Coordination of the DFG Priority Program 1803 (Phase I): EarthShape- Earth Surface Shaping by Biota

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The EarthShape priority program defines four testable hypotheses centered on quantifying the influence of biota on Earth surface processes. We do this by creating a unique opportunity for interdisciplinary research that spans traditional boundaries between the geosciences, biology, geomorphology, soil science, and hydrology. This coordination proposal tackles several administrative challenges related to testing our scientific hypotheses and fostering an interdisciplinary research atmosphere for future surface processes research in Germany. These challenges include: a) providing essential instrumentation and data sets that benefit many EarthShape subprojects; b) coordinating field work, permits, and international collaborations in remote field areas in Chile; and c) ensuring the development and mobility of participants as interdisciplinary researchers through young-scientist complimentary skills workshops, gender equality measures, and project meetings. In this proposal, we highlight key goals and administrative and financial needs of the EarthShape Priority Program for the next 3 years. In doing so, we draw attention to the important ingredients the coordinators and steering committee have envisaged over the preceding 4 years as essential elements of a successful priority program. These considerations include: a) the need for participants to address the research clusters and timescale bridging that are outlined in the original EarthShape scientific proposal, b) pairing of investigators from distinctly different disciplines to foster interdisciplinary research, and c) the need for participants to work within (or very near) the selected focus study areas to enable a cross comparison and integration of results from different projects.