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Der Konflikt um den Braunkohleabbau im Allgemeinen und den Hambacher Forst im Speziellen ist im Sommer 2018 in Deutschland erneut eskaliert und fand eine immer breitere Wahrnehmung in der Öffentlichkeit. Der Protest im und um den Hambacher Forst steht symbolisch für die Auseinandersetzungen um die deutsche Klimapolitik und damit für die Machtverhältnisse zwischen Staat, Wirtschaft und Zivilgesellschaft. Akteure verschiedener Standpunkte mussten in diesem Konflikt ihre Position begründen. Dies führte zu einer Intensivierung der Diskussion um Legalität, Legitimität, Demokratie und Gerechtigkeit. Die scheinbare Diskrepanz zwischen einer rechtsstaatlichen Demokratie und dem zivilen Ungehorsam als einem möglichen Korrektiv führte zu der hier bearbeiteten Forschungsfrage: Ist der Einsatz von zivilem Ungehorsam am Fallbeispiel "Ende Gelände", Rheinisches Braunkohle Revier, legitim, wenn nicht sogar notwendig, um die Grundprinzipien des demokratischen Staates zu wahren? Als Grundlage für die Beantwortung der Fragestellung soll erörtert werden, ob in der rechtsstaatlichen, sozialen und repräsentativen Demokratie Deutschlands die Protestform des zivilen Ungehorsams legitim sein kann und, sofern dies der Fall ist, unter welchen Umständen diese Legitimität gegeben ist.
Rangelands are the most widespread land-use systems in drylands, where they often represent the only sustainable form of land-use due to the limited water availability. The intensity of the land-use of such rangeland ecosystems in drylands depends to a large extent on the climatic variability in time and space. Rangeland systems are seriously threatened by climate change, because climate change will alternate the availability of water in time and space. This dissertation therefore deals with the question which role climatic variability plays for the effects of grazing on vegetation in dry rangelands. The relatively intact steppes in central Mongolia were chosen as a model system. They are characterised by low precipitation and high climatic variability in the south (100mm annual precipitation), and comparatively high precipitation and low climatic variability in the north (250mm). The effects of grazing on vegetation on 15 grazing transects were investigated along the climatic gradient. The central elements were the plant species and their abundances on 10m x 10m areas, for which functional characteristics such as height, affiliation of functional groups or leaf nutrients were recorded. The main hypothesis of this dissertation is that grazing has a greater impact on vegetation communities with increasing rainfall. To test this hypothesis, three studies were carried out. In a first study, the research group found that the vegetation communities in the dry area differ strongly along the climatic gradient, while the plant communities in the wetter area differ more strongly along the grazing gradient. The results of the second study suggested that this difference can be explained by a functional environmental filter that becomes weaker from south to north as the niche spectrum increases. The third study has shown that this is likely a function of the higher availability of resources, which at the same time leads to higher grazing pressure, therewith stressing the vegetation especially in years with droughts. In summary, the author concludes that the climate gradient also represents an environmental filter that filters species for certain characteristics, thus having a significant influence on the vegetation. Climatic variability influences the effect of grazing on vegetation, which is particularly problematic where the grazing intensity is high and the species are less adapted to strong climatic fluctuations. Future scenarios predict increasing productivity and therefore increasing livestock density. This may lead to an increase in floristic and functional diversity across the climate gradient, but also to increasing grazing effects and therefore threads for overgrazing. Increasing climatic variability is likely to intensify this thread, especially in the moister regions, whereas the dry rangelands are likely to be more resilient due to the adaptation of the plants to non-equilibrium dynamics.
Food forests present a promising solution to address multiple sustainability challenges adaptable to local contexts. As biodiverse multi-strata agroforestry systems, they can provide several ecological, socio-cultural and economic services. They sequester carbon, limit soil erosion and regulate the micro-climate; they offer the opportunity for education on healthy diets and ecology, and they produce food and can create livelihood opportunities. However, despite their obvious benefits, food forests are still a niche concept. To date, research has focused on their ecological and social services; we lack an understanding of food forests as a comprehensive sustainability solution, including their economic dimension, and knowledge on how to develop them. Addressing these gaps, this qualitative research used a solution- and process-oriented methodology guided by transformational sustainability research. In a comparative case study approach, it created an inventory of 209 food forests, followed by interviews and site visits of 14 sites to understand their characteristics and assess their sustainability (Article 1). More indepth, it analyzed the implementation path of seven food forest for success factors, barriers and coping strategies (Article 2). Based on these insights, two experimental case studies were initiated to develop sustainable food forests with practice partners, one based in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. and one in Lüneburg, Germany. Two studies analyzed the cases' outputs and processes highlighting success factors and challenges, including the role of a sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem (Article 3, Phoenix case) and key features of productive partnerships to understand why one case succeeded and the other failed (Article 4). Findings include key features of existing and sustainable food forests as well as success factors on how to develop them; namely acquiring a complementary skill set that includes specialty farming and entrepreneurial know-how, securing sufficient start-up funds and long-term land access as well as overcoming regulatory restrictions. Supporting institutions are especially needed to integrate and professionalize the planning stage and provide know-how on alternative business practices. Key features of productive partnerships include an entrepreneurial attitude, access to support functions, long-term orientation and commitment to food system sustainability.
In zahlreichen, sowohl wissenschaftlichen als auch politischen Veröffentlichungen, wird die "Energiewende" als Transformationsprojekt eingeordnet. Zweifelsohne birgt eine Umstellung auf ein erneuerbares Energiesystem transformative Potenziale. Die Bedeutungsbestimmung von "Energiewende" oder auch Transformation bleibt in Politik und Forschung aber häufig unklar. Um dem zu begegnen, wird in der vorliegenden Studie die Bedeutung von "Energiewende", wie sie im Bundestag verhandelt wird, untersucht. Darauf aufbauend wird analysiert, ob und inwiefern die „Energiewende“ einem Anspruch als Transformationsprojekt gerecht werden kann, bzw. wie sich die Wirkrichtung der mit "Energiewende" verbundenen Politiken im Spannungsfeld beharrend – reformistisch – transformativ verorten lässt. Die besondere gesellschaftliche Bedeutung der Bundestags-Debatten um "Energiewende" leitet sich diskurstheoretisch unter anderem aus der ihnen zukommenden "Schaufensterfunktion" ab, wonach die Debatten strategisch auf eine außerparlamentarische Öffentlichkeit ausgerichtet sind. Hinzu kommt, dass sich der hier stattfindende Diskurs, bspw. in Gesetzen, unmittelbar materialisiert. Als Startpunkt der Untersuchung wird der Beginn der rot-grünen Regierungszeit gewählt (1998), da diese – u.a. wegen der Verabschiedung des Erneuerbaren-Energien-Gesetzes (EEG) und dem politischen Beschluss zum Atomausstieg – in besonderer Weise mit der "Energiewende" in Verbindung gebracht wird. Als Endpunkt dient die letzte vollständige Wahlperiode zum Zeitpunkt der Untersuchung. Die Diskursanalyse bezieht sich demnach auf die Bundestagsdebatten zur "Energiewende" zwischen der 14. und 18. Legislaturperiode (1998-2017). Das methodische Innovationspotenzial der Arbeit liegt insbesondere in der Verbindung aus einem Verfahren quantitativer, computerbasierter Diskursanalyse mit einer qualitativen Analyse. Als Ergebnis der Verknüpfung von Transformations- und Diskurstheorie wird ein methodisch komplexes Forschungsdesign präsentiert, das sich neben der Analyse des "Energiewende"-Diskurses auf weitere Bereiche der politischen Transformationsforschung übertragen lässt.
The emission of anthropogenic trace substances into the aquatic environment continuously poses challenges to water suppliers. The contamination of raw waters with organic trace substances requires complex water treatment processes to secure drinking water quality. The routine monitoring of these raw waters as well as the behavior and fate of organic trace substances during different treatment processes is of great interest to recognize and counter potential dangers at an early stage. Non-target screening using liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) allows the detection of thousands of compounds within a single run and covers known as well as unknown substances. Compared to the established analytical techniques, this is a decisive advantage for the monitoring of raw and process waters during water treatment. While the analytical technique LC-HRMS has undergone significant developments in recent years, the algorithms for data processing reveal clear weaknesses. This dissertation therefore deals with reliable processing strategies for LC-HRMS data. The first part of this work seeks to highlight the problematics of false positive and false negative findings. Based on repeated measurements, various strategies of data processing were assessed with regard to the repeatability of the results. To ensure that real peaks were barely or not removed by the filtering procedure, samples were spiked with isotope-labeled standards. The results emphasize that the processing of sample triplicates results in sufficient repeatability and that the signal fluctuation across the triplicates emerged as a powerful filtering criteria. The number of false positives and false negatives could be significantly reduced by the developed strategies which consequently improve the validity of the data. The second part of this thesis addresses the development of processing strategies particularly aimed at assessing water treatment processes. The detected signals were tracked across the treatment process and classified based on their fold changes. A more reliable signal classification was achieved by implementing a recursive integration approach. Special integration algorithms allow a reliable signal classification even though the signal to be compared was below the intensity threshold. Different combinations of replicates of process influents and effluents were processed for evaluating the repeatability. The good repeatability was indicated by the results of both the plausibility checks and the ozonation process (ozonation of pretreated river water) and thus points to high reliability. The applicability of the developed strategies to real world applications is demonstrated in the last part of this work. Besides the prioritization of the generated results, the main focus was the identification of recognized compounds. The developed strategies clearly improve the validity of the underlying data. The combination of LC-HRMS analysis with reliable processing strategies opens up multiple possibilities for a more comprehensive monitoring of water resources and for the assessment of water treatment processes. The processing strategies and validation concepts may be easily transferred to other research fields.
Among all attenuation processes, biodegradation plays one of the most important role and is one of the most desirable processes in the environment. To assess biodegradation, a variety of biodegradation test procedures have been developed by several international organizations. OECD guidelines for ready biodegradability testing represent one of the most prominent group of internationally used screening biodegradation tests (series 301A-F). These tests are usually very simple in their designs and allow for the fast and cheap screening of biodegradability. However, because of their stringency, the test conditions are not close to simulating environmental conditions and may lead to unrealistic results. To overcome these limitations, OECD introduced simulation tests which are designed to investigate the behavior of chemicals in specified environmentally relevant compartments. Despite the fact that simulation tests give more insight into the fate of chemicals in the environment, they are not applied frequently as they are often tedious, time consuming and expensive. Consequently, there is a need to provide a new biodegradation testing method that would combine complex testing environment as in simulation tests, easiness in handling and good data repeatability as in screening biodegradation tests. Another challenge is an adaption of the existing biodegradation testing methods to new types of samples, i.e. mixtures of transformation products (TPs). The research on the presence of pharmaceuticals in the environment gained momentum in the 1990s; since then, it has been growing. Their presence in the environment is a wellestablished fact. A wide range of pharmaceuticals is continuously detected in many environmental compartments such as surface waters, soils, sediments, or ground waters. After pharmaceuticals reach the natural aquatic environment they may undergo a number of processes such as: photolysis (under direct sunlight), hydrolysis, oxidation and reduction reactions, sorption, biodegradation (by bacteria of fungi), and bioaccumulation. These processes, may cause their elimination from aquatic environment, if reaction is complete, or creation of new compounds i.e., transformation products (TPs). What is more, processes, like chlorination and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), such as H2O2/UV, O3/UV, TiO2/UV, Fenton, and photo-Fenton, or UV treatment which might be applied in water or wastewater treatment, may also lead to the TPs introduction into aquatic environment. The research on the TPs brings many new challenges. From one side, there is a constant need for the the development of a sensitive and reliable analytical separation, detection, and structure elucidation methods. Additionally, there is a need for the preparation of appropriate assays for the investigation of properties of new compounds, especially those answering the question if TPs pose a higher risk to the aquatic ecosystems than their parent compounds. Among numerous groups of pharmaceuticals, two are of great importance: antibiotics since they might promote emergence and maintenance of antimicrobial resistance in the aquatic environment; and cytostatic drugs. Cytostatic drugs can exert carcinogenic, mutagenic and/or teratogenic effects in animals and humans. The challenges of biodegradation testing presented in this thesis, encompasses these different areas of interest and was divided into three objectives: 1) Identification of the knowledge gaps and data distribution of the two groups of pharmaceuticals antibiotics and cytostatic drugs (article I); 2) Increasing the knowledge on biodegradation of cytostatic drugs and their TPs (articles II, III, and IV) and 3) Establishment of a biodegradation test with closer to simulation tests conditions, that could be affordable and to support better understanding on processes in water sediment interface construction - screening water-sediment test. Further validation of the test with an insight into sorption and desorption processes (articles V and VI).
The emergence of sustainability as a guiding principle for tourism development came along with needs to introduce instruments that can monitor the actual impacts of tourism. Sustainability assessments in tourism (SAT) have gained popularity in recent years with a range of measurement schemes being introduced for national and subnational tourism destinations. With the help of sustainability indicators these schemes intend to guide decision-makers in making better evidence-informed decisions and to improve the overall sustainability performance of tourism. With this dissertation, the author aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the implementation and performance of sustainability assessments, by linking transformative needs of tourism with necessary assessment approaches that can serve as effective instruments for a shift towards a more sustainable tourism development. Thus, the research is part of recent efforts to establish profound and effective measurement approaches for sustainable tourism. The author employs a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative, quantitative, set-theoretic, and review methods, with the aim of maximising the validity of results. First, he explores the general progress and current state of research on sustainability assessments in tourism, with the intention to identify patterns, key elements and research gaps within assessment approaches This is followed by subsequent detailed analyses that examine specific environmental and socio-economic sustainability issues with the aim of providing conceptual, methodological and empirical solutions for assessing them in detail. The dissertation highlights that concrete assessment tools are needed for evidence-informed decision-making and the establishment of effective actions in destination management. The findings indicate that assessments will be more successful in terms of serving as tools for decision-making, if they tackle main drivers of change and encourage management or policymakers to take decisions that affect multiple sustainability issues. It also reviews different concepts and accounting principles and rises awareness of a cautious selection of methods and measurement approaches, as this may affect overall results. The thesis empirically evaluates and applies different measurement approaches in specific destinations, with the help of quantitative and qualitative data collection methodologies. In general, my thesis provides further clarification about key environmental and socio-economic measurement methodologies, which supports ongoing debates about sustainability impacts of tourism. Thus, the research contributes to knowledge, frameworks, methodologies and practical application for tourism governance and tourism sustainability science.
"Reallabore" erleben als junges Format transformativer Nachhaltigkeitsforschung gegenwärtig eine beeindruckende Konjunktur. Die Dissertation arbeitet den Reallabor‐Ansatz aus Perspektive der transdisziplinären Forschung methodisch aus. Die Basis hierfür bildet die Erfahrung mit dem Auf‐ und Ausbau von einem der ersten Reallabore in Deutschland: Das langfristig ausgelegte "Quartier Zukunft - Labor Stadt" in Karlsruhe transformiert in Kooperation mit der Zivilgesellschaft ein Quartier modellhaft in einen nachhaltigeren Lebensraum. Es setzt dabei gleichermaßen auf Bildung, Forschung und Praxis. Die vorgelegten Artikel der kumulativen Dissertation bilden verschiedene Stadien der Entwicklung der Reallaborforschung und der methodologischen Reflexion ab. Die ersten beiden Texte entwickeln eine praxisnahe Definition und ordnen Reallabore ein in verwandte Diskurse. Die folgenden beiden Artikel stammen aus der beginnenden Stabilisierung des Reallabordiskurses. Der eine stellt Ziele und Designprinzipien für Reallabore als Rahmen transformativer und transdisziplinärer Forschung dar, der zweite greift aktuelle Diskussionen um Lernprozesse konzeptionell auf. Die letzten zwei Artikel fokussieren auf die Ebene der Projekte im Reallabor am Beispiel der Transformativen Projektseminare, einmal in analytischer Perspektive, einmal in methodisch‐didaktischer. Der Rahmentext abstrahiert die Ergebnisse der zuvor publizierten Artikel entlang dreier Forschungsfragen: Was ist neu am Reallabor‐Ansatz? Welches Potenzial hat ein Reallabor für transdisziplinäre Forschung? Und welche Rolle spielt Lernen im Reallabor? Die methodologische Reflexion führt zu einem Verständnis von Reallaboren als Format zwischen Urban Living Labs und Transition Labs, das sich gegenüber diesen insbesondere durch Langfristigkeit, Bildungsziele und eine klare Trennung zwischen Labor und Experimenten auszeichnet. Aus der kritischen Auseinandersetzung mit Reallaboren wird eine doppelte Bezugnahme auf Transdisziplinarität herausgearbeitet, einerseits als Infrastruktur für transdisziplinäre Projekte, andererseits als in sich transdisziplinäres Unterfangen. Ausgehend von dieser Unterscheidung wird ein Vorschlag gemacht, an welche experimentellen Methodologien jenseits der klassisch‐naturwissenschaftlichen die transdisziplinäre Forschung, die bislang kaum experimentell arbeitet, anknüpfen kann. Das Reallabor unterstützt solche Experimente durch einen Rahmen aus materieller Infrastruktur, durch Kompetenzen der Beteiligten, durch Wissensbestände und soziale Vernetzung. Die Vernetzung über Projektgrenzen hinweg, ein weiteres wesentliches Charakteristikum eines Reallabors, dient dazu, parallele Experimente zu vernetzen und iterative Lernzyklen zu unterstützen. Diese Aspekte werden verbunden zum "Apfelmodell" transdisziplinärer Forschung im Reallabor, in dem das Reallabor als doppeltes Bindeglied fungiert, einerseits zwischen internen und externen Lernzyklen, und andererseits zwischen wissenschaftlichen, bildungsorientierten und praktischen. Durch die Interpretation der Abläufe im Reallabor als Lernprozesse wird ein Anschluss an Bildungsprozesse auf unterschiedlichen Skalen möglich. Neben Lernprozessen im Reallabor als Lernumgebung lässt sich das Reallabor als lernende Institution und als Kristallisationspunkt gesellschaftlicher Lernprozesse verstehen. Das Apfelmodell kann gleichermaßen im Kontext theoretischer Fragen im Transdisziplinaritätsdiskurs herangezogen werden als auch praktischen Zwecken dienen, insbesondere in der Planung von Reallaboren, in der quervernetzten Konzeption von Projekten darin, in der Evaluation und in der Kommunikation.
Collaborative governance is a promising approach to address the difficult challenges of sustainability through global public and private partnerships between diverse actors of state, market and civil society. The textile and clothing industry is an excellent example where a variety of such initiatives have evolved to address the wicked sustainability challenges. However, the question arises whether collaborative governance actually leads to transformation. In this dissertation, the author therefore questions whether and how collaborative governance in the textile sector provides space for, or pathways to, sustainability transformation. In three scientific articles and this framework paper, the author uses a mixed-methods research approach and follows scholars of sustainability science towards transformation research. First, he conducts a systematic literature review on inter-organizational and governance partnerships before diving into a critical case study on an interactive collaborative governance initiative, the German Partnership for Sustainable Textiles (Textiles Partnership). The multi-stakeholder initiative (MSIs) was initiated by the German government in 2015 and brings together more than 130 organizations and companies from seven stakeholder groups. It aims at improving working conditions and reducing environmental impacts in global textile and clothing supply chains. In two empirical articles, the author then explores learning spaces in the partnership and the ways in which governance actors navigate the complex governance landscape. For the former, he uses a quantitative and qualitative social network analysis based on annual reports and qualitative interviews with diverse actors from the partnership. Then, he uses qualitative content analysis of the interviews, policy documents and conducts a focus group discussion to validate assumptions about the broader empirical governance landscape and the social interactions within. Finally, in this framework paper, he uses theories of transformation to distinguish forms of change and personal, political and practical spheres of transformation, and reflects on the findings of the three articles in this cumulative dissertation.
Viable communication systems
(2020)
Society has come to the point that it requires a "Great Transformation" towards sustainability to ensure the viability of the planet for a vital society. The energy transition plays a central role for this transformation. For transforming the patterns of energy production and use in an energy transition as part of the "Great Transformation", this process of change now needs to strengthen its focus on information, communication, and knowledge systems. Human society needs to establish a knowledge system that has the potential to create usable knowledge for sustainability solutions. This requires organizing a communication system that is sufficiently complex, interconnected, and, at the same time, efficient for integrating reflexive, open-ended, inter- and transdisciplinary learning, evaluation, and knowledge co-production processes across multiple levels. This cumulative dissertation contributes to research in this direction by applying a systemic sustainability perspective on the content and organization of communication in the field of research on sustainable energy and the operational level of municipal climate action as part of the energy transition. Regarding sustainability, this thesis uses strong sustainability and its principles as a frame for evaluating the content of communication. Regarding the systemic perspective, the thesis particularly relies on the following theories: (i) the human-environment system model by R. Scholz as an overarching framework regarding interactions between humans and nature, (ii) social systems theory by N. Luhmann to reflect the complexity of society, (iii) knowledge management to consider the human character of knowledge and a practice-oriented perspective, and (iv) management cybernetics, in particular, the Viable System Model by S. Beer as a framework to analyze and assess organizational structures. Furthermore, the thesis leverages the potential of text mining as a method to identify and visualize patterns in texts that reflect prevalent paradigms in communication. The thesis applies the above conceptual and methodological basis in three case studies. Case Study 1 investigates the measures proposed in 16 municipal climate action plans of regional centers in Lower Saxony, Germany. It uses a text mining approach in the form of an Summary interpretation network analysis. It analyzes how different societal subsystems are connected at the semantic level and to what extent sustainability principles can be recognized. Case Study 2 analyzes and reflects paradigms and discursive network structures in international scientific publications on sustainable energy. The study investigates 26533 abstracts published from 1990 to 2016 using a text mining approach, in particular topic modeling via latent Dirichlet allocation. Case Study 3 turns again to the cases of municipal climate action in Lower Saxony examined in Case Study 1. It examines the involvement of climate action managers of these cities in multilevel knowledge processes. Using design principles for knowledge systems, it evaluates to what extent knowledge is managed in this field across levels for supporting the energy transition and to what extent local innovation potential is leveraged or supported. The three case studies show that international research on sustainable energy and municipal climate action in Germany provide promising contributions to achieve a transformation towards sustainability but do not fully reflect the complexity of society and still support a growth paradigm, in contrast to a holistic sustainability paradigm. Further, the case studies show that research and local action are actively engaging with the diversity of energy technologies but are lagging in dealing with the socio-epistemic (communication) system, especially with regard to achieving cohesion. Using the example of German municipalities, Case Studies 1 and 3 highlight the challenges of achieving coherent local action for sustainability and bottom-up organizational learning due to incomplete or uncoordinated multilevel knowledge exchange.
This study aims to answer four main research questions regarding the roles, strategies, barriers, and representation of the media and environmental nongovernmental organisations (ENGOs) in environmental communication in Malaysia. From a theoretical lens, this study has incorporated the essential concepts of media, ENGOs, and environmental communication from both Western and Asian, particularly Malaysian perspectives as primary points of reference. For the purpose of this study, a total of 13 interviewees from Media A and Media B and 11 interviewees from ENGO A and ENGO B were chosen for the qualitative interview while 2,050 environmental articles were collected as samples from Media A´s and Media B´s newspapers along with ENGO A´s and ENGO B´s newsletters from the period 2012 to 2014 for the quantitative content analysis. Specifically, the findings from interview confirmed that both the Malaysian media and ENGOs have shared quite similar roles in environmental communication, particularly in environmental legitimacy (creating trust, credibility, and relationships with the public), in democracy (acting as a watchdog and mobilising the public sphere), and in constructing public mind about environmental problems. Pictures undoubtedly were one of the most vital tools in social construction, especially for presenting the reality of the environmental problems to the public. This was in harmony with the results of the quantitative content analysis, where more than 60% of pictures were found on environmental articles in media newspapers and ENGOs newsletters. Malaysian media and ENGOs have shared two common strategies in environmental communication, namely campaigning and collaboration with other stakeholders, while the ENGOs have two extra strategies: advocacy and lobbying strategies. Malaysian media and ENGOs also have collaborated with each other and the level of collaboration between them was at the coordination (medium) level. Both social actors especially the media were also relied heavily on their sources for environmental articles and the result of quantitative content analysis showed that the government was the main source for media newspapers, whereas other ENGOs and laypersons were the main sources for ENGOs´ newsletters. There are also colossal barriers faced by both Malaysian media and ENGOs throughout the process of environmental communication and some of the barriers faced by both media and ENGOs include the problem with limited knowledge of the environment, while some other barriers, like media laws and ownership, were only faced by the media; other barriers such as funding problems were specifically faced by the ENGOs. In terms of representation of environmental information, the Malaysian media make more presentations on environmental problems, especially on topics like floods, wildlife and water crises in their newspapers, while ENGOs have given more attention to environmental effort topics such as conservation and sustainable living in their newsletters. Surprisingly, not only the media but also the ENGOs used the same (news) values like timeliness, proximity, and impact as criteria for the selection of environmental issues for their publications. Other factors such as the background of the organisation and the interest of journalists or editors also influence the selection of environmental issues. It is hoped that the proposed theoretical framework of this study can serve as a crucial guideline for the development of environmental communication studies, especially among the media and ENGOs not only in Malaysia but also in other (Southeast) Asian regions that share a similar background.
Assessment of forest functionality and the effectiveness of forest management and certification
(2021)
Forest ecosystems are complex systems that develop inherent structures and processes relevant for their functioning and the provisioning of ecosystem services that contribute to human wellbeing. With increasing climate change impacts, especially regulating ecosystem services such as microclimate regulation are ever more relevant to maintain forest functions and services. A key question is how forest management supports or undermines the ecosystems’ capacity to maintain those functions and services. The main objective of this thesis is the development of a concept to assess the functionality of forests and to evaluate the effectiveness of forest ecosystem management including certification. An ecosystem-based and participatory methodology, named ECOSEFFECT, was developed. The method comprises a theoretical and an empirical plausibility analysis. It was applied to the Russian National FSC Standard in the Arkhangelsk Region of the Russian Federation - where boreal forests are exploited to meet Europe's demand for timber. In addition, the influence of forestry interventions on temperature regulation in Scots pine and European beech forests in Germany was assessed during two extreme hot and dry years in 2018 and 2019. Microclimate regulation is a suitable proxy for forest functionality and can be applied easily to evaluate the effectiveness of forest management in safeguarding regulating forest functions relevant under climate change. Thus, the assessment of forest microclimate regulation serves as convenient tool to illustrate forest functionality. In the boreal and temperate forests studied in the frame of this thesis, timber harvesting reduced the capacity to self-regulate forests’ microclimate and thus impair a crucial part of ecosystem functionality. Changes in structural forest characteristics influenced by forest management and silviculture significantly affect microclimatic conditions and therefore forest ecosystems' vulnerability to climate change. Canopy coverage and the number of cut trees were most relevant for cooling maximum summer temperature in pine and beech forests in northern Germany. The Russian FSC standard has the potential to improve forest management and ecological outcomes, but there are shortcomings in the precision of targeting actual problems and ecological commitment. It is theoretically plausible that FSC prevents logging in high conservation value forests and intact forest landscapes, reduces the size and number of clearcuts, and prevents hydrological changes in the landscape. However, the standard was not sufficiently explicit and compulsory to generate a strong and positive influence on the identified problems and their drivers. Moreover, spatial data revealed, that the typical regular clearcut patterns of conventional timber harvesting continue to progress into the FSC-certified boreal forests, also if declared as "Intact Forest Landscape". This results in the need to verify the assumptions and postulates on the ground as it remains unclear and questionable if functions and services of boreal forests are maintained when FSC-certified clearcutting continues.The analysis of satellite-based data on tree cover loss showed that clearcutting causes secondary dieback in the surrounding of the cleared area. FSC-certification does not prevent the various negative impacts of clearcutting and thus fails to safeguard ecosystem functions. The postulated success in reducing identified environmental threats and stresses, e. g. through a smaller size of clearcuts, could not be verified on site. The empirical assessment does not support the hypothesis of effective improvements in the ecosystem. In practice, FSC-certification did not contribute to change clearcutting practices sufficiently to effectively improve the ecological performance. Sustainability standards that are unable to translate principles into effective outcomes fail in meeting the intended objectives of safeguarding ecosystem functioning. Clearcuts that carry sustainability labels are ecologically problematic and ineffective for the intended purpose of ecological sustainability.The overexploitation of provisioning services, i.e. timber extraction, diminishes the ecosystems' capacity to maintain other services of global significance. It also impairs ecosystem functions relevant to cope with and adapt to other stresses and disturbances that are rapidly increasing under climate change.
Das Ausrichten der Abwasserentsorgung erfolgt in engen kommunalpolitischen und rechtlich-ökologischen Grenzen. Dabei werden weder die Rahmenbedingungen analysiert oder hinterfragt noch werden anhand akzeptierter Ziele langfristige Konzepte zur Ausgestaltung der Abwasserentsorgung entwickelt. Die Diskussion um die Wahrnehmung von Aufgaben durch die öffentliche Hand oder durch private Träger ist vielmehr durch die Kontroverse zwischen Effizienz und hoheitlicher Aufgabenerfüllung geprägt. Die gegenwärtige Problemhandhabung wird den komplexen Zusammenhängen, die mit der Abwasserentsorgung verbunden sind, nicht gerecht. Die schlechte Finanzsituation der Kommunen sollte genutzt werden, um zu neuen Formen der Aufgabenerfüllung zu gelangen.
In der vorliegenden Arbeit geht es um eine Bildpraxis, die an die Fotografie gekoppelt ist. Die Forschungsarbeit von Vera Brandner baut auf der These auf, dass die Fotografie aufgrund ihrer ´Undiszipliniertheit´ speziell in inter- und transdisziplinären sowie interkulturellen Forschungsfeldern dem gemeinsamen Lernen und Forschen dienen kann, da sie für viele Menschen - egal woher sie kommen, welchen lebensweltlichen oder disziplinären Hintergrund sie mitbringen - leicht zugänglich und nutzbar ist. Auf diesen Zusammenhang beruht der methodologische Rahmen Generative Bildarbeit, den Vera Brandner in ihrer Doktorarbeit konzipiert, empirisch erprobt und konsolidiert hat. Verschiedene Aspekte fotografisch-visueller Methoden werden mit postkolonialer, fotokritischer und emanzipatorischer Theorienbildung verschränkt. Konzeptuelle und praktische Basisarbeit für die Entwicklung Generativer Bildarbeit wurde in der Arbeit des Vereins ipsum1 zwischen 2003 und 2010 in Angola, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Israel, Palästina und Österreich geleistet. Es handelt sich dabei um eine Systematisierung der verschiedenen Blickakte, Interaktions- und Reflexionsformen, die im fotografischen Geflecht möglich sind, um diese für das dialogische Arbeiten mit Menschen verschiedener Erkenntniskulturen nutzbar zu machen. Die Fotografie wird als Praxisform in Situationen eingesetzt, in denen die beteiligten Akteur_innen einander aufgrund ihrer unterschiedlichen Herkunft, Sozialisierung und Spezialisierung fremd sind, durch geteilte Problemstellungen jedoch miteinander in Verbindung stehen. Es geht bei Generativer Bildarbeit um ein Arbeiten an den Grenzen des Eigenen und des Anderen, wobei diese Problemstellungen zugänglich, beforschbar und transformierbar gemacht werden. Die Fotografie wird zum Übungs- und Forschungsfeld für das Umgehen mit Kultureller Differenz. In diesem Übungsfeld entwickeln die Teilnehmer_innen Gestaltungs- und Reflexionsformen, um mit bestehenden Widersprüchen und Unsicherheiten ihrem jeweiligen Kontext entsprechend umzugehen.
A Matter of Connection: Competence Development in Teacher Education for Sustainable Development
(2021)
Based on a dual case study, this cumulative dissertation investigates how individual "education for sustainable development" (ESD) courses, as part of the teacher education programs at Leuphana University in Lüneburg/Germany and Arizona State University (ASU)/USA, actually foster students' ESD-specific professional action competence. Furthermore, this work sheds light on the link between learning processes and outcomes, to reveal which factors actually affect the achievement of ILOs and competence development. The findings of this study indicate that both courses under investigation eventually live up to their role and increased student teachers' competence and commitment to implement ESD in their future careers; yet, mainly due to their different thematic foci, to varying degrees. Additionally, the four Cs (personal, professional, social, and structural connections) were revealed as significant factors that support students' learning and should be considered when planning and designing course offerings in TESD, with the goal of developing students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
Im Projekt "Nawi-In" (Naturwissenschaftlichen Unterricht inklusiv gestalten) wurde die Entwicklung professioneller Kompetenzen für den inklusiven naturwissenschaftlichen Unterricht von Lehramtsstudierenden der Primar- und Sekundarstufe beforscht. Dabei wurden Lehramtsstudierende des naturwissenschaftlichen Primar- und Sekundarstufenunterrichts über drei Semester im Projektbandseminar begleitet. Als Teilprojekt des Projekts "Nawi-In" setzt diese Arbeit den Schwerpunkt auf drei Fokusse: die Entwicklung des Kategoriensystems inklusiver naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht (KinU), die Beforschung der professionellen Handlungskompetenz sowie der professionellen Wahrnehmung bezüglich inklusiven naturwissenschaftlichen Unterrichts. Im ersten Fokus geht es sowohl um die Entwicklung und Validierung des KinUs als auch um die Überprüfung der Gütekriterien des KinUs. Zunächst wurden die Charakteristika inklusiven naturwissenschaftlichen Unterrichts, die die Kategorien des KinUs 1.0 darstellen, in einem systematischen Review aus der Literatur induktiv abgeleitet. Die Kategorien (n=935) verteilten sich auf insgesamt vier Abstraktionsebenen von der allgemeinen Hauptkategorienebene über die Subkategorien-, Code- bis hin zur konkreten Subcode-Ebene des KinUs. Während zunächst n=16 Kategorien die Verbindung naturwissenschaftlicher Charakteristika mit der inklusiven Umsetzung auf der Hauptkategorien-Ebene gebildet haben, waren es nach der Weiterentwicklung und Überarbeitung des KinUs 2.0 n=15 Hauptkategorien. Die Weiterentwicklung des KinUs fand mithilfe der Validierung durch Datentriangulation statt. Durch die Anwendung des KinUs auf Video- und transkribierte Audiodaten wurden fortlaufend weitere Kategorien induktiv abgeleitet. Zudem wurde die Struktur des KinUs vereinfacht, sodass die inklusiven Zugänge zu jedem naturwissenschaftlichen Charakteristikum bis zur Code-Ebene als ein gleichbleibendes Muster abgebildet werden können. Der zweite Fokus bezieht sich auf die Entwicklung und Beforschung der professionellen Handlungskompetenz der Lehramtsstudierenden bezüglich inklusiven naturwissenschaftlichen Unterrichts. Dabei wurde analysiert, welche inklusiv naturwissenschaftlichen Charakteristika Lehramtsstudierende in ihrem Unterricht implementieren, wie sich ihre professionelle Handlungskompetenz während der Praxisphase entwickelt sowie welche Unterschiede und Gemeinsamkeiten sich für die Primar- und Sekundarstufen bezüglich ihrer professionellen Handlungskompetenz ergeben. Dafür wurden die Unterrichtsvideos, die die Studierenden während der Praxisphase jeweils zweimal von ihrem eigenen Unterricht angefertigt haben, mit dem KinU qualitativ inhaltlich analysiert. Insgesamt haben die Studierenden zwar unterschiedliche Zugänge auf der Subkategorien-Ebene zum naturwissenschaftlichen Unterricht implementiert, allerdings haben sie den Schülern innerhalb dieser Zugänge nur selten verschiedene Optionen geboten. Im Vergleich der Schulstufen zeigt sich, dass sich die zunehmende Fachlichkeit von der Primar- zur Sekundarstufe widerspiegelt. Insgesamt haben die Studierenden von dem ersten zum zweiten Unterrichtsvideo zunehmend mehr inklusiv naturwissenschaftliche Charakteristika in ihren Unterricht implementiert. Im dritten Fokus wurde die professionelle Wahrnehmung von Lehramtsstudierenden bezüglich inklusiven naturwissenschaftlichen Unterrichts beforscht. Dabei wurde analysiert, welche inklusiv naturwissenschaftlichen Charakteristika Lehramtsstudierende wahrnehmen, wie sich ihre professionelle Wahrnehmung entwickelt sowie welche Unterschiede und Gemeinsamkeiten sich für die Primar- und Sekundarstufe bzgl. ihrer professionellen Wahrnehmung ergeben. Dafür wurden video-stimulierte Reflexionen durchgeführt, wobei die Studierenden Videoszenen bzgl. inklusiven naturwissenschaftlichen Unterrichts beschreiben, interpretieren sowie Handlungsalternativen generieren sollten. Bei den Video-Stimulated Reflections (VSRef) haben die Studierenden eine Videovignette aus einem Sachunterricht zum Thema Löslichkeit reflektiert. Die VSRefs wurden zu drei Zeitpunkten durchgeführt: vor dem ersten Mastersemester und vor sowie nach der Praxisphase im zweiten Mastersemester. Zudem wurden während der Praxisphase jeweils zweimal mit allen Studierenden Video-Stimulated Recalls (VSR) durchgeführt. Dabei haben die Studierenden Ausschnitte ihrer eigenen Unterrichtsvideos reflektiert. Sowohl die VSRef als auch die VSR wurden transkribiert und mit dem KinU qualitativ inhaltlich analysiert. Die Lehramtsstudierenden haben zunehmend mehr inklusiv naturwissenschaftliche Charakteristika in den eigenen und fremden Unterrichtsvideos wahrgenommen. Zwischen den Schulstufen waren nur geringe Unterschiede zu erkennen. Am häufigsten haben die Studierenden Zugänge zur inklusiven Gestaltung der Anwendung naturwissenschaftlicher Untersuchungsmethoden wahrgenommen. Insgesamt zeigt sich, dass die Lehramtsstudierenden ihre professionellen Kompetenzen bzgl. inklusiven naturwissenschaftlichen Unterrichts weiterentwickeln konnten. Zudem wurde mit der Entwicklung des KinUs ein Kategoriensystem zur Beforschung und ein Unterstützungsraster für Lehrkräfte zur Gestaltung inklusiven naturwissenschaftlichen Unterrichts geschaffen.
Agrobiodiversität besitzt vielfältigen ökologischen, ökonomischen und sozio-kulturellen Wert. Sie ist eine grundlegende Voraussetzung für zukünftige Nutzungen und steht gleichzeitig in einem besonderen Verhältnis zu menschlichem Handeln. Zwar basiert Agrobiodiversität auf Natur, sie ist jedoch wesentlich durch landwirtschaftliche Tätigkeiten gestaltet worden und kann ohne weitere Nutzung durch den Menschen nicht erhalten und erneuert werden. Die vorliegende Dissertation analysiert die Gestaltung gesellschaftlicher Naturverhältnisse in der ländlichen Entwicklung am Beispiel der nachhaltigen Nutzung von Agrobiodiversität. Schutz und Nutzung von Agrobiodiversität wird hierfür in einem ersten Schritt als sozial-ökologisches Phänomen konzipiert. Daran schließen sich Analysen auf agrarpolitischer und landwirtschaftlich praktischer Ebene an. Anhand einer Analyse der der Gemeinsamen Agrarpolitik der Europäischen Union (GAP) und im speziellen der Politik zur ländlichen Entwicklung wird deutlich, dass eine programmatische Orientierung an Wettbewerbsfähigkeit und einer nachhaltigen Entwicklung besteht und das Paradigma einer multifunktionalen Landwirtschaft integrierende Ansätze bietet. Diese Ansätze werden jedoch weiterhin vor dem Hintergrund einer unhinterfragten Logik realisiert, die davon ausgeht, dass naturerhaltendes Wirtschaften nicht wettbewerbsfähig sein kann. Die GAP löst somit die hierarchische Trennung zwischen Schutz und Nutzung von Agrobiodiversität nicht auf. Trotz der Wirkmächtigkeit der GAP kann mittels der Fallstudie "Arche-Region Flusslandschaft Elbe" an einem konkreten Beispiel aus der landwirtschaftlichen Praxis dargestellt werden, wie nachhaltige Agrobiodiversitätsnutzung umgesetzt wird. Aus den Ergebnissen der Fallstudie werden abschließend Schlussfolgerungen für eine Weiterentwicklung der Politik zur ländlichen Entwicklung und EU-Agrarpolitik im Allgemeinen abgeleitet.
Neben dem Klimawandel und der Verstädterung zählt der Verlust biologischer und kultureller Vielfalt mit unberechenbaren Konsequenzen für die Bereitstellung von Ökosystemdienstleistungen zu den größten Herausforderungen der Zukunft, auch in UNESCO-Biosphärenreservaten, die Modellregionen für nachhaltige Entwicklung sind. Deshalb wurden durch die vorliegende Studie erstmalig Ökosystemdienstleistungen im UNESCO-Biosphärenreservat Schaalsee erfasst und bewertet. Dort sind insgesamt 39 Ökosystemdienstleistungen nachzuweisen, wobei räumliche Unterschiede hinsichtlich der Zonierung zu beobachten sind: Je strenger der Schutzstatus, desto geringer ist die Anzahl an nutzbaren Ökosystemdienstleistungen. Mittels Q-Methode wurden fünf unterschiedliche Werteperspektiven auf die bereitgestellten Ökosystemdienstleistungen identifiziert: 1) Übereinstimmung mit der Biosphärenreservats-Idee, 2) Regionalität mit dem Streitpunkt Kultur, die als a) entbehrlicher Luxus oder b) elementarer Lebensinhalt wahrgenommen wird, 3) Landwirtschaft und Nostalgie sowie 4) Vorsorge durch natürliche Regulierungsleistungen. Alle Perspektiven stimmen darin überein, dass die Vielfalt der Natur und sauberes Trinkwasser sowie die meisten regulierenden Ökosystemdienstleistungen von großer Wichtigkeit sind. Die Ergebnisse der Erfassung können als Grundlage zur weiteren Untersuchung der Ökosystemdienstleistungen im UNESCO Biosphärenreservat Schaalsee verwendet werden.
To respond to the challenges of the Anthropocene, scholars from various disciplines increasingly emphasize that a mere outer transformation is insufficient and that we also need an inner transformation that addresses deep leverage points. Yet, the open questions are how the inner and outer dimensions relate to each other and how inner transformation might lead to outer transformation. How we attempt to answer these questions is determined by our dominant paradigm. Paradigms define how we understand and shape the world, and thus, they define how we conceptualize challenges, such as inner and outer transformation. Various authors argue that the dominant paradigm, which is characterized by reductionism, empiricism, dualism, and determinism, might be a root cause for insufficiently addressing sustainability challenges. As an alternative, many argue for a relational paradigm, which understands complex phenomena in terms of constitutive processes and relations. A relational paradigm might offer possibilities to reconceptualize inner and outer transformation in the Anthropocene and might shed new light on how to integrate both in sustainability science. Yet, it is still being determined how a relational paradigm can contribute to the understanding of inner and outer transformations towards sustainability in the Anthropocene. Therefore, this dissertation's overarching scope is to contribute to systems change towards a more social-ecological future by generating insights into and exploring possibilities of a relational paradigm for inner and outer transformation in the Anthropocene. This thesis is divided into three sub-questions. The first research question aims to increase the theoretical understanding of a relational paradigm. The second research question aims to develop a transformative educational case study grounded in a relational, justice-oriented approach. The third research question aims to analyze how a relational paradigm might contribute to policies and practices for sustainable lifestyles. The results indicate that inner and outer transformation in the Anthropocene can be reconceptualized as paradigm-ing relationality in the Ecocene. "Paradigm-ing" as an active verb, reconceptualizes inner and outer transformation into ontologies, epistemologies, ethics, and socialecological realities that are ongoing, nonhierarchical, nonlinear, dynamic, co-creative processes of intra-action. The Ecocene decenters the human and attends to what we might be able to intra-actand become-with. These insights can offer unexplored perspectives to address sustainability challenges and increase our capacities to respond in novel ways.
Das Bildungskonzept Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung (BNE) gilt als Schlüsselfaktor für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung. Die Stärkung der Kompetenzen von Multiplikatoren und somit Lehrkräften als Gestalter formaler Bildung ist ein Ziel auf dem Weg zu einer qualitativ hochwertigen Bildung. Es gilt, im Verlauf der Lehrkräftebildung Möglichkeiten zu schaffen, die Entwicklung relevanter Kompetenzen gezielt zu unterstützen, um effektivere Ergebnisse im Bereich BNE zu erreichen. Für den universitären Teil der Lehrkräftebildung geht dies einher mit einer entsprechenden Gestaltung von Lernumgebungen, durch die angehende Lehrkräfte relevante Kompetenzen zu Beginn ihres individuellen Bildungsweges entwickeln können. Darüber hinaus sollen durch entsprechende Fort- und Weiterbildungsformate auch bereits im Schuldienst tätige Lehrkräfte erreicht werden. Das als transdisziplinäres Format angelegte Entwicklungsteam Sachunterricht, bestehend aus Sachunterrichtslehrkräften, Vertretern außerschulischer Bildungsorte und Forschenden der Universität, bildet den Ausgangspunkt dieser Arbeit. Die vorliegende Arbeit fokussiert die Untersuchung von Möglichkeiten der Professionalisierung von (angehenden) Lehrkräften zu BNE im Kontext des Entwicklungsteams. Dazu wurde zunächst theoretisch-konzeptionell der Frage nachgegangen, welche Kompetenzen relevant für die Integration von BNE in Schule und Unterricht sind und wie Lehr-Lernsettings gestaltet werden sollten, um die Entwicklung entsprechender Kompetenzen zu unterstützen. Im Rahmen zweier empirischer Studien wurde anschließend einerseits die Kompetenzentwicklung seitens der Studierenden analysiert, die an einem durch das Entwicklungsteam begleiteten Seminar teilnahmen. Andererseits liegt der Fokus auf dem spezifischen Format des transdisziplinären Entwicklungsteams und es wurde untersucht, inwiefern wechselseitiges Lernen zwischen den Entwicklungsteammitgliedern initiiert werden und dies in einer Veränderung der pädagogischen Praxis resultieren kann. Aufgrund seiner hohen Anschlussfähigkeit an den bildungswissenschaftlichen Diskurs wurde das Modell der BNE-spezifischen professionellen Handlungskompetenz den konzeptionellen Überlegungen und den darauf aufbauenden empirischen Untersuchungen zugrunde gelegt. Die Gestaltung eines Lehr-Lern-Settings für angehende Lehrkräfte mit dem Ziel der Förderung entsprechender Kompetenzen wurde anhand des Konzepts der offenen Lernumgebung vorgenommen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen zum einen, dass das in enger Zusammenarbeit mit dem Entwicklungsteam als offene Lernumgebung durchgeführte Seminar die Professionalisierung der Studierenden unterstützt und der Aufbau von (BNE-spezifischer) professioneller Handlungskompetenz durch kollaboratives Gestalten in Kooperation mit der Praxis ermöglicht wird. Zum anderen zeigt sich, dass die transdisziplinäre Zusammenarbeit ein wechselseitiges von- und miteinander Lernen zu BNE im Entwicklungsteam Sachunterricht fördert und Professionalisierungsprozesse sowohl seitens der Lehrkräfte als auch des außerschulischen Akteurs zumindest in einigen Bereichen angestoßen wurden.
Environmental governance beyond borders: Governing telecoupled systems towards sustainability
(2023)
This doctoral dissertation analyses the environmental governance of long-distance social-ecological interactions in telecoupled systems in two issue domains: global commodity chains and infrastructure projects as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Although both domains involve different governance actors, institutions and processes, they both concern the question of how the involved actors develop governance structures and institutional responses to telecoupling. This dissertation aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of how to govern environmental problems that are associated with global flows. Since many multilateral environmental governance initiatives have not yet produced the desired solutions to global problems, particular attention is directed at unilateral state-led governance approaches. This dissertation addresses the questions of (1) how to achieve a spatial fit between the scale of telecoupled systems and the scale of governance institutions, (2) how governance actors exercise agency in governing telecoupled systems, and (3) how state actors can govern the domestic and foreign environmental effects of telecoupled flows. The results show that creating a spatial fit in the governance of global commodity flows is challenging because boundary and resolution mismatches can emerge. Boundary mismatches denote situations where social-ecological problems transcend established jurisdictional boundaries, whereas resolution mismatches refer to governance institutions that have too coarse a spatial resolution to allow them to address the specific aspects of social-ecological problems effectively. No single governance institution is likely to avoid all mismatches, which highlights the need to align multiple governance approaches to effectively govern telecoupled systems.
Existing institutions no longer appear to be sufficiently capable to deal with the complexity and uncertainty associated with the wicked problem of sustainability. Achieving the required sustainability transformation will thus require purposeful reform of existing institutional frameworks. However, existing research on the governance of sustainability of sustainability transformations has strongly focused on innovation and the more "creative" aspects of these processes, blinding our view to the fact that they go hand with the failure, decline or dismantling of institutions that are no longer considered functional or desirable. This doctoral dissertation thus seeks to better understand how institutional failure and decline can contribute productively to sustainability transformations and how such dynamics in institutional arrangements can serve to restructure existing institutional systems. A systematic review of the conceptual literature served to provide a concise synthesis of the research on "failure" and "decline" in the institutional literature, providing important first insights into their potentially productive functions. This was followed up by an archetype analysis of the productive functions of failure and decline, drawing on a wide range of literatures. This research identified five archetypical pathways: (1) crises triggering institutional adaptations toward sustainability, (2) systematic learning from failure and breakdown, (3) the purposeful destabilisation of unsustainable institutions, (4) making a virtue of inevitable decline, and (5) active and reflective decision making in the face of decline instead of leaving it to chance. Empirical case studies looking at the German energy transition and efforts to phase out coal in the Powering Past Coal Alliance served to provide more insights on (a) how to effectively harness "windows of opportunity" for change, and (b) the governance mechanisms used by governments to actively remove institutions. Results indicate that the lock-in of existing technologies, regulations and practices can throw up important obstacles for sustainability transformations. The intentional or unintentional destabilisation of the status quo may thus be required to enable healthy renewal within a system. This process required active and reflective management to avoid the irreversible loss of desirable institutional elements. Instruments such as "sunset clauses" and "experimental legislation" may serve as important tools to learn through "trial and error", whilst limiting the possible damage done by failure. Focusing on the subject of scale, this analysis finds that the level at which failure occurs is likely to determine the degree of change that can be achieved. Failures at the policy-level are most likely to merely lead to changes to the tools and instruments used by policy makers. This research thus suggests that failures on the polity- and political level may be required to achieve transformative changes to existing power structures, belief-systems and paradigms. Finally, this research briefly touches on the role of actor and agency in the governance of sustainabilitytransformations through failure and decline. It finds that actors may play an important role in causing a system or one of its elements to fail and in shaping the way events are come to be perceived.
Social insects like honeybees (Apis mellifera) and stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponini) face a relatively high risk to be attacked by pests and pathogens. To decrease the risk of infection, in addition to an innate immune system, these species have evolved various cooperative defense mechanisms which contribute to the overall health of the colonies and are therefore also referred to as social immunity. The collection and use of plant resin is another important strategy of social immunity. Resin is a sticky, often aromatic substance with antimicrobial and deterrent properties secreted by plants for protection of the vegetative tissue. Honeybees and stingless bees take advantage of these properties by using resins for nest construction (often mixtures of resin and wax called "propolis" or "cerumen") and as defense against pests and pathogens. Plant resins, thus, play a crucial role for the ecology of these species and are an important resource for them. Nevertheless, how bees exploit available resin sources and if resin collection can protect colonies from diseases received comparatively little attention in the past. Therefore the aim of this thesis is to provide new insights into the plant origin and significance as well as the influence of resin resource diversity on bee colony health. For honeybees (A. mellifera) in temperate regions, precise information about which resin sources they use is largely lacking. By chemical comparing bee-collected resins and tree resins, the researcher traced back the resin sources used by individual bees. Results show that honeybees collect distinct resin types that are related to different tree species (several poplar species: Populus balsamifera, P. xcanadensis; Betula alba; Aesculus hippocastanum; several poplar species). With this study, the author provided the first evidence, that A. mellifera in temperate regions use a variety of different tree species as resin sources and, moreover, show preferences for specific resin sources. Furthermore, the researcher conducted an experimental field study in which she investigated whether propolis, as it is naturally deposited in the nests, can protect honeybee colonies against some of the most important pathogens (Varroa destructor mite, Deformed Wing Virus). The results of this study showed that propolis in (semi-) natural conditions can increase the disease resistance of honeybee colonies, underscoring the importance of resins for honeybee health. Resin collection by stingless bees is comparatively well studied and it is known that these species commonly forage on a variety of different plant species. To increase knowledge on whether and how bees may profit from a diversity of resin resources, the researcheer tested how the protective function of a resin varied among different sources (and their mixtures) and various potential aggressors (predators, parasites and pathogens). The results of this study revealed that resins from different trees vary in their effectivity against different target organisms. Moreover, resin blends were more effective than some of the individual resins, suggesting that bees can benefit from a variety of resin resources. In summary, honeybees in temperate regions, similar to tropical stingless bees, use a variety of different tree species as resin sources. Because resins from different tree species varied in their protective function, this indicates that bees can profit from a variety of different resins/resin sources by improving the defense against diverse pests and pathogens. Conversely, the lack of resin had a negative impact on the disease resistance of colonies. Consequently, availability as well as the variety of suitable resin sources is of great importance for the health of bees.
Die heutige industrielle Landwirtschaft birgt vielfältige Probleme wie die Degradierung der Böden, den Verlust von Biodiversität, Nitrate im Grundwasser sowie die hohe Abhängigkeit von fossilen Energieträgern. Einen möglichen Lösungsansatz bietet das Konzept der regenerativen Landwirtschaft, welches weltweit zunehmend Beachtung findet. Deren Ziel ist es, Agrarökosysteme und insbesondere die Böden kontinuierlich zu verbessern, indem durch bestimmte landwirtschaftliche Methoden und ganzheitliches Management unter anderem gestörte Nährstoff-, Wasser- und Kohlenstoff- Kreisläufe wieder geschlossen werden. Die Verwendung von Pflanzenkohle als Bodenhilfsstoff könnte ein mögliches Werkzeug der regenerativen Landwirtschaft sein, da Forschungen gezeigt haben, dass Pflanzenkohle durch ihre spezifischen Eigenschaften in der Lage ist, die physikalischen und chemischen Eigenschaften des Bodens langfristig zu beeinflussen und dadurch zum Bodenaufbau beizutragen. Es handelt sich jedoch um eine vergleichsweise neue Methode, die in Deutschland bislang wenig praktiziert wird, und es gibt einige Kritik an der Produktion und Verwendung von Pflanzenkohle. Das Ziel der Arbeit ist es daher herauszufinden, ob und auf welche Weise die Verwendung von Pflanzenkohle im Ackerbau ein Bestandteil einer regenerativen Landwirtschaft in Deutschland sein kann. Hierfür wurden auf Grundlage der vorhandenen Literatur einige Thesen aufgestellt. Für die empirische Erhebung von Praxiswissen wurden leitfadengestützte Experteninterviews mit je einem Vertreter der Anbauweisen biologisch-dynamisch, organisch-biologisch und der Permakultur geführt. Die Ergebnisse wurden ergänzt durch ein Interview mit einer Expertin aus dem Bereich der Pflanzenkohleproduktion, um technische Details zu konkretisieren. Im Ergebnis wird unter anderem deutlich, dass der Pflanzenkohleeinsatz für jede Fläche gründlich überlegt werden muss. Allgemein sollte Pflanzenkohle nur in kleinen, dezentralen landwirtschaftlichen Systemen eingesetzt werden und Teil einer Abfall-Management-Strategie sein. Es müssen sowohl das Ziel der Anwendung, als auch die Eigenschaften der eingesetzten Kohle bekannt sein und ein Einsatz sollte nur in einem System erfolgen, welches bereits regenerativ bewirtschaftet wird.
To improve the properties of thermochemical heat storage materials, salt mixtures were evaluated for their heat storage capacity and cycle stability as part of the innovation incubator project "Thermochemical battery" of the Leuphana university Lüneburg. Based on naturally occurring compound minerals, 16 sulfates, 18 chlorides and 5 chloride multi-mixtures, 18 bromides and 5 intermixtures between sulfates, chlorides and bromides were synthesized either from liquid solution or by dry mixing for TGA/DSC screening before continuing the heat storage evaluation with five different measurement setups at a laboratory scale. The TGA/DSC analysis served as a screening process to reduce the number of testing materials for the upscaled experiments. The evaluation process consisted of a three-cycle dehydration/hydration measurement at Tmax=100°C and Tmax=200°C. In case of the bromide samples a measurement of hydration conditions with Tmax=110°C and a water flow at e=18.68mbar, were added to the procedure to detect the maximum water uptake temperature. Also, a single dehydration to a temperature of Tmax=500°C was implemented to observe melting behavior and to easier calculate the samples’ stages of hydration from the remaining anhydrous mass. Materials which showed high energy storage density and improved cycle stability during this first evaluation were cleared for multi-cycle measurements of 10 to 25 dehydration and hydration cycles at Tmax = 100 to 120°C and the evaluations at m=20 to 100g scale. An estimate for the specific heat capacities at different temperatures of the materials which passed the initial stage was calculated from the TGA/DSC results as well. The laboratory scale measurement setup went through five stages of refining, which led to reducing the intended maximum sample mass from m=100g to m=20g. A switch from supplied liquid water to water vapor as the used reactant was also implemented in exchange for improved dehydration conditions. Introducing a vacuum pump for evaporating the water limited the influence of outside heat sources during hydration and in-situ dehydration was enabled as to not disturb the state the samples were settling in between measurements. Baseline calculation from blanc measurements with glass powder and attempts to calculate the specific heat capacity cp of the tested materials by 6 applying the Joule-Lenz-law to the measurement apparatus was another step of method development. The evaluation process of the laboratory scale tests at the final setting consisted of 1 to 5 cycle measurements of in-situ dehydration and hydrations with applied vacuum for t=30 minutes at p~30mbar. Upscaling the sample mass to m=20g allowed for a close observation of different material behaviors. Agglomeration, melting and dissolving of the m=10mg samples during the TGA/DSC analysis can be deducted from the recorded measurement curves and the state of the sample after measurement. However, at laboratory scale the visible volume changes, observed sample consistency after agglomeration and an automatic removal of molten and dissolved sample mass during the measurement allowed for a better characterization and understanding of the magnitude of the actual changes. This was done for the first time, particularly for mixed salts. Of the original number of 62 samples, 4 mixtures which passed the initial TGA/DSC screening namely {2MgCl2+ KCl}, {2MgCl2+CaCl2}, {5SrBr2+8CaCl2} and {2ZnCl2 + CaCl2} were chosen for further evaluation. The multi-cycle TGA/DSC measurements of {2MgCl2+ KCl}, {2MgCl2+CaCl2} and {5SrBr2+8CaCl2} showed an improved cycle stability for all three materials over the untreated educts. Of the four materials {2ZnCl2 + CaCl2} displayed the strongest deliquescence during hydration in the upscaled experimental setup. {2MgCl2+CaCl2} proved to be the most stable material regarding the heat storage density. The {MgCl2} content of the mixture is likely to partially or completely react to {Mg(OH)Cl} at temperatures of T>110°C, which however does not impede the heat storage density. {5SrBr2+8CaCl2} displayed a low melting point in hydrated state, causing a fast material loss. This makes it an undesirable storage material. A lower heating rate may still help to avoid an early melting. The {2MgCl2+KCl} mixture was the most temperature stable of the mixtures showing no melting or dissolving behavior. A reaction of the {MgCl2} component of the mixture to {Mg(OH)Cl} was not observed within the applied temperature range of T=25 to 200°C.
Tropical ecosystems are critical for biodiversity conservation and local people’s livelihood sustenance. However, these ecosystems are under high pressure from land-use and land cover (LULC) change, which is further projected to intensify and increase rapidly, thereby affecting biodiversity and the provisioning of vital ecosystem services (ES). It is thus important to understand how LULC might change in the future and how such changes could affect biodiversity and ES provisioning in a given landscape of tropical ecosystems. Scenario planning has become an increasingly popular tool and technique to produce narrative scenarios of the future landscape change. Thus, quantifying changes under different land-use scenarios could be a means to elucidate the synergies and trade-offs within the scenarios. In this dissertation, the author examines the future of biodiversity and ES provisioning for different plausible land-use scenarios in southwestern Ethiopia. First, he translates four future plausible narrative social-ecological land-use scenarios ("Gain over grain", "Coffee and conservation", "Mining green gold" and "Food first") developed for southwestern Ethiopia by participatory scenario planning into spatially explicit LULC scenario maps. Results showed distinct LULC changes under each scenario. Second, the author investigates the impact of these land-use scenarios on biodiversity by specifically modelling woody plant species richness in farmland and forest. Both indicators of human disturbance and environmental conditions were used. Third, he also investigates the effect of these land-use scenarios on woody plant-based ES provisioning by combining woody plant species with household surveys on how woody plants were used by the local community. He models and predicts the current and future availability of woody plant-based ES under the four scenarios of landscape change. Overall, the findings of this dissertation show the importance of integrating future land-use mapping with participatory, narrative-based scenarios to assess the social-ecological outcomes of alternative futures. The spatially explicit maps of LULC change, biodiversity and ES (at different scales) could be used as a valuable input to support stakeholders and decision-makers to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of different development trajectories on ecosystems and human well-being and to avoid or minimize future undesirable consequences. To this end, apart from the benefits of coffee production under "Mining green gold" and crop production under "Food first" scenarios, the findings under these scenarios of large-scale agricultural intensification point to a potentially high loss of biodiversity and ES. These two scenarios could have a negative long-term impact on ecosystems and human well-being. Finally, the "Coffee and conservation" scenario, which involves the creation of a new biosphere reserve, appears to be the most sustainable scenario. This scenario could result in a sustainably managed, diversified landscape which could make major contributions to biodiversity conservation and human well-being in the region and beyond.
Climate change and atmospheric deposition of nitrogen affect biodiversity patterns and functions of forest ecosystems worldwide. Many studies have quantified tree growth responses to single global change drivers, but less is known about the interaction effects of these drivers at the plant and ecosystem level. In the present study, the authors conducted a full-factorial greenhouse experiment to analyse single and combined effects of nitrogen fertilization (N treatment) and drought (D treatment) on 16 morphological and chemical response variables of one-year-old Fagus sylvatica seedlings originating from eight different seed families from the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain). Drought exerted the strongest effect on response variables, reflected by decreasing biomass production. However, D and N treatments interacted for some of the response variables, indicating that N fertilization has the potential to strengthen the negative effects of drought (with both antagonistic and amplifying interactions). For example, combined effects of N and D treatments caused a sevenfold increase of necrotic leaf biomass. The authors hypothesize that increasing drought sensitivity was mainly attributable to a significant reduction of the root biomass in combined N and D treatments, limiting the plants' capability to satisfy their water demands. Significant seed family effects and interactions of seed family with N and D treatments across response variables suggest a high within-population genetic variability. In conclusion, the findings indicated a high drought sensitivity of Cantabrian beech populations, but also interaction effects of N and D on growth responses of beech seedlings.
Das Promotionsprojekt, das in das Forschungsprojekt Nawi-In (Naturwissenschaftlichen Unterricht inklusiv gestalten – Kompetenzentwicklung von Lehramtsstudierenden für und mit der Praxis) eingebettet ist, fokussiert die Entwicklung von Analysekompetenzen Masterstudierender der Sekundarstufe I mit naturwissenschaftlichem Fach, inklusiven naturwissenschaftlichen Unterricht zu identifizieren und zu analysieren. Hierfür analysierten die Masterstudierenden (N=5) sowohl eigenen videografierten als auch fremden inklusiven naturwissenschaftlichen Unterricht im Rahmen eines dreisemestrigen Projektseminars. Die Begleitforschung, die im ersten und zweiten Semester des Projektseminars stattfand, untersuchte die Entwicklung der Merkmalsausprägungen der Selbstwirksamkeit, Einstellungen und des selbsteingeschätzten fachdidaktischen Wissens (PCK) in Bezug zu inklusivem naturwissenschaftlichen Unterricht. Der Kern der Forschung ist die Entwicklung eines Modells, um die video-stimulierten Reflexionen zum eigenen (pre und post) und fremden inklusiven naturwissenschaftlichen Unterricht (pre, re und post), die audiografiert und transkribiert wurden, auszuwerten und so eine Entwicklung der Analysekompetenzen über die verschiedenen Erhebungszeitpunkte hinweg feststellen und abbilden zu können. Das Analytical Competency Model (ACM) ist ein Kategoriensystem, das aus verschiedenen Forschungen zu Professionalisierung, Expertiseforschung über Lehrpersonen und professioneller Unterrichtswahrnehmung besteht. Validiert wurde das ACM durch das Erstellen eines Expertenratings. Die Ergebnisse zeigen eine deutliche Entwicklung der Analysekompetenzen in der Studierendenstichprobe. Es wurden über den Erhebungszeitraum hinweg mehr Momente als inklusiver naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht identifiziert und die identifizierten Momente in übergeordnete Konzepte zu inklusivem naturwissenschaftlichen Unterricht eingeordnet.
The overall aim of this thesis is to develop empirical probabilistic frameworks that help to quantify the impacts of temporal and spatial scale dependencies and model uncertainties of climate projections regarding precipitation-dependent parameters. The thesis is structured in four articles. Article one is the first study that analyzed climate projections from the spatially highly resolved regional climate model (RCM) ensemble EURO-CORDEX. Additionally, the significance and the robustness of the projected changes are analyzed, and improvements related to the higher horizontal resolution of the new data set are discussed. A major finding is, that RCM simulations provide higher daily precipitation intensities, which are missing in the global climate model (GCM) simulations, and that they show a significantly different climate change of daily precipitation intensities with a smoother shift from low towards high intensities. The second article elaborates on impacts of temporal and spatial aggregation on extreme precipitation intensities. By combining radar data with cloud observations, the different temporal and spatial scaling behavior of stratiform and convective type precipitation events can be analyzed for the first time. The separation between convective and stratiform type events also allows to quantify the contribution of convective events to the extremes. Further, it is shown that temporal averaging has similar effects on the precipitation distribution as spatial averaging. Associated pairs of temporal and spatial resolutions that show comparable intensity distributions are identified. Using precipitation data from radar observations, a gauge station network and a spatially highly resolved regional climate model, the third paper optimizes the process that finds associated temporal and spatial scales (see second article). This information is used to develop a method that adjusts point measurements to the temporal and spatial scale of a previously defined model grid. The study shows that this procedure can be used to improve bias-adjustment methods in areas with a low gauge station density. It is known that the EURO-CORDEX ensemble overestimates precipitation and shows a common cold bias in the Alpine region. The fourth article evaluates how these biases are changing the temperature distribution and the temperature dependency of precipitation-frequencies. These biases are a source of uncertainty that is not captured by the robustness tests performed in the first article. A probabilistic-decomposition-framework is developed to quantify the impact of these biases on precipitation-frequency changes and to investigate causes for the ensemble spread.
Seit den frühen 1990er Jahren wird transdisziplinäre Nachhaltigkeitsforschung in Form von problemorientierten Forschungs- und Lernprojekten konzeptioniert und praktisch umgesetzt, an denen außeruniversitäre Akteuren beteiligt sind. Diese Forschungsarbeit verfolgt drei Ziele: Erstens, die Konzeptualisierung der Begriffe Kultur, Multi-, Inter- und Transkulturalität in der Literatur zur transdisziplinären Nachhaltigkeitsforschung zu untersuchen. Zweitens, die Konzeptionierung und Umsetzung von transdisziplinären Forschungs- und Lernprojekten in Hinblick auf kulturelles Differenzieren zu analysieren. Drittens, konzeptionelle Beiträge zur Gestaltung von transdisziplinären Forschungs- und Lernprojekten zu entwickeln. Methodisch wird auf Literaturanalysen und eine qualitative Untersuchung zweier transdisziplinärer Lernforschungsprojekte zurückgegriffen. Unter dem Begriff Forschungs- und Lernprojekt werden in dieser Forschungsarbeit sowohl Forschungsprojekte als auch Lehr-Lernforschungsprojekte gefasst. Zentrale Ergebnisse der Forschungsarbeit sind die Folgenden: Erstens wird der Kulturbegriff in der transdisziplinären Nachhaltigkeitsforschung zwar vielfältig verwendet, als Forschungsthema, Hintergrund von Beteiligten, Kooperationsweise, Projektkontext, in Hinblick auf Interkulturalität oder als Wissenskultur, allerdings kaum ausdifferenziert und konkretisiert. Zweitens besteht auf der Ebene der Konzeptionierung von transdisziplinären Forschungs- und Lernprojekten: 1) ein starkes Übergewicht von Integration und Konsens gegenüber einer Auseinandersetzung mit Differenz, 2) eine implizite Vorauswahl von Beteiligten durch bestimmte Begrifflichkeiten und methodologische Ansätze und 3) eine Reproduktion von Machtverhältnissen durch (dichotome) Symmetrie- und Ausgleichsvorstellungen. Drittens zeigt sich auf der Ebene der Umsetzung von Lernforschungsprojekten: 1) eine starke Prozessorientierung der Projekte, 2) ein Spannungsfeld zwischen einer Öffnung und Steuerung in Hinblick auf den Projektverlauf und 3) vielfältige Differenzaushandlungen in Interaktionen (wie Zeitlichkeit, Verantwortung, Erfahrung, Relevanz). Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass politische Implikationen der Forschung und zentrale Ungleichheitskategorien der Kultur- und Sozialwissenschaften (u.a. race, class, gender, body) kaum thematisiert werden. Vorschläge zur Gestaltung transdisziplinärer Forschungs- und Lernprojekte werden in Hinblick auf ein Verständnis von Forschungsdesigns als Prozesse, einem Erkunden von Differenzierungen und Forscherpositionen und der Bedeutung eines Verlernens entwickelt.
Um das noch bestehende Reichweitenproblem von Elektrofahrzeugen zu lösen, sind Fahrzeugkonzepte wie Plug-in Hybridfahrzeuge sehr vielversprechend, sofern mit ihm überwiegend im Batteriebetrieb gefahren wird. Sie kombinieren die Vorteile des Verbrennungsmotors und des Elektromotors, sodass das lokale Emissionsproblem in Ballungszentren gelöst werden kann, ohne dass der Kunde dabei auf die Reichweite verzichten muss. Wenn das Fahrzeug allerdings überwiegend für Kurzstrecken genutzt wird, sind alterungsbedingte Veränderungen des Kraftstoffes möglich, da dieser länger im Tank verbleibt als üblich. In dieser Arbeit wird ein Konzept zur sensorischen Bestimmung der Qualität des Kraftstoffes vorgestellt. Hierzu wurde ein Prototyp entwickelt, in dem mithilfe des Real- und Imaginärteils der Permittivität alternde Kraftstoffe erkannt werden können. Dabei konnte durch das frequenzabhängige Permittivitätssignal des Sensors spezifisch zwischen nieder- und hochmolekularen Oxidationsprodukten in Kraftstoffen unterschieden werden. Da das Verbrennungs- und Emissionsverhalten des Motors von der Kraftstoffmischung vorgegeben ist, bietet eine zusätzliche sensorische Erfassung der Kraftstoffzusammensetzung weitere Optimierungspotenziale, um Emissionen zu reduzieren: So ist das Motormanagement im Fahrzeug zumeist auf Referenzkraftstoffe mit gleichbleibender Qualität abgestimmt. Variable Kraftstoffzusammensetzungen, die durch die Erdöllagerstätte und den zusätzlichen Konversionsverfahren zur Herstellung von fortschrittlichen Kraftstoffen vorgegeben sind, werden in dieser Anpassungsstrategie bisher nicht berücksichtigt. Als weitere Aufgabe wird in dieser Arbeit daher ein multisensorischer Ansatz verfolgt, wonach zusätzlich zur Kraftstoffalterung noch die Kraftstoffzusammensetzung erkannt werden kann. Insgesamt bietet die Sensorik das Potenzial zur kontinuierlichen Kraftstoffüberwachung in Plug-in Hybridfahrzeugen, um so einen Beitrag zum sicheren und nachhaltigen Betrieb solcher Fahrzeuge gewährleisten zu können.
Nachhaltigkeitsziele im Sinne einer Ökologie, Ökonomie und Soziokultur lassen sich im Bauwesen auf verschiedene Instrumente zurückführen. Optimierung des Wärmeschutzes durch die Energieeinsparverordnung (Effizienz) oder Minimierung von Abfall im Kreislaufwirtschaftsgesetz (Suffizienz). Um jedoch eine neue Qualität der Nachhaltigkeit zu schaffen, ist ein Paradigmenwechsel notwendig. Dabei können Cradle to Cradle Prinzipien als ökoeffektive Methode angewandt werden, in dem exemplarisch die Biodiversität eingebunden, gesunde Bauprodukte verbaut und erneuerbare Energien genutzt werden. Die Natur dient als Vorbild (Konsistenz). Demnach werden Gebäude nützlich für Mensch, Umwelt und Gesellschaft umgesetzt und gleichzeitig Werte geschaffen. Für den deutschen Einzelhandel bestehen vielschichtige Potenziale, da der Gebäudebestand mit mehreren Millionen Quadratmetern bedeutend ist und die Bauwerke aufgrund von Konzeptänderungen oder Verschleiß der Ladenflächen regelmäßig umgebaut werden. Die Forschung beginnt mit einer Bestandsaufnahme von Cradle to Cradle Bauprodukten und Analyse eines real umgesetzten Einkaufszentrums. Um Einflussfaktoren von Stakeholdern zu identifizieren, wurden qualitative Experteninterviews mit ausgewählten Projektbeteiligten aus Bauherrn, Betreibern, Beratern, Mietparteien und Herstellern durchgeführt. Im Rahmen des Forschungsvorhabens wurde untersucht, inwieweit sich Bauprodukte aus der Gebäudeplanung in wissenschaftlicher Theorie und praktischer Bauwirtschaft umsetzen lassen, Geschäftsmodelle anwendbar sind, Trends und Innovationen im Zusammenhang stehen oder Änderungen in Politik oder Wirtschaft notwendig sind. Im Ergebnis wurden Maßnahmen für eine neue Qualität der Nachhaltigkeit bei Einzelhandelsgebäuden identifiziert. Exemplarisch wird anhand der Interviews deutlich, dass neben einem staatlichen Umweltzeichen oder einer Green Building Planungsdisziplin, insbesondere die Ökonomie in Form von Investitions- und Betriebskosten den größten Stellenwert besitzt. Es braucht einen staatlichen Regulierungsrahmen und neue Geschäftsmodelle, damit nachhaltige Bauprodukte wirtschaftlich werden und durch Stakeholder in den Prozessen der Planung, Bauausführung und dem Betrieb berücksichtigt werden.
Over the past two decades, transitions research has witnessed rapid development. However, there is still a notable gap in our understanding of sustainability transitions in conflict settings and the role of international organizations in these transitions. Little is known about the dynamics of power, limiting and facilitating factors, and the role of (international) actors in sustainability transitions in conflict settings. This dissertation seeks to make contributions to these discussions by examining energy transitions in Afghanistan, a conflict-affected country, between 2001 and 2021. It specifically focuses on the involvement of international development organizations, shedding light on their role in energy access, institutional change, and imagining Afghanistan's future energy system development. After security, access to affordable energy is frequently reported to be Afghanistan's most pressing need. Following the fall of the first Taliban regime in 2001, billions of dollars and dozens of international development organizations poured into Afghanistan to support the reconstruction of the country including its energy sector. Between 2001 and 2021, the government of Afghanistan and the international development organizations worked on various aspects of energy system development despite on-going insurgency and threats against infrastructural projects. In 2021, the Taliban regained power, resulting in the suspension of operations for most development organizations, with only a few humanitarian agencies remaining active. Within this context, this thesis explores topics such as the country's energy potential and policy, the role of international development organizations in the energy sector, and visions for a future energy system in Afghanistan. The research conducted for this thesis employed a qualitative case study approach, utilizing semi-structured interviews and document analysis.
Sustainable landscape development is the main goal of decision makers worldwide. Achieving this goal in the long term leads to achieving social, economic and environmental sustainability. Remote sensing has been playing an essential role in monitoring remote areas. This study has employed part of the role of remote sensing in supporting the direction of decision makers towards sustainable landscape development. The study has focused on some of the main elements affecting sustainable environment: land uses, specifically agricultural land uses, water quality, forests, and water hazards such as floods. Three research programs were undertaken to investigate the role of Terrasar-x imagery, as a source of remote sensing data, in monitoring the environment and achieving the previous stated elements. The investigation was intended to investigate the effectiveness of TSX imagery in identifying the cropping pattern of selected study areas by employing a pixel-based supervised maximum likelihood classifier, as published in Paper I, assessment of the efficiency of using TSX imagery in determining land use and the flood risk maps by applying an object-based decision tree classifier as published in Paper II, and determination of the potential of inferential statistics tests such as the two samples Z-test and multivariate analysis, for example Factor Analysis, for identifying the kind of forest canopy, based on the backscattering coefficient of TSX imagery of forest plots, as presented in Paper III. Papers I and II covered two pilot areas in the Lower Saxonian Elbe Valley Biosphere Reserve “das Biosphärenreservat "Niedersächsische Elbtalaue" around Walmsburger Werder and Wehninger Werder. Paper III focused on the Fuhrberger Feld water protection area near Hanover in Germany. The inputs for this research were mainly SAR Imagery and the ground truth data collected from field surveys, in addition to databases, geo-databases and maps. The study presented in Paper I used two filters to decrease speckle noise namely De-Grandi as multi-temporal speckle filter, and Lee as an adaptive filter. A multi-temporal classification method was used to identify the different crops using a pixel-based maximum likelihood classifier. The classification accuracy was assessed based on the external user accuracy for each crop, the external producer accuracy for each crop, the Kappa index and the external total accuracy for the entire classification. Three cropping pattern maps were produced namely the cropping pattern map of Wehninger Werder in 2011 and the cropping pattern maps of Walmsburger Werder in 2010 and in 2011. The study showed that image filtering was essential for enhancing the accuracy of crop classification. The multi-temporal filter De-Grandi enhanced the producer accuracy by about 10% compared to the Lee filter. Furthermore, gathering and utilizing large ground truth data greatly enhanced the accuracy of the classification. The research verified that using sequence images covering the growing season usually improved the classification results. The results exposed the effect of the polarization and demonstrate that the majority of the classifications produced according to the crop calendar had higher total producer accuracy than using all acquisitions. The study demonstrated undertaken in Paper II applied the decision tree object-based classifier in determining the major land uses and the inundation extent areas in 2011 and 2013 using the Lee-filtered imagery. Based on the maps produced for the land uses and inundation areas, the hazard areas due to the floods in 2011 and 2013 were identified. The study illustrated that 95% of the inundated area was classified correctly, that 90% of vegetated lands were accurately determined, and around 80% of the forest and the residential areas were correctly recognized. The research undertaken in Paper III statistically analyzed the backscattering coefficient of the Lee-filtered TSX in some forest plots by the Factor Analysis and two sample Z-test. The study showed that Factor analysis tools succeeded in differentiating between the coniferous forest and the deciduous forest and mixed forest, but failed to discriminate between the deciduous and the mixed forest. On one hand, only one factor was extracted for each sample plot of the coniferous forest with approximately equal loadings during the whole acquisition period from March 2008 to January 2009. On the other hand, two factors were extracted for each deciduous or mixed forest sample plot, where one factor had high loadings during the leaf-on period from May to October, and the other one had high loadings during the leaf-off period from November to April. Furthermore, the research revealed that the two sample Z-test enabled not only differentiation between the deciduous and the mixed forest against the coniferous forest, but also discrimination between deciduous forest and the mixed forest. Statistically significant differences were observed between the mean backscatter values of the HH-polarized acquisitions for the deciduous forest and the mixed forest during the leaf-off period, but no statistically significant difference was found during the leaf-on period. Moreover, plot samples for the deciduous forest had slightly higher mean backscattering coefficients than those for the mixed forest during the leaf-off period.
Global environmental changes and the subsequent biodiversity loss has raised concerns over the consequences for the functioning of ecosystems and human well-being. This thesis provides new mechanistic insights into the role of tree diversity in regulating forest productivity and forests’ responses to climate change. The thesis also addresses the overlooked functional role of ecological continuity in mediating ecosystem processes in the context of multiple global environmental changes. The findings of the thesis emphasize the need to retain the functional integrity of forest ecosystem by preserving biodiversity and acknowledging the ecological memory forests.
Gegenwärtige atmogene N-Einträge in die Lüneburger Heide überschreiten die durch den critical-load für Sandheiden definierte Belastungsgrenze von 10-20 kg ha-1 und zeigen den Handlungsbedarf für eine langfristige Erhaltung dieser geschützten Lebensräume. Die traditionelle Schafbeweidung im NSG Lüneburger Heide kann diese hohen atmogenen N-Einträge kompensieren. Das Herdenmanagement minimiert den Nährstoffeintrag über die Exkremente der Tiere, so dass diesem Transfer nur eine geringe Bedeutung zukommt. Die N-Austräge über das Sickerwasser vor, während und nach den Pflegemaßnahmen spielen nur eine untergeordnete Rolle. Extensive Pflegemaßnahmen wie die Mahd und das kontrollierte Brennen sind nicht geeignet die atmogenen N-Einträge langfristig zu kompensieren. Intensiven Pflegemaßnahmen (Schoppern, Plaggen) gelingt dieses, benötigen aber einen zu langen Bearbeitungszyklus, innerhalb dessen kombinierte Verjüngungsmaßnahmen notwenig werden. Die Pflegemaßnahmen haben Auswirkungen auf die N- und P-Vorräte im Heidesystem und führen großteils zu einer P-Verarmung. Das kontrollierte Brennen beeinflusst den P-Haushalt am geringsten. Eine Kombination des Feuereinsatzes mit anderen extensiven Maßnahmen erscheint daher sinnvoll.
It is understood among research and policy makers that addressing unsustainable individual consumption patterns is key for the vision of sustainable development. Education for Sustainable Consumption (ESC) is attributed a pivotal role for this purpose, aiming to improve the capacity of individuals to connect to and act upon knowledge, values and skills in order to respond successfully and purposefully to the demands of sustainable consumption. Yet despite political, scientific, and educational efforts and increasing awareness in the general population, little has been achieved to substantially change behavioral patterns so far. As part of the explanation for this shortcoming, it has been argued that current ESC practices have neglected the personal dimension of sustainable consumption, especially the affective-motivational processes underlying unsustainable consumption patterns. Against this background, this cumulative thesis is guided by the question how personal competencies for sustainable consumption can be defined, observed, and developed within educational settings. Special attention is given to mindfulness practices, describing the practice of cultivating a deliberate, unbiased and openhearted awareness of perceptible experience in the present moment. Drawing upon an explorative, qualitative research methodology, the thesis looks at three different mindfulness-based interventions aiming to stimulate competencies for sustainable consumption, reaching out to a total number of 321 participants (employees and university students). In this thesis, the author suggests to define personal competencies for sustainable consumption as abilities, proficiencies, or skills related to inner states and processes that can be considered necessary or sufficient to engage with sustainable consumption (SC). These include ethics, self-awareness, emotional resilience, selfcare, access to and cultivation of personal resources, access to and cultivation of ethical qualities, and mindsets for sustainability. The thesis holds that the observation of personal competencies benefits from a combination of different methodological and methodical angles. When working with self-reports as empirical data, a pluralistic qualitative methods approach can help overcoming shortcomings that are specifically related to individual methods while increasing the self-reflexivity of the research. Moreover, it is suggested to let learners analyze their own personal statements in groups, applying scientific methods. The products of the group analyses represent data based on an inter-subjectively shared perspective of learners that goes beyond self-estimation of personal competencies. In terms of developing personal competencies for SC, it can be concluded that mindfulness practice alone is not sufficient to build personal competencies for SC. While it can stimulate generic personal competencies, individuals do not necessarily apply these competencies within the domain of their consumption. Nevertheless, mindfulness practice can play an important role in ESC, insofar as it lays the inner foundation to engage with sustainability-related issues. More precisely, it allows learners to experience the relevance of their inner states and processes and the influence they have on actual behaviors, leading to a level of selfawareness that would not be accessible solely through discursive-intellectual means. Furthermore, participants experience mindfulness practice as a way to develop ethical qualities and access psychological resources, entailing stronger emotional resilience and improved well-being. In order to unleash its full potential for stimulating personal competencies for SC, however, the findings of the thesis suggest that mindfulness practice should be (a) complemented with methodically controlled self-inquiry and (b) related to a specific behavioral change. In this vein, self-inquiry-based and self-experience-based learning – two pedagogical approaches developed during the period of research for this thesis – turned out to be promising pedagogies for educational settings striving to stimulate the development of personal competencies for SC.
Increasingly, researchers are expected to work in collaborative interdisciplinary teams to tackle more complex and interrelated problems. However, the prospect of collaborating with others, from different disciplines, exerts countervailing forces on researchers. There is the lure of transcending the limitations of one's own knowledge, methods and conventions, belonging to diverse intellectual communities and tackling, together, ambitious research topics. On the other hand, there is the risk that collaborating across disciplinary boundaries will be taxing, confounding at times, with no guarantee of success. This thesis is about collaborative interdisciplinary research from the perspective of a formative accompanying researcher. The author accompanied an interdisciplinary research team in the field of sustainability over three years for the duration of a collaborative project. Formative accompanying research (FAR) is an approach to "research into research" that learns about, with and for a collaborative interdisciplinary team. The author found - through immersion in the literature, her own daily experiences of collaborating, and her observations – that interdisciplinary collaboration is very difficult. It requires a basic understanding and appreciation of other disciplines and methods, as well as the skills to integrate research inquiries and findings across diverse epistemologies. It also requires awareness that collaborative interdisciplinary research is more than an intellectual task of knowledge creation. Other factors matter, such as interpersonal relationships, power differentials, different research tempos and a sense of belonging. And these factors have an impact on processes and outcomes of collaborative knowledge creation. Knowing this implies a willingness to keep learning and to tolerate discomfort so as to cultivate deeper levels of collaborative capacity. The author discovered that in these deeper levels lie skills for staying with inevitable tensions, for talking and listening to generate new understanding together, and for applying a researcher's frank curiosity to oneself too. A formative accompanying researcher, who is part of the team she is researching, has to navigate delicate terrain. In this thesis, the author develops a FAR methodology that takes seriously the questions of positionality and relationality, and reflects on the experiences of putting these into practice. A FAR practice involves remaining in dynamic movement between observing and participating, between exercising curiosity and care, and between the researchers' own sense of impartiality and investment in relation to the issues at hand. There is merit in furthering the methodology and practice of FAR on its own terms. This includes attending to the skills required by a formative accompanying researcher to remain oriented within the concentric circles of research, relationship and loyalty that make up a collaborative team. There is also the question of how FAR, and other forms of research into research, can help to advance collaborative interdisciplinary research. The author argues for creating the conditions in research teams that would enable treating collaboration as a capacity to develop, and that would facilitate team members' receptivity to learning with FAR. Furthermore, she explores dilemmas of intervening as a formative accompanying researcher and of sustaining dynamic positionality over the long-term.
Vocational Integration of Refugees - Chances and Challenges of Refugee (Social) Entrepreneurship
(2019)
In recent years, especially since 2015, Germany and other European countries have accepted high numbers of refugees. The social and vocational integration of these refugees and of those yet to come represents a challenge. (Social) entrepreneurship is one means to achieve this goal, to fully tap into the potential of refugees and to give them a chance to make a living in host countries. This dissertation examines the potential of vocational integration of refugees through (social) entrepreneurial activities. It includes a detailed literature review and suggests possible direction in the emerging field of refugee (social) entrepreneurship. This dissertation shows that to foster refugee (social) entrepreneurship, the identification and evaluation of specific and potential needs for support is essential. Incubators in particular have a high potential for supporting refugee entrepreneurs, in part it is possible for them to address some of the challenges faced by this target group, which differ from those of locals or migrant entrepreneurs. More specifically, this dissertation aims to answer two research questions: (1) What are relevant (social) entrepreneurial concepts that can contribute to the vocational integration of refugees? (2) What are the distinct contributions of and challenges faced by refugees when it comes to their vocational integration through (social) entrepreneurial activities? Analyzing select practical cases, this dissertation has several important implications for researchers who seek to bridge the gap between academia and society in the context of refugee entrepreneurship and refugee social entrepreneurship research. The findings presented here are also relevant for practitioners, for example those working at business incubators, who aim to facilitate the vocational and social integration of refugees in general and refugees with entrepreneurial aspirations in particular.
The research aims to assess the sustainability of rural electrification efforts based on off-grid photovoltaic (PV) systems in three Andean countries: Chile, Ecuador, and Peru. Although deployment of off-grid PV solutions for rural electrification began in the early 1990s in the Andean region, most of the projects turned out to be unsustainable and did not last. Prior efforts have addressed the different issues and barriers that plagued these projects and inhibited their sustainability. However, these prior analyses were mostly quantitative; systematic qualitative evaluations have been scarce. In this thesis, the researcher addresses the following research question: "Are the rural electrification programs (based on off-grid PV Systems) in the Andean countries sustainable?" In order to answer this research question, he conducted an exhaustive qualitative document analysis complemented by semi-structured expert interviews. The interviewees included experts from different ministries, project managers from leading Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), public and private companies ' representatives, supervisors, and researchers. Although the author also describes several relevant PV-based electrification efforts in the Andean countries, the research was aimed at providing an overall picture of the rural electrification efforts in these countries, rather than measuring the success or failure of specific projects. The gathered information allowed me to assess the sustainability of rural electrification efforts in the Andean countries. This assessment was based on a set of indicators corresponding to the four dimensions of sustainability considered in this thesis: institutional, economical, environmental, and socio-cultural. It was found that Ecuador and Chile have consistently failed to ensure mechanisms for the operation and maintenance of the deployed off-grid systems, which has made these solutions in poor Chilean and Ecuadorian communities inevitably unsustainable. Although Peru has adopted a cross-tariff scheme, the Peruvian case shows that ensuring the funding of off-grid PV solutions is not enough. Peruvian officials appear to be unaware of the importance of local participation (local values and lifestyles are constantly disregarded) and most of the projects have been designed without the participation and engagement of the communities, which has often led to project failures and payment defaults. Although each country has its particular challenges, it was found that the three Andean countries have consistently neglected the importance of strong formal institutions with a flexible and decentralized structure, which in turn significantly compromised the rural electrification effort in these countries.
Zur Ermittlung der Belastung der Elbe mit Pestiziden wurden chemische Analyseverfahren entwickelt, wobei das untersuchte Stoffspektrum insgesamt 106 Analyte umfasste. Die Untersuchungen ermöglichten 1989 eine erstmalige Identifizierung und Quantifizierung von Pestiziden in hohen Konzentrationen (unterer µg/L-Bereich) im Elbeästuar, nach der Wiedervereinigung deren Rückverfolgung zu industriellen Punktquellen in der ehemaligen DDR (Längsprofile), eine Erfassung der historischen Entwicklung der Belastungssituation in den 90er Jahren, die Feststellung der zunehmenden Bedeutung von Einträgen aus diffusen Quellen im Vergleich zu Punktquellen sowie die Ermittlung des Stoffspektrums und der zeitlichen und örtlichen Variabilität innerhalb eines Zeitraumes von drei Jahren (Monatsmischproben und Zeitreihen an unterschiedlichen Querschnitten der Elbe sowie Längsprofile). Der Fokus richtete sich im weiteren Verlauf auf die Entwicklung chemischer Analyseverfahren zur sicheren Identifizierung und Quantifizierung von Wirkstoffen mit niedrigen Qualitätszielen/-kriterien (unterer ng/L- bzw. sub-ng/L-Bereich). Zur Bewertung der Belastungssituation und zur Diskussion von Monitoring-Strategien wurden national und international verfügbare Qualitätsziele/-kriterien insbesondere für die aquatische Lebensgemeinschaft herangezogen.
Protected areas are an essential tool for conserving biodiversity. However, their ecological effectiveness is contested and their capacity to resist human pressures differ. This dissertation aimed to assess the ecological effectiveness of different protection levels (from strict to less strictly protected: national park, game reserve, forest reserve, game-controlled area, and unprotected areas) in biodiversity (both mega diverse butterflies and mammals), maintaining habitat connectivity, and reducing anthropogenic threats at the wider landscape in the Katavi-Rukwa Ecosystem of southwestern Tanzania. To achieve this overarching goal, the researcher employed an interdisciplinary approach. First, he analyzed butterfly diversity and community composition patterns across protection levels in the Katavi-Rukwa Ecosystem. He found that species richness and abundance were highest in the game reserves and game-controlled areas, intermediate in the forest reserves, national park and unprotected areas. Species composition differed significantly among protection levels. Landscape heterogeneity, forest cover, and primary productivity influenced species composition. Land-use, burned areas, forest cover, and primary productivity explained the richness of species and functional traits. Game reserves hosted most indicator species. Second, the author modelled the spatial distribution of six large mammal target species (buffalo Syncerus caffer, elephant Loxodonta africana, giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis, hartebeest Alcelaphus buselaphus, topi Damaliscus korrigum, and zebra Equus burchellii) across environmental and protection gradients in the Katavi-Rukwa Ecosystem. Based on species-specific density surface models, he found relatively consistent effects of protection level and land-use variables on the spatial distribution of the target mammal species: relative densities were highest in the national park and game reserves, intermediate in forest reserves and game-controlled areas and lowest in un-protected areas. Beyond species-specific environmental predictors for relative densities, the results highlight consistent negative associations between relative densities of the target species and distance to cropland and avoidance of areas in proximity to houses. Third, the author examined temporal changes in land-use, population densities and distribution of six large mammal target species across protection levels between 1991 and 2018. During the surveyed period, cropland increased. Wildlife densities of most, but not all target species declined across the entire landscape. Based on logistic regression models, target species preferred the national park over less strictly protection levels and areas distant to cropland. Fourth, he quantified land-use changes, modelled habitat suitability and connectivity of elephant over time across a large protected area network in southwestern Tanzania. Based on analyses of remotely-sensed data, cropland increased from 7% in 2000 to 13% in 2019. Based on ensemble models, distance from cropland influenced survey-specific habitat suitability for elephant the most. Despite cropland expansion, the locations of the modelled elephant corridors (n=10) remained similar throughout the survey period. Based on circuit theory, the author prioritizes three corridors for protected area connectivity. Key indicators of corridor quality varied over time, whereas elephant movement through some corridors appears to have increased over time. Overall, this dissertation underpins differences in ecological effectiveness of protected areas within one ecosystem. It highlights the need to utilize a landscape conservation approach to guide effective conservation across the entire protection gradient. It also suggests the need to enforcing land use plans and having alternative and sustainable forms for generating income from the land without impairing wildlife habitat.
Siliziumorganische Substanzen sind aus dem Alltag kaum wegzudenken. Sie kommen in vielfältiger Form vor und finden durch ihre Stabilität in vielen Produkten des Haushalts und der Industrie Anwendung. Eine Freisetzung in die Umwelt ist unvermeidbar. Siliziumorganische Substanzen konnten bereits in allen Umweltkompartimenten (Luft, Wasser, Boden) analytisch nachgewiesen werden. Welche Risiken von dieser Stoffgruppe ausgehen, ist noch nicht abschließend geklärt. Dennoch gibt es Hinweise auf negative Auswirkungen auf Mensch und Umwelt. Deshalb sollten Strukturen in siliziumorganischen Substanzen untersucht werden, die einen Abbau in der Umwelt begünstigen, um die Akkumulation dieser Stoffe in der Umwelt zu verringern. Dafür wurden diverse biotische und abiotische Abbautests mit unterschiedlichen siliziumorganischen Substanzen durchgeführt. Der Fokus der vorliegenden Arbeit lag vor allem in der biologischen Abbaubarkeit der Substanzen. Es wurden die Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)-konformen Tests Closed-Bottle-Test (CBT, OECD 301D) und Manometrischer Respirationstest (MRT, OECD 301F) durchgeführt. Die Hydrolysierbarkeit wurde mithilfe des Hydrolysetests OECD 111 bei unterschiedlichen pH-Werten untersucht. Bei bestimmten Substanzgruppen ohne biologischen Abbau wurde das Verhalten der Substanzen bei Bestrahlung mit verschiedenen Bestrahlungsquellen untersucht. Die Analyse der Primärelimination der siliziumorganischen Substanzen erfolgte je nach Substanzeigenschaften mithilfe der Hochleistungsflüssigkeitschromatografie gekoppelt mit einem Spektrometer mit ultraviolettem und sichtbarem Licht (HPLC-UV/Vis) oder der Gaschromatografie gekoppelt mit einem Massenspektrometer (GC-MS). Die Transformationsprodukte wurden hingegen mithilfe der Flüssigkeitschromatografie gekoppelt mit einem Mehrfach-Massenspektrometer (LC-MSn) analysiert. Für eine umfassende Bewertung des biologischen Abbaus von siliziumorganischen Substanzen wurden ein Vergleich mit analogen Kohlenstoffverbindungen und eine Aufstockung mit Daten aus der Datenbank der Europäischen Chemikalien Agentur (ECHA) durchgeführt. Die Gruppierung der Substanzen nach ihren Strukturmerkmalen wurde hinzugezogen, um Rückschlüsse auf die Abbaubarkeit zu ziehen. Eine besser biologisch abbaubare Grundstruktur brachte für die Benzenderivate keine Verbesserung der biologischen Abbaubarkeit. Dennoch hatte die Einführung von +M-Gruppen am Aromaten einen positiven Einfluss auf die Geschwindigkeit und den Grad des photolytischen Abbaus. Die Bestrahlungsquelle hatte ebenfalls einen deutlichen Einfluss auf die Eliminierungsrate während des Photolyseexperiments. Mit einer Veränderung der Wellenlängen in den kurzwelligen Bereich und der daraus resultierenden energiereicheren Strahlung konnten die Substanzen schneller und teilweise vollständig primär eliminiert werden. Bei allen Abbaupfaden hatte die Hydrolyse eine entscheidende Rolle und wurde als einer der Hauptabbauprozesse charakterisiert. Bei einer Verbindung wurde im Nachgang an die biotischen und abiotischen Abbautests eine ausführliche Aufklärung der elf gebildeten Transformationsprodukte vorgenommen. Um den Einfluss von Silizium in organischen Substanzen auf die biologische Abbaubarkeit zu untersuchen, wurde der direkte Vergleich von siliziumorganischen Substanzen und deren Kohlenstoffanaloga im CBT durchgeführt. Dabei hat sich gezeigt, dass drei von fünf Kohlenstoffverbindungen und keine siliziumorganische Verbindung als leicht biologisch abbaubar eingestuft werden konnten. In allen bis auf einen Fall konnten für die Kohlenstoffverbindungen höhere Abbauraten im CBT beobachtet werden. Die Hydrolyse wurde als erforderlicher Schritt vor dem biologischen Abbau von siliziumorganischen Substanzen identifiziert. Das siliziumfreie Produkt der Hydrolyse bestimmte den Grad des biologischen Abbaus. Die gute biologische Abbaubarkeit der einen siliziumorganischen Verbindung resultierte aus der leicht hydrolysierbaren Silizium-Stickstoff-Bindung und der leichten biologischen Abbaubarkeit des siliziumfreien Hydrolyseproduktes. Die siliziumhaltigen Reaktionsprodukte der Hydrolyse waren nicht biologisch abbaubar. Bioabbaudaten aus eigenen Experimenten, aus vorhergehenden in der Arbeitsgruppe durchgeführten analogen Arbeiten und aus der ECHA-Datenbank wurden zusammengetragen, um einen Datensatz zu generieren. Die 182 Substanzen des Datensatzes wurden hinsichtlich ihrer Struktur gruppiert, um allgemeine Erkenntnisse für die biologische Abbaubarkeit von siliziumorganischen Verbindungen abzuleiten. Es gab Gruppen mit Substanzen, die überhaupt nicht biologisch abbaubar waren (z. B. zyklische, lineare und verzweigte Siloxane). Gruppen, die Substanzen mit Ethern, Estern, Oximen, Aminen und Amiden enthielten, waren hydrolyseanfällig, sodass auch leicht biologisch abbaubare Zwischenprodukte gebildet werden konnten. Die siliziumfreien Hydrolyseprodukte waren meist biologisch abbaubar, während die siliziumhaltigen Hydrolyseprodukte persistent waren. Allgemein hat sich gezeigt, dass Modifikationen am Molekül einen positiven Einfluss auf die Abbaubarkeit haben können. Beispielsweise können Heteroatome eine Veränderung der Polarität bzw. der Elektronendichte hervorrufen, was die Photolyse- und Hydrolysefähigkeit und folglich auch den Bioabbau zum Positiven verändern kann. Das Einführen solcher Heteroatome oder funktioneller Gruppen in Polysiloxanketten kann demnach ein vielversprechender Ansatz für leichter abbaubare siliziumorganische Verbindungen sein. Nicht abbaubare Stoffe sollten vermieden werden, wenn sie nach ihrer Verwendung in die Umwelt gelangen.
Contemporary society is shaped by the idea that time is, above all, a scarce economic resource that must be used efficiently. Increasingly, however, scientific findings suggest that such a way of perceiving of time seems a major cause of the current global climate and sustainability crisis. Considerably less research work has been carried out in relation to the role of individual time-related needs regarding unsustainable consumption behaviour, although consumer research has been addressing needs-oriented approaches to sustainable consumption for a long time. Environmental and Sustainability Education (ESE) is considered an essential strategy to achieve the global sustainability goals of Agenda 2030. Internationally, as well as on a national level, ESE is increasingly mainstreamed in educational curricula and practice. Given the relation between time, needs and sustainability, it appears valuable to inquire into this field from the perspective of ESE. The core research interest of this cumulative dissertation is therefore the question of how the connection between time, our needs and sustainability can be conveyed through pedagogical approaches. The inquiry used an exploratory, qualitative research design to address this question. In a first step, the concept of sustainability-related time use competence was developed. This then served as a guiding concept for the understanding of time used in this work and as the overall objective for the educational intervention developed and piloted as part of the research. Next, a content analysis of German curricula was conducted with the aim of determining whether and to what extent these address the relation between time and sustainability. The results show curricula contain only a few starting points that encourage a connection between time and sustainability in school lessons. The study further indicates that an understanding of time as a scarce resource to be used efficiently has prevailed in school contexts so far. The next step involved developing and piloting a time use competence curriculum in cooperation with three partner schools, using an Action Research Approach. This intervention followed the pedagogical approach of Self-Inquiry Based Learning (SIBL) seeking to sensitise learners to the relation between individual needs and consumer behaviour. During implementation, which lasted one semester, students logged their time, were encouraged to reflect on their personal needs, and subsequently implement individual change projects related to time use. This was embedded in continuous reflective individual and group exercises. The results strengthen the hypothesis that there is a relation between time use and sustainability. Furthermore, the pedagogical approach of SIBL has proven suitable to enable students to reflect on their time use and to raise their awareness of the role of individual needs. Participants reported that changes in time use did indeed increase their personal well-being. A third empirical study was carried out, inquiring into students' time use during the period of COVID-19-induced school closures, using a Grounded Theory Approach. Since the pandemic disrupted young peoples' routines drastically, the research focused on which kinds of learning experiences students made during this time and which insights can be derived for ESE. The results of the semi-structured interviews with 69 participants show first that a variety of learning experiences are revealed, such as learning one's own learning and everyday rhythms or creatively adapting consumption habits to the new situation of "lockdown". Overall, a key finding of this work is that students are currently unable to adequately realise their time-related needs. In view of the findings from research on time and sustainability, one recommendation is therefore that everyday school life could give students more space to organise their time according to their needs. Furthermore, it would be advisable to give the topic of time in connection with sustainability more space in curricula and in teacher training. The experiences during the pandemic have shown that schools and all actors involved including students and teachers, are so far insufficiently prepared to handle crises. Here, the approach to time use competence piloted in this work can offer valuable stimulations for ESE research and practice. This is especially true since it is compatible with existing approaches to key competencies for sustainability by seeking to complement them with a stronger focus on individual, needs-oriented time shaping.
In der transdisziplinären Nachhaltigkeitsforschung sollen mit partizipativen Forschungsansätzen Lösungen für einen gesellschaftlichen Wandel hin zur Nachhaltigkeit generiert werden. Allerdings fehlen bisher Begründungen und Belege für die Erwartungen, die mit der Partizipation verbunden werden, und auch die mangelnden gesellschaftlichen Veränderungen durch die transdisziplinäre Nachhaltigkeitsforschung wurden kritisiert. Gleichzeitig legen Forschungen aus dem Feld der governmentality studies nahe, dass partizipative Prozesse auch ein gewisses Risiko bergen, Herrschaftszustände aufrechtzuerhalten. Um einen Wandel hin zur Nachhaltigkeit zu befördern, sollen in dieser Arbeit daher mit der Regierungskonzeption von Michel Foucault die Ausgestaltung der Partizipation in der transdisziplinären Nachhaltigkeitsforschung untersucht werden und insbesondere inwieweit diese stabilisierend für die gesellschaftlichen Verhältnisse wirken kann. Dementsprechend wird die transdisziplinäre Nachhaltigkeitsforschung auf Übereinstimmungen und Unterschiede zur neoliberalen Gouvernementalität untersucht und die Implikationen des Ergebnisses vor dem Hintergrund eines an den Brundtland Berichts angelehnten Nachhaltigkeitsverständnisses diskutiert. Die Untersuchung zeigt starke Parallelen zwischen der transdisziplinären Nachhaltigkeitsforschung und einer neoliberalen Regierungsweise. Auch wenn diese Regierungsweise durchaus Vorteile mit sich bringt, gibt es doch Anzeichen, dass sie, und damit auch die transdisziplinäre Nachhaltigkeitsforschung, dazu neigt, soziale Ungleichheit zu verstärken und strukturelle Gründe für Armut und die Zerstörung der natürlichen Lebensgrundlage zu vernachlässigen. Dies würde den Hauptmotiven des Nachhaltigkeitsverständnisses entgegenwirken.