Within System Earth Science four connected research themes are present:
Research themes
Evolutionary diversity
This theme explores the evolutionary patterns in species diversity in space and (deep) time to gain insights into the origins, diversification and distribution of organisms. This helps biodiversity conservation in the face of environmental challenges.
This theme investigates current patterns of species distribution, abundance, and diversity to understand the ecological processes that shape plant communities. Additionally, the impacts of environmental factors on plant populations and ecosystems are studied.
Planetary health
This theme investigates, from a holistic systems view, the interconnectedness of the health and well-being of all life on Earth, and the need to regenerate natural systems, rather than simply minimizing harm.
This theme explores sustainable food system that delivers food security and nutrition for all in such a way that the economic, social and environmental bases to generate food security and nutrition for future generations are not compromised.
Plant microbiome systems
This theme studies the importance of soil and plant microbiomes to disentangle the largely unexplored link between soil and plant microbiomes and the human microbiome and health.
