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New publications at the ILÖK
- Sorkau, E., Boch, S., Boeddinghaus, RS., Bonkowski, M., Fischer, M., Kandeler, E., Klaus, VH., Kleinebecker, T., Marhan, S., Müller, J., Prati, D., Schöning, I., Schrumpf, M., Weinert, J., Oelmann, Y. (2018): The role of soil chemical properties, land use and plant diversity for microbial phosphorus in forest and grassland soils. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science 181 (2): 185-197 doi: 10.1002/jpln.201700082
- Gilhaus, K., Boch, S., Fischer, M., Hölzel, N., Kleinebecker, T., Prati, D., Rupprecht, D., Schmitt, B., Klaus, VH. (2017): Grassland management in Germany: effects on plant diversity and vegetation composition. Tuexenia 37: 379-397 doi:10.14471/2017.37.0 10
- Heim, W., Trense, D., Sokolova, GV., Kitagawa, T. (2017): Increased Populations of Endangered Cranes After Amur River Flood. Waterbirds 40(3):282-288 doi:10.1675/063.040.0309 Open Access
- Sander, MM., Eccard, JA., Heim, W. (2017): Flight range estimation of migrant Yellow-browed Warblers Phylloscopus inornatus on the East Asian Flyway. Bird Study 64 (4): 569-572 doi:10.1080/00063657.2017.1409696
- Trappe, J., Kunz, F., Weking, S., Kamp, J. (2017): Grassland butterfly communities of the Western Siberian forest steppe in the light of post-Soviet land abandonment. Journal of Insect Conservation 21(5-6): 813-826 doi:10.1007/s10841-017-0021-0
- Wolff, C., Gilhaus, K., Hölzel, N., Schneider, S. (2017): Status and restoration potential of heathlands and sand grasslands in the southwest of Luxembourg. Tuexenia 37: 179-200 doi:10.14471/2017.37.007
- Heer, N.; Klimmek, F.; Zwahlen, C.; Fischer, M.; Hölzel, N.; Klaus, VH.; Kleinebecker,T.; Prati, D.; Boch, S. (2018): Hemiparasite-density effects on grassland plant diversity, composition and biomass. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 32: 22-29 doi:10.1016/j.ppees.2018.01.004
further Publications: ILÖK, Arbeitsgruppen, Mitarbeiter
Yellow-breasted Bunting: uplisted to Critically Endangered, consumption and trade go on, but there is hope
Yellow-breasted Bunting, once a superabundant songbird species, has declined by 85-95% since the early 1980s, with heavy, illegal persecution in China being an important driver. The species' status has recently been updated to Critically Endangered on IUCN's international Red List, based on a quantitative assessment of the decline led by Johannes Kamp of the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research Group.
However, birds are still caught and sold in larger numbers, even on eBay-like platforms in China. A price of 15-30 USD per bird suggests high demand. Good news is that conservation organizations along the flyway are raising awareness, see e.g. this excellent video from Hongkong. Also, the Chinese law has been changed, and hunting and consumption are now criminal offences.
More research is underway to shed light on the year-round distribution and flyways of the species. Data on migration routes have been retrieved from geolocator devices by Wieland Heim. This will help us to identify key areas for conservation of the species, and learn more about potential additional drivers of the decline, such as land-use change and agricultural intensification on the wintering grounds.
Klaus-Holger Knorr has qualified as a professor
Dr. rer. nat. Klaus-Holger Knorr (Ecohydrology and Biogeochemistry Research Group)was awarded the Venia legendi for Biogeochemistry by the Department of Geosciences on 29.11.2017 with a cumulative thesis on the topic:"Using organic matte quality, stable isotopes, and electron transfer processes as tools to understand mechanisms of element cycling in wetlands". Congratulations!