Research

Funding: Deutsche Wild Tier Stiftung, Hamburg, 8.415 EUR

Project Details:
The harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) is the only species found in German waters. This species is protected as an Annex II and IV species under the Habitats Directives, among others. Harbour porpoises inhabit coastal waters, which means that their distribution largely overlaps anthropogenic activities. The resulting pressures on the harbour porpoise range from noise pollution and competition for prey fish to accidental bycatch in set net fisheries. The area of the Eckernförde Bay in the western German Baltic Sea is characterised by a high degree of anthropogenic use and thus has a high potential for disturbance of harbour porpoises. Set net fishing is widespread in this area and is the fishing method with the highest incidental bycatch. The area around Eckernförde also has a high incidence of shipping, as it is a rather narrow bay from which many fishing vessels leave, a harbour and training area for military activities, and a high area of tourist activities is situated here.
In order to develop effective measures for the protection of harbour porpoises, it is first necessary to investigate the habitat use of harbour porpoises in this area. In the western part of the German Baltic Sea, acoustic monitoring has been carried out by ITAW since spring 2021, but there is a gap in the area of the Eckernförde Bay. Within the framework of this research project, a monitoring station is to be deployed in the Eckernförde Bay that can meaningfully close this gap. The monitoring station will be equipped with a CPOD in spring, which will be replaced after about 3 months in order to collect data on harbour porpoise occurrence for a total of about 6 months. Underwater sound will be recorded simultaneously allowing for correlating harbour porpoise presence with the occurrence of anthropogenic noise.

Results:

In 2021, continuous acoustic monitoring of porpoises was launched for the first time in the Schleswig-Holstein section of the Baltic Sea, between the Flensburg Fjord and Eckernförde Bay. In 2023, a further monitoring station was added, extending the monitoring network southwards. A total of five monitoring stations (Holnis, Bredgrund, Schleisand, Damp and Waabs) are in operation, equipped with click detectors (C-PODs) to record the echolocation sounds (clicks) of porpoises. The monitoring has provided acoustic data on the occurrence and seasonal presence of porpoises.

In addition to genuine porpoise clicks, an increasing number of artificial porpoise clicks have been recorded from acoustic warning devices. These warning devices are known as Porpoise Alerting Devices (PALs) and are used in gillnet fishing to warn porpoises of the presence of nets by emitting artificial clicks resembling those of porpoises, thereby reducing bycatch.

PAL signals accounted for only a relatively small proportion of the total number of clicks detected. However, their significance lies less in the absolute number of clicks than in their prolonged presence over many days. An exceptionally high duration of PAL activity was observed in the study area of the western Baltic Sea. At the Bredgrund and Waabs stations, over 100 and in some cases nearly 200 days with active PALs were recorded in both 2023 and 2024. Given this high duration of activity, it must be assumed that the habitat is strongly influenced by human activity. It should be noted that C-PODs have a detection range of less than 200 m. Possible large-scale deterrent effects or behavioural changes in porpoises outside this radius cannot be captured by the available data. The actual influence of PALs could therefore be significantly greater in spatial terms than is apparent from the monitoring. The analysis of the C-POD PAL array clearly showed that porpoises emit significantly fewer clicks during active PAL phases. This suggests avoidance responses or a suppression of echolocation activity. The results thus contradict the assumption that PALs have exclusively a neutral warning function, and instead point to potentially deterrent effects.

In addition to the PAL issue, the presence of porpoises was investigated during the Bundeswehr’s blasting campaigns between 2022 and 2024 at the Schleisand and Damp monitoring stations near the Schönhagen study area. The results show that porpoise sightings were reduced during the blasting and only resumed some time after a blast. The period following the explosions may depend on the explosive charge.

The results of porpoise monitoring in the western Baltic Sea show that PALs not only interfere with acoustic monitoring from a technical perspective, but also cause measurable changes in porpoise behaviour. Areas with a long-term presence of PALs must therefore be classified as habitats subject to significant anthropogenic influence.

The combination of continuous monitoring, PAL filtering, model-based analysis and the consideration of acute disturbance events such as blasting provides an important basis for management and conservation measures under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Continuation and further development of the monitoring programme are necessary to better assess long-term trends and cumulative effects.

Funding: Rentenbank, 90.000 EUR

Project Details:
The project aims at the integration of animal welfare as a constant dimension in the concept of sustainability. The work is done on conceptional levels and by use of case studies of selected kind of farm animals.

Results:

Using one of the resulting models, we can show that animal welfare is a protected good among many other sustainability goods, but due to its categorical difference it cannot be implemented as an equivalent element alongside the other sustainability dimensions in a sustainability concept. We were therefore unable to achieve a "genuine" integration of animal welfare as a constitutive component, but we were able to achieve a meaningful positioning via the social dimension of sustainability as a connecting link.

Since a decision is required in the case of conflicting objectives despite categorical differences, we have developed a reflection model as a proposal for dealing with this problem, which can serve as a basis for weighting in the case of value preference decisions. We have demonstrated its applicability in detail using a specific example.

Overall, we have been able to clearly distinguish ourselves from other concepts in the current sustainability discourse, among other things through the well-founded selection of arguments that can be applied from an ethical perspective.

The absolute goal of the sustainability debate in connection with animal husbandry and animal welfare is not clearly discernible from the discourse situation, so that there is still motivation to participate by contributing valid arguments.

 

Using one of the resulting models, we can show that animal welfare is a protected good among many other sustainability goods, but due to its categorical difference it cannot be implemented as an equivalent element alongside the other sustainability dimensions in a sustainability concept. We were therefore unable to achieve a "genuine" integration of animal welfare as a constitutive component, but we were able to achieve a meaningful positioning via the social dimension of sustainability as a connecting link.

Since a decision is required in the case of conflicting objectives despite categorical differences, we have developed a reflection model as a proposal for dealing with this problem, which can serve as a basis for weighting in the case of value preference decisions. We have demonstrated its applicability in detail using a specific example.

Overall, we have been able to clearly distinguish ourselves from other concepts in the current sustainability discourse, among other things through the well-founded selection of arguments that can be applied from an ethical perspective.

The absolute goal of the sustainability debate in connection with animal husbandry and animal welfare is not clearly discernible from the discourse situation, so that there is still motivation to participate by contributing valid arguments.

The design of a model with a high degree of concretization that adequately takes animal welfare into account is currently considerably limited by the fact that objectively measurable thresholds are not yet available.

Funding: Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur, 110.550 EUR

Project Details:
Social media are playing a rapidly growing role in human communication. If content is posted, imitated or shared on Social media which can impair animal welfare, it potentially reaches a broad mass of people. This project is intended to initiate a social debate on the subject of animal welfare on Social media, which is scientifically based. The aim is to educate potential users about the animals' expressive behaviour and needs, as well as the potential relevance of various depictions for animal welfare. Several functional groups such as universities, schools, veterinarians, pet shops and the (print) media are involved for this purpose.

Results:

A targeted search for pet videos with animal suffering was carried out on the platforms TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. Numerous videos with animal welfare relevance were found, which were categorized according to their content. The scientific analysis of animal behaviour in the videos was the basis for determining the animal welfare relevance. In 82.4% of the videos analysed, the animals showed signs of stress. In 53.3% of the videos there was a risk of injury to the animals, and in 29.7% of the videos the animals were suspected of being in pain. The results of an online survey with 3,256 participants showed that 98.5% of respondents had already contact with animal videos. 41.7% of respondents said that they never/almost never searched for animal videos themselves and 73.8% said that they often/very often had animal videos suggested by the platforms' algorithms. Various print and online media reported on the project (e.g. Spiegel, Zeit (Leo), Hannoversche Allgemeine and various specialist magazines). In addition, those responsible for the project gave interviews on radio, television and in a podcast. Posters, flyers, logos as well as GIFS and PDF files were also made available to the public. Various functional groups were involved as multipliers through lectures at events and teaching opportunities for schools.

Funding: Industry (Veterinary pharmaceuticals/Vaccines), 567.421 EUR

Project Details:
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Funding: Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur, 119.980 EUR

Project Details:
Interactions between humans and wild animals in teh urban environment take place in many ways, indirectly and directly, rationally and emotionally. The discourse will involve various interest groups using variable discussion formats with online participation and accompanying data collection. Structured debates, including scientific findings and expertise, are intended to formulate theses on how to deal with animals in the human environment and create respective recommendations.

Project Details:
Ein Verfahren zur Messung des Stresslevels über Ausscheidungen des Mäusebussards soll etabliert, validiert und anschließend zur Einschätzung der Stressbelastung von Tieren in Rehabilitation eingesetzt werden.

Cooperation Partners:

Prof. Dr. Touma, Universität Osnabrück

Project Details:
Ziel des Projektes ist die Untersuchung von Probenmaterial zum Nachweis von Mykoplasmen bei Schlangen, und die Auswertung in Abhängigkeit von der Lokalisation, Spezies und der klinischen Symptomatik.

Cooperation Partners:

Laboklin GmbH

PD Dr. Rachel Marschang

Marline Faulhaber

Project Details:
Ziel der Studie soll die Evaluierung der Ausbreitung von Ophidiomyces in der Schlangenpopulation in Deutschland sein. Durch Einbeziehung klinisch gesunder und erkrankter Schlangen soll eine Aussage bezüglich der Prävalenz getroffen und weitere Erkenntnisse über die Pathogenität und Auswirkungen sowohl auf das Einzeltier als auch die Gesamtpopulation sollen gesammelt werden.

Cooperation Partners:

Laboklin GmbH

PD Dr. Rachel Marschang

Lisa Schüler

Funding: DFG, 117.450 EUR

Project Details:
Das West Nile Virus (WNV) ist eine in allen Regionen der Welt verbreitete Zoonose und wird durch verschiedene Stechmückenarten auf wild lebende Vögel übertragen. Es kann sich aber auch auf Menschen und Pferde ausweiten, wobei es neben meist asymptomatisch Verläufen bei etwa 20 - 30 % der Erkrankten zu grippeähnlichen Symptomen ("West-Nil-Fieber") und in 1-2 % der Fällen sogar zur Ausbildung einer schweren, neuroinvasiven Form mit meist fatalem Ausgang kommt. Ältere Individuen haben ein höheres Risiko, eine solche neuroinvasive Form zu entwickeln.
Im Jahr 2018 konnte das West Nil Virus in Deutschland neben Pferden und Vögeln auch erstmalig beim Menschen diagnostiziert werden und wurde 2019 bei 5 Personen als Krankheitsursache bestätigt. Im Gegensatz zur Anwendung im Pferde gibt es noch keine für den Menschen zugelassene Impfung, weshalb jene Entwicklung von großer Bedeutung ist. In Anbetracht des erhöhten Risikos einer schweren Erkrankung bei älteren Individuen ist insbesondere für diese Gruppe ein Impfstoff von hohem Interesse. Dies wird dadurch erschwert, dass Impfungen in dieser Gruppe zu einer schwächer ausgeprägten und damit weniger effektiven Immunantwort führen können. Daher soll die Immunantwort älterer Mäuse auf den von uns entwickelten Impfstoff gegen das West-Nil-Virus charakterisiert werden, insbesondere in Hinblick auf die Entwicklung einer T-Zell-Immunität.
Ziel ist es, die WNV Pathogenese bei Tier und Mensch und die Impfstoff-induzierte Immunantwort im Hinblick auf schützende Korrelate besser zu verstehen, damit neue therapeutische und präventive Strategien entwickelt werden können.

Funding: Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand (ZIM), 218.163 EUR

Project Details:
Entwicklung der Vorgaben und Grundlagen für Diagnosesoftware, Entwicklung von weiterführenden diagnostischen Empfehlungen, therapeutischen Konzepten und Therapieempfehlungen