Plant and Ecosystem Physiology, Functional Plant Diversity

Biodiversity is the basis for all ecosystem processes as well as for the many services we obtain from ecosystems. However, our understanding of the underlying mechanisms is still limited. In our research, we focus on functional plant diversity, linking plant ecophysiology and biochemistry to environmental factors and species interactions. For more than 17 years, we participated in the Jena Experiment, Europe's largest biodiversity experiment in grasslands. We often aim to upscale to the ecosystem or to quantify ecosystem services. Studies take place in the field, but also under controlled conditions.