TY - JOUR A1 - Zimmermann, Alexander A1 - Uber, Magdalena A1 - Zimmermann, Beate A1 - Levia, Delphis F. T1 - Predictability of stemflow in a species-rich tropical forest JF - Hydrological processes N2 - Numerous studies investigated the influence of abiotic (meteorological conditions) and biotic factors (tree characteristics) on stemflow generation. Although these studies identified the variables that influence stemflow volumes in simply structured forests, the combination of tree characteristics that allows a robust prediction of stemflow volumes in species-rich forests is not well known. Many hydrological applications, however, require at least a rough estimate of stemflow volumes based on the characteristics of a forest stand. The need for robust predictions of stemflow motivated us to investigate the relationships between tree characteristics and stemflow volumes in a species-rich tropical forest located in central Panama. Based on a sampling setup consisting of ten rainfall collectors, 300 throughfall samplers and 60 stemflow collectors and cumulated data comprising 26 rain events, we derive three main findings. Firstly, stemflow represents a minor hydrological component in the studied 1-ha forest patch (1.0% of cumulated rainfall). Secondly, in the studied species-rich forest, single tree characteristics are only weakly related to stemflow volumes. The influence of multiple tree parameters (e.g. crown diameter, presence of large epiphytes and inclination of branches) and the dependencies among these parameters require a multivariate approach to understand the generation of stemflow. Thirdly, predicting stemflow in species-rich forests based on tree parameters is a difficult task. Although our best model can capture the variation in stemflow to some degree, a critical validation reveals that the model cannot provide robust predictions of stemflow. A reanalysis of data from previous studies in species-rich forests corroborates this finding. Based on these results and considering that for most hydrological applications, stemflow is only one parameter among others to estimate, we advocate using the base model, i.e. the mean of the stemflow data, to quantify stemflow volumes for a given study area. Studies in species-rich forests that wish to obtain predictions of stemflow based on tree parameters probably need to conduct a much more extensive sampling than currently implemented by most studies. Copyright (c) 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. KW - stemflow KW - rainfall partitioning KW - multivariate regression KW - tropical lowland rainforest KW - ecohydrology Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.10554 SN - 0885-6087 SN - 1099-1085 VL - 29 IS - 23 SP - 4947 EP - 4956 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zimmermann, Alexander A1 - Voss, Sebastian A1 - Metzger, Johanna Clara A1 - Hildebrandt, Anke A1 - Zimmermann, Beate T1 - estimating mean throughfall JF - Journal of hydrology N2 - The selection of an appropriate spatial extent of a sampling plot is one among several important decisions involved in planning a throughfall sampling scheme. In fact, the choice of the extent may determine whether or not a study can adequately characterize the hydrological fluxes of the studied ecosystem. Previous attempts to optimize throughfall sampling schemes focused on the selection of an appropriate sample size, support, and sampling design, while comparatively little attention has been given to the role of the extent. In this contribution, we investigated the influence of the extent on the representativeness of mean throughfall estimates for three forest ecosystems of varying stand structure. Our study is based on virtual sampling of simulated throughfall fields. We derived these fields from throughfall data sampled in a simply structured forest (young tropical forest) and two heterogeneous forests (old tropical forest, unmanaged mixed European beech forest). We then sampled the simulated throughfall fields with three common extents and various sample sizes for a range of events and for accumulated data. Our findings suggest that the size of the study area should be carefully adapted to the complexity of the system under study and to the required temporal resolution of the throughfall data (i.e. event-based versus accumulated). Generally, event-based sampling in complex structured forests (conditions that favor comparatively long autocorrelations in throughfall) requires the largest extents. For event-based sampling, the choice of an appropriate extent can be as important as using an adequate sample size. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. KW - Throughfall KW - Sampling KW - Extent KW - Hydrological monitoring KW - Tropical forest KW - European beech forest Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2016.09.047 SN - 0022-1694 SN - 1879-2707 VL - 542 SP - 781 EP - 789 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zimmermann, Alexander A1 - Zimmermann, Beate T1 - Requirements for throughfall monitoring: The roles of temporal scale and canopy complexity JF - Agricultural and forest meteorology N2 - A wide range of basic and applied problems in water resources research requires high-quality estimates of the spatial mean of throughfall. Many throughfall sampling schemes, however, are not optimally adapted to the system under study. The application of inappropriate sampling schemes may partly reflect the lack of generally applicable guidelines on throughfall sampling strategies. In this study we conducted virtual sampling experiments using simulated fields which are based on empirical throughfall data from three structurally distinct forests (a 12-year old teak plantation, a 5-year old young secondary forest, and a 130-year old secondary forest). In the virtual sampling experiments we assessed the relative error of mean throughfall estimates for 38 different throughfall sampling schemes comprising a variety of funnel- and trough-type collectors and a large range of sample sizes. Moreover, we tested the performance of each scheme for both event-based and accumulated throughfall data. The key findings of our study are threefold. First, as errors of mean throughfall estimates vary as a function of throughfall depth, the decision on which temporal scale (i.e. event-based versus accumulated data) to sample strongly influences the required sampling effort. Second, given a chosen temporal scale throughfall estimates can vary considerably as a function of canopy complexity. Accordingly, throughfall sampling in simply structured forests requires a comparatively modest effort, whereas heterogeneous forests can be extreme in terms of sampling requirements, particularly if the focus is on reliable data of small events. Third, the efficiency of trough-type collectors depends on the spatial structure of throughfall. Strong, long-ranging throughfall patterns decrease the efficiency of troughs substantially. Based on the results of our virtual sampling experiments, which we evaluated by applying two contrasting sampling approaches simultaneously, we derive readily applicable guidelines for throughfall monitoring. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. KW - Throughfall KW - Interception KW - Uncertainty KW - Spatial structure KW - Sampling strategy KW - Forest ecosystem Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2014.01.014 SN - 0168-1923 SN - 1873-2240 VL - 189 SP - 125 EP - 139 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zimmermann, B. A1 - Zimmermann, Alexander A1 - Scheckenbach, H. L. A1 - Schmid, T. A1 - Hall, Jefferson. S. A1 - van Breugel, Michiel T1 - Changes in rainfall interception along a secondary forest succession gradient in lowland Panama JF - Hydrology and earth system sciences : HESS N2 - Secondary forests are rapidly expanding in tropical regions. Yet, despite the importance of understanding the hydrological consequences of land-cover dynamics, the relationship between forest succession and canopy interception is poorly understood. This lack of knowledge is unfortunate because rainfall interception plays an important role in regional water cycles and needs to be quantified for many modeling purposes. To help close this knowledge gap, we designed a throughfall monitoring study along a secondary succession gradient in a tropical forest region of Panama. The investigated gradient comprised 20 forest patches 3 to 130 yr old. We sampled each patch with a minimum of 20 funnel-type throughfall collectors over a continuous 2month period that had nearly 900 mm of rain. During the same period, we acquired forest inventory data and derived several forest structural attributes. We then applied simple and multiple regression models (Bayesian model averaging, BMA) and identified those vegetation parameters that had the strongest influence on the variation of canopy interception. Our analyses yielded three main findings. First, canopy interception changed rapidly during forest succession. After only a decade, throughfall volumes approached levels that are typical for mature forests. Second, a parsimonious (simple linear regression) model based on the ratio of the basal area of small stems to the total basal area outperformed more complex multivariate models (BMA approach). Third, based on complementary forest inventory data, we show that the influence of young secondary forests on interception in realworld fragmented landscapes might be detectable only in regions with a substantial fraction of young forests. Our re-sults suggest that where entire catchments undergo forest regrowth, initial stages of succession may be associated with a substantial decrease of streamflow generation. Our results further highlight the need to study hydrological processes in all forest succession stages, including early ones. Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-4659-2013 SN - 1027-5606 SN - 1607-7938 VL - 17 IS - 11 SP - 4659 EP - 4670 PB - Copernicus CY - Göttingen ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zimmermann, Beate A1 - Papritz, Andreas A1 - Elsenbeer, Helmut T1 - Asymmetric response to disturbance and recovery : Changes of soil permeability under forest-pasture-forest transitions N2 - In the humid tropics, continuing high deforestation rates are seen alongside an increasing expansion of secondary forests. In order to understand and model the consequences of these dynamic land-use changes for regional water cycles, the response of soil hydraulic properties to forest disturbance and recovery has to be quantified.At a site in the Brazilian Amazonia, we annually monitored soil infiltrability and saturated hydraulic conductivity (K-s) at 12.5, 20 cm, and 50 cm soil depth after manual forest conversion to pasture (year zero to four after pasture establishment), and during secondary succession after pasture abandonment (year zero to seven after pasture abandonment). We evaluated the hydrological consequences of the detected changes by comparing the soil hydraulic properties with site-specific rainfall intensities and hydrometric observations. Within one year after grazing started, infiltrability and K-s at 12.5 and 20 cm depth decreased by up to one order of magnitude to levels which are typical for 20-year-old pasture. In the three subsequent monitoring years, infiltrability and K-s remained stable. Land use did not impact on subsoil permeability. Whereas infiltrability values are large enough to allow all rainwater to infiltrate even after the conversion, the sudden decline of near-surface K-s is of hydrological relevance as perched water tables and overland flow occur more often on pastures than in forests at our study site. After pasture abandonment and during secondary succession, seven years of recovery did not suffice to significantly increase infiltrability and K-s at 12.5 depth although a slight recovery is obvious. At 20 cm soil depth, we detected a positive linear increase within the seven-year time frame but annual means did not differ significantly. Although more than a doubling of infiltrability and K-s is still required to achieve pre-disturbance levels, which will presumably take more than a decade, the observed slight increases of K-s might already decrease the probability of perched water table generation and overland flow development well before complete recovery. Y1 - 2010 UR - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00167061 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2010.07.013 SN - 0016-7061 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zimmermann, Beate A1 - Zimmermann, Alexander A1 - Lark, Richard M. A1 - Elsenbeer, Helmut T1 - Sampling procedures for throughfall monitoring : a simulation study N2 - What is the most appropriate sampling scheme to estimate event-based average throughfall? A satisfactory answer to this seemingly simple question has yet to be found, a failure which we attribute to previous efforts' dependence on empirical studies. Here we try to answer this question by simulating stochastic throughfall fields based on parameters for statistical models of large monitoring data sets. We subsequently sampled these fields with different sampling designs and variable sample supports. We evaluated the performance of a particular sampling scheme with respect to the uncertainty of possible estimated means of throughfall volumes. Even for a relative error limit of 20%, an impractically large number of small, funnel-type collectors would be required to estimate mean throughfall, particularly for small events. While stratification of the target area is not superior to simple random sampling, cluster random sampling involves the risk of being less efficient. A larger sample support, e.g., the use of trough-type collectors, considerably reduces the necessary sample sizes and eliminates the sensitivity of the mean to outliers. Since the gain in time associated with the manual handling of troughs versus funnels depends on the local precipitation regime, the employment of automatically recording clusters of long troughs emerges as the most promising sampling scheme. Even so, a relative error of less than 5% appears out of reach for throughfall under heterogeneous canopies. We therefore suspect a considerable uncertainty of input parameters for interception models derived from measured throughfall, in particular, for those requiring data of small throughfall events. Y1 - 2010 UR - http://www.agu.org/journals/wr/ U6 - https://doi.org/10.1029/2009wr007776 SN - 0043-1397 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zimmermann, Beate A1 - Zimmermann, Alexander A1 - Turner, Benjamin L. A1 - Francke, Till A1 - Elsenbeer, Helmut T1 - Connectivity of overland flow by drainage network expansion in a rain forest catchment JF - Water resources research N2 - Soils in various places of the Panama Canal Watershed feature a low saturated hydraulic conductivity (K-s) at shallow depth, which promotes overland-flow generation and associated flashy catchment responses. In undisturbed forests of these areas, overland flow is concentrated in flow lines that extend the channel network and provide hydrological connectivity between hillslopes and streams. To understand the dynamics of overland-flow connectivity, as well as the impact of connectivity on catchment response, we studied an undisturbed headwater catchment by monitoring overland-flow occurrence in all flow lines and discharge, suspended sediment, and total phosphorus at the catchment outlet. We find that connectivity is strongly influenced by seasonal variation in antecedent wetness and can develop even under light rainfall conditions. Connectivity increased rapidly as rainfall frequency increased, eventually leading to full connectivity and surficial drainage of entire hillslopes. Connectivity was nonlinearly related to catchment response. However, additional information on factors such as overland-flow volume would be required to constrain relationships between connectivity, stormflow, and the export of suspended sediment and phosphorus. The effort to monitor those factors would be substantial, so we advocate applying the established links between rain event characteristics, drainage network expansion by flow lines, and catchment response for predictive modeling and catchment classification in forests of the Panama Canal Watershed and in similar regions elsewhere. KW - connectivity KW - overland flow KW - stormflow KW - suspended sediment KW - phosphorus KW - drainage network expansion Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/2012WR012660 SN - 0043-1397 SN - 1944-7973 VL - 50 IS - 2 SP - 1457 EP - 1473 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zimmermann, Heike Hildegard A1 - Raschke, Elena A1 - Epp, Laura Saskia A1 - Stoof-Leichsenring, Kathleen Rosemarie A1 - Schwamborn, Georg A1 - Schirrmeister, Lutz A1 - Overduin, Pier Paul A1 - Herzschuh, Ulrike T1 - Sedimentary ancient DNA and pollen reveal the composition of plant organic matter in Late Quaternary permafrost sediments of the Buor Khaya Peninsula (north-eastern Siberia) JF - Biogeosciences N2 - Organic matter deposited in ancient, ice-rich permafrost sediments is vulnerable to climate change and may contribute to the future release of greenhouse gases; it is thus important to get a better characterization of the plant organic matter within such sediments. From a Late Quaternary permafrost sediment core from the Buor Khaya Peninsula, we analysed plant-derived sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) to identify the taxonomic composition of plant organic matter, and undertook palynological analysis to assess the environmental conditions during deposition. Using sedaDNA, we identified 154 taxa and from pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs we identified 83 taxa. In the deposits dated between 54 and 51 kyr BP, sedaDNA records a diverse low-centred polygon plant community including recurring aquatic pond vegetation while from the pollen record we infer terrestrial open-land vegetation with relatively dry environmental conditions at a regional scale. A fluctuating dominance of either terrestrial or swamp and aquatic taxa in both proxies allowed the local hydrological development of the polygon to be traced. In deposits dated between 11.4 and 9.7 kyr BP (13.4-11.1 cal kyr BP), sedaDNA shows a taxonomic turnover to moist shrub tundra and a lower taxonomic richness compared to the older samples. Pollen also records a shrub tundra community, mostly seen as changes in relative proportions of the most dominant taxa, while a decrease in taxonomic richness was less pronounced compared to sedaDNA. Our results show the advantages of using sedaDNA in combination with palynological analyses when macrofossils are rarely preserved. The high resolution of the sedaDNA record provides a detailed picture of the taxonomic composition of plant-derived organic matter throughout the core, and palynological analyses prove valuable by allowing for inferences of regional environmental conditions. Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-575-2017 SN - 1726-4170 SN - 1726-4189 VL - 14 IS - 3 SP - 575 EP - 596 PB - Copernicus CY - Göttingen ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zimmermann, Heike Hildegard A1 - Stoof-Leichsenring, Kathleen Rosemarie A1 - Kruse, Stefan A1 - Müller, Juliane A1 - Stein, Ruediger A1 - Tiedemann, Ralf A1 - Herzschuh, Ulrike T1 - Changes in the composition of marine and sea-ice diatoms derived from sedimentary ancient DNA of the eastern Fram Strait over the past 30 000 years JF - Ocean science N2 - The Fram Strait is an area with a relatively low and irregular distribution of diatom microfossils in surface sediments, and thus microfossil records are scarce, rarely exceed the Holocene, and contain sparse information about past richness and taxonomic composition. These attributes make the Fram Strait an ideal study site to test the utility of sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) metabarcoding. Amplifying a short, partial rbcL marker from samples of sediment core MSM05/5-712-2 resulted in 95.7% of our sequences being assigned to diatoms across 18 different families, with 38.6% of them being resolved to species and 25.8% to genus level. Independent replicates show a high similarity of PCR products, especially in the oldest samples. Diatom sedaDNA richness is highest in the Late Weichselian and lowest in Mid- and Late Holocene samples. Taxonomic composition is dominated by cold-water and sea-ice-associated diatoms and suggests several reorganisations - after the Last Glacial Maximum, after the Younger Dryas, and after the Early and after the Mid-Holocene. Different sequences assigned to, amongst others, Chaetoceros socialis indicate the detectability of intra-specific diversity using sedaDNA. We detect no clear pattern between our diatom sedaDNA record and the previously published IP25 record of this core, although proportions of pennate diatoms increase with higher IP25 concentrations and proportions of Nitzschia cf. frigida exceeding 2% of the assemblage point towards past sea-ice presence. Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5194/os-16-1017-2020 SN - 1812-0784 VL - 16 IS - 5 SP - 1017 EP - 1032 PB - Copernicus CY - Göttingen ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zobir, Soraya Hadj A1 - Altenberger, Uwe A1 - Günter, Christina T1 - Geochemistry and petrology of metamorphosed submarine basic ashes in the Edough Massif (Cap de Garde, Annaba, northeastern Algeria) JF - Comptes rendus geoscience N2 - The study presents the first evidence of metamorphosed submarine ashes in the Edough Massif, in northeastern Algeria. It occurs below the greenschist-facies Tellian units that represent the thrusted Mesozoic to Eocene passive paleomargin of northern Africa deposited on thinned continental crust. The metamorphic complex consists of tectonically superposed units composed of gneisses (lower unit) and micaschists (upper unit). At the Cap de Garde, these units enclose an "intermediate unit" composed of micaschists and meter-thick layers of marbles, which are sometimes intercalated with amphibolites. The latter occur as discontinuous small lenses and layers. The amphibolites are parallel to the primary bedding of the marbles and the main foliation. Chemical markers and field observations indicate that they are metamorphic equivalents of basic igneous rocks. The lenticular character, low thickness and multiple intercalations with marine sediments and the unusual high lithium concentrations suggest subaqueous near-source basaltic ash-fall deposits in a marine environment. (C) 2014 Academie des sciences. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved. KW - Amphibolites KW - Submarine sediments KW - Basaltic ash-fall deposits KW - Edough KW - Algeria Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crte.2014.09.002 SN - 1631-0713 SN - 1778-7025 VL - 346 IS - 9-10 SP - 244 EP - 254 PB - Elsevier CY - Paris ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zobir, Soraya Hadj A1 - Mocek, Beate T1 - Determination of the source rocks for the diatexites from the Edough Massif, Annaba, NE Algeria JF - Journal of African earth sciences N2 - The crystalline Edough Massif is located in the oriental part of the Algerian coastline. It consists of two tectonically superposed units of gneisses, augen-gneisses and migmatitic gneisses in the lower unit and micaschists in the upper unit. The crystalline rocks underwent a low to moderate degree of metamorphism; the gneisses suffered partial melting. They display migmatitic features such as nebulitic structures with contorted leucosome layers and K-feldspar porphyroblasts and thus can be classified as diatexites. The mineralogical composition of these rocks is very homogenous and consists of K-feldspar, micas and quartz. The feldspar-rich, arkosic nature of the outcrop implies a granitic source rock. High K2O/Na2O ratios and high A/CNK > 1.1 indicate an S-type granite source and a peraluminous composition of the protolith respectively. Chondrite normalized REE distribution patterns of the Edough diatexites show gently inclined patterns with a minor negative Eu anomaly (Eu/Eu* = 0.36-0.49), which points to a very slightly differentiated granitic source. The REE pattern and trace element data of the diatexites are similar to those of average Proterozoic upper continental crust, which suggests that they are derived mainly from upper continental crust and were deposited in continental margins. KW - Diatexites KW - Arkose KW - Protolith KW - S-type granite KW - Edough KW - Algeria Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2012.04.004 SN - 1464-343X VL - 69 IS - 13 SP - 26 EP - 33 PB - Elsevier CY - Oxford ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zobir, Soraya Hadj A1 - Oberhänsli, Roland T1 - The sidi Mohamed peridotites (Edough Massif, NE Algeria) - evidence for an upper mantle origin JF - Journal of earth system science N2 - The Hercynian Edough massif is the easternmost crystalline massif of the Algerian coast. It consists of two tectonically superposed units composed of micaschists, gneisses, and peridotite. This study concentrates on the small and isolated Sidi Mohamed peridotite outcrop area (0.03 km(2)). The Sidi Mohamed peridotite is composed mainly of harzburgites (Mg-rich olivine and orthopyroxene as major minerals). The Ni (2051-2920 ppm), Cr (2368-5514 ppm) and MgO (similar to 28-35 wt.%) whole-rock composition and the relative depletion in Nb make these harzburgites comparable to depleted peridotites related to a subduction zone. We suggest that the Sidi Mohamed ultramafic body was derived directly from the upper mantle and tectonically incorporated into the gneiss units of the Edough metamorphic core complex in a subduction environment. KW - Peridotites KW - upper mantle KW - Edough KW - Algeria Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-013-0358-z SN - 0253-4126 SN - 0973-774X VL - 122 IS - 6 SP - 1455 EP - 1465 PB - Indian Academy of Science CY - Bangalore ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zoller, Gert A1 - Holschneider, Matthias A1 - Ben-Zion, Yehuda T1 - Quasi-static and quasi-dynamic modeling of earthquake failure at intermediate scales N2 - We present a model for earthquake failure at intermediate scales (space: 100 m-100 km, time: 100 m/nu(shear Y1 - 2004 ER - TY - THES A1 - Zorn, Edgar Ulrich T1 - Monitoring lava dome growth and deformation with photogrammetric methods and modelling N2 - Lava domes are severely hazardous, mound-shaped extrusions of highly viscous lava and commonly erupt at many active stratovolcanoes around the world. Due to gradual growth and flank oversteepening, such lava domes regularly experience partial or full collapses, resulting in destructive and far-reaching pyroclastic density currents. They are also associated with cyclic explosive activity as the complex interplay of cooling, degassing, and solidification of dome lavas regularly causes gas pressurizations on the dome or the underlying volcano conduit. Lava dome extrusions can last from days to decades, further highlighting the need for accurate and reliable monitoring data. This thesis aims to improve our understanding of lava dome processes and to contribute to the monitoring and prediction of hazards posed by these domes. The recent rise and sophistication of photogrammetric techniques allows for the extraction of observational data in unprecedented detail and creates ideal tools for accomplishing this purpose. Here, I study natural lava dome extrusions as well as laboratory-based analogue models of lava dome extrusions and employ photogrammetric monitoring by Structure-from-Motion (SfM) and Particle-Image-Velocimetry (PIV) techniques. I primarily use aerial photography data obtained by helicopter, airplanes, Unoccupied Aircraft Systems (UAS) or ground-based timelapse cameras. Firstly, by combining a long time-series of overflight data at Volcán de Colima, México, with seismic and satellite radar data, I construct a detailed timeline of lava dome and crater evolution. Using numerical model, the impact of the extrusion on dome morphology and loading stress is further evaluated and an impact on the growth direction is identified, bearing important implications for the location of collapse hazards. Secondly, sequential overflight surveys at the Santiaguito lava dome, Guatemala, reveal surface motion data in high detail. I quantify the growth of the lava dome and the movement of a lava flow, showing complex motions that occur on different timescales and I provide insight into rock properties relevant for hazard assessment inferred purely by photogrammetric processing of remote sensing data. Lastly, I recreate artificial lava dome and spine growth using analogue modelling under controlled conditions, providing new insights into lava extrusion processes and structures as well as the conditions in which they form. These findings demonstrate the capabilities of photogrammetric data analyses to successfully monitor lava dome growth and evolution while highlighting the advantages of complementary modelling methods to explain the observed phenomena. The results presented herein further bear important new insights and implications for the hazards posed by lava domes. N2 - Lavadome sind kuppelförmige Aufstauungen aus zähflüssiger Lava und bilden sich häufig bei Eruptionen an aktiven Stratovulkanen. Sie stellen dabei oft eine erhebliche Gefahr für Menschen und Infrastruktur dar, weil Lavadome instabil werden können und bei einem Kollaps pyroklastische Ströme (auch Glutlawinen) erzeugen können. Diese können innerhalb von Minuten weite Flächen verwüsten, daher ist die Überwachung von Lavadomen und deren Wachstum mit genauen und zuverlässigen Daten von großer Bedeutung. In dieser Arbeit werden das Wachstum und die Bewegungen von Lavadomen mit fotogrammetrischen Methoden (Vermessungen anhand von Fotos) und mit Modellierungen in drei Teilstudien getestet und untersucht. Dazu wurden Daten sowohl an Lavadomen von Vulkanen in Mexiko und Guatemala als auch mittels künstlich erzeugter Dome im Labor erhoben. Hierbei wurden insbesondere das Structure-from-Motion-Verfahren, bei dem mithilfe einer Serie von Luftaufnahmen ein hochauflösendes 3D-Modell des Lavadoms und des Vulkans erstellt wird, und das Particle-Image-Velocimetry-Verfahren, bei dem aus einer Zeitreihe von Fotos kleinste Bewegungen detailliert gemessen werden können, verwendet. In der ersten Teilstudie wird aus einer Kombination von Überflugsbildern, Radardaten eines Satelliten, und seismischen Daten eine detaillierte Zeitreihe des Lavadom-Wachstums und der Kraterentwickelung am Volcán de Colima, Méxiko, erstellt. Anschließend werden die dabei erfassten Richtungen des Domwachstums mit numerischen Modellen auf Basis der fotogrammetrischen 3D-Modelle simuliert, welche zeigen, dass sich lokale Änderungen der Topografie auf die Wachstumsrichtung auswirken können. In der zweiten Teilstudie werden Drohnen in verschiedenen Zeitintervallen über einen Lavadom am Santa Maria Vulkan, Guatemala, geflogen. Die Überflugsdaten zeigen dabei Bewegungen sowohl an einem Lavastrom als auch ein Anschwellen des Doms mit jeweils unterschiedlichen Geschwindigkeiten. Ferner können die Daten genutzt werden um Oberflächentemperatur und die Viskosität (Zähflüssigkeit) der Lava zu vermessen, welche für die Gefahrenanalyse eine wichtige Rolle spielen. In der dritten Teilstudie werden künstliche Dom-Modelle mithilfe von Sand-Gips-Gemischen erzeugt. Diese können sowohl den Aufbau und Morphologie als auch die internen Strukturen von Lavadomen simulieren und anhand von Zeitraffer-Aufnahmen im Detail nachstellen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Fotogrammetrie und Modellierungen geeignete Mittel sind um Lavadome sowie deren Entstehungsprozesse und Gefahren zu verfolgen und neue Erkenntnisse zu gewinnen. T2 - Überwachung von Wachstum und Deformation an Lavadomen mit fotogrammetrischen Methoden und Modellierungen KW - Lava dome KW - Lavadom KW - Photogrammetry KW - Fotogrammetrie KW - Volcano KW - Vulkan KW - Analogue Model KW - Analogmodell Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-483600 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zorn, Edgar Ulrich A1 - Le Corvec, Nicolas A1 - Varley, Nick R. A1 - Salzer, Jacqueline T. A1 - Walter, Thomas R. A1 - Navarro-Ochoa, Carlos A1 - Vargas-Bracamontes, Dulce M. A1 - Thiele, Samuel T. A1 - Arámbula Mendoza, Raúl T1 - Load stress controls on directional lava dome growth at Volcan de Colima, Mexico JF - Frontiers in Earth Science N2 - During eruptive activity of andesitic stratovolcanoes, the extrusion of lava domes, their collapse and intermittent explosions are common volcanic hazards. Many lava domes grow in a preferred direction, in turn affecting the direction of lava flows and pyroclastic density currents. Access to active lava domes is difficult and hazardous, so detailed data characterizing lava dome growth are typically limited, keeping the processes controlling the directionality of extrusions unclear. Here we combine TerraSAR-X satellite radar observations with high-resolution airborne photogrammetry to assess morphological changes, and perform finite element modeling to investigate the impact of loading stress on shallow magma ascent directions associated with lava dome extrusion and crater formation at Volcan de Colima, Mexico. The TerraSAR-X data, acquired in similar to 1-m resolution spotlight mode, enable us to derive a chronology of the eruptive processes from intensity-based time-lapse observations of the general crater and dome evolution. The satellite images are complemented by close-range airborne photos, processed by the Structure-from-Motion workflow. This allows the derivation of high-resolution digital elevation models, providing insight into detailed loading and unloading features. During the observation period from Jan-2013 to Feb-2016, we identify a dominantly W-directed dome growth and lava flow production until Jan-2015. In Feb-2015, following the removal of the active summit dome, the surface crater widened and elongated along a NE-SW axis. Later in May-2015, a new dome grew toward the SW of the crater while a separate vent developed in the NE of the crater, reflecting a change in the direction of magma ascent and possible conduit bifurcation. Finite element models show a significant stress change in agreement with the observed magma ascent direction changes in response to the changing surface loads, both for loading (dome growth) and unloading (crater forming excavation) cases. These results allow insight into shallow dome growth dynamics and the migration of magma ascent in response to changing volcano summit morphology. They further highlight the importance of detailed volcano summit morphology surveillance, as changes in direction or location of dome extrusion may have major implications regarding the directions of potential volcanic hazards, such as pyroclastic density currents generated by dome collapse. KW - lava dome KW - load stress KW - Volcan de Colima KW - TerraSAR-X KW - photogrammetry KW - finite element modeling Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2019.00084 SN - 2296-6463 VL - 7 PB - Frontiers Media CY - Lausanne ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zozulya, Dmitry R. A1 - Kullerud, Kare A1 - Ribacki, Enrico A1 - Altenberger, Uwe A1 - Sudo, Masafumi A1 - Savchenko, Yevgeny E. T1 - The newly discovered neoproterozoic aillikite occurrence in Vinoren (Southern Norway) BT - age, geodynamic position and mineralogical evidence of diamond-bearing mantle source JF - Minerals N2 - During the period 750-600 Ma ago, prior to the final break-up of the supercontinent Rodinia, the crust of both the North American Craton and Baltica was intruded by significant amounts of rift-related magmas originating from the mantle. In the Proterozoic crust of Southern Norway, the 580 Ma old Fen carbonatite-ultramafic complex is a representative of this type of rocks. In this paper, we report the occurrence of an ultramafic lamprophyre dyke which possibly is linked to the Fen complex, although Ar-40/Ar-39 data from phenocrystic phlogopite from the dyke gave an age of 686 +/- 9 Ma. The lamprophyre dyke was recently discovered in one of the Kongsberg silver mines at Vinoren, Norway. Whole rock geochemistry, geochronological and mineralogical data from the ultramafic lamprophyre dyke are presented aiming to elucidate its origin and possible geodynamic setting. From the whole-rock composition of the Vinoren dyke, the rock could be recognized as transitional between carbonatite and kimberlite-II (orangeite). From its diagnostic mineralogy, the rock is classified as aillikite. The compositions and xenocrystic nature of several of the major and accessory minerals from the Vinoren aillikite are characteristic for diamondiferous rocks (kimberlites/lamproites/UML): Phlogopite with kinoshitalite-rich rims, chromite-spinel-ulvospinel series, Mg- and Mn-rich ilmenites, rutile and lucasite-(Ce). We suggest that the aillikite melt formed during partial melting of a MARID (mica-amphibole-rutile-ilmenite-diopside)-like source under CO2 fluxing. The pre-rifting geodynamic setting of the Vinoren aillikite before the Rodinia supercontinent breakup suggests a relatively thick SCLM (Subcontinental Lithospheric Mantle) during this stage and might indicate a diamond-bearing source for the parental melt. This is in contrast to the about 100 Ma younger Fen complex, which were derived from a thin SCLM. KW - aillikite KW - phlogopite KW - carbonate KW - spinel KW - ilmenite KW - titanite KW - diamond KW - Vinoren KW - Southern Norway Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/min10111029 SN - 2075-163X VL - 10 IS - 11 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER - TY - THES A1 - Zubaidah, Teti T1 - Spatio-temporal characteristics of the geomagnetic field over the Lombok Island, the Lesser Sunda Islands region BT - new geological, tectonic, and seismo-electromagnetic insights along the Sunda-Banda Arcs transition T2 - Scientific Technical Report N2 - The Lombok Island is part of the Lesser Sunda Islands (LSI) region – Indonesia, situated along the Sunda-Banda Arcs transition. It lies between zones characterized by the highest intensity geomagnetic anomalies of this region, remarkable as one of the eight most important features provided on the 1st edition of World Digital Magnetic Anomaly Map. The seismicity of this region during the last years is high, while the geological and tectonic structures of this region are still not known in detail. Some local magnetic surveys have been conducted previously during 2004–2005. However, due to the lower accuracy of the used equipment and a limited number of stations, the qualities of the previous measurements are questionable for more interpretations. Thus a more detailed study to better characterize the geomagnetic anomaly -spatially and temporally- over this region and to deeply explore the related regional geology, tectonic and seismicity is needed. The intriguing geomagnetic anomalies over this island region vis-à-vis the socio-cultural situations lead to a study with a special aim to contribute to the assessment of the potential of natural hazards (earthquakes) as well as a new natural resource of energy (geothermal potential). This study is intended to discuss several crucial questions, including: i. The real values and the general pattern of magnetic anomalies over the island, as well as their relation to the regional one. ii. Any temporal changes of regional anomalies over the recent time. iii. The relationships between the anomalies and the geology and tectonic of this region, especially new insights that can be gained from the geomagnetic observations. iv. The relationships between the anomalies and the high seismicity of this region, especially some possible links between their variations to the earthquake occurrence. First, all available geomagnetic data of this region and results of the previous measurements are evaluated. The new geomagnetic surveys carried out in 2006 and 2007/2008 are then presented in detail, followed by the general description of data processing and data quality evaluation. The new results show the general pattern of contiguous negative-positive anomalies, revealing an active arc related subduction region. They agree with earlier results obtained by satellite, aeromagnetic, and marine platforms; and provide a much more detailed picture of the strong anomalies on this island. The temporal characteristics of regional anomalies show a decreasing strength of the dipolar structure, where decreasing of the field intensities is faster than the regional secular variations as defined by the global model (the 10th generation of IGRF). However, some exceptions (increasing of anomalies) have to be noted and further analyzed for several locations. Thereafter, simultaneous magnetic anomalies and gravity models are generated and interpreted in detail. Three profiles are investigated, providing new insights into the tectonics and geological evolution of the Lombok Island. Geological structure of this island can be divided as two main parts with different consecutive ages: an old part (from late Oligocene to late Miocene) in the South and a younger one (from Pliocene to Holocene) in the North. A new subduction in the back arc region (the Flores Thrust zone) is considered mature and active, showing a tendency of progressive subduction during 2005–2008. Geothermal potential in the northern part of this island can be mapped in more detail using these geomagnetic regional survey data. The earlier estimates of reservoir depth can be confirmed further to a depth of about 800 m. Evaluation of temporal changes of the anomalies gives some possible explanations related to the evolution of the back arc region, large stress accumulations over the LSI region, a specific electrical characteristic of the crust of the Lombok Island region, and a structural discontinuity over this island. Based on the results, several possible advanced studies involving geomagnetic data and anomaly investigations over the Lombok Island region can be suggested for the future: i. Monitoring the subduction activity of the back arc region (the Flores Thrust zone) and the accumulated stress over the LSI, that could contribute to middle term hazard assessment with a special attention to the earthquake occurrence in this region. Continuous geomagnetic field measurements from a geomagnetic observatory which can be established in the northern part of the Lombok Island and systematic measurements at several repeat stations can be useful in this regards. ii. Investigating the specific electrical characteristic (high conductivity) of the crust, that is probably related to some aquifer layers or metal mineralization. It needs other complementary geophysical methods, such as magnetotelluric (MT) or preferably DC resistivity measurements. iii. Determining the existence of an active structural fault over the Lombok Island, that could be related to long term hazard assessment over the LSI region. This needs an extension of geomagnetic investigations over the neighbouring islands (the Bali Island in the West and the Sumbawa Island in the East; probably also the Sumba and the Flores islands). This seems possible because the regional magnetic lineations might be used to delineate some structural discontinuities, based on the modelling of contrasts in crustal magnetizations. KW - geomagnetic KW - tectonic KW - seismo-electromagnetic KW - Lombok Y1 - 2010 U6 - https://doi.org/10.2312/GFZ.b103-10079 VL - STR10 IS - 07 PB - Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum GFZ CY - Potsdam ER - TY - THES A1 - Zuhr, Alexandra T1 - Proxy signal formation in palaeoclimate archives T1 - Proxy-Signalbildung in Paläoklimaarchiven BT - a characterisation of climate signal deposition and modification in marine sediments and polar ice BT - eine Charakterisierung der Ablagerung und Veränderung von Klimasignalen in Meeressedimenten und Polarem Ei N2 - Throughout the last ~3 million years, the Earth's climate system was characterised by cycles of glacial and interglacial periods. The current warm period, the Holocene, is comparably stable and stands out from this long-term cyclicality. However, since the industrial revolution, the climate has been increasingly affected by a human-induced increase in greenhouse gas concentrations. While instrumental observations are used to describe changes over the past ~200 years, indirect observations via proxy data are the main source of information beyond this instrumental era. These data are indicators of past climatic conditions, stored in palaeoclimate archives around the Earth. The proxy signal is affected by processes independent of the prevailing climatic conditions. In particular, for sedimentary archives such as marine sediments and polar ice sheets, material may be redistributed during or after the initial deposition and subsequent formation of the archive. This leads to noise in the records challenging reliable reconstructions on local or short time scales. This dissertation characterises the initial deposition of the climatic signal and quantifies the resulting archive-internal heterogeneity and its influence on the observed proxy signal to improve the representativity and interpretation of climate reconstructions from marine sediments and ice cores. To this end, the horizontal and vertical variation in radiocarbon content of a box-core from the South China Sea is investigated. The three-dimensional resolution is used to quantify the true uncertainty in radiocarbon age estimates from planktonic foraminifera with an extensive sampling scheme, including different sample volumes and replicated measurements of batches of small and large numbers of specimen. An assessment on the variability stemming from sediment mixing by benthic organisms reveals strong internal heterogeneity. Hence, sediment mixing leads to substantial time uncertainty of proxy-based reconstructions with error terms two to five times larger than previously assumed. A second three-dimensional analysis of the upper snowpack provides insights into the heterogeneous signal deposition and imprint in snow and firn. A new study design which combines a structure-from-motion photogrammetry approach with two-dimensional isotopic data is performed at a study site in the accumulation zone of the Greenland Ice Sheet. The photogrammetry method reveals an intermittent character of snowfall, a layer-wise snow deposition with substantial contributions by wind-driven erosion and redistribution to the final spatially variable accumulation and illustrated the evolution of stratigraphic noise at the surface. The isotopic data show the preservation of stratigraphic noise within the upper firn column, leading to a spatially variable climate signal imprint and heterogeneous layer thicknesses. Additional post-depositional modifications due to snow-air exchange are also investigated, but without a conclusive quantification of the contribution to the final isotopic signature. Finally, this characterisation and quantification of the complex signal formation in marine sediments and polar ice contributes to a better understanding of the signal content in proxy data which is needed to assess the natural climate variability during the Holocene. N2 - Während der letzten ~3 Millionen Jahre war das Klimasystem der Erde durch Zyklen von Glazialen und Interglazialen gekennzeichnet. Die aktuelle Warmperiode, das Holozän, ist vergleichsweise stabil und hebt sich von dieser langen Zyklizität ab. Seit der industriellen Revolution wird das Klima jedoch zunehmend durch einen vom Menschen verursachten Anstieg der Treibhausgaskonzentrationen beeinflusst. Während instrumentelle Beobachtungen die Veränderungen der letzten ~200 Jahre beschreiben können, liefern Proxydaten die meisten klimatischen Informationen für den Zeitraum vor diesen Beobachtungen. Proxies zeichnen vergangene Klimabedingungen auf und sind in Paläoklimaarchiven rund um die Erde gespeichert. Das Proxysignal wird durch eine Vielzahl an Prozessen beeinflusst, die unabhängig von den vorherrschenden klimatischen Bedingungen sind. Insbesondere bei sedimentären Archiven wie Meeressedimenten und Eisschilden kann es während oder nach der Ablagerung zu einer Umverteilung des Materials und einer Änderung des Signals kommen. Dies führt zu nicht-klimatischen Unsicherheiten in den Daten, was zuverlässige Rekonstruktionen auf lokalen oder kurzen zeitlichen Skalen erschwert. Diese Dissertation charakterisiert die Ablagerung des Klimasignals und quantifiziert die daraus resultierende archiv-interne Heterogenität und ihren Einfluss auf das beobachtete Proxysignal, um die Repräsentativität und Interpretation von Klimarekonstruktionen aus marinen Sedimenten und Eiskernen zu verbessern. Zu diesem Zweck wird die horizontale und vertikale Variabilität des Radiokarbongehalts in einem Sedimentkern aus dem Südchinesischen Meer untersucht. Die dreidimensionale Auflösung des Kastenbohrers wird genutzt, um die tatsächliche Unsicherheit in Alterabschätzung von planktonische Foraminiferen mittels der Radiokarbonmethode zu quantifizieren. Mit Hilfe von verschiedene Probenvolumina und wiederholten Messungen von kleinen und großen Anzahlen an Lebewesen wird eine Quantifizierung der Variabilität, die auf die Durchmischung des Sediments durch benthische Organismen zurückzuführen ist, durchgeführt. Die Durchmischung der Sedimente verursacht eine starke interne Heterogenität, was zu Fehlertermen, die zwei bis fünf Mal größer sind als bisher angenommen, und einer erheblichen zeitlichen Unsicherheit von Rekonstruktionen basierend auf Proxydaten führt. Eine zweite dreidimensionale Analyse liefert Einblicke in die heterogene Signalablagerung in Schnee und Firn. Hierzu wird ein neues Studiendesign in der Akkumulationszone des grönländischen Eisschilds angewandt, wobei ein Structure-from-Motion Photogrammetrie Ansatz mit zweidimensionalen Isotopendaten kombiniert wird. Die photogrammetrische Methode zeigt, dass die Akkumulation von Schnee sehr variable ist. Die Entwicklung der Schneeablagerung an der Oberfläche erfolgt primär schichtweise mit erheblichen Veränderungen durch eine windgestriebene Erosion und Umverteilung des Schnees. Diese Dynamik führt zu einer räumlich variablen Akkumulation und sratigraphischem Rauschens an der Oberfläche. Die heterogene Akkumulation bestimmt die räumliche Ablagerung der klimatischen Informationen, die in der Isotopenzusammensetzung des Schness enthalten ist. Stratigraphische Rauschen der Oberfläche bleibt in der oberen Firnsäule erhalten, was zu einem räumlich variablen Signaleindruck führt. Weiterhin werden zusätzliche Veränderungen nach der Ablagerung durch Austauschprozesse zwischen dem Schnee und der Atmosphäre untersucht, jedoch ohne eine schlüssige Quantifizierung dieses Beitrags zur endgültigen Isotopensignatur. Die Charakterisierung und Quantifizierung der komplexen und heterogenen Signalbildung in marinen Sedimenten und Gletschereis verbessert letztlich das Verständnis des Signalgehalts in Proxydaten und trägt dazu bei, die natürliche Klimavariabilität des Holozäns besser abzuschätzen. KW - polar ice KW - marine sediments KW - palaeoclimatology KW - signal formation KW - climatolgoy KW - Klimatologie KW - Meeressedimente KW - Paläoklimatologie KW - polares Eis KW - Signalbildung Y1 - 2023 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-582864 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zuhr, Alexandra M. A1 - Dolman, Andrew M. A1 - Ho, Sze Ling A1 - Groeneveld, Jeroen A1 - Loewemark, Ludvig A1 - Grotheer, Hendrik A1 - Su, Chih-Chieh A1 - Laepple, Thomas T1 - Age-heterogeneity in marine sediments revealed by three-dimensional high-resolution radiocarbon measurements JF - Frontiers in Earth Science N2 - Marine sedimentary archives are routinely used to reconstruct past environmental changes. In many cases, bioturbation and sedimentary mixing affect the proxy time-series and the age-depth relationship. While idealized models of bioturbation exist, they usually assume homogeneous mixing, thus that a single sample is representative for the sediment layer it is sampled from. However, it is largely unknown to which extent this assumption holds for sediments used for paleoclimate reconstructions. To shed light on 1) the age-depth relationship and its full uncertainty, 2) the magnitude of mixing processes affecting the downcore proxy variations, and 3) the representativity of the discrete sample for the sediment layer, we designed and performed a case study on South China Sea sediment material which was collected using a box corer and which covers the last glacial cycle. Using the radiocarbon content of foraminiferal tests as a tracer of time, we characterize the spatial age-heterogeneity of sediments in a three-dimensional setup. In total, 118 radiocarbon measurements were performed on defined small- and large-volume bulk samples ( similar to 200 specimens each) to investigate the horizontal heterogeneity of the sediment. Additionally, replicated measurements on small numbers of specimens (10 x 5 specimens) were performed to assess the heterogeneity within a sample volume. Visual assessment of X-ray images and a quantitative assessment of the mixing strength show typical mixing from bioturbation corresponding to around 10 cm mixing depth. Notably, our 3D radiocarbon distribution reveals that the horizontal heterogeneity (up to 1,250 years), contributing to the age uncertainty, is several times larger than the typically assumed radiocarbon based age-model error (single errors up to 250 years). Furthermore, the assumption of a perfectly bioturbated layer with no mixing underneath is not met. Our analysis further demonstrates that the age-heterogeneity might be a function of sample size; smaller samples might contain single features from the incomplete mixing and are thus less representative than larger samples. We provide suggestions for future studies, optimal sampling strategies for quantitative paleoclimate reconstructions and realistic uncertainty in age models, as well as discuss possible implications for the interpretation of paleoclimate records. KW - paleoceanography KW - radiocarbon KW - age-heterogeneity KW - marine sediments KW - planktonic foraminifera KW - bioturbation KW - agemodeling KW - South China Sea Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2022.871902 SN - 2296-6463 VL - 10 PB - Frontiers Media CY - Lausanne ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zurell, Damaris A1 - Berger, Uta A1 - Cabral, Juliano Sarmento A1 - Jeltsch, Florian A1 - Meynard, Christine N. A1 - Muenkemueller, Tamara A1 - Nehrbass, Nana A1 - Pagel, Jörn A1 - Reineking, Bjoern A1 - Schroeder, Boris A1 - Grimm, Volker T1 - The virtual ecologist approach : simulating data and observers N2 - Ecologists carry a well-stocked toolbox with a great variety of sampling methods, statistical analyses and modelling tools, and new methods are constantly appearing. Evaluation and optimisation of these methods is crucial to guide methodological choices. Simulating error-free data or taking high-quality data to qualify methods is common practice. Here, we emphasise the methodology of the 'virtual ecologist' (VE) approach where simulated data and observer models are used to mimic real species and how they are 'virtually' observed. This virtual data is then subjected to statistical analyses and modelling, and the results are evaluated against the 'true' simulated data. The VE approach is an intuitive and powerful evaluation framework that allows a quality assessment of sampling protocols, analyses and modelling tools. It works under controlled conditions as well as under consideration of confounding factors such as animal movement and biased observer behaviour. In this review, we promote the approach as a rigorous research tool, and demonstrate its capabilities and practical relevance. We explore past uses of VE in different ecological research fields, where it mainly has been used to test and improve sampling regimes as well as for testing and comparing models, for example species distribution models. We discuss its benefits as well as potential limitations, and provide some practical considerations for designing VE studies. Finally, research fields are identified for which the approach could be useful in the future. We conclude that VE could foster the integration of theoretical and empirical work and stimulate work that goes far beyond sampling methods, leading to new questions, theories, and better mechanistic understanding of ecological systems. Y1 - 2010 UR - http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/issn?DESCRIPTOR=PRINTISSN&VALUE=0030-1299 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0706.2009.18284.x SN - 0030-1299 ER -