Belowground diversity

As part of the Collaborative Research Centre: AquaDiva, we use non-targeted and targeted mass spectrometry-based metabolomic approaches to detect, identified, and quantify the chemical diversity in the Earth's Critical Zone (CZ) located in the Heinich national park in Germany. Our main goal is to establish chemical markers to elucidate biogeochemical processes by comparing the metabolic dynamics in the CZ under different surface conditions, microbial communities, and local geology.  Those biomarkers will allow us to identify the key players responsible for distinctive metabolic transformations, understand their benefits, and get insight into how growing human activities impact this zone.