Sophie Kache - Projects

ANK Pilot Project “Moor Climate Protection on the Baltic Sea Coast” (2024–2034)

Along the Baltic Sea coast of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, peatlands previously used for agriculture are being restored across 12 coastal polders, covering a total of 850 hectares. The aim is to restore the natural carbon sink function through rewetting and the reintroduction of peat-forming plants. In addition to climate protection, the project promotes flood protection, nutrient retention, groundwater recharge and biodiversity. Under the leadership of the Baltic Sea Foundation and in close cooperation with the University of Greifswald, I and my students are conducting scientific monitoring of nitrogen emissions and cycles. Through regular monitoring in various polders before, during and after rewetting, we are gaining a precise overview of different nutrient dynamics. The results provide long-term insights into the effectiveness of various restoration strategies.

Blue Estuaries (BluEs) – Developing estuaries as habitable sustainable ecosystem despite climate change and stress (2020–2024)

A comprehensive study of the effects of stressors such as eutrophication, pollutant input, sediment shifting and heat waves on the biota of the two largest German estuaries Oder (Baltic Sea) and Elbe (North Sea) is being carried out by a group of scientists, representatives of authorities and nature conservationists. As part of the BluEs project, I characterised nutrient cycling processes in the Oder estuary. Using stable isotopes, I measured microbial processes of the nitrogen cycle at different times of the year. Together with colleagues from Klaipėda University, this enabled me to gain a better understanding of how the coastal filter functions in this area.