@article{YairBryanLaveeetal.2013, author = {Yair, Aaron and Bryan, Rorke B. and Lavee, Hanoch and Schwanghart, Wolfgang and Kuhn, Nikolaus J.}, title = {The resilience of a badland area to climate change in an arid environment}, series = {Catena : an interdisciplinary journal of soil science, hydrology, geomorphology focusing on geoecology and landscape evolution}, volume = {106}, journal = {Catena : an interdisciplinary journal of soil science, hydrology, geomorphology focusing on geoecology and landscape evolution}, number = {4}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0341-8162}, doi = {10.1016/j.catena.2012.04.006}, pages = {12 -- 21}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Badlands have long been considered as model landscapes due to their perceived close relationship between form and process. The often intense features of erosion have also attracted many geomorphologists because the associated high rates of erosion appeared to offer the opportunity for studying surface processes and the resulting forms. Recently, the perceived simplicity of badlands has been questioned because the expected relationships between driving forces for erosion and the resulting sediment yield could not be observed. Further, a high variability in erosion and sediment yield has been observed across scales. Finally, denudation based on currently observed erosion rates would have lead to the destruction of most badlands a long time ago. While the perceived simplicity of badlands has sparked a disproportional (compared to the land surface they cover) amount of research, our increasing amount of information has not necessarily increased our understanding of badlands in equal terms. Overall, badlands appear to be more complex than initially assumed. In this paper, we review 40 years of research in the Zin Valley Badlands in Israel to reconcile some of the conflicting results observed there and develop a perspective on the function of badlands as model landscapes. While the data collected in the Zin Valley clearly confirm that spatial and temporal patterns of geomorphic processes and their interaction with topography and surface properties have to be understood, we still conclude that the process of realizing complexity in the "simple" badlands has a model function both for our understanding as well as perspective on all landscape systems.}, language = {en} } @article{WischnewskiMackayApplebyetal.2011, author = {Wischnewski, Juliane and Mackay, Anson W. and Appleby, Peter G. and Mischke, Steffen and Herzschuh, Ulrike}, title = {Modest diatom responses to regional warming on the southeast Tibetan Plateau during the last two centuries}, series = {Journal of paleolimnolog}, volume = {46}, journal = {Journal of paleolimnolog}, number = {2}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Dordrecht}, issn = {0921-2728}, doi = {10.1007/s10933-011-9533-x}, pages = {215 -- 227}, year = {2011}, abstract = {A general mean annual temperature increase accompanied with substantial glacial retreat has been noted on the Tibetan Plateau during the last two centuries but most significantly since the mid 1950s. These climate trends are particularly apparent on the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. However, the Tibetan Plateau (due to its heterogeneous mountain landscape) has very complex and spatially differing temperature and precipitations patterns. As a result, intensive palaeolimnological investigations are necessary to decipher these climatic patterns and to understand ecological responses to recent environmental change. Here we present palaeolimnological results from a (210)Pb/(137)Cs-dated sediment core spanning approximately the last 200 years from a remote high-mountain lake (LC6 Lake, working name) on the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. Sediment profiles of diatoms, organic variables (TOC, C:N) and grain size were investigated. The (210)Pb record suggests a period of rapid sedimentation, which might be linked to major tectonic events in the region ca. 1950. Furthermore, unusually high (210)Pb supply rates over the last 50 years suggest that the lake has possibly been subjected to increasing precipitation rates, sediment focussing and/or increased spring thaw. The majority of diatom taxa encountered in the core are typical of slightly acidic to circumneutral, oligotrophic, electrolyte-poor lakes. Diatom species assemblages were rich, and dominated by Cyclotella sp., Achnanthes sp., Aulacoseira sp. and fragilarioid taxa. Diatom compositional change was minimal over the 200-year period (DCCA = 0.85 SD, p = 0.59); only a slightly more diverse but unstable diatom assemblage was recorded during the past 50 years. The results indicate that large-scale environmental changes recorded in the twentieth century (i.e. increased precipitation and temperatures) are likely having an affect on the LC6 Lake, but so far these impacts are more apparent on the lake geochemistry than on the diatom flora. Local and/or regional peculiarities, such as increasing precipitation and cloud cover, or localized climatic phenomena, such as negative climate feedbacks, might have offset the effects of increasing mean surface temperatures.}, language = {en} } @article{WischnewskiHerzschuhRuehlandetal.2014, author = {Wischnewski, Juliane and Herzschuh, Ulrike and Ruehland, Kathleen M. and Braeuning, Achim and Mischke, Steffen and Smol, John P. and Wang, Lily}, title = {Recent ecological responses to climate variability and human impacts in the Nianbaoyeze Mountains (eastern Tibetan Plateau) inferred from pollen, diatom and tree-ring data}, series = {Journal of paleolimnolog}, volume = {51}, journal = {Journal of paleolimnolog}, number = {2}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Dordrecht}, issn = {0921-2728}, doi = {10.1007/s10933-013-9747-1}, pages = {287 -- 302}, year = {2014}, abstract = {The Tibetan Plateau is a region that is highly sensitive to recent global warming, but the complexity and heterogeneity of its mountainous landscape can result in variable responses. In addition, the scarcity and brevity of regional instrumental and palaeoecological records still hamper our understanding of past and present patterns of environmental change. To investigate how the remote, high-alpine environments of the Nianbaoyeze Mountains, eastern Tibetan Plateau, are affected by climate change and human activity over the last similar to 600 years, we compared regional tree-ring studies with pollen and diatom remains archived in the dated sediments of Dongerwuka Lake (33.22A degrees N, 101.12A degrees E, 4,307 m a.s.l.). In agreement with previous studies from the eastern Tibetan Plateau, a strong coherence between our two juniper-based tree-ring chronologies from the Nianbaoyeze and the Anemaqin Mountains was observed, with pronounced cyclical variations in summer temperature reconstructions. A positive directional trend to warmer summer temperatures in the most recent decades, was, however, not observed in the tree-ring record. Likewise, our pollen and diatom spectra showed minimal change over the investigated time period. Although modest, the most notable change in the diatom relative abundances was a subtle decrease in the dominant planktonic Cyclotella ocellata and a concurrent increase in small, benthic fragilarioid taxa in the similar to 1820s, suggesting higher ecosystem variability. The pollen record subtly indicates three periods of increased cattle grazing activity (similar to 1400-1480 AD, similar to 1630-1760 AD, after 1850 AD), but shows generally no significant vegetation changes during past similar to 600 years. The minimal changes observed in the tree-ring, diatom and pollen records are consistent with the presence of localised cooling centres that are evident in instrumental and tree-ring data within the southeastern and eastern Tibetan Plateau. Given the minor changes in regional temperature records, our complacent palaeoecological profiles suggest that climatically induced ecological thresholds have not yet been crossed in the Nianbaoyeze Mountains region.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Wilhelm2007, author = {Wilhelm, Susann}, title = {Climate induced impacts on lake functioning in summer}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-14599}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2007}, abstract = {Es gibt bereits viele Hinweise daf{\"u}r, dass Seen sehr sensibel auf die anthropogen verursachte Klimaerw{\"a}rmung reagiert haben. Bis jetzt haben sich die Studien der Klimafolgenforschung haupts{\"a}chlichst auf die Auswirkungen der Erw{\"a}rmung im Winter und Fr{\"u}hling konzentriert. {\"U}ber den Einfluss der Klimaerw{\"a}rmung auf Seen in den gem{\"a}ßigten Breiten im Sommer ist weniger bekannt. In der vorliegenden Doktorarbeit habe ich einige Faktoren, welche die Reaktion von Seen auf die Erw{\"a}rmung im Sommer vermutlich stark mitbestimmt haben, untersucht. Der Schwerpunkt lag dabei auf klimatisch induzierten Auswirkungen auf die thermische Charakteristik und die Ph{\"a}nologie und Abundanz des Planktons eines flachen und polymiktischen Sees (M{\"u}ggelsee, Berlin). Zuerst wurde der Einfluss der Klimaerw{\"a}rmung auf die Ph{\"a}nologie und Abundanz des Planktons in verschiedenen Jahreszeiten untersucht. Das schnellwachsende Phyto- und Zooplankton (Daphnia) im Fr{\"u}hjahr hat sich vorwiegend synchron vorverschoben, wohingegen Ver{\"a}nderungen des Sommerzooplanktons deutlich artspezifisch und nicht synchron waren. Die Ph{\"a}nologie oder Abundanz einiger Sommercopepoden hat sich entsprechend der individuellen thermischen Anforderungen innerhalb bestimmter Entwicklungsstufen, wie zum Beispiel der Emergenz von der Diapause im Fr{\"u}hling, ver{\"a}ndert. Die Studie unterstreicht, dass nicht nur der Grad der Erw{\"a}rmung, sondern auch dessen Zeitpunkt innerhalb des Jahres von großer {\"o}kologischer Bedeutung ist. Um die Auswirkungen des Klimawandels auf die thermischen Eigenschaften des Sees zu erforschen, habe ich die Langzeitentwicklung der t{\"a}glichen epilimnischen Temperaturextrema w{\"a}hrend des Sommers untersucht. Durch diese Studie wurde zum ersten Mal f{\"u}r Seen gezeigt, dass die t{\"a}glichen epilimnischen Minima (Nacht) st{\"a}rker angestiegen sind als die Maxima (Tag), wodurch sich der t{\"a}gliche epilimnische Temperaturbereich deutlich verringert hat. Diese Tag-Nacht-Asymmetrie in der epilimnischen Temperatur wurde durch eine erh{\"o}hte Emission von Langwellenstrahlung aus der Atmosph{\"a}re w{\"a}hrend der Nacht verursacht. Dies unterstreicht, dass nicht nur Erh{\"o}hungen der Lufttemperatur, sondern auch {\"A}nderungen anderer meteorologischer Variablen wie der Windgeschwindigkeit, der Luftfeuchte und der Bew{\"o}lkung eine wichtige Rolle bei der Bestimmung der Seetemperatur im Hinblick auf weitere Klimaver{\"a}nderungen spielen werden. Zudem wurde eine Kurzzeitanalyse zum Schichtungsverhalten des polymiktischen Sees durchgef{\"u}hrt, um die H{\"a}ufigkeit und Dauer von Schichtungsereignissen und deren Einfluss auf den gel{\"o}sten Sauerstoff, die gel{\"o}sten N{\"a}hrstoffe und das Phytoplankton zu untersuchen. Selbst w{\"a}hrend der l{\"a}ngsten Schichtungsereignisse (Hitzewellen 2003 und 2006) unterschieden sich die Auswirkungen auf den See von denen, welche in flachen dimiktischen Seen w{\"a}hrend der kontinuierlichen Sommerschichtung auftreten. Die hypolimnische Temperatur war h{\"o}her, was die Sauerstoffzehrung und die Akkumulation von gel{\"o}sten N{\"a}hrstoffen beg{\"u}nstigt hat. Die thermische Schichtung wird in Zukunft sehr wahrscheinlich zunehmen. Dies l{\"a}sst darauf schließen, dass polymiktische Seen sehr anf{\"a}llig gegen{\"u}ber {\"A}nderungen im Hinblick auf projizierte Klimaver{\"a}nderungen sein werden. Abschließend wurde eine Studie {\"u}ber Lang- und Kurzzeitver{\"a}nderungen in der Entwicklung der planktischen Larven der Muschel Dreissena polymorpha durchgef{\"u}hrt, um den Einfluss der Ver{\"a}nderungen im thermischen und trophischen Regime des Sees zu analysieren. Die Klimaerw{\"a}rmung und die Verringerung in der externen N{\"a}hrstofffracht haben die Abundanz der Larven stark beeinflusst indem sie jeweils auf bestimmte Entwicklungsphasen dieser Art w{\"a}hrend der warmen Jahreszeiten gewirkt haben. Der Anstieg in der Abundanz und der L{\"a}nge der Larven stand im Zusammenhang mit dem R{\"u}ckgang der N{\"a}hrstofffracht und der Ver{\"a}nderung der Phytoplanktonzusammensetzung. Die Hitzewellen in den Jahren 2003 und 2006 haben diesen positiven Effekt auf die Larvenabundanz jedoch durch ung{\"u}nstige Sauerstoffkonzentrationen w{\"a}hrend der sehr langen Schichtung aufgehoben. Die Klimaerw{\"a}rmung kann demzufolge entgegenwirkende Effekte in produktiven flachen Seen, in welchen die externe N{\"a}hrstofffracht reduziert wurde, ausl{\"o}sen. Aus diesen Ergebnissen schließe ich, dass nicht nur die Art des Klimawandels und damit der Zeitpunkt der Erw{\"a}rmung und das Auftreten von Extremen wie Hitzewellen, sondern auch standortspezifische Bedingungen wie Schichtungsverhalten und Trophiegrad entscheidende Faktoren sind, welche die Auswirkungen der Klimaerw{\"a}rmung auf interne Seeprozesse im Sommer bestimmen. Somit sollte sich die weiterf{\"u}hrende Klimafolgenforschung f{\"u}r Seen darauf konzentrieren, wie verschiedene Seetypen auf die komplexen Umweltver{\"a}nderungen im Sommer reagieren, damit ein umfassenderes Verst{\"a}ndnis {\"u}ber den Einfluss von anthropogen verursachten Ver{\"a}nderungen auf Seen der gem{\"a}ßigten Breiten erreicht wird.}, language = {en} } @article{WiesmeierPrietzelBartholdetal.2013, author = {Wiesmeier, Martin and Prietzel, J{\"o}rg and Barthold, Frauke Katrin and Sp{\"o}rlein, Peter and Geuss, Uwe and Hangen, Edzard and Reischl, Arthur and Schilling, Bernd and von L{\"u}tzow, Margit and K{\"o}gel-Knabner, Ingrid}, title = {Storage and drivers of organic carbon in forest soils of southeast Germany (Bavaria) - Implications for carbon sequestration}, series = {Forest ecology and management}, volume = {295}, journal = {Forest ecology and management}, number = {10}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0378-1127}, doi = {10.1016/j.foreco.2013.01.025}, pages = {162 -- 172}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Temperate forest soils of central Europe are regarded as important pools for soil organic carbon (SOC) and thought to have a high potential for carbon (C) sequestration. However, comprehensive data on total SOC storage, particularly under different forest types, and its drivers is limited. In this study, we analyzed a forest data set of 596 completely sampled soil profiles down to the parent material or to a depth of 1 m within Bavaria in southeast Germany in order to determine representative SOC stocks under different forest types in central Europe and the impact of different environmental parameters. We calculated a total median SOC stock of 9.8 kg m(-2) which is considerably lower compared with many other inventories within central Europe that used modelled instead of measured soil properties. Statistical analyses revealed climate as controlling parameter for the storage of SOC with increasing stocks in cool, humid mountainous regions and a strong decrease in areas with higher temperatures. No significant differences of total SOC storage were found between broadleaf, coniferous and mixed forests. However, coniferous forests stored around 35\% of total SOC in the labile organic layer that is prone to human disturbance, forest fires and rising temperatures. In contrast, mixed and broadleaf forests stored the major part of SOC in the mineral soil. Moreover, these two forest types showed unchanged or even slightly increased mineral SOC stocks with higher temperatures, whereas SOC stocks in mineral soils under coniferous forest were distinctly lower. We conclude that mixed and broadleaf forests are more advantageous for C sequestration than coniferous forests. An intensified incorporation of broadleaf species in extent coniferous forests of Bavaria would prevent substantial SOC losses as a result of rising temperatures in the course of climate change.}, language = {en} } @unpublished{WellsteinSchroederEsselbachReinekingetal.2011, author = {Wellstein, Camilla and Schr{\"o}der-Esselbach, Boris and Reineking, Bjoern and Zimmermann, Niklaus E.}, title = {Understanding species and community response to environmental change - A functional trait perspective}, series = {Agriculture, ecosystems \& environment : an international journal for scientific research on the relationship of agriculture and food production to the biosphere}, volume = {145}, journal = {Agriculture, ecosystems \& environment : an international journal for scientific research on the relationship of agriculture and food production to the biosphere}, number = {1}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0167-8809}, doi = {10.1016/j.agee.2011.06.024}, pages = {1 -- 4}, year = {2011}, language = {en} } @article{VormoorLawrenceSchlichtingetal.2016, author = {Vormoor, Klaus Josef and Lawrence, Deborah and Schlichting, Lena and Wilson, Donna and Wong, Wai Kwok}, title = {Evidence for changes in the magnitude and frequency of observed rainfall vs. snowmelt driven floods in Norway}, series = {Journal of hydrology}, volume = {538}, journal = {Journal of hydrology}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0022-1694}, doi = {10.1016/j.jhydrol.2016.03.066}, pages = {33 -- 48}, year = {2016}, abstract = {There is increasing evidence for recent changes in the intensity and frequency of heavy precipitation and in the number of days with snow cover in many parts of Norway. The question arises as to whether these changes are also discernable with respect to their impacts on the magnitude and frequency of flooding and on the processes producing high flows. In this study, we tested up to 211 catchments for trends in peak flow discharge series by applying the Mann-Kendall test and Poisson regression for three different time periods (1962-2012, 1972-2012, 1982-2012). Field-significance was tested using a bootstrap approach. Over threshold discharge events were classified into rainfall vs. snowmelt dominated floods, based on a simple water balance approach utilizing a nationwide 1 x 1 km(2) gridded data set with daily observed rainfall and simulated snowmelt data. Results suggest that trends in flood frequency are more pronounced than trends in flood magnitude and are more spatially consistent with observed changes in the hydrometeorological drivers. Increasing flood frequencies in southern and western Norway are mainly due to positive trends in the frequency of rainfall dominated events, while decreasing flood frequencies in northern Norway are mainly the result of negative trends in the frequency of snowmelt dominated floods. Negative trends in flood magnitude are found more often than positive trends, and the regional patterns of significant trends reflect differences in the flood generating processes (FGPs). The results illustrate the benefit of distinguishing FGPs rather than simply applying seasonal analyses. The results further suggest that rainfall has generally gained an increasing importance for the generation of floods in Norway, while the role of snowmelt has been decreasing and the timing of snowmelt dominated floods has become earlier. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.}, language = {en} } @misc{VogelPatonAichetal.2021, author = {Vogel, Johannes and Paton, Eva and Aich, Valentin and Bronstert, Axel}, title = {Increasing compound warm spells and droughts in the Mediterranean Basin}, series = {Postprints der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe}, journal = {Postprints der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe}, number = {1127}, issn = {1866-8372}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-49629}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-496294}, pages = {16}, year = {2021}, abstract = {The co-occurrence of warm spells and droughts can lead to detrimental socio-economic and ecological impacts, largely surpassing the impacts of either warm spells or droughts alone. We quantify changes in the number of compound warm spells and droughts from 1979 to 2018 in the Mediterranean Basin using the ERA5 data set. We analyse two types of compound events: 1) warm season compound events, which are extreme in absolute terms in the warm season from May to October and 2) year-round deseasonalised compound events, which are extreme in relative terms respective to the time of the year. The number of compound events increases significantly and especially warm spells are increasing strongly - with an annual growth rates of 3.9 (3.5) \% for warm season (deseasonalised) compound events and 4.6 (4.4) \% for warm spells -, whereas for droughts the change is more ambiguous depending on the applied definition. Therefore, the rise in the number of compound events is primarily driven by temperature changes and not the lack of precipitation. The months July and August show the highest increases in warm season compound events, whereas the highest increases of deseasonalised compound events occur in spring and early summer. This increase in deseasonalised compound events can potentially have a significant impact on the functioning of Mediterranean ecosystems as this is the peak phase of ecosystem productivity and a vital phenophase.}, language = {en} } @article{VogelPatonAichetal.2021, author = {Vogel, Johannes and Paton, Eva and Aich, Valentin and Bronstert, Axel}, title = {Increasing compound warm spells and droughts in the Mediterranean Basin}, series = {Weather and climate extremes}, volume = {32}, journal = {Weather and climate extremes}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {2212-0947}, doi = {10.1016/j.wace.2021.100312}, pages = {14}, year = {2021}, abstract = {The co-occurrence of warm spells and droughts can lead to detrimental socio-economic and ecological impacts, largely surpassing the impacts of either warm spells or droughts alone. We quantify changes in the number of compound warm spells and droughts from 1979 to 2018 in the Mediterranean Basin using the ERA5 data set. We analyse two types of compound events: 1) warm season compound events, which are extreme in absolute terms in the warm season from May to October and 2) year-round deseasonalised compound events, which are extreme in relative terms respective to the time of the year. The number of compound events increases significantly and especially warm spells are increasing strongly - with an annual growth rates of 3.9 (3.5) \% for warm season (deseasonalised) compound events and 4.6 (4.4) \% for warm spells -, whereas for droughts the change is more ambiguous depending on the applied definition. Therefore, the rise in the number of compound events is primarily driven by temperature changes and not the lack of precipitation. The months July and August show the highest increases in warm season compound events, whereas the highest increases of deseasonalised compound events occur in spring and early summer. This increase in deseasonalised compound events can potentially have a significant impact on the functioning of Mediterranean ecosystems as this is the peak phase of ecosystem productivity and a vital phenophase.}, language = {en} } @article{Vogel2022, author = {Vogel, Johannes}, title = {Drivers of phenological changes in southern Europe}, series = {International Journal of Biometeorology}, volume = {66}, journal = {International Journal of Biometeorology}, number = {9}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {New York}, issn = {0020-7128}, doi = {10.1007/s00484-022-02331-0}, pages = {1903 -- 1914}, year = {2022}, abstract = {The life cycle of plants is largely determined by climate, which renders phenological responses to climate change a highly suitable bioindicator of climate change. Yet, it remains unclear, which are the key drivers of phenological patterns at certain life stages. Furthermore, the varying responses of species belonging to different plant functional types are not fully understood. In this study, the role of temperature and precipitation as environmental drivers of phenological changes in southern Europe is assessed. The trends of the phenophases leaf unfolding, flowering, fruiting, and senescence are quantified, and the corresponding main environmental drivers are identified. A clear trend towards an earlier onset of leaf unfolding, flowering, and fruiting is detected, while there is no clear pattern for senescence. In general, the advancement of leaf unfolding, flowering and fruiting is smaller for deciduous broadleaf trees in comparison to deciduous shrubs and crops. Many broadleaf trees are photoperiod-sensitive; therefore, their comparatively small phenological advancements are likely the effect of photoperiod counterbalancing the impact of increasing temperatures. While temperature is identified as the main driver of phenological changes, precipitation also plays a crucial role in determining the onset of leaf unfolding and flowering. Phenological phases advance under dry conditions, which can be linked to the lack of transpirational cooling leading to rising temperatures, which subsequently accelerate plant growth.}, language = {en} } @article{VerweijNeyThompson2022, author = {Verweij, Marco and Ney, Steven and Thompson, Michael}, title = {Cultural Theory's contributions to climate science}, series = {European journal for philosophy of science}, volume = {12}, journal = {European journal for philosophy of science}, number = {2}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Dordrecht}, issn = {1879-4912}, doi = {10.1007/s13194-022-00464-y}, pages = {13}, year = {2022}, abstract = {In his article, 'Social constructionism and climate science denial', Hansson claims to present empirical evidence that the cultural theory developed by Dame Mary Douglas, Aaron Wildavsky and ourselves (among others) leads to (climate) science denial. In this reply, we show that there is no validity to these claims. First, we show that Hansson's empirical evidence that cultural theory has led to climate science denial falls apart under closer inspection. Contrary to Hansson's claims, cultural theory has made significant contributions to understanding and addressing climate change. Second, we discuss various features of Douglas' cultural theory that differentiate it from other constructivist approaches and make it compatible with the scientific method. Thus, we also demonstrate that cultural theory cannot be accused of epistemic relativism.}, language = {en} } @article{VehKorupvonSpechtetal.2019, author = {Veh, Georg and Korup, Oliver and von Specht, Sebastian and R{\"o}ßner, Sigrid and Walz, Ariane}, title = {Unchanged frequency of moraine-dammed glacial lake outburst floods in the Himalaya}, series = {Nature climate change}, volume = {9}, journal = {Nature climate change}, number = {5}, publisher = {Nature Publ. Group}, address = {London}, issn = {1758-678X}, doi = {10.1038/s41558-019-0437-5}, pages = {379 -- 383}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Shrinking glaciers in the Hindu Kush-Karakoram-Himalaya-Nyainqentanglha (HKKHN) region have formed several thousand moraine-dammed glacial lakes(1-3), some of these having grown rapidly in past decades(3,4). This growth may promote more frequent and potentially destructive glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs)(5-7). Testing this hypothesis, however, is confounded by incomplete databases of the few reliable, though selective, case studies. Here we present a consistent Himalayan GLOF inventory derived automatically from all available Landsat imagery since the late 1980s. We more than double the known GLOF count and identify the southern Himalayas as a hotspot region, compared to the more rarely affected Hindu Kush-Karakoram ranges. Nevertheless, the average annual frequency of 1.3 GLOFs has no credible posterior trend despite reported increases in glacial lake areas in most of the HKKHN3,8, so that GLOF activity per unit lake area has decreased since the late 1980s. We conclude that learning more about the frequency and magnitude of outburst triggers, rather than focusing solely on rapidly growing glacial lakes, might improve the appraisal of GLOF hazards.}, language = {en} } @article{UnterbergerHudsonBotzenetal.2018, author = {Unterberger, Christian and Hudson, Paul and Botzen, W. J. Wouter and Schroeer, Katharina and Steininger, Karl W.}, title = {Future public sector flood risk and risk sharing arrangements}, series = {Ecological economics}, volume = {156}, journal = {Ecological economics}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0921-8009}, doi = {10.1016/j.ecolecon.2018.09.019}, pages = {153 -- 163}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Climate change, along with socio-economic development, will increase the economic impacts of floods. While the factors that influence flood risk to private property have been extensively studied, the risk that natural disasters pose to public infrastructure and the resulting implications on public sector budgets, have received less attention. We address this gap by developing a two-staged model framework, which first assesses the flood risk to public infrastructure in Austria. Combining exposure and vulnerability information at the building level with inundation maps, we project an increase in riverine flood damage, which progressively burdens public budgets. Second, the risk estimates are integrated into an insurance model, which analyzes three different compensation arrangements in terms of the monetary burden they place on future governments' budgets and the respective volatility of payments. Formalized insurance compensation arrangements offer incentives for risk reduction measures, which lower the burden on public budgets by reducing the vulnerability of buildings that are exposed to flooding. They also significantly reduce the volatility of payments and thereby improve the predictability of flood damage expenditures. These features indicate that more formalized insurance arrangements are an improvement over the purely public compensation arrangement currently in place in Austria.}, language = {en} } @article{TekkenCostaKropp2013, author = {Tekken, Vera and Costa, Lu{\´i}s F{\´i}l{\´i}pe Carvalho da and Kropp, J{\"u}rgen}, title = {Increasing pressure, declining water and climate change in north-eastern Morocco}, series = {Journal of coastal conservation : planning and management}, volume = {17}, journal = {Journal of coastal conservation : planning and management}, number = {3}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {New York}, issn = {1400-0350}, doi = {10.1007/s11852-013-0234-7}, pages = {379 -- 388}, year = {2013}, abstract = {The coastal stretch of north-eastern Mediterranean Morocco holds vitally important ecological, social, and economic functions. The implementation of large-scale luxury tourism resorts shall push socio-economic development and facilitate the shift from a mainly agrarian to a service economy. Sufficient water availability and intact beaches are among the key requirements for the successful realization of regional development plans. The water situation is already critical, additional water-intense sectors could overstrain the capacity of water resources. Further, coastal erosion caused by sea-level rise is projected. Regional climate change is observable, and must be included in regional water management. Long-term climate trends are assessed for the larger region (Moulouya basin) and for the near-coastal zone at Saidia. The amount of additional water demand is assessed for the large-dimensioned Saidia resort; including the monthly, seasonal and annual tourist per capita water need under inclusion of irrigated golf courses and garden areas. A shift of climate patterns is observed, a lengthening of the dry summer season, and as well a significant decline of annual precipitation. Thus, current water scarcity is mainly human-induced; however, climate change will aggravate the situation. As a consequence, severe environmental damage due to water scarcity is likely and could impinge on the quality of local tourism. The re-adjustment of current management routines is therefore essential. Possible adjustments are discussed and the analysis concludes with management recommendations for innovative regional water management of tourism facilities.}, language = {en} } @article{SommerKalbeEkstrometal.2014, author = {Sommer, Robert S. and Kalbe, Johannes and Ekstrom, Jonas and Benecke, Norbert and Liljegren, Ronnie}, title = {Range dynamics of the reindeer in Europe during the last 25,000 years}, series = {Journal of biogeography}, volume = {41}, journal = {Journal of biogeography}, number = {2}, publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {0305-0270}, doi = {10.1111/jbi.12193}, pages = {298 -- 306}, year = {2014}, abstract = {Aim To understand the role and significance of the reindeer, Rangifer tarandus (Linnaeus, 1758), as a specific indicator in terms of late Quaternary biogeography and to determine the effects of global climate change on its range and local extinction dynamics at the end of the Ice Age. Location Late Pleistocene/early Holocene range of reindeer over all of central and western Europe, including southern Scandinavia and northern Iberia, but excluding Russia, Belarus and the Ukraine. Methods Radiocarbon-dated subfossil records of R. tarandus from both archaeological and natural deposits younger than 25,000 years were assembled in a database. The distribution area was divided into six representative regions. The C-14 dates were calibrated and plotted chronologically in maps in order to compare presence and absence and regional extinction patterns from one region to another. Main conclusions The late Quaternary record for reindeer in Europe during the last 25 kyr shows a climate-driven dispersal and retreat in response to climate change, with regional variations. The collapse of the mammoth steppe biome did not lead to the local extinction in Europe, as in the case of other megafaunal species. Rangifer tarandus co-existed for about 3000 years during the Late Glacial and early Holocene with typical temperate species such as red deer and roe deer in non-analogue faunal communities. The regional extinction at the end of the Pleistocene coincides with the transition from light open birch/pine forests to pine/deciduous forests.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Scherler2010, author = {Scherler, Dirk}, title = {Climate variability and glacial dynamics in the Himalaya}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-49871}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2010}, abstract = {In den Hochgebirgen Asiens bedecken Gletscher eine Fl{\"a}che von ungef{\"a}hr 115,000 km² und ergeben damit, neben Gr{\"o}nland und der Antarktis, eine der gr{\"o}ßten Eisakkumulationen der Erde. Die Sensibilit{\"a}t der Gletscher gegen{\"u}ber Klimaschwankungen macht sie zu wertvollen pal{\"a}oklimatischen Archiven in Hochgebirgen, aber gleichzeitig auch anf{\"a}llig gegen{\"u}ber rezenter und zuk{\"u}nftiger globaler Erw{\"a}rmung. Dies kann vor allem in dicht besiedelten Gebieten S{\"u}d-, Ost- und Zentralasiens zu großen Problem f{\"u}hren, in denen Gletscher- und Schnee-Schmelzw{\"a}sser eine wichtige Ressource f{\"u}r Landwirtschaft und Stromerzeugung darstellen. Eine erfolgreiche Prognose des Gletscherverhaltens in Reaktion auf den Klimawandel und die Minderung der sozio{\"o}konomischen Auswirkungen erfordert fundierte Kenntnisse der klimatischen Steuerungsfaktoren und der Dynamik asiatischer Gletscher. Aufgrund ihrer Abgeschiedenheit und dem erschwerten Zugang gibt es nur wenige glaziologische Gel{\"a}ndestudien, die zudem r{\"a}umlich und zeitlich sehr begrenzt sind. Daher fehlen bisher grundlegende Informationen {\"u}ber die Mehrzahl asiatischer Gletscher. In dieser Arbeit benutze ich verschiedene Methoden, um die Dynamik asiatischer Gletscher auf mehreren Zeitskalen zu untersuchen. Erstens teste ich eine Methode zur pr{\"a}zisen satelliten-gest{\"u}tzten Messung von Gletscheroberfl{\"a}chen-Geschwindigkeiten. Darauf aufbauend habe ich eine umfassende regionale Erhebung der Fliessgeschwindigkeiten und Frontdynamik asiatischer Gletscher f{\"u}r die Jahre 2000 bis 2008 durchgef{\"u}hrt. Der gewonnene Datensatz erlaubt einmalige Einblicke in die topographischen und klimatischen Steuerungsfaktoren der Gletscherfließgeschwindigkeiten in den Gebirgsregionen Hochasiens. Insbesondere dokumentieren die Daten rezent ungleiches Verhalten der Gletscher im Karakorum und im Himalaja, welches ich auf die konkurrierenden klimatischen Einfl{\"u}sse der Westwinddrift im Winter und des Indischen Monsuns im Sommer zur{\"u}ckf{\"u}hre. Zweitens untersuche ich, ob klimatisch bedingte Ost-West Unterschiede im Gletscherverhalten auch auf l{\"a}ngeren Zeitskalen eine Rolle spielen und gegebenenfalls f{\"u}r dokumentierte regional asynchrone Gletschervorst{\"o}ße relevant sind. Dazu habe ich mittels kosmogener Nuklide Oberfl{\"a}chenalter von erratischen Bl{\"o}cken auf Mor{\"a}nen ermittelt und eine glaziale Chronologie f{\"u}r das obere Tons Tal, in den Quellgebieten des Ganges, erstellt. Dieses Gebiet befindet sich in der {\"U}bergangszone von monsunaler zu Westwind beeinflusster Feuchtigkeitszufuhr und ist damit ideal gelegen, um die Auswirkungen dieser beiden atmosph{\"a}rischen Zirkulationssysteme auf Gletschervorst{\"o}ße zu untersuchen. Die ermittelte glaziale Chronologie dokumentiert mehrere Gletscherschwankungen w{\"a}hrend des Endstadiums der letzten Pleistoz{\"a}nen Vereisung und w{\"a}hrend des Holz{\"a}ns. Diese weisen darauf hin, dass Gletscherschwankungen im westlichen Himalaja weitestgehend synchron waren und auf graduelle glaziale-interglaziale Temperaturver{\"a}nderungen, {\"u}berlagert von monsunalen Niederschlagsschwankungen h{\"o}herer Frequenz, zur{\"u}ck zu f{\"u}hren sind. In einem dritten Schritt kombiniere ich Satelliten-Klimadaten mit Eisfluss-Absch{\"a}tzungen und topographischen Analysen, um den Einfluss der Gletscher Hochasiens auf die Reliefentwicklung im Hochgebirge zu untersuchen. Die Ergebnisse dokumentieren ausgepr{\"a}gte meridionale Unterschiede im Grad und im Stil der Vergletscherung und glazialen Erosion in Abh{\"a}ngigkeit von topographischen und klimatischen Faktoren. Gegens{\"a}tzlich zu bisherigen Annahmen deuten die Daten darauf hin, dass das monsunale Klima im zentralen Himalaja die glaziale Erosion schw{\"a}cht und durch den Erhalt einer steilen orographischen Barriere das Tibet Plateau vor lateraler Zerschneidung bewahrt. Die Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit dokumentieren, wie klimatische und topographische Gradienten die Gletscherdynamik in den Hochgebirgen Asiens auf Zeitskalen von 10^0 bis 10^6 Jahren beeinflussen. Die Reaktionszeit der Gletscher auf Klimaver{\"a}nderungen sind eng an Eigenschaften wie Schuttbedeckung und Neigung gekoppelt, welche ihrerseits von den topographischen Verh{\"a}ltnissen bedingt sind. Derartige Einflussfaktoren m{\"u}ssen bei pal{\"a}oklimatischen Rekonstruktion und Vorhersagen {\"u}ber die Entwicklung asiatischer Gletscher ber{\"u}cksichtigt werden. Desweiteren gehen die regionalen topographischen Unterschiede der vergletscherten Gebiete Asiens teilweise auf klimatische Gradienten und den langfristigen Einfluss der Gletscher auf die topographische Entwicklung des Gebirgssystems zur{\"u}ck.}, language = {en} } @article{SchaldachWimmerKochetal.2013, author = {Schaldach, R{\"u}diger and Wimmer, Florian and Koch, Jennifer and Volland, Jan and Geissler, Katja and K{\"o}chy, Martin}, title = {Model-based analysis of the environmental impacts of grazing management on Eastern Mediterranean ecosystems in Jordan}, series = {Journal of environmental management}, volume = {127}, journal = {Journal of environmental management}, number = {9}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {London}, issn = {0301-4797}, doi = {10.1016/j.jenvman.2012.11.024}, pages = {S84 -- S95}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Eastern Mediterranean ecosystems are prone to desertification when under grazing pressure. Therefore, management of grazing intensity plays a crucial role to avoid or to diminish land degradation and to sustain both livelihoods and ecosystem functioning. The dynamic land-use model LandSHIFT was applied to a case study on the country level for Jordan. The impacts of different stocking densities on the environment were assessed through a set of simulation experiments for various combinations of climate input and assumptions about the development of livestock numbers. Indicators used for the analysis include a set of landscape metrics to account for habitat fragmentation and the "Human Appropriation of Net Primary Production" (HANPP), i.e., the difference between the amount of net primary production (NPP) that would be available in a natural ecosystem and the amount of NPP that remains under human management. Additionally, the potential of the economic valuation of ecosystem services, including landscape and grazing services, as an analysis concept was explored. We found that lower management intensities had a positive effect on HANPP but at the same time resulted in a strong increase of grazing area. This effect was even more pronounced under climate change due to a predominantly negative effect on the biomass productivity of grazing land. Also Landscape metrics tend to indicate decreasing habitat fragmentation as a consequence of lower grazing pressure. The valuation of ecosystem services revealed that low grazing intensity can lead to a comparatively higher economic value on the country level average. The results from our study underline the importance of considering grazing management as an important factor to manage dry-land ecosystems in a sustainable manner.}, language = {en} } @article{PlueDeFrenneAcharyaetal.2013, author = {Plue, Jan and De Frenne, Pieter and Acharya, Kamal P. and Brunet, Jorg and Chabrerie, Olivier and Decocq, Guillaume and Diekmann, Martin and Graae, Bente J. and Heinken, Thilo and Hermy, Martin and Kolb, Annette and Lemke, Isgard and Liira, Jaan and Naaf, Tobias and Shevtsova, Anna and Verheyen, Kris and Wulf, Monika and Cousins, Sara A. O.}, title = {Climatic control of forest herb seed banks along a latitudinal gradient}, series = {Global ecology and biogeography : a journal of macroecology}, volume = {22}, journal = {Global ecology and biogeography : a journal of macroecology}, number = {10}, publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {1466-822X}, doi = {10.1111/geb.12068}, pages = {1106 -- 1117}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Aim Seed banks are central to the regeneration strategy of many plant species. Any factor altering seed bank density thus affects plant regeneration and population dynamics. Although seed banks are dynamic entities controlled by multiple environmental drivers, climatic factors are the most comprehensive, but still poorly understood. This study investigates how climatic variation structures seed production and resulting seed bank patterns. Location Temperate forests along a 1900km latitudinal gradient in north-western (NW) Europe. Methods Seed production and seed bank density were quantified in 153 plots along the gradient for four forest herbs with different seed longevity: Geum urbanum, Milium effusum, Poa nemoralis and Stachys sylvatica. We tested the importance of climatic and local environmental factors in shaping seed production and seed bank density. Results Seed production was determined by population size, and not by climatic factors. G.urbanum and M.effusum seed bank density declined with decreasing temperature (growing degree days) and/or increasing temperature range (maximum-minimum temperature). P.nemoralis and S.sylvatica seed bank density were limited by population size and not by climatic variables. Seed bank density was also influenced by other, local environmental factors such as soil pH or light availability. Different seed bank patterns emerged due to differential seed longevities. Species with long-lived seeds maintained constant seed bank densities by counteracting the reduced chance of regular years with high seed production at colder northern latitudes. Main conclusions Seed bank patterns show clear interspecific variation in response to climate across the distribution range. Not all seed banking species may be as well equipped to buffer climate change via their seed bank, notably in short-term persistent species. Since the buffering capacity of seed banks is key to species persistence, these results provide crucial information to advance climatic change predictions on range shifts, community and biodiversity responses.}, language = {en} } @article{PiontekKalkuhlKriegleretal.2019, author = {Piontek, Franziska and Kalkuhl, Matthias and Kriegler, Elmar and Schultes, Anselm and Leimbach, Marian and Edenhofer, Ottmar and Bauer, Nico}, title = {Economic Growth Effects of Alternative Climate Change Impact Channels in Economic Modeling}, series = {Environmental \& resource economics : the official journal of the European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists}, volume = {73}, journal = {Environmental \& resource economics : the official journal of the European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists}, number = {4}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Dordrecht}, issn = {0924-6460}, doi = {10.1007/s10640-018-00306-7}, pages = {1357 -- 1385}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Despite increasing empirical evidence of strong links between climate and economic growth, there is no established model to describe the dynamics of how different types of climate shocks affect growth patterns. Here we present the first comprehensive, comparative analysis of the long-term dynamics of one-time, temporary climate shocks on production factors, and factor productivity, respectively, in a Ramsey-type growth model. Damages acting directly on production factors allow us to study dynamic effects on factor allocation, savings and economic growth. We find that the persistence of impacts on economic activity is smallest for climate shocks directly impacting output, and successively increases for direct damages on capital, loss of labor and productivity shocks, related to different responses in savings rates and factor-specific growth. Recurring shocks lead to large welfare effects and long-term growth effects, directly linked to the persistence of individual shocks. Endogenous savings and shock anticipation both have adaptive effects but do not eliminate differences between impact channels or significantly lower the dissipation time. Accounting for endogenous growth mechanisms increases the effects. We also find strong effects on income shares, important for distributional implications. This work fosters conceptual understanding of impact dynamics in growth models, opening options for links to empirics.}, language = {en} } @article{OlonscheckWaltherLuedekeetal.2015, author = {Olonscheck, Mady and Walther, Carsten and L{\"u}deke, Matthias K. B. and Kropp, J{\"u}rgen}, title = {Feasibility of energy reduction targets under climate change: The case of the residential heating energy sector of the Netherlands}, series = {Energy}, volume = {90}, journal = {Energy}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Oxford}, issn = {0360-5442}, doi = {10.1016/j.energy.2015.07.080}, pages = {560 -- 569}, year = {2015}, abstract = {In order to achieve meaningful climate protection targets at the global scale, each country is called to set national energy policies aimed at reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions. By calculating the monthly heating energy demand of dwellings in the Netherlands, our case study country, we contrast the results with the corresponding aspired national targets. Considering different future population scenarios, renovation measures and temperature variations, we show that a near zero energy demand in 2050 could only be reached with very ambitious renovation measures. While the goal of reducing the energy demand of the building sector by 50\% until 2030 compared to 1990 seems feasible for most provinces and months in the minimum scenario, it is impossible in our scenario with more pessimistic yet still realistic assumptions regarding future developments. Compared to the current value, the annual renovation rate per province would need to be at least doubled in order to reach the 2030 target independent of reasonable climatic and population changes in the future. Our findings also underline the importance of policy measures as the annual renovation rate is a key influencing factor regarding the reduction of the heating energy demand in dwellings. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.}, language = {en} }