The BIOKLIM project: biodiversity research between climate change and wilding in a temperate montane forest : the conceptual framework

To understand the rapid rate of change in global biodiversity, it is necessary to analyse the present condition of ecosystems and to elucidate relationships of species to their environment. The BIOKLIM Project (Biodiversity and Climate Change Project) is intended to close this gap in our knowledge of montane and high montane forests of Central European low mountain ranges, one of the most threatened mixed montane systems worldwide. The Bavarian Forest National Park is characterised by its altitude range of ca. 800 m and a strongly developed gradient of forest structure. Relicts of old growth forests (areas of former local nature reserves) and dead stands, mostly killed by bark beetles, are accompanied by widely varying levels of woody debris and light. The gradients comprise a wide range of abiotic and forest structure factors, making the study area well suited for a multidisciplinary investigation of biodiversity. Unconstrained ordination (CA) of six taxa (vascular plants, wood inhabiting fungi, birds, carabids, spiders and molluscs) indicate the altitudinal gradient to be the main driver for distribution patterns of species assemblages. Objectives, structure, study design and data sampling of the BIOKLIM Project are described in detail. We set up 293 sampling plots along four main straight transects following the altitudinal gradient. All abiotic and stand structure data regarded as relevant are available for each plot. Vascular plants, wood inhabiting fungi and birds were sampled or mapped on all 293 plots. For the other 22 investigated taxa we used subsamples pre-stratified according to the sampling methods. The necessity of dealing with spatial autocorrelation, arising from sampling along linear transects, is described. Finally, study approach of our biodiversity project is compared with others involving altitudinal gradients. Worldwide, only a few multidisciplinary biodiversity studies have been previously conducted on long altitudinal gradients. However, in most cases sampling techniques were similar to ours, which allows comparison of results between continents. Keywords: Climate Change, Biodiversity, species-environment relationshipsUm die rasante Veränderung globaler Biodiversität zu verstehen, ist es erforderlich, den gegenwärtigen Zustand von Ökosystemen zu analysieren und die Zusammenhänge zwischen Arten und deren Umwelt aufzulösen. Das BIOKLIMProjekt (Biodiversität und Klima Projekt) hat zum Ziel, diese Wissenslücken für Wälder montaner und hochmontaner Mittelgebirge zu schließen. Der Nationalpark Bayerischer Wald ist neben dem Höhengradient (ca. 800 m) durch einen starken Strukturgradient geprägt. Dieser resultiert aus Restvorkommen sehr alter Bestände (ehem. Naturschutzgebiete) sowie dem Wirken des Borkenkäfers seit ca. zwei Jahrzehnten und einem dadurch verbundenen z. T. sehr hohen Totholzvorrat. Die Gradienten umfassen eine breite Spanne von abiotischen Faktoren und Bestandesstrukturen und machen den Nationalpark zu einem gut geeigneten Untersuchungsgebiet für interdisziplinäre Biodiversitätsforschung. Korrespondenzanalysen (CA) für 6 taxonomische Gruppen (Gefäßpflanzen, Holzpilze, Vögel, Laufkäfer, Spinnen und Mollusken) machen die starke Abhängigkeit der Artengruppen vom Höhengradienten deutlich. Es werden detailliert die Zielsetzungen, Projektaufbau, das Untersuchungsdesign sowie die Erfassungsmethoden des BIOKLIM-Projektes beschrieben. 293 Probepunkte wurden entlang von 4 Transekten, welche dem Höhengradienten folgen, eingerichtet. Zu jedem Probekreis stehen alle als relevant erachteten Daten zur Abiotik und Bestandesstruktur zur Verfügung. Gefäßpflanzen, Holzpilze und Vögel wurden auf allen 293 Probepunkten erfasst. Für die anderen 22 untersuchten Artengruppen wurde in Abhängigkeit von der Methode ein stratifiziertes Design gewählt. Lösungsansätze zum Umgang mit Autokorrelation, die durch die Anordnung von Probekreisen entlang von Linien (Transekte) bedingt ist, werden dargestellt. Schließlich wird das BIOKLIM-Projekt mit den wenigen weltweiten Biodiversitätsprojekten verglichen und diskutiert. In den meisten Fällen sind die Erhebungsmethoden ähnlich, sodass Vergleiche der Ergebnisse zwischen verschiedenen Kontinenten möglich werden. Schlüsselwörter: Klimawandel, Biodiversität, Arten-Umwelt-Beziehun

Design and stratification of PASS : a new panel study for research on long term unemployment

"The paper introduces the general design features and particularities of a new largescale panel study for research on recipients of benefits for the long-term unemployed (the so called Unemployment Benefit II) in Germany that combines a sample of 6000 recipient households with an equally large sample of the general population. Particular focus is on the sampling procedure for the general population, where a commercial database was used to draw a sample stratified by status." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))IAB-Haushaltspanel - Konzeption, empirische Sozialforschung, Erhebungsmethode, Stichprobe, Langzeitarbeitslosigkeit

Codebook and documentation of the panel study 'Labour Market and Social Security' (PASS) : vol. 1: Introduction and overview, wave 1 (2006/2007)

"The panel study 'Labour Market and Social Security' (PASS), established by the Institute for Employment Research (IAB), is a new dataset for labour market, welfare state and poverty research in Germany, creating a new empirical basis for the scientific community and political consulting. This Datenreport provides an overview of the first survey wave, for which 18,954 persons were interviewed in 12,794 households between December 2006 and July 2007. The study is carried out as part of the IAB's research into the German Social Code Book II (SGB II). The IAB is charged by law with studying the effects of benefits under SGB II for integration into the labour market and subsistence benefits. However, due to the complex sample design, it also enables researchers to answer questions far beyond these issues. Five core questions influenced the development of the new study, which are detailed in Achatz et al. (2007): 1. What options exist to regain independence from Unemployment Benefit II? 2. In which ways does the social situation of a household change when it receives benefits? 3. How do persons concerned cope with their situation? Will attitudes of the respondents that are constitutive for their actions change over time? 4. In which form do contacts between benefit recipients and institutions providing basic social security actually take place? What are the institutional procedures applied in practice? 5. Which employment career patterns or household dynamics lead to receipt of Unemployment Benefit II? The following brief overview describes the motivation for carrying out the survey, its contents and the study design." (text excerpt, IAB-Doku) ((en)) Additional Information Questionnaires of the first wave. Here you can find the German version. Further information about the panel study "Labour Market and Social Security"IAB-Haushaltspanel, Datengewinnung, Erhebungsmethode, Stichprobe, Panel - Methode, Datenaufbereitung

Design and stratification of PASS: a new panel study for research on long term unemployment

"Dieses Discussion Paper stellt Design und Besonderheiten der Panelstudie PASS vor. PASS ist im Rahmen der SGB-II-Forschung im IAB angesiedelt und kombiniert eine Zufallsstichprobe von 6.000 Haushalten, die Leistungen nach dem SGB II erhalten, mit einer ebenso großen Stichprobe der allgemeinen Bevölkerung. Dieses Design ermöglicht die Beantwortung einer Vielzahl von Fragestellungen der Arbeitsmarkt-, Armuts- und Sozialstaatsforschung. Im Ergebnisteil analysieren wir die Auswirkungen der Schichtung der Bevölkerungsstichprobe nach dem Statusindex eines kommerziellen Anbieters." (Autorenreferat)"The paper introduces the general design features and particularities of a new largescale panel study for research on recipients of benefits for the long-term unemployed (the so called Unemployment Benefit II) in Germany that combines a sample of 6000 recipient households with an equally large sample of the general population. Particular focus is on the sampling procedure for the general population, where a commercial database was used to draw a sample stratified by status." (author's abstract

The onset and dynamics of avalanches in a rotating cylinder: From experimental data to a new geometric model

Particle image velocimetry has been applied to measure particle velocities on the free surface of a bed of particles within a rotating cylinder during avalanching. The particle velocities were used to examine the validity of existing avalanche models and to propose an alternative model. The movement of particles depends on their location on the surface of the bed: particles located near the center of the bed travel the farthest, while the distance travelled decreases at an increasing rate for particles located farther from the center. The start of an avalanche can be determined to a single initiation point, that can also be located on the bottom half of the bed; the avalanche quickly propagates through the entire free surface, with 90% of the surface in motion within 257 ms. The experimental insight is used to formulate a new geometric model, in which three equal sized sections flow down the bed during an avalanche. The predictions of the model are confirmed by experimental mixing measurements

Extensional crustal-scale shear zones in the Western Cyclades (Kea, Greece)

Intense seismicity and intensely developed active and ancient fault systems are common to the Aegean Region. Extending/ thinning crust involves a complex interplay of (1) Gulf of Corinth riftexpansion, (2) west- and south-ward retreat of the Hellenic Trench, (3) westward impingement of the Anatolian Platen, and/or (4) propagation of the Anatolian Fault system into the Aegean. New geological/structural investigations on Kea (also known as Tzia), in the Western Cyclades reveal a low angle crustal-scale, detachment-type ductile shear zone probably formed during Miocene extension and thinning of the continental crust...conferenc

Codebook and documentation of the panel study 'Labour Market and Social Security' (PASS) : Volume I: Introduction and overview. Wave 2 (2007/2008)

"The panel study 'Labour Market and Social Security' (PASS), established by the Institute for Employment Research (IAB), is a new dataset for labour market, welfare state and poverty research in Germany, creating a new empirical basis for the scientific community and for policy advice. This Datenreport provides an overview of the second survey wave, for which 12,487 individuals were interviewed in 8,429 households between December 2007 and July 2008. 10,114 individuals and 7,342 households were interviewed for the second time in the context of PASS. The spectrum of questions and the design of PASS are intended to close gaps in the existing stock of data. PASS has three main characteristics that extend analysis potential beyond that of the Federal Employment Agency's administrative data: 1. The panel takes the household context into account - including the situation before and after receipt of Unemployment Benefit II. 2. The panel is complete in that it covers all groups of persons and all employment biographies, not only people in dependent employment, unemployed people and those in need of assistance. The dataset also provides information on the status during phases of economic inactivity, self-employment or employment as civil servants. 3. The panel collects additional or significantly more detailed data on relevant characteristics such as attitudes, employment potential or job-search behaviour." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en)) Additional Information Questionnaires of the second wave. Here you can find the German version. Further information about the panel study "Labour Market and Social Security".IAB-Haushaltspanel, Datengewinnung, Erhebungsmethode, Stichprobe, Panel - Methode, Datenaufbereitung

Kinematics and deformation structures in a crustal-scale shear zone on Kea (W. Cyclades, Greece)

It is generally agreed upon that the exhumation of metamorphic rocks in the Aegean is caused by post orogenic extension in the late Oligocene to early Miocene. This extension is in principle largely accommodated by low-angle crustal detachment faulting possibly resulting in the formation of metamorphic core complexes (MCC). Here, we present data from recent structural investigations on the island of Kea in the W. Cyclades, Greece. Our work focussed in the north of the island. Of the ca. 270m total structural thickness that was mapped, the entire section of rocks are highly strained. Exhumation during progressive deformation is recorded by the transition from ductile to brittle/ductile to brittle conditions. The regional characteristics and types of deformation structures vary depending on the protolith and the intensity of strain...conferenc

Late stage evolution of the Serifos Metamorphic Core Complex (Cyclades, Greece)

The island of Serifos is located in the Western Cyclades within the Attic- Cycladic metamorphic belt. It represents the westward continuation of an arcuate belt of Metamorphic Core Complexes with intrusions of late syn-post tectonic intrusions younging from East (e.g. Naxos main activity ca. 12Ma) to West (e.g. Serifos with 9–8Ma). In scientific discussions the dominance of probably continuous extension since ca. 30Ma (e.g. Jolivet & Faccenna, 2000) and the presence of Metamorphic Core Complexes (Lister et al. 1984) is accepted. The speculated roll-back of the subducting plate possibly started due to the slowing down of absolute plate convergence rate between Africa and Eurasia. This model is attractive, because it would also explain the shift from a compressional Andean-type regime to an extensional Mariana-type regime (Jolivet & Faccenna 2000). Contrary to the kinematic directions reported from the Central and Eastern Cyclades, the movement of the hanging wall of the Serifos Metamorphic Core Complex is south directed. The island’s main part is occupied by an undeformed granodiorite. Early granitic intrusions intruded into low-grade M2-crystalline rocks that have been overprinted to as high as amphibolite facies conditions due to contact metamorphism. Parts of these rocks (gneisses and amphibolites) as well as the early intrusions are deformed to mylonites (Grasemann et al. 2004).conferenc

Pre-Emptive Endoluminal Negative Pressure Therapy at the Anastomotic Site in Minimally Invasive Transthoracic Esophagectomy (the preSPONGE Trial): Study Protocol for a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction: Anastomotic leakage (AL) accounts for a significant proportion of morbidity following oesophagectomy. Endoluminal negative pressure (ENP) therapy via a specifically designed polyurethane foam (EsoSponge®, B.Braun Medical, Melsungen, Germany) has become the standard of care for AL in many specialized centres. The prophylactic (pENP) application of this technique aims to reduce postoperative morbidity and is a novel approach which has not yet been investigated in a prospective study. The aim of this study is therefore to assess the effect of pENP at the anastomotic site in high-risk patients undergoing minimally invasive transthoracic Ivor Lewis oesophagectomy. Methods and analysis: The study design is a prospective, multi-centre, two-arm, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial and will be conducted in two phases. Phase one is a randomised feasibility and safety pilot trial involving 40 consecutive patients. After definitive sample size calculation, additional patients will be included accordingly during phase two. The primary outcome of the study will be the postoperative length of hospitalization until reaching previously defined “fit for discharge criteria”. Secondary outcomes will include postoperative morbidity, mortality and postoperative AL-rates based on 90-day follow-up. A confirmatory analysis based on intention-to-treat will be performed. Ethics and dissemination: The ethics committee of the University of Zurich approved this study (2019-00562), which has been registered with ClinicalTrials.gov on 14.11.2019 (NCT04162860) and the Swiss National Clinical Trials Portal (SNCTP000003524). The results of the study will be published and presented at appropriate conferences