South Germany Research Articles

High-Resolution Direct Push Sensing in Wetland Geoarchaeology—First Traces of Off-Site Construction Activities at the Fossa Carolina

Wetland environments, with their excellent conservation conditions, provide geoarchaeological archives of past human activities. However, the subsurface soil is difficult to access due to high groundwater tables, unstable sediments, and the high cost of excavation. In this study, we present a ground-based non- and minimal-invasive prospection concept adapted to the conditions of wetlands. We investigated the Fossa Carolina in South Germany, a canal that was intended in 792/793 AD by Charlemagne to bridge the Central European Watershed. Although the resulting Carolingian banks and the fairway with wooden revetments are very imposing, archaeological traces of off-site construction activities have not been identified hitherto. Based on a geophysically surveyed intensive linear magnetic anomaly parallel to the Carolingian canal, we aimed to prove potential off-site traces of Carolingian construction activities. In this context, we built up a high-resolution cross-section using highly depth-accurate direct push sensing and ground-truthing. Our results showed the exact geometry of the canal and the former banks. Thus, the magnetic mass anomaly could be clearly located between the buried organic-rich topsoil and the Carolingian banks. The thermoluminescence dating showed that the position of the magnetic mass anomaly reflected Carolingian activities during the construction phases, specifically due to heat exposure. Moreover, we found hints of the groundwater supply to the 5-metre wide navigable fairway.

Free Allophonic Variation in Native and Second Language Spoken Word Recognition: The Case of the German Rhotic.

The question of how listeners deal with different phonetic variant forms for the same words in perception has sparked great interest over the past few decades, especially with regard to lenited and regional forms. However, the perception of free variant forms of allophones within the same syllable position remains surprisingly understudied. Because of this, in the present study, we investigate how free allophonic variation in the realization of the German rhotic (/r/) impacts spoken word recognition for native German listeners and two groups of non-native listeners (French and Italian learners of German). By means of a visual-world eye-tracking task, we tested the recognition of spoken German words starting with /r/ when the rhotic was produced either as the more canonical variant, the uvular fricative [] which is considered the German standard, or as an alveolar trill [r], a common realization in the south of Germany. Results showed that German listeners were more efficient at recognizing /r/-initial words when these were produced with the uvular fricative than with the alveolar trill. French listeners did not differ from German listeners in that respect, but Italian listeners showed exactly the opposite pattern: they showed an advantage when words were produced with the alveolar trill. These findings suggest that, for native listeners, the canonicity of the variant form is an important determiner of ease of recognition, even in the absence of orthographic or perceptual motivations for the primacy of canonical variants for this particular example of variation. For non-native listeners, by contrast, results are better explained by the match of the different allophones to the canonical realization of /r/ in their native language than by the status or frequency of the allophones in the non-native language itself.

The emergent past: past natural and human disturbances of trees can reduce their present resistance to drought stress

Forest tree growth is primarily explained, modelled, and predicted depending on current age or size, environmental conditions, and competitive status in the stand. The accumulated size is commonly used as a proxy for a tree's past development. However, recent studies suggest that antecedent conditions may impact present growth by epigenetic, transcriptional, proteomic, or metabolic changes alongside physiological and structural properties. Here, I analysed the ecological memory effect embedded in the xylem as a tree-ring structure. I used 35 mature Norway spruces (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) and 36 European beeches (Fagus sylvatica L.) of the Kranzberg Forest water retention experiment KROOF in South Germany to scrutinise how their past development determines the growth of control plots and plots with 5-year water retention. I hypothesised that the current size and growing conditions determine tree growth and drought stress resistance. Metrics quantifying the trees’ recent and past growth, and correlation and linear mixed models with random effects revealed the following ecological memory effects. (1) For both species, the progressive growth course, low inter-annual growth variation in the long term, and low growth deflections in the recent past increased the growth resistance to drought. (2) The correlation between the past growth metrics and current stress reactions revealed that legacy effects could reach back 5–30 years; I found short- and long-term ecological memory. (3) Parameters of model prediction of the basic model with only size as a predictor of tree growth could be improved. The results suggest differences in the internal stem structure and ring pattern cause-specific differences in the trees' functioning and growth. I conclude that a long-term progressive increase and low variation in ring width may improve water conduction and reduce embolism in both species. Annual growth variation and low growth events in the recent past may have primed the morphology and allocation of the Norway spruce to better resist drought. The strong reduction in current growth, drought resistance by irregular growth, and past growth disturbances reveal a memory effect embedded in the tree ring pattern, suggesting further exploration and consideration in tree monitoring, growth modelling, and silvicultural prescriptions.

Distributional effects of emission pricing in a carbon-intensive economy: The case of Poland

We assess the distributional impact of introducing a carbon tax in a small open economy, using the case of Poland. We use a dynamic general equilibrium model with a search mechanism in the labour market, soft-linked to a microsimulation model based on household budget survey data. We evaluate the impact on various income groups and on inequality. We account for four key channels: the direct (energy) and indirect (other goods) price effects, behavioural adjustment of consumption, and changes in labour income. We consider three of ways to recycle the carbon tax revenue: lump-sum transfer, energy price subsidies, and labour tax reduction. We find that the distributional effects depend on the recycling of revenues. Using them to reduce labor taxation attenuates the negative effect of carbon tax on GDP and employment but increases inequality compared to a lump-sum transfer to households. This finding highlights the trade-off between efficiency and equity. Our results could be relevant for other countries producing fossil fuels, such as South Africa, Germany, or Australia.

Leadership Style of Senior Manager of Medical Device Industry in Germany: A Case Study

Leadership allows organizations to focus on employee development and sustain efforts for well-being. It argued that the medical device industry is complex and leadership requires support to meet the demands. Moreover, increasing globalization and politicization of social welfare institutes have increased challenges. Regulatory compliance must be followed. The study aimed to explore the leadership style of senior leaders in the context of regulatory compliance in the medical device industry after the Covid-19 outbreak. The research objective is to get insight, thoughts, and shared experiences from the medical device industry leaders as they face regulatory challenges. The research used a qualitative approach and the data was collected through conducting interviews with medical device industry leaders and later performing a thematic analysis of the interview transcripts. The sample population taken in the research comprised 14 senior leaders from South Germany, particularly in Baden-Württemberg Region, where they shared their responses based on design questions. The questions were designed within the context of regulatory compliance. Ethical considerations maintain the anonymity of the participant. It was observed that regulatory compliance in the medical device industry has uncertain and dynamic situations where an authoritarian style of leadership becomes necessary. However, most of the leaders disagreed with this style of leadership and some resort to a democratic way of listening through effective communication or collaboration. Communication skill was found to be the most effective for leaders in the medical device industry. Leaders build personal relationships with their subordinates and try to cater to their needs.

The Construction and Empirical Study on Evaluation Index System of International Low-Carbon Economy Development

Global climate change has become one of the core issues of world governance. Many countries have put forward the goal of carbon neutrality one after another, leading to the intensification of international low-carbon economy competition. To assess the current low-carbon competitiveness among countries, this article constructs an evaluation index system of international low-carbon economy development, and obtains the scores and rankings of countries in energy, society, economy and environment, as well as overall. Taking 20 countries with the highest carbon emissions in the world in 2019 as samples, starting from the concept of low-carbon economy and five evaluation principles, this article selects 40 low-carbon evaluation indicators from five aspects, including economy, society, science and technology, environment, and energy structure. By using the principal component factor analysis method to calculate and test, the four factors, energy factor, society factor, economy factor, and environment factor, are finally extracted to construct the evaluation index system. Results show that South Korea, France, China, Canada, and Germany are among the world’s top five low-carbon economies. The overall competitiveness of China’s low-carbon economy is in a relatively favorable position (3rd overall), with the most outstanding performance in terms of economic strength (1st), but poor performance in terms of social development (9th) and environmental carrying capacity (9th), and the biggest disadvantage in terms of energy structure (13th).

Stress Eesilience in Special Operations - Simulation-based Counter-terrorism Training from a Communication Perspective

Master students of the part-time study program in the winter semester 2020/21 Crisis & Emergency Management successfully complete the study module Operational Medicine 18F for the first time. Furthermore, participants from the professional groups of the health service, aid organizations, specialized police forces, the German Armed Forces as well as mission and outreach workers were represented in South Germany.

Seroprevalence and Risk Factors of Anaplasma spp. in German Small Ruminant Flocks.

Simple SummaryAnaplasma phagocytophilum and Anaplasma ovis, tick-borne pathogens with zoonotic potential, have been detected in small ruminants in Europe and North America in the past. These intracellular bacteria cause tick borne fever and ovine anaplasmosis, respectively. The most common clinical signs of infection are fever, lethargy and anaemia. To date, little is known about the distribution of these pathogens in sheep and goats from Germany. Therefore, 3178 serum samples of small ruminants from 71 farms distributed in five German federal states (Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Wuerttemberg and Bavaria) were examined for IgG antibodies to Anaplasma species by a cELISA based on the MSP5 antigen. In 70 flocks, antibodies to Anaplasma spp. were detected in both sheep and goats. Furthermore, a risk factor analysis was carried out by means of a questionnaire answered by the farmers. Older animals and females were more likely to have antibodies to Anaplasma spp. Moreover, sheep had a higher probability of becoming seropositive than goats. Using flocks for landscape conservation and the presence of cats and dogs on the farm increased the risk of having more than 20% seropositive animals within the flock significantly. Since antibodies to Anaplasma spp. have been detected in almost all flocks (70/71), it can be assumed that Anaplasma spp. might be underdiagnosed in small ruminants from Germany.Knowledge about the distribution of Anaplasma spp. in small ruminants from Germany is limited. Therefore, serum samples were examined from 71 small ruminant flocks (2731 sheep, 447 goats) located in the five German federal states: Schleswig-Holstein (SH), Lower Saxony (LS), North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Baden-Wuerttemberg (BW) and Bavaria (BAV). Antibodies to Anaplasma spp. were determined by a cELISA based on the MSP5 antigen. A risk factor analysis at animal and flock level was also performed. Antibodies to Anaplasma spp. were detected in 70/71 flocks without significant difference in the intra-flock prevalence (IFP) between the federal states. The mean antibody levels from sheep were significantly lower in northern Germany (LS, SH) compared to west (NRW) and south Germany (BW, BAV). Sheep had a 2.5-fold higher risk of being seropositive than goats. Females and older animals (>2 years) were more likely to have antibodies to Anaplasma spp. in one third and one quarter of cases, respectively. Flocks used for landscape conservation had a five times higher risk of acquiring an IFP greater than 20%. Cats and dogs on the farms increased the probability for small ruminant flocks to have an IFP of above 20% 10-fold and 166-fold, respectively. Further studies are necessary to assess the impact of Anaplasma species on the health of small ruminants in Germany.

Cross-Cultural Adaption and Psychometric Evaluation of the German Craniofacial Pain and Disability Inventory (CF-PDI)

The Craniofacial Pain and Disability Inventory (CF-PDI) is a cross-culturally adapted instrument designed from a biopsychosocial perspective to measure pain, disability, and function in orofacial head and neck pain with shown psychometric properties; however, the German cross-cultural adaption is lacking. To carry out a transcultural translation of CF-PDI into German and assess its psychometric properties in patients with painful temporomandibular disorders (TMD) with respect to construct and clinical validity, internal consistency and reproducibility. Multicenter, prospective, cross-sectional design. Patients (n = 398) were recruited from dental and physical therapy clinics in middle and south Germany. Structural validity was assessed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). We investigated know-group validity by means of the scale's potential to discriminate between affected and unaffected subjects. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to estimate convergent validity. We tested test-retest reliability by the intraclass correlation coefficient and the Internal consistency by Cronbach's alpha, or each dimension separately, and the total score. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to estimate convergent validity. Two hundred forty-six heterogeneous chronic craniofacial pain patients and 152 patients without complaints were recruited from the middle and south of Germany. The German version CF-PDI-G presents 21 items, 4 factors, and adequate psychometric properties. The test-retest reliability and internal consistency of the CF-PDI-G were both excellent for the entire instrument and also for all sub-scales (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] > 0.90) except for the comorbidities and interference with work which was acceptable (ICC = 0.69). Standard error of the measurement (SEM) and minimal detectable change values are sufficiently low. Assessment of clinical validity shows good potential of discrimination and classification into categories "no," "mild," "moderate," and "severe." The multiple linear regression model showed a strong association between neck disability index, Visual Analog Scale, and anamnestic questionnaire (supporting the scale's convergent validity). Our sample has a higher prevalence of women and the sample was not recruited consecutively, which may lead to a biased estimation of psychometric properties. The CF-PDI-G represents valid and reliable instrument to assess pain and disability in patients with orofacial pain and headache suitable for research and clinical practice.

Facilitators and barriers for the implementation of telemedicine from a local government point of view - a cross-sectional survey in Germany

BackgroundTelemedicine offers additional ways of delivering medical care, e.g., in primary care in rural areas. During the last decades, projects including telemedicine are being implemented worldwide. However, implementation of telemedicine is in some countries, e.g., Germany somewhat slower compared to northern European countries. One important part of successful implementation is to include the citizen perspective. The aims of this study were to explore the perception of representatives of the local government regarding telemedicine in the context of a perceived GP shortage and to tailor future telemedicine offers according to these perceived needs.MethodsConsidering the multidisciplinary assessment suggested by the Model for Assessment of Telemedicine a questionnaire with 19 questions was developed by identifying determinants of telemedicine out the literature. After pre-testing, the questionnaire was sent to all 2199 mayors from the federal states of Schleswig-Holstein (North Germany) and Baden-Württemberg (South Germany) as representatives of the citizens (cross- sectional study; full population survey). The final questionnaire contained sections for socio-demographic data, telemedicine and perceived GP shortage. All responses from November 2018 until 2019 were included and analyzed descriptively.ResultsThe response rate was 32% (N = 699), of which 605 were included in the analysis. A majority of the participants stated they live in a rural area and 46% were in the office for up to 8 years. The mayors had predominantly a positive perception about telemedicine (60%) and 76% of them stated, their community would benefit from telemedicine. A GP shortage was reported by 39% of the participants. The highest risk of telemedicine was seen in misdiagnosing. In case of an emergency situation 291 (45%) of the participants considered data privacy as not as relevant. Mayors from a community with a perceived GP shortage had a more negative perception regarding telemedicine.ConclusionThe acceptance of telemedicine is rapidly rising compared to former studies. Communities with a perceived GP shortage had a more negative perception. Barriers like data security concerns were seen as less important in case of an emergency. The highest risk of telemedicine was seen in misdiagnosing. These findings need to be considered in designing future telemedicine offers.

MP67-14 SCIENTIFIC AUTHORSHIP OF COCHRANE SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS IN UROLOGY: A 2020 ANALYSIS

You have accessJournal of UrologyGlobal Health/Humanitarian (MP67)1 Sep 2021MP67-14 SCIENTIFIC AUTHORSHIP OF COCHRANE SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS IN UROLOGY: A 2020 ANALYSIS Ahmad Ozair, Nishanth Subash, and Abhinav Sonkar Ahmad OzairAhmad Ozair More articles by this author , Nishanth SubashNishanth Subash More articles by this author , and Abhinav SonkarAbhinav Sonkar More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000002028.14AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Cochrane systematic reviews are widely considered to be amongst the highest level of evidence available with their conclusions often impacting policy and practice. Some countries and/or regions are reported to have a disproportionately higher representation in their authorship. However, it is unclear as to which countries have contributed the highest to Cochrane reviews in urology and what is the current state of collaboration existing between their authors. This study sought to determine authorship patterns and collaborative networks of Cochrane reviews in urology. METHODS: We searched and extracted data from the Cochrane Database for systematic reviews published under the Cochrane Urology Group by 20 June, 2020. We included both active reviews and those withdrawn for updation. For graphical representation, we used the Social Network Visualizer (https://socnetv.org/) and treated a collaborative author group belonging to a single country, e.g., MRC Clinical Trials Unit (UK), as a single author. RESULTS: A total of 80 eligible reviews were found, authored by a total of 430 authors. Co-authors disproportionately belonged to the US (30.5%) and UK (22.3%), followed by Germany (13.5%), South Korea (7.2%), China (4.9%), Australia (4.7%), Brazil (4.4%), Netherlands (3.5%), Canada (1.9%), Argentina and India (1.6% each), Italy (1.6%) and the rest (Fig. 1). A network analysis of collaborations between authors of different countries was generated (Fig. 2). Lead authors belonged maximally to US and UK (23.8% each), followed by South Korea (11.3%) and Germany (10%). Countries/regions, which otherwise contribute actively to urology literature, that had little/no representation included majority of Latin American and African countries, France, Spain and Japan. CONCLUSIONS: The US and the UK are found to be the biggest contributors to the highest-quality evidence in urology, consistent with citation analysis of urology literature. Capacity-building efforts are needed in several countries for getting academic urologists involved with Cochrane. Source of Funding: None © 2021 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 206Issue Supplement 3September 2021Page: e514-e515 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2021 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Ahmad Ozair More articles by this author Nishanth Subash More articles by this author Abhinav Sonkar More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Loading ...

Application-Oriented Reactive Power Management in German Distribution Systems Using Decentralized Energy Resources

Due to higher penetration of renewable energy sources, grid reinforcements, and the utilization of local voltage control strategies, a significant change in the reactive power behavior as well as an increased demand for additional reactive power flexibility in the German power system can be predicted. In this paper, an application-oriented reactive power management concept is proposed, which allows distribution system operators (DSO) to enable a certain amount of reactive power flexibility at the grid interfaces while supporting voltage imitations in the grid. To evaluate its feasibility, the proposed concept is applied for real medium voltage grids in the south of Germany and is investigated comprehensively in different case studies. The results prove the feasibility and reliability of the proposed concept, which allows the DSO to control the reactive power exchange at grid interfaces without causing undesired local voltage problems. In addition, it can be simply adjusted and widely applied in real distribution grids without requiring high investment costs for complex information and communication infrastructures. As a significant contribution, this study provides an ideal bridging solution for DSOs who are facing reactive power issues but have no detailed and advanced monitoring system for their grid. Moreover, the comprehensive investigations in this study are performed in close cooperation with a German DSO, based on a detailed grid model and real measurement data.

The influence of historical management on the vegetation and habitat properties of semi-dry grassland

We assessed the effect of historical management on the vegetation and habitat properties of semi-dry grasslands on a regional scale in the Swabian Alb (South Germany). Grasslands were categorized into ancient, old, young and recent sites according to the management over the last 200 years. With around two species, diversity of vascular plants was moderately higher in grasslands with at least six decades of continuous management, which was supported by the GLM. With seven and ten species, diversity of cryptogams and threatened plants significantly increased from recent to ancient grasslands. Short-term managed grasslands exhibited a strong similarity in species composition along increased proportions of species from cultivated grasslands with high forage values, different from most long-term management grasslands. The shift in species composition from mainly typical semi-dry grassland plants for long-term management towards ubiquitous plants from cultivated grasslands was emphasized by a set of indicator species for each time span. The effect of fertilizing in the arable field use was still lingering in recent grasslands, reflected in higher levels of nutrients. Plant available phosphorous was even three times higher with averagely 37 mg/kg soil. Long-term managed grasslands are relicts of pasturing for centuries in the traditional or improved three field rotation systems and harbour a higher diversity, whereas recent grasslands are marked by the shift to modern agriculture and provide a higher fodder quality. Our results suggest that different managements are required to maintain the grassland’s quality depending on the time span of establishment. Particularly short-term managed grasslands may need more intensive grazing to re-develop them into the direction of long-term grasslands.

Spread of bacterial and virus yellowing diseases of sugar beet in South and Central Germany from 2017–2020

From 2017 to 2020 an extensive monitoring for bacterial and viral yellowing diseases was carried out in southern and central Germany. The monitoring recorded for the first time the infestation of sugar beets with yellowing viruses and the disease „Syndrome Basses Richesses“ (SBR). To map the yellowing virus infestation, samples were examined for the presence of several virus species (BYV, BtMV, poleroviruses). The disease SBR was investigated in this study using the more common γ-3 proteobacterium “Candidatus Arsenophonus phytopathogenicus”. In this study samples were chosen, which showed yellowing symptoms. The coordination of the sampling was carried out by the Association of Hessian-Palatinate Sugar Beet Growers. Results clearly show the extent of the heavily infested area from SBR to southern Hesse, Rhine-Hesse and Franconia. The spread of SBR can be explained by the migration of the leafhopper Pentastiridius leporinus. Furthermore, the regional and parallel spread of mixed infections of both yellowing diseases was shown for the first time, which probably contributed to the strong sugar yield losses observed in practice. Causes and effects of mixed infections of both yellowing diseases require further research. Over the four-year study period, a continuous increase in SBR infections was observed. Therefore, the need for development of appropriate management systems to control SBR is very high.

Exploring the determinants of renewable energy innovation considering the institutional factors: A negative binomial analysis

Replacing traditional energy sources with renewable energy sources is an effective way to achieve emission reduction targets. Focusing on OECD countries from 1990 to 2018, this study examines the determinants of renewable energy innovation by applying a negative binomial model. There are four main findings: (1) Renewable energy patents show an inverted U-shaped curve, peaking in 2010; solar energy accounts for the largest share of patents; and the US is the largest renewable energy innovator, followed by South Korea and Germany. (2) Renewable electricity installed capacity, share of expenditure on research and development (R&D) of GDP, and implementation of the Kyoto Protocol are all found to promote innovation; by comparison, the proportion of renewable energy power generation of the total electricity generating capacity shows a negative effect. The price of crude oil shows no significant effect due to the offset effect between the European and non-European country groups. (3) Share of R&D expenditure of GDP is confirmed to be the force driving technological progress in the solar, geothermal, and marine sectors, and it plays a more important role in Japan than in the US or Europe. Implementation of the Kyoto Protocol has no significant effect on innovation in European countries. (4) Three institutional factors—namely, the legal system and property rights; regulations; and freedom to trade internationally—are confirmed to be the driving forces, whereas this is not the case for the growth and free circulation of money. Policy implications for the optimization of the renewable energy sector's structure, the enhancement of renewable energy capacity, and the improvement of R&D investment and the institutional environment are proposed. Future research should shed light on a broader sample, using micro-level and socio-technical analysis.

Fertilization modifies forest stand growth but not stand density: consequences for modelling stand dynamics in a changing climate

Abstract Knowledge of the maximum forest stand density and the self-thinning process is important for understanding, modelling and scheduling thinnings in silviculture. The upper trajectories of stem number, N, vs mean diameter, dq or mean tree volume vs stem number are often used for quantifying maximum stand density. The long debate about how site conditions modify these relationships is presently revived due to global change. A crucial question is whether environmental conditions alter the trajectories themselves or just the velocity at which stands move along them. Our contribution is based on fully stocked plots from long-term Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) fertilization experiments along an ecological gradient in South Germany. This allows us to compare the self-thinning trajectories of fertilized and unfertilized plots under different environmental conditions. We can show that repeated fertilization with nitrogen did not change the N ~ dq trajectories. Assuming that fertilization affects forests in a similar way as an ongoing atmospheric N-deposition, this means that presently growth, mortality, and volume accumulation in forest stands proceed faster in time but still follow the same N ~ dq allometric trajectories. Furthermore, we found that the level of the self-thinning line generally increases with the annual precipitation. The allometric self-thinning exponent, however, did not respond to environmental conditions. Finally, we quantitatively demonstrate and discuss the implications and consequences of the results regarding understanding and modelling forest stand dynamics, carbon sequestration and the development and adaptation of silvicultural guidelines in view of climate change.

Genetic diversity reduces competition and increases tree growth on a Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) provenance mixing experiment

Many recent studies address that diversification of tree species and stand structure can increase the level and stability of growth and other forest functions and services to mitigate natural and human disturbances. Most studies so far focussed on the diversification of tree species mixing and stand structure. The potential of intra-specific genetic diversification in terms of provenance mixture was hardly explored so far.Here we analyse how a mixing of species provenances of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) affects the competition between neighboring trees and their growth. We based our study on the 40-years-old provenance-mixing experiment Vohenstrauß 622 in the Upper Palatinate Forest in South Germany. Here 21 different provenances from clonal propagation of Norway spruce across Germany were combined in individual tree mixture, replicated in different spacing, and thinning. Our main objective was to analyze how the individual tree competition, tree growth, and stand productivity were affected by neighboring trees of different provenances.First we show that at an tree age of 43 years the different provenances strongly vary between 10 and 27% in their crown diameter, cd, stem diameter, d, crown length, cl, and tree height, h, with a ranking cvcd > cvd > cvcl > cvh in the coefficient of variation, cv. We found significant differences of the stem and crown allometry between the provenances; e.g. the range of the allometric exponents of h∝dα was α = 0.12–0.58 and of cd∝dα α = 0.47–0.84.Second we found that different provenances in the neighborhood reduced the inter-individual competition and increased the stem diameter growth. Having 10 different provenances in the neighborhood increases the diameter growth of a tree on average by 28 % compared with having only 5 provenances in the neighborhood. Stem diameter followed a saturation curve with increasing number of provenances.Third we showed that an increasing number of provenances also increased the productivity at the stand level. The effects on stand growth are not only determined by the number of different provenances per area but also by their spatial mixing pattern.The inter-provenance complementarity of tree allometry is discussed as main cause of the revealed reduction of competition and increase of growth. We further discuss how spatially explicit individual tree models may incorporate tree structure as proxy of provenance characteristics. We conclude that genetic diversification in terms of provenance mixture can increase and stabilize tree and stand growth analogously to tree species mixing and may be further explored and considered as seminal silvicultural option.

A Life in Limbo: Otto von Strahl’s Activities for and against Germany in the Union of South Africa

ABSTRACT During World War II, Baron Otto von Strahl, a German career diplomat and trader, became one of South Africa’s most important intelligence assets in the fight against Nazi infiltration. But he died indigent, an immigrant to the United States of America, because the German post-war authorities refused to recognise him as a Nazi opponent. Many decades after his death historians have begun to praise him as a resistance fighter, though ignoring certain ambiguities in his activities in South Africa. Von Strahl had denounced fellow Germans as dangerous Nazis without any tangible evidence, bringing about their internment by the South African authorities. Based on archival research in South Africa, Namibia, and Germany, this article exposes a paradox in von Strahl’s activities for South Africa: as an undoubted expert of South Africa’s infiltration by Nazi envoys and their propaganda, he focused on the German population, which constituted a relatively minor threat to the country’s stability, but he ignored the menace coming from pro-Nazi radical Afrikaner movements. His role has been exaggerated by those who accused him of treason during and after the war in Germany, whilst both his accusers and post-war defenders neglected his pro-Jewish attitude as the main motivation for switching sides in 1939.

Urban Tree Growth Characteristics of Four Common Species in South Germany

Urban trees are important, green features of cities. However, knowledge of the size development of frequently planted tree species, which is the basis for modeling environmental benefits of urban trees, is mostly limited. Within this study, allometric relationships for tree structures like tree height, crown parameters, and leaf area were developed for 4 common urban tree species in South Germany (horse chestnut [Aesculus hippocastanum], small-leaved lime [Tilia cordata], black locust [Robinia pseudoacacia], and plane tree [Platanus × hispanica]). Growth and size differences between different tree species, cities, and planting sites (street, park, square) were analyzed. Moreover, the above- and belowground growing conditions were compared and their influences on growth analyzed. Marked differences in the structural development between species were found, mostly due to their species characteristics. Fast growing species (e.g., R. pseudoacacia) also showed fastest development of the tree structures compared to other species. Differences between cities were minor, especially for trees younger than 100 years, whereas the variation of growing conditions within cities strongly influenced their growth. Park trees mostly had greater tree structures compared to trees at other growing sites, though this was also species-dependent. Above- and belowground conditions varied between species, cities, and sites (street, park, square), with obstacles (trees, buildings) south of the trees having a negative influence on crown growth. These patterns can be helpful for better planning of green features in cities. They provide a basis for urban tree management based on the growing space requirements of tree species and their ecosystem service provision.

TomoSAR Mapping of 3D Forest Structure: Contributions of L-Band Configurations

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) measurements are unique for mapping forest 3D structure and its changes in time. Tomographic SAR (TomoSAR) configurations exploit this potential by reconstructing the 3D radar reflectivity. The frequency of the SAR measurements is one of the main parameters determining the information content of the reconstructed reflectivity in terms of penetration and sensitivity to the individual vegetation elements. This paper attempts to review and characterize the structural information content of L-band TomoSAR reflectivity reconstructions, and their potential to forest structure mapping. First, the challenges in the accurate TomoSAR reflectivity reconstruction of volume scatterers (which are expected to dominate at L-band) and to extract physical structure information from the reconstructed reflectivity is addressed. Then, the L-band penetration capability is directly evaluated by means of the estimation performance of the sub-canopy ground topography. The information content of the reconstructed reflectivity is then evaluated in terms of complementary structure indices. Finally, the dependency of the TomoSAR reconstruction and of its structural information to both the TomoSAR acquisition geometry and the temporal change of the reflectivity that may occur in the time between the TomoSAR measurements in repeat-pass or bistatic configurations is evaluated. The analysis is supported by experimental results obtained by processing airborne acquisitions performed over temperate forest sites close to the city of Traunstein in the south of Germany.