October, 19th the official key over for all 24 Ecotrons were be held at the UFZ research field in Bad Lauchstädt, Germany.
The ‘iDiv Ecotron’ is an experimental platform that will be launched in autumn 2016 with a total of 24 experimental units (EcoUnits) operated in a temperature-controlled hall in the UFZ research station in Bad Lauchstädt.
“It allows for the manipulation of horizontal (i.e. within one trophic level) and vertical biodiversity (i.e. the number of trophic levels) to more comprehensively explore biodiversity effects on ecological processes taking aboveground-belowground interactions into account. Diversity of plants, herbivores, predators, soil fauna, and microorganisms can be manipulated along with manipulations of environmental factors such as light, temperature, and precipitation. One EcoUnit is an experimental chamber including a bottom compartment containing about 1,200 l of soil (0.8 m depth) and an aboveground compartment, large enough to grow tall herbs and to allow for realistic aboveground multitrophic interactions. A number of sensors will measure and regulate environmental conditions. To be flexible for different experimental approaches, there will be the possibility to separate EcoUnits above- and belowground into smaller compartments. In this way, for instance, intact soil cores (lysimeter) from locations with different plant diversity can be transferred from the field into the chambers and be subjected to further manipulations.”(Dr Manfred Türke, iDiv-Ecotron)
Category Archives: Allgemein
Summer Initiative – Part IV: Hood-Infiltrometer
The hood infiltrometer is used to measure the hydraulic conductivity of soils in virtually saturated areas as field tests. The infiltration is made from a sealed hood placed on the soil and filled with water. The circular soil surface covered by water beneath the hood forms the source area for the infiltration flux. No additional contact layer and no preparation
of the soil surface is necessary on the measurement area. This not only saves working time but also makes it possible to measure the infiltration and conductivity under completely natural conditions in a destruction-free manner.
The pressure beneath the hood is
controlled using a Marriott’s water supply. The effective increase in pressure on the soil surface can be freely selected between zero and a vacuum up to the bubble point of the soil. This pressure level is shown exactly on a U-tube manometer. The hydraulic conductivity is calculated from the stationary flux rates determined in the test run
according to WOODING (1968). With the IL-2700 the measurement data for the flux rate is
electronically recorded with a pressure sensor combined with a handheld instrument IL-2700.
With the corresponding software they are transferred to the PC and analysed.The hood infiltrometer is also available without electronic data recording as a favourably priced
alternative which is tough enough to withstand adverse measurement conditions.
In order to guarantee an optimum adjustment of the experiment to the prevailing infiltration conditions, two hoods are available with a ratio to infiltration areas of around 1:2.
The tension chamber, which is an available option, creates a tension infiltrometer
together with the Mariott’s water supply which permits infiltration experiments up to a water tension of around 60 hPa irrespective of the bubble point of the soil. For maximum protection and simple handling during transportation and storage, the complete system is packed in an aluminium framed case with carry grip and foam inlays.
Technical data
• Tension area: 0 … bubble point with hood
0 … 60 hPa with tension chamber
• Tension measurement: U-tube manometer
Resolution 0.1 hPa
• Infiltration measurement: Differential pressure sensor
0 – 70 mba
Resolution 1 mm water column
• Conductivity range of the soil: 10-3 m/s bis 10-7 m/s
The following table shows the comparison between sveral different systems available on the market:
Hoodinfiltrometer vs competetiv systems
NAS International Lysimeter Workshop, September, 7th in Wanju, South Korea
At September, 7th the International Lysimeter Workshop took place in Wanju, South Korea.
Warmly regard were given by Prof. Jimmo Lee the preseident of NAS at the beginning:
For the second anniversary celebration of the largest lysimeter station in Asia with 92 lysimeters the RDA (Rural Development Administration) organized a workshop with presentations from South Korea, Japan, Austria, Switzerland and Germany.The main focus of the presentation was “Applying the Lysimeter Systems to Water and Nutrient Dynamics”.
The long tradition of lysimeter research in Europe was visible with the presentations of Prof. Peter Cepuder from Boku Vienna. Prof. Cepuder is the president of the European Lysimeter Research Group and took the idea of a global lysimeter network to Korea. His presentation should technical aspects regarding nitrogen leaching and thep roof of weighing data.Dr. Volker Prasuhn from the Agroscope Switzerland presented the results from the largest lysimeter station in Europe for the last 8 years and has shown the advantage of high number of lysimeter replicates. The impact of fertilyzers and froot change was one of the main topics.
The managing director of UGT – Dr. Sascha Reth – was proud to be part of this event, as UGT has built the 2 largest stations in the world, in Switzerland as well as RDA lysimeters in South Korea. In his talk he presented the latest developments in the lysimeter technique and gave ideas for future solutions in this research field.
From Asia presentation of Dr. Jisung Park, Dr. Seonguk Kim, Dr. Jinyong Choi, Dr. Junghun, Ok, Dr. Mijin Seo, Dr. Taeil Jang, Dr. Seonguk Kim, Dr. Kyunghwa Han, Dr. Jinmo Lee – all from South Korea- and Dr. Morihiro Maeda from Japan were shown.
The discussion board found a lot of corelation between the different working groups in the world. In the future a main task is to bring more researcher to the existing lysimeters.
This will increse the inficency and proof of different applications.
A highlight of the workshop was the visit of the great lysimeter facility of RDA.
Thanks a lot for organizing the workshop! And thanks for the great job of our representative in South Kore GAON.
Summer Initiative – Part III: LysiData & SVADSS – the right solution for every need
SVADSS – Soil Vegetation Atmosphere Data Sensor Service – More than just datasets!
SVADDS offers a unique online data management system for your measuring systems, tailored to your needs.
SVADSS provides any technology of data aquisition from manual data upload, or automatically via LAN/WLAN to semi/full stand alone measuring stations via GSM/UMTS/LTE.
- regardless of your sensor, logger
- or IT environment
- standard data analysis, evaluations and charts
- extended or exclusive data services
- state-/event system for sensors and data logger
Your data repository is stored in SQL – database – servers operated by SVADSS and not in cheap and not in doubtful cloud services.Please contact us to know the whole range of our services.
Advantages
- user interface for data management
- full access to all datasets
- individual, automated data validation
- standard reports and charts
- individual evaluations / data processing
- customizable views
- sensor managment with event recording
- special data services
See the benefits in table where the difference between SVADSS and other available systems are listed:
SVADSS vs competetive systems
Scientific Data Software Systems
LysiData offers an integrated software system to meet varied and complex requirements of the (scientific) recording of measurement data. The modular structure of LysiData software systems offers an adjusted software module for virtually every technical and scientific requirement for the user friendly solving of daily tasks. LysiData software systems offers a uniform user interface also in heterogenous measurement environments independent of measurement technology used, the number of measurement points or the database system. It has been designed for the long term availability of measurement data, offers a clear assignment of measurement data to measurement points also after many years and can be adjusted at any time to extensions or changes in the measurement environment
The LysiData software system is composed of two main core areas:
- A highly flexible database model to show your measurement environment and data in a persistent repository
- A systems of integrated software modules which may be used and adjusted to your measurement equipment depending on size and requirements
LysiData software system offers modules for the following standard requirements amongst others: Data acquisition and evaluation, visualisation, simplified database administration, controlling, logbook, data mining, …
There is only one system and one user interface for all tasks from data acquisition through to (scientific) pre-analysis.
Which solution is the right for me?
We recommend the online soluition SVADSS for small and and medium size installations, whether at one place or at different installation places. For large installations with more than 100 sensors we recommend the Lysidata system with all additional opportunities for a customized solution. Thje following table gives you the answer which solution is the right one for you:
comparison-SVADSS vs Lysidata
Summer Initiative – Part II: Ready-To-Go Lysimeter
The „Ready-to-go” Lysimeter is a small lysimeter station for soil columns with a surface area of up to 0.5 m² and a length of up to 0.9 m that can be filled by hand or be cut by UGT staff (undisturbed soil monolith). It comprises a compact PE-HD lysimeter station with integrated weighing system and seepage water reservoir with tipping counter, a PE-HD lysimeter vessel, a data logger and a set of soil hydrological sensors.
You can choose 4 different control stations:
- Only control
- Control and climate sensors
- Control and lower boundary system
- Control and climate sensors and lower boundary system
Everything is prepared to work as plug and play system so that the complete station can be set up and put into operation without any special staff or tools. The data can be displayed and read out on any PC that is connected to the internet using a data bank system and a server. Up to four „Ready-to-go” Lysimeters can be connected to one control station which is installed outside on a pole.
Available Sizes: Ø = 30 cm / Length = 30 cm
Ø = 30 cm / Length = 60 cm
Ø = 30 cm / Length = 90 cm
Ø = 80 cm / Length = 30 cm
Ø = 80 cm / Length = 60 cm
Ø = 80 cm / Length = 90 cm
The data are displayed on the internet using the SVADSS online data management system. Up to four Ready-to-go Lysimeters can be connected to one data logger. The RTG-Lysimeter is the ideal supplement to an existing weather station for directly calculating evaporation.
Please find attached a comparison with competitive products and special advantages of our system. R2G vs competetive systems2
If you are going to start your lysimeter experiment our RTG offers the ideal initial configuration, easy to install, scientifically up to the latest standards; For further questions please do not hesitate to contact us!
Summer Initiative – our product of the week – Part I: ku-pF for the determination of the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of soil
The ku-pF MP10 is a laboratory instrument for the automatic determination of any saturated hydraulic conductivity ku and the pF curve (water tension curve) in accordance with the condensation method on up to 10 soil ring samples simultaneously. The apparatus is designed for the use of the UGT soil sample rings with 250 cm³ inner volume and 41 cm² cross sectional area. These soil sample rings have bore holes arranged exactly at height intervals of 3 cm for the insertion of the tensiometers. However, they may also be used for obtaining samples separately from the ku-pF apparatus. The filled soil sample rings are set onto filter plates, saturated and sealed basally in the carrier basket for the test run. The gradient resulting from the condensation on the free ground surface is recorded by two tensiometers which record the corresponding water content and the flow rate by periodical weighing respectively. Air bubbles are easy to recognize and eliminate through the acrylic head with bleed screw. The arrangement of the samples on the star shaped carrier which rotates at the set test interval permits the examination of 10 samples simultaneously. The sample on the weighing position is lifted from the carrier by lifting the scales so that it is standing free. The weighing data and the tensions here are stored on the internal data logger. Automatic measuring produces continuous measurement series with a minimum of monitoring. The scales are automatically balanced between weighings. Drift effects or any foreign bodies on the scales do not therefore cause any interference. The ku-pF apparatus works independently of a PC due to the integrated data logger and a microcomputer. A connection must be created to the PC only for maintenance, test start and reading out of the data.
ku-pF MP 10
For a non regular use we provide a single place – ku-pF SP – system to enable all benefits of the ku-pF for a smaller budget.
The following table helps you to find the right system for your need.
The table is available as a pdf for download: Comparison ku-pF MP10 vs ku-pF SP
Please find attached a comparison with competitive products and special advantages of our system. Feel free to contact us for further information.
kupf vs competetive systems
UGT GmbH hosts committee of Agriculture and Environment of the county “ MOL”
UGT GmbH hosts committee of Agriculture and Environment of the county “ MOL”
Decision makers in policy of all levels are important partners for medium sized companies.
Especially in the own region the local companies and public authorities need to have a good network.
New regulations in environment influence on the one hand scientific projects and so also give impetus to production lines of medium sized companies. The county “Landkreis Märkisch -Oderland” in Germany has a very active committee “Agriculture and Environment”.
UGT hosted the meeting of the committee on Wednesday, 13th of July 2016 and got in an active change of opinion with the member of the county council. The deputies of the county council were impressed about the performance of the medium sized company UGT that exports the environmental measuring sensors and monitoring equipment into more than 25 countries.
Sensors and production units could be seen and Dr. Manfred Seyfarth also explained the building of the new production hall which comes in operation in autumn – another step forward for UGT!
UGT followed the interesting discussion about new safety regulation for biogas installations and the practical experience of plant operators.
Also interested citizens of our city Müncheberg took part in the meeting which was open to the public.
We are happy to be as a company also part of the local general process of social communication.
02_Umweltausschuß MOL_13-7-2016
New publication about lysimeters published
Lysimeter – a Unique Tool for Monitoring the Interactions among the Components of Environment
Proceedings of National Aviation University, 2016. N 2(67): 69–75
Ivan Matušek¹, Sascha Reth², Christian Heerdt², Katarína Hrčková³ & Jozef Gubiš³
¹Projekt Servis, Trnava, Slovakia, EKOSUR, Piešťany, Slovakia
²Umwelt Geräte Technik GmbH, Freising, Germany
³Research Institute of Plant Production. National Agricultural and Food Centre
Bratislavská 122, 921 68 Piešťany, Slovakia
Abstract
Modern lysimeter facilities in connection with meteorological stations allow monitoring and evaluation of mutual basic components of the environment, such as water, air, soil and vegetation. Water is the most important component of the ecosystem and the component which connects all the other components. Therefore, we need to know the basic distribution and water balance in the different components of the environment to be able to interpret some processes in nature. Rainfall, which is the primary source of vital processes in the soil, is formed in the air. The amount of precipitation that gets into the soil and into the groundwater is affected by weather conditions. Primary distribution of
rainwater is divided between infiltration, surface runoff, transpiration and evapotranspiration. The amount of water infiltrated into the soil and then evaporated by solar activity or activities of plants can be identified primarily by monitoring changes in weight. For this monitoring we use weighable lysimeter. This equipment with the monolith size of surface area 1 m2 and the depth of 1.5 m is able to follow online updates of weight of the 2 ton body with an accuracy of 100 g. When we add to quantification of leakages through the bottom layer, we obtain a comprehensive record of rainfall at the time in the natural environment of the individual components. The obtained data can be further interpreted in terms of the needs of hydrology, agriculture, and environmental studies, and according to the purpose and objectives for which we want to use them.
Keywords: agriculture; complex study of ecosystems; environmental monitoring; hydrology; lysimeter research; modern field technologies in ecology; water distribution and balance
Matušek et al-2016
IFAT 2016 – a successful performance of UGT at the joint booth of German Water Partnership hall A5 booth no 315 /414
On the 50th anniversary UGT was exhibiting at the joint booth of German Water Partnership.
With the brand UGT and In-Situ we showed a comprehensive product range in the field of water quality and water level-measurement with our In-Situ level loggers and the multi-parameter sensor AT 600. With the UGT flow-measurement systems from the UGT water related products and with our highly sophisticated sensors in the soil application like the new RFID-tensiometer, the full range tensiometer and our soil moisture probe UMP 1 we offered in this environmental exhibition an interesting programme to our visitors.
At the IFAT there were 3097 exhibitors from 59 countries. Around 138000 visitors from more than 170 nations came from May 30 – June 3 to the Munich exhibition centre “Messestadt West and Ost” to inform themselves and get to know the latest innovation in the field of water, sewage, waste and raw materials. UGT used this platform to present the new full range tensiometer and the RFID plus tensiometer which gives scientists the opportunity for long time monitoring – the first tensiometer that can stay for 3 years in the measuring field.
We want to use the resources of our world in a sustainable way – IFAT proved its approach as a global event and about 45% of all visitors came from foreign countries.
UGT used IFAT as a meeting point to discuss new projects to show the great combination between the UGT developments and the water related products of In-Situ. New alliances were planned to get for our customer process related solutions.
More than 200 visitors from altogether 27 countries came to see our booth. It was great that each delegation that visited the booth of German Water Partnership also came and informed themselves about the UGT range. Outstanding was the visit from the delegation of Iran and Latin America. Munich was again a wonderful host for IFAT and UGT used the opportunity to combine the IFAT exhibition with a specialized agent training in Freising at our UGT branch office right in front of the doors to the city of Munich. Our partners from our French agent SDEC, Adrien and Thierry as well as our agent for Serbia, Slovenia and Croatia, Marin Antic and Katharina made use of the intensive training opportunity. After the 2 days training course on the 1st of June customers and partners from UGT booth at IFAT came together for a joint meeting in Freising to exchange opinion with customers and UGT partners and friends. Also networking was a big part of our work. Whereas Markus and Kerstin from UGT worked together at the IFAT booth with Ana and Chris from In-Situ, Sascha Reth joined us for important meetings with clients and partners on the 2nd of June. Our team of scientists in Freising, Sascha, Christian, Katja and Florian presented the UGT equipment and worked together in the field with our agents. Katja Kaminski our secretary in Freising did a great job in organizing and helped to make our visitors to feel at home. Our production team in Müncheberg has done a great job to prepare all the equipment for the exhibition and the workshop for Munich/Freising.
New ideas for the cooperation with our partners see our meeting with Eijkelkamp was planned and many clients recognized good synergies between the classic UGT production programme and the product range that we represent. We thank our customers and visitors for the attention, thanks to the IFAT team – and GWP as our stand organizer! We will be back at the next IFAT exhibition which will take place from May 14 to 18, 2018 in Munich.
General Assembly of the EGU 2016
The EGU General Assembly 2016 took place in Vienna from the 17th to the 22nd of April. This event was a forum for geoscientists from all over the world. EGU is an outstanding congress as it brings together in one place the different disciplines of sciences – which refers to the Earth, planetary and space sciences.
The EGU is on the one hand a forum where scientists have the opportunity to present their work and give contributions – which can be in the sesscions or in the poster shows. So there is a wide range of discussion and presentation of ideas among and with experts in all fields of geoscience.
In 2016 UGT presented its work at booth 53 in the congress center and also used the outside area for exhibition. The big lysimeter station which normally is only 1.5 m underground – was a highlight for visitors. Very often scientists came for consultance to our booth 53 to learn more about highly advanced lysimeter technology and get to know all options from:
– laboratory lysimeters
– ready to go – RTG lysimetres
– double and fourfold lysimeterstations
After the visit in the UGT double lysimeter station in Vienna – in brainstorming with our exhibition team Dr. Sascha Reth, Dr. Christian Heerdt and Kerstin Thomsen – the scientist from all over the world defined their research project and informed about interesting new targets for the use of lysimeters.
Vienna – Berlin – Mumbai – London – Sydney – Chicago – Buenos Aires – Zurich – Munich – these are just a few places where our scientific colleagues came from to visit our booth 53– and EGU is more than a customer – client relation – here the scientific exchange of information and discussion goes hand in hand with the demand for new products. – And UGT is prepared – “ We do development for new monitoring instruments on demand” – we are proud when we hear from the scientists that they could get new information based on UGT-measuring instruments. At the EGU there participated scientists and visitors from more than 100 countries – colleagues from about 50 countries passed by and informed themselves about UGT product range.
Another highlight of our programme was our new portable automatic chamber system. There we offered an ideal combination between lysimeter, gas analyser- UGT is the agent of Picarro – the leading producer of equipment to measure GHGs, trace gases and stable isotopes found in the air , water and land. The automatic chamber system from UGT provides a very good measuring tool for greenhouse gasses during the day with the transparent chamber and with the dark chamber to imitate night without photosynthesis.
We thank our visitors and colleagues coming from scientific Institutes and universities from Germany, Europe and all over the world for the interest in our products.
We look forward to the emerging products and will contact you to answer all inquiries,
We look forward to the next EGU – we thank the organizers in Vienna – we thank for the cordial welcome in the wonderful city Vienna
The EGU is looking forward to cordially welcoming you in Vienna.