Thünen explains

Scientific findings are an essential basis for decisions in politics and society that are capable of gaining majority support. To make this basis available to a broad public, we have created the section "Thünen explains". Here we present complex topics from our research areas that are discussed in society in a way that is easy to understand.

The subsoil – deeply rooted in dry times

Increasing drought is threatening harvests, even in our latitudes. Where will plants get water to grow and thrive in the future? From the subsoil, for example. Unused water and nutrient reserves lie dormant there. But plants can't access them. Thünen explains shows how we can give plants access to water reserves and help protect the climate at the same time.

The National Animal Welfare Monitoring

Animal welfare in Germany is to improve fundamentally. In order to measure progress and identify the need for change, certain animal welfare indicators must be verifiable. The National Animal Welfare Monitoring (NaTiMon) project is developing the basis for this.

Why Forest Use is also Climate Protection

Forests and wood are large carbon reservoirs and thus important pillars of climate protection. Our multimedia report shows whether and how our forests can continue to be used under changing climatic conditions.

Come to stay

A village is not a small town. When refugees move to rural communities, all those involved face different challenges than in a city. Our multimedia report explains how the municipalities succeed in winning over refugees for rural life in the long term and what they themselves gain from it.

The Animal Welfare Payment

More light, more air, more freedom of movement: More animal welfare is to be ensured in German barns. The Borchert Commission has proposed the introduction of an animal welfare surcharge. The infographic explains how it works.

Small shops in rural areas

They are something like the heart of a village - the small grocery shops. But their number has been declining for years. That is why there are always initiatives for new shops. Our video shows what should be taken into account and how local authorities, consumers and the public can support such a project.

Herring Trapped in Climate Change

The herring stock in the Western Baltic Sea has been producing fewer and fewer offspring for years. In our multimedia feature we explain how climate change impacts herring productivity and what we did over the last 15 years to discover this.