My field of research aims at the reconstruction of former environmental states of past ecosystems using a combination of geological, organic geochemical and isotope techniques. The reconstruction of palaeoenvironments includes their climatic evolution, development of palaeovegetation in subrecent but also deep geological time, occurence and role of vegetation fires in shaping past ecosystems and the role of microbial activity in past ecosystems. In addition to ecosystem reconstruction, I also apply organic geochemical and isotopic techniques to the study of human diets or farming practises.