Research
For the realization of research projects, the center offers support in the search for and use of necessary research sites in Lusatia for field trials. To this end, the center is developing and coordinating the ‘Living Lab Lusatia’, which comprises various exemplary landscape sections from Lusatia in the process of transformation. It offers the opportunity to investigate strategies and concepts for the transformation of a landscape with a high proportion of marginal landscapes under real conditions, including their socio-economic and legal components. The Living Lab's repertoire of areas includes post-mining sites in Brandenburg's post-mining landscapes, including the ‘Hühnerwasser’ research platform. The Hühnerwasser catchment serves as a landscape observatory for the long-term observation of interactions between different ecosystem compartments and reactions to changing environmental conditions. It also provides a basis for research projects and a wide range of applications for testing innovative environmental sensor technology. An evaluation of the future scientific potential of this research platform is currently being prepared with external experts. The center maintains contact with the mining company LEAG and prepares the necessary land use agreements. Sites outside the post-mining landscapes are also part of the landscape laboratory. Currently, these are the Branitz Tree University and, in the future, solar plants. The Living Lab is designed to be dynamic and, in addition to fixed components (e.g. chicken water landscape observatory), offers the possibility of including relevant additional sites depending on the research question. The center supports the research disciplines by arranging usage agreements with landowners. The center also offers technical support in the processing of spatial data (GIS and aerial photography) and in data management within joint projects.
The landscape observatory Hühnerwasser is part of the global network of Critical Zone observatories (Critical Zone Exploration Network, CZEN).