Estuary and Wetland Research Graduate School Hamburg - ESTRADE
Estuaries and wetlands are among the most biologically productive and diverse ecosystems on Earth. They comprise a huge variety of ecosystem types ranging from tidal salt and tidal freshwater marshes to peatlands and swamps, to riparian ecosystems. All these ecosystems can be seen as models for the analyses of evolutionary processes leading to adaptations to extreme environments (e.g. salinity stress, hypoxia). In addition, estuarine and wetland systems have important ecosystem functions in the water and nutrient budget at the landscape scale. Due to human alterations and climate change, estuaries and wetlands are highly threatened ecosystems. There is an urgent need for interdisciplinary and international research in estuaries and wetlands to develop strategies for the sustainable management of these ecosystems.
The graduate school ESTRADE interconnects 30 researchers from two different universities in Hamburg (University of Hamburg and HafenCity University Hamburg) focusing on excellent research in estuaries and wetlands. Researchers in ESTRADE have a highly diverse scientific background ranging from biology, hydrology, geography, biogeochemistry, and soil science to landscape planning. Three important research areas are investigated within ESTRADE: (i) biodiversity, (ii) ecosystem functions, and (iii) sustainable management.
- Duration: 2009 - 2013
- Project lead: Prof. Dr. Annette Eschenbach, Prof. Dr. Kai Jensen, Prof. Dr. Eva-Maria Pfeiffer
- Sponsor: Stadt Hamburg, Landes-Exzellenzinitiative