CASE STUDY 3
German Case Study
The German case study area (CSA) encompasses the Emscher catchment in North Rhine-Westphalia, western Germany. The CSA is in the most densely populated state and the core industrial region of Germany. A long history of industrial pollution is now followed by efforts to restore river and floodplains for the benefit of human, animal and environmental health.
RESTORATION &
INTERVENTION MEASURES
Nature restoration
Restoration of aquatic-terrestrial linkages
Rewilding
No
Public health interventions
No
ENVIRONMENTAL
SAMPLES
Reservoirs
rodents
Vectors
mosquito
tick
Environment
water
soil
Case Study Activities
The trapping sites follow a before-after-control-impact (BACI)-inspired design, distinguishing between restored (“After”, A) and unrestored control (“Control”, C) sections. In this context, extensively managed dikes and channelized river stretches with concrete embankments represent the control sites, whereas free-flowing river sections with rain retention basins represent the after sites. In general, intensively cared-for dikes and near river meadows are known to have a reduced biodiversity. However, our knowledge of the impact of extensively cared-for areas and their effect on pathogen spillover risk remains limited. To address these questions, rodents and arthropod vectors are under investigation at three control and three after sites. In addition, water and soil samples were collected at two control and after sites.
The central objective of our research is the role of water and riverbed restoration in the Emscher catchment on vector- and rodent-borne zoonotic pathogens. These questions are aimed to be answered by studies of rodent, arthropod vector and environmental reservoir systems.
The Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut is coordinating the investigations at this CSA. The study is accompanied by the Emscher Genossenschaft.
