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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

BGC Scientists at European Geosciences Union General Assembly (EGU26)

May 3, 2026 01:09 PM (Local Time Germany) - May 8, 2026 01:10 PM
Vienna, Austria

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
⇒ More scientific events

Public events & Presentations

Best Practice-Konzepte der Wissenschaftsvermittlung

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

Flora Incognita & PollenNet

Flora Incognita & PollenNet bei der Ilmenauer Wissenschaftsnacht
Jun 20, 2026 05:00 PM - 11:00 PM (Local Time Germany)

Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften 2026

Nov 20, 2026 06:00 PM - 11:55 PM (Local Time Germany)
MPI-BGC
⇒ 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

Basso, L. S.; Georgievski, G.; Brovkin, V.; Beer, C.; Rödenbeck, C.; Göckede, M.: A top-down evaluation of bottom-up estimates to reduce uncertainty in methane emissions from Arctic wetlands. Biogeosciences 23 (8), pp. 2815 - 2830 (2026)
MPG.PuRe
DOI
Candotti, A.; Hartmann, H.; Tomelleri, E.: Stem girdling does not allow mimicking changes in Norway spruce tree physiology during Eurasian spruce bark beetle infestation. Journal of Forestry Research 37, 109 (2026)
MPG.PuRe
DOI
Sicangco, C. K.; Sabot, M.; Drake, J. E.; Tjoelker, M. G.; Medlyn, B. E.: Weighing the options: a test of alternative stomatal optimisation models at high temperatures. New Phytologist 250 (3), pp. 1551 - 1568 (2026)
MPG.PuRe
DOI
Wang, H.; Maestre, F. T.; Lu, N.; Zhao, G.; Zhang, Y.; Asensio, S.; Bramble, D. S.; Chen, W.; Dippold, M. A.; Eldridge, D. J. et al.; Gaitán, J. J.; García-Gómez, M.; Gozalo, B.; Gross, N.; Guirado, E.; Le Bagousse-Pinguet, Y.; Martínez-Valderrama, J.; Mendoza, B. J.; Ochoa, V.; Plaza, C.; Saiz, H.; Schrumpf, M.; Sierra, C. A.; Tangarife-Escobar, A.; Valencia, E.; von Fromm, S. F.; Wang, C.; Wang, K.; Wang, Y.; Zaehle, S.; Fu, B.; Trumbore, S. E.; Huang, J.: Persistence and turnover of soil organic carbon in global drylands. Nature Communications 17, 3565 (2026)
MPG.PuRe
DOI
Pinheiro-Oliveira, D.; van Asperen, H.; Caetano, M. G.; Robin, M.; Edtbauer, A.; Zannoni, N.; Byron, J.; Williams, J.; Demarchi, L. O.; Piedade, M. T. F. et al.; Schöngart, J.; Wittmann, F.; Duvoisin-Junior, S.; Batista, C.; de Souza, R. A. F.; Alves, E. G.: Forest diversity and environmental factors shape contrasting soil-litter fluxes of biogenic volatile organic compounds and methane in three central Amazonian ecosystems. Biogeosciences 23 (7), pp. 2451 - 2476 (2026)
MPG.PuRe
DOI
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