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Welcome at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry


Focus on the Earth

Our research is dedicated to the study of global biogeochemical cycles describing the interactions between the biosphere, the atmosphere, the geosphere and the entire climate system. We aim to better understand how living organisms - including humans - exchange basic resources such as water, carbon, nutrients, and energy with their environment and how this affects ecosystems and climate at regional to global scales. 

We stand for a Thuringia open to the world

We support the initiative Weltoffenes Thüringen!

We are committed to ensuring that people from different backgrounds live and work together respectfully.

News

Two smiling people standing on stage, holding a certificate and a bouquet of flowers.

Excellence in Microbiome Research

May 05, 2026
Award Research project AquaDiva
The Cluster of Excellence “Balance of the Microverse” at the University of Jena has awarded the Microverse Early Career Scientist Awards 2025 to Dr. Beatrix Heinze and Dr. Harikumar R. Suma.
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Dry grassland stretches across a gently rolling landscape as far as the eye can see. A few researchers are scattered across the steppe, collecting samples.

Dryland soils store carbon up to thousands of years, much longer than expected

April 22, 2026
Carbon Cycle Climate Change drylands Jianbei Huang Microorganisms soils
Researchers used radiocarbon to show that organic carbon in dryland topsoils is much older than previously estimated, averaging about 2,000 years. However, when dry soils are wetted, even old carbon is decomposed and respired by microbes.
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4 persons with one person holding the certificate

Markus Reichstein is new member of the Leopoldina

April 20, 2026
Markus Reichstein
As a newly elected member of the Leopoldina, Prof. Markus Reichstein receives his certificate during this year’s Life Sciences symposium.
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More news and press releases

Events

Scientific events

IMPRS short course 'Radiocarbon in Ecology and Earth System Science Short Course'

Jul 13, 2026 - Jul 17, 2026

IMPRS Selection Symposium

Oct 5, 2026 - Oct 6, 2026

IMPRS retreat 2027

Mar 4, 2027 - Mar 5, 2027
⇒ More scientific events

Public events & Presentations

2nd AI4PEX General Assembly

May 18, 2026 - May 22, 2026
Brest, France

Making Science Together: The Role of Scientific Networks in the Amazon

Unraveling the Bioeconomy Approach in the Context of Amazonia
Jun 4, 2026 02:00 PM - 06:00 PM (Local Time Germany)
Embassy of Brazil in Berlin

Best Practice-Konzepte der Wissenschaftsvermittlung

Podiumsdiskussion im Rahmen des Festivals „Science Utopias“
Jun 6, 2026 06:00 PM (Local Time Germany)
Frankfurt/Main
⇒ More public events

Seminars & colloquia

Seminar: Karolina Slominska-Durdasiak & Jan Engel

Developing IQJ -- an ICON configuration using the QUINCY model
May 21, 2026 02:30 PM (Local Time Germany)

Colloquium: Jordi Vila-Guerau de Arellano

Cloud–Forest Coupling: New insights from Amazon Observations and Multiscale Modelling
May 28, 2026 02:00 PM (Local Time Germany)
Lecture Hall (C0.001)
⇒ More seminars/colloquia

Recent Publications

Ascenso, G.; Giuliani, M.; Pérez-Aracil, J.; Salcedo-Sanz, S.; Bertini, C.; Bonetti, P.; Camps-Valls, G.; Fernández Torres, M. Á.; Ficchì, A.; Linscheid, N. et al.; Merlo, M.; Palcic, G.; Reichstein, M.; Restelli, M.; Toreti, A.; Walt, E.; Castelletti, A.: The maturation of AI in drought science: A review of trends, pitfalls, and priorities. Water Resources Research 62 (4), e2025WR041828 (2026)
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Duncanson, L.; Montesano, P.M.; Neuenschwander, A.; Zarringhalam, A.; Thomas, N.; Minor, D.M.; Wulder, M.A.; White, J.C.; Guenther, E.; Feng, T. et al.; Leitold, V.; Hancock, S.; Armston, J.; Puliti, S.; Mandel, A.I.; Shah, S.; Silva, C.; Purslow, M.; Bruening, J.; Breidenbach, J.; Næsset, E.; Saarela, S.; Hunka, N.; Kellner, J.R.; Healey, S.P.; Schepaschenko, D.; Wallerman, J.; Neigh, C.S.R.; Carvalhais, N.; Dubayah, R.: Global and boreal estimates of woody aboveground biomass for 2020: Filling GEDI'S northern data gap with ICESat-2 and harmonized landsat sentinel-2. Remote Sensing of Environment 340, 115406 (2026)
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Xu, P.; Zeng, Z.; Shen, H.; Hu, M.; Liu, M.; Gong, C.; Chen, Y.; Chaopu, T.; Li, G.; Wang, X. et al.; Zheng, Y.; Li, S.-L.; Liu, C.-Q.; Houlton, B. Z.: Multimetric analysis uncovers time-dependent climate forcings from China’s 2.3-fold cropland reactive nitrogen emissions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 123 (15), e2526386123 (2026)
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Tiggeloven, T.; Raymond, C.; Ruiter, M. C. d.; Sillmann, J.; Thieken, A. H.; Buijs, S. L.; Ciurean, R.; Cordier, E.; Crummy, J. M.; Cumiskey, L. et al.; De Polt, K.; Duncan, M.; Ferrario, D. M.; Jäger, W. S.; Koks, E. E.; van Maanen, N.; Murdock, H. J.; Mysiak, J.; Nirandjan, S.; Poschlod, B.; Priesmeier, P.; Sairam, N.; Schweizer, P.-J.; Stolte, T. R.; Zenker, M.-L.; Daniell, J. E.; Fekete, A.; Geiß, C. M.; van den Homberg, M. J. C.; Juhola, S. K.; Kuhlicke, C.; Lebek, K.; Trogrlić, . Š.; Schneiderbauer, S.; Torresan, S.; van Westen, C. J.; Claassen, J. N.; Khazai, B.; Murray, V.; Schlumberger, J.; Ward, P. J.: Multi-hazard risk assessment and management: pathways for the Sendai Framework and beyond. Geoscience communication 9 (2), pp. 185 - 221 (2026)
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Li, Y.; Tang, G.; O'Rourke, .; Minallah, S.; Mas e Braga, M.; Nowicki, S.; Smith, R. S.; Lawrence, D. M.; Hurtt, G. C.; Peano, D. et al.; Meyer, G.; Hassler, B.; Mao, J.; Xue, Y.; Juckes, M.: CMIP7 data request: land and land ice priorities and opportunities. Geoscientific Model Development 19 (8), pp. 3129 - 3155 (2026)
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