Evolution of Water and Matter Cycles Within the Earth’s Critical Zone (B02)

• Subject Area: Hydrogeology, Hydrology, Limnology, Urban Water Management, Water Chemistry, Integrated Water Resources Management
• Term: since 2013
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 218627073

We investigate how vegetation-induced spatial heterogeneity of water and matter fluxes caused by canopies, root uptake, and soil properties affect in concert the partitioning of water fluxes between evapotranspiration and deep percolation, as well as export of nitrogen from the rooting zone. We seek to reveal the causes of underlying spatial input and output patterns and thus rendering them predictable. For this, we use a nested observation network with a design targeted at concerted evaluation of above- and belowground process.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1076: AquaDiva: Understanding the Links between Surface and Subsurface Biogeosphere
• Applicant Institution: Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
• Project Heads: Professorin Anke Hildebrandt, Ph.D.; Professor Dr. Markus Reichstein, until 6/2017