Selected publications

The theoretical study evaluated the microbial dynamics of particle-associated vs free-living bacteria. Bacterial generalists have the ability to utilize both habitats and increase stability and energy transport through the 'microbial loop'. Adaptive response strategies of bacteria are important to assess the consequences of increasing particle loads, e.g., sediment and microplastics.

In course of measuring campaigns, the spatial and temporal dynamics of water isotopes in northeastern German lakes were evaluated. The data will serve as basis for further studies, for example with respect to connectivity of lakes and biochemical processes in macrophytes.

The authors studied the role of host genetics in host-associated microbiome community structure. Gut and body microbiome composition still varied between Daphnia host genotypes, even though these Daphnia were kept under identical lab conditions for five years. This highlights the importance of host genetic component in microbiome structure.

The authors investigated antiparasitic potential of 3 agrochemical fungicides on a non-target aquatic model (Daphnia × parasitic yeast system). The results suggest that azole fungicides may disrupt host-parasite interactions in natural systems. There might be broader consequences of this parasite-clearance effect, especially in face of increasing evidence that parasites are ecologically important.

From the distribution of manganese, iron and phosphorus within sediment cores from 11 water depths of Lake Arendsee, changes in the trophic state and oxygen conditions could be reconstructed. The redox-controlled geochemical focussing induced authigenic vivianite formation under oligo-mesotrophic conditions about 100 years ago, resulting locally in strongly increased burial phosphorus deposition.

The authors aimed to find empirical support for the theoretically predicted effect of intraspecific behavioral variation on food web dynamics and ecosystem function. In pond experiments, there was no effect of behavioral variation of predators on dynamics of lower trophic levels, but predator mass varied according to group composition, and hence was a strong predictor of food web effects.

Aquatic sediments contain eggbanks of invertebrates such as the waterflea Daphnia, a keystone freshwater herbivore. These "time capsules" uniquely allow observation of genomic evolution over centuries. To bypass the problem of minute DNA amounts in individual eggs, the authors developed a whole genome amplification workflow, and show its utility to sequence full genomes of centuries-old eggs.

The team investigated the ffects of land-use type on the composition and gene expression activity of aquatic organisms, using an eRNA approach. At times, there is a temporary difference in the active community structure between ponds in grasslands, forests, and arable fields, but not in the expressed functions. Soon after, the active community returns to being homogenous across the land-use types.