About Us

The Division of Terrestrial Ecosystem Research aims to advance the fundamental understanding of how soil microorganisms and plants respond to and in turn shape their abiotic and biotic environment, and what consequences these interactions have for the functioning of the Earth’s ecosystems.

Researchers at TER address pressing environmental issues, such as the impact of climate change on ecosystem functioning and the role of soils in the global carbon cycle and in food security.

 News

30.11.2024
 

A new study published in Nature Communications demonstrates that responses of plants and soil organisms to global change factors are largely decoupled...

29.11.2024
 

A pioneering study published in Nature Communications reveals how fungi and bacteria grow under severe drought conditions.

Led by Alberto Canarini,...

27.11.2024
 

Extreme weather events are increasing in frequency due to global warming, underscoring the importance of understanding how soil microbes—key drivers...

 Events

11.07.2024 15:00
 

Josh Schimel

Professor, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA

UBB HS 2

27.06.2019
 

Yong-Guan Zhu

Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences & Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Lecture Hall HS5, UZA2...

15.11.2018
 

Ivan Janssens

Centre of Excellence of Global Change Ecology, University of Antwerp, Belgium

Lecture Hall HS2, UZA 1

 Latest Publications

Zientek A, Schagerl M, Nagy M, Wanek W, Heinz P, Ali SS et al. Effect of micro-plastic particles on coral reef foraminifera. Scientific Reports. 2024 Dec;14(1):12423. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-63208-3

Schmider T, Hestnes AG, Brzykcy J, Schmidt H, Schintlmeister A, Roller BRK et al. Physiological basis for atmospheric methane oxidation and methanotrophic growth on air. Nature Communications. 2024 Dec;15(1):4151. Epub 2024 May 16. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-48197-1

Imminger S, Meier DV, Schintlmeister A, Legin A, Schnecker J, Richter A et al. Survival and rapid resuscitation permit limited productivity in desert microbial communities. Nature Communications. 2024 Dec;15(1):3056. Epub 2024 Apr 17. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-46920-6

Canarini A, Fuchslueger L, Schnecker J, Metze D, Nelson DB, Kahmen A et al. Soil fungi remain active and invest in storage compounds during drought independent of future climate conditions. Nature Communications. 2024 Nov 29;15(1):10410. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-54537-y

Knight CG, Nicolitch O, Griffiths RI, Goodall T, Jones B, Weser C et al. Soil microbiomes show consistent and predictable responses to extreme events. Nature. 2024 Nov 27. Epub 2024 Nov 27. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-08185-3