Tropical Africa

In Africa, we are part of the DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) funded research group “Tropical soil organic carbon dynamics “TropSOC” and of the Congo Biogechemistry observatory. Our work helps to establish one of the largest research networks on biogeochemistry in the African Tropics. It is currently active in the region with a number of PhD studies working on the effects of geochemistry, land use and topography on CNP cycles in natural forest and managed cropland systems (for an overview of the assembled consortium: external page https://www.congo-biogeochem.com. Same website for details to project external page “TropSOC”).

We contribute to the training and building of capacities of personnel at local universities for the handling and application of drones in environmental research and earth science research (external page http://africadrone.org). All these activities are essential to create the environment needed for top level field-research on biogeochemical cycles in the African Tropics.