Ecological characteristics and economic impact of non native Ailanthus altissima (MILL.) swingle in Hesse, Germany [Elektronische Ressource] / vorgelegt von Hilda Luz Lezcano Cáceres

ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND ECONOMIC IMPACT OF NON NATIVE Ailanthus altissima (MILL.) SWINGLE IN HESSE, GERMANY Dissertation zur Erlangung des Doktorgrades der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultäten der Georg-August-Universität zu Göttingen vorgelegt von Hilda Luz Lezcano Cáceres aus Panama, Panama Goettingen 2010 D 7 Referent: Prof. Dr. Gerhard Gerold Korreferent: Dr. Hermann Jungkunst Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: (29.09.2010) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am grateful to God for His infinite love and mercy that gave me strength in times of distress and anxiety to complete this project. My parents and sisters who were always there encouraging me and to my special friends in Frankfurt am Main and Goettingen who have been my strength in a foreign country. I also thank Beate Alberternst and Rüdiger Wittig for their valuable ideas during the process of developing this project, Henry Riechmann for their assistance in the preparation of the sample plots on satellite images, Lutz Stübing for his assistance during the labour experiments, Michael Hölzinger (Deutsche Bahn, Hesse), Manfred Harlaam (Hesse’s Urban Parks Director), Dr.