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Purpose of Review: Increasing the diversity of commercial tree plantations is a promising approach to adapt forests to climate change, but it may complicate management. Here, we evaluate stakeholders’ perspectives about tree-species diversity in plantations and explore policy alternatives to make mixed plantations a viable strategy for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Recent Findings: Current evidence shows that improving the diversity of tree species in plantations can be a viable, scalable, and economically accessible strategy for sustainable wood production and reconciling economic and environmental benefits. Tree diversity is particularly important in the context of global environmental changes and associated increases in abiotic and biotic stresses, such as severe droughts and pest outbreaks. Even though there is substantial scientific evidence supporting mixed-tree plantations, most forest plantations globally are still conventional monocultures. Summary: Our findings (i) describe the geographical distribution of publications investigating human perspectives about forest plantation diversity; (ii) build understanding of how political engagement and governance systems can support forest initiatives on forest conservation, management, and restoration; and (iii) demonstrate how these perspectives can create possibilities and opportunities for sustainable development in forestry. We conclude that new strategies will only be widely applied if there is political and institutional interest, particularly in strengthening land-governance systems.

Klimawandel und Biodiversitätsverlust sowie Verstädterung und demografischer Wandel haben tiefgreifende Auswirkungen auf Städte und ihre Ökosysteme und damit auf die Lebensbedingungen der Mehrheit der Menschheit. Die Geschwindigkeit des Wandels und die Dringlichkeit der Folgen macht Umweltmonitoring zu einem potentiell interessanten Tool für nachhaltige und resiliente Stadtentwicklung. Der erste Artikel gibt einen Überblick über den aktuellen Stand der Fernerkundung in Bezug auf Stadtökologie und zeigt, dass Fernerkundung relevant für nachhaltige Stadtplanung ist. Es bestehen jedoch bestehen Mängel, da viele Studien nicht direkt umsetzbar sind. Der zweite Artikel zeigt, dass eine wachsende Stadt Möglichkeiten für den Ausbau der grünen Infrastruktur bieten kann. Im dritten Artikel wird untersucht, wie sich die städtische Dichte auf die Bereitstellung von Ökosystemdienstleistungen der grünen Infrastruktur auswirkt. Es wird gezeigt, dass eine hohe Siedlungsdichte nicht zwangsläufig zu einem geringeren Biodiversitätspotenzial oder einer geringeren Kühlkapazität führt. Allerdings sind dicht bebaute Gebiete mit geringer Vegetationsbedeckung besonders auf grüne Infrastruktur angewiesen. Der vierte Artikel befasst sich mit der Frage, wie naturbasierte Lösungen durch eine bessere Vernetzung der Beteiligten gestärkt werden können. Auf der Grundlage einer gezielten Literaturrecherche über Informationstechnologie zur Unterstützung sozial-ökologischer Systeme wird ein Instrument zur Entscheidungshilfe entwickelt. Dieses kombiniert ökologische und soziale Indikatoren, um Klimawandeladaption in Übereinstimmung mit den sozio-ökologischen Bedingungen entwickeln zu können. Der fünfte Artikel bietet eine grundsätzliche Perspektive zur Unterstützung der städtischen Nachhaltigkeit, die auf dem ökologischen-Trait Konzept basiert. Zusammen bieten die fünf Artikel Wege für die Fernerkundungswissenschaft und die angewandte Raumplanung für nachhaltige und resiliente Entwicklungen in Städten. Climate change and biodiversity loss, as well as urbanisation and demographic change, are major global challenges of the 21st century. These trends have profound impacts on cities and their ecosystems and thus on the living conditions of the majority of humanity. This raises the need for timely environmental monitoring supporting sustainable and resilient urban developments. The first article is an overview of the state of the art of remote sensing science in relation to urban ecology. The review found that remote sensing can contribute to sustainable urban policy, still insufficiencies remain as many studies are not directly actionable. The second article shows that a growing city can provide opportunities for an increase in green infrastructure. Here, remote sensing is used for long-term analysis of land-use in relation to urban forms in Berlin. The third article examines how urban density affects ecosystem service provision of urban green infrastructure. It is shown that residential density does not necessarily lead to poor biodiversity potential or cooling capacity. However, dense areas with low vegetation cover are particularly dependent on major green infrastructure. The fourth article explores ways to reinforce nature-based solutions by better connecting and informing stakeholders. Based on a focussed literature review on information technology supporting urban social-ecological systems, a decision support tool is developed. The tool combines indicators based on ecological diversity and performance with population density and vulnerability. This way, climate change adaptation can be developed in accordance with socio-ecological conditions. The concluding fifth article offers an outlook on a larger framework in support of urban sustainability, based on the ecological trait concept. Together the five research papers provide pathways for urban remote sensing science and applied spatial planning that can support sustainable and resilient developments in cities.

Demand for sustainably produced biomass is expected to increase with the need to provide renewable commodities, improve resource security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with COP26 commitments. Studies have demonstrated additional environmental benefits of using perennial biomass crops (PBCs), when produced appropriately, as a feedstock for the growing bioeconomy, including utilisation for bioenergy (with or without carbon capture and storage). PBCs can potentially contribute to Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) (2023–27) objectives provided they are carefully integrated into farming systems and landscapes. Despite significant research and development (R&D) investment over decades in herbaceous and coppiced woody PBCs, deployment has largely stagnated due to social, economic and policy uncertainties. This paper identifies the challenges in creating policies that are acceptable to all actors. Development will need to be informed by measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of greenhouse gas emissions reductions and other environmental, economic and social metrics. It discusses interlinked issues that must be considered in the expansion of PBC production: (i) available land; (ii) yield potential; (iii) integration into farming systems; (iv) R&D requirements; (v) utilisation options; and (vi) market systems and the socio-economic environment. It makes policy recommendations that would enable greater PBC deployment: (1) incentivise farmers and land managers through specific policy measures, including carbon pricing, to allocate their less productive and less profitable land for uses which deliver demonstrable greenhouse gas reductions; (2) enable greenhouse gas mitigation markets to develop and offer secure contracts for commercial developers of verifiable low-carbon bioenergy and bioproducts; (3) support innovation in biomass utilisation value chains; and (4) continue long-term, strategic R&D and education for positive environmental, economic and social sustainability impacts.

Klimawandel und Bodendegradation üben Druck auf die Nahrungsmittelproduktion sowie auf die Fähigkeit des Bodens zur Minderung des Klimawandels beizutragen aus. Bodendegradation hat negative Auswirkungen auf die Bodenqualität. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist die Analyse der Effekte von landwirtschaftlich getriebener Bodendegradation, vor allem durch Pflügen und dem Umgang mit Ernterückständen. Es wird ein Überblick über das Thema Bodendegradation gegeben, gefolgt von Erweiterung des globalen Ökosystemmodells Lund-Potsdam-Jena-managed-Land (LPJmL) um eine detaillierte Prozessabbildung von Pflugpraktiken und Effekten von Ernterückständen. Diese ermöglicht die Analyse der Effekten von landwirtschaftlichen Managements auf die Anpassung und Minderung des Klimawandel. Das Modell kann die Effekte von naturerhaltender landwirtschaftlicher Bewirtschaftung (im Englischen bekannt als Conservation Agriculture) auf Kohlenstoffvorräte im Boden und CO2 Emissionen simulieren. Im letzten Teil wird die historische Dynamik der Entwicklung von Bodenkohlenstoff (engl.: Soil Organic Carbon – SOC) und die Effekte von Annahmen zum zukünftigen Management unter unterschiedlichen Klimaszenarien gezeigt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass durch die historische Umwandlung von natürlicher Vegetation zu landwirtschaftlicher Fläche bis zu 215 Pg SOC im Boden verloren gegangen sind. Bis zum Ende des Jahrhunderts könnten weitere 38 Pg SOC zusätzlich verloren gehen, wird die heutige landwirtschaftliche Fläche nicht nachhaltig bewirtschaften. Die Bewirtschaftung mit dem Pflug zeigt einen geringen Einfluss auf die Kohlenstoffvorräte des Bodens, während die Wahl der Behandlung von Ernterückständen erheblich Einfluss hat. Die Rückführung von Ernterückständen hat positive Einflüsse auf Bodenwassergehalt und Ernteproduktivität, mit regionalen Unterschieden. Insgesamt zeigen 46% der heute Landwirtschaftsfläche das Potenzial zur Steigerung des Bodenkohlenstoff, während mindestens 52% Kohlenstoff im Boden verlieren könnten. Climate change and increasing soil degradation put pressure on the global food production systems and the ability of land for climate change mitigation. Additionally, soil degradation has negative implications on soil quality. This thesis analyzes the effects of agricultural-driven global soil degradation, in particular tillage and residue management. At first, a review the state of knowledge on global soil degradation is provided. Soil organic carbon (SOC) decline is one of the major forms of soil degradation on cropland and a useful indicator of the status of soil degradation. Secondly, to study the effects of different pathways of agricultural management on biophysical and biogeochemical flows, the global ecosystem model Lund-Potsdam-Jena managed Land (LPJmL) is extended by a detailed representation of tillage practices and residue management. This improvement of LPJmL allows for the analysis of management-related effects on agricultural mitigation of climate change adaption and the reduction of environmental impacts. The model can simulate the effects of conservation practices on SOC stocks and CO2 emissions. And third, SOC development and the effects of different management assumptions under climate change is analyzed. This shows that approximately 215 Pg SOC was lost due to the historical conversion of natural land to cropland and up to 38 Pg SOC could be additionally lost on already existing cropland until the end of the century if cropland is not managed sustainably. The type of tillage system has small effects on the SOC stocks, while the choice of crop residue treatment is shown to be the main driver governing SOC development. Returning residues to the soil slows the decline of SOC, and positively affects soil moisture and crop productivity, with regional differences. In total, up to 46% of todays’ cropland shows the potential for SOC increase, while at least 52% of cropland today will undergo further SOC loss as a form of soil degradation.

Miscanthus, a C4 perennial rhizomatous grass from Asia is a leading candidate for the supply of sustainable biomass needed to grow the bioeconomy. European Miscanthus breeding programmes have recently produced a new range of seeded hybrids with the objective of increasing scalability to large acreages limited by current clonal propagation. For the EU-GRACE project, new replicated field trials were established in seven locations across Europe in 2018 with eight intraspecific M. sinensis hybrids (sin × sin) and six M. sacchariflorus × M. sinensis (sac × sin) from Dutch and UK breeding programmes, respectively, with clonal Miscanthus × giganteus. The planting density of the sin × sin was double that of sac × sin (30,000 & 15,000 plants ha−1), creating commercially relevant upscaling comparisons between systems. Over the first 3 years, the establishment depended on location and hybrid. The mature sin × sin hybrids formed tight tufts of shoots up to 2.5 m tall which flower and senesce earlier than the taller sac × sin hybrids. Following the third growing season, the highest yields were recorded in Northern Italy at a low altitude (average 13.7 (max 21) Mg DM ha−1) and the lowest yielding was on the industrially damaged marginal land site in Northern France (average 7.0 (max 10) Mg DM ha−1). Moisture contents at spring harvest were lowest in Croatia (21.7%) and highest in Wales, UK (41.6%). Overall, lower moisture contents at harvest, which are highly desirable for transport, storage and for most end-use applications, were found in sin × sin hybrids than sac × sin (30% and 40%, respectively). Yield depended on climate interactions with the hybrid and their associated planting systems. The sin × sin hybrids appeared better adapted to northern Europe and sac × sin hybrids to southern Europe. Longer-term yield observations over crop lifespans will be needed to explore the biological (yield persistence) and economic costs and benefits of the different hybrid systems.

Financial advisers recommend a diverse portfolio to respond to market fluctuations across sectors. Similarly, nature has evolved a diverse portfolio of species to maintain ecosystem function amid environmental fluctuations. In urban planning, public health, transport and communications, food production, and other domains, however, this feature often seems ignored. As we enter an era of unprecedented turbulence at the planetary level, we argue that ample responses to this new reality — that is, response diversity — can no longer be taken for granted and must be actively designed and managed. We describe here what response diversity is, how it is expressed and how it can be enhanced and lost.

Die Hintergründe für das wachsende Interesse an Zweinutzungshühnern sind vielschichtig und reichen vom Verbot der Tötung männlicher Küken aus Legelinien über Wünsche zur allgemeinen Verbesserung des Tierwohls, der Erhaltung der genetischen Biodiversität bis hin zu einer verbesserten Nachhaltigkeit der Produktion. Das Projekt "ZweiWert" hat zum Ziel, ein regionales Netzwerk von Akteur*innen zu schaffen, um die Wertschöpfungskette für Zweinutzungshühner in Baden-Württemberg zu etablieren. Im Anschluss an eine Status-Quo- und Potenzialanalyse der landwirtschaftlichen Erzeugung von Zweinutzungshühnern soll ein Netzwerk entlang der Wertschöpfungskette aufgebaut und langfristig ein Clusterstelle geschafft werden, sodass eine nachhaltige Produktion sowie eine regelmäßige Abnahme der Erzeugnisse sichergestellt werden kann. Um den Austausch zwischen den Akteur*innen zu fördern und politische Handlungsoptionen und Empfehlungen entwickeln zu können, werden im Rahmen des Projektes Dialogforen veranstaltet. Das erste Dialogforum fand im März 2023 statt und brachte Vertreter*innen aus verschiedenen Sektoren zusammen. Im Anschluss an verschiedene Fachbeiträge konnten sich die Teilnehmenden in einem World Café über verschiedene Bereiche der Wertschöpfungskette austauschen. Im Rahmen des Forums wurden insbesondere die Themen Vernetzung und wirtschaftliche Effizienz, Kooperationen, rechtliche/politische Rahmenbedingungen sowie Transparenz und Kommunikation diskutiert. The motivation behind the growing interest in dual-purpose chicken is diverse. Among other things, it is driven by the prohibition of killing male chicks from laying lines, by the desire to improve animal welfare in general, and by the preservation of genetic biodiversity and a more sustainable poultry production system. The project "ZweiWert" aims to create a regional network of actors in order to build up a value chain for dual-purpose chickens in Baden-Württemberg. Following a status quo and potential analysis of the agricultural production of dual-purpose chicken, a network will be established along the entire value chain, so that a sustainable production as well as a regular supply of the resulting products can be ensured. In order to promote the exchange between actors and to be able to develop policy options and recommendations, dialogue forums will be organized during the course of the project. The first forum took place in March 2023 and brought together representatives from different sectors. After various expert contributions, participants were able to exchange views on different areas of the value chain in the format of a World Café. In particular, the topics of networking and economic efficiency, cooperation, aspects of the legal/political framework and the need for more transparency and communication were mentioned during these discussions.