Successful Doctoral Defense | Congratulations to Elisa Karina Albrecht

26 February 2026

Photo: private

We warmly congratulate Elisa Karina Albrecht on the successful defense of her doctoral thesis titled “Impact of Legumes on Soil Nutrient Distribution, Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling with Regard to Soil Restoration in the Kavango Region, Namibia.”

Her dissertation investigated how legume cultivation and conservation agriculture influence soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics as well as soil microbial activity using field and laboratory experiments. Smallholder farming systems in northern Namibia are constrained by low-fertility sandy soils with low carbon and nutrient contents that limit microbial activity. The results provide new insights into plant-soil-microbial interactions relevant for soil fertility in semi-arid sandy soils.

The dissertation was supervised by Prof. Dr. Annette Eschenbach and Dr. Joscha N. Becker and chaired by Dr. Birgit Gaye.

At present, Elisa remains open to exploring various opportunities as she considers her next professional steps.

Congratulations on this important academic milestone!