History

1928 - 1991
Since 1928, breeding research had been the predominant research activity at Müncheberg. Soil research has been done since 1952 at the "Institut für Acker- und Pflanzenbau" (Institute of Crop Husbandry). Increasing soil fertility and the improvement of sandy soils and hilltops, deep loosening, the design and introduction of the Medium-Scale Agricultural Site Mapping (MMK), as well as the establishment of soil fertility indices for agricultural sites in the former GDR had been major research priorities. In the "Forschungszentrum für Bodenfrucht-barkeit (FZB)" (Soil Fertility Research Centre) (after 1970 when the Institute had been renamed) there was also a section of soil protection and soil physics. Research in these fields was inter alia aimed at elucidating the interactions between soil structure, crop yield, erosion processes and environmental damage, as well as at devising diagnostic methods and soil conservation concepts.  Following the positive evaluation in 1991 by the "Wissenschaftsrat" (Science Council), it was recommended to establish soil research in the landscape context as a priority in the newly founded Zentrum für Agrarlandschafts-und Landnutzungsforschung, ZALF e.V.(Centre for Agricultural Landscape and Landuse Research). 

1992  -1995
The Institute started work in 1992 as Institut für Bodenforschung (Institute of Soil Research), with the departments of  soil biology, soil chemistry, soil physics, soil erosion/soil protection and regional soil science, the Head of the Institute being then Dr. Horst Grimme. Apart from the strongly discipline-oriented work in the initial years, a first „landscape experiment“ was laid out in a ground moraine landscape (small catchment near Bölkendorf) with a view to learn about methods of landscape research. With a total staff of 66 (professionals and general service staff financed under the regular budget and with soft money) the research themes were quite wide-ranging.

1995
Following an internal evaluation by the Scientific Advisory Council, that year saw a restructuring of the Institute. Soil biology research was assigned to the Institute of Microbial Ecology and Soil Biology whilst plant root research was to be continued at the Institute of Land Use Systems, and parts of regional soil science came under the Institute of Landscape Modelling. The studies on soil mineralogy were terminated. On the other hand, the capacity of soil-hydrological research was expanded, with research on bogs and fens being incorporated into the Institute. Staff number reached about 35. 

1996-2004
Since 1996  Prof. Dr. habil. Monika Frielinghaus had been the Head of the (again renamed) "Institut  für Bodenlandschaftsforschung" (Institute of Soil Landscape Research). Research was from now on increasingly geared to soil landscape processes at different scales. Corresponding methods and databases were developed, with investments and equipment purchases being realised (e.g. lysimeters, wind channel, soil landscape measuring points, permanent observation plots,  GIS work-places, computer tomography in cooperation, AAS- and FTIR- and gel chromatography apparatuses). Manifold  cooperation relations with facilities in Germany and abroad were established. A growing number of trainees, undergraduates and doctoral candidates who have been tutored by scientists of the Institute, were able to complete their respective works. In recent years, two habilitation procedures were successfully concluded. The external evaluation in 1997 by the Science Council produced a good result, with important advice being considered over the following years. Since then research  was organised in working groups. Soil landscape research has been playing an  increasingly distinct role within ZALF’s landscape investigation thanks to the active involvement of groups of researchers and through sub-projects of the Common Research Programme “NorthCentralEurope 2020” (NME 2020). The growing subject competence in the field of soil landscape research which has been acquired by the scientists since the Institute’s foundation, is also reflected in the successful preparation and realisation of national and international workshops, by taking over responsibilities in the German Soil Science Society (DBG) and also by hosting the 2003 DBG Annual Meeting.  The good results proven through the 2002 internal evaluation by the Scientific Advisory Council have confirmed this positive development.

2004 - today
On 1 March 2004  Univ.-Prof. Dr. habil. Michael Sommer was appointed Head of the Institute. The current contents of this Homepage reflects the Institute’s new research programme following the motto  Continuity and Innovation.