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Veröffentlichung Integrated analysis of climate change, land-use, energy and water strategies(2013)Land, energy and water are our most precious resources, but the manner and extent to which they are exploited contributes to climate change. Meanwhile, the systems that provide these resources are themselves highly vulnerable to changes in climate. Efficient resource management is therefore of great importance, both for mitigation and for adaptation purposes. We postulate that the lack of integration in resource assessments and policy-making leads to inconsistent strategies and inefficient use of resources. We present CLEWs (climate, land-use, energy and water strategies), a new paradigm for resource assessments that we believe can help to remedy some of these shortcomings.
Quelle: http://www.nature.comVeröffentlichung Selected Trade-Offs and risks associated with land use transitions in central Germany(2019) Priess, Jörg A.; Hoyer, Christian; Jäckel, Greta; Schweitzer, ChristianFuture uncertainties and risks for socio-environmental systems are often addressed in the form of scenarios. This study aims to identify the biggest future risks and uncertainties for the study region Central Germany and the question which land use changes and impacts on selected ecosystem services related to agricultural production can be expected in the coming decades. For this purpose, we co-developed scenario storylines along the largest uncertainties, how the region may change with different stakeholders and used environmental models to simulate land-use changes and impacts on selected ecosystem services related to agricultural production. The study revealed that Climate change may have beneficial (e.g. maize, sugar beet) or adverse effects (e.g. barley, wheat) on crop yield levels, depending on crop type and level of climate change. In the scenarios crop production is additionally influenced by different levels of regional preferences influencing crop land extent (e.g., afforestation), crop management (e.g., organic production), and crop types used for food or bioenergy production. As driving factors such as climate change, land availability, and land management all influence agriculture, integrated studies like this are needed to assess future crop production. However, sustainability objectives may prefer other than the most productive agricultural pathways providing additional benefits such as regulating or cultural services. © Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2019Veröffentlichung Regelungsvorschlag der Europäischen Kommission für die Wasserwiederverwendung(2019) Helmecke, ManuelaAm 28. Mai 2018 hat die Europäische Kommission ihren Verordnungsvorschlag über Mindestanforderungen für die Wasserwiederverwendung veröffentlicht. Dieser bezieht sich auf die direkte und geplante Verwendung von aufbereitetem Kommunalabwasser für die landwirtschaftliche Bewässerung. Neben einheitlichen Mindestanforderungen für den Gesundheitsschutz sieht der Vorschlag ein umfassendes standortspezifisches Risikomanagement und Regelungen zur Datenoffenlegung über Wasserwiederverwendung vor. Bezüglich der Verpflichtungen der wesentlichen Akteure, der Genehmigungspraxis sowie des Niveaus der Anforderungen sieht das Umweltbundesamt noch wesentlichen Diskussions- und Konkretisierungsbedarf. Der aktuelle Fokus auf eine standortspezifische Herangehensweise wird einer Verordnung nicht gerecht. Zudem können die aktuell vorgeschlagenen Anforderungen kein EU-weit einheitliches und sicheres Anforderungsniveau gewährleisten. Vor allem der Umweltschutz wird durch den Vorschlag nicht angemessen adressiert. VerlagsinformationVeröffentlichung Reassessment of the potential risk of soil erosion by water on agricultural land in Germany: Setting the stage for site-appropriate decision-making in soil and water resources management(2020) Plambeck, Nils OleAccelerated soil erosion by water on agricultural land is considered one of the most critical forms of soil degradation, as it threatens both agronomic productivity and environmental quality. Given that both the costs and the benefits of soil erosion control measures are subject to spatial variation, the criterion of cost-effectiveness calls for spatially heterogeneous soil conservation policies. Under the German Direct Payments Regulation, federal state authorities are obliged to assess the potential risk of soil erosion by water on arable land in accordance with ABAG - the German version of the well-established Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) - and to impose appropriate management restrictions on farmers. However, the responsible federal state authorities have considerable degrees of freedom with regard to the methodology of erosion modelling - and thus in the designation of soil erosion protection areas: First, classification is carried out by multiplication of soil erodibility (K) and slope steepness (S) factors; the inclusion of rainfall erosivity (R) and slope length (L) factors is only optional. Second, classification of RKS- and RKLS-factors corresponds to the assumption of cross-regional standard estimates for R and L, which do not adequately reflect the heterogeneity of local conditions. This inevitably leads to over- and underestimation of local soil erosion hazards. As a consequence, the official risk assessment of soil erosion by water in Germany consists of a patchwork of cadastral risk maps at federal state level, which are neither publicly available nor fully comparable with each other. Hence, under current legislation there is a great danger that management requirements will be imposed on German farmers, which are economically inefficient, distort competition and do not achieve their environmental objectives. The aim of this study is to identify methodological and conceptual potential for improvement and harmonization in the risk assessment of soil erosion by water in Germany. For this purpose, high-resolution nationwide maps of rainfall erosivity (R-factor), soil erodibility (K-factor), slope length (L-factor), and slope steepness (S-factor) are produced in accordance with the revised ABAG using High Performance Computing (HPC) resources. The study area covers arable land, permanent grassland, vineyards, and orchard plantations. The modelling shows that the potential risk of soil erosion by water on agricultural land in Germany is much higher than previously assumed. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd.Veröffentlichung Nitrogen soil surface budgets for districts in Germany 1995 to 2017(2020) Häußermann, Uwe; Klement, Laura; Breuer, Lutz; Ullrich, Antje; Wechsung, GabrieleBackground Nitrogen (N) as a key input for crop production has adverse effects on the environment through emissions of reactive nitrogen. Less than 20% of the fertiliser nitrogen applied to agricultural land is actually consumed by humans in meat. Given this situation, nitrogen budgets have been introduced to quantify potential losses into the environment, to raise awareness in nutrient management, and to enforce and monitor nutrient mitigation measures. The surplus of the N soil surface budget has been used for many years for the assessment of potentially water pollution with nitrate from agriculture. Results For the 402 districts in Germany, nitrogen soil surface budgets were calculated for the time series 1995 to 2017. For the first time, biogas production in agriculture and the transfer of manure between districts were included in the budget. Averaged for all districts, the recent N supply to the utilised agricultural area (UAA) totals 227 kg N ha-1 UAA (mean 2015-2017), among them 104 kg N ha-1 UAA mineral fertiliser, 59 kg N ha-1 UAA manure, 33 kg N ha-1 UAA digestate, 14 kg N ha-1 UAA from gross atmospheric deposition, 13 kg N ha-1 UAA biological N fixation, and 1 kg N ha-1 UAA from seed and planting material. The withdrawal with harvested products accounts for 149 kg N ha-1 UAA, resulting in an N soil surface budget surplus of 77 kg N ha-1 UAA. The N surpluses per district (mean 2015-2017) vary considerably between 26 and 162 kg N ha-1 UAA and the nitrogen use efficiency of crop production ranges from 0.53 to 0.79 in the districts. The N surplus in Germany as a whole has remained nearly constant since 1995, but the regional distribution has changed significantly. The N surplus has decreased in the arable farming regions, but increased in the districts with high livestock density. Some of this surplus, however, is relocated to other districts through the transfer of manure. Conclusions The 23-year time series forms a reliable basis for further interpretation of N soil surface surplus in Germany. Agri-environmental programmes such as the limitation of the N surplus through the Fertiliser Ordinance and the promotion of biogas production have a clear effect on the N surplus in Germany as a whole and its regional distribution. © 2020 BioMed Central Ltd.Veröffentlichung Linking landscape composition and biological factors with exposure levels of rodenticides and agrochemicals in avian apex predators from Germany(2021) Badry, Alexander; Schenke, Detlef; Treu, GabrieleIntensification of agricultural practices has resulted in a substantial decline of Europe's farmland bird populations. Together with increasing urbanisation, chemical pollution arising from these land uses is a recognised threat to wildlife. Raptors are known to be particularly sensitive to pollutants that biomagnify and are thus frequently used sentinels for pollution in food webs. The current study focussed on anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) but also considered selected medicinal products (MPs) and frequently used plant protection products (PPPs). We analysed livers of raptor species from agricultural and urban habitats in Germany, namely red kites (MIML; Milvus milvus), northern goshawks (ACGE; Accipiter gentilis) and Eurasian sparrowhawks (ACNI; Accipiter nisus) as well as white-tailed sea eagles (HAAL; Haliaeetus albicilla) and ospreys (PAHA; Pandion haliaetus) to account for potential aquatic exposures. Landscape composition was quantified using geographic information systems. The highest detection of ARs occurred in ACGE (81.3%; n = 48), closely followed by MIML (80.5%; n = 41), HAAL (38.3%; n = 60) and ACNI (13%; n = 23), whereas no ARs were found in PAHA (n = 13). Generalized linear models demonstrated (1) an increased probability for adults to be exposed to ARs with increasing urbanisation, and (2) that species-specific traits were responsible for the extent of exposure. For MPs, we found ibuprofen in 14.9% and fluoroquinolones in 2.3% in individuals that were found dead. Among 30 investigated PPPs, dimethoate (and its metabolite omethoate) and thiacloprid were detected in two MIML each. We assumed that the levels of dimethoate were a consequence of deliberate poisoning. AR and insecticide poisoning were considered to represent a threat to red kites and may ultimately contribute to reported decreased survival rates. Overall, our study suggests that urban raptors are at greatest risk for AR exposure and that exposures may not be limited to terrestrial food webs. © 2020 The AuthorsVeröffentlichung Research meetings must be more sustainable(2020) Sanz-Cobena, Alberto; Alessandrini, Roberta; Bodirsky, Benjamin Leon; Geupel, MarkusVeröffentlichung Effects of anticoagulant rodenticide poisoning on spatial behavior of farm dwelling Norway rats(2021) Walther, Bernd; Ennen, Hendrik; Geduhn, Anke; Schlötelburg, AnnikaCommensal rodent species cause damage to crops and stored products, they transmit pathogens to people, live-stock and pets and threaten nativeflora and fauna. Tominimize such adverse effects, commensal rodentsare pre-dominantly managed with anticoagulant rodenticides (AR) that can be transferred along the food chain. Wetested the effect of the uptake of the AR brodifacoum (BR) by Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) on spatial behaviorbecause this helps to assess the availability of dead rats and residual BR to predators and scavengers. BR was de-livered by oral gavage or free-fed bait presented in bait stations. Rats were radio-collared to monitor spatial be-havior. BR residues in rat liver tissue were analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem massspectrometry. Norway rats that had consumed BR decreased distances moved and had reduced home rangesize. Treatment effects on spatial behavior seemed to set in rapidly. However, there was no effect on habitat pref-erence. Ninety-two percent of rats that succumbed to BR died in well-hidden locations, where removal by scav-enging birds and large mammalian scavengers is unlikely. Rats that ingested bait from bait stations had 65% higher residue concentrations than rats that died from dosing with two-fold LD50.Thissuggestsanoverdosingin rats that are managed with 0.0025% BR. None of the 70 BR-loaded rats was caught/removed by wild preda-tors/scavengers before collection of carcasses within 5-29 h. Therefore, and because almost all dead rats diedin well-hidden locations, they do not seem to pose a significant risk of AR exposure to large predators/scavengers at livestock farms. Exposure of large predators may originate from AR-poisoned non-target small mammals. Thefew rats that died in the open are accessible and should be removed in routine searches during and after the ap-plication of AR bait to minimize transfer of AR into the wider environment. © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.Veröffentlichung Three reasons why the Water Framework Directive (WFD) fails to identify pesticide risks(2021) Arle, Jens; Liebmann, Liana; Weisner, OliverThe Water Framework Directive (WFD) demands that good status is to be achieved for all European water bodies. While governmental monitoring under the WFD mostly concludes a good status with regard to pesticide pollution, numerous scientific studies have demonstrated widespread negative ecological impacts of pesticide exposure in surface waters. To identify reasons for this discrepancy, we analysed pesticide concentrations measured in a monitoring campaign of 91 agricultural streams in 2018 and 2019 using methodologies that exceed the requirements of the WFD. This included a sampling strategy that takes into account the periodic occurrence of pesticides and a different analyte spectrum designed to reflect current pesticide use. We found that regulatory acceptable concentrations (RACs) were exceeded for 39 different pesticides at 81% of monitoring sites. In comparison, WFD-compliant monitoring of the same sites would have detected only eleven pesticides as exceeding the WFD-based environmental quality standards (EQS) at 35% of monitoring sites. We suggest three reasons for this underestimation of pesticide risk under the WFD-compliant monitoring: (1) The sampling approach - the timing and site selection are unable to adequately capture the periodic occurrence of pesticides and investigate surface waters particularly susceptible to pesticide risks; (2) the measuring method - a too narrow analyte spectrum (6% of pesticides currently approved in Germany) and insufficient analytical capacities result in risk drivers being overlooked; (3) the assessment method for measured concentrations - the protectivity and availability of regulatory thresholds are not sufficient to ensure a good ecological status. We therefore propose practical and legal refinements to improve the WFD's monitoring and assessment strategy in order to gain a more realistic picture of pesticide surface water pollution. This will enable more rapid identification of risk drivers and suitable risk management measures to ultimately improve the status of European surface waters. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd.Veröffentlichung Focus on reactive nitrogen and the UN sustainable development goals(2022) Winiwarter, Wilfried; Amon, Barbara; Bodirsky, Benjamin Leon; Geupel, MarkusThe scientific evidence assembled in this Focus Collection on 'Reactive nitrogen and the UN sustainable development goals' emphasizes the relevance of agriculture as a key sector for nitrogen application as well as its release to the environment and the observed impacts. Published work proves the multiple connections and their causality, and presents pathways to mitigate negative effects while maintaining the benefits, foremost the production of food to sustain humanity. Providing intersections from field to laboratory studies and to modelling approaches, across multiple scales and for all continents, the Collection displays an overview of the state of nitrogen science in the early 21st century. Extending science to allow for policy-relevant messages renders the evidence provided a valuable basis for a global assessment of reactive nitrogen. © Authors