Ecosystem Organization of a Complex Landscape Long-Term Research in the Bornhöved Lake District, Germany

This book presents the major findings of a 12-year ecological study of the Bornhöved Lake District, situated some 30 km south of Kiel. Historically speaking, the present research scheme, like comparable long-term ecosystem studies at Göttingen, Bayreuth, München, and Berchtesgaden, has been conceived as the core of a comprehensive ecological surveillance system for Germany (Ellenberg et al. 1978). Comprising three interrelated components, namely an ecological monitoring network, comparative ecosystem research, and an environmental specimen bank, this system is intended to promote both ecological science and planning and policy. In this connection the geo- and bioscientifically based ecosystem research aims at understanding the structure and functions of systems, the natural equilibrium and stress tolerance of singular components and the entire system against changes and disturbances from within and from outside, and the relationships between diversity, productivity, and stability. Thus, ecosystem research forms the indispensable basis for the rational analysis of the comprehensive data sets made available by ecological monitoring networks and for the adequate selection of plant, animal, and soil specimens for environmental specimen banking purposes.

Part I Research Programme and Study Area 1 General Concept of the Research Programme and Methodology of Investigations Otto Fränzle, Ludger Kappen, Hans-Peter Blume, Klaus Dierssen, Ulrich Irmler, Winfrid Kluge, Uwe Schleuß and Joachim Schrautzer 2 Ecological Setting of the Study Area Hans-Peter Blume, Otto Fränzle, Georg Hörmann, Ulrich Irmler, Winfried Kluge, Uwe Schleuß and Joachim Schrautzer Part II Structure and Function of Ecosystems in a Complex Landscape 3 Ecophysiological Key Processes in Agricultural and Forest Ecosystems Oliver Dilly, Christiane Eschenbach, Werner Leo Kutsch, Ludger Kappen and Jean Charles Munch 4 Carbon and Energy Balances of Different Ecosystems and Ecosystem Complexes of the Bornhöved Lake District Werner L. Kutsch, Georg Hörmann and Ludger Kappen 5 Water Relations at Different Scales Georg Hörmann, Matthias Herbst and Christiane Eschenbach 6 Site-Related Biocoenotic Dynamics Ulrich Irmler, Oliver Dilly, Joachim Schrautzer and Klaus Dierssen 7 Biocoenotic Interactions between Different Ecotopes Ulrich Irmler, Franz Hölker, Hans-Werner Pfeiffer, Walter Nellen and Hauke Reuter 8 Element Fluxes in Atmosphere, Vegetation and Soil Otto Fränzle and Claus-Georg Schimming 9 Transport Processes between Lake Belau and its Drainage Basin Winfrid Kluge and Otto Fränzle 10 Lake Belau Otto Fränzle and Gerald Schernewski 11 Ecological Gradients as Causes and Effects of Ecosystem Organization Felix Müller, Otto Fränzle, Claus-G Schimming Part III From Research to Application 12 An Indicator-Based Characterization of the Bornhöved Key Ecosystems Joachim Schrautzer, Felix Müller, Hans-Peter Blume, Uwe Heinrich,Ernst-Walter Reiche†, Uwe Schleuß and Klaus Dierssen 13 Ecosystem Research and Sustainable Land Use Management Jan Barkmann, Hans-Peter Blume, Ullrich Irmler, Winfried Kluge, Werner Kutsch, Heinrich Reck, Ernst-Walter Reiche †, Michael Trepel, Wilhelm Windhorst and Klaus Dierssen 14 Conclusions: Perspectives for an Integrative Landscape Planning, Management and Monitoring Klaus Dierssen and Jan Barkmann