Focus Area - Site Neu Eichenberg Research Farm

<p>The research area is situated in Neu-Eichenberg (51°22'N 9°54' E) at the research station of the University of Kassel, Hesse, Germany, which has been managed organically since 1988. </p>
<p>The field is 223 m above sea level. The soil in Neu-Eichenberg is a Typic Hapludalf with 13% clay, 84% silt, and 3% sand, featuring 1-2% organic matter and a pH of 6.0(Bilibio et al., 2023; Schmidt et al., 2017). The field has a slight slope of 1-3%. </p>
<p>According to the Köppen–Geiger Climate Classification, Neu-Eichenberg's climate is classified as Cfb, i.e., warm temperate and fully humid, with warm summers, average annual precipitation of approximately 663 mm, and an average annual temperature of around 9.3°C (reference period 1991-2020). Recent decades have seen a slight increase in temperature, reflecting broader patterns of climate change that can affect farming practices and ecosystem resilience in the area. </p>
<p>Research in Neu Eichenberg focuses on developing and testing sustainable and agroecological agricultural practices that are appropriate for the region's conditions. This involves optimising crop rotations to enhance soil health and biodiversity and implementing organic farming techniques to reduce chemical inputs. </p>
<p>Basis:
<ul>
<li>Bilibio, C., Uteau, D., Horvat, M., Rosskopf, U., Junge, S., Finckh, M., Peth, S., 2023. Impact of Ten Years Conservation Tillage in Organic Farming on Soil Physical Properties in a Loess Soil—Northern Hesse, Germany. Agriculture 13, 133. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13010133 </li>
<li>Roßberg, D., Michel, V., Graf, R., Neukampf, R., 2007. Definition von Boden-Klima-Räumen für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Heft 7 59, 155–161.</li>
<li>Schmidt, J.H., Bergkvist, G., Campiglia, E., Radicetti, E., Wittwer, R.A., Finckh, M.R., Hallmann, J., 2017. Effect of tillage, subsidiary crops and fertilisation on plant‐parasitic nematodes in a range of agro‐environmental conditions within Europe. Ann. Appl. Biol. 171, 477–489. https://doi.org/10.1111/aab.12389 </li>
</ul>
</p>
<p>The site is embedded in the bigger Focus Area East Hessian low mountain ranges (https://doi.org/10.4228/zalf-ksd3-qh47). A list of related projects can be found under Supplemental Material.
</p>