Research in the forest at the highest level

Floodplain Forest Crane of the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv); Aquatic Geomicrobiology Group, Institute of Biodiversity, University of Jena, in cooperation with Institute of Geology, University of Jena, and Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig

What looks like a construction site is a research platform of the iDiv in the floodplain forest of Leipzig. With the help of this crane, researchers from the University of Jena can take samples at lofty heights. The conditions in a tree crown are hardly comparable to experiments in the laboratory and therefore provide a more comprehensive picture. For example, Biologin Dr. Martina Herrman investigates which types of microbes live on leaf surfaces and how they are dispersed when it rains. She is also collaborating with soil scientists to find out how rainwater affects the transport of nitrogen and carbon. This research contributes to our understanding of the complex forest ecosystem and helps us to find ways to conserve it for the future. 

© Steffen Schellhorn

Research in the forest at the highest level

Floodplain Forest Crane of the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv); Aquatic Geomicrobiology Group, Institute of Biodiversity, University of Jena, in cooperation with Institute of Geology, University of Jena, and Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig

What looks like a construction site is a research platform of the iDiv in the floodplain forest of Leipzig. With the help of this crane, researchers from the University of Jena can take samples at lofty heights. The conditions in a tree crown are hardly comparable to experiments in the laboratory and therefore provide a more comprehensive picture. For example, Biologin Dr. Martina Herrman investigates which types of microbes live on leaf surfaces and how they are dispersed when it rains. She is also collaborating with soil scientists to find out how rainwater affects the transport of nitrogen and carbon. This research contributes to our understanding of the complex forest ecosystem and helps us to find ways to conserve it for the future. 

© Steffen Schellhorn