Application to the Santander Group for financial
support to establish a sectorial group in the area of environment,
with special emphasis on landscape management, greenification
of wasteland and improvement of biodiversity and productivity
of halophytic ecosystems.
Date: April 28 th, 1997
Applicant: Prof. Dr. Helmut Lieth
University of Osnabrück
Institute of Environmental Systems Research
Artilleriestr. 34
D-49076 Osnabrück, Germany
Tel: 0049-(0)541-969 -2575
or: -2547
Fax: 0049-(0)541-969- 2570
e-mail: helmut.lieth@usf.uni-osnabrueck.de
1. Academic thematic area
The research subject of this proposal is the „Sustainable
Utilization of Halophytes". In recent years, an international
working group got togeather in order to discuss and to work on
this topic from various points of view. All involved scientists
share the same opinion:
In the attached annex we have outlined the thematic areas to be
studied in order to improve the biodiversity of saltmarshes and
mangroves. We have shown that many halophytic species of theses
eco-systems can be cultivated in plantations using intelligent
irrigation systems with saline water or even with seawater and
that such saline irrigated plantations of salt tolerant plants
could be used to protect certain types of desert landscapes against
wind and water erosion. If adapted grazing scheems are developed,
the greenifyed sites could be used with grazing animals for foodproduction.
The need for salt tolerant ornamental plants for coastal cities,
beach promenades, bilding sites, for the tourist industy, etc.
is increasing and opens an interesting economic potential for
the future. This research project was given the title „Sustainable
Utilisation of Halophytes".
2. Aim and Content (see annex)
Among the group exists the believe that a strong research programme is needed to make use of the potential of halophytes. Some of the most important aspects of such a programme are outlined in the attached annex.
The aim of this group is the establishment of pilot systems and
demonstration sites at which all aspects of halophytic systems
management can be tested, developed, disseminated and taught.
The group elected Prof. Dr. Helmut Lieth as chairperson and asked
him to approach as many colleagues in research institutions in
Europe and overseas to stimulate future co-operation on this research
subject.
3. Institutions actively involved and interested
We know from congresses, workshops and literature that a large
number of scientists from ecology, agronomy, forestry and nature
conservation is interested in this subject. There is no organised
society as yet for the investigation of the potential of halophytes
for food, animal feed and landscape management. We have personal
contact to more than a hundred scientists world-wide. The list
of some of them is attached to the annex. All researchers involved
until now, would like to enlarge our group by systematic exchange
of research results, especially in application attempts.
4. Expected outcome
We expect that future sessions with new group members would stimulate
pilot systems with saline irrigation at many different environmental
regimes. Several colleagues have written to us that they need
guidance for the planning of priority research and assistance
in getting local, national and international financial support.
We expect that a small amount of financial investment will trigger
an increased future funding from private sources (e.g. building
industry and agriculture).
5. Place to be held
We suggest the formation of a core-group of about 10-15 scientists, leading halophyte research in and around Europe. We propose to invite this group to a first meeting in Osnabrück by end 1997 or beginning 1998.
We have just started to invite feedback to our endeavour from
several relevant institutions and scientists. It is impossible,
therefore, to give right now an exact date.
6. Responsible organiser and chairman
The responsible senior scientist will be Prof. Dr. Helmut Lieth
who will chair and structure the meeting. Prof. Dr. Helmuth Lieth
has a long standing record for organising successful research
groups. Dr. Rolf Minhorst, Head of our EU-Liaison Office, has
pledged to take over the technical organisation of such a meeting.
7. Organisation of the meeting
The organiser and the chairman will request from each interested participant a short outline of their projected contribution to a continuing successful research programme. The elected contributions will be distributed to the attendants of the planned meeting so that the meeting is likely to yield useful results.
From previous experience we know that this way of organisation
leads directly to a new research proposal which then will be supported
by all members of the meeting. It is the aim of the meeting to
elaborate such a new co-operative research proposal to be submitted
for funding.
8. Future plans for sectorial group meetings
The halophyte research undergoes a rapid change of priorities.
Right now we are convinced of the high priority of our presently
suggested topics. But we expect already some physiological topics
to surface in the near future. Therefore, we foresee a need for
regular meetings of this sectorial group and expect that the members
will welcome the opportunity to organise future meetings at their
institutions.
Introduction
The European Community sponsors a Concerted Action Project with
the objective to improve the utilisation of halophytes. The project
is being co-ordinated jointly out of the University of Osnabrück,
Institute for Systems Research, the University of Giessen, ZBB,
and the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute, International Centre
for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies in Valenzano, Bari.
As of 1997, 14 institutions around the Mediterranean sea in North
Africa, Arabia and Pakistan are involved in this study for assessing
basic requirements for halophytic species, assessing the use of
selected species for landscape management, greenification of building
complexes, and the feasibility of using certain species for food,
animal feed, and the production of fine chemicals.
The list of participants is given at the end of this paper including
contact addresses. UNESCO cosponsors the activity through its
MAB (man and the biosphere) office.
The present paper explains objectives, aims and procedures of
the Concerted Action Project. It intends to generate more interest
in the sustainable utilisation of halophytes world wide through
a variety of activities. Because of the great potential of halophytic
plants for the immediate future of large areas of the world we
try with this paper to generate an international working group.
Scientists interested in this work are kindly requested to send their names and special interest to the address of the co-ordinator (see below).
1. The issue: Concerning freshwater resources, increasing
usable area through saline irrigation.
Among the most pressing environmental problems of mankind is the
shortage of freshwater.
Freshwater is in short supply in the arid areas world-wide. Large
efforts are made here to provide enough drinking water for humans
and domestic animals.
Freshwater is also becoming increasingly scarce in densely populated
regions everywhere in the world. The drinking water in these regions
is reused several times until its burden of chemicals is so high
that its future use as drinking water is impossible.
Freshwater is the main environmental resource for agriculture and forestry, its presence is the first condition to convert a natural site into food producing land. As the human population grows, increases the conflict of interest between the needs for clean water for direct human consumption and the need for fresh water for agriculture.
A large percentage of mankind lives in coastal zones, i.e. less
than 50 km from the sea. A significant part joins them additionally
every year as tourists. As a result of population growth and economic
development, the water consumption is increasing and reaches in
many locations levels beyond sustainability.
The world is covered two thirds by water surfaces, the oceans.
This water contains about 3-4% of salt, mostly sodium chloride.
Ocean water is not usable as drinking water but there are a large
number of plants which can grow by using this water. These plants
are called halophytes. They occur along the coastlines of all
oceans and in certain inland salt flats as well.
2. The aim.
In the light of freshwater shortage it seems necessary and profitable
to see if halophytes could be converted into crops and/or used
for other purposes. It should be examined if certain selected
species could be adapted to other wastelands, eroded sites, desert
lands, etc. and be grown under irrigation with saline or even
sea water.
Our Concerted Action Project approaches the problem by providing
the possibilities to produce a large amount of biomass per hectare
on badlands with the help of seawater irrigation.
Traditional uses of halophytic plants are known from all continents.
All of them occurred within the tidal range along the ocean coastline.
In recent decades attempts were started to use saline water to
irrigate agricultural crops. The shortage of fresh water for human
consumption forced agronomists to use treated waste water and
brackish water to irrigate crops. In arid areas of the world,
Arabia, SE Asia, North Africa, Australia, Mexico and North America
irrigation trials with ocean water were started.
Extensive work of many scientists has shown that mangroves and
other halophytes can be successfully planted in the deserts of
the UAE, irrigated with seawater or other saline water. Immediate
applications are seen in the desert greening (e.g. for tourism)
but also for the greenification of concrete structures, road sides,
houses or other buildings without using one drop of the scarce
resource fresh water.
In Europe, several plant species are traditionally cultivated
in saline environments as legumes or spices. In order to improve
these cultivations the European Commission supported a research
project in Holland, Belgium and Portugal.
The current CA-Project has been brought together to consolidate
all results achieved so far and to further improve the production
system. More species will be analysed, tested and additional uses
for such production systems are to be identified for fodder, food
and ornamental plants, but also as a source of cellulose, for
landscaping and CO2 sequestering.
At the end the CA-Project tries to provide guidelines for sustainable
seawater irrigated biomass production systems in a way that any
interested body can base its decision on it. For this goal we
need many more inputs from European countries and countries on
other continents as well.
3. The next tasks
Within our CA-Project, several researchers and institutions interested
in saline irrigation and production system agreed to exchange
their experiences in order to develop sustainable halophyte production
systems, adopted to different sites. These tasks require in the
next future research and demonstration work for which new funding
is needed from additional sources.
Sustainability in a production system in which water needs to
be pumped in large quantities requires given economical feasibility.
In order to achieve this goal the participants suggest the following
topics to be tried and discussed
We suggest to the Santander Group of European Universities to
organise sectorial meetings in which new co-operative research
proposals for research of special topics should be drafted. All
interested scientists are kindly requested to contact the project
co-ordinator (see below). We intend to involve more scientists
and institutions from key locations in Europe and overseas into
the next step of our halophyte utilisation research. It would
be of great help if the Steering Committee of the Santander Group
could support the proposed sectorial meeting and requested the
necessary funding at the European Commission.
List of Participants of the Concerted Action Project as of
January 1997
Co-ordinator:
Lieth, Helmut, Mr. Prof. Dr.
University of Osnabrueck
Institute for Environmental Systems Research Tel:++49 541 969 2547
Artilleriestr. 34, Fax:++49 541 969 2570
D-49069 Osnabrueck E-mail:helmut.lieth@usf.uni-osnabrueck.de
Germany
Project manager:
Moschenko, Marina, Mrs. Dipl. Ling.
University of Osnabrueck
Institute for Environmental Systems Research
Artilleriestr. 34, Tel:++49 541 969 2547
D-49069 Osnabrueck Fax:++49 541 969 2570
Germany E-mail:helmut.lieth@usf.uni-osnabrueck.de
Participants:
Al-Jaloud, Ali. A. Mr. Prof. Dr.
Research Institute for Natural Resource and Environment
King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology
PO Box 6086, Tel:++966 1 481 3610
Riyadh 11442 Fax:++966 1 481 3611
Saudi Arabia
Böer, Benno Mr. Dipl.
Biol. Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency
P.O. Box 9903 Tel.: ++971 3 747 555
Abu Dhabi/Sweihan Fax:++971 3 747 607
U.A.E. E-mail: narc@emirates.net.ae
Caador, Isabel, Mrs. Prof. Dr.
Departamento de Biologia Vegetal
Faculdade de Ciencias de Lisboa
Campo Grande edifico C2, 4oPiso Tel:++351 1 757 3141
P-1700 Lisboa Fax:++351 1 759 7716
Portugal
Clüsener-Godt, Miguel, Mr. Dr.
UNESCO
Division of Ecological Sciences
7, place de Fontenoy Tel:++331 4568 4146
F-75352 Paris 07 SP Fax:++331 4065 9897
France E-mail:m.clusener-godt@unesco.org
Hajji, Mokhtar, Mr. Dr.
c/o Chedly, Abdelly Mr. Prof. Dr.
Nutrition Mineral Lab
Institut National de Recherche Scientifique et Technique
P.O. Box 95 Tel.:++216 1 430 9172050
Hamman Lif. Fax:++216 1 430 934
Tunisie
Harrouni, Cheriff, Mr. Dr.
c/o Choukr-Allah, R. Mr. Prof. Dr.
Institut Agronomique et Veterinaire Hassan II
Complexe Horticole d' Agadir
P.O. Box 773 Tel: ++ 212 822 5753
Agadir Fax++212 824 22 43
Maroc E-mail: chagadir@mtds.com
Hamdy, Atef, Mr. Prof.
Mediterranean Agronomic Institute
International Center for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies
Via Cherio 9 Tel.:++ 39 80 7806 111I-70010 Valenzano/Bari Fax:++ 39 80 7806 206
Italy
Huchzermeyer, Bernhard, Mr. Dr. PrivDoz.
Botanisches Institut
Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover Tel:++49 511 953 8882
Bünteweg 17d Fax:++49 511 953 8584
D.- 30559 Hannover
Germany
El Kadi, M. Mr., Prof. Dr.
El Shaer, H. Mr. Prof. Dr.
Desert Research Center
El Mataria Tel:++202 243 5449
Cairo Fax:++202 245 7858
Egypt
Khan, Ajmal Mr. Prof. Dr.
Dept. of Botany
University of Karachi Tel:++92 21 479004
Karachi-75270 Fax:++92 21 4963788
Pakistan E-mail:Ajmal@www.fascom.com
Koyro, Hans-Werner, Mr. Prof. Dr.
Justus-Liebig Universitaet Giessen Tel.: ++49 641 99 16503 Zentrale Biotechnische Betriebseinheit Fax: ++49 641 99 16509 or 15009 Leihgesterner Weg 217 E-mail: Hans-Werner.Koyro@strz.uni.-giessen.de
D-35392 Giessen
Germany
Margaris, Nikos Mr. Prof. Dr.
University of the Aegean
Department of Environmental Sciences
Karantoni 17 Tel:++30 251 20073
Gr-81 100 Mytilini Fax:++3025123783
Greece E-mail: nmar@env.aegean.gr
Menzel, Uwe, Mr. Dipl. Biol.
University of Osnabrueck
Institute for Environmental Systems Research
Artilleriestr. 34, Tel:++49 541 969 2547
D-49069 Osnabrueck Fax:++49 541 969 2570
Germany E-mail:helmut.lieth@usf.uni-osnabrueck.de
Sardo, Vito, Mr. Dr.
Studio Sardo
Via Dr. Consoli 13 Tel: ++39 95 317 303I-95124
Catania Fax:++39 95 7311 992
Sicilia
Italy