HYDBOS TP 13

Hydromorphic soils are particularly vulnerable compared to land use changes and changing climate conditions. In Brandenburg they engage about 44 % of the country's territory. Locally relevant climate trends predict more intense and prolonged heat waves as well as heavy rainfall events. The expected rotation of soil humidity accelerates mineralisation processes of soil organic matter. This is controversial to current national and international requirements and increases the emission of greenhouse gases and nutrient losses. To solve the conflict between production and conservation, different land uses on grassland are examined under changing climate conditions. Their impact will be estimated by certain ecological and economical parameters. All results will be united in HYDBOS. Actually the project works on the selection of adequate research areas in Brandenburg. In cooperation with the Water- and Land Communities Welse, Finowfließ (Northern part of Brandenburg) and Oberland Calau (Southern part of Brandenburg) and the State Office for Consumerism and Agriculture a list of farmers has been developed, who cultivate fen soils located in the lowlands of Brandenburg. In the field, a gradient of carbon storage potential in connection with the utilisation intensity will be defined. In order to testify soil water dynamics, measuring points for ground water will be installed. Measured values of ground water will be connected with current climatic data and results of soil and grassland examination. Therefore, suitable ecological parameters have to be defined to characterise for example soil functions. In order to estimate the range of cultivation intensity in economical, certain operating data has to be defined, too, for example yield and pasture quality. After the definition of locally relevant climate scenarios, modifications within the soil plant system of the described habitats are assessed by computer based environmental models. At least, the impacts are evaluated and all results are described in HYDBOS. Under changing climate conditions and certain ecological aspects, an extensification of grassland must be preferred in order to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide as a climatic relevant gas. The developed adaptation strategies implement solutions for improved water retention. The defined economical valuation methods allow continuous assessments of cultivation changes by farmers and try to modify political frameworks. Knowledge transfer in this special subject area will be improved. HYDBOS is a research project within the Innovation Network for Climate Change Adaptation in Berlin-Brandenburg (INKA BB).