Institute of Biodiversity (TI-BD)
The objective of our research is to assess the role of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. We focus on agrobiodiversity, which denotes a part of the overall biodiversity with high economic and ecological importance. The aim of our research is to better understand the functional role of biodiversity and to assist its protection in order to contribute to a sustainable use of agroecosystems. This requires a more profound knowledge of the interactions between agrobiodiversity, management measures and environmental factors. Particularly, we investigate how changes in land use and land use intensity, changes of climatic factors, input of substances and the use genetically modified crops may affect biodiversity in agroecosystems and landscapes, respectively. We are addressing structural and functional aspects of biodiversity from the scale of microhabitats to the field and landscape scale using methodological approaches ranging from molecular biology tools, ecosystem manipulation experiments to GIS-based landscape assessments. With these research activities we contribute to the understanding and protection of mechanisms of self regulation of agricultural production systems for a sustainable land use in the future.
Parent institution:
Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut - Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries (TI) Details of TI
Address
Institute of Biodiversity (TI-BD)
Bundesallee 50
38116 Braunschweig
Lower Saxony
Phone: 0531 / 596-2501
Fax: 0531 / 596-2599
email: bd(@)ti.bund.de
Activities:
- Research
Focus of Research:
- Agri-environment measures
- Agro-Ecology
- Monitoring procedures, indicators
- Soil biology
Coordinated projects
- Abundance and diversity of clostridia in agricultural biogas plants with particular attention to Clostridium botulinum Details of Abundance and diversity of clostridia in agricultural biogas plants with particular attention to Clostridium botulinum
- Biodiversity of soil fauna in agroecosystems Details of Biodiversity of soil fauna in agroecosystems
- CC LandStraD, Subproject 1.3: Analysing the relationship between landscape and land-use parameters and High Nature Value (HNV) farmland Details of CC LandStraD, Subproject 1.3: Analysing the relationship between landscape and land-use parameters and High Nature Value (HNV) farmland
- Characterization and localization of High Nature Value (HNV) farming in Germany Details of Characterization and localization of High Nature Value (HNV) farming in Germany
- Climate Impacts and Sustainability of organic operating systems - an investigation of a network of pilot farms Details of Climate Impacts and Sustainability of organic operating systems - an investigation of a network of pilot farms
- Development and verification of indicators and monitoring concepts to measure and evaluate the current status of plant diversity in agro-ecosystems at different spatial scales Details of Development and verification of indicators and monitoring concepts to measure and evaluate the current status of plant diversity in agro-ecosystems at different spatial scales
- Diversified cropping systems for optimized multifunctional production of biomass on marginal land (DIVERSYMASS) Details of Diversified cropping systems for optimized multifunctional production of biomass on marginal land (DIVERSYMASS)
- Effects of elevated atmospheric CO2-concentration on fluxes of carbon and water vapour of a crop rotation Details of Effects of elevated atmospheric CO2-concentration on fluxes of carbon and water vapour of a crop rotation
- Experiments for improving model based recommendation for adaptation of agriculture to regional climate changes: feed back effects of future atmospheric CO2 concentrations on water balance in agroecosystems Details of Experiments for improving model based recommendation for adaptation of agriculture to regional climate changes: feed back effects of future atmospheric CO2 concentrations on water balance in agroecosystems
- Quantification of Cry proteins in soil and influence on the microbial colonization of maize roots Details of Quantification of Cry proteins in soil and influence on the microbial colonization of maize roots
- Response of soil biological and soil chemical parameters of a field soil to atmospheric CO2-enrichment (FACE) Details of Response of soil biological and soil chemical parameters of a field soil to atmospheric CO2-enrichment (FACE)
- Screening of Sorghum-genotypes in terms of growth and resource use efficiency under future climatic conditions Details of Screening of Sorghum-genotypes in terms of growth and resource use efficiency under future climatic conditions
- Soil organisms and their performance in an agroecosystem influenced by elevated atmospheric CO2 and different N-fertilisation Details of Soil organisms and their performance in an agroecosystem influenced by elevated atmospheric CO2 and different N-fertilisation
- SPP 1315: Partitioning of organic chemicals into soil micro-sites - Analyses of their fate and interactions with the resident microbial communities Details of SPP 1315: Partitioning of organic chemicals into soil micro-sites - Analyses of their fate and interactions with the resident microbial communities
Involved in research projects:
- Experimental and modeling studies on the interaction of drought and elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations on root growth of maize and sorghum Details of Experimental and modeling studies on the interaction of drought and elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations on root growth of maize and sorghum
- Impact of reduced precipitation and N-fertilizer injection techniques on emission of greenhouse gases from arable soils Details of Impact of reduced precipitation and N-fertilizer injection techniques on emission of greenhouse gases from arable soils
- Impacts of climate change on the feed value of selected plants and feed intake, performance and physiological parameters of dairy cows and beef cattle Details of Impacts of climate change on the feed value of selected plants and feed intake, performance and physiological parameters of dairy cows and beef cattle
- Influence of climatical factors on fungal infections of maize and sorghum (e.g. Fusarium diseases, Northern leaf blight, smut) Details of Influence of climatical factors on fungal infections of maize and sorghum (e.g. Fusarium diseases, Northern leaf blight, smut)
- SPP 1315: Impact of pesticides and oxygen on microbial cellulose degradation in aerated agricultural soils: A microscaled analysis of processes and prokaryotic populations Details of SPP 1315: Impact of pesticides and oxygen on microbial cellulose degradation in aerated agricultural soils: A microscaled analysis of processes and prokaryotic populations