News
Plant roots fuel tropical soil animal communities
A research team led by Göttingen University has shed new light on the importance of plant roots for belowground life, particularly in the tropics. Millions of small creatures toiling in a single hectare of soil including earthworms, springtails, mites, insects, and other arthropods are crucial for decomposition and soil health. For a long time, it was believed that leaf litter is the primary resource for these animals. However, this recent study is the first to provide proof that resources derived from plant roots drive soil animal communities in the tropics. more…
Mechanical weeding promotes ecosystem functions and profit in industrial oil palm
Oil palm trees are the most productive oil crop and global demand is increasing. However, their productivity is due to conventional management practices including high fertilizer usage and herbicide application, resulting in severe environmental damage. A new study by an international, multidisciplinary research team led by the University of Göttingen, shows that shifting to mechanical weeding and reducing fertilizer usage lead to signif-icant increases in both ecosystem multifunctionality and profit. more…
Hunter-gatherers resettled central Europe from southwest 18,000 years ago
Who resettled Central Europe after the last ice age when the ice sheets were at their greatest? This has been a topic of debate for over 100 years. Now an international research team led by the University of Tübingen and including Göttingen University, has conclusively proved the genetic history of European ancestors using the largest genome data set of European hunter-gatherers ever compiled.The results were published in Nature. more…
Modelling to protect crops of the future
Extreme weather events are increasingly threatening food security. Researchers around the world are working to better adapt plant genetics to the climate conditions of current and future barley-growing regions. An international research team including Göttingen University has now developed a novel modelling approach that can be used to make a global assessment of the possible effects of water-logging and the adaptations of crop cultivation that will have to be made. more…
All press releases
Further news
Dorothea Schlözer Programme for female postdocs: Call for new positions in 2023
In 2023, the University again offers three positions for female postdocs (TV-L 13, 100 percent, term of two years) in the Dorothea Schlözer Postdoctoral Programme. Those eligible to apply are female postdocs from faculties of natural and life sciences, mathematics and computer science as well as the medical center, in their early postdoc phase who plan to conduct a research project at the University of Göttingen (including the Medical School). Applications will be accepted through 15 April 2023, with positions beginning 1 October 2023. more…
Solidarity with Ukraine: one year after the beginning of the war
Even a year after the beginning of the war in Ukraine, we are appalled. We share the German government's assessment that the Russian attack on Ukraine is a blatant violation of international law and cannot be justified under any circumstances. There are staff and students with Ukrainian citizenship at the University of Göttingen. Our special sympathy and unreserved solidarity goes out to them. more…