Departments

Biogeophysics is the study of physical interactions in biogeosystems.

The group specializes in the following research areas:

• Soil and environmental physics
• Measurement and modeling of processes in terrestrial ecosystems
• Land surface processes (soil-plant-atmosphere exchange)
• Environmental fate of chemicals
• Regionalization and risk assessment

The group works with Expert-N and advances Expert-N as modelling tool box for plant and crop growth simulations.

Contact:

Prof. Thilo Streck, email: thilo.streck@uni-hohenheim.de, Tel.: +49 (0)711-459-22796

Dr. Sebastian Gayler, email: sebastian.gayler@uni-hohenheim.de, Tel.: +49 (0)711-459-22323

Dr. Florian Späth, email: f.spaeth@uni-hohenheim.de, Tel.: +49 (0)711-459-22466

The Department of Plant Ecology deals with the reaction of plants as main actors in ecosystems to environmental changes in order to be able to estimate and predict the resilience and thus the performance of the ecosystems. The aim of the research activities is to improve the predictions of future ecosystem changes and, based on this, to develop adaptation strategies for sustainable land use. In this context, the team participated in large research projects such as APV-RESOLA (agrivoltaics) and studied the interactions between plants and environmental changes at the scale of individual plants and plant stand. The team has many years of experience in the field of the effects of agrivoltaic systems on the microclimate, ecophysiological measurements at different scale levels and the assessment of the consequences for yield and yield quality.

Contact:

Jun.-Prof. Andreas Schweiger, email: andreas.schweiger@uni-hohenheim.de, Tel: +49 (0)711-459-22189

Lisa Pataczek, email: lisa.pataczek@uni-hohenheim.de, Tel: +49 (0)711-459-23693

apl. Prof. Dr. Petra Högy, petra.hoegy@uni-hohenheim.de, Tel: +49 (0)711-459-23819

Research activities at the department "Biobased Resources in the Bioeconomy (340b)" concentrate on the development of sustainable agricultural systems for biomass production and sustainable land use intensification. One main focus is the multifunctional use of arable land and grassland for the purpose of reconciling agricultural production and the provision of ecosystem services. Against this background, the project VAckerBio is currently investigating the integration of vertical agrivoltaic systems, which aim to combine energy production with both agricultural use and provision of biodiversity areas on one site. In addition to the cultivation efficiency of the arable strips, the management of the unused areas under the modules plays a central role.

Contact:

Prof. Dr. Iris Lewandwoski, email: Iris_Lewandowski@uni-hohenheim.de Tel: +49 (0)711-459-22221

Dr. Andreas Kiesel, email: akiesel@uni-hohenheim.de, Tel: +49 (0)711-459-22379

Elena Magenau, email: elena.magenau@uni-hohenheim.de, Tel: +49 (0)711-459-22379

The department Production Systems of Horticultural Crops is renowned for its comprehensive strategies in enhancing the cultivation of horticultural crops through holistic research from the applied research and plant physiology to molecular biology and genetics. This has traditionally involved advancing crop management practices and uncovering the regulatory mechanisms of plants across various climates, with particular emphasis on crops such as apple and hops in temperate zones, and banana, mango, and longan in tropical regions.

Transitioning into the domain of agrivoltaics, the department now pioneers research in integrating solar energy capture with horticultural production to foster sustainable dual-use systems. By conducting advanced plant productivity measurements and selection of most suitable species and cultivars, the team investigates the compatibility and productivity of tree crops under the modified light and micro climatic conditions created by agrivoltaic systems. Through this approach, the department actively contributes to the innovative field of agrivoltaics, ensuring that the energy-food nexus is optimized and environmentally sustainable.

Contact:

Dr. agr. Michael Helmut Hagemann, email: michael.hagemann@uni-hohenheim.de, Tel: +49 (0)711-459-22355,

The research group works mainly on questions related to the sustainable transformation of agriculture, particularly regarding the assessment of ecological and economic impacts of policies. Agrivoltaics are a promising technology in this context as it allows to resolve trade-offs between climate protection and food security. The team is interested in analysing how different agricultural and energy policy conditions affect the economics and uptake of agrivoltaics. Moreover, we conduct research on the socio-economic aspects and impacts of agrivoltaics at various spatial levels ranging between the national to regional and farm-level. To this end, the research group has developed methods and published various peer-reviewed papers.

Contact:

Jun.-Prof. Dr. Arndt Feuerbacher, email: a.feuerbacher@uni-hohenheim.de, Tel.: +49 (0)711-459-24672