Description: This book is about management of arctic and northern alpine research stations. It has been produced by a group of station managers participating in the EU 7th Framework Programme Infrastructure project called INTERACT. With this book we want to share the knowledge and experiences we have gained from managing very different research stations in very different environmental and climatic settings. The target audience for the book is mainly managers of research stations in arctic and alpine areas, but we hope that it will also be useful for others involved in science coordination and logistics, e.g. research institutions, chief scientists and expedition planners. The book has been produced mainly based on input from practising station managers being part of ‘INTERACT Station Managers’ Forum (SMF), a forum established to provide a platform for exchange of information between station managers and other participants within INTERACT, and to collect and disseminate knowledge embedded within the network. The scope of this book is to identify and describe best practices and key considerations of relevance to station management under arctic and alpine conditions. As research stations operate under very different legal regimes, financial conditions, environmental and climatic conditions, as well as remoteness, it is not possible to identify specific best practices that fit all stations. Instead, we have described key issues that should be considered and addressed by station management, and supplemented this with examples of good practices from stations operating under different conditions (e.g. different climate, remoteness or size).

Description: The need to develop and provide integrated observation systems to better understand and manage global and regional environmental change is one of the major challenges facing Earth system science today. In 2008, the German Helmholtz Association took up this challenge and launched the German research infrastructure TERrestrial ENvironmental Observatories (TERENO). The aim of TERENO is the establishment and maintenance of a network of observatories as a basis for an interdisciplinary and long-term research program to investigate the effects of global environmental change on terrestrial ecosystems and their socio-economic consequences. State-of-the-art methods from the field of environmental monitoring, geophysics, remote sensing, and modeling are used to record and analyze states and fluxes in different environmental disciplines from groundwater through the vadose zone, surface water, and biosphere, up to the lower atmosphere. Over the past 15 years we have collectively gained experience in operating a long-term observing network, thereby overcoming unexpected operational and institutional challenges, exceeding expectations, and facilitating new research. Today, the TERENO network is a key pillar for environmental modeling and forecasting in Germany, an information hub for practitioners and policy stakeholders in agriculture, forestry, and water management at regional to national levels, a nucleus for international collaboration, academic training and scientific outreach, an important anchor for large-scale experiments, and a trigger for methodological innovation and technological progress. This article describes TERENO's key services and functions, presents the main lessons learned from this 15-year effort, and emphasizes the need to continue long-term integrated environmental monitoring programmes in the future.

Description: Background: Agriculture is a large and dynamic sector, essential for the supply of the population and thus in a complex area of tension. The growing population and the resulting need for optimization, greater efficiency and intensification are in direct conflict with the demand for sustainability, environmental compatibility and, above all, mitigation of climate change and its consequences. Precision agriculture can make a decisive contribution to increasing efficiency in particular. Because through the targeted and demand-oriented application of fertilizers and pesticides, but also spatially variable sowing, resources can be used better and in the best case even increase yields. Above all, if fertilizers are applied in the way that the plants need and can absorb them, in contrast to uniform application across the entire field, a surplus that can be washed into the groundwater can be avoided. A basis is therefore needed on which this variable application of resources can be determined. In practice, maps of current condition in the form of zones in the field or on-the-go measurements from sensors on the tractor are often used here. However, for comprehensive planning and holistic cultivation of crop, current and past spatial information maps, such as zone maps, are necessary. Satellite data are a data basis for such zones, as they are available in various types, current and retrospective and cover large areas spatially. Objective: This work explores possibilities to derive this zoning from satellite data and developes different approaches. The interrelations between satellite data, geoinformation data and agricultural data such as yield will be investigated and combined. The focus of the method development is the applicability in practice and the associated requirements of the farmer. Data: For method development and analysis 179 RapidEye scenes, 512 Landsat scenes, 43 Sentinel-2 scenes and 21 Planetscope scenes were used. Furthermore, the soil map „Bodenschätzung“, which not only transmits the information about the respective soil type, but also a quantification of the fertility respectively the yield potential in the form of „Bodenzahl“ and „Ackerzahl“. Digital terrain models in different spatial resolutions were used as well as in-situ measurements of nutrients, electrical conductivity and phenology. Methods and Results: In this thesis two methods and a data analysis are presented. The first method uses only optical satellite data (RapidEye) and processes these automatically into five relative yield zones, which reflect the expected relative yield averaged over several years. The method independently selects the appropriate data sets for a prescribed field, using different thresholds resulting from the reflectance values of individual bands. The zones are then separated on the basis of quantile values using an synthetic, averaged raster of the near infrared bands. The method is validated with actual yield data using the characteristics of box plots. The yield zones generated can then be used as management zones in precision farming. The second method also generates relative yield zones, suitable for use as a management zone, using RapidEye satellite data as well as soil map and relief information. This data fusion for yield zone modeling is based on belief structures and uses the Transferable Belief Model. Thus, individual expert knowledge from practical agriculture can be integrated into the fusion process. The knowledge generated in the course of method development about the relationship between remote sensing and GIS data and the actual yield on the field will be extended and consolidated in a large-scale data analysis with a time series of 13 years and 755 satellite scenes. It shows that there is a strong correlation between satellite data and yield data (up to a correlation value of r = 0.75, some values even higher). However, this correlation depends strongly on the phenological timing of - in this case - cereals and canola. In addition, the spectral and spatial resolution, as well as the growing conditions and the soil available water. Conclusion: Satellite data are very well suited for agricultural applications and for the derivation of management zones for precision crop cultivation. However, a lot of expert knowledge has to be applied in the selection of the appropriate remote sensing data as well as in the processing and methodology. The scientific and practical use of remote sensing data should be adapted to the specific problem and external conditions.

Description: Hintergrund: Die Landwirtschaft ist ein großer und dynamischer Sektor, essentiell für die Versorgung der Bevölkerung und dadurch in einem komplexen Spannungsfeld. Die steigende Bevölkerung und der dadurch bestehende Bedarf an Optimierung, mehr Effizienz und Intensivierung steht im direkten Konflikt mit dem Anspruch nach Nachhaltigkeit, Umweltverträglichkeit aber vor allem der Eindämmung des Klimawandels und seiner Folgen. Gerade bei Fragen der Effizienzsteigerung kann der Bereich der Präzisionslandwirtschaft einen entscheidenden Beitrag leisten. Denn durch die gezielte und bedarfsorientierte Anwendung von Dünger und Pflanzenschutzmitteln, aber auch die gezielte und räumlich variable angepasste Aussaat, können Ressource besser genutzt werden und im besten Falle den Ertrag sogar steigern. Vor allem wenn Düngemittel so ausgebracht werden, wie die Pflanzen ihn benötigen und aufnehmen können, im Gegensatz zu einer uniformen Ausbringung über das ganze Feld hinweg, kann ein Überschuss, welcher in das Grundwasser ausgewaschen werden kann, vermieden werden. Es braucht also eine Grundlage, auf welcher diese variable Ausbringung von Ressourcen bestimmt wird. Hier werden in der Praxis oft Zustandskarten in Form von Zonen im Feld verwendet oder „on-the-go“-Messungen von Sensoren auf dem Traktor. Für die umfassende Planung und eine holistische Bearbeitung der Bestände sind aber aktuelle und zurückliegende, wie zusammenfassende Zustandskarten, beziehungsweise Zonenkarten nötig. Eine Datengrundlage für solche Zonen sind Satellitendaten, da sie in verschiedenster Art, aktuell und retroperspektiv vorliegen und große Flächen räumlich erfassen. Ziel: Diese Arbeit erforscht Möglichkeiten aus Satellitendaten eben diese Zonierung abzuleiten und sucht dabei verschiedene Herangehensweisen. Es sollen die Zusammenhänge zwischen Satellitendaten, Daten der Geoinformation und landwirtschaftlicher Daten wie Ertrag untersucht und miteinander kombiniert werden. Im Fokus der Methodenentwicklung steht die Anwendbarkeit in der Praxis und die somit einhergehenden Anforderungen des Landwirtes. Daten: Für die Methodenentwicklung und die Analyse wurden 179 RapidEye Szenen, 512 Landsat-Szenen, 43 Sentinel-2 Szenen und 21 Planetscope-Szenen verwendet. Weiterhin die Bodenkarte Bodenschätzung, welche nicht nur die Informationen über die jeweilige Bodenart übermittelt, aber auch eine Quantifizierung der Fruchtbarkeit beziehungsweise des Ertragspotentials in Form von „Bodenzahl“ und „Ackerzahl“. Digitale Geländemodell in unterschiedlichen räumlichen Auflösungen wurden verwendet, ebenso wie in-situ-Messungen von Nährstoffen, elektrischer Leitfähigkeit und Phänologie. Methoden und Ergebnisse: In dieser Doktorarbeit werden zwei Methoden und eine Datenanalyse vorgestellt. Die erste Methode verwendet einzig optische Satellitendaten (RapidEye) und verarbeitet diese automatisiert zu fünf relativen Ertragszonen, welche den zu erwartenden relativen Ertrag gemittelt über mehrere Jahre spiegelt. Die Methode wählt dabei eigenständig die passenden Datensätze für ein vorgeschriebenes Feld aus, unter Verwendung verschiedener Schwellwerte, die sich aus den Rückstrahlwerten einzelner Bänder ergeben. Auf Basis eines gemittelten Rasters der Bänder des nahen Infrarots werden dann auf Basis von Quartilswerten die Zonen separiert. Die Methode wird mit tatsächlichen Ertragsdaten mithilfe der Charakteristika von Boxplots validiert Die erzeugten Ertragszonen können dann als Bearbeitungszonen in der Präzisionslandwirtschaft verwendet werden. Die zweite Methode erzeugt ebenfalls relative Ertragszonen, geeignet für die Verwendung als Management Zone, verwendet neben RapidEye Satellitendaten auch die Informationen der Bodenkarte und des Reliefs. Diese Datenfusion zur Modellierung von Ertragszonen basiert auf Überzeugungsstrukturen und verwendet das Transferable Belief Model. Somit kann individuelles Expertenwissen aus der praktischen Landwirtschaft in den Fusionsprozess integrieren werden. Die Erkenntnisse, die im Laufe der Methodenentwicklung über die Zusammenhänge von Fernerkundungs- und GIS Daten und dem tatsächlichen Ertrag auf dem Feld generiert wurden, werden in einer großangelegten Datenanalyse mit einer Zeitreihe von 13 Jahren und 755 Satellitenszenen erweitert und gefestigt. Sie zeigt, dass es einen starken Zusammenhang zwischen Satellitendaten und Ertragsdaten gibt (bis zu einem Korrelationswert von r = 0.75, einzelne Werte höher). Diese Korrelation hängt aber stark ab vom phänologischen Zeitpunkt von – in diesem Falle – Getreide und Raps. Außerdem von der spektralen und räumlichen Auflösung, sowie den Wachstumsbedingungen und dem bodenverfügbaren Wasser. Fazit: Satellitendaten eignen sich sehr gut für die Anwendung in der Landwirtschaft und für die Ableitung von Bearbeitungszonen für den Präzisionspflanzenbau. Allerdings muss in der Auswahl der passenden Fernerkundungsdaten und auch der Verarbeitung und Methodik viel Expertenwissen angewandt werden. Die wissenschaftliche und praktische Verwendung von Fernerkundungsdaten sollte an die spezifische Fragestellung und die äußeren Bedingungen angepasst werden.

Description: Digital infrastructures have become indispensable in the field of modern research and science. These technological frameworks play a crucial role for the entire research cycle, supporting literature searches, aiding in data collection and analysis, facilitating the creation and publication of scholarly works, and ensuring the thorough documentation and long-term storage of research findings. Additionally, these infrastructures serve as a vital means for networking and communication among peers, creating the essential foundation of an open and transparent science and research ecosystem. Helmholtz employees were invited to join the Helmholtz Open Science Forum "Towards Open Digital Research Ecosystems - Interconnection Infrastructures" on February 14, 2024, where options for the seamless integration of these digital infrastructures have been discussed. Speakers presented insights into diverse efforts to the provision of open infrastructure structures and how their interconnection offers new possibilities for seamless and integrated workflows within the increasingly digitized research. Further, it was examined how such an integrated ecosystem can support open science practices and vice versa

Description: This assessment report identifies six key areas of sustainable consumption. Transforming those areas is associated with a significant, positive impact on sustainable development. In this way, those key areas lay the foundation to set clear priorities and formulate concrete policy measures and recommendations. The report describes recent developments and relevant actors in those six fields, outlines drivers and barriers to reach a shift towards more sustainability in those specific areas, and explores international good-practice examples. On top of this, overarching topics in the scientific discourse concerning sustainable consumption (e.g. collaborative economy, behavioural economics and nudging) are revealed by using innovative text-mining techniques. Subsequently, the report outlines the contributions of these research approaches to transforming the key areas of sustainable consumption. Finally, the report derives policy recommendations to improve the German Sustainable Development Strategy (DNS) in order to achieve a stronger stimulus effect for sustainable consumption.

Description: Open Access, Open Research Data und Open Research Software: Diese Themen prägen die aktuellen Diskussionen zu Open Science in der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft. Doch an welchen Indikatoren lässt sich der Kulturwandel hin zu Open Science festmachen? Und welche Anreize setzen Indikatoren für die Entwicklung von Open Access? Diesen und weiteren Fragen widmete sich das virtuelle Helmholtz Open Science Forum unter dem Motto „Indikatoren für Open Science“ am 20. Januar 2021. Im Zuge der Veranstaltung wurden anhand von Impuls- und Praxisvorträgen Indikatoren für Open Science vorgestellt, untersucht und mit einem breiten Publikum aus der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft diskutiert. Dieser Report fasst die Vorträge und Diskussionen des Forums zusammen und bietet eine Basis für weitere Entwicklungen des Themenfeldes in der Gemeinschaft.

Description: Zum Austausch von Best Practices aus den Zentren und zur Förderung der FDM-Community in Helmholtz veranstaltete das Helmholtz Open Science Office am 3. Februar 2022 das erste „Helmholtz Open Science Praxisforum Forschungsdatenmanagement“. In dem Helmholtz-internen Forum wurden exemplarisch verschiedene Herangehensweisen aus Zentren zur Organisation des FDM vorgestellt. Darüber hinaus standen konkrete Service-Angebote zu FDM im Mittelpunkt. Außerdem wurde die Vernetzung mit externen Akteuren, z. B. im Rahmen der NFDI, EOSC oder der RDA, beleuchtet. Die regen Diskussionen verdeutlichten den hohen Bedarf nach übergreifendem Community-Building im Bereich des FDM innerhalb von Helmholtz und darüber hinaus.

Description: Despite increasing recognition of the need for more diverse and equitable representation in the sciences, it is unclear whether measurable progress has been made. Here, we examine trends in authorship in coral reef science from 1,677 articles published over the past 16 years (2003–2018) and find that while representation of authors that are women (from 18 to 33%) and from non-OECD nations (from 4 to 13%) have increased over time, progress is slow in achieving more equitable representation. For example, at the current rate, it would take over two decades for female representation to reach 50%. Given that there are more coral reef non-OECD countries, at the current rate, truly equitable representation of non-OECD countries would take even longer. OECD nations also continue to dominate authorship contributions in coral reef science (89%), in research conducted in both OECD (63%) and non-OECD nations (68%). We identify systemic issues that remain prevalent in coral reef science (i.e., parachute science, gender bias) that likely contribute to observed trends. We provide recommendations to address systemic biases in research to foster a more inclusive global science community. Adoption of these recommendations will lead to more creative, innovative, and impactful scientific approaches urgently needed for coral reefs and contribute to environmental justice efforts.

Description: Present day system Earth research utilizes the tool ‘Scientific Drilling’ to access samples and to monitor deep Earth processes that cannot be tackled by other scientific means. Unlike most laboratory experiments or computer modelling, drilling projects are massive field endeavours requiring intense collaboration of researchers with engineers and service providers. In the framework of the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program, ICDP, more than seventy drilling projects have been conducted, from multiyear big research programs to short, smallscale deployments such as lake drilling projects. ICDP has supported these projects not only through grants covering field-related costs, but also through a variety of scientific-technical services and support, as well as active help in data management, outreach and publication. These services are described in this booklet. Due to its instructional character, we call it the ICDP Primer.