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Research projects

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ADAGIO

* Estimation of available days for agricultural work in Austria [~~bokuDOC~~]
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* Evaluation and validation of crop growth models for Austrian conditions.
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* Agrometeorological investigations on growth and yield of tea in Sri Lanka.
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* Mikroclimatological investigations and crop growth simulation in Agroforestry systems in China.
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* Assessment of climate change impacts on the crop production potential in the eastern part of Austria (Marchfeld).
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* Comparison of airborne and ground measurements of surface temperature and surface soil water content in crop fields.
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* Analysis of the water temperature regime in the Marchfeld Canal.
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* Analysis and simulation of the microclimate in greenhouses.
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* Protecting mechanisms of plants against UV-radiation
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* Impact of the atmospheric conditions on forests -
Interdisciplinary research program on forest decline in Austria (FIW).

Title : Evaluation and validation of crop growth models for Austrian conditions.

A realistic and useful application of agroecological simulation models has to meet all requirements of evaluation and preparation of the related models` environment. These are guidelines for model application such as methodologies of input data estimation, input data requirements, validation and calibration of the specific models, realistic interpretation of simulation results regarded to the model application. Ecological models have to consider both a scale in time and space. This is of relevance especially for model input parameters and model evaluation for a specific location. Therefore methodologies for an optimal input data estimation has to be found in order to make the models available for practical conditions. Especially in Austria, a country with highly variable topographical conditions, there is a great demand of research in that field. This research topic will help to cope with the related problems.

DIRMHIRN, I., J. EITZINGER, E.FRANZINI und L. SAYLAN, 1994 : Projektendbericht des Forschungsprojektes "Agrarmeteorologische Untersuchungen an Sojabohne, Mais und Pferdebohne" des BMLFW.- Bericht des Institutes für Meteorologie und Physik, Universität für Bodenkultur.

EITZINGER, J. und I. DIRMHIRN, 1994 : Sind Simulationsmodelle für Kulturpflanzen praktikabel ? Blick ins Land, 4/94.

EITZINGER, J. und I. DIRMHIRN, 1994 : Auswirkungen des Meßortes auf die Repräsentanz einiger Witterungsparameter und auf die Ergebnisse eines Pflanzenwachstumssimulationsmodells. Wetter und Leben, Heft 1-2/94, Jg. 46, 103-116.

SAYLAN, L., SÖNMEZ, F.K. and J. EITZINGER, 1994 : Can the crop-weather models give a solution to analyze the effects of agricultural drought ?.- Proceedings, 1. Hydrometeorologisches Symposium, Technische Universität Istanbul, 23.5 - 25.5.1994, Istanbul.

EITZINGER, J., 1996 : Influences of Different Tillage Operation-Systems on selected Soil Physical Properties of a Silty-Loam Soil and on Simulation results using the CERES-Wheat Model.- Proceedings, 26th annual Crop simulation workshop, April 9-16, Fort Collins Colorado, USA.

WUTZL, C., O. BAUMGARTNER, J. EITZINGER, H. SCHWARZ und B. WIMMER, 1996 : Ertragsbildung bei Sojabohne im Trockengebiet - Empirische Daten und Simulation.- Proceedings, 40.Jahrestagung d. Ges. f. Pflanzenbauwissenschaften, Giessen, 26.-28. Sept. 1996.

EITZINGER, J., C. WUTZL, V. CAJIC, und B. WIMMER, 1996 : The sensitivity of crop models for soybean on model input parameters at the north-eastern part of Austria.- Proceedings, 12th Biometeorological Congress of Czech and Slowakian Republic, Brno, 11-14 Sept. 1996.

Title : Agrometeorological investigations on growth and yield of tea in Sri Lanka.

Partners : Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka (Dr. Ananda ANANDACOOMARASWAMY); Technical University of Peradeniya (Prof. Dr. T.D.M.A. SAMUEL)

The yield of tea depends on various factors in a complex manner like in the case of other crops. Firstly: local climatic and soil factors and production techniques and secondly: the relative sensitivity of genotypes to macro- and micro-environmental variations are the governing factors for the yield. A great variety of climatic factors naturally exist in the highland tea region of Sri Lanka. Knowing the specific impact of these abiotic components, and their interactions, on the production of biomass can help the planning of production techniques and the yield expectations. Particularly in a highly topographically different terrain like the Sri Lanka highlands, where precipitation due to monsoon rains, solar radiation and cloudiness are drastically different, both knowledge of the variability of these factors and their impact on tea growth is essential. Dynamic growth models to consider the effect of these parameters for yield and growth exist for many crops, however, very poor for the tea plant.Therefore the variability of climatic factors and their impact on the growth and yield of tea in 3 different locations in Sri Lanka are investigated. From the increased understanding of how climate and weather influence the development and yield of tea an attempt is made to model the effects of these variables on the growth processes and yield distribution of tea during the year.

EITZINGER, J., 1996 : First results on agrometeorological investigations and modelling of the tea crop growth in Sri Lanka.- Internat. Workshop "Agrometeorology of Tea Production" , Univ. f. Bodenkultur, 10.-12. März 1996.

EITZINGER, J. and A. ANANDACOOMARASWAMY, 1997 : Modelling the growth and yield of tea (Camellia sinensis L.) in Sri Lanka.- Proceedings, IMACS/IFAC Second Internat. Symposium on Mathematical Modelling and Simulation in Agricultural and Bio-Industries, Budapest, May 7-9 1997.

Title : Comparison of airborne and ground measurements of surface temperature and surface soil water content in crop fields.

Partners : Institute for Hydraulics and Rural Water management, BOKU, (Univ. Asst. Dipl. Ing. Gerhard KUBU); Geologische Bundesanstalt, (Dipl. Ing. Klaus MOTSCHKA)

Remote sensing techniques become more and more significant for various applications in Agricultural Hydrology due to technical development in sensoring and data handling. Information about soil surface characteristics in a high spatial resolution is important for a number of hydrological, agrometeorological and ecological aspects. In this case study, the agreement of ground based measurements with data of soil surface temperatures and soil water content (upper layers) recorded from a helicopter is investigated. The soil surface temperature, measured with an IR-sensor from a helicopter, showed clear differences between the various test fields due to different soil coverages and surface characteristics. The relative agreement with ground based measurements was good although differences in absolute values were found. The values of soil surface water content, measured on ground, showed significant variations, even within shortest distances. Airborne L-Band Measurements can give an overview of soil moisture distribution of the observed surfaces. To calculate absolute values of water content, additional information of the investigated surface area is necessary .

KUBU, G. and J. EITZINGER, 1997 : Surface soil moisture and temperature - a comparison of airborne and ground measurements.-Int. Symp. on Soil System Behaviour in Time and Space, Nov. 19-21 1997, Vienna; in : Communications of the Austrian Soil Science Society, H.55, 133-135.

The Marchfeld, a main arable production area north-east of the river Danube between the cities Vienna and Hainburg (Austria, Europe) is known for its special geologic and climatic conditions, especially as an area lacking sufficient water (precipitation and groundwater).An artifical cannel, the Marchfeld Canal, resembling a natural river of 18.8 km was built to carry up to 15 m³/s of water diverted from the Danube. It is supposed to increase the groundwater level, supply sufficient water for irrigation of agricultural areas and provide water to two small rivers. The aim of a simultaneously beginning research program was to show the development of this complex ecosystem and to describe the essential interactions. As a part of these research activities the thermal regime of the Marchfeld Canal was analysed. Water temperature and important atmospheric parameters were continuously recorded at several points along the canal during 1994-1997. Analysis of the results has shown that daily and annual temperatures rise within increasing distance from the Danube intake and that both weather and flow have a substantial influence on the thermal regime. The greatest correlation was found to exist on a monthly basis, with air temperature followed by global radiation, with the correlations becoming much less conspicuous for the daily values. The Schönungsteich pond with its relatively large still water surface may be considered as the boundary. About 75 percent of the total temperature rise or drop takes place down to that point. That means that over the first 3.5 km flow reach, the characteristics of the Danube water undergo a substantial thermal change.The regions with stagnant water exhibit much larger daily and annual water temperature curves than the flow reach.

EITZINGER, J., C. CSEKITS und H. FORMAYER, 1996 : Analyse des Wassertemperaturregimes im Marchfeldkanal - Teil 1 : Jahresverlauf der Wassertemperatur im Marchfeldkanal und die wichtigsten äußeren Einflußfaktoren.- Die österreichische Wasserwirtschaft, Jg. 48, Heft 4.

CSEKITS C., J. EITZINGER und H. FORMAYER, 1996 : Analyse des Wassertemperaturregimes im Marchfeldkanal - Teil 2 : Tagesverlauf der Wassertemperatur im Marchfeldkanal und die thermischen Unterschiede zwischen Fließstrecken sowie Bereichen mit ruhendem Wasser.- Die österreichische Wasserwirtschaft, Jg. 48, Heft 5.

EITZINGER J., 1995 : Endbericht über das Forschungsprojekt "Limnologie und Bioklimatologie/Marchfeldkanal". - Bericht des Institutes für Meteorologie und Physik, Universität für Bodenkultur.

CSEKITS, C., H. FORMAYER und J. EITZINGER, 1996 : Dauerregistrierung atmosphärischer Parameter und der Wassertemperaturen am Marchfeldkanal, Tabellen und Grafiken über alle Meßdaten.- Diverse Bände, Dokumentation des Institutes für Meteorologie und Physik.

Participants : Univ. Lektor Mag. Christian CSEKITS, Ing. Wieslaw MIKIELEWICZ, Univ. Asst. Mag. Dr. Philipp WEIHS, Mag. Stana SIMIC

Partners: Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, University Würzburg (Univ.Prof. Dr. M. RIEDERER, Univ.Doz. Dr. M. VEIT, Dipl. Biol. J. BAUMEISTER) - "Bayerisches Klimaforschungsprogramm BAYFORKLIM"

Life on earth is protected from ultraviolet radiation (UV) by an ozone layer within the stratosphere (20-50 km above the earth’s surface). Ozone is produced when solar radiation divides an oxygen molecule into two oxygen atoms. Although ozone is only a small percentage of the gaseous constituents, it is the only component that absorbs appreciably radiation below 300 nm. Any change in UV-B radiation resulting from ozone depletion will only concern a few percent of the total solar spectrum. The impact of this change is likely to be significant as these wavelengths are particularly biologically active. UV-B radiation can have effects on plant growth and development (for example changes in leaf area and morphology, alterations in fresh and dry weight, changes in assimilate partitioning) or on plant development (for instance changes in the timing of the switch from vegetative to reproductive growth). Therefore it can influence the competitive ecology between plant species and other organisms. Furthermore UV-B radiation has effects on photosynthesis like inhibition of chloroplast functions associated with CO₂ fixation, electron transport, photophosphorylation, changes in carbohydrate metabolism. UV-B induced gene expression is a complex phenomen and influenced by several factors: UV-B exposure may itself alter the plant morphology and pigment composition, thus affecting the UV-penetration or high photosynthetically active radiation is able to reduce the extent of UV-B induced damage. During field experiments in summer 1997 in Würzburg/Germany the interaction between different UV-radiation doses and flavonoid production of fababean (Vicia Faba) was investigated. The plants were placed at selected locations beneath and close by a beech forest, where a strong radiation gradient is obvious. Experiments were made with filters (that can absorb or reduce different wavelength ranges) in the open field in order to enable the simulation of many different radiation conditions. On the selected locations (different shaded) microclimatological measurements [for example spectral UV radiation (280-400 nm), UV-B radiation (280-320 nm), global radiation (300-3000nm), photosynthetically active radiation (400-700nm), air temperatur, etc.] were carried out by the Institute for Meteorology and Physics of the Agricultural University Vienna. The related physiological measurements (for instance determination of different morphological parameters, analysis of the flavonoid content in the epidermis, measurements of the leaf temperature, etc.) were done by the Department for Pharmaceutical Botany of the University Würzburg.

Spectral UV radiation (280-400 nm) beneath and close by a beech forest. Station 2,3: edge of the forest; Station 4,5: forest.

CSEKITS C., W. KLUG und M. BREYCHA, 1997: Strahlungsmessungen im Buchenwaldbestand und im Gewächshaus. Projektbericht 1996, Institut für Meteorologie und Physik, Universität für Bodenkultur Wien.

CSEKITS C., 1997: Dauerregistrierung atmosphärischer Parameter Würzburg- Botanischer Garten Referenzstation. Diverse Bände; Institut für Meteorologie und Physik, Universität für Bodenkultur Wien.