Research

Our research is organised into six research units and 37 departments. Our research focusses on the terrestrial environment. We conduct integrative research in response to the close interdependencies and high complexity of land use and climate change, growing food and energy demand and biodiversity loss, and provide knowledge for action. We make important contributions to the research program "Changing Earth - Sustaining our Future" of the Helmholtz Research Field "Earth and Environment" - from basic research to application.

Our mission »

Helmholtz Research Program

„Changing Earth – Sustaining our Future“

In the Helmholtz research field "Earth and Environment", seven centres work under the umbrella of the joint research programme

Go to the program »

Research Units

Policy and Society
Thematic Area 6 Logo
Research Unit
Environment and Society
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Research Unit
Ecosystems of the Future
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Research Unit
Water Resources & Environment
Thematic Area 3 Logo
Research Unit
Chemicals in the Environment
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Research Unit
Sustainable Ecotechnologies
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Research Unit
Smart Models / Monitoring
Grand Challenges / Global Change
climate change, land use change, demographical change
Core Subjects Cross-Sectional Competences
  • Research Units and Departments

Cross-sectional topics

Messtower Hohes Holz. Foto: André Künzelmann/UFZ

Projects (Third-party funds)

Fließwasserlabor MOBICOS. Foto: André Künzelmann / UFZ


Research is conducted in over 300 third-party funded projects, with national and international partners from science, politics, economics and society. Here you will find a database of our third-party funded projects.

Projects A–Z »