Experimental Plant Ecology

Our research focuses on ecosystem response to global change using experiments at different scales (laboratory experiments in climate chambers, common garden experiments in pots, mesocosm experiments, gradient experiments , field experiments, and also field observations). We use these methods to functionally understand ecosystem and individual species responses to changing environmental conditions. Current research interests include:

• belowground plant growth and the role of plant roots in ecosystem functioning
• phenotypic plasticity and adaptations of species
• restoration and management of fens
• winter ecology (and climate change in winter)
• ecological significance of extreme weather events and interacting climate factors
• aquatic ecology and ecology of coastal heathlands (Biological Station Hiddensee)

Ecosystems and species we focus on are:

• fens sedges (Carex), reeds (Phragmites), cattails (Typha)
• forests European beech (Fagus sylvatica)
• coastal heathlands heather (Calluna vulgaris)
• shallow water areas of the Baltic Sea and lakes Starry algae (Characeae)