Allgemein

Feb

2023

Introduction to the Climate Landscapes Conference

In October, we organized the international online Climate Landscapes Conference. Here is the introduction from the organizers into the conference.

It is important to understand that carbon, water and energy cycles on land are closely linked. Restoring atmospheric and terrestrial water cycles in vegetation, soils, and the atmosphere is paramount to cooling the planet. This is the only way to stabilize precipitation patterns and prevent floods and droughts – locally, regionally and globally. For this, more vegetation, more fertile soils, and water retention in land use are essential.

In general, we need a paradigm shift that values the hydrological and climate-cooling effects of vegetation in general and forests in particular, in addition to their carbon sequestration potential. The effects of vegetation cover on climate offer benefits that need to be more widely recognized and require a systems approach to make agriculture, forestry, and water management resilient for the times ahead.

Cycles of carbon, water, and energy can be influenced by increasing soil fertility, more vegetation, and water retention. These include regenerative land management practices such as year-round vegetation cover through intercropping and undersowing, reduced tillage, large-scale establishment of agroforestry systems, creation of retention areas, climate-adaptive forest conversion, and management of pastures using holistic grazing management.

Feb

2023

Walter Jehne: Practically turning down the greenhouse to cool the Earth with 3 W/ m2 safely, profitably and in time – Climate Landscapes Conference

In October, we organized the international online Climate Landscapes Conference. Here is Walter Jehne’s presentation on »Practically turning down the greenhouse to cool the Earth with 3 W/ m2 safely, profitably and in time«.

It is important to understand that carbon, water and energy cycles on land are closely linked. Restoring atmospheric and terrestrial water cycles in vegetation, soils, and the atmosphere is paramount to cooling the planet. This is the only way to stabilize precipitation patterns and prevent floods and droughts – locally, regionally and globally. For this, more vegetation, more fertile soils, and water retention in land use are essential.

In general, we need a paradigm shift that values the hydrological and climate-cooling effects of vegetation in general and forests in particular, in addition to their carbon sequestration potential. The effects of vegetation cover on climate offer benefits that need to be more widely recognized and require a systems approach to make agriculture, forestry, and water management resilient for the times ahead.

Cycles of carbon, water, and energy can be influenced by increasing soil fertility, more vegetation, and water retention. These include regenerative land management practices such as year-round vegetation cover through intercropping and undersowing, reduced tillage, large-scale establishment of agroforestry systems, creation of retention areas, climate-adaptive forest conversion, and management of pastures using holistic grazing management.

Feb

2023

Climate Landscapes Conference ’22 – Ophelia Nick, Greeting words

In October, we organized the international online Climate Landscapes Conference. Here are the opening words of Dr. Ophelia Nick, State Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture in Germany.

It is important to understand that carbon, water and energy cycles on land are closely linked. Restoring atmospheric and terrestrial water cycles in vegetation, soils, and the atmosphere is paramount to cooling the planet. This is the only way to stabilize precipitation patterns and prevent floods and droughts – locally, regionally and globally. For this, more vegetation, more fertile soils, and water retention in land use are essential.

In general, we need a paradigm shift that values the hydrological and climate-cooling effects of vegetation in general and forests in particular, in addition to their carbon sequestration potential. The effects of vegetation cover on climate offer benefits that need to be more widely recognized and require a systems approach to make agriculture, forestry, and water management resilient for the times ahead.

Cycles of carbon, water, and energy can be influenced by increasing soil fertility, more vegetation, and water retention. These include regenerative land management practices such as year-round vegetation cover through intercropping and undersowing, reduced tillage, large-scale establishment of agroforestry systems, creation of retention areas, climate-adaptive forest conversion, and management of pastures using holistic grazing management.

Feb

2023

Amazon deforestation may shrink Himalayan snow and Antarctic ice

Changes in temperature and precipitation due to rapid deforestation in the Amazon rainforest could have effects as far away as the Tibetan plateau and Antarctica, researcher found

“Rapid deforestation of the Amazon rainforest could influence the temperature and precipitation over the Tibetan plateau 15,000 kilometres away. Saini Yang at Beijing Normal University in China and her colleagues analysed global climatological data from 1979 to 2019 to identify correlations in temperature and precipitation between the Amazon rainforest and other areas. Such links are called “teleconnections”. They focused on the Amazon rainforest in particular because of its significance as a major carbon sink and as a climatic “tipping point” that could see forest turn to savannah beyond a certain threshold of warming and human-driven deforestation. The researchers found that since 1979, warm temperatures in the Amazon correlated with warm temperatures over the Tibetan plateau and the West Antarctic ice sheet; more precipitation in the Amazon was associated with less precipitation in those regions.”

Source

Jan

2023

Thinking the Economy from the Soil Up – Panel mit Jan-Gisbert Schultze, Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Stefan Schwarzer | DLD 23

We had the opportunity at the DLD conference in Munich a few days ago to show the importance of soil and vegetation as an economic basis for all our lives, but also as an importance for healthy food and the climate (or climate cooling) (here the link to the panel recording). The panel exchange was unfortunately only short, but the feedback – especially interesting because a very different audience than usual – was super.

Jan

2023

Proverb from Hawaii: “The rain follows after the forest”

Interesting saying from Hawaii:

Hahai no ka ua i ka ulula’au

which means:

“The rain follows after the forest”

Oct

2022

Trees, forests and water: Cool insights for a hot world

Forests and trees must be recognized as prime regulators within the water, energy and carbon cycles.” – David Ellison and Jan Pokorny, authors of this article, will be speaking on our Climate Landscapes Conference, https://climate-landscapes.org, starting today. Learn more about the potentials of #vegetation, #soils and #watercycles to cool the climate! Register now: https://climate-landscapes.org

Oct

2022

Climate Landscapes Conference starts in a few hours

In a few hours we start our Climate Landscapes Conference, https://climate-landscapes.org. We’ll bring together scientists and practitioners from around the world under the (sub)title “Working with plants, soils and water to cool the climate and rehydrate Earth’s landscapes“. Come and join us!

Rising temperatures and weather extremes such as droughts and floods threaten the Earth and the human population, besides biodiversity loss, land degradation and other major issues. However, it seems we have a solution for many of these issues right before us: We can work with plants, soils and water to cool the climate and rehydrate and restore Earth’s landscapes.

With our “Climate Landscapes Conference“, we want to draw attention to the interrelationships and potentials of vegetation, soils, water and climate to cool the climate and rehydrate earth’s landscapes. A combination of scientific presentations, enterprise engagements and best practices will show

the interrelationships between vegetation, soils, water & climate,
the enormous potentials of ecosystemically oriented land- and appropriately designed water management for and with agriculture, forestry and settlement planning,
the associated positive effects on biodiversity, land restoration, the health of soils, nutrition and improved climate adaptation.

Our conference aims to provide a forum for people from different fields of science, practice, politics, administration, business and media. You will have the chance to learn about the interwoven natural relationships from world-renowned speakers and participants, discuss the appropriate solutions, create new networks and find ways for the next urgent steps.

For more information and registration please check out our website, https://climate-landscapes.org.

Oct

2022

Agenda »Climate Landscapes Conference« 18.-19.10.2022

Check out the updated agenda for our Climate Landscapes Conference, https://climate-landscapes.org, starting today! Really looking nice, with great presentations and room for exchange and discussion.

Oct

2022

The cycles of carbon, water and energy are closely coupled

Nature can’t be seen and analyzed linearily. It’s always more complex. That’s why we must look at how the cycles of carbon, water and energy are closely coupled. Here is a draft sketch of mine to show this.

Tomorrow, 18/10/22, the Climate Landscapes Conference, https://climate-landscapes.org, will look into this in more detail. Come and join us!

And check out my presentation “Planting water”.

Oct

2022

Climate Landscapes Conference starts tomorrow, 18.10.2022

Countdown for our Climate Landscapes Conference, https://climate-landscapes.org, with one day to go. We’ll bring together scientists and practitioners from around the world under the (sub)title “Working with plants, soils and water to cool the climate and rehydrate Earth’s landscapes“. Come and join us!

the interrelationships between vegetation, soils, water & climate,
the enormous potentials of ecosystemically oriented land- and appropriately designed water management for and with agriculture, forestry and settlement planning,
the associated positive effects on biodiversity, land restoration, the health of soils, nutrition and improved climate adaptation.

For more information and registration please check out our website.

Oct

2022

Root functioning modifies seasonal climate

Very interesting:

Model results show that photosynthesis and evapotranspiration increase significantly in the Amazon during the dry season when plants are allowed to redistribute soil water. Plants draw water up and deposit it into the surface layers, and this water subsidy sustains transpiration at rates that deep roots alone cannot accomplish. The water used for dry season transpiration is from the deep storage layers in the soil, recharged during the previous wet season. We estimate that hydraulic redistribution (HR) increases dry season (July to November) transpiration by ~40% over the Amazon. Our model also indicates that such an increase in transpiration over the Amazon and other drought-stressed regions affects the seasonal cycles of temperature through changes in latent heat, thereby establishing a direct link between plant root functioning and climate.

And, hey, join us for the Climate Landscapes Conference, 18.-19.10.2022.

Oct

2022

The rainforest’s water pump

It’s (almost) all about forests and water: An investigation of naturally occurring water recycling in rainforests finally marries the results of global climate models with observations. Alarmingly, it also suggests that deforestation can greatly reduce tropical rainfall.

Join us next week for much more insights in our Climate Landscapes Conference.

Oct

2022

Agenda for Climate Landscapes Conference, 18.-19.10.2022, online

We have reworked the agenda for our upcoming Climate Landscapes Conference. We have over 20 fascinating speakers lined up, all with deep knowledge in their fields, showing you how vegetation, soils, water & climate are interconnected, and how we can successfully cool the climate and rehydrate Earth’s landscapes. Don’t miss these incredible insights for creating a better world!

Oct

2022

Climate Landscapes Conference, 18.-19.10.2022, online

Under the (sub)title “Working with plants, soils and water to cool the climate and rehydrate Earth’s landscapes” we are inviting you to the upcoming online Climate Landscapes Conference, 18.-19.10.2022.

the interrelationships between vegetation, soils, water & climate,
the enormous potentials of ecosystemically oriented land- and appropriately designed water management for and with agriculture, forestry and settlement planning,
the associated positive effects on biodiversity, land restoration, the health of soils, nutrition and improved climate adaptation.

For more information and registration please check out our website.

Oct

2022

Water in Plain Sight – Missing the Water for the Trees. Judith Schwartz

Judith Schwartz’ book “Water in Plain Sight” is a really great read on all these interconnections between vegetation, soil, water, atmosphere and climate. If you haven’t read it yet, go for it.

The publisher agreed to make available the chapter “Missing the Water for the Trees” in PDF format, as this subject becomes more and more attention, and is so important for cooling the climate. So, here you go with the chapter. Enjoy!

And join as at the Climate Landscapes Conference, online, 18.-19.10.2022 in order to learn from experts from various fields and discuss with others.

Sep

2022

Climate Landscapes Conference, 18.-19.10.2022, Online

Rising temperatures and weather extremes such as droughts and floods threaten the Earth and the human population, besides biodiversity loss, land degradation and other major issues. However, it seems we have a solution for many of these issues right before us: We can work with plants, soils and water to cool the climate and rehydrate and restore Earth’s landscapes.

the interrelationships between vegetation, soils, water & climate,
the enormous potentials of ecosystemically oriented land- and appropriately designed water management for and with agriculture, forestry and settlement planning,
the associated positive effects on biodiversity, land restoration, the health of soils, nutrition and improved climate adaptation.

For more information and registration please check out our website.

Aug

2022

Hydrolic lift – roots pump up water to store in the soil

Roots can help to hydrate landscapes and decrease wildfire risk: “In the semi-arid climate of the Great Basin in Utah, sagebrush grows in loam-skeleton soil, soil that sits on beds of alluvial gravel. Two ecologists, Richards and Caldwell set out to measure experimentally the hydraulic lift hypothesis – that is the assumption, that the roots of the trees bring up groundwater and spread it forth into the upper soil layer. They found that the sagebrush’s roots were indeed bringing up groundwater and spreading it around to the surrounding soil. And not only that, when they put a special isotope of water around the sagebrushes roots, they found that that isotope then spread to neighboring plants. It was curious tree behavior because one might think a tree would keep all its water to itself, and not pass any into the surrounding soil, or to other trees. Rather the ecosystem seemed to be in a state of cooperation, passing the water around to keep all species hydrated. If the whole ecosystem survives better then individual species do too. Its the concept of group selection. […] Her team calculated that a quarter of trees and shrubs in the US regularly tap into the bedrock layer for water, and in California and Texas over 50% of the groundwater used by trees comes from the bedrock layer.”

Aug

2022

Healthy coral reefs produce clouds and precipitation

Fascinating: “Coral reefs produce a volatile substance called dimethylsulphide or DMS which oxidizes in the atmosphere to produce cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). These are tiny sulphur aerosol particles around which water vapor condenses to form clouds, and lead to precipitation. Yet Jones has discovered that even a slight rise in ocean temperatures could affect this natural process, making climate change a significant threat to clouds (and precipitation) seeded by coral reefs. What this suggests is that fewer CCN (cloud condensation nuclei) are produced over coral reefs during high sea surface temperatures and so cloud cover could be expected to be lower or non-existent during high seas surface temperatures. This is a feedback system where the warmer temperatures decrease cloud cover through shutting down the coral’s production of DMS, which in turn further warms the ocean since more sunlight reaches the sea surface. Once the sea surface temperatures exceed the coral’s tolerance level, the corals suffer bleaching, which leads to wide-spread coral stress and even mortality.

Aug

2022

Re-greening a Dryland Watershed

Really impressive: The installation of thousands of rock detention structures in the Turkey Pen Watershed, of the Chiricahua Mountains in SE Arizona, provided a 30-year case study to consider low tech and low-cost Natural Infrastructure in dryland watersheds. The USGS systematic study, through observation and experiment, offers verifiable data that documents their efficacy as a Nature-based Solution, that can provide climate adaptation and mitigation benefits here in the Chiricahua Mountains and beyond.