Martin Volk

Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Computational Landscape Ecology, Department Member

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Martin is a Professor for Physical Geography and Geoecology, working as a Co-head and working group leader of the Department for Computational Landscape Ecology (since 2004), Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany. He received a diploma in Physical Geography at the Justus-Liebig-University Giessen (1990), with student placements at the University of Calgary, Canada (1988) and ETH Zurich in Switzerland (1989). He got his PhD in geosciences and physical geography in 1996 (Justus-Liebig-University Giessen), and received a postdoctoral degree in 2010 at Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, where he is now a Professor (apl., 2015). Martin gained also experiences as an employee at a geotechnical engineering company in Bad Duerrenberg, Germany (1994-1996).
He gives lectures on environmental modelling, environmental sciences, geomorphology, and scientific project management at the Martin-Luther-University of Halle, Germany. Martin is supervisor and reviewer for academic theses. Martin is leader of the working group “Integrated modelling and optimization”. His research focuses on scale appropriate analysis, assessment and management of landscape water and matter dynamics (systems research, landscape models, river basin management). He is further working on methods for quantification of Ecosystem Services and Trade-Offs as well as on model development (SWAT, IHACRES, erosion models) and scale appropriate application of integrated model systems. Martin is involved in several national and international research projects, acts as member of journal editoral boards and reviewer for numerous journals and collaborates with universities and research institutes in Europe, USA, Canada, South America and Australia. His work is documented in numerous books (editor and authors), reviewed journal papers, reports and conference proceedings.

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The Effects of Climate Change on Streamflow, Nitrogen Loads, and Crop Yields in the Gordes Dam Basin, Turkey

by Ayfer Özdemir, Martin Volk, and Felix Witing

Water, 2024

The Mediterranean region is highly vulnerable to climate change. Longer and more intense heatwave... more The Mediterranean region is highly vulnerable to climate change. Longer and more intense heatwaves and droughts are expected. The Gordes Dam in Turkey provides drinking water for Izmir city and irrigation water for a wide range of crops grown in the basin. Using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), this study examined the effects of projected climate change (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) on the simulated streamflow, nitrogen loads, and crop yields in the basin for the period of 2031–2060. A hierarchical approach to define the hydrological response units (HRUs) of SWAT and the Fast Automatic Calibration Tool (FACT) were used to reduce computational time and improve model performance. The simulations showed that the average annual discharge into the reservoir is projected to increase by between 0.7 m3/s and 4 m3/s under RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 climate change scenarios. The steep slopes and changes in precipitation in the study area may lead to higher simulated streamflow. In addition, the rising temperatures predicted in the projections could lead to earlier spring snowmelt. This could also lead to increased streamflow. Projected nitrogen loads increased by between 8.8 and 25.1 t/year. The results for agricultural production were more variable. While the yields of poppy, tobacco, winter barley, and winter wheat will increase to some extent because of climate change, the yields of maize, cucumbers, and potatoes are all predicted to be negatively affected. Non-continuous and limited data on water quality and crop yields lead to uncertainties, so that the accuracy of the model is affected by these limitations and inconsistencies. However, the results of this study provide a basis for developing sustainable water and land management practices at the catchment scale in response to climate change. The changes in water quality and quantity and the ecological balance resulting from changes in land use and management patterns for economic benefit could not be fully demonstrated in this study. To explore the most appropriate management strategies for sustainable crop production, the SWAT model developed in this study should be further used in a multi-criteria land use optimization analysis that considers not only crop yields but also water quantity and quality targets.

Martin Volk

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