Junior Professorship for Flow and Transport Modelling in the Geosphere - Soil Physics and Ecohydrology

A constant turnover of energy, mass and substances takes place at the interface between the atmosphere and the geosphere. This "critical zone" is the area where rainwater infiltrates into the soil or runs off on the surface, where it becomes clear how much water is available for plants or with what substance loads it is transferred to the groundwater. This is where organic and inorganic substances are transformed, fixed or released. Ecosystems and human activity utilise and change these and other processes of water and material cycles on various scales.

In view of the major global changes and challenges in the Anthropocene, our working group is investigating the interplay between water, energy and material flows and the development of landscape systems. To this end, we have specialist expertise in soil science and soil physics, ecohydrology and landscape analysis. Technically, we cover the entire range from in-situ surveys, measurements and experiments to laboratory analysis, spatio-temporal data analysis and numerical modelling. This allows us to combine basic research and theory development with practical applications and problem solutions for the processes of the "critical zone".

The core topics of our working group are, in particular, the development and effect of structures in the soil, how these change due to interventions, land use and climate developments, as well as how and when these can dominate the system behaviour. Following on from this, the main focus is on infiltration, runoff formation and erosion as well as hydrological connectivity, water availability and the evaluation of environmental system properties of landscapes with high utilisation pressure.

In teaching in the field of geoecology, we cover pedology (soil science and soil physics) and terrestrial ecohydrology (process hydrology from the pore scale to the catchment area).

Team

Lehrstuhlinhaber

  • Jun.Prof. Dr. Conrad Jackisch

Staff

  • Dr. Anne Routschek
  • M. Sc. Geoec. Lea-Marie Pollok
  • Bernt Hahnewald

Current projects

  • Solution-oriented investigations on increased DOC discharges from soils of Saxon drinking water catchment areas (Sosa dam, LfULG)
  • Methodological development of sampling and analysis procedures for soil carbon monitoring in Saxony (LfULG)
  • Multiscale Soil Carbon and Water Cross-Lab-Field Experiment - Monitoring and exploration system for spatially and temporally dynamic carbon storage and water availability in soil (SAB, EFRE)
  • CrossLab touchSWAP - Making the soil-water-plant-atmosphere system tangible
  • Source-related control and treatment of Saxon mining waters - Characterisation and control possibilities of dynamically connective runoff systems in old mining (Dr.-Erich-Krüger-Stiftung)
  • Determination of physical erosion properties of mining processing residues with small-scale, laboratory-capable experiments (Wismut)
  • drone seeding

Precise measurements in the laboratory and field

Our research group offers a wide range of analytical services in the fields of soil physics, soil water dynamics, solute transport, erosion and landscape development.

We look forward to receiving your enquiry for collaborations or support in the search for solutions to the challenges of the Anthropocene.

Field experiments

  • Soil science and soil physics surveys and sampling
  • Soil irrigation experiments to identify key control variables/elements of infiltration and soil erosion
  • Ecohydrological and hydropedological monitoring of system state dynamics (e.g. soil water, matrix potential, water balances)
  • Applied near-surface geophysics

Laboratory analyses

  • Corporate geophysics

. soil water, matrix potential, water balances)
  • Applied near-surface geophysics

    • Laboratory analyses

    • Grain sizes/texture, storage density and carbon content (based on sieving, Köhn apparatus, Pario+, helium pycnometer, SoliTOC Cube, multi EA 2000)
    • Complete analysis of soil water retention and hydraulic characteristics with undisturbed stab cylinder samples (saturated and partially saturated hydraulic conductivity, retention curves based on KSAT, HYPROP2, WP4C, pressure pots, sandbox)
    • Experimental extension of the analytical instruments for specific research questions
    • Concentration of stable isotopes of water (∂2H/∂18O in liquid and gaseous samples based on Picarro L2130-i)
    • Microerosion experiments (wind and water)
    • Laboratory lysimeters

    Landscape and data analyses

    • Field surveys and GIS-based landscape analysis
    • Collection and management of monitoring data, and analysis of the characteristics of state dynamics

    Field measurement technology

    • Field measurement stations for soil moisture and matrix potential as well as meteorological boundary conditions incl. automatic data recording
      Problem-adapted sensor technology and data acquisition in the field to derive and analyse the condition dynamics
    • Irrigation systems for infiltration and/or soil erosion measurement
    • Cap infiltrometers
      Pressure-dependent infiltration capacity near saturation
    • Discharge measurements and water level monitoring
      Mobile measuring weirs, Water level logger, Nivus FlowStic ADC for flow profile measurements in flowing waters up to 1,2 m depth
    • Near-surface (time-lapse) geoelectrics
      Åbem Terrameter with 64 polarising and non-polarising electrodes
    • Soil sampling with profile response
      Manual soil sampling equipment and pile-driving core probe for problem-adapted sampling and probing

    Laboratory equipment

    • HYPROP 2 from METER
      Water retention function and partially saturated hydraulic conductivity +20 hPa to -1,200/-2,400 hPa
    • WP4C from METER
      Water retention function -1.000 hPa to -3,000,000 hPa
    • KSAT from METER
      Saturated hydraulic conductivity
    • SoliTOC Cube from Elementar
      Carbon determination in soils and organ. Carbon determination in soils and organic horizons according to DIN 19539 or EN 15936/ISO 10694
    • multi EA 2000 Analytik Jena
      TIC, TOC, S determination in solids
    • Alpha II FT-mIR spectrometer from Bruker
      Total diffuse reflectance midIR FT spectroscopy for soil samples
    • Pario+ from METER
      Grain size distribution, Soil type determination
    • KÖHN apparatus
      Grain size, soil type determination
    • Pressurised pots and sandbox (p. Sandbox (pF 0 to 4.7)
      Pore size distribution, hygroscopicity according to Mitscherlich
    • Helium pycnometer
      Solids density determination
    • Dry sand sieving, wet sieving, sample divider Retzsch
      Determination of material properties
    • Sample preparation with sieves, mills and drying cabinets
    • Column system (negative pressure column system, linkable column system)
      Substance exchange, leachate prediction
    • Capillary sprinklers, micro-irrigation systems
      Infiltration and soil erosion measurements

    Current publications

    https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=36703928800

    https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Conrad-Jackisch

    Hydro-pedotransfer functions: A roadmap for future developmentHydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions DOI: 10.5194/egusphere-2023-1860

    2023

    (in review)

    		Weber T.K.D. et al.Paper
    Soil water retention and hydraulic conductivity measured in a wide saturation rangeEarth System Science Data DOI: 10.5194/essd-2023-742023Hohenbrink T.L., Jackisch C., Durner w., Germer K., Iden S.C., Kreiselmeier J., Leuther F., Metzger J.C., Naseri M. and Peters A.Paper
    Encyclopedia of Soils in the Environment - Darcy's lawReference Module in Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-822974-3.00150-62022Jackisch C. and Kroener E.Chapt.
    Preface: Linking landscape organisation and hydrological functioning: From hypotheses and observations to concepts, models and understandingHydrology and Earth System Sciences DOI: 10.5194/hess-25-5277-20212021Jackisch C., Hassler S.K., Hohenbrink T.L., Blume Th., Laudon H., McMillan H., Saco P. and van Schaik L.Paper
    Estimates of tree root water uptake from soil moisture profile dynamicsBiogeosciences DOI: 10.5194/bg-17-5787-20202020Jackisch, C., Knoblauch, S., Blume, T., Zehe, E. and Hassler, S.K.Paper
    Soil moisture and matric potential - an open field comparison of sensor systemsEarth System Science Data DOI: 10.5194/essd-12-683-20202020Jackisch, C., Germer K., Graeff, T., et al. and Durner, W.Paper
    Energy states of soil water - a thermodynamic perspective on storage dynamics and the underlying controlsHydrology and Earth System Sciences DOI: 10.5194/hess-2018-3462019Zehe, E., Loritz, R., Jackisch, C., Westhoff, M., Kleidon, A., Blume, T., Hassler, S. and Savenije, H.Paper
    How meaningful are plot scale observations and simulations of preferential flow for catchment models?Vadose Zone Journal DOI: 10.2136/vzj2018.08.01462019Glaser B., Jackisch C., Hopp L. and Klaus J.Paper
    On the dynamic nature of hydrological similarityHydrology and Earth System Sciences DOI: 10.5194/hess-22-3663-20182018Loritz R., Gupta H., Jackisch C., Westhoff M., Kleidon A., Ehret U. and Zehe E.Paper
    Ecohydrological particle model based on representative domainsHydrology and Earth System Sciences DOI: 10.5194/hess-22-3639-20182018Jackisch C. and Zehe E.Paper

    Conference Papers

    How Darcy-scale daemons lead theory developments for soil-water dynamics astray EGU 2023, 10.5194/egusphere-egu23-129152023Jackisch C. and Hohenbrink T.L.Poster
    DOC mobilisation from forest soils governed by intermittent hydrological connectivity of subsurface water poolsEGU 2023, 10.5194/egusphere-egu23-127662023Adam S., Lau M. and Jackisch C.Poster
    Proposals How to Unify Structural Heterogeneity and Conceptual Scaling in Hydrologic ModellingWS Improving the Theoretical Underpinnings of Hydrologic Models2022Jackisch C.invitedKey-note
    Developing an operational forecast system as byproduct of scientific research - an example for inland floods at the German North Sea coast

    EGU 2022,

    10.5194/egusphere-egu22-3185

    		2022Lenz J, Jackisch C (presenting), Burkhard K, Schibalski A, and Schröder BPoster
    Initial non-uniform soil water redistribution as inherent hydrological process - from field experiments to model insights

    EGU 2022,

    10.5194/egusphere-egu22-12777

    		2022Jackisch C and Allroggen NTalk
    Providing relevant uncertainty information to decision makers: Subjective post-processing of rigorous Bayesian uncertainty assessment of model projectionsAGU20202020Jackisch C., Schibalski A., Schröder B., Nowak W. and Guthke A.virtual Display
    How to inform decision making under uncertainty? Quantifying and evaluating different sources of uncertainty in environmental modelling EGU20202020Jackisch C., Schibalski A. and Schröder B.virtual Display