Landscape experimentation

Landscape Experimentation aims to enhance the current understanding of the drivers behind carbon (C) and reactive nitrogen (N) magnitudes in biosphere-, atmosphere- and hydrosphere processes.

With stable isotope and tracer approaches, we can achieve breakthroughs in understanding landscape processes related to C and N cycling. Through analysis of landscape patterns of isotopic abundances (D/H, ¹²C/¹³C, ¹⁴N/¹⁵N, ¹⁸O/¹⁶O), we are able to establish ISOSCAPES. These constitute remarkable tools to map, understand and describe the complexity of biochemical cycles in soil. 

Additionally, we will implement unparalleled full-scale experiments with the application of isotope tracers (ISOTRACE) in the soil to study biogeochemical transformations and transport processes across the landscape.

In addition to the field-scale isotope approaches, the landscape experiments also incorporate activities to bring proven laboratory sensor techniques to the field, including environmental parameter visualization approaches, e.g., for pH, NH₃, or O₂, based on optode sensor techniques.