Ecosystem Processes and Services

Ecosystem processes are vital for the survival of humanity. These proces­ses include, for example, primary production, an essential component of biogeochemical cycles, as well as soil formation and the water and nu­trient cycles. D-USYS investigates the ecological processes underpinning aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, particularly agricultural and forested landscapes. Another focus is on the socio-economic and socio-political factors that enable the provision of ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration or water purification.

The researchers explore the ways in which ter­res­trial systems interlinked by physical, chemical and biological processes func­tion and interact across different scales in time and space. Through their research, they aim to develop environmentally sound and econo­mi­cally feasible ecosystem management strategies that are institutionally and socially acceptable.