Systems ecology unit
Systems ecology describes ecosystems in terms of states and fluxes of elements. The availability of elements in various chemical states forms the basis on which all life depends. At the same time, organisms are constantly modifying these states. The interactions between organisms and their access to substrates is thus the platform for ecosystem dynamics.
Recently, these interactions have benefited from a clearer understanding provided by the development of ecological stoichiometry. The condition of organisms is expressed through their chemical composition, and how their biological characteristics regulate these and, in turn, respond to the availability of substances in the environment. Abiotic factors such as temperature and water availability, which are also partly affected by the activity of organisms, must also be considered.
A connected, and very active, research field is local flow measurement of substances (mainly water and carbon dioxide), energy and impulses in the soil-plant-atmosphere system. The unit’s research on ecosystem dynamics focuses primarily on the stand level over a timescale of years, but with a view to adjacent spatial and temporal scales. Both theoretical and empirical investigations are important within the unit.
Research projects
How can the element cycles in terrestrial ecosystems be described in mathematical models?
Available inorganic nitrogen modifies the turnover rate of soil organic matter, but how?
How can we describe the dynamic release of base cations and other elements from logging residues and what does this mean for the sustainability of whole-tree harvesting operations?
How are different fungal species/communities connected to the quality and nutrient content of decaying wood?
How and why do we measure greenhouse gas fluxes?