The new cluster ‘Critical Zone’ encompasses spatial and temporal scales, from the smallest biological life to subsurface soils, and extends to mineralogical interactions. It is a vital region where these interactions and transitions profoundly influence larger spatial and temporal processes, and exert control over the broader environmental dynamics.

For the 3rd funding period the CRC encompasses 18 research sub-projects allocated into the three new research clusters Environment, Landscape and Critical Zone. The research is coordinated and supported by six sub-projects in the Z-cluster. To more easily monitor the development of subprojects through all funding phases of the CRC, the established labels of the subprojects were kept. Two new sub-projects (L01, CZ02) will enter the cluster for phase three while five sub-projects of the 2nd funding period are either merged or terminated.