@article{ZielhoferSchmidtReicheetal.2022,
  author    = {Zielhofer, Christoph and Schmidt, Johannes and Reiche, Niklas and Tautenhahn, Marie and Ballasus, Helen and Burkart, Michael and Linst{\"a}dter, Anja and Dietze, Elisabeth and Kaiser, Knut and Mehler, Natascha},
  title     = {The lower Havel River Region (Brandenburg, Germany)},
  series = {Water},
  volume    = {14},
  journal   = {Water},
  number    = {3},
  publisher = {MDPI},
  address   = {Basel},
  issn      = {2073-4441},
  doi       = {10.3390/w14030480},
  pages     = {23},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {Instrumental data show that the groundwater and lake levels in Northeast Germany have decreased over the past decades, and this process has accelerated over the past few years. In addition to global warming, the direct influence of humans on the local water balance is suspected to be the cause. Since the instrumental data usually go back only a few decades, little is known about the multidecadal to centennial-scale trend, which also takes long-term climate variation and the long-term influence by humans on the water balance into account. This study aims to quantitatively reconstruct the surface water areas in the Lower Havel Inner Delta and of adjacent Lake Gulpe in Brandenburg. The analysis includes the calculation of surface water areas from historical and modern maps from 1797 to 2020. The major finding is that surface water areas have decreased by approximately 30\% since the pre-industrial period, with the decline being continuous. Our data show that the comprehensive measures in Lower Havel hydro-engineering correspond with groundwater lowering that started before recent global warming. Further, large-scale melioration measures with increasing water demands in the upstream wetlands beginning from the 1960s to the 1980s may have amplified the decline in downstream surface water areas.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{DolgenerFreudenbergerSchneeweissetal.2014,
  author    = {Dolgener, Nicola and Freudenberger, L. and Schneeweiss, N. and Ibisch, P. L. and Tiedemann, Ralph},
  title     = {Projecting current and potential future distribution of the Fire-bellied toad Bombina bombina under climate change in north-eastern Germany},
  series = {Regional environmental change},
  volume    = {14},
  journal   = {Regional environmental change},
  number    = {3},
  publisher = {Springer},
  address   = {Heidelberg},
  issn      = {1436-3798},
  doi       = {10.1007/s10113-013-0468-9},
  pages     = {1063 -- 1072},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {Environmental change is likely to have a strong impact on biodiversity, and many species may shift their distribution in response. In this study, we aimed at projecting the availability of suitable habitat for an endangered amphibian species, the Fire-bellied toad Bombina bombina, in Brandenburg (north-eastern Germany). We modelled a potential habitat distribution map based on (1) a database with 10,581 presence records for Bombina from the years 1990 to 2009, (2) current estimates for ecogeographical variables (EGVs) and (3) the future projection of these EGVs according to the statistical regional model, respectively, the soil and water integrated model, applying the maximum entropy approach (Maxent). By comparing current and potential future distributions, we evaluated the projected change in distribution of suitable habitats and identified the environmental variables most associated with habitat suitability that turned out to be climatic variables related to the hydrological cycle. Under the applied scenario, our results indicate increasing habitat suitability in many areas and an extended range of suitable habitats. However, even if the environmental conditions in Brandenburg may change as predicted, it is questionable whether the Fire-bellied toad will truly benefit, as dispersal abilities of amphibian species are limited and strongly influenced by anthropogenic disturbances, that is, intensive agriculture, habitat destruction and fragmentation. Furthermore, agronomic pressure is likely to increase on productive areas with fertile soils and high water retention capacities, indeed those areas suitable for B. bombina. All these changes may affect temporary pond hydrology as well as the reproductive success and breeding phenology of toads.},
  language  = {en}
}
@misc{HeinkenRaudnitschka2002,
  author    = {Heinken, Thilo and Raudnitschka, Dorit},
  title     = {Do wild ungulates contribute to the dispersal of vascular plants in central European forests by epizoochory?},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-5850},
  year      = {2002},
  abstract  = {The external dispersal ("epizoochory") of vascular plant diaspores (seeds and fruits) by roe deer and wild boar, i.e. the most common wild large mammals with a large home range in central Europe, was investigated in a 6.5-km² forest area in NE Germany dominated by mesic deciduous forests. The study involved brushing out the diaspores from the coats and hooves of 25 shot roe deer and nine wild boar. The results were compared with the forest vegetation of the study area. Whilst wild boar transported large amounts of various diaspores in the coat, the significance of roe deer for epizoochory was low due to their sleek fur and different behaviour compared to wild boar. Altogether, 55 vascular plant species were transported externally. Since only a limited number of seeds came from woodland habitats, the open landscape was at least as important as a source of attached seeds as the forest vegetation. Thus, most plant species occurring in the studied forest area, especially characteristic woodland herbs, showed no adaptations to epizoochorous dispersal, although being very abundant in the herb layer. We conclude that hoofed game play a particular role concerning the dispersal of ruderal and grassland species in the agricultural landscape of central Europe. However, the actual spread of some herb species in forests of northern Germany, e.g. Agrostis capillaris, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Deschampsia flexuosa, Galium aparine and Urtica dioica, may be mainly facilitated by wild ungulates. Though dispersal by large mammals is an important mechanism for long-distance dispersal of plants in general, our results suggest that most of the characteristic herb species of mesic deciduous forests have only low epizoochorous dispersal potentials. The implications for nature conservation and silviculture are discussed.},
  language  = {en}
}