Mina Bizic
Alte Fischerhütte 2, OT Neuglobsow, 16775 Stechlin
Profile
Research Interests
I am an aquatic microbial ecologist conducting broad interdisciplinary research ranging from the Global Oceanic Carbon Cycle, the Oxic Methane Paradox, Microbial interactions and Succession of Microorganisms Colonizing Macroscopic Organic Aggregates in aquatic communities and ecosystems, Aquatic/terrestrial coupling and much more including a fascination with Single "unit" studies such as individual cells or individual particles.
I enjoy working at the boundaries and interfaces of different scientific disciplines and I implement experimental tools development, bioinformatics, and advanced imaging in my research.
Currently my work is divided between studying the factors determining the Succession of Microorganisms Colonizing Macroscopic Organic Aggregates, as part of my own DFG project, and following up on my recent discovery of methane produced by phytoplankton during photosynthesis.
Molecular microbial ecology:
DNA and RNA work (extraction and purification, amplification, mRNA enrichment etc.); Metagenomics; Metatranscriptomics; Single-cell genomics; Fingerprinting (DGGE, ARISA); Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH, CARD-FISH); Microscopy (Laser scanning confocal and epifluorescence).
Oxford Nanopore sequencing.
Analytical methods:
Multivariate statistics for ecological studies; Genomic and metagenomics analysis, using dedicated programs under Linux environment; Gene expression statistics (differential expression in transcriptomes); Automated microscopy for large data sets.
Cultivation work:
Enrichment of Cyanobacteria and algae from environmental samples; Maintenance of axenic Cyanobacterial cultures for experimental work; Standard isolation of marine and freshwater bacteria on solid media.
Biogeochemistry:
Gas-chromatography; Membrane Inlet Mass Spectrometry (MIMS); Elemental CHN analysis; Total dissolved inorganic & organic carbon analysis; Sequential phosphorus fractionation analysis; O2, pH, H2S microsensors.
Population dynamics estimation in ichthyology:
Length-weight relationship; Growth; Mortality; Biomass estimation; Tools selectivity; MSY (maximum sustainable yield); Fish age determination and growth rates by otoliths.
Additional experience:
Underwater sampling (marine snow, cores); On-board sampling (lakes, sea).
Publications
Publications
2024
Light-dependent methane production by a coccolithophorid may counteract its photosynthetic contribution to carbon dioxide sequestration
Correlation of methane production with physiological traits in Trichodesmium IMS 101 grown with methylphosphonate at different temperatures
A focus on different types of organic matter particles and their significance in the open ocean carbon cycle
Experimental warming promotes phytoplankton species sorting towards cyanobacterial blooms and leads to potential changes in ecosystem functioning
What makes a cyanobacterial bloom disappear?: A review of the abiotic and biotic cyanobacterial bloom loss factors
2023
A novel method to sample individual marine snow particles for downstream molecular analyses
Stable Carbon Isotope Signature of Methane Released From Phytoplankton
Blooms also like it cold
2022
Cave Thiovulum (Candidatus Thiovulum stygium) differs metabolically and genomically from marine species
Bestimmung mikrobieller Gemeinschaften von Teichen in Stadt und Land
BIOspektrum - 28(2022), 702–704
Bridging gaps in aquatic sciences: a conscious effort toward unbiased scientific presentations through amplifying voices
From microbes to mammals: pond biodiversity homogenization across different land-use types in an agricultural landscape
Land-use type temporarily affects active pond community structure but not gene expression patterns
ASLO's early career committee amplifies voices of underrepresented groups in aquatic sciences
2021
Corrigendum to: Photosynthesis-driven methane production in oxic lake water as an important contributor to methane emission
From microbes to mammals: agriculture homogenizes pond biodiversity across different land-use types
Phytoplankton photosynthesis: an unexplored source of biogenic methane emission from oxic environments
Reply to ‘Oxic methanogenesis is only a minor source of lake-wide diffusive CH4 emissions from lakes’
Heterozygous, polyploid, giant bacterium, Achromatium, possesses an identical functional inventory worldwide across drastically different ecosystems
2020
Photosynthesis-driven methane production in oxic lake water as an important contributor to methane emission
Linking stream microbial community functional genes to dissolved organic matter and inorganic nutrients
Aquatic and terrestrial cyanobacteria produce methane
2019
Oxic methane cycling: new evidence for methane formation in oxic lake water
Contribution of oxic methane production to surface methane emission in lakes and its global importance
2018
Organic particles: heterogeneous hubs for microbial interactions in aquatic ecosystems
2017
Community-like genome in single cells of the sulfur bacterium Achromatium oxaliferum
2016
Crossing the freshwater/saline barrier: a phylogenetic analysis of bacteria inhabiting both freshwater and marine ecosystems
2015
A new tool for long-term studies of POM-bacteria interactions
Diversity of iron oxidizing and reducing bacteria in flow reactors in the Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory
2014
2012
Full Publication List
Manuscripts
Bizic, M#., Ionescu, D#., Karnatak, R., Musseau, L.C., Onandia, G., Berger, S., Nejstgaard, J., Lischeid, D., Gessner., M, Wolrab, S., Grossart, H-P. (2022) Land-use affects composition of active microbial and eukaryotic communities in ponds but not overall functionality, Molecular Ecology https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.16348 # Authors contributed equally to the manuscript.
Bizic, M,. (2021) Phytoplankton photosynthesis: an unexplored source of biogenic methane emission from oxic environments, fbab069, https://doi.org/10.1093/plankt/fbab069
Günthel M., Klawonn I., Woodhouse J., Bižić M., Ionescu D., Ganzert L., Kümmel S., Nijenhuis I., Zoccarato L., Grossart H-P., Tang KW. (2020) Photosynthesis-driven methane production in oxic lake water as an important contributor to methane emission, Limnology and Oceanography in press DOI:10.1002/lno.11557.
Bižić#, M., Klintzsch#, T., Ionescu#, D., Hindiyeh, M., Y., Günthel, M., Muro-Pastor, A., M., Keppler, F., Grossart, H-P. (2020) Aquatic and terrestrial Cyanobacteria produce methane. Science Advances. 6, 3: eaax5343, doi:10.1126/sciadv.aax5343; # Authors contributed equally to the manuscript.
Schellenberg, J., Reichert, J., Hardt, M., Klingelhöfer, I., Morlock, G., Schubert, P., Bižić, M., Grossart, H-P., Kämpfer, P., Wilke, T., Glaeser, S.P. (2020) The Bacterial Microbiome of the Long-Term Aquarium Cultured High-Microbial Abundance Sponge Haliclona cnidata–Sustained Bioactivity Despite Community Shifts Under Detrimental. Frontiers in Marine Science. doi:10.3389/fmars.2020.00266
Fasching, C., Akotoye, C., Bižić, M., Fonvielle, J., Ionescu, D., Mathavarajah, S., Zoccarato, L., Walsh, D. A., Grossart, H-P., Xenopoulos, M. A. (2020) Linking stream microbial community function to dissolved organic matter and inorganic. Limnology and Oceanography 65, 2020, S71–S87. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.11356
Günthel, M., Donis, D., Kirillin, G., Ionescu, D., Bizic, M., McGinnis, D., F., Grossart, H-P., Tang, K. Contribution of oxic methane production to surface methane emission in lakes – local and global importance Nature Communications, 10, 5497 (2019) doi:10.1038/s41467-019-13320-0
Bižić-Ionescu, M., Ionescu, D.,& Grossart, H.-P. (2018) Organic particles: heterogeneous hubs for microbial interactions in aquatic ecosystems. Front Microbiol. 2018; 9: 2569. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02569
Ionescu, D., Bižić-Ionescu, M., De Maio, N., Cypionka, H. & Grossart, H.-P. (2017) Community-like genome in single cells of the sulfur bacterium Achromatium oxaliferum. Nat. Commun. 8, 455 doi:10.1038/s41467-017-00342-9.
Ionescu, D., Bižić-Ionescu, M., Khalili, A, Malekmohammadi, R., Morad M., R., de Beer, D., Grossart, H-P. (2015) A new tool for long-term studies of POM-bacteria interactions: overcoming the century-old Bottle Effect. Sci Rep 5, Article number: 14706 doi:10.1038/srep14706
Ionescu, D., Heim, C., Polerecky, L., Ramette, A., Haeusler, S., Bižić-Ionescu, M., Thiel, V., de Beer, D. (2015) Diversity of iron oxidizing and reducing bacteria in bioreactors set in the Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory, Geomicrob., 32: 207-220
Bižić-Ionescu, M., Amann, R., Grossart, H-P. (2014) Massive Regime Shifts and High Activity of Heterotrophic Bacteria in an Ice-Covered Lake. PLoS ONE 9(11): e113611. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0113611
Bižić-Ionescu, M., Zeder, M., Ionescu, D., Orlić, S., Fuchs, B. M., Grossart, H.-P. and Amann, R. (2014), Comparison of bacterial communities on limnic versus coastal marine particles reveals profound differences in colonization. Environmental Microbiology. doi: 10.1111/1462-2920.12466
Ionescu, D., Siebert, C., Polerecky, L., Munwes, Y.Y., Lott, C., Häusler, S., Bižić-Ionescu, M., Quast, C., Jörg Peplies, J., Glöckner, FO., Ramette, A., Rödiger, T., Dittmar, T., Oren, A., Geyer, S., Stärk, HS., Sauter, M., Licha, T., Laronne, B. J., de Beer, D. (2012) Microbial and chemical characterization of underwater fresh water springs in the Dead Sea. PloS One, 7(6):e38319
This paper was highlighted in 2011: Story was covered by National Geographic, CNN, BBC, and numerous “popular science” and general magazines and TV-stations worldwide.
Book Chapter
Bižić, M., Ionescu D (2019) The Methane Paradox, Bacteria In eLS, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd (Ed.), In press
Ionescu, D. Bizic, M (2019) Giant Bacteria In eLS, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd (Ed.), doi:10.1002/9780470015902.a0020371.pub2
Bižić -Ionescu, M., Ionescu, D., Gunthel, M., Tang, K.W., Grossart, H-P., (2018) New evidence for methane formation in oxic lake water, In: Stams, A.J.M., Sousa, D.Z., (ed), Handbook of Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology Series. Biogenesis of Hydrocarbons, Springer International Publishing.
Bižić-Ionescu, M., Ionescu D. (2016) Crossing the border - The freshwater/salt saline barrier: A phylogenetic analysis of bacteria inhabiting both freshwater and marine ecosystems. In: Glibert, P.M., Kanna, T. (ed), Aquatic Microbial Ecology and Biogeochemistry: A Dual Perspective, Springer International Publishing, pp:35-44
DFG PROJECT (Eigene Stelle)
Determinants of Community Structure, Function and Succession of Microorganisms Colonizing Macroscopic Organic Aggregates
Duration: March 2019 - March 2022
I am conducting a temporal study on the degradation of macroscopic organic aggregates. I am specifically interested in heterogeneity between the activity and composition of microbial colonizers of individual aggregates and the drivers of microbial succession on these aggregates as they sink to the bottom of the lake or ocean. To study these in a controlled manner, I am using a flow through rolling tank designed by myself and colleagues to overcome the biasing effects of closed incubation systems.