Recent estimates have confirmed that inland waters emit a considerable amount of CH4 and CO2 to the atmosphere at the regional and global scale. But these estimates are based on extrapolated measured data and lack of data from inland waters in arid and semi-arid regions and carbon sources from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) as well insufficient resolution of the spatiotemporal variability of these emissions. Through this study, we analyzed monthly hydrological, meteorological and water quality data from three irrigation and drinking water reservoirs in the lower Jordan River basin and estimated the atmospheric emission rates of CO2. We investigated the effect of WWTPs on surrounding aquatic systems in term of CH4 and CO2 emission by presenting seasonally resolved data for dissolved concentrations of both gases in the effluents and in the receiving streams at nine WWTPs in Germany. We investigated spatiotemporal variability of CH4 and CO2 emission from aquatic ecosystems by using of simple low-cost tools for measuring CO2 flux and bubble release rate from freshwater systems. Our estimates showed that reservoirs in semi-arid regions are oversaturated with CO2 and acted as net sources to the atmosphere. The magnitude of observed fluxes at the three water reservoirs in Jordan is comparable to those from tropical reservoirs (3.3 g CO2 m-2 d-1). The CO2 emission rate from these reservoirs is linked to changes of water surface area, which is the result of water management practices. WWTPs have been shown to discharge a considerable amount of CH4 (30.9±40.7 kg yr-1) and CO2 (0.06±0.05 Gg yr-1) to their surrounding streams, and emission rates of CH4 and CO2 from these streams are significantly enhanced by effluents of WWTPs up to 1.2 and 8.6 times, respectively. Our results showed that both diffusive flux and bubble release rate varied in time and space, and both of emission pathways should be included and variability should be resolved adequately in further sampling and measuring strategies. We conclude that future emission measurements and estimates from inland waters may consider water management practices, carbon sources from WWTPs as well spatial and temporal variability of emission.

In the present study the flora and vegetation of Kakamega Forest, an East African rainforest in Western Kenya, was investigated. Kakamega Forest is highly degraded and fragmented and is an ideal model to study the anthropogenic influence on the forest inventory. The main focus was to analyse the influence of human impact on the vascular plant species composition. During five field phases in the years 2001 to 2004 a total of 19 study sites scattered over the whole forest including all fragments were investigated regarding forest structure, species composition and plant communities. The different forest sites were analysed by three different methods, phytosociological relevés, line-transect and with the variable-area transect method. The forest survey revealed about 400 taxa of vascular plant species, among them 112 trees, 62 shrubs, 58 climbers and 114 herbs. Several species are restricted to this forest in Kenya, but only one endemic species, the herb Commelina albiflora, could be discovered. About 15 species were recorded as new for Kenya and probably at least one species is new to science. Kakamega Forest is a unique mixture of Guineo-Congolian and Afromontane floral elements. About one half of the vascular plant species has its origin in the lowland forests of the Congo basin and one third originates from Afromontane habitats. The present study represents the first description of plant communities of Kakamega Forest. An analysis of different forest sites and plantations resulted in 17 different vegetation units. For the mature forest sites eleven plant communities were described. The young succession stage consists of two plant communities. Since the disturbance history and the age of the different plant communities could be estimated, their chronology was also described. An exception are the study sites within the plantations and afforested sites. The four defined vegetation units were not described as plant communities, because they are highly affected by man and do not belong to the natural succession of Kakamega Forest. Nevertheless, the regeneration potential of such forests was investigated. Due to the different succession stages the changing species composition along a disturbance gradient could be analysed. Most of Kakamega Forest consists of middle-aged secondary forest often surrounded by very young secondary forest. A true primary rainforest could not be found due the massive influence by over-exploitation. In all parts of the forest the anthropogenic influence could be observed. The forest develops towards a climax stage, but a 2 Abstract comparison with former surveys shows that the regeneration is much slower than expected. Human impact has to be avoided to allow the forest to develop into a primary-like rainforest. But several climax tree species might be missing anyway, because after the broad logging activities in the past there are not enough seed trees remaining. Species richness was highest in disturbed forest sites. A mixture of pioneer, climax and bushland species could be recorded there. Therefore, a high species richness is not a suitable indicator for forest quality. The proportion of climax species typical for Kakamega Forest would be a better measure. Compared to the main forest block the forest fragments do not lack in diversity as expected due to fragmentation processes. Instead, the only near primary forest could be recorded in Kisere, a northern fragment. The high amount of climax species and the more or less undisturbed forest structure is a result of the strict protection by the Kenya Wildlife Service and due to low logging activities. Differences in species composition between the studied forest sites are either a result of the different logging history or management regime rather than due to different edaphic or climatic conditions.

Während es eine Vielzahl von Arbeiten zu der technologischen Entwicklung im Bereich der erneuerbaren Energien gibt, fehlt es jedoch bislang an einer mikroökonomischen Analyse der Verhaltensmuster der Akteure im Umfeld von Anlagen nach dem EEG. Als Akteure kommen hier in erster Linie der Anlagenbetreiber selbst und der Staat in Betracht. Im Hinblick auf Anlagenbetrieb und Vergütung der erzeugten Energie können beide mit unterschiedlichsten Interessen und Nutzenkalkülen aufeinander treffen. Diese Arbeit untersucht mikroökonomische Aspekte des EEG-Förderungssystems. Im Mittelpunkt der Betrachtung stehen die Förderungsmechanismen für Biogasanlagen, die im Hinblick auf mögliche Prinzipal-Agenten-Konflikte einer Untersuchung unterzogen werden.

Die vorliegende Arbeit geht der Frage nach, wie sich Teilhabe und Inklusion von Menschen mit Lernschwierigkeiten in der allgemeinem Erwachsenenbildung realisieren lassen und was wesentliche Elemente und Rahmenbedingungen einer inklusiven Erwachsenenbildung mit Menschen mit Lernschwierigkeiten sind. Menschen mit Lernschwierigkeiten haben ein gesetzlich verankertes Recht auf Teilhabe an inklusiver Erwachsenenbildung. Inklusive Erwachsenenbildung bezeichnet gemäß der UN-BRK die Teilnahme und Partizipation auch von Menschen mit Lernschwierigkeiten an allgemeiner Erwachsenenbildung, im Vordergrund steht das gemeinsame Lernen im regulären Programm allgemeiner Erwachsenenbildungseinrichtungen. In der Aufarbeitung des theoretischen Diskurses und der praktischen Realisierung inklusiver Erwachsenenbildung zeigt sich allerdings, dass das Erwachsenenbildungsangebot für diese Personengruppe und die Möglichkeiten der Teilhabe am allgemeinen Erwachsenenbildungssystem in Deutschland eingeschränkt sind. Umfassende Praxismodelle inklusiver Erwachsenenbildung sind erst in Ansätzen vorhanden, auch die Rahmenbedingungen gelingender inklusiver Erwachsenenbildung wurden kaum systematisch aufgearbeitet. Somit gilt es, für den Bereich der Erwachsenenbildung Konzepte zu entwickeln, die den Abbau von Barrieren und die Förderung von gleichberechtigter Teilhabe und Inklusion unterstützen. Es ist davon auszugehen, dass die Kenntnis von wesentlichen Elementen und Rahmenbedingungen allgemeine Erwachsenenbildungseinrichtungen bei der Implementierung und Weiterentwicklung inklusiv gestalteter Erwachsenenbildung unterstützen und somit die Teilhabemöglichkeiten für Menschen mit Lernschwierigkeiten gezielt erweitern kann. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist deshalb die Erhebung und Beschreibung von wesentlichen Elementen und Rahmenbedingungen inklusiver Erwachsenenbildung. Da es in Deutschland an Erfahrungswerten sowie der systematischen Ausarbeitung notwendiger Realisierungsbedingungen inklusiver Erwachsenenbildung mangelt, richtet die vorliegende Arbeit ihren Blick in einem zweiten Schritt auf die ‚Inspiring Practice’ anderer Länder. In einer empirischen qualitativ- explorativen Studie in elf Erwachsenenbildungseinrichtungen und -institutionen Englands werden mit Hilfe von 55 Leitfadeninterviews wesentliche Elemente und Rahmenbedingungen aus Sicht der beteiligten Akteure erhoben und ausgewertet. Flankiert durch teilnehmende Beobachtungen, Dokumentenanalysen und Gespräche liefern die Ergebnisse zugleich einen Einblick in die praktische Umsetzung inklusiver Erwachsenenbildung in England. Die Wahl fiel auf England, weil in diesem europäischen Land inklusive Erwachsenenbildung bereits seit den 1990er Jahren als fester Bestandteil des Bildungssystems verankert ist und umfängliche Erfahrungen gesammelt werden konnten. Aus der Analyse dieser Erfahrungswerte werden in der Diskussion und Zusammenschau mit theoretischen Überlegungen und praktischen Umsetzungen richtungsweisende Impulse für die Weiterentwicklung der inklusiven Erwachsenenbildung in Deutschland abgeleitet und in einem Perspektivkonzept einer inklusiven Erwachsenenbildung zusammengefasst.

The basic assumption of this study is that specific cultural conditions may lead to psychopathological reactions through which an increase in interpersonal violence may happen. The objective of this study was to define to what extent homicide rates across national cultures might be associated with the strength of their attitudes toward specific beliefs and values, and their scores in specific cultural dimensions. To answer this question, nine independent variables were defined six of which were related to the people- attitudes pertaining importance of religion (Religiosity), excessive feeling of choice and control (Omnipotence), clear-cut distinction between good and evil (Absolutism), proud of their nationality (Nationalism), approval of competition (Competitiveness), and high respect for authorities and emphasis on obedience (Authoritarianism). The data for these variables were collected from World Values Survey. For two cultural dimensions, Collectivism, and Power Distance, Hofstede- scores were used. The 9th variable was GNI per capita. After estimation of 7% missing values in the whole data through multiple imputation, a sample of 81 nations was used for further statistical analyses. Results: Stepwise regression analysis indicated Omnipotence and GNI as the strongest predictors of homicide (β = .44 P = .000; β = -.27 P = .006 respectively). The 9 independent variables were loaded on two factors, socio-economic development (SED) and psycho-cultural factor (Psy-Cul), which were negatively correlated (-.47). The Psy-Cul was interpreted as an indicator of narcissism, and a mediator between SED and homicide. Hierarchical cluster analysis made a clear distinction among three main groups of Western, Developing, and post-Communist nations on the basis of the two factors.