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Overview

In the Thünen topic “Water”, our focus is on both water quality and water quantity.

  • With regard to water quality, we are investigating how much nitrogen and phosphorus is discharged into water bodies from agriculture and forest areas and how this runoff can be reduced.
  • With regard to the quantity of water, we are investigating how groundwater recharge under forests can be increased and how we can store and use more water in agricultural landscapes.

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Dried beech trees from a vessel experiment
Water deficiency – Forests in danger?

During dry periods in spring the forest thirsts. Does this drought cause any damage at that time? We know that the tree species show different adaptations to drought.

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Ein trockener Kiefernzweig vor einem blauen Himmel mit Wolken
How do different provenances of Scots pine respond to drought?

Drought tolerance in pine forests is a topic with increasing impotrance, due to the climate change. In a joint project, researchers have tested various provenances of Scots pine.

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Nadelwald mit Regenmessern in den Baumkronen
Forests and water

Forests provide more than just wood. Another forest product is much less well-known: clean water! And different forests types differ clearly in performance.

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Undercrowns Precipitation measurement
The role of tree types on the agricultural water household

The impact of different tree species on the course of new ground water development of is a focus of our study with large lysimeters.

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More Water – Rethinking the management of organic soils

Peatlands have accumulated carbon for thousands of years. Draining them for agricultural use releases large amounts of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. And other ecosystem services suffer as well. How do we want to manage ...

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Modelling the Hydrology of Organic Soils

Hydrological processes have a decisive influence on the greenhouse gas and nutrient dynamics of organic soils. Hydrological modelling serves to answer these types of questions.

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Dissolved organic carbon

Carbon losses via the aquatic pathway

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Dünne Zweige eines Baumes, an denen schon erste helle Knospen aufgehen
Good conditions for spring budburst

There has not been this much rain in winter since the series of measurements began in 1993: between November 2023 and February 2024, 311 millimetres of precipitation fell at the Thünen research station in Britz. This means that the plant world has ...

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A field, a forest and a village are partially under water
Forest and floods

Floods are a regular feature of riverine landscapes. Their occurrence depends on various factors: Precipitation, relief and subsoil, vegetation and soil management. Whether a flood occurs, however, is largely determined by how saturated the forest ...

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