I am a plant ecologist applying ecological concepts and methods to agricultural ecosystems, in particular crop fields. In my research I take an ecological perspective on crop plant communities. Most of our work focuses on plant–plant interactions among crop plants in monocultures, variety mixtures and species mixtures. I look at mechanisms of competitive and facilitative interactions among crops, and their environmental (e.g. soil, climate, management) and evolutionary (e.g. breeding) context dependence. I am particularly interested in exploiting the benefits of biodiversity in agriculture and do most of my research on mixed cropping systems (i.e. intercropping).

I do most of my research in field-​based experiments, which are complemented by observational studies and experiments in the greenhouse. I use the methodological toolbox of plant community and functional ecology, ranging from functional trait measurements in the field to mathematical modelling on the computer.

My research is motivated by the transfer of ecological knowledge to agricultural systems in order to achieve a more sustainable, yet productive agriculture. Based on my ecological background I am convinced of the potential of biodiversity for agriculture. Ecological experiments and observations have demonstrated the benefits of functional and genetic diversity for a wide range of ecosystem services such as productivity or pest resistance. My research aims at investigating the potential of biodiversity for agroecosystems and getting a mechanistic understanding of these benefits in cropping systems.