I aim to contribute to answering the question how climate change affects the interactions between vegetation, soil, hydrosphere and atmosphere and the role of biodiversity therein? I do this by using a systems ecological approach with ramifications to soil microbial ecology and paying particular attention to feedback mechanisms. Central to my approach is quantifying the role of the vegetation in biogeochemical cycling using functional traits as the basis for response and effect parameters. This trait-based approach is used for both the role of living plants and the ‘afterlife’ effects they have through litter decomposition and soil nutrient mineralization. My research group studies, in cooperation with many national and international partners, the full array of hierarchical levels, going from soil microbial ecology to the global scale vegetation- and biogeochemical models.