Climate in the high latitudes is strongly changing, influencing vegetation growth and shifting its distribution. Our key research regions are in North-America and Eurasia in the Taiga-Tundra Ecotone which represents the northernmost extent of the boreal region: we investigate the Arctic treeline and elevational treelines - from the treeless tundra, towards single-tree stands and open forest towards taiga in the warmer south.

We investigate the PAST, the PRESENT and the FUTURE

Functions and Ecosystem Services of the Taiga-Tundra Ecotone

• – from the single tree up to community level
• – from protection of permafrost to carbon allocation 

Our research methods are

• Modeling: We simulate the structure and dynamics of past, present, and future forest stands using the individual-based and spatially explicit vegetation simulation model LAVESI
• Mapping of high-latitude vegetation, its bio-physical quantities and actual changes by applying vegetation surveys during expeditions and Remote sensing at all spatial scales.
• Tracing biodiversity and land cover change through time on climate-scale by applying genetics and palaeogenetics and pollen from terrestrial and aquatic archives.