Research
WHY
The understanding of the exchange of water, energy and carbon between the land surface and the atmosphere is the keystone to many of the fundamental challenges facing humanity.
HOW
We strive to improve the physical understanding of the Hydrology-Biosphere-Climate system through land surface modelling in combination with the analysis of Earth observations at continental-to-global scale.
WHAT
The group’s research focuses on the interface of soil, vegetation, and atmosphere. The exchange and feedback processes acting there can affect weather and climate, food production, water availability, and hence economy and society.
In particular, our research is directed to contribute to
(1) better understanding of land-atmosphere coupling
Key examples: Denissen et al. 2024 & Li et al. 2023
(2) improved management of extreme events such as droughts and heat waves
Key examples: Hoek van Dijke et al. 2023 & Orth et al. 2022
(3) more accurate weather forecasts and climate projections
Key examples: O et al. 2020 & Ruiz-Vásquez et al. 2022
About us
Our profile, latest news and more
Teaching
Our courses and information on theses
Our Team
Introduction of our team members and list of contact details
Key Publications
Li, W., J. Pacheco-Labrador, M. Migliavacca, D. Miralles, A.J. Hoek van Dijke, M. Reichstein, M. Forkel, W. Zhang, C. Frankenberg, A. Panwar, Q. Zhang, U. Weber, P. Gentine, and R. Orth, Widespread and complex drought effects on vegetation physiology inferred from space, Nature Communications, 14, 4640, doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-40226-9 (2023).
Ruiz-Vásquez, M., S. O, G. Arduini, S. Boussetta, A. Brenning, A. Bastos, S. Koirala, G. Balsamo, M. Reichstein, and R. Orth, Impact of updating vegetation information on land surface model performance, J. Geophys. Res. – Atm., 128(21), e2023JD039076, doi: 10.1029/2023JD039076 (2023).
Denissen, J.M.C., A.J. Teuling, A.J. Pitman, S. Koirala, M. Migliavacca, W. Li, M. Reichstein, A.J. Winkler, C. Zhan, and R. Orth, Widespread shift from ecosystem energy to water limitation with climate change, Nature Climate Change, 12, 677–684, doi: 10.1038/s41558-022-01403-8 (2022).
Orth, R., When the Land Surface Shifts Gears, AGU Advances, 2(2), e2021AV000414, doi: 10.1029/2020AV000283 (2021).
O, S. and R. Orth, Global soil moisture data derived through machine learning trained with in-situ measurements, Sci. Data 8, 170, doi: 10.1038/s41597-021-00964-1 (2021).
O, S., E. Dutra, and R. Orth, Robustness of process-based versus data-driven modelling in changing climatic conditions, J. Hydrometeorol. 21 (9), 1929–1944, doi: 10.1175/JHM-D-20-0072.1 (2020).
New Publications
Bohn, F.J., A. Bastos, R. Martin, A. Rammig, N. Sian Koh, G.B. Sioen, B. Buscher, L. Carver, F. DeClerck, M. Drupp, R. Fletcher, M. Forrest, A. Gasparatos, A. Godoy-Faúndez, G. Hagedorn, M.C. Hänsel, J. Hetzer, T. Hickler, C.B. Krug, S. Koot, X. Li, A. Luers, S. Matevich, H. Damon Matthews, I.C. Meier, M. Migliavacca, A. Mohamed, S. O, D. Obura, B. Orlove, R. Orth, L. Pereira, M. Reichstein, L. Thakholi, P. Verburg, and Y. Yoshida, Reviews and syntheses: Current perspectives on biosphere research 2024-2025: 8 findings from ecology, sociology and economics, Biogeosciences, accepted (2025).
Migliavacca, M., G. Grassi, A. Bastos, G. Ceccherini, P. Ciais, G. Janssens-Maenhout, E. Lugato, M.D. Mahecha, K.A. Novick, J. Peñuelas, R. Pilli, M. Reichstein, V. Avitabile, P.S.A. Beck, J.I. Barredo, G. Forzieri, M. Herold, A. Korosuo, N. Mansuy, S. Mubareka, R. Orth, P. Rougieux, A. Cescatti, Securing the forest carbon sink for the European Union’s climate ambition, Nature, accepted (2025).
Uckan, Y., M. Ruiz-Vásquez, K. De Polt, and R. Orth, Global relevance of atmospheric and land surface drivers for hot temperature extremes, Earth Syst. Dyn., accepted (2025).