The use of NanoSIMS in combination with correlative or complementary approaches such as high resolution electron-, helium- and atomic force- microscopy, Raman spectroscopy or other types of mass spectrometry e.g. ToFSIMS, became increasingly requested and to a certain extent implemented by the scientific community in the recent years. In this context, the 7th International NanoSIMS user meeting aims to offer a meeting point for all the NanoSIMS users including scientists with hands on the instrument, those heavily involved in experimental planning, sample preparation and project managers, as well as representatives of the main manufacturing companies for sample preparation, high resolution microscopy, spectroscopy & secondary ion mass spectrometry. The primary goal of this meeting is to offer a scientific frame for in depth discussions on the NanoSIMS challenges i.e. instrumental and application wide and to inform the NanoSIMS user community on the complementary techniques and instruments available. The future expanding of NanoSIMS applications in material, life and environmental sciences is currently dependent on our ability to apply and further develop such correlative/complementary approaches for a complete chemical, structural and functional characterization of an artefact free sample. NanoSIMS users are welcome to submit contributions as well as those members of the scientific community that use any type of correlative microscopy approach and/or plan further combinations of these with NanoSIMS.

 Biodiversity, ecosystem services: science and its impact on policy and society

A lush green oasis nestles in a seemingly barren desert landscape. Suddenly, a dried-up river transforms into a rushing stream. Sinkholes open up without warning, where recently tourists bathed in the sun. This is the region around the Dead Sea, a small area of great economic, religious and political importance at the lowest point on Earth.

Top-class scientists from the Middle East and Germany take us to their research in the Dead Sea region. Among others things, they show us how sinkholes collapse, which influence wind can have on the economy and why one should not be baptized in the Jordan River.

Join us!

Registration:
The event is free of charge. Please register until 8. September 2017.

 Fertile soils are a prerequisite for plant production and the fundamental basis for terrestrial bio-economic value chains. In a sustainable development perspective, the performance of soils in providing high yields have to be integrated with the provision of a wide range of ecosystem services. These include habitats for organisms and gene pools (biodiversity), cleaning of water and air, nutrient cycling, greenhouse gas mitigation, carbon sequestration, buffering of weather extremes, cooling, flood control, cultural assets, recreation and human health assets. At the same time, sustainable soil management implies the efficient utilization of natural resources including water, energy, land, and nutrients. The resource efficient optimization of such soil services requires a systemic understanding of the biological, chemical and physical processes interacting in the soil system as well as its dynamics with soil management. BonaRes conducts research to improve the evidence base for sustainable soil management.

The BonaRes funding initiative integrates 10 interdisciplinary collaborative projects as well as the BonaRes Centre. It is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).