Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research

Site-specific controls predominate over erosion effects on nitrogen turnover: Evidence from 15N tracing in the field

Understanding how nitrogen (N) cycling is affected by soil erosion is essential to optimize N supply for crops and reduce losses in hilly fields. While topography-related impacts on N availability and losses have been studied, the mechanisms linking erosion to N transformation dy...

Effect of shrub vegetation on soil organic matter fractionation and soil biochemical processes

Abstract Aim Shrub layers are functional determinants of soil processes, yet their role in regulating soil organic matter (SOM) fractions, dissolved compounds, and enzymatic activity remains insufficiently quantified. This study evaluated the effects of three shrub species—Europe...

Winter activity and virus infection of Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in German livestock housing before and during the 2024 BTV-3 outbreak

BACKGROUND: Despite its importance for Culicoides-borne disease risk assessment, the winter activity of species of this biting midge genus remains poorly characterized. Moreover, information on virus circulation in winter-active Culicoides vectors, both under endemic conditions a...

Functional metatranscriptomics of the rhizosphere: Towards an understanding of metabolic processes of the microbial carbon pump

Abstract The soil microbiome drives soil organic carbon (SOC) transformation, shaped and impacted by plant growth stage and soil management such as tillage. The soil microbial carbon pump conceptually links the degradation of plant- and microbe-derived compounds and the neosynthe...

Food Security Versus Environmental Health: The Nitrogen Dilemma

ABSTRACT Nitrogen is an essential element for plant growth and, consequently, crop production. However, the cycling of nitrogen in the environment can have negative effects. Here, we review the historical development of scientific and public awareness of these effects and the inf...

Extending GeoNode as a Foundation for Research Data Management Infrastructures in Agricultural Research

Abstract. Research data management infrastructures for agricultural sciences must handle heterogeneous datasets spanning geospatial layers, tabular records, and model outputs while satisfying the FAIR principles and supporting interactive spatial exploration. Existing research re...