Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry
We use isotope ratios of elements to fingerprint ecosystem processes. Our ecosystem process research is used in close cooperation with the other groups of the division to develop environmental smart ecosystem management and for testing and informing the divisions’ models.
In this context, our scientific aims are:
• to study C, N and H2O cycling of terrestrial ecosystems
• to quantify biosphere-atmosphere-hydrosphere exchange of environmentally important substances
• to study effects of global change and anthropogenic management on soil, plant and atmospheric processes.
The group runs the Center of Stable Isotope Analysis of IMK-IFU (CSI). CSI is a cross-cutting unit and provides its expertise and analytical capacities (analysis of C and N and O isotopes in solid, liquid and gaseous samples) to all divisions of KIT/IMK-IFU and to external scientific partners. In addition to standard isotopic analyses, we develop targeted novel analysis and automated sampling tools to meet the analytical needs in the fields of biogeochemistry, plant sciences and hydrology.
