Unit
Soil Ecology
Soil contains a diverse community of active micro-organisms. Most of them are still unknown to us. The Unit of Soil Ecology deals with the biodiversity of soil organisms, their activities and impact on various ecosystems with special focus on forest ecosystems, plant growth, soil stability as well as water and air quality.
Equipment
- Gas flux measurements in the forest (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxides, nitric oxides, hydrocarbons), operation of various long-term measuring sites in the forests
- Coordination of biodiversity projects
- Development and maintenance of a soil biodiversity data-base
- Microbial community patterns by means of fatty acid patterns (PLFA)
- Gas chromatography, IRGA, GC-MS, photometry, and wet chemistry laboratory
- Mathematical modelling, predictions