Research Fields and Area of Expertise
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Geomorphology, Global Change, Natural Hazards Prof. Dr. Lorenz King |
| Research Fields and Area of Expertise |
Current research of Prof. King’s working group is focused on the following regions:
a) South Caucasus
The South Caucasus (Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia) receives high political and economic interest as the vital transport route Europe-Central Asia-China leads through. Several research projects in the South Caucasus started in the research centre ZEU as early as the year 2000.
b) Central Asia (Kirgizstan) and China
Three new research projects will start in March 2010. This research focus will be strengthened in the upcoming years.
Furthermore, the research group “Geomorphology, Global Change, Natural Hazards” holds broad professional expertise in applied climatology and geomorphology, especially concerning the following regions:
c) Polar areas and high mountains
d) Mediterranean countries (Tunisia, Middle East)
Ongoing Research Projects (in 2011)
Currently, there are six ongoing research projects:
- Project AMIES: “Analysing multiple interrelationships between environmental and societal processes in mountainous regions of Georgia - Interdisciplinary research to foster sustainable land use, land development, and quality of life“ (Project duration 3 years, March 2010 - 2013; funded by Volkswagenstiftung)
Subproject B1: Climate change and mass wasting events in mountain regions of Georgia
Natural Hazards along the Georgian Military Road
- DAAD SEMINAR FOR EXPERTS AND ALUMNI: “Environmental Protection and Resource Management in South-Caucasus”, Seminar for Experts and Summer School (Project duration 2 years, final report expected in February 2011; funded by DAAD
- CCFD COOPERATION GROUP “Climate Change, Floods and Droughts” (Project duration 3 years, final report expected in February 2011; funded by the Sino-German Centre for Research Promotion , Beijing (DFG/ NSFC)
- Project AKSU TARIM: "Climate Change and Water Resources in Western China: The contribution of permafrost and snow to the water balance under climate change conditions in the Aksu catchment, Central Tian Shan, P.R. China" (Project duration 3 years, March 2010 - 2013; funded by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft DFG)
- Project XIANGXI/YANGTZE: “Effects of the Yangtze Three Gorges Reservoir on newly developed ecosystems:" Land use classification and vulnerability analysis of landslides on elements of risk in the catchment area of the Xiangxi River” (Project duration 3 years, final report expected in August 2011; funded by BMBF). (with project descriptions and links to project partners in Tübingen, Erlangen, Potsdam, Kiel, and Beijing /Wuhan)
- Project LUCA (Kirgizstan): “Land Use, Ecosystem Services and Human Welfare in Central Asia (LUCA): Water Resources of Central Asian Mountain Areas – relevance for the agriculture in semiarid regions under climate change conditions" (Project duration 3 years, March 2010 - 2013; funded by Volkswagenstiftung)
Subproject 1: Water Resources of Central Asian Mountain Areas – relevance for the agriculture in semiarid regions under climate change conditions
Water resources play a primary role for the sustainable development of Central Asia. Most water resources originate in high mountain chains - therefore, the main research topic is the function of high mountains in the water cycle of arid regions. Scientific tasks of this subproject include the knowledge improvement of the glacier mass balance, ablation and retreat, permafrost distribution, investigation of hydrologic relevant parameters of ground ice occurrences and of the winter snow cover.
Completed Research Projects (selected)
- *) EU Project PACE and ESF Project PACE 21: Permafrost and Climate in Europe - Climate Change, mountain permafrost degradation and geotechnical hazard
- *) GTZ Project: “Impacts of Climate Change on the Tunisian Agro-economy and Ecology – the Development of a National Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change”.
| Area of Expertise |
- Sustainable Land-Use and Natural Hazard Management
- ZEU (Centre for International Development and Environmental Research),
- Section 1: Use of Natural Resources and Environmental
- DNP/IPA (German National Committee on Permafrost / International Permafrost Association)
- AKN (Working Group Climate and Natural Hazards)