Research
The Research Group Soil Ecology and Land Use is working on the impact of land-use, management and environmental change on the quality of soils. Our goal is the development of future oriented, spatial explicit strategies for the sustainable use of soils, since soils are a limited resource sustaining life. The assessment of soil functions is crucial. One focus is on turnover processes of organic matter driven by soil microorganisms. The importance of structure and activity of soil microorganisms for rehabilitation of degraded soils is of special interest. The regional focus is on ecosystems of the temperate and tropical zone.
Research focus
- Assessment and management of soil resources
- Functional soil biodiversity and ecosystem services
- Soil organic matter: sequestration and molecular characteristics
- Nutrient cycling (C, N, P) in agricultural and forest ecosystems
- Interactions of plants, microorganisms and soils
Methods and Equipment
On the page of the laboratory of the Institute of Landscape Ecology [de] you will find information about laboratory and field equipment, analytical methods and information about borrowing equipment [de].