Stimulated by the concern for environmental problems that arose during the 1970s and 1980s, related both to global and national questions of sustain ability, the German government committed itself to advancing ecosystem research as a central component of planning for environment ally, economically, and socially sound policies and for resource manage ment during the 21 st century. Ecosystem research has been promoted at institutions spread throughout the country and that are favorably struc tured to conduct interdisciplinary studies. Research funding is derived from both the federal union and state governments. Results from the research programme at several of these institutions are summarized in this volume: 1. to provide a status report on process understanding within ecosystem types that are viewed as building blocks of complex, highly-modified Central European landscapes, 2. to document progress at institutions pursuing ecosystem science and promoting interdisciplinary approaches, 3. to support the next steps in generalizing the research results, e. g., to obtain a picture of ecosystem function in time and space or oflandscape function, and 4. to examine how the results may be applied to better manage natural resources and achieve sustainability.

1 Relating Ecosystem Studies to the Management of Resources in Central Europe: A Problem of Complexity, Scales and Communication

2 A Historical Perspective on the Development of Ecosystem and Landscape Research in Germany
3 Conceptual Framework of the Bornhöved Lake District Research
4 Spatial Heterogeneity in Forest Soils and Understory Communities of the Bornhöved Lake District
5 The Carbon Cycle of Contrasting Landscape Elements of the Bornhöved Lake District
6 Nitrogen Retention and Loss from Ecosystems of the Bornhöved Lake District
7 Spatial and Temporal Variability of Limnological Processes
8 Sustainable Landscape Management in the Börnhoved Lake District
9 Adapting Land Use To Promote Sustainable Agricultural Management: A Model Project at the Scheyern Experimental Farm of FAM
10 The Scheyern Experimental Farm: Research Methods, the Farming System and Definition of the Framework of Site Properties and Characteristics
11 Site Effects on the Variability of Crop Growth at the Scheyern Experimental Farm
12 Site Effects on Plant and Animal Distribution at the Scheyern Experimental Farm
13 Site Effects on the Variability of Nitrogen Turnover at the Scheyern Experimental Farm
14 Modelling Seasonal Dynamics of Matter Transport and Cycling from Patch to Landscape: Extrapolating from the Scheyern Experimental Farm
15 Ecological and Economic Evaluations of Agricultural Land Use - Experiences from the Scheyern Experimental Farm
16 Interdisciplinary and Multifunctional Approaches for Ensuring Sustainable Use of Northeast German Agro-landscapes
17 Spatially Distributed Simulation of Evapotranspiration, Soil Water Dynamics, and Groundwater Recharge in Northeast German Agro-landscapes
18 "Potholes" in Northeast GermanAgro-landscapes: Functions, Land Use Impacts, and Protection Strategies
19 Assessing the Impact of Land Use Intensity and Climate Change on Ontogenesis, Biomass Production, and Yield of Northeast German Agro-landscapes
20 A Model To Assess the Effects of Land Use Changes on Nitrogen Leaching in Northeast German Agro-landscapes
21 Effects of Patterning on Biodiversity in Northeast German Agro-landscapes
22 Land Use Change and Habitat Quality in Northeast German Agro-landscapes
23 Future Land Use Planning in Northeast German Agro-landscapes
24 Assessing Environmental Influences on Ecological Function of a Spruce Forest Catchment in the Fichtelgebirge
25 Controls on Evapotranspiration in a Spruce Forest Catchment of the Fichtelgebirge
26 Modelling of Fluxes in a Spruce Forest Catchment of the Fichtelgebirge
27 Biogeochemistry of a Spruce Forest Catchment of the Fichtelgebirge in Response to Changing Atmospheric Deposition
28 Generalizing from a Spruce Forest Catchment of the Fichtelgebirge: Expected Responses of Montane Forests to Environmental Change
29 Changes in Forest Ecosystem Function with Succession in the Lüneburger Heide
30 Future Development of Landscapes in Marginal Agrarian Regions of Central Europe: Long-term Effects of Land Use on the Water Balance
31 Remote Sensing, GIS and Modelling: Assessing Spatially Distributed Water, Carbon, and Nutrient Balances in the Ammer River Catchment in Southern Bavaria
32 Ecosystem Science Contributions and the Implementation of an Ecologically Based Landscape Management in Central Europe
Appendix: Color Illustrations.