ZALF Focus Area - Müncheberg

<p>The ZALF Focus Area – Müncheberg is situated 50km East of Berlin in the District of Märkisch-Oderland. It borders the Naturpark Märkische Schweiz (https://nationale-naturlandschaften.de/gebiete/naturpark-maerkische-schweiz, https://www.naturschutzfonds.de/natur-erleben/landschaften/naturpark-maerkische-schweiz).</p>

<p>It is a typical site of the glacial moraine landscape of the North German Lowland approx. 62 m above sea level. The site of the experimental station is from flat to easily incline. Typical soil types are Albic and Ortic Luvisols, Cambic and Luvic Arenosols. The soils are far from groundwater with mean clay content of around 5-10% in the top soil (0-25 cm). Carbon content, natural pH and the base-saturation are low. The topsoil (0-25 cm) contains around 1% humus. The soil is free of lime. It tends to acidification and requires regular liming.</p>

<p>The weather is characterised by a continental-influenced humid inland climate with an average of 548 mm precipitation and 8.9°C annual temperature (reference period 1981-2010). Compared to the period 1951-1980, temperature and rainfall have increased by 0.7°C and 19 mm, respectively. An increase of periods of pronounced pre-summer drought is the consequence of the changing climate.</p>

<h1>Main research tasks that are addressed in this focus area:</h1>

<p>The current focus of the trials is research on climate-adapted and diversity-promoting agricultural systems through the implementation of new crops in crop rotations, conservation tillage and reduced use of pesticides, especially herbicides. <br/>
The research station Müncheberg is in charge of two long-term field trials, the "Müncheberger Nährstoffsteigerungsversuch V140/00” (https://doi.org/10.20387/bonares-8fhj-r52g) and the field model trial “Krumenaufbau” V210/02.<br/>
It manages 42 ha arable land. In addition to the classic field trials, the research station supports agricultural research in the agricultural landscape such as the landscape laboratory patchCrop (https://doi.org/10.4228/zalf-ztwg-fh58).</p>