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Northern aapa mire complexes are characterized by patterned fens with flarks (wet fen surfaces) and bog zone margins with Sphagnum moss cover. Evidence exists of a recent increase in Sphagnum over fens that can alter ecosystem functions. Contrast between flarks and Sphagnum moss cover may enable remote sensing of these changes with satellite proxies. We explored recent changes in hydro-morphological patterns and vegetation in a south-boreal aapa mire in Finland and tested the performance of Landsat bands and indices in detecting Sphagnum increase in aapa mires. We combined aerial image analysis and vegetation survey, repeated after 60 years, to support Landsat satellite image analysis. Aerial image analysis revealed a decrease in flark area by 46% between 1947 and 2019. Repeated survey showed increase in Sphagnum mosses (S. pulchrum, S. papillosum) and deep-rooted vascular plants (Menyanthes trifoliata, Carex rostrata). A supervised classification of high-resolution UAV image recognized the legacy of infilled flarks in the patterning of Sphagnum carpets. Among Landsat variables, all separate spectral bands, the Green Difference Vegetation Index (GDVI), and the Automated Water Extraction Index (AWEI) correlated with the flark area. Between 1985 and 2020, near-infrared (NIR) and GDVI increased in the central flark area, and AWEI decreased throughout the mire area. In aapa mire complexes, flark fen and Sphagnum bog zones have contrasting Landsat NIR reflectance, and NIR band is suggested for monitoring changes in flarks. The observed increase in Sphagnum mosses supports the interpretation of ongoing fen–bog transitions in Northern European aapa mires, indicating significant ecosystem-scale changes.

We investigated recent changes in spatial patterning of fen and bog zones in five boreal aapa mire complexes (mixed peatlands with patterned fen and bog parts) in a multiproxy study. Comparison of old (1940–1970s) and new aerial images revealed decrease of flarks (wet hollows) in patterned fens by 33–63% in middle boreal and 16–42% in northern boreal sites, as lawns of bog Sphagnum mosses expanded over fens. Peat core transects across transformed areas were used to verify the remote sensing inference with stratigraphic analyses of macrofossils, hyperspectral imaging, and age-depth profiles derived from 14C AMS dating and pine pollen density. The transect data revealed that the changes observed by remote sensing during past decades originated already from the end of the Little Ice Age (LIA) between 1700–1850 CE in bog zones and later in the flarks of fen zones. The average lateral expansion rate of bogs over fen zones was 0.77 m y−1 (range 0.19–1.66) as estimated by remote sensing, and 0.71 m y−1 (range 0.13–1.76) based on peat transects. The contemporary plant communities conformed to the macrofossil communities, and distinct vegetation zones were recognized as representing recently changed areas. The fen-bog transition increased the apparent carbon accumulation, but it can potentially threaten fen species and habitats. These observations indicate that rapid lateral bog expansion over aapa mires may be in progress, but more research is needed to reveal if ongoing fen-bog transitions are a commonplace phenomenon in northern mires.

Cultural landscapes are appreciated for the plethora of ecosystem services that they provide to society. They are, however, subject to rapid and fundamental transformations across Europe, mainly as a result of intensification or abandonment of land uses. Our objective is to assess the possible future drivers of cultural landscape changes and their likely impacts on ecosystem services provision as perceived by local actors. We present stakeholder-based scenarios for the Swabian Alb, a biosphere reserve in southern Germany, projected to the yr 2040. On their basis, we explore the possibilities and limitations of local civil engagement for landscape conservation and development in the face of increasing global influences. The steps of the process are (a) identifying the key driving forces of landscape change, (b) developing contrasting narratives about alternative landscape futures, (c) refining the narratives, (d) discussing scenario impacts, and (e) exploring local management strategies. Four contrasting scenarios created by the stakeholders are presented. Global-level drivers are state support/regulations vs. free-market economy, and energy-intensive lifestyles vs. low-energy economy. Local-level forces are high vs. low consumer demand for localized food, and high vs. low appreciation of local cultural landscapes. Outcomes show that cultural landscape development may come to a crossroads over the next 30 yrs, with either combined land abandonment and landscape industrialization scenarios or multifunctional, locally distinct landscape futures being possible. The scenario narratives envision that the most powerful way to develop and protect distinct landscapes is to foster local people's links to cultural landscapes, to build social capital around them, and to direct consumption patterns toward localized food production. We find that participatory scenario processes have strengths in terms of the credibility, transferability, and confirmability of the insights gained, but are often weak in ensuring dependability.

Herbivores can exert a controlling effect on the reproduction and growth of shrubs, thereby counter‐acting the climate‐driven encroachment of shrubs in the Arctic and the potential consequences. This control is particularly evident in the case of abundant herbivores, such as reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus tarandus ), whose grazing patterns are affected by management. Here, we tested how different reindeer grazing practices on the border between Finland and Norway impact the occurrence of willow ( Salix spp.) dominated patches, their above‐ground biomass (AGB) and the ability of willows to form dense thickets. We used a combination of multispectral and RGB imagery obtained from unoccupied aerial vehicles field data and an ensemble of machine‐learning models, which allowed us to model the occurrence of plant community types (Overall accuracy = 0.80), AGB fractions (maximum R 2  = 0.90) and topsoil moisture (maximum R 2  = 0.89). With this combination of approaches, we show that willows are kept in a browsing‐trap under spring and early summer grazing by reindeer, growing mostly small and scattered in the landscape. In contrast, willows under the winter grazing regime formed dense stands, particularly within riparian areas. We confirm this pattern using a random forest willow habitat distribution model based on topographical parameters. The model shows that willow biomass correlated with parameters of optimal habitat quality only in the winter grazing regime and did not respond to the same parameters under spring and summer grazing of reindeer.

Unoccupied Aerial Vehicle (UAV) imagery is widely used for detailed vegetation modeling and ecosystem monitoring in peatlands. Despite high‐resolution data, the spatial complexity and heterogeneity of vegetation, along with temporal fluctuations in spectral reflectance, complicate the assessment of spatial patterns in these ecosystems. We used interannual multispectral UAV data, collected at the same time of the year, from two aapa and two palsa mires in Finland. We applied Random Forest classification to map plant communities and assessed spectral, temporal and spatial consistency, class relationships and area estimates. Further, we used the class membership probabilities from the classification to derive a secondary classification map, representing the second most likely class label per‐pixel and an alternative map to account for spatial uncertainty in area estimates. The accuracies of the primary classifications varied between 66 and 85%. The best results were achieved using interannual data, improving accuracy by up to 14%‐points when compared to single‐year imagery, particularly benefiting classes with lower accuracies. Spectral and temporal inconsistencies in the UAV data collected in different years led to variations in the classifications, notably for the Rubus chamaemorus community in palsa mires, likely due to weather fluctuations and phenology. The transformations from primary to secondary classifications in areas of high uncertainty aligned well with the class relationships in the confusion matrix, supporting the model's reliability. Confidence interval‐based adjusted estimates aligned largely with unadjusted area estimates of the alternative map. Our findings support incorporating class membership probabilities and alternative maps to capture spatially explicit uncertainty, especially when spatial variability is high or key plant communities are involved. Our presented approach is particularly beneficial for upscaling ecological processes, such as carbon fluxes, where spatial variability is driven by plant community distribution and where informed decision‐making requires detailed spatial assessments. UAVs provide high spatial resolution imagery to detect and assess the spatial complexity of peatland vegetation. We used interannual multispectral data from aapa and palsa mires in Finland to classify plant communities using Random Forest. Based on class membership probabilities, we generated maps showing the second most likely classes and an alternative map incorporating spatial uncertainty in area estimates. Input variables from both years improved accuracy by up to 14%‐points, notably for low‐performing classes. Spectral and temporal inconsistencies between years reflected weather and phenological variation. Confidence interval‐adjusted area estimates largely matched unadjusted estimates from the alternative map.

Why has the German energy transformation been more successful than the attempted transformation to organic agriculture? Through an analysis of the drivers and barriers of both processes, this article identifies key factors that explain the difference in outcome. It becomes clear: transformation strategies should aim to create regulatory frameworks that make it attractive to invest in sustainable alternatives.This article compares the drivers and barriers of two sustainability transformations in Germany: the energy transformation (\"Energiewende\") and the attempted transformation towards organic agriculture which has, so far, been less successful. It is based on two case studies rooted in transformation research. While there is rapidly growing literature on energy, there are far fewer analyses of agricultural transformations. Moreover, single case studies dominate. The cross-case comparison presented in this article is a step towards filling this gap. Particularly in their initial stages, the two transformation processes shared similarities: both systems had been coming under pressure due to environmental crises, grassroots movements and niche developments of sustainable alternatives. However, changes to the regulatory system framework made investments in renewable energy more attractive than in organic agriculture, where the profitability of the transformation is still reduced by significant subsidies for conventional agriculture. Moreover, the energy transformation has benefitted from technological improvements and falling costs, an early coalition of supporters, including business actors, and more recently from a broader societal and political consensus.

Background and objectives Considering current demographic trends and the predicted rise of the estimated numbers of people with dementia (PwD) in Germany, the provision of care and support for PwD will continue to pose significant familial, social and economic challenges [1-3]. Recognizing the global magnitude of these challenges, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared dementia in 2012 as a “global public health priority” [4]. In light of the absence of causal therapies, the combination of effective symptomatic pharmacological treatment for certain subtypes of dementia and non-pharmacological therapies is recommended in current national treatment guidelines [5-8]. So far, however, economic research has focused mainly on pharmacological interventions for dementia [9]. Health economic evaluations have the potential to provide decision-makers with transparent and evidence-based information on health technologies and aim to facilitate an optimal resource allocation process [10, 11]. For example economic evaluation can be taken into account when making decisions regarding the inclusion of treatment options to the benefits catalogue of the statutory health insurance [12]. In addition, access to “timely diagnosis” is generally considered as an essential prerequisite for evidence-based treatment and support of PwD and their caring relatives [13, 14]. As opposed to an “early” diagnosis at a preclinical state, “timely diagnosis” describes a diagnosis at the time of the first detection of dementia symptoms either by the PwD, relatives or health professionals [14, 15]. National and international studies indicate a high rate of under-detection of dementia even in high-income countries. Moreover, the diagnosis is frequently made at an advanced stage [13, 16-18]. Only a few studies have examined potential predictors for the period from the first perceived symptoms to a firm diagnosis of dementia. In addition, none of them was conducted within the context of the German health and social care system [19-23]. 1. Against this background, the first aim of this dissertation project is to assess and evaluate the current economic evidence on non-pharmacological interventions directly targeted at PwD, people with mild cognitive impairment (PwMCI) and their respective caregivers [24]. 2. Secondly, based on empirical data this thesis aims to analyze the median period from the first symptom onset perceived by the caregiver to a dementia diagnosis within the context of the German health and social care system. Furthermore, predictors of a timely diagnosis within nine months from the recognition of the first symptoms of dementia shall be identified [25].3. Finally, this thesis aims to describe the broader scientific context of the selected research questions and to review the context-specific current findings in the field of dementia health services research.Methods1. Systematic ReviewBased on the PRISMA guidelines [26] a systematic review was conducted in order to depict the current state of economic evidence with regard to non-pharmacological interventions for PwD, PwMCI and their caregivers. The underlying systematic literature search included the following databases: Cochrane Library, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, EconLit, Embase, PsycINFO and PubMed. Trial-based health economic evaluations published between 2010 and 2016 were taken into account [24]. The study quality was assessed by using the Drummond checklist [10]. The systematic review was carried out as part of the national graduate college Optimization strategies in Dementia (OptiDem) and was funded by the Karl and Veronica Carstens-Foundation [24].

The Regional Court of Berlin ( Landgericht (LG) Berlin ) was the first court in Germany to mete out a life sentence for murder—pursuant to § 211 German Criminal Code (StGB)—to two men convicted of killing an uninvolved driver whose car they hit while they were participating in an illegal car race on a public highway. Upon their convictions, the defendants appealed to the German Federal Court of Justice ( Bundesgerichtshof ; BGH) claiming that they did not intend to kill the person and were thus acting without the necessary mens rea for murder. The question whether or not the case could be qualified as murder, and thus whether or not the existence of a killing with intent had been sufficiently proven by the LG Berlin, was the subject of several appeals and retrials. In its latest decision, the BGH confirmed the murder conviction of one of the defendants, while quashing the other defendant’s conviction and issuing a retrial. This case caused ripples amongst legal scholars as it called for the toughest possible sanctions to be imposed. However, whether the conduct qualifies as murder remains questionable. As a reaction to several similar cases of illegal car races in recent years, the German parliament subsequently passed a new law—§ 315d StGB—proscribing illegal vehicle races, thereby penalizing the participation, organization, or carrying out of an illegal vehicle race. Until that point there had been no provision criminalizing illegal racing.

Die Erstellung der neuen S3-Leitlinie „Epidemiologie, Diagnostik, Therapie und Nachsorge des Blasenekstrophie-Epispadie Komplexes“ wurde durch 2021 beantragte Forschungsgelder vom Innovationsfonds des Gemeinsamen Bundesausschusses (G-BA) ermöglicht. Wenngleich das Evidenzlevel der identifizierten Literatur vergleichsweise niedrig ist, konnten durch ein systematisches Vorgehen und eine konsequente Bewertung der Literatur eine Vielzahl von evidenzbasierten Empfehlungen zu vielen Themen formuliert werden. Zudem wird eine Patient*innenleitlinie erstellt, um die Leitlinienempfehlungen in die Breite zu bringen und das Selbstmanagement und Verständnis der Betroffenen und Zugehörigen zu fördern. Um die für Patient*innen wichtigen Themen in der Patient*innenleitlinie adäquat abzubilden, wurde im Vorfeld eine Bedarfsanalyse durchgeführt. Nach Abschluss der Arbeiten an der deutschen Leitlinie ist mit dem e‑UROGEN-Netzwerk eine Kooperation für eine englische Übersetzung geplant.

Putting sustainable consumption into practice is a challenge that requires the effort and coordination of numerous societal domains and actors. The paper deals with the contribution of policy making and policy evaluation. More specifically, it addresses the question of how to evaluate the effectiveness of policy instruments dedicated to rendering household consumption more sustainable. Despite the extensive literature on instrument effectiveness, sustainability assessment, and consumer behaviour, only a few accounts deal with the specific characteristics and impacts of policy instruments for sustainable consumption. Against this backdrop, a framework is suggested for the ex post analysis of effects resulting from such policy instruments. Instrument effects include changes in consumption patterns (“outcomes”), subsequent changes in the state of the environment, society and/or economy (“impacts”), and side effects. Step-by-step guidance is provided through the evaluation process. The approach helps to assess the extent to which sustainable consumption policy instruments have achieved their stated goals, but also encourages a critical reflection of these goals. In addition to evaluating instrument effects, the framework serves to explain these effects. It does so on the basis of theoretically grounded hypotheses that tackle drivers of and barriers to instrument effectiveness, thus exploring this relatively new policy field. Methodologically, a combination of qualitative methods (narrative reconstruction) and quantitative methods (e.g., material flow analysis) is recommended to causally link policies to changes in consumption patterns and impacts on sustainability.