Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research

Thermal-hydrodynamic coupling and cavity dynamics of high-speed projectiles traversing a submerged ice hole

Reliable deployment of underwater sensing systems in ice-covered polar seas requires a comprehensive understanding of projectile penetration through pre-drilled ice openings under low-temperature conditions. A thermodynamic cavitation framework is extended to account for temperat...

Improving Molecular Formula Assignment of Nitrogen- and Sulfur-Rich DOM in Ultrahigh-Resolution Mass Spectrometry: Validation of Oligopeptides

Abstract Molecular formula (MF) assignment in ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry (UHRMS) analyses of dissolved organic matter (DOM) containing multiple non-oxygen heteroatoms (e.g., nitrogen and sulfur) is highly environmentally relevant yet remains challenging. Recent studie...

Limited global awareness of invasive alien species and little support for their management

Invasive alien species (IAS) are one of the main drivers of global change and can cause a wide range of negative ecological and social impacts. Addressing these impacts requires management actions, which can fail to be effective when not supported by the public. Here, we conducte...

Reduced Carbon Emissions and Chain Elongation during Mixotrophic Fermentation of a Biomass Feedstock

Abstract Anaerobic fermentation of biomass feedstocks using open cultures is a promising technology to produce platform carboxylates. Syngas, a mixture of H2, CO2, and CO, can be sourced sustainably and used to supplement biomass feedstocks as a source of acetyl-CoA, an intermedi...

Land use intensification results in abrupt transitions between extensively and intensively managed grasslands

Abstract Understanding whether land use intensification causes regime shifts (i.e. persistent, large changes in ecosystem states) is of key importance for management, particularly if these shifts occur abruptly as thresholds in land use intensity are crossed. Further, these thres...

Critical Membrane Concentration and Baseline Toxicity of Organic Pollutants in a High-Throughput Rainbow Trout Cell Assay

Abstract A high-throughput RTgill-W1 cytotoxicity assay (RTgillHT) was developed using 384-well plates and live/dead staining combined with high-content imaging to quantify cytotoxicity. RTgillHT facilitated a significant increase in sample throughput compared to the OECD Test Gu...

Oat supplementation alters biochemical and physicochemical properties of gastric digesta – a possible contribution of feeding to gastric diseases in horses

Abstract Equine squamous and glandular gastric disease is highly prevalent and a concern for animal welfare. Biochemical and physicochemical properties of the feed are reflected in those of the digesta, and feeding-related changes in these parameters could play a role in the deve...

A comprehensive study on ferredoxin isoforms in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

Ferredoxins are central to cellular metabolism by mediating electron flow in energy conversion reactions. The focus of this study was to systematically examine twelve ferredoxin and ferredoxin-like proteins from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 to identify their properties, activities,...

Which aspects of continuity of care in primary care are associated with better self-rated health? A cross-sectional study among older adults in Berlin

Abstract Background Global population ageing and rapid urbanization are increasing the prevalence of multimorbidity and complex health needs among older adults, emphasizing the importance of accessible and high-quality primary care. Continuity of care (CoC) is a core feature of p...

Curriculum for Bioimaging Data Stewardship: A Systematic Review of Existing Training Resources

Abstract The increasing complexity and volume of biological imaging data require structured and sustainable research data management to ensure reproducibility, reusability, and compliance with FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) principles. In this context, D...

Strontium isotopic signatures and source apportionment in urban soils of Salgótarján: unraveling the impact of industrial emissions

Abstract Urban soil contamination is primarily associated with human activities, especially industrial by-products, which have introduced high concentrations of heavy metal(loid)s from diverse sources over centuries of city development. This study investigated the distribution of...

Concurrent Eurasian Heatwaves Will Intensify Beyond the Mean Warming

Abstract Concurrent heatwaves over Europe and North China are the most frequent compound heat extremes across the Northern Hemisphere. They are systematically organized by a recurrent teleconnection along the polar front jet over Eurasia. Using observations and large‐ensemble sim...

OurMED D1.1.4 Minutes of the Final Meeting. Version 1.1

The report outlines the minutes of the OurMED project’s final consortium meeting, which was held in Tunis, Tunisia.

Whole-genome sequencing uncovers chromosomal and plasmid-borne multidrug resistance and virulence genes in poultry-associated Escherichia coli isolate from Nigeria

Abstract Background Unregulated antibiotic use in poultry farming contributes to the emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, posing risks to human, animal, and environmental health. Whole-genome sequencing, combined with antimicrobial susceptibility testing (A...

Perspectives of High‐Resolution Mass Spectrometry in Soil Science

ABSTRACT Soil biogeochemical research requires specific, sensitive, and accurate methods to identify and quantify organic molecules in order to trace biochemical processes and assess element cycling in complex, heterogenous systems. High‐resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) has ev...

GUTchetp: integrated prediction of gut microbial biotransformation profiles using ensemble monolingual and multilingual neural machine translation and enzyme class consistency–reaction similarity

The analysis of the metabolic fate of chemical compounds in the human gut remains a fundamental challenge, as comprehensive experimental characterization across the vast chemical space is infeasible. Moreover, despite progress in computational biology, a comprehensive tool for pr...

Spectral analysis of groundwater level time series for robust estimation of aquifer response times

Abstract. Groundwater resources represent Germany's most important source of freshwater but they are increasingly under pressure. Climate change, societal developments, and rising abstraction rates are impacting subsurface storage in ways that are currently difficult to predict,...

Invited perspectives: Towards usable compound event research

Abstract. Supporting stakeholders with science-based decision-making to mitigate and adapt to climate change impacts is a central mandate of the climate research community. In particular, mapping out scenario-dependent climate risk landscapes is one of the most pressing challenge...

Mapping a monitoring landscape – review of monitoring systems related to the German bioeconomy

Abstract Background Moving away from fossil towards renewable resources to create a sustainable future is possible through the transition to a bioeconomy. Like any system, bioeconomy entails risks such as overexploitation of biotic resources, land and water, loss of biodiversity...

Joint Inversion of Seismic and Geoelectrical Data Targeting Geological Faults

Near-surface geological faults play a crucial role in subsurface systems because they influence fluid flow and transport and can cause geotechnical failure. Topography can sometimes indicate the presence of fault zones, particularly in active tectonic settings where geomorphic fe...