Model-based Interpretation of the Performance and Degradation of Reformate Fueled Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Solid oxide fuel cells offer great prospects for the sustainable, clean and safe conversion of various fuels into electrical energy. In this thesis, the performance-determining loss processes for the cell operation on reformate fuels are elucidated via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Model-based analyses reveal the electrochemical fuel oxidation mechanism, the coupling of fuel gas transport and reforming chemistry and the impact of fuel impurities on the degradation of each loss process

Case study: Spinosad

Contents - The spinosad working group - Brief specifications of spinosad - The testrun process: “applicant” vs. “evaluators” agreements & differences - Conclusions of the “evaluation” testrun: key issues in favour or causing concern - Experiences from using the matrix - Final (preliminary) recommendation & open question

Which carabid species benefit from organic agriculture? - a review of comparative studies in winter cereals from Germany and Switzerland

Data of comparative studies about carabid beetles in organically and conventionally managed winter cereal fields of central Europe, using the pitfall trapping method, were collected from the literature and unpublished data sources and were then pooled and analysed. According to an index, which was designed to calculate how much a species benefits from organic management, Carabus auratus turned out to benefit most. Some Amara species (A. familiaris, A. similata and A. aenea) as well as Pseudoophonus rufipes and Harpalus affinis also showed high index values. When analysing the traits of the carabids, the habitat preference was the most important variable for the differentiation of organic and conventional management. The stronger the preference for open field, the more the species are supported by organic agriculture. For the promotion of the agricultural carabid fauna it is suggested that weedier and less densely cropped fields be tolerated

Effects of climate change on the dispersion of white grub damages in the Austrian grassland

Recent changes in occurrence of agricultural pests in Austria might already reflect climate change phenomena. In this study, an inventory of white grub (Melolontha melolontha, Amphimallon solstitiale and Phyllopertha horticola) damages in Austrian grassland including organic cultivation was performed by questioning plant protection consultants of 74 Agricultural County Chambers. Altogether, a cumulated 14.800 hectares of white grub damages were recorded. From 2000 onwards, a steady increase of white grub damages occurred with a climax in the year of heat and drought 2003. The infested fields extended along the alpine main ridge from Vorarlberg up to the alpine foreland. Additionally, southern slopes of the Danube valley in Upper and Lower Austria were affected. Very likely, the damages were mainly due to the garden chafer P. horticola. From 2004 to 2006, the extent of damages decreased again all over Austria. By studying meteorological data, it became obvious that the damaged areas were mainly situated in regions with a strong precipitation deficit. On-farm investigations performed in 2007 strengthened the hypothesis that drought and elevated soil temperatures might be the decisive factors for a strong development of grub populations and subsequent feeding damages. Additionally, drought can increase the effects of grub damage by delaying the regeneration of the damaged sward. A strongly damaged sward on slopes can be dangerous for the farmers e.g. by slipping machines

Untersuchungen zur Niederschlagsabhängigkeit der Verbreitung des Ampferblattkäfers (Gastrophysa viridula)

The broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius) is a widely distributed weed of cultivated grasslands. Since the dock leaf beetle (Gastrophysa viridula) can defoliate docks extensively, if occurring in sufficient high densities, it is considered to be a potential part of a biocontrol strategy against R. obtusifolius. Our study aimed at investigating the influence of precipitation on the distribution of G. viridula. For that, 635 questionnaires were sent out to organic farmers and surveys were conducted on 39 farms in Lower Austria. The results showed G. viridula preferring regions with sufficient precipitation. These observations confirmed laboratory results reported in literature and should be considered in a concept for the enhancement of dock beetle populations as part of an organic dock regulation strategy

Investigations on the occurrence of wheat bugs (Scutelleridae, Pentatomidae; Heteroptera) in organic farming of Eastern Austria

Wheat bugs, an umbrella term for a set of different species, damage wheat by sucking on semi-ripe grains. The proteolytic enzyme inserted with the saliva destroys the gluten. If more than 1.5 – 2% of the grains are infected, the ground wheat loses its baking quality. In 2003, for the first time since the fifties, a significant occurrence of wheat bugs was recorded in Eastern Austria. Since in organic farming no insecticides are available for direct control, the farmers were advised to grow quality wheat at the greatest possible distance to fallows, windbreaks and other uncultivated areas. To clarify their significance for the wheat bug occurrence, a diploma thesis was performed in the year 2004. The sampling sites were situated in Burgenland, Eastern Austria. The spatial and temporal distribution of the bugs (Scutelleridae, Pentatomidae) was evaluated by hand-searching the ground litter and by sampling with enclosures, sweep net and visual observations in windbreaks, forest edges, field margins, grasslands, fallows and winter–wheat fields (1, 10 and 60 meters from the field edge) and sporadically also in other crops (lucerne, barley, rye and spelt). As a total, 368 individuals from 22 species of bugs were collected. 316 individuals belonged to potentially harmful 10 wheat bug species, Eurygaster maura (67%), Aelia acuminata (16%) and E. austriaca (4%) being most abundant. The sweep net was the most efficient sampling method. The earliest wheat bugs occurred directly in the wheat fields. During the growing season, the species E. maura, A. acuminata und E. austriaca were found almost entirely in winter-wheat fields, whereas in the uncultivated habitats other species occurred. Our data do not suggest that landscape elements as well as fallows enhance wheat bug infestations. The wheat bug infestation of wheat fields might be influenced mainly by the weather conditions in spring and summer. After having compared the climatic conditions of 2003 with the “wheat bug years” 1953 and 1954, we suggest that the recent outbreak of wheat bugs might have been due to the significantly above average temperatures in the years 2000 to 2003

Einflüsse des Klimawandels auf landwirtschaftliche Schädlinge im Biologischen Landbau Ostösterreichs

From the year 2000 onwards, organic farmers in Eastern Austria have been complaining about damages in arable crops by former inconspicuous or recently immigrated insect pests. In our project, the recent obvious changes in occurrence of arable pests were investigated with respect to climate change. The literature was evaluated focussing on Austria and the adjacent Eastern Middle European countries. Further on, conspicuously, weather-related pest outbreaks in Austria in the last years were documented by interrogating plant protection experts. For a number of species from cereals, root crops, oil-, protein- and fodder crops, in recent years an increasing pest pressure was stated, caused rather by changes in cultivation systems (crop rotation, reduced soil cultivation) than by climate change. Several other pests, mainly from cereals (including maize) showed pest outbreaks from 2000 onwards, with a maximum in the extremely warm and dry year 2003. In a case study, the weather and climate-related background for the distribution and abundance of wheat bugs (Eurygaster sp., Aelia sp.) was investigated. In comparing the “wheat bug years” 1953 and 2003, similarities in weather trends were detected which might have caused the bug outbreaks in both years. Concluding, the implementation of a long-term monitoring system for pest occurrence and climate change is recommended aiming at risk avoidance of climate-related pest calamities in the future

Sylwia Chutnik, Opowieści na dobranoc dla młodych buntowniczek. 100 historii niezwykłych Polek, Wydawnictwo Debit, Katowice 2021, ss. 208

Recenzja książki "Opowieści na dobranoc dla młodych buntowniczek. 100 historii niezwykłych Polek" Sylwii Chutnik

Zu metaphorisch gebrauchten Personennamen in deutschen und polnischen Pressetexten

Sätze wie Doris Lessing betätigt sich als Kassandra. („Der Spiegel“ 8 / 2008: 168), Günter Grass ist der Krösus des Buchmarktes […]. (tagesspiegel.de, 20.04.2006), Nowy Kennedy porwał berlińczyków. (rp.pl, 25.07.2008), Strzeż się donżuana! („Twój Styl“ 6 / 2000: 112), in denen Personennamen ihre primäre identifizierende Funktion zugunsten einer appellativischen aufgeben und der sekundären Nomination dienend zu Deonymen werden, sind in der deutschen und polnischen Print- und Onlinepresse keine Seltenheit. Der Umfang des deonymischen Wortschatzes ist durchaus beachtlich, wenn auch die onymische Basis mancher Lexeme nicht jedem Sprachbenutzer bewusst sein dürfte wie etwa bei Mentor / mentor, Nestor / nestor, boykottieren / bojkotować, Silhouette / sylwetka. Hohe Frequenz weisen die Deonyme in politischen Berichten auf, sie fehlen aber auch nicht in feuilletonistischen Texten aus dem Bereich Kunst, Literatur, Musik, Sport und Wirtschaft (vgl. Schweickard, 1992: 255). Als Deonyme, appellativ-äquivalente Propria oder ‚semantische Ableitungen’ werden im Weiteren Eigennamen definiert, die ihre grundlegende Funktion eines bloßen Referenzmittels verloren haben und im Text zu Gattungsnamen geworden sind. Unser Untersuchungsgegenstand beschränkt sich dabei nur auf metaphorisch verwendete Anthroponyme, auch metaphorisierte Namen oder Namenmetaphern genannt, die bei der semantischen Verschiebung keinen strukturellen Veränderungen im Text unterliegen. Onymische Derivate wie z.B. mephistophelisch / mefistofeliczny, Bondologie / bondologia, lynchen / zlinczować liegen außerhalb der folgenden Betrachtung. Zu Namenmetaphern rechnet man Propria, die aufgrund einer semantischen Umdeutung zu referenzfähigen prädikativen Ausdrücken geworden sind. Bei ihrer Metaphorisierung laden sich diese Namen mit Bedeutungsmerkmalen auf, die typischerweise mit dem Referenten des als „Bildspender“ dienenden Propriums erbunden sind und die auf dessen repräsentative Eigenschaften, sei es auf sein Äußeres, seine Handlungen, sein Alter, seine Charakterzüge, Geistesgröße o. Ä., zielen (vgl. Wengeler, 2000: 304)