Projected Responses of Tidal Dynamics in the North Sea to Sea-Level Rise and Morphological Changes in the Wadden Sea

This study explores the projected responses of tidal dynamics in the North Sea induced by the interplay between plausible projections of sea-level rise (SLR) and morphological changes in the Wadden Sea. This is done in order to gain insight into the casual relationships between physical drivers and hydro-morphodynamic processes. To achieve this goal, a hydronumerical model of the northwest European shelf seas (NWES) was set-up and validated. By implementing a plausible set of projections for global SLR (SLRRCP8.5 of 0.8 m and SLRhigh−end of 2.0 m) by the end of this century and beyond, the model was run to assess the responses of the regional tidal dynamics. In addition, for each considered SLR, various projections for cumulative rates of vertical accretion were applied to the intertidal flats in the Wadden Sea (ranging from 0 to 100% of projected SLR). Independent of the rate of vertical accretion, the spatial pattern of M2 amplitude changes remains relatively stable throughout most of the model domain for a SLR of 0.8 m. However, the model shows a substantial sensitivity toward the different rates of vertical accretion along the coasts of the Wadden Sea, but also in remote regions like the Skagerrak. If no vertical accretion is assumed in the intertidal flats of the Wadden Sea, the German Bight and the Danish west coast are subject to decreases in M2 amplitudes. In contrast, those regions experience increases in M2 amplitudes if the local intertidal flats are able to keep up with the projected SLR of 0.8 m. Between the different scenarios, the North Frisian Wadden Sea shows the largest differences in M2 amplitudes, locally varying by up to 14 cm. For a SLR of 2.0 m, the M2 amplitude changes are even more amplified. Again, the differences between the various rates of vertical accretion are largest in the North Frisian Wadden Sea (> 20 cm). The local distortion of the tidal wave is also significantly different between the scenarios. In the case of no vertical accretion, tidal asymmetry in the German estuaries increases, leading to a potentially enhanced sediment import. The presented results have strong implications for local coastal protection strategies and navigation in adjacent estuaries. © Copyright © 2021 Jordan, Visscher and Schlurmann

The Lamfalussy Reform in the EU Securities Markets: Fiduciary Relationships, Policy Effectiveness and Balance of Power

In 2000 a Committee of Wise Men chaired by Alexandre Lamfalussy, former president of the European Monetary Institute was appointed by the Economics and Finance Ministers Council to make recommendations on the regulation of the European securities markets. It proposed a four-level system to improve the legislative process while ensuring what it called a democratic and institutional balance. Our paper questions to what extent the concepts of two basic modes of delegation - agency and trust relationships - are appropriate tools to interpret the new structure set up by the Committee. It formulates hypotheses about its policy effectiveness and the balance of power between Community institutions. Evidence supports the agency hypothesis: the Lamfalussy process has reduced the average time taken to negotiate and adopt the first framework directives at level 1 and it has facilitated the removal of bottlenecks in the process through parallel working at levels 1 and 2. In this sense, delegation has enhanced policy effectiveness in the securities sector. But it is much more difficult to assess the trustee hypothesis: that is, whether the Commission and the Committee of European Securities Regulators (CESR) in fact act as trustees of the member states for the benefit of market actors. For the time being, whether CESR might evolve into a European securities regulator remains an open questio

Impacts of human activity and global changes on future morphodynamics within the tien river, vietnamese mekong delta

The hydro-and morphodynamic processes within the Vietnamese Mekong Delta are heavily impacted by human activity, which in turn affects the livelihood of millions of people. The main drivers that could impact future developments within the delta are local stressors like hydropower development and sand mining, but also global challenges like climate change and relative sea level rise. Within this study, a hydro-morphodynamic model was developed, which focused on a stretch of the Tien River and was nested into a well-calibrated model of the delta's hydrodynamics. Multiple scenarios were developed in order to assess the projected impacts of the different drivers on the river's morphodynamics. Simulations were carried out for a baseline scenario (2000-2010) and for a set of plausible scenarios for a future period (2050-2060). The results for the baseline scenario indicate that the Tien River is already subject to substantial erosion under present-day conditions. For the future period, hydropower development has the highest impact on the local erosion and deposition budget, thus amplifying erosional processes, followed by an increase in sand mining activity and climate change-related variations in discharge. The results also indicate that relative sea level rise only has a minimal impact on the local morphodynamics of this river stretch, while erosional tendencies are slowed by a complete prohibition of sand mining activity. In the future, an unfavourable combination of drivers could increase the local imbalance between erosion and deposition by up to 89%, while the bed level could be incised by an additional 146%. © 2020 by the authors

Investigations on the Effects of Different Calcium Supply Exceeding the Requirements on Mineral Serum Concentrations and Bone Metabolism in Young Warmblood Stallions

Since mineral supplements for horses commonly contain macro minerals, although the requirement for such is usually covered by roughage-based diets, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different dietary calcium levels on mineral serum concentrations and bone metabolism. The trial was conducted in 30 young warmblood stallions (2–3 years) that were divided into two groups for a five-month feeding trial. The groups were fed a hay- and oat-based diet and were either supplied with high (Ca-High) or moderate (Ca-Moderate) calcium excess. While in Ca-High calcium supply was about 2–2.5-fold of the requirement, in Ca-Moderate calcium requirements were slightly surpassed (1.5–1.6-fold). In order to monitor the effects of the different calcium supply, blood samples were taken during the trial and analysed for levels of macro and trace elements as well as concentrations of two bone markers. In Ca-Moderate a trend towards higher phosphorus serum levels compared to Ca-High was observed which was significant at the end of the trial (p = 0.0002). Furthermore, results showed no influence of the diet on bone markers. Results support the idea that forage-based rations for horses do not necessarily have to be supplemented with macro minerals but with trace elements

Comparative Study of the Effects of Two Dietary Sources of Vitamin D on the Bone Metabolism,Welfare and Birth Progress of Sows Fed Protein- and Phosphorus-Reduced Diets

To investigate the influence of two dietary sources of vitamin D on the vitamin D status, bone metabolism, welfare and birth progress of gestating and lactating sows, forty-nine multiparous sows were randomly assigned to one of two diets: “CON” (n = 25; 50 g vitamin D3/kg feed) and “HYD” (n = 24; 50 g 25-hydroxycholecalciferol/kg feed). The basal diets were protein- and phosphorus-reduced. The trial started on day 3 ante insemination of the sows and ended with weaning of the piglets on day 28 postpartum. Dietary supplementation of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol resulted in improved maternal vitamin D status (p < 0.001), fewer gait changes (p < 0.01) and longer standing time after feeding (day 5 ante partum; p < 0.05) compared to vitamin D3. However, the bone markers CrossLaps and osteocalcin were not affected. Overall, the present results suggest that sows fed 25-hydroxycholecalciferol instead of vitamin D3 showed improved locomotion and stance strength. However, this outcome is probably not related to altered bone metabolism. The underlying mechanisms must be investigated in further studies

Assessing concordance between Campylobacter prevalence in broilers and human cases before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Lower Saxony, Germany, considering fresh chicken meat consumption patterns

As the most common foodborne disease, number of campylobacteriosis decreased in Germany with the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. As the consumption of fresh chicken meat is a major risk factor for human infection, this study investigated the relationship between Campylobacter contamination levels on chicken carcasses and human cases in Lower Saxony, Germany and observed fresh chicken meat consumption patterns between 2018 and 2021 including the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Campylobacter levels in broilers and human cases were classified based on the median and descriptively analysed per week using contingency tables. Before the COVID-19 pandemic (2018 and 2019), high Campylobacter contamination levels on neck samples and many human cases were more present, whereas with the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020 and 2021), low contamination levels on chicken carcasses and few human cases were more present. Lowest concordance between both parameters was shown in 2018 (Cohen’s cappa coefficient: 0.37) and 2020 (0.38). The highest concordance was examined in 2021 (0.69). The private consumption of fresh chicken meat in Lower Saxony increased significantly with the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 by 63.9 tonnes compared to 2019 to an average of 453.5 tonnes per week. Public health measures and a reduced number of medical treatments have undoubtedly had an impact on less reported human cases during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, number of human cases remained at a low level in Germany in 2023 while chicken meat consumption increased. Thus, further risk assessments regarding the risk of campyloabcteriosis due to chicken meat consumption should include the country of origin, as the level of contamination of chicken carcasses varies between European countries

Towards a territorial political capacity approach for studying European regions

This article proposes a framework for studying the territorial political capacity of regions in Europe. The proposed framework identifies three main dimensions of territorial political capacity. Mainly material indicators include institutions and institutional resources. Mixed material and constructed indicators centre on causal mechanisms of party and leadership capacity. Mainly constructed indicators are drawn from territorial praxis. Understanding a region requires combining different levels of analysis and distinctive ways of knowing; broad-based (quasi-statistical) variables facilitate comparison, while the focus on resilience and capacity requires primary data collection, drilling down into the practices of comparable panels of actors. This article discusses this framework in relation to four European regions that were the object of empirical investigation in 2012–2014: namely Brittany (France), Andalusia (Spain), Wallonia (Belgium) and Wales (United Kingdom). It contributes to the conceptualization of comparative territorial capacity, in a manner distinct from, but largely consistent with the Regional Authority Index

Projected Responses of Tidal Dynamics in the North Sea to Sea-Level Rise and Morphological Changes in the Wadden Sea

This study explores the projected responses of tidal dynamics in the North Sea induced by the interplay between plausible projections of sea-level rise (SLR) and morphological changes in the Wadden Sea. This is done in order to gain insight into the casual relationships between physical drivers and hydro-morphodynamic processes. To achieve this goal, a hydronumerical model of the northwest European shelf seas (NWES) was set-up and validated. By implementing a plausible set of projections for global SLR (SLRRCP8.5 of 0.8 m and SLRhigh−end of 2.0 m) by the end of this century and beyond, the model was run to assess the responses of the regional tidal dynamics. In addition, for each considered SLR, various projections for cumulative rates of vertical accretion were applied to the intertidal flats in the Wadden Sea (ranging from 0 to 100% of projected SLR). Independent of the rate of vertical accretion, the spatial pattern of M2 amplitude changes remains relatively stable throughout most of the model domain for a SLR of 0.8 m. However, the model shows a substantial sensitivity toward the different rates of vertical accretion along the coasts of the Wadden Sea, but also in remote regions like the Skagerrak. If no vertical accretion is assumed in the intertidal flats of the Wadden Sea, the German Bight and the Danish west coast are subject to decreases in M2 amplitudes. In contrast, those regions experience increases in M2 amplitudes if the local intertidal flats are able to keep up with the projected SLR of 0.8 m. Between the different scenarios, the North Frisian Wadden Sea shows the largest differences in M2 amplitudes, locally varying by up to 14 cm. For a SLR of 2.0 m, the M2 amplitude changes are even more amplified. Again, the differences between the various rates of vertical accretion are largest in the North Frisian Wadden Sea (&gt; 20 cm). The local distortion of the tidal wave is also significantly different between the scenarios. In the case of no vertical accretion, tidal asymmetry in the German estuaries increases, leading to a potentially enhanced sediment import. The presented results have strong implications for local coastal protection strategies and navigation in adjacent estuaries