Research

Central research topic of the Institute is the study of interactions and biogeochemical cycling of elements in the compartments lithosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere. The dynamic processes of these cycles are investigated under natural and anthropogenically affected conditions and at different scales of time and space.
Important topics for research include reconstruction of sedimentation environments and tectonic processes as well as function and dynamics of ecosystems in the geological past and today. The scientists involved mainly use geolocical, geochemical, isotopic.geochemical, geophysical and microoptical methods