Parts Of Central Europe Research Articles

European urban development: Sustainability and the role of housing

In the new Millennium, sustainable urbandevelopment is becoming a fashionable topic,almost as popular as globalization or citycompetition. European countries differ widelyfrom each other on whether they have a nationalpolicy for urban development or not, and if so,on the emphasis of such a policy. Pan Europeanorganizations are reluctant to establish aclear vision of a desirable European pathtoward urban development. This is even true forthe European Union: although the EU is runningextensive systems of support policies, it hasno clear expectation of how European citiesshould develop or what they should look like inthe future. (The European Spatial DevelopmentPerspective, ESDP, contains some statementsabout desirable urban development, but this isfar from being a binding document or havingsubstantial influence on the allocation ofmeans of support.) The criticism leveled at the EU for having nocommon policy for the future of its citiesshould be seen in perspective, as the lack ofideas/patterns for sustainable urbandevelopment is even more visible in theaccession countries and in Eastern Europe. Thedramatic changes in the cities of thepost-socialist countries even appear to bemoving in the opposite direction – away fromsustainability. Sustainability is a complex phenomenon, havingeconomic, environmental and social aspects. Anyconcept of sustainable urban development mustincorporate sectoral concepts; these must bewell integrated in the overarching urban,regional and governance policies. One sectoral policy of great importance tosustainable development is housing. Withoutsuitable suggestions for housing policies, noconcept of sustainable development can besuccessful (and vice versa). Yet, housing isone of the less frequently discussed aspects ofsustainability. This might be explained by theway housing research has developed; economicand social aspects have taken precedence overenvironmental effects and externalities. Ofcourse, the fact that housing is not part ofthe common policies of the EU also helpsexplain the present situation. This paper elaborates on the link betweenhousing and urban development. Using examplesof good and not so good practices, we considerwhy housing experts should investigate theenvironmental and spatial externalities ofhousing policies and why experts working onurban development policies should take theresults of such analyses into account. Suchcollaboration could raise the status ofsustainable urban policies supported bysuitable housing policies.The analysis presented here pertains to theWestern and Central parts of Europe, roughly tothe area of the soon-to-be-enlarged EuropeanUnion.The structure of the paper is as follows. Thefirst chapter discusses models and trends ofurban development. The second chapter gives anoverview of policies with the potential toinfluence urban development, followed by goodand not so good examples for such policiestaken from both Western and Eastern Europe. Thethird and fourth chapters concentrate on largehousing estates, where interventions wereneeded to ensure the sustainability ofdevelopment. Finally, chapter five offers someconcluding remarks.

Association of Borrelia garinii and B. valaisiana with songbirds in Slovakia.

In Europe, 6 of the 11 genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato are prevalent in questing Ixodes ricinus ticks. In most parts of Central Europe, B. afzelii, B. garinii, and B. valaisiana are the most frequent species, whereas B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. bissettii, and B. lusitaniae are rare. Previously, it has been shown that B. afzelii is associated with European rodents. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify reservoir hosts of B. garinii and B. valaisiana in Slovakia. Songbirds were captured in a woodland near Bratislava and investigated for engorged ticks. Questing I. ricinus ticks were collected in the same region. Both tick pools were analyzed for spirochete infections by PCR, followed by DNA-DNA hybridization and, for a subsample, by nucleotide sequencing. Three of the 17 captured songbird species were infested with spirochete-infected ticks. Spirochetes in ticks that had fed on birds were genotyped as B. garinii and B. valaisiana, whereas questing ticks were infected with B. afzelii, B. garinii, and B. valaisiana. Furthermore, identical ospA alleles of B. garinii were found in ticks that had fed on the birds and in questing ticks. The data show that songbirds are reservoir hosts of B. garinii and B. valaisiana but not of B. afzelii. This and previous studies confirm that B. burgdorferi sensu lato is host associated and that this bacterial species complex contains different ecotypes.

Affinities with the `Old' Continent or the `Fatherland': Assent and Dissent in U.S. Culture, 1830-1940

Travel accounts invariably juxtapose the country visited, the cultural practices of its inhabitants and its sites and institutions with the corresponding phenomena in the country of origin. This frequently gives rise to, or reflects, ethical dilemmas since the process of cross-cultural representation involved naturally prompts an assessment of the cultural assets and the liabilities of the country of origin. The following article concerns itself with American accounts of travels to the ‘Old World’, especially to Germany and other parts of Central Europe, with reflections on United States society as a result of the encounter with the ‘Fatherland’ or certain aspects of other national cultures in Europe. This article sheds light on the significance of Germany to American travellers and its importance for the cultural debate in the United States. It examines the increasing attention paid to Germany because of its rise to a cultural centre in Europe. It also takes into consideration the ever growing number of immigrants to the United States from Germany and deals with the complex differentiation between German-speaking people. It further notes the awareness of American observers of the denominational divide between predominantly Protestant northern Germany and its Catholic south, which until the Great War included the German-speaking parts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The various subregions of Germany elicited different reactions from the visitors depending on their own religion and cultural background. The study also pays special attention to American travellers from the Southern States, whose well-documented reactions to their European journeys deserve special consideration as they have been less frequently analyzed than those of their Northern compatriots.

Art of the Baltics: the struggle for freedom of artistic expression under the Soviets, 1945-1991

This text is a major survey of the development of modernist art in Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia during the post-World War II Soviet period. The contributors discuss and reappraise the art of Baltic artists working in modernist styles. They argue that Estonian, Lithuanian and Latvian art did not develop in similar ways. Estonia, for example, had closer contact with Scandinavian countries, while Lithuania clearly was part of Central Europe, and was more influenced by Poland.

Recent research on early farming in central Europe

Farming communities were established in many parts of central Europe Between approximately 5600 and 4500 BC. Although these communities have been studied for over a century, much more remains to be learned about them. This article will provide an overview of the history of this research, some important recent discoveries, and a sense of the ongoing debate about the origins of these agricultural communities.

Management of transformation in central Europe

The historical background, the management practice, growth and yield aspects of transformation of artificial coniferous stands in central Europe are outlined. Past management has reduced the proportion of natural broad-leaved forests from 66 to 33% of the forest area. The pure stands of planted Norway spruce ( Picea abies) and Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris) show increased instability and susceptibility to damage by snow and wind. Proposals for transformation go back to the nineteenth century, but the diversity of sites, stand structures and different goals of owners make transformation a variable task. This paper outlines three case studies of transformation and some results of growth research into transforming coniferous stands, based on the situation in south-western Germany which is comparable to other parts of central Europe. The first case study deals with two experimental stands in the southern Black Forest which have been developed from an even- to an uneven-aged structure. Diameter distribution, residual volumes, harvesting results and periodic increments and yields are characterised. The second case study outlines the transformation of pure Norway spruce stands. On stable sites, an uneven-aged mosaic structure with 20–40% beech can be reached by crop-tree oriented thinning from above, target-diameter harvesting, natural regeneration and underplanting of beech if needed. On unstable sites, transformation will be realised either by clearfelling and seeding, conversion to oak by planting or by underplanting of silver fir and single-tree harvesting. The third case study deals with pure Scots pine stands: natural regeneration of Scots pine allows transformation options either rather fast in combination with clearfelling and/or seeding, or delayed with lasting regeneration procedures, or as nearly continuous cover system with low density of overstorey. Some growth and yield problems in transforming coniferous stands are shown using the example of the “Langenbrand-experiment”, started in 1927 in the northern Black Forest. There are effects of differing regeneration periods on growth rates caused by the interaction between the old and the young stands. These have an influence on the growth reactions of the residual trees, their mortality and the pattern of height/diameter ( h/ d) ratios in the natural regeneration. The h/ d relationships of the young stands depend on the length of the regeneration period with longer periods promoting more favourable ratios which should positively influence the stability of future stands.

Present status, and social and economic significance of inland fisheries in Germany

The Federal Republic of Germany is situated in the central part of Europe and covers an area of 358 000 km2. The climate is maritime in the north and continental in the south with precipitation varying between 600 and 2000 mm year–1. Lakes and farm ponds are common in the north‐eastern part of the country and in the alpine and pre‐alpine regions to the south. A great number of small natural and artificial water bodies exist all over the country. There are about 800 000 ha of inland waters. The population of 82 million people are concentrated around a number of large conurbations. Over the last 150 years, intense use of the water resources by industry led to pollution and a severe decrease in river and lake fisheries. Only 587 inland fishing enterprises still existed in the early 1990s. Catches from commercial fisheries are decreasing with a total of 3469 t being caught in 1998. The Lake Constance fishery, which landed about 840 t in 1998, is an exception to the general trend. Strong competition for the aquatic resource is affecting commercial fisheries, whilst recreational fisheries have gained increasing importance over the last decades. Recent studies provided basic information on anglers’ habits, social structure and economic significance as well as their effects on the waters. Aquaculture mainly produces rainbow trout, Oncoryhnchus mykiss (Walbaum) 20 000 t and carps (12 000 t) e.g. Cyprinus carpio L. Despite pressures from industry and conservation movements, regional support for fisheries and their development has intensified, leading to improved water quality. There are even attempts to re‐establish abandoned fisheries. Co‐operation with conservationists provides an opportunity for the future survival and development of fisheries. The fisheries and aquaculture sectors changed drastically after the reunification of Germany. The collapse of the infrastructure in the eastern part of Germany led to a decline in production and to a special investigation on recent developments of this sector.

Present status, and social and economic significance of inland fisheries in Germany

The Federal Republic of Germany is situated in the central part of Europe and covers an area of 358 000 km2. The climate is maritime in the north and continental in the south with precipitation varying between 600 and 2000 mm year–1. Lakes and farm ponds are common in the north-eastern part of the country and in the alpine and pre-alpine regions to the south. A great number of small natural and artificial water bodies exist all over the country. There are about 800 000 ha of inland waters. The population of 82 million people are concentrated around a number of large conurbations. Over the last 150 years, intense use of the water resources by industry led to pollution and a severe decrease in river and lake fisheries. Only 587 inland fishing enterprises still existed in the early 1990s. Catches from commercial fisheries are decreasing with a total of 3469 t being caught in 1998. The Lake Constance fishery, which landed about 840 t in 1998, is an exception to the general trend. Strong competition for the aquatic resource is affecting commercial fisheries, whilst recreational fisheries have gained increasing importance over the last decades. Recent studies provided basic information on anglers’ habits, social structure and economic significance as well as their effects on the waters. Aquaculture mainly produces rainbow trout, Oncoryhnchus mykiss (Walbaum) 20 000 t and carps (12 000 t) e.g. Cyprinus carpio L. Despite pressures from industry and conservation movements, regional support for fisheries and their development has intensified, leading to improved water quality. There are even attempts to re-establish abandoned fisheries. Co-operation with conservationists provides an opportunity for the future survival and development of fisheries. The fisheries and aquaculture sectors changed drastically after the reunification of Germany. The collapse of the infrastructure in the eastern part of Germany led to a decline in production and to a special investigation on recent developments of this sector.

Hepatitis A seroprevalence in Slovene travellers.

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection rates used to be very high in the past [1]. In the economically developed countries, HAV infection rates and the proportion of people with immunity to HAV decreased as a result of improved sanitation [2, 3]. There is a scarcity of information on the prevalence rates of anti-HAV in the Central European countries [4, 5]. Travellers to non-industrialized areas are exposed to infections that do not exist, or occur very rarely in their home country, such as HAV infection [6]. Nonimmune persons are effectively protected against HAV infection by timely vaccination. Immunization is not required in HAV seropositive travellers. The purpose of the study was to ascertain the seroprevalence of antibodies to HAV in adult Slovene travellers, and to determine whether prevaccination screening can reduce unnecessary vaccination. From the beginning of July 1999 to the end of October 1999, screening for antibodies to HAV was offered to all travellers aged 18–57 years who presented for immunization or malaria chemoprophylaxis at the travel clinic of the Institute of Public Health. The study included travellers born in Slovenia who had had no previous vaccination against HAV and denied having had known HAV infection. They were notified of test results. The travellers were categorized by the year of birth into the following eight groups: 1942–1946, 1947–1951, 1952–1956, 1957–1961, 1962–1966, 1967–1971, 1972–1976, 1977– 1981. On the basis of the ascertained seroprevalence we determined at what age prevaccination screening for HAV antibodies is cost-effective. Costs of the primary vaccination and booster immunization at months 6–12 were estimated. The total cost, i.e. the price of HAV vaccine plus the cost of vaccination, amounted to 97.8 EUR. The cost of antibody test was estimated to be 28.2 EUR. Over a period of 4 months, we tested 328 travellers (178 men and 150 women) with no history of acute HAV infection or previous vaccination against HAV. Altogether 103 (31.4%) subjects tested positive for HAV antibodies. Seropositivity rates are presented in Table 1. Seropositivity increased with age (p-value 0.001, v-test). Among the travellers born before 1962, 55.6% tested positive for anti-HAV. In contrast, a vast majority of persons (93.7%) born in 1971 and later who gave no history of infectious jaundice showed no immunity to HAV. Our observations are comparable to the results of a similar American study of travellers with no history of hepatitis A before vaccination [7]. It showed that solely 16.6% of persons born in industrialized countries were seropositive for HAV. The HAV seroprevalence rate was higher (32.1%) in individuals travelling frequently to economically less developed countries, and extremely high (82.7%) in people born in nonindustrialized countries. Prevaccination screening is considered cost-effective when the cost of vaccinating the entire population is higher than the cost of testing plus the cost of vaccinating non-immune individuals [8]. Considering the cost of vaccination of 97.8 EUR and 28.2 EUR for testing, the screening is economically valid for a population with a seropositivity rate of 29 per cent. The calculation based on the price of vaccine and cost of testing showed that vaccination without previous testing is cost-effective in subjects born after 1961. As previously mentioned, hepatitis A has become rare in the central part of Europe, too [4, 5]. The number of notified hepatitis A cases in Slovenia has been on a constant decline, particularly since 1990 (Figure 1) [9]. The decline is not attributable solely to the changed notification system, because the reporting

Koeleria macrantha (Ledeb.) Schultes (K. alpigena Domin, K. cristata (L.) Pers. pro parte, K. gracilis Pers., K. albescens auct. non DC.)

<i>Koeleria macrantha</i> (Ledeb.) Schultes (<i>K. alpigena</i> Domin, <i>K. cristata</i> (L.) Pers. pro parte, <i>K. gracilis</i> Pers., <i>K. albescens</i> auct. non DC.)

Chemical effects of UV fluctuations inferred from total ozone and tropospheric aerosol variations

A regional‐scale photochemistry model with 50 km horizontal resolution and 20 layers in the vertical is described. The model's domain includes Europe and most of the North Atlantic and the Arctic region. Model results for the summer months April–September 1996 are presented and compared to measurements. Emphasis is on the Aegean Sea where extensive measurements were made as part of the European Union project Photochemical Activity and Solar Ultraviolet Radiation (PAUR). The model sensitivity with respect to changes in UV radiation, caused by moderate variations in the total ozone column (25 Dobson units), are explored and shown to be small. Aerosol optical depth was calculated from Mie scattering theory using the modeled total sulphate column and used to calculate perturbations of the photolysis rates due to sulphate aerosols. Only small effects on monthly averaged ozone are found with the inclusion of aerosols. For individual days, occasional large variations in calculated ozone levels are seen when the aerosol optical depth is fixed at a high value. The inclusion of aerosols result in a slight reduction of high ozone events over central parts of Europe.

DAS VORKOMMEN VON AMPHORA CALUMETICA (B. W. THOMAS EX WOLLE) PERAG. IN EUROPA

The occurrence of Amphora calumetica (B.W. Thomas ex Wolle) Perag. in Europe. A. calumetica is considered to be a rare taxon which has never been reported from the central part of Europe until recently. In this paper findings from three lacalities in Germany are described. The findings support the suggestions of Edlund & Stoermer (1999) that A. calumetica is an epipsammic diatom and that it is more common than previously thought.

Numerical modeling of gravitational field lines - the effect of mass attraction on horizontal coordinates

There are two basic types of geodetic projections by which the points located on the Earth's surface can be projected onto a reference ellipsoid. Because of the different principles of Helmert's and Pizzetti's methods two sets of horizontal and vertical coordinates are obtained for the same set of surface points. The difference is investigated in terms of offsets of horizontal coordinates. For an estimation of the offsets the field lines going through topographic masses are determined by three different numerical methods in `flat Earth approximation' using a volume element model of the density distribution of the lithosphere in a part of central Europe. The maximum horizontal offset reaches 20 cm on the investigated area at the level of the geoid.

Effects of Environmental Stress on Forest Crown Condition in Europe. Part IV: Statistical Analysis of Relationships

Site-specific estimates for various environmentalstress factors were related with measured crowncondition data at a systematic 16 ×: 16 km2 gridover Europe, according to previously statedhypotheses, using a multiple regression approach,including interactions, and lagged effects of stressfactors. Methodological differences among countriesaccounted for >30% of the variation in defoliation.Nevertheless, crown condition was found to varynaturally with tree age, altitude, drought stress and,most likely, also pathogenic fungi and insects.Significant impacts of air pollution (specificallyozone but also NOx, SOx and acid deposition)were found at regional levels in parts of centralEurope, particularly for deciduous species. Impactsseemed less significant for conifers, especially forspruce, but this might be affected by confoundingeffects or strong correlations between (a harsh)climate and (low) atmospheric deposition in the areawhere spruce predominates. National studies indicatethat ozone and acid deposition can have a significanteffect on the defoliation of spruce as well. Weconclude that while forest condition varies naturally,continued emissions will contribute further to forestdecline in the long term.

Effects of environmental stress on forest crown condition in Europe. Part I : Hypotheses and approach to the study

This paper is the first in a series of four,describing the hypothesis and approach of acorrelative study between observed data on crowncondition in Europe, monitored since 1986 at asystematic 16 × 16 km grid, and site-specificestimations of various natural and anthropogenicstress factors. The study was based on the hypothesisthat forests respond to various natural andanthropogenic stress factors, whose contributiondepend on the geographic region considered. In view ofthis hypothesis, major stand and site characteristics,chemical soil composition, meteorological stressfactors (temperature and drought stress indices) andair pollution stress (concentrations and/ordepositions of SOx, NOy, NHx andO3) were included as predictor variables. Theresponse variables considered were actual defoliationand changes/trends in defoliation for five major treespecies. The spatial distribution of the averagedefoliation during the period 1986–1995 shows highdefoliation in Central Europe and in parts ofScandinavia and of Southern Europe. There are,however, sharp changes at country borders, which aredue to methodological differences between countries.The spatial distribution of the calculated trends showa distinct cluster of large deterioration in parts ofCentral and Eastern Europe and in Spain and a ratherscattered pattern of positive and negative trends for most of Europe, indicating that other factors than airpollution only have a strong impact on defoliation.The limitations of the study are discussed in view ofthe quality of the considered response and predictor variables.

SEISMIC AND ASEISMIC MOVEMENTS IN THE WESTERN BOHEMIA/VOGTLAND AREA

Keywords: horizontal strike slipzones, seismic moment rate, slip-creep-slip processes1. INTRODUCTIONGeodetic measurements show that the convergence rate between Southern Sweden and the Alpsis about < 2 mm/a (Ward, 1994). This amount works on a rheologically stratified medium asdescribed by Elsasser (1969). The largest part of Central Europe reacts by wide span bending. Shearzones, mostly of horizontal strike slip character form an exceptional situation inside the studiedarea. Earthquake activities are concentrated to intersections of different shear zones (lilies, 1982).

Parastenocaris andreji n. sp. (Crustacea; Copepoda) – the first record of the genus in Slovenia (SE Europe)

Parastenocaris andreji n. sp. was found in ground water in a northwestern part of Slovenia (southern part of Central Europe). Two adult females of the new species were filtered out of 20 000 l of water during examination of an aquifer for water supply. The bore well was 10 m deep. The aquifer is fed by rainwater and probably only occasionally from a nearby alpine river Sava. The new species differs markedly from other known species of the genus by shape and armature of furcal rami, very long and slim maxillae and some characters on endopodites P2–P5. The closest related species are probably Parastenocaris nolliKiefer, 1938 with subspecies P. nolli alpinaKiefer, 1960, P. gertrudae Kiefer, 1968 and P. austriacaKiefer, 1976.

Incidence of Lyme Borreliosis in the Würzburg Region of Germany

To assess the incidence of Lyme borreliosis in Central Europe, a 12-month, prospective, population-based surveillance study of Lyme borreliosis was conducted in the Wurzburg region of central Germany, following an aggressive awareness campaign. The diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis required the presence of (i) erythema migrans (diameter > or =5 cm); (ii) lymphocytoma; or (iii) another specific manifestation including Lyme arthritis, neuroborreliosis, carditis or acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans in conjunction with serological confirmation. A total of 313 cases of Lyme borreliosis was diagnosed, giving an incidence of 111 cases/100000 inhabitants, the highest rates occurring in children and elderly adults living in wooded as opposed to agricultural areas. The incidence in city dwellers and inhabitants of rural areas was not significantly different. Erythema migrans was the only manifestation in 279 (89%) patients. Of the 34 patients with manifestations other than erythema migrans alone, 15 had arthritis, nine neuroborreliosis, six lymphocytoma, four acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans and one carditis. Children were more likely than adults to have manifestations other than erythema migrans alone. Lyme borreliosis was very common in central Germany, and one of the most frequent bacterial infections. The observation of more cases of arthritis than neuroborreliosis was similar to that in the USA. These results may be representative for many parts of central Europe and suggest the need for development of a vaccine against borreliosis caused by European strains of Borrelia species.

A STUDY ON THE GENETIC VARIABILITY OF BIATORA HELVOLAUSING RAPD MARKERS

Abstract:Biatora helvola is a corticolous crustose lichen occurring in boreal and montane spruce and spruce-fir-beech forests. After the last glaciation, spruce reinvaded Europe from three refugia situated in the Carpathians, southeastern parts of the Alps and the Ural Mts., resulting in a slightly disjunct distribution. Our aim was to find out whether the glacial fragmentation of the distributional area of spruce is reflected by genetic differences in a typical spruce-forest lichen. Collections of Biatora helvola from Scandinavia and various parts of Central Europe were investigated using RAPD analysis. Algal free periclinal sections of the apothecia were obtained using a freezing microtome and transferred directly into PCR tubes. Six different RAPD primers were used. The data were analysed using PAUP*. It was shown that genetic differences between samples of B. helvola reflect the glacial disjunction of spruce in Europe.

A Study on the Genetic Variability of Biatora Helvola using Rapd Markers

Biatora helvola is a corticolous crustose lichen occurring in boreal and montane spruce and spruce-fir-beech forests. After the last glaciation, spruce reinvaded Europe from three refugia situated in the Carpathians, southeastern parts of the Alps and the Ural Mts., resulting in a slightly disjunct distribution. Our aim was to find out whether the glacial fragmentation of the distributional area of spruce is reflected by genetic differences in a typical spruce-forest lichen. Collections of Biatora helvola from Scandinavia and various parts of Central Europe were investigated using RAPD analysis. Algal free periclinal sections of the apothecia were obtained using a freezing microtome and transferred directly into PCR tubes. Six different RAPD primers were used. The data were analysed using PAUP*. It was shown that genetic differences between samples of B. helvola reflect the glacial disjunction of spruce in Europe.