Der Beitrag der Paläobotanik zur Landschaftsgeschichte von Karstgebieten am Beispiel der vorgeschichtlichen Höhensiedlung auf dem Schloßberg bei Kallmünz (Südöstliche Frankenalb)

Geowissenschaftliche Untersuchungen bei Kallmünz in der südöstlichen Fränkischen Alb (Bayern) erbrachten paläobotanische Proben für Pollen- und Holzkohleanalyse. Die Auswertung gibt Hinweise auf die Vegetationszusammensetzung zu verschiedenen Zeiten des Holozäns. Intensive Landschaftsnutzung setzt spätestens in der Bronzezeit ein. In der römischen Periode und im Mittelalter können ausgeprägtere und großflächigere Eingriffe belegt werden. Für paläoökologische Forschung in Karstgebieten ist die Anwendung der Holzkohleanalyse von besonderem Nutzen, da palynologische Methoden aufgrund der Moorarmut nur begrenzt anwendbar sind.researc

Environmental development and local human impact in the Jeetzel valley (N Germany) since 10 ka BP as detected by geoarchaeological analyses in a coupled aeolian and lacustrine sediment archive at Soven

While archaeological records indicate an intensive Mesolithic occupation of dune areas situated along river valleys, relatively little knowledge exists about environmental interactions in the form of land-use strategies and their possible local impacts. The combination of geoarchaeological, chronological, geochemical and palaeoecological research methods and their application both on a Mesoltihic site situated on top of a dune and the adjacent palaeochannel sediments allows for a detailed reconstruction of the local environmental development around the Soven site in the Jeetzel valley (Northern Germany) since ~10.5 ka cal BP. Based on the results, we identified four phases that may be related to local human impact twice during the Mesolithic, the Neolithic and the Iron Ages and are discussed on the backdrop of the regional settlement history. Although nearby Mesolithic occupation is evident on archaeological grounds, the identification of synchronous impacts on the vegetation in the local environmental records remains tentative even in respect of the broad methodical spectrum applied. Vice versa, human impact is strongly indicated by palaeoecological and geochemical proxies during the Neolithic period, but cannot be connected to archaeological records in the area so far. A younger phase of human impact – probably consisting of seasonal livestock farming in the wetlands – is ascribed to the Iron Age economy and comprises local soil erosion, raised concentrations of phosphates and urease, and the facilitation of grazing related taxa.researc

Lung Volume, Breathing Pattern and Ventilation Inhomogeneity in Preterm and Term Infants

BACKGROUND: Morphological changes in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) have functional consequences on lung volume, ventilation inhomogeneity and respiratory mechanics. Although some studies have shown lower lung volumes and increased ventilation inhomogeneity in BPD infants, conflicting results exist possibly due to differences in sedation and measurement techniques. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We studied 127 infants with BPD, 58 preterm infants without BPD and 239 healthy term-born infants, at a matched post-conceptional age of 44 weeks during quiet natural sleep according to ATS/ERS standards. Lung function parameters measured were functional residual capacity (FRC) and ventilation inhomogeneity by multiple breath washout as well as tidal breathing parameters. Preterm infants with BPD had only marginally lower FRC (21.4 mL/kg) than preterm infants without BPD (23.4 mL/kg) and term-born infants (22.6 mL/kg), though there was no trend with disease severity. They also showed higher respiratory rates and lower ratios of time to peak expiratory flow and expiratory time (t(PTEF)/t(E)) than healthy preterm and term controls. These changes were related to disease severity. No differences were found for ventilation inhomogeneity. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that preterm infants with BPD have a high capacity to maintain functional lung volume during natural sleep. The alterations in breathing pattern with disease severity may reflect presence of adaptive mechanisms to cope with the disease process