between external and local actors, interests, markets and (infra)structures, the paper follows an assemblage-inspired approach to map out local trajectories. Contrary to the CPEC narrative, agricultural exports from Gilgit-Baltistan recently came to a halt, due to increasing trade barriers and seemingly competing agricultural developments in neighboring Xinjiang, China. Moreover, the economically most promising local crop for export to China, namely cherries, does not seem too promising for the majority of small farmers. There are other commodities with export potential, but overall, prospects appear to be limited. There is a need for a deeper engagement with the inherent complexities of CPEC trajectories, particularly in regards to local farming contexts in Pakistan and relevant developments in China. KW - Agricultural export KW - CPEC KW - Agrarian change KW - Mountain farming KW - Assemblage KW - Belt and Road Initiative Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-2259 SN - 1938-2863 PB - Taylor & Francis ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Spies, Michael A1 - Schick, Axel A1 - Karomatov, Sharofiddin A1 - Bakokhoja, Bobozoda A1 - Zikriyokhon, Khaidarov A1 - Jobirov, Shonazar A1 - Bloch, Ralf A1 - Ibisch, Pierre L. T1 - Adapting a Participatory and Ecosystem-Based Assessment Impacted by the Pandemic: Lessons Learned With Farmers in Tajikistan JF - Frontiers in sustainable Food Systems N2 - The paper presents a systemic and participatory assessment approach and scrutinizes how methodological changes necessitated during the Covid-19 pandemic implicated the process and its outcomes. The approach was applied in rural Tajikistan to evaluate changes effected by a development project that promoted the enhancement of biodiversity and ecosystem services in agrarian landscapes. The central building block of the assessment consisted of participatory workshops in 2018 and 2020 with farmers and other stakeholders to develop a systemic knowledge map and to evaluate the promoted strategies based on local expertise. The methodological basis was MARISCO (adaptive MAnagement of vulnerability and RISk at COnservation sites), a holistic and participatory approach to ecosystem-based assessment and management that requires well-trained facilitators. While the activities in 2018 could be implemented as planned, major changes in the work plan were necessary in 2020 due to severe travel restrictions and social distancing rules. Conducting virtual workshops was not possible, as it would have excluded key stakeholders from the process. Instead of conducting a comprehensive assessment workshop guided by two German MARISCO facilitators as originally planned, a series of short and small workshops could be realized. These workshops were facilitated by Tajik scientists after receiving virtual training from their German colleagues. Although it was possible to bring the assessment to a satisfactory conclusion, the methodological changes revealed significant drawbacks. Radical simplifications of the methods were necessary that led to reduced depth of the assessment and missed learning opportunities for participants. Limited experience in workshop guidance by the new facilitators posed challenges to the participatory process and the quality of its outcomes. While the adapted method created training effects that would otherwise have been missed, it also put additional pressure on the capacities of local partners. Our experience during the pandemic offers valuable lessons learned for future applications of systemic-participatory approaches. Whereas, a complete shift to remote applications is problematic, there is a need to put greater emphasis on capacitating local partners. Methodological trade-offs are necessary for partially remote working processes, but principles of participation and systemic thinking should not be compromised. KW - Eco-system-based sustainable development KW - MARISCO KW - Participatory methods KW - Biodiversity and ecosystem service assessment KW - Sustainable agriculture KW - Tajikistan Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-2263 SN - 2571-581X IS - 5 PB - Frontiers ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Alff, Henryk A1 - Spies, Michael T1 - Pfadabhängigkeiten in der Bioökonomie überwinden? Landwirtschaftliche Intensivierungsprozesse aus sozial-ökologischer Perspektive JF - Peripherie: Politik, Ökonomie, Kultur N2 - Der Wandel zu einer „bio-basierten“ Wirtschaft, wie er in nationalen und internationalen Bioökonomie-Strategien propagiert wird, kann nur mit tiefgreifenden Veränderungen landwirtschaftlicher Systeme zur Steigerung der Agrarproduktion einhergehen. Besonders in Ländern des Globalen Südens gingen solche Prozesse jedoch meist mit unbeabsichtigten – oder in Kauf genommenen – negativen Konsequenzen wie Umweltdegradation oder die Verschärfung gesellschaftlicher Ungleichheiten einher. Dennoch finden die Kenntnisse über die Risiken bisheriger landwirtschaftlicher Interventionen kaum in politischen Bioökonomie-Strategien Berücksichtigung, die auf wirtschaftlich-technische Lösungen einer „nachhaltigen“ Intensivierung durch agrartechnologische Innovationen auf der einen, und eine Ausweitung von Produktionsflächen auf der anderen Seite setzen. Wie diese Produktionssteigerungen ökologisch und sozial nachhaltig gestaltet werden sollen, bleibt unklar, und bisherige Erfahrungen mit derartigen Interventionen lassen eher das Gegenteil befürchten. Anhand von zwei historischen Beispielen – der Grünen Revolution im Punjab Pakistans und der Neulandkampagne in Kasachstan – skizziert der Beitrag die vielschichtigen sozialen und ökologischen Folgen bisheriger, großangelegter landwirtschaftlicher Interventionen zur Produktionssteigerung und geht der Frage nach, inwiefern diese Erfahrungen (besser) in Bioökonomie-Strategien Berücksichtigung finden (können). Kritische Reflektion sollte dabei vor allem die Rolle institutioneller Pfadabhängigkeiten in der Gestaltung aktueller und zukünftiger Entwicklungen erfahren. Wie bisherige Erfahrungen im Landwirtschaftssektor deutlich machen, müssen Bioökonomie-Strategien ihren geforderten systemischen Ansatz ernst nehmen – was impliziert, dass technologie- und produktivitätsorientierte Ziele stets sozialen und ökologischen Zielen untergeordnet werden müssen. KW - Landwirtschaft KW - Bioökonomie-Strategien KW - Produktionssteigerung KW - Grüne Revolution KW - Neulandkampagne KW - Pakistan KW - Kasachstan Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-2280 VL - 40 IS - 159/160 SP - 334 EP - 359 PB - Verlag Barbara Budrich ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Voigt, Katja A1 - Spies, Michael T1 - Female Education and Social Change: Changing Perceptions of Women's Roles in Society in the High Mountains of Northern Pakistan JF - Mountain Research and Development N2 - This article investigates the emergence of female education and its social impacts in a remote and male-dominated mountain community through a case study of Nagar District in northern Pakistan. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 24 women from different educational backgrounds and 15 selected male informants, the study reveals a notable increase in educational opportunities for girls and young women within a relatively short time span, and shows how these changes have affected local perceptions of women's social roles. While there are mixed opinions about the usefulness of education for girls—some find that educated women are better housewives and mothers, while others highlight career opportunities for women—female education has clearly contributed to an increase in self-determination of women. Young women now marry later and have fewer children, parents give their daughters more freedom, and education has contributed to an increase in female mobility and to a more confident and visible role of women in community life. While other aspects of social change also play critical roles, this study shows that female education is one important element in the development of a more equitable society in mountains and elsewhere. KW - Female education KW - Development KW - Gender inequality KW - Gilgit-Baltistan KW - Karakoram KW - Nagar District Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-2294 SN - 0276-4741 VL - 2020 IS - 40(4) PB - International Mountain Society CY - Switzerland ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Werg, Jana Lorena A1 - Grothmann, Torsten A1 - Spies, Michael A1 - Mieg, Harald A. T1 - Factors for Self-Protective Behavior against Extreme Weather Events in the Philippines JF - Sustainabilty N2 - We report the results on factors for self-protective behavior against weather extremes such as extreme heat events, drought, and heavy precipitation. Our research draws on the Model of Private Proactive Adaptation to Climate Change (MPPACC). We developed a survey instrument incorporating the main aspects of the MPPACC and other factors from related research work that are assumed to explain why some people show self-protective behavior while others do not. The interview survey was conducted with a non-random sample of 210 respondents from three Philippine cities, namely Baguio, Dagupan, and Tuguegarao. The results reveal the importance of adaptation appraisal, including the perceived feasibility of self-protective measures, the perceived adaptation knowledge, and, with limitations, the perception of actions taken by neighbors or friends. We also show that perceptions of past weather trends are closely linked to risk perception but are only partly corroborated by weather station data. Implications for fostering self-protective behavior are making use of time windows right after an extreme weather event and focusing on enhancing adaptation appraisal. KW - natural hazards KW - climate change KW - perception KW - self-protective measures KW - adaptation Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-2306 SN - 2071-1050 IS - 12(15) PB - MDPI ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Spies, Michael A1 - Alff, Henryk T1 - Assemblages and complex adaptive systems: A conceptual crossroads for integrative research? JF - Geography Compass N2 - In human geography and beyond, assemblage thinking has increasingly gained attention as a perspective from which to investigate the emergence and dynamics of more-than-human entanglements. Similarly, in the interdisciplinary field of social-ecological systems analysis, theories of complex adaptive systems have been employed to investigate how social and ecological dynamics and actors interact with each other on different scales. Nonetheless, despite the success of these conceptual perspectives in their respective research fields, there have been few attempts so far to bring these theoretical strands together to explore their common ground and investigate how they could cross-fertilize each other. This contribution seeks to address this gap, by investigating the ontological compatibility of these two approaches and exploring the potential for meaningful syntheses that could be utilized for integrative research—combining perspectives, approaches, and methods taken from social and environmental sciences for the analysis of human-environmental relations. Based on a comparative discussion of four selected “guiding principles” found in assemblage thinking and complex adaptive systems, namely, socio-nature, emergence/historicity, relationality, and self-organization, we find not only significant common ground between the two perspectives but also discrepancies that may be utilized for cross-fertilization. In particular, we argue complex adaptive systems would benefit from a deeper engagement with society-nature theorizations found in the assemblage literature, while assemblage thinking could borrow from complex adaptive systems to broaden its conception of how elements relate to and co-function with each other. KW - historicity KW - more-than-human social theory KW - relationality KW - social-ecological systems KW - socio-natures Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-2319 SN - 1749-8198 VL - 2020 IS - 14 PB - Wiley ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ruppert, Daniel A1 - Welp, Martin A1 - Spies, Michael A1 - Thevs, Niels T1 - Farmers’ Perceptions of Tree Shelterbelts on Agricultural Land in Rural Kyrgyzstan JF - Sustainabilty N2 - The reestablishment of agroforestry systems in Central Asia, combining crop production with protective tree shelterbelts, provides significant potential to improve farming systems. This includes increasing crop yields, additional income from timber, as well as reducing soil degradation and wind erosion. Thus, adopting shelterbelts as a form of pro-environmental behavior provides a number of socio-economic benefits, although some trade-offs need to be considered as well. This paper investigates factors that shape the perception of—and attitude towards—the establishment of tree shelterbelts by farmers in two case study regions in Kyrgyzstan. Applying a conceptual framework distinguishing between extrinsic and intrinsic factors, research methods included semi-structured interviews with farmers and local policy makers. The results show spatial differences in the perception of shelterbelts, both on the regional and on the village scale. In general, shelterbelts were negatively perceived by more than half of the farmers. The main concern raised by farmers was the shading of crops by shelterbelts, resulting in a decrease of yield. In addition, small field sizes and potential conflicts with neighbors were key concerns. Furthermore, rules set by local self-government bodies were inconsistent with the legislative framework, posing significant restrictions to the adoption of sustainable land use practices. KW - agroforestry KW - agriculture KW - Central Asia KW - adoption KW - perception KW - pro-environmental behavior Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-2323 SN - 2071-1050 VL - 2020 IS - 12 PB - MDPI ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sanne, Moritz A1 - Ahn-Ercan, Gudrun A1 - Pfriem, Alexander T1 - A Mathematical Solution for Calculating the Springback of Laminated Beech Stacks Molded within the Elastic Range JF - Forests N2 - The springback effect in molded wood laminations within the elastic range has, to date, not yet been mathematically described. Once cured, residual internal stresses within the laminations cause the final form to deviate from that of the die. Test pieces of beech laminations of 1 mm, 2 mm and 4 mm thicknesses and stack sizes of between 2 and 16 laminations were used. The elasticity value of each stack was obtained using non-glued laminations in a three-point bending test within the elastic region. The laminations were glued with polyurethane resin and mounted in a radius form die. The stress induced by the die onto the stack is within the elastic region of the material without any prior chemical or physical plasticisation of the wood. After curing was complete and the laminations removed from the die, the actual radius was calculated using a circular equation within the CAD program, using three measurement points taken from the stack. The radius of the die within the limits of this study has a negligible effect when predicting the springback of the stack. The exponential correlation between springback and the number of laminations, was used to calculate the springback effect on molded laminated stacks. KW - elasticity value of lamination stacks KW - form relaxation KW - shape Distortion KW - springback KW - wood moldings Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-2335 SN - 1999-4907 IS - 11 (7) PB - MDPI ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Beier, Grischa A1 - Kiefer, Julian A1 - Knopf, Jutta T1 - Potentials of big data for corporate environmental management: A case study from the German automotive industry JF - Journal of Industrial Ecology N2 - Integrating more sustainability into business processes is becoming increasingly important for companies. At the same time, they aim to collect and analyze large amounts of data (big data) to improve these processes. The potentials of big data for corporate environmental protection are hardly dealt with in the scientific literature. The main contribution of this paper is to identify potential big data use cases for corporate environmental management by using the example of the German automotive industry. For this purpose, expert interviews were conducted with corporate environmental managers which were evaluated by using a qualitative content analysis. In order to balance this environmental perspective and enhance it with data analytical expertise, these use cases were assessed by data analytics experts through a mixed method approach, in a subsequent process. The presentation of the identified five use cases and their critical reflection through data analytics experts are the key results of this paper. KW - automotive sector KW - Big Data KW - corporate environmental management KW - industrial ecology KW - resource management KW - technological change and innovation Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-2340 SN - 1530-9290 VL - 26 IS - 1 SP - 336 EP - 349 PB - Wiley ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Loebijinski, Maria A1 - Rug, Wolfgang A1 - Pasternak, Hartmut T1 - The Influence of Improved Strength Grading In Situ on Modelling Timber Strength Properties JF - Buildings N2 - The management and preservation of structures in our built environment are central and challenging tasks for practicing engineers. Within the CEN member states (European Committee for Standardization), the so-called Eurocodes form the basis of the design and verification of the load-bearing capacity of structures. Current Eurocodes do not contain special recommendations for existing structures, meaning that the principles for new structures are applied. This can lead to an incorrect estimation of the load-bearing capacity within the semi-probabilistic safety concept. A central task within the investigation and evaluation of existing structures is the strength grading of the material in situ using non-/semi-destructive technical devices. Studies show the potential of the ultrasonic time-of-flight measurement in combination with visual evaluation for an improved grading. The information on the material from an improved grading technique can be used to update the material parameters as a target variable using a measured reference variable. In this contribution, test data from a partner project (spruce, pine, and oak) are analyzed, applying the stochastic grading model of Pöhlmann and Rackwitz. It can be shown that different grading techniques influence the updated distribution function of the material strength within the grade. The results depend on the timber species. Perspectives to develop updated models dependent on the knowledge available are shown and discussed. KW - timber KW - existing structures KW - modelling material properties KW - code calibration KW - evaluation procedure Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-2357 SN - 2075-5309 VL - 10 IS - 2 PB - MDPI ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zou, Jie A1 - Ding, Jianli A1 - Welp, Martin A1 - Huang, Shuai A1 - Liu, Bohua T1 - Assessing the Response of Ecosystem Water Use Efficiency to Drought During and after Drought Events across Central Asia JF - Sensors N2 - The frequency and intensity of drought are expected to increase worldwide in the future. However, it is still unclear how ecosystems respond to drought. Ecosystem water use efficiency (WUE) is an essential ecological index used to measure the global carbon–water cycles, and is defined as the carbon absorbed per unit of water lost by the ecosystem. In this study, we applied gross primary productivity (GPP), evapotranspiration (ET), land surface temperature (LST), and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data to calculate the WUE and drought index (temperature vegetation dryness index (TVDI)), all of which were retrieved from moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) data. We compared the mean WUE across different vegetation types, drought classifications, and countries. The temporal and spatial changes in WUE and drought were analyzed. The correlation between drought and WUE was calculated and compared across different vegetation types, and the differences in WUE between drought and post-drought periods were compared. The results showed that (1) ecosystems with a low (high) productivity had a high (low) WUE, and the mean ecosystem WUE of Central Asia showed vast differences across various drought levels, countries, and vegetation types. (2) The WUE in Central Asia exhibited an increasing trend from 2000 to 2014, and Central Asia experienced both drought (from 2000 to 2010) and post-drought (from 2011 to 2014) periods. (3) The WUE showed a negative correlation with drought during the drought period, and an obvious drought legacy effect was found, in which severe drought affected the ecosystem WUE over the following two years, while a positive correlation between WUE and drought was found in the post-drought period. (4) A significant increase in ecosystem WUE was found after drought, which revealed that arid ecosystems exhibit high resilience to drought stress. Our results can provide a specific reference for understanding how ecosystems will respond to climate change. KW - water use efficiency KW - drought KW - arid land KW - legacy effect KW - resilience Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-2361 VL - 20 IS - 3 PB - MDPI ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Shi, Lei A1 - Halik, Ümüt A1 - Abliz, Abdulla A1 - Mamat, Zulpiya A1 - Welp, Martin T1 - Urban Green Space Accessibility and Distribution Equity in an Arid Oasis City: Urumqi, China JF - Forests N2 - Urban green space (UGS) is crucial to the healthy development of urban residents. However, UGS that is accessible can benefit residents to an even greater degree. Based on the two-step floating catchment area model (2SFCA) and the location quotient (LQ), we analyzed the changes from 1999 to 2019 in UGS walking accessibility and equity in built-up areas of Urumqi at different administrative levels, and how UGS policy affects the improvement of accessibility. The results showed that UGS accessibility and equity are not evenly distributed at different administrative levels and UGS categories. Although the overall UGS accessibility and equity has improved with policy implementation, these changes are caused by metro-level UGS construction in urban fringe areas. The improvement in UGS accessibility at the neighborhood level in densely populated areas is neglected, which leads to a mismatch between UGS construction and population distribution. In addition, the accessibility of UGS is also limited by geographical location, population density, road distribution, and water shortage in arid metropolitan Urumqi. Our research results provide a theoretical basis for Urumqi and other cities in the optimization of UGS structure and the realization of social equity. KW - oasis city KW - urban green space (UGS) KW - two-step gloating catchment area method (2SFCA) KW - accessibility KW - inequality KW - UGS policy Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-2385 SN - 1999-4907 VL - 11 IS - 6 PB - MDPI ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Nölting, Benjamin A1 - Molitor, Heike A1 - Reimann, Julian A1 - Skroblin, Jan-Hendrick A1 - Dembski, Nadine T1 - Transfer for Sustainable Development at Higher Education Institutions — Untapped Potential for Education for Sustainable Development and for Societal Transformation JF - Sustainabilty N2 - Higher education institutions (HEIs) are increasingly confronted with societal needs beyond research and teaching. These include sustainable development and technology transfer as well as the practical application of knowledge and ideas. Several HEIs already put sustainable development and transfer into practice. These practitioner–university partnerships comprise a broad range of actors, disciplines, topics, and formats. However, transfer activities that contribute to sustainable development in society still make up only a very small part of HEIs’ activities. In response to calls from society as a whole, HEIs could combine transfer and sustainable development more systematically. In this article, we suggest a concept of transfer for sustainable development. The focus is on sustainability transfer in teaching. We used mixed methods for this conceptual work: exploratory workshops, expert interviews, and a case study of transfer in teaching. One of the results presented in this article is a working definition of sustainability transfer at HEIs. In addition, six characteristics for describing sustainability transfer in its various forms are formulated. This conceptualization makes it possible to analyze the diversity of HEIs’ sustainability transfer activities, it helps to identify and encourage potential transfer actors at HEIs as well as practitioners, and, thus, tap the full potential of sustainability transfer. KW - sustainable development KW - higher education institutions KW - university KW - transfer KW - practitioner-university partnership KW - societal impact KW - education for sustainable development Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-2395 SN - 2071-1050 VL - 12 IS - 7 PB - MDPI ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Stoldt, Mirja A1 - Göttert, Thomas A1 - Mann, Carsten A1 - Zeller, Ulrich T1 - Transfrontier Conservation Areas and Human-Wildlife Conflict: The Case of the Namibian Component of the Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) TFCA JF - Scientific Reports N2 - Our study deals with human-wildlife conflicts in the Namibian component of the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA). The study reconstructs the historical occurrence of selected mammal species and adopts a socio-ecological approach to assess the impact of human dimensions in the KAZA TFCA. Our results reveal pronounced human–wildlife conflicts with considerable impacts on the livelihoods of communities. Human–wildlife conflict has the potential to become a significant contributor to the failure of the TFCA concept. Conflicts are influenced by a growing human population and large mammal species re-colonising formerly abandoned areas. Mapping the occurrence of selected mammal species over time reveals an interesting picture: although conservation initiatives have led to an increase in the population size of selected species, their occurrence is more restricted than in times of heavily decimated wildlife populations. The increasing restriction of wildlife to protected areas reduces the resilience of the ecosystem. To sustainably manage and conserve wildlife populations, a bigger picture including areas outside of the current borders of KAZA TFCA should be considered. This could support re-connecting ecologically important areas for congested populations to move to and reduces the concentration of wildlife and pressure on the land and people of the region. KW - animal migration KW - biodiversity KW - conservation biology KW - Mensch-Wildtier-Konflikt Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-2407 SN - 2045-2322 VL - 10 PB - Nature ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Blumröder, Jeanette Silvin A1 - Hoffmann, Monika T. A1 - Ilina, Olga A1 - Winter, Susanne A1 - Hobson, Peter R. A1 - Ibisch, Pierre L. T1 - Clearcuts and related secondary dieback undermine the ecological effectiveness of FSC certification in a boreal forest JF - Ecological Process N2 - Background: Over the last 25 years, the prominent forest certification system established by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has used by many companies worldwide for claiming responsible forest management. The objectives of the Russian National FSC standard to decrease the size of clearcuts and the retention of forest elements such as residual seed trees need on-site validation to proof the effectiveness of FSC. To assess the ecological impacts of harvesting practices and benefits of FSC certification, we geospatially compared logging activities with and without FSC certification. Within a sample area covering approximately 3,000 km 2 in the east of the Russian Arkhangelsk Region, we used available data on tree cover loss and satellite images to assess secondary impacts of clearcuttings on adjacent remnant forests and to quantify the logging intensity. Additionally, the size and structure as well as the density of skidding trails of ten specific clearcuttings located within the sample area were surveyed using satellite images and in the field observation to delineate the boundaries of clearcuts and forested remnants within the clearcuts. Results: We found a significant increase of small-scale tree cover loss in the proximity of the clearcuts. Patchy dieback is possibly linked to the scale and intensity of logging in the surroundings. On the investigated clearcuts, FSC failed to reduce the size, to increase the retention of forest remnants including seed trees on logged areas, and to maintain larger tracts of undisturbed ground and soil compared to clearcuts that were logged before they received FSC-certification. Conclusions: Trees and forest remnants remaining inside an increasingly stressed forest ecosystem matrix may not resist further harvesting-related and climate change-induced stresses and disturbances. Large-scale clearcuttings seem to have negative impacts even in adjacent forests and undermine the ecological effectiveness of FSC certification in the study area. The Russian FSC standard is not clearly setting effective guidelines that induce a change in clearcutting practices in order to reduce ecological risks. KW - Ecological efectiveness KW - Impact assessment KW - Forest certification KW - Sustainable forestry Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-2414 SN - 2192-1709 IS - 9 PB - SpringerOpen ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Krah, Jennifer A1 - Reimann, Julian A1 - Molitor, Heike T1 - Sustainability in Brandenburg Study Programs. Perspectives for Anchoring Sustainability in Higher Education Curricula JF - Sustainabilty N2 - The study investigates the extent to which sustainability is anchored in university curricula of a federal state (Brandenburg, Germany). (1) It provides a baseline for identifying opportunities for sustainability-related curriculum reform by analyzing study programs, levels and type of degree, level of anchoring, and context within the documents. (2) The case studies included an analysis and quantitative evaluation of 748 curricular documents. (3) A third of the study programs refer to sustainability; to an equal extent in both bachelor’s and master’s programs, and to an above-average extent in the fields of science and engineering. There is a strong commitment to sustainability in 12% of the curricula; however, it is strongly anchored in only 3% of study and examination regulations, and in only 9% of module descriptions. (4) For the first time, we have comprehensive results on sustainability in university curricula of an entire federal state and can discuss potentials for its further integration. The innovative method was developed out of the National Monitoring on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and adapted to the federal state level; the analysis of curricula through a wider set of variables is transferrable to other states. (5) The study provides indications for the regional development of universities which is crucial for future regional sustainability transformation. KW - higher education KW - sustainability KW - transformation KW - curricula KW - sustainability courses KW - education for sustainable development (ESD) KW - education policy KW - governance KW - regional development KW - monitoring and evaluation KW - document analysis Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-2438 SN - 2071-1050 VL - 13 IS - 7 PB - MDPI ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Demele, Uwe A1 - Nölting, Benjamin A1 - Crewett, Wibke A1 - Georgiev, Georgi T1 - Sustainability Transfer as a Concept for Universities in Regional Transformation—A Case Study JF - Sustainabilty N2 - The research object of this study is the in-depth discourse on the sustainability transfer activities of higher education institutions (HEIs) and their contribution to a regional sustainable transformation. For this purpose, a heuristically-derived concept of sustainability transfer is empirically tested with a mixed-methods approach based on the example of Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE). The empirical findings demonstrate that the realization of sustainability transfer depends mainly on the personal initiative of teachers and researchers. Major barriers are a lack of time and financial resources. The observed concept of sustainability transfer is applicable to all study and research areas of HNEE. Involvement in sustainability transfer can include the whole of society, from politics, enterprises, and civil society to education and research institutions. Overall, the empirical testing of the concept offered by this study illustrates its practical suitability to capturing specifically those sustainability transfer activities that are not tapped by third mission approaches. This opens up a novel dimension for transfer potential at universities and their role in regional sustainability transformation. It also highlights that the interdependencies between HEIs and practitioners need to be more contextualized with quality criteria such as the value of the transfer performance or level of ambition. KW - higher education institutions KW - sustainability transformation KW - practitioner-university partnership KW - sustainable development KW - sustainable transfer Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-2456 SN - 2071-1050 VL - 13 IS - 9 PB - MDPI ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mehta, Kedar A1 - Ehrenwirth, Mathias A1 - Missall, Siegmund A1 - Degembaeva, Nadira A1 - Akmatov, Kuban A1 - Zörner, Wilfried T1 - Energy Profiling of a High-Altitude Kyrgyz Community: Challenges and Motivations to Preserve Floodplain Ecosystems Based on Household Survey JF - Sustainabilty N2 - The floodplain areas along the Naryn River in Kyrgyzstan are essential as they hold the riparian (local) ecosystems because they provide firewood, pastureland, and areas for recreation and protection against erosion. Due to limited access to adequate, reliable, and sustainable energy services, the rural population usually derived their energy needs from multiple natural energy resources (i.e., firewood, charcoal, agricultural residues, animal dung, and wood branches). This is considered a common and predominant practice in rural Kyrgyzstan. This situation leads to a negative impact on local ecosystem services. In addition to that, the reliance on solid fuels contributes to indoor and outdoor air pollution, which is partially threatening the local ecosystem services. By contrast, the employment of renewable-based energy supply systems would substantially reduce the burden on the environment, which is mainly untapped. To integrate renewable energies, it is important to understand the energy behavior of floodplain communities. In that response, the presented article is the first attempt to capture the energy identity of the floodplain community of Kyrgyzstan based on a quantitative energy-based (on-site) household survey. Furthermore, the present research article synthesizes the driving factors that have a (direct or indirect) impact on the energy and local ecosystem services. In addition, the present article proposes a brief pathway for the sustainable energy transition. The article records the recommendation to integrate renewable energies to preserve the local ecosystems of Kyrgyzstan. KW - Central Asia KW - ecosystem services KW - energy pattern KW - energy profiling KW - floodplain community KW - high-altitude KW - household survey KW - Kyrgyzstan KW - renewable energies KW - Sustainability Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-2468 SN - 2071-1050 VL - 13 IS - 23 PB - MDPI ER -