Research groups
The department consists of 11 research groups, listed below.
Forest & Nature [ForNaLab]
Research within ForNaLab aims at understanding the interactions between the ecological processes, composition, and structure of terrestrial ecosystems, with a clear link to management and policy.
Laboratory of Quantitative Forest Ecosystem Science [Q-ForestLab]
Q-ForestLab contributes to an increased understanding of ecosystem functioning in a changing environment, to nature conservation and development cooperation. To do this, we train scientists and conduct question-driven research on vegetation ecology and biogeochemistry of terrestrial ecosystems.
Wood Technology [Woodlab]
Research within Woodlab focuses on scientific and technological aspects of wood and maintains close contacts with all segments of the wood-processing industry and research groups involved in the forestry-wood chain.
Hydro-Climate Extremes Lab [H-CEL]
Research within H-CEL comprises remote sensing observation of hydrological variables and data assimilation, physically-based modelling of surface hydrology and land-atmosphere interactions, application of advanced mathematics to hydrology, ecology and climate and the study of global hydrology and climate from observations and models.
Soil Spatial Inventory Techniques [ORBit]
Research within ORBit focuses on all related aspects of surveying soil properties in 3D.
Precision Soil and Crop Engineering [PreSco]
The vision of the Precision Soil and Crop Engineering (PreSco) group is to combine cutting-edge sensors and advanced data fusion and geostatistical modelling approaches with system control technology to optimise farm input for sustainable increase in yield.
Soil Contamination [SoCon]
Research within SoCon focuses on increasing knowledge on processes that govern fate and transport of chemicals in soils, through education and research. Knowledge on mutual interactions between water/fluid flow, transport and reactions of chemicals in soils is necessary to design soil management and soil remediation measures.
Soil Degradation and Conservation [SoDeCo]
Research within SoDeCo focuses on the various aspects of soil degradation, soil erosion and land evaluation that envisages a sustainable management of our soils.
Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management [SoFer]
Research within SoFer focuses on the dynamics of nutrients and organic matter in soils.
Soil Physics [SoPHy]
Research within SoPHy focuses on the physical and hydraulic properties of and processes in the unsaturated (vadose) zone of the soil, and on small-scale techniques for in site water conservation and rainwater harvesting.