Associative relationships among mangrove species and macroinvertebrate species were analysed for ecosystems of Xuan Thuy National Park. Census of mangrove species with allometric measurements was conducted in selected plots, and census of macroinvertebrate species was conducted in quadrats inside of mangrove species census plots. Correlational analysis among allometrically estimated aboveground biomass of mangrove species and population of macroinvertebrate species was examined by clustering method. High level of similarity was resulted for specific macroinvertebrate species with specific mangrove species in annual and seasonal basis. Moreover, indicator macroinvertebrate species is proposed based on indicator value index method. / Các mối quan hệ giữa thực vật ngập mặn và động vật không xương sống cỡ lớn được phân tích trong các hệ sinh thái của Vườn quốc gia Xuân Thủy. Khảo sát về số lượng của các loài cây ngập mặn cùng với các phép đo tương quan sinh trưởng được tiến hành trong các ô tiêu chuẩn, và nghiên cứu về thành phần loài và mật độ động vật không xương sống cỡ lớn được thực hiện trong các ô tiêu chuẩn này. Phân tích tương quan giữa sinh khối ước tính trên mặt đất của các loài cây ngập mặn và các quần thể động vật không xương sống cỡ lớn đã được thực hiện bằng phương pháp nhóm. Giữa các loài động vật không xương sống cỡ lớn đặc trưng với các loài cây ngập mặn đặc trưng đã cho thấy mức độ tương đồng cao theo năm và theo mùa. Hơn thế nữa, các loài động vật không xương sống cỡ lớn chỉ thị được đề xuất dựa trên phương pháp chỉ số giá trị chỉ thị.

Biodiversity indicators for the conservation of mangrove ecosystems of Xuan Thuy National Park were composed, taking into account the environmental, biotic, and anthropological factors, based on suggested indicators provided by the Convention on Biological Diversity. Relevant environmental, biotic, and anthropological factors, identified by bibliographic and field surveys, were ordered by Pressures, State, Benefits, and Responses categories following the guidance of the Biodiversity Indicators Partnership. Furthermore, the linked relationships among the indicators were identified for effective monitoring of biodiversity in Xuan Thuy National Park. / Dựa trên các chỉ thị được gợi ý từ Công ước về Đa dạng sinh học, các chỉ thị đa dạng sinh học phục vụ công tác bảo tồn các hệ sinh thái rừng ngập mặn của Vườn Quốc gia Xuân Thủy đã được xây dựng, có tính đến các yếu tố môi trường, sinh học và con người. Các yếu tố môi trường, sinh học và con người có liên quan, được xác định bằng việc tổng hợp và đánh giá các tài liệu và các đợt điều tra ngoài thực địa, dưới trật tự các nhóm Áp lực, Tình trạng, Lợi ích và Đáp ứng theo hướng dẫn của Đối tác chỉ thị đa dạng sinh học. Hơn thế nữa, các mối quan hệ liên kết giữa các chỉ thị đã được xác định nhằm quan trắc hiệu quả đa dạng sinh học ở Vườn Quốc gia Xuân Thủy.

During the last ten years the small manufacturing enterprises (SMEs) sector has become firmly established at the top of the development agenda for many countries, hence, marking this sector's increasingly acknowledged economic importance. Evidence from various parts of the world has shown clear signs of the growth of SMEs. Despite this, little attention has been given to understanding the environmental impacts these enterprises produce or to defining the role these entities play in terms of sustainable regional development. This thesis sets out to contribute to a better understanding of the influence of SMEs on sustainable regional development, as well as the contribution of SMEs to the economy in terms of job creation in the context of developing countries using Egypt and its Ismailia region as the basis for case study. Three main hypotheses were formulated relevant to the role of SMEs in sustainable regional development. In general, these hypotheses relate to the following: 1) The contribution of SMEs to the regional economy; 2) Problems and barriers SMEs face in achieving sustainable development; and 3) The potential for SMEs to utilize available existing resources to enhance their role in achieving sustainable regional development. In order to test these three hypotheses and to answer related questions, an analysis was undertaken within the framework of two spatial tiers: national and regional, that is Egypt and Ismailia, respectively. Two types of data were used - primary and secondary. A sample of 101 entrepreneurs and 100 workers were interviewed from the Ismailia region. The results of these interviews were analyzed in the empirical portions of this thesis. Chapter one pertains to the justification of the thesis; its objectives; the development of related research questions and hypotheses; the methodology used for data analysis; data sources used; questionnaire design; survey methods; and problems of data collection. Chapter two discusses the concept of SMEs worldwide and in Egypt as a basis from which to provide a concrete definition of SMEs that is used in the empirical portion of this study. In addition, the potential of SMEs and the problems facing SMEs in terms of sustainable regional development, the differences between SMEs and larger enterprises, as well as the importance of SMEs for the Egyptian economy are discussed in this chapter. The relationship between SMEs and sustainable urban and regional development is highlighted in more detail in chapter three. This relationship is discussed within the context of the notions of the overall concept of sustainable development, the sustainable regional development agenda in Egypt and related regulations, and the positive characteristics SMEs need in order to bring sustainable urban and regional development to fruition. Chapter four examines the first hypothesis of this study; this hypothesis states that, in general, SMEs have a positive effect on the economic and social development of a region. This chapter evaluates the ability of SMEs to drive the regional and national chains of economic added value; the capability of SMEs to create job opportunities at the regional level; and the effects of SMEs in terms of improved life-style and standard of living of workers and their families. Chapter five tests the second hypothesis in this thesis which states that the affects of a variety of types and sizes of SMEs on regional sustainable development is limited, at least for the time being. This chapter provides an analysis of economic, social and environmental obstacles and constraints that SMEs must face on a daily basis to achieve sustainable development in the region. In chapter six the potential by which SMEs can utilize their assets to enhance their contribution to sustainable regional development is evaluated; the potential opportunities available to SMEs to make better use of local raw materials and to drive the chain of economic activity within the Ismailia region were examined. The ability of SMEs to work more efficiently through the use of clusters and networks as a potential strategy is clarified. Chapter Seven presents a compilation of the detailed findings of this thesis along with the lessons that have emerged as a result of the research conducted. A series of policies and recommendations are provided as a means from which to create favourable conditions to encourage SMEs to play a more significant role in the national economy and in subsequent sustainable regional development. From a national perspective, the activities of SMEs are not usually the most serious source of environmental degradation, but, collectively, their sheer numbers may translate into substantial impacts on the eco-system. While the individual SME has financial problems related to the treatment and disposal of its waste, the adoption of an industrial cluster strategy for SMEs can provide an efficient solution to this problem. A cluster should consist of several single enterprises located in close proximity to one another, thereby, improving the ease of and costs associated with the treatment and disposal of environmental wastes. This study advocates the necessity of raising the degree of environmental awareness for organizations, syndicates, unions and societies related to SMEs, as well as entrepreneurs and labourers in their respective domains. Opportunities for raising environmental awareness can be implemented through a series of organized seminars, meetings and workshops designed to motivate individuals and small businesses within the society of SMEs to incorporate an ecological sense and approach into their daily behaviour and practices. A national policy must be adopted in Egypt in order for the SMEs sector to be successful in its contribution to sustainable development. Such policy must be all-inclusive and provide for the technical support of SMEs, financial support to SMEs, environmental support to SMEs, as well as provide overarching legislative support relevant to this particular sector of the business environment.

During the last ten years the small manufacturing enterprises (SMEs) sector has become firmly established at the top of the development agenda for many countries, hence, marking this sector's increasingly acknowledged economic importance. Evidence from various parts of the world has shown clear signs of the growth of SMEs. Despite this, little attention has been given to understanding the environmental impacts these enterprises produce or to defining the role these entities play in terms of sustainable regional development. This thesis sets out to contribute to a better understanding of the influence of SMEs on sustainable regional development, as well as the contribution of SMEs to the economy in terms of job creation in the context of developing countries using Egypt and its Ismailia region as the basis for case study. Three main hypotheses were formulated relevant to the role of SMEs in sustainable regional development. In general, these hypotheses relate to the following: 1) The contribution of SMEs to the regional economy; 2) Problems and barriers SMEs face in achieving sustainable development; and 3) The potential for SMEs to utilize available existing resources to enhance their role in achieving sustainable regional development. In order to test these three hypotheses and to answer related questions, an analysis was undertaken within the framework of two spatial tiers: national and regional, that is Egypt and Ismailia, respectively. Two types of data were used - primary and secondary. A sample of 101 entrepreneurs and 100 workers were interviewed from the Ismailia region. The results of these interviews were analyzed in the empirical portions of this thesis. Chapter one pertains to the justification of the thesis; its objectives; the development of related research questions and hypotheses; the methodology used for data analysis; data sources used; questionnaire design; survey methods; and problems of data collection. Chapter two discusses the concept of SMEs worldwide and in Egypt as a basis from which to provide a concrete definition of SMEs that is used in the empirical portion of this study. In addition, the potential of SMEs and the problems facing SMEs in terms of sustainable regional development, the differences between SMEs and larger enterprises, as well as the importance of SMEs for the Egyptian economy are discussed in this chapter. The relationship between SMEs and sustainable urban and regional development is highlighted in more detail in chapter three. This relationship is discussed within the context of the notions of the overall concept of sustainable development, the sustainable regional development agenda in Egypt and related regulations, and the positive characteristics SMEs need in order to bring sustainable urban and regional development to fruition. Chapter four examines the first hypothesis of this study; this hypothesis states that, in general, SMEs have a positive effect on the economic and social development of a region. This chapter evaluates the ability of SMEs to drive the regional and national chains of economic added value; the capability of SMEs to create job opportunities at the regional level; and the effects of SMEs in terms of improved life-style and standard of living of workers and their families. Chapter five tests the second hypothesis in this thesis which states that the affects of a variety of types and sizes of SMEs on regional sustainable development is limited, at least for the time being. This chapter provides an analysis of economic, social and environmental obstacles and constraints that SMEs must face on a daily basis to achieve sustainable development in the region. In chapter six the potential by which SMEs can utilize their assets to enhance their contribution to sustainable regional development is evaluated; the potential opportunities available to SMEs to make better use of local raw materials and to drive the chain of economic activity within the Ismailia region were examined. The ability of SMEs to work more efficiently through the use of clusters and networks as a potential strategy is clarified. Chapter Seven presents a compilation of the detailed findings of this thesis along with the lessons that have emerged as a result of the research conducted. A series of policies and recommendations are provided as a means from which to create favourable conditions to encourage SMEs to play a more significant role in the national economy and in subsequent sustainable regional development. From a national perspective, the activities of SMEs are not usually the most serious source of environmental degradation, but, collectively, their sheer numbers may translate into substantial impacts on the eco-system. While the individual SME has financial problems related to the treatment and disposal of its waste, the adoption of an industrial cluster strategy for SMEs can provide an efficient solution to this problem. A cluster should consist of several single enterprises located in close proximity to one another, thereby, improving the ease of and costs associated with the treatment and disposal of environmental wastes. This study advocates the necessity of raising the degree of environmental awareness for organizations, syndicates, unions and societies related to SMEs, as well as entrepreneurs and labourers in their respective domains. Opportunities for raising environmental awareness can be implemented through a series of organized seminars, meetings and workshops designed to motivate individuals and small businesses within the society of SMEs to incorporate an ecological sense and approach into their daily behaviour and practices. A national policy must be adopted in Egypt in order for the SMEs sector to be successful in its contribution to sustainable development. Such policy must be all-inclusive and provide for the technical support of SMEs, financial support to SMEs, environmental support to SMEs, as well as provide overarching legislative support relevant to this particular sector of the business environment.

Diese Dissertation beschäftigt sich mit der passiven Probenahme von hydrophoben organischen Schadstoffen in Oberflächengewässern: Polyaromatische Kohlenwasserstoffe (PAK), polychlorierte Biphenyle (PCB), polybromierte Biphenylether (PBDE), Organochlorpestizide (u. a. HCH, DDX) und weitere hydrophobe Pestizide. Die Zielstellung dieser Arbeit lag bei der Validierung des Silikonstabs als Alternativmethode im Gewässermonitoring zu konventionellen Probenahmetechniken wie Schöpf- und Wochenmischproben der Wasserphase sowie Schwebstoffanalysen. Die Probenahme mit dem Silikonstab erfolgte durch dessen Exposition im Gewässer für einen Zeitraum zwischen einer Woche und mehreren Monaten. Nach Einholung wurden die im Silikonstab akkumulierten Schadstoffe (Analyten) mittels instrumenteller Analytik quantifiziert. Die Probenaufgabe erfolgte ohne vorherige Lösungsmittelextraktion durch direktes Erhitzen des Silikonstabs, wodurch die Analyten vom Polymer desorbieren (Thermodesorption). Die durch Hitze freigesetzten Analyten wurden direkt auf eine chromatographische Trennsäule gegeben und massenspektroskopisch quantifiziert. Nach Erhalt der Ergebnisse der Silikonstab-Analytik gibt es verschiedene Herangehensweisen für die Berechnung der zeitgemittelten Analytkonzentrationen im Gewässer, die in dieser Arbeit vorgestellt und diskutiert werden. Dazu gehören die Verwendung von experimentellen Daten aus Kalibrierversuchen und Berechnungen auf Grundlage von physikochemischen Eigenschaften der Analyten wie dem Sammler-Wasser-Verteilungskoeffizienten. Im Zuge dieser Arbeit wurde die Aufnahmekinetik des Silikonstabs bei verschiedenen Temperaturen und Fließgeschwindigkeiten mit Hilfe von Kalibrierversuchen untersucht. Die gewonnenen experimentellen Daten wurden für die Entwicklung von Rechenmodellen herangezogen, mit denen das Aufnahmeverhalten vorgesagt werden soll. Es wurden Sammler-Wasser-Verteilungskoeffizienten für den Silikonstab u. a. mit der Kosolvenzmethode bestimmt und als Parameter für die Berechnung von zeitgemittelten Analytkonzentrationen des Gewässers verwendet. Für die Validierung wurde der Silikonstab in zwei Gewässergütemessstationen der Fließgewässer Mulde (Dessau) und Elbe (Magdeburg) in Durchflussbehältern exponiert und die zeitgemittelten Analytkonzentrationen mit verschiedenen Rechenmodellen bestimmt. Die erhaltenen Werte werden mit gleichzeitig entnommenen Wochenmischproben der Wasserphase sowie monatlichen Schwebstoffproben verglichen und die Eignung des Silikonstabs als alternative Probenahmemethode für das Umweltmonitoring von Oberflächengewässern diskutiert.

Despite the negative effects of fossil fuels on the environment, these remain as the primary contributors to the energy sector. In order to mitigate global warming risks, many countries aim at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Bioenergy crops are being used as a substitute for fossil fuels and short rotation forestry is a prime example. In order to examine the sustainability of energy crops for fuel, typical European short rotation forestry (SRF) biomass, willow (Salix spp.) and poplar (Populus spp.) are examined and compared to rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) in respect to various aspects of soil respiration and combustion heat obtained from the extracted products per hectare. Various approaches are used to look at an As-contaminated site not only in the field but also in a soil-column experiment that examines the fate of trace elements in SRF soils, and in an analysis using MICMAC to describe the driving factors for SRF crop production. Based on the cause-effect chain, the impacts of land-use change and occupation on ecosystem quality are assessed when land-use is changed from degraded land (grassland) to willow and poplar SRF. A manual opaque dynamic closed chamber system (SEMACH-FG) was utilized to measure CO2 emissions at a willow/poplar short rotation forest in Krummenhennersdorf, Germany during the years 2013 and 2014, and at a rapeseed site in 2014. Short rotation forest soils showed higher CO2 emission rates during the growing season than the dormant season – with a CO2 release of 5.62±1.81 m-2 s-1 for willows and 5.08±1.37 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1 for poplars in the growing season. However, during the dormant season the soil sites with willow emitted 2.54±0.81 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1 and with poplar 2.07±0.56 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1. The highest emission rates for the studied plantations were observed in July for both years 2013 and 2014, during which the highest air and soil temperatures were recorded. Correlations between soil emission of CO2 and some meteorological parameters and leaf characteristics were investigated for the years 2013 and 2014. For example, for the willow clone (Jorr) and poplar clone (Max 3), high correlations were found for each between their soil emission of CO2 and both soil temperature and moisture content. Fitted models can explain about 77 and 75% of the results for Jorr and Max 3 clones, respectively. Moreover, a model of leaf area (LA) can explain about 68.6% of soil CO2 emission for H275. Estimated models can be used as a gap-filling method, when field data is not available. The ratio between soil respiration and the combustion heat calculated from the extracted products per hectare was evaluated and compared for the study’s willow, poplar and rapeseed crops. The results show that poplar and willow SRF has a very low ratio of 183 kg CO2 GJ 1 compared to rapeseed, 738 kg CO2 GJ 1. The soil-column experiment showed that by continuing the SRF plantation at the As-contaminated site, remediation would need only about 3% of the time needed if the site was left as a fallow field. In order to understand the complex willow and poplar short rotation forestry production system, 50 key variables were identified and prioritized to describe the system as a step to enhance the success of such potentially sustainable projects. The MICMAC approach was used in order to find the direct and the indirect relationships between those parameters and to classify them into different clusters depending on their driving force and interdependency. From this, it can be summarized that in order to enhance the success of a SRF system, decision makers should be focussing on: ensuring a developed wood-fuel market, increasing farmers’ experience/training, improving subsidy regulations and recommending a proper harvesting year cycle. Finally, the impacts of land-use change and occupation on the ecosystem quality were assessed. Results show that establishing SRF plantations on degraded lands improved the ecosystem structural quality (ESQ) by about 43% and ecosystem functional quality (EFQ) by about 12%. Based on overall results, poplar and willow SRF biomass can be recommended as renewable and sustainable sources for bioenergy.

Das erste Ziel dieser Arbeit ist eine umfassende Analyse der Wasserflüsse durchzuführen und Quellen und Senken des kontinentalen Niederschlags zu identifizieren. Als Analysemethode werden komplexe Netzwerke verwendet, ein Ansatz, mit dessen Hilfe das neuartige Konzept des “cascading moisture recycling'''' (CMR) eingeführt wird. CMR wird als vielfache Verdunstung von Niederschlag während des Feuchtigkeitstransports über bewaldeten Gebieten definiert. Dieses Verfahren ermöglicht es, den Anteil von CMR an der Menge des regionalen Niederschlags zu quantifizieren und Schlüsselregionen des CMR zu identifizieren. Die Analyse zeigt, dass der südliche Bereich des Amazonasbeckens nicht nur eine direkte Quelle für Niederschlag im La-Plata Becken ist, sondern auch als ``Brückenregion'''' dient, über die die verdunstete Feuchtigkeit des ganzen Amazonasbeckens auf dem Weg in die Subtropen transportiert wird. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass eine Neubewertung der Vulnerabilität des Amazonasregenwalds unter Umweltveränderungen unabdingbar ist. Dies ist das zweite Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit. Durch diese Veränderungen könnten große Teile des Regenwaldes in eine Savanne umgewandelt werden. Dies würde wiederum den Niederschlag reduzieren, was sich negativ auf die Stabilität der verbleibenden Waldgebiete auswirken und ein Waldsterben verursachen kann. Für die Analyse dieser Zusammenhänge werden ebenfalls komplexe Netzwerke verwendet, um das Konzept der Ökosystem-Resilienz und CMR basierend auf Beobachtungsdaten zu kombinieren. Es werden die Schlüsselregionen, in denen Entwaldung zu einer Destabilisierung der verbleibenden Wald führt, identifiziert und die Möglichkeit eines großflächigen Absterben des Regenwaldes aufgrund von verlängerter Trockenzeit untersucht. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Diversität des Regenwaldes und die durch den Feuchtigkeitstransport gegebene Konnektivität der Waldgebiete eine wichtige Rolle für die Stabilität und ökologische Integrität dieses Ökosystems spielen. / The first aim of this thesis is to improve the understanding of vegetation-atmosphere interactions by means of complex network analysis of water fluxes from the sources to the sinks of rainfall in South America. This novel approach allows to introduce the concept of “cascading moisture recycling” defined as moisture recycling on the continent involving re-evaporation cycles along the way. A methodological framework is developed to quantify the importance of cascading moisture recycling and to identify key regions that sustain this process. It reveals, for instance, that the southern part of the Amazon basin is not only a direct source of rainfall for the La Plata basin as previously thought but also an intermediary region that re-distribute moisture evaporating from the entire Amazon basin towards the subtropics. This new concept lays the foundation for evaluating the vulnerability of the Amazon forest to environmental perturbations, which is the second aim of this thesis. Land-use and rainfall variability are expected to be intensified at the end of the twenty-first century and may push the south-eastern part of the Amazon forest towards a grass-dominated ecosystem. Such a forest loss would reduce local dry-season evapotranspiration and the resulting moisture supply for down-wind rainfall. In turn, this might erode the resilience of the remaining forest and lead to further forest losses. Using a complex network approach, the concepts of forest resilience and cascading moisture recycling are combined in a data-driven modeling framework. Key regions are identified where deforestation would greatly destabilize the remaining forest, as well as tipping points in dry-season intensification for large-scale self-amplified Amazon forest loss. The findings highlight the need to maintain the diversity and connectivity of forest patches in order to sustain the ecological integrity of the largest remaining tropical forest on Earth.

Existing ecotoxicity data for chemicals vary to a high extent between the environmental compartments water and sediment, since the evaluation of contaminants has historically focused on water exposition. Many anthropogenic chemicals and waste materials, including toxic organic and inorganic chemicals, adsorb to particulate matter and accumulate in sediments, and may thus be a threat to organisms living in the sediment. The invertebrates Chironomus riparius and Lumbriculus variegatus were selected as representatives of endobenthic living organisms. Acute toxicity tests, via water-only exposure, and sediment toxicity tests were conducted with the two endobenthic invertebrates. In sediment toxicity tests, organisms are mainly exposed to sediment- and particle-bound chemicals and dissolved chemical in the pore water. Toxicity data for algae, daphnids, and fish (via water-only exposure) are available for many substances, whereas the existing sediment toxicity data are rather rare. Thus, the interest arises to predict sediment toxicity for sediment-dwelling invertebrates from existing acute toxicity data of tests with water-only exposure. The main emphasis of this work was placed on one metal compound and seven organic chemicals. The objective of this study was fivefold: (1) develop methods and improve existing procedures on acute and sediment toxicity testing of the two invertebrates; (2) conduct both acute toxicity tests via water exposure and long-term sediment toxicity tests for the selected model substances to generate data for comparative discussion; (3) assess correlations among acute toxicity data of the organisms exposed via water-only and correlations among sediment toxicity data of the two endobenthic invertebrates for the eight tested chemicals; (4) assess possible forecasting for sediment toxicity from acute toxicity (via water-only exposure) and (5) assess exposure effects to determine the main exposure route. Acute toxicity data of the eight tested chemicals of D. magna significantly correlated with data of L. variegatus and C. riparius (p<0.05). However, a prediction of toxicity based on D. magna data bears high uncertainty, due to the small data set and high variation in sensitivity of the organisms. Existing sediment toxicity test methods were improved to meet the demand for artificial sediments containing organic matter that serves sufficiently as internal food source for the test organisms, and thus representing natural exposure conditions. However, the sediments that were used for the two organisms to test the selected model substances differed in sediment composition. Therefore, a sediment with the same sediment composition and the same water-to-sediment ratio for both invertebrates was developed, to have similar exposure conditions. In sediment toxicity tests, C. riparius was observed to be more sensitive than L. variegatus and no correlation was observed among data of the invertebrates. For the selected substances, lowest effect concentrations were observed for 3,4-dichloroaniline, whereas effect concentrations were the highest for benzo[a]pyrene. No correlations were found between the acute toxicity data of exposure via the water phase and sediment toxicity data, thus making a prediction of sediment toxicity data impossible. From analytical measurements of chemicals concentration in the compartments overlying, pore water, and bulk sediment, partition coefficients on sediment water partitioning were calculated. The highest partition coefficient ratios for sediment water partitioning were found for the high lipophilic organic substances 4,4-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethan (DDT) and benzo[a]pyrene. Further, it was found that the main exposure routes in the 28-day sediment toxicity tests were not only chemical but species-dependent. As a result of very differing exposure routes for the tested chemicals and the absence of correlations from the acute to sediment toxicity data, sediment toxicity tests are necessary to assess the toxicity of chemicals on sediment inhabiting organisms. / In den meisten standardisierten ökotoxikologischen Untersuchungen zur Abschätzung des Gefährdungspotentials von Chemikalien für Gewässer erfolgt die Exposition der Organismen über die Wasserphase. Viele Schadstoffe, die in die aquatische Umwelt gelangen, adsorbieren aufgrund ihrer physikalisch-chemischen Eigenschaften an die Oberflächen von Schwebstoffen, sedimentieren und erreichen Sedimentkonzentrationen, die möglicherweise eine Gefahr für sedimentbewohnende Organismen darstellen. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurden für benthische Invertebraten Testverfahren etabliert, bei denen eine Exposition der Organismen über das Sediment, hier hauptsächlich über die an ingestierte Sedimentbestandteile gebundene oder über die im Porenwasser gelöste Chemikalie (28-Tage Sedimenttoxizitätstest), und über dieWasserphase (Akuttoxizitätstest) erfolgte. Die Invertebraten Chironomus riparius und Lumbriculus variegatus wurden als typische Vertreter endobenthischer Organismen ausgewählt. Für viele Chemikalien liegen Daten zur akuten Toxizität für Algen, Daphnien und Fische für die Wasserexposition vor. Demgegenüber sind nur wenige Daten zur Toxizität für benthische Organismen weder mit einer Wasser- noch mit einer Sedimentexposition vorhanden. Als Modellsubstanzen wurden eine anorganische und sieben organische Substanzen für die Untersuchungen ausgewählt. Ziele dieser Arbeit waren: (1) die Entwicklung und Verbesserung von bestehenden Methoden zur Bestimmung der akuten Toxizität mitWasserexposition und der Sedimenttoxizität für die beiden Invertebraten; (2) die Durchführung der Tests mit den acht ausgewählten Modellsubstanzen zur vergleichenden Betrachtung; (3) die Beurteilung einer Korrelation der Daten zur Akuttoxizität innerhalb der verschiedenen Organismen mit Wasserexposition und einer Korrelation der Daten zwischen den beiden benthischen Organismen bei Sedimentexposition; (4) die Beurteilung einer Korrelation zwischen Daten der benthischen Invertebraten zur Akuttoxizität mit Wasserexposition und Sedimenttoxizität und (5) die Ermittlung und Bewertung der Expositionspfade. Die Akuttoxizitätsdaten von D. magna korrelieren significant (p<0.05) mit den Daten der beiden Invertebraten. Jedoch ist eine Vorhersage aufgrund des kleinen Datensatzes und der großen Unterschiede in der Empfindlichkeit der Arten abzulehnen. Um einer möglichst natürlichen Expositionssituation in Sedimenten zu entsprechen, wurden künstliche Sedimente mit interner Futterquelle, die auch mit der zu testenden Chemikalie kontaminiert wurde, entwickelt und für die Tests mit den Modellsubstanzen verwendet. Ein Nachteil war die unterschiedliche Sedimentzusammensetzung für die beiden Organismen. Um gleiche Expositionsbedingungen für beide Testorganismen zu gewährleisten, wurde ein artifizielles Sediment mit gleicher Zusammensetzung und gleichem Volumenverhältnis zwischen Sediment und Überstandswasser entwickelt. In den Sedimenttoxizitätstests reagierte C. riparius empfindlicher als L. variegatus. Die Effektkonzentrationen waren am niedrigsten für 3,4-Dichloraniline und am höchsten für Benzo[a]pyren. Die Korrelationen zwischen den Ergebnissen aus Akut- und Sedimenttoxizitstests waren nicht signifikant (p>0.05). Folglich läßt sich die Sedimenttoxizität nicht aus Daten zur akuten Toxizität mit Wasserexposition abschätzen. Aus den analytischen Messungen von Sediment-, Porenwasser- und Überstandswasserproben wurden die Koeffizienten für die Verteilung zwischen Sediment und Wasser berechnet. Für die stark lipophilen Stoffe, 4-Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethan (DDT) und Benzo[a]pyren wurden die höchsten Koeffizienten errechnet. Weiterhin wurde festgestellt, daß die Hauptexpositionspfade in Sedimenttoxizitätstests einerseits von der Chemikalie und andererseits von der verwendeten Spezies abhängen. Aufgrund der Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit und der Tatsache, daß Sedimente “Senken” für viele Schadstoffe sind, müssen zur Erfassung und Bewertung des Gefährdungspotentials von Chemikalien gegenüber Sedimentbewohnern weiterhin Sedimenttoxizitätstests durchgeführt werden.

Software Product Lines (SPLs) and Software Ecosystems (SECOs) are approaches to capturing families of closely related software systems in terms of common and variable functionality (variability in space). SPLs and especially SECOs are subject to software evolution to adapt to new or changed requirements resulting in different versions of the software family and its variable assets (variability in time). Both dimensions may be interconnected (e.g., through version incompatibilities) and, thus, have to be handled simultaneously as not all customers upgrade their respective products immediately or completely. However, there currently is no integrated approach allowing variant derivation of features in different version combinations. In this thesis, remedy is provided in the form of an integrated approach making contributions in three areas: (1) As variability model, Hyper-Feature Models (HFMs) and a version-aware constraint language are introduced to conceptually capture variability in time as features and feature versions. (2) As variability realization mechanism, delta modeling is extended for variability in time, and a language creation infrastructure is provided to devise suitable delta languages. (3) For the variant derivation procedure, an automatic version selection mechanism is presented as well as a procedure to derive large parts of the application order for delta modules from the structure of the HFM. The presented integrated approach enables derivation of concrete software systems from an SPL or a SECO where both features and feature versions may be configured.

Theory suggests that plant interactions at the neighbourhood scale play a fundamental role in regulating biodiversity–productivity relationships (BPRs) in tree communities. However, empirical evidence of this prediction is rare, as little is known about how neighbourhood interactions scale up to influence community BPRs. Here, using a biodiversity–ecosystem functioning experiment, we provide insights into processes underlying BPRs by demonstrating that diversity-mediated interactions among local neighbours are a strong regulator of productivity in species mixtures. Our results show that local neighbourhood interactions explain over half of the variation in observed community productivity along a diversity gradient. Overall, individual tree growth increased with neighbourhood species richness, leading to a positive BPR at the community scale. The importance of local-scale neighbourhood effects for regulating community productivity, however, distinctly increased with increasing community species richness. Preserving tree species diversity at the local neighbourhood scale, thus seems to be a promising way for promoting forest productivity.