The Group

Who we are and what we do

We are plant ecologists and environmental scientists applying our concepts and methods to agricultural ecosystems, in particular crop fields. In our research we take an ecological perspective on crop plant communities. Most of our work focuses on plant–plant interactions among crop plants in monocultures, variety mixtures and species mixtures. We look at mechanisms of competitive and facilitative interactions among crops, their environmental (e.g. soil, climate, management) and evolutionary (e.g. breeding) context dependence. We are particularly interested in exploiting the benefits of biodiversity in agriculture and do most of our research on mixed cropping systems (i.e. intercropping).

We do most of our research in field-based experiments, which are complemented by observational studies and experiments in the greenhouse. We use the methodological toolbox of plant community and functional ecology, ranging from functional trait measurements in the field to mathematical modelling on the computer. 

Broader impact of our research

Our research is motivated by the transfer of ecological knowledge to agricultural systems in order to achieve a more sustainable, yet productive agriculture. Based on our ecological background we are convinced of the potential of biodiversity for agriculture. Ecological experiments and observations have demonstrated the benefits of functional and genetic diversity for a wide range of ecosystem services such as productivity or pest resistance. Our research aims at investigating the potential of biodiversity for agroecosystems and getting a mechanistic understanding of these benefits in cropping systems.