„MeiForest“ – Mitigation- and Adaption Potentials of a Compensation Area in Hamburg Meiendorf

 In the frame of the project „MeiForest“ climate adaption and mitigation potentials of urban green areas will be examined through the example of a partially reforested former farmland in the north of Hamburg.

Microclimate influences macroclimate

Cities are characterized by a pronounced micro climatic heterogeneity due to small-scale changing land use, which influences the urbane climate vulnerability directly. Especially against the background of the worldwide urbanization and global climate change, the knowledge of climate effect of urban area is of increasing relevance for urban development. Unsealed urban green areas thus offer a high potential to reduce critical impacts of climate change for urban regions. Such adaption functions consist of i. a. the provision of habitats for species which are affected by climate change as well as the increase of latent heat flows caused by evapotranspiration, which reduces the urban overheating which typical for compressed and sealed areas. Furthermore, vegetation areas which are carbon sinks can also support societal relevant mitigation objectives, because the vegetation as well as the soils represent potential carbon sinks. At the same time urban ecosystems and their functions are affected by climate change themselves, because their resilience and adaptability are reduced due to their strong spatial fragmentation.

Seven hectares for new insights

The project „MeiForest“ conducts an initial complex analysis of the ecosystem as a space for interaction between atmosphere, vegetation and pedosphere by the example of a compensation area of about seven hectares belonging to the district forestry Volksdorf. We will test and develop methods, which will permit a quantitative registration of the process dynamics of the whole ecosystem. We strive to develop possibilities for a long-term monitoring of the functions and potentials of urban compensation areas on the basis of these methods. The project is supported by the Agency for Environment, Climate, Energy and Agriculture (BUKEA) as well as the district forestry Volksdorf.

Data: collecting in detail, considering the whole picture in the evaluation

Using a multimethod approach in three work groups with different disciplinary orientations, we will record the ecosystem of the compensation area in its entirety quantitatively and qualitatively. The diversity of the vegetation of the area to be examined will be observed by the work group vegetation. The focus of the conducted vegetation survey is on the exact determination of the species, their abundance as well as their socialization. Furthermore, we will analyze the amount of carbon which is fixed in the biomass of the trees and thus determine the mitigation potential of the vegetation. The pedologic characteristics of the area to be examined will be examined by the work group soil. For this purpose, we will establish several test pits and the choice of profiles will be done in accordance the pedological mapping instruction (KA5). The focus of the examination of the pedologic characteristics is on the water and carbon balance of the soil. The climate conditions of the area to be examined will be observed by the work group climate by means of an automatic weather station installed on the area. It will collect the parameters of global radiation, temperature, air humidity, wind direction and speed as well as fluid precipitation.

The collected data of the different spheres will be united in a synthesis. This facilitates a comprehensive analysis of the ecosystem as well as the adaption- and mitigation potentials of the area to be examined.

Student research group

• Ronja Gottschalk
• Marleen Greenberg
• Helge Jentsch
• Anne-Sophie Jesemann
• Nadine Kaul
• Charlotta Mirbach
• Melanie Werner

Mentor

• Prof. Dr. Jürgen Böhner