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In focus
Using water wisely
09 January 2026
The availability of water is one of the key challenges of the future. In our thematic focus, we bring together knowledge and proposed solutions relating to water.
Negotiations on the new funding period are intended to make the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) simpler, more flexible and more sustainable from 2028 onwards. Thünen researchers are contributing their expertise and have presented their findings in a special issue of the agricultural policy…
During the 18th Global Food Forum Agriculture (GFFA) from 14 to 17 January in Berlin, participants will discuss the increasing water scarcity in food systems and potential solutions. The Thünen Institute is organising two expert panels on this topic.
During the dry years, Germany's forests largely lost their function as carbon sinks. Now it has become apparent that the forest soil compensated for almost all of the negative effects during this period, thus taking over the sink function of the trees. Scientific models must therefore be adapted for…
The Thünen Institute.
Research and policy advice on rural areas, agriculture, forests and fisheries.
As a research institute in the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity (BMLEH), we work at the interface of science, politics and society.
- 1 180
Employees, 651 of them scientists
- 15
Institutes conduct research in the fields of rural areas, agriculture, forestry and fisheries
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Lectures in 2024
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Publications in 2024
KnowledgeSnack
Energy from the field. How much energy a hectare of land provides depends heavily on how it is used. A Thünen study shows that wind power and solar power are significantly more efficient than bioenergy. A car can travel around 3,000 times further on wind energy than on biodiesel from rapeseed. Similar differences also exist in electricity and heat production.
To Wissenschaft erleben (only in German)
New publications
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Thomas D, Dorau K, Bloem E (2026) Investigating plastic in organic fertilizers: A 2-year comparative study. Chemosphere 394:144765, DOI:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144765
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Iboko MP, Dossou-Yovo ER, Teme N, Obalum SE, Diedhiou S, Konan AKMS, Brümmer C (2026) Combining biochar, nitrogen fertilizer and no-tillage to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase rice yield in rainfed lowland. J Agric Food Res 26:102700, DOI:10.1016/j.jafr.2026.102700
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Natkhin M, Strer M, Sanders TGM, Schad T, Schwärzel K (2026) Impact of extreme precipitation events on summer deep seepage below temperate forests in the Northeastern Germany lowlands. Ann Forest Sci 83(1):5, DOI:10.1186/s13595-025-01318-2
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Mathivanan GP, Gattinger A, Fuß R (2026) An update of emission factors for nitric oxide emissions from croplands and grasslands. Atmos Environ X 29:100410, DOI:10.1016/j.aeaoa.2025.100410
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Freitas Beyer J, Köthke M, Lippe M (2026) So nutzen Unternehmen und Behörden Waldkarten effektiv. Holz Zentralbl 152(3):24
