Das Wattenmeer als gemeinsame Verantwortung verstehen

Understanding the Wadden Sea as a shared responsibility The Wadden Sea is the largest tidal flat system in the world, where natural processes run undisturbed. The World Heritage site is home to over 10,000 species of plants and animals, which continuously adapt to the ever‐changing dynamic area. 10–12 million migratory birds yearly rely on the Wadden Sea as a stopover. To ensure its protection, the three countries have been joining efforts for the sea's conservation since 1978, taking responsibility for this irreplaceable ecosystem and preserving it for the benefit of present and future generations. One of the cooperation's main pillars is the harmonised, cross‐border Trilateral Monitoring and Assessment Programme.     

Leben unter Druck

Life under pressure Pressure is an abiotic factor that has forced organisms to adapt on many levels. Especially in marine environments is hydrostatic pressure one of the main factors for changes in morphology and physiology. On a macroscopic level there is a need for a reduction of weight, the development of means of buoyancy and new hunting strategies to survive under deep sea conditions. On a cellular level high pressure (>10 MPa) inhibits the metabolism due to a deformation of proteins. In consequence high pressure can be utilized at room temperature to sterilize food. On the other hand there are extremophile microbes and higher animals that withstand the strong mechanical impact thanks to compatible solutes for example. Even the development of healthy tissue like joint cartilage and bone is dependent on the application of pressure.     

Kohlenstoffpumpen im Ozean steuern das Klima. Globale Erwärmung

Here we describe how microscopic marine algae and animals, the plankton impact global climate and how the changing concentration of the climate relevant gas carbon dioxide (CO₂) result in shifts in the marine carbonate system, including a drop in the pH (ocean acidification). Three processes, summarily called the carbon pumps transfer carbon between the surface and the deep ocean: The solubility pump moves inorganic, dissolved carbon to depth. The biological pump transports organic, particulate carbon downward. The carbonate counter pump describes the formation and sedimentation of carbonate tests, whereby CO₂ is released into the surface ocean. On geological timescales the biological pump was strengthened during glacial times due to an increase in the iron supply, which lead to a (continued) decline in temperatures. Hence, the idea to fertilize the ocean with iron thereby strengthening the biological pump and mediating today's climate change has been discussed for the past 20 years.     

Die Buche. Eine Kultur‐ und Wirtschaftsgeschichte

The Beech forests: A cultural and socio‐economic history The German strategy of maintaining biodiversity aims at an establishment of wilderness areas. Mainly beech forests shall serve as UNESCO world heritage. Here we ask, if there are any “natural” beech forests. This tree species is closely linked to human development, and at present this species is less endangered than the accompanying species of Acer, Fraxinus, Quercus and other broad leaved species.     

Der Census of Marine Life zieht Bilanz. Globale “Volkszählung” unter Wasser

Global Underwater Census – a large‐scale project is taking stock The Census of Marine Life, an international large‐scale project to assess the diversity of life in the ocean, will end this fall after a decade of discovery with a grand finale in London. Many so‐called field projects were established to study life from tropical beaches, seamounts, hydrothermal vents, to polar seas and abyssal plains in order to get a better estimate of marine species diversity and gain insight into processes that influence the diversity of life in the oceans. Some of the field projects are presented, including the project CeDAMar under the leadership of the Senckenberg Institute. The study area of CeDAMar is abyssal plains, which comprise about half of the Earth's surface yet are very little known. Mankind's growing demand on minerals and other resources has awoken the industry's interest in a part of the ocean that so far has been relatively pristine. CeDAMar scientists have helped with their expertise to establish guidelines for the protection of the seafloor in international waters, thus demonstrating how concrete the influence of deep‐sea exploration on human society can become.     

Pinguine – Überlebenskünstler in der Antarktis. Klimawandel

The future of penguin population development in the Western Antarctic Peninsula (= WAP) is largely depending on ecological factors like food availability (mostly krill) due to primary production of algae which itself depends on sea ice conditions, water‐ and air temperature and salinity. The extraordinary rise in temperature in the WAP area seems to cause a change in population numbers of Adelie and Gentoo Penguins: Adelies are declining in the north and Gentoos were occupying these sites instead. Gentoos have already reached the southern polar circle. These trends occurred in parallel with regional long‐term warming and significant reduction in sea ice extent. There is a lack of available information for penguin populations breeding possibly more south in the WAP area. We still have large gaps in our present knowledge in Adelies and Emperor Penguins southernmost breeding distribution.     

Die Weichbodengemeinschaft vor der Elbemündung unter dem Einfluß der Klärschlammverklappung. II. Die Gemeinschaftsstruktur im saisonalen Wechsel

Macrobenthic fauna and sediment parameters were studied at 40 stations representing a 494 km² survey area in the eastern part of the German Bight and encompassing the sewage sludge dumping site. Data were taken in July 1980, one month after dumping ended, and in April 1981. pH-value, redox potential of the interstitial water, amount of sand in the sediment as well as total number of species and diversity were lower in the dumping area than outside, whereas alkalinity and water content of the sediment were higher. Due to mass development of a few species around the dumping site, biomass and number of individuals were high in July. Abundance and biomass values were lower in April. 2 communities are described and related to abiotic parameters such as sediment structure. Due to disturbance effects of sewage sludge, 2 stages of the second successional phase (Pearson & Rosenberg, 1978) were ascertained, described by one of these communities each time. The first faunal community, characterized by anAbra alba assemblage, describes an early stage of the second successional phase. In summer (July) theAbra alba community showed a wider spatial range than in spring. The other, dominated byNucula nitida, indicated a later stage of the second succession phase that was passing to the third phase.      

Das Oligozän. Subtropisches Leben in einem langen,schmalen Meer

The Oligocene Even as a general cooling can be proved during the Oligocene, there is still a subtropical climate in Central Europe, due to the following plate tectonic movements. This is the last time in which there are clues for a direct seaway connecting the North‐ and Mediterranean Seas. This basin along the Upper Rhine Valley as well as the additional north alpine Molasse Basin are the results of folding and lifting of the Alps. Life in these seas and lowlands corresponds more or less to the current subtropical ecosystems.     

Aktivität TTC- reduzierender Enzyme in Boden und Pflanze unter dem Einfluß von Blei im Boden

Vicia faba und Zea mays wurden auf Böden mit unterschiedlichem Bleigehalt gezogen. Die Aktivität TTC-reduzierender Enzyme im Boden und in den Pflanzen wurde untersucht. Als Folge der Bleibelastung kann die Aktivität TTC-reduzierender Enzyme in Boden und Pflanze im Vergleich zur Kontrolle gehemmt oder stimuliert sein. Diese Enzymreaktionen werden als Überlagerung von enzymhemmenden Kontakteffekten mit Blei und sekundären, stimulierend wirkenden Bleieffekten erklärt. Die unterschiedlichen Ergebnisse bei Vicia und Zea sind auf die unterschiedliche Bleiempfindlichkeit der beiden Pflanzen zurückzuführen, dürften aber auch als Reaktion auf die Auswirkung von Blei auf das Substrat Boden zu verstehen sein.     

Neue Giraffenhaltung im Opel-Zoo Kronberg.

The „Africa Savanna“- exhibit is described. The biggest investment of the Opel-Zoo in recent years was opened for the public on the 50th anniversary of the so-called Georg von Opel - Freigehege für Tierforschung on September 16th, 2006. The developed area covers about 22500 m² and includes in addition to the animal related buildings, a new restaurant, a new main entrance and a new administration building. The mostly moated outside exhibit of about 10000 m² is dominated by artificial baobab tree. A waterhole of 200 m² separates the exhibit from the restaurant. Due to fairly long winters the inside area for the giraffes is rather large, so they can be kept as a herd, even when they must stay inside. Visitors can enter a small area of the giraffe house and may watch the animals through glass. The off-exhibit area for the zebras, gnus and impalas has 18 equal stables of 10 m² each. Five introduction pens connect the new animal house with the outside exhibit.This article also informs about the giraffe keeping history at Kronberg since 1961 and tells about the experiences made with the new development during the first year of use.     

Gewinnung und Charakterisierung von Proteasen aus Thermoactinomyces vulgaris. VI. Mitt. Zur Herstellung eines Trockenpraparates im Labor- und kleintechnischen Mnßstab unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Öleinflusses

A dried proteolytic enzyme preparation “Thermitase” is produced of the cultural solution of Thermoactinomyces vulgaris. The procedure comprises concentration, sedimentation, ethanol and sodiumsulfate precipitation and drying in laboratorial and semitechnical scale. The elimination of rape seed oil which impairs the salt sedimentation was specially taken into account. A certain sedimentation procedure using caoline or a aqueous solution of CaCl₂ and Na₂HPO₄ or filtration was elaborated to eliminate the lipid components in the concentrated solution. The method is convenient to get good yields of the thermostable protease.     

Stofftransport im Ovar von Pyrrhocoris apterus L.

Zusammenfassung Synthese und Transport von DNS, RNS und Proteinen in einem telotrophen Ovar wurden autoradiographisch untersucht. Das Vorkommen von Endomitosen in Kernen sich differenzierender Nährzellen und des Follikelepithels können für Pyrrhocoris bestätigt werden, desgleichen der Transport von hochmolekularer RNS von den Nährzellkernen zu den Oocyten in der Phase euplasmatischen Wachstums. Ein Transport in jüngere Oocyten erfolgt nicht. Ein Beitrag des Follikelepithels zur RNS-Versorgung der Oocyten wie er für eine andere Wanze beschrieben wurde, ist bei Pyrrhocoris nicht feststellbar; gleichfalls im Gegensatz zu den Befunden an anderen Wanzen findet eine relativ schwache RNS-Synthese in allen Oocytenkernen statt. Protein wird mit unterschiedlicher Intensität in der gesamten Ovariole synthetisiert und von den Nährzellen in die Oocyten transportiert.Wie im polytrophen Ovar sind zwei RNS-Transporte unterscheidbar: Die langsamere Hauptfraktion hat anscheinend die gleiche, geringe Geschwindigkeit wie der Proteintransport; es wird daher angenommen, daß es sich um die passive Verfrachtung von Ribosomen im Strom des Euplasma handelt. Eine geringere Menge markierter RNS wird schneller durch das Cytoplasma transportiert und als messenger-RNS diskutiert.

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Summary Synthesis and transport of DNA, RNA, and proteins were studied in a telotrophic ovary using autoradiography. The occurrence of endomitosis in nuclei of differentiating nurse cells and follicular epithelium can be confirmed for Pyrrhocoris and also the transport of high molecular RNA from the nurse cell nuclei into the oocytes during their phase of euplasmatic growth. There is no transport into younger oocytes. In Pyrrhocoris no contribution of the follicular epithelium to the RNA supply of the oocytes is found as described for a different Heteroptere; contrary to the findings reported for other Heteroptera, a relatively low rate of RNA synthesis is detected in all oocyte nuclei. Protein is synthesized with different intensity in all parts of the ovariole and transported from the nurse cells into the oocytes.It is possible, like in the polytrophic ovary, to distinguish between two modes of RNA transport. The bulk of the RNA seems to moove at the same low speed as the proteins, presumably representing a passive movement of ribosomes in the flow of euplasma. A smaller fraction of labelled RNA is transported faster through the cytoplasm; it may consist of messenger RNA.

Die Untersuchungen wurden z.T. mit Mitteln durchgeführt, die die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Herrn Prof. Bier zur Verfügung stellte.