Boknis Eck (BE) is located in the southwestern Baltic Sea at the entrance to the Eckernförde Bay. One special characteristic of this site is the seasonal change between oxic and hypoxic / sporadic anoxic conditions in the deeper water column. This dynamic in oxygen levels makes Boknis Eck an ideal model site to study the impact of deoxygenation on microbial activity and the resulting changes in metabolic turnover rates in the natural habitat.
For this purpose, we carry out incubation experiments in the laboratory, but also use our Mini Chamber Lander to perform comparative in situ experiments. Microbiological turnover rates are monitored and molecular biological transcriptional analyses accompany our experiments. Here, our intention is to better understand how microbially mediated metabolic processes impact ecosystem functioning. The globally increasing expansion of oxygen minimum zones highlight the need for such studies, allowing better prediction of possible feedbacks and forecasting microbially mediated element cycling in the future oceans.
Dr. Nicole Adam-Beyer
Dr. Stefanie Böhnke-Brandt
Adam-Beyer, N., Deusner, C. , Schmidt, M. und Perner, M. (2025) Microbial hydrogen oxidation potential in seasonally hypoxic Baltic Sea sediments. Frontiers in Microbiology, 16 . Art.Nr. 1565157. DOI 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1565157.
Adam-Beyer, N., Thiele, M., Scholz, F. und Perner, M. (2024) Microbially induced hypoxic and sulfidic zones in times of global warming - a threat to the Baltic Sea?. [Poster] In: VAAM Jahrestagung 2024. , 02.-05.06.2024, Würzburg, Germany
Adam-Beyer, N., Scholz, F. und Perner, M. (2023) Benthic microbial communities exposed to seasonal hypoxia in the Baltic Sea. [Talk] In: FEMS2023. , 09.-13.07.2023, Hamburg, Germany
Adam-Beyer, N. und Perner, M. (2023) Assessing microbial hydrogen oxidation in seafloor habitats. [Poster] In: FEMS2023. 09.-13.07.2023, Hamburg, Germany
Perner, M. , Wallmann, K. , Adam-Beyer, N., Hepach, H. , Laufer-Meiser, K., Böhnke, S., Diercks, I., Bange, H. W. , Indenbirken, D., Nikeleit, V., Bryce, C., Kappler, A., Engel, A. und Scholz, F. (2022) Environmental changes affect the microbial release of hydrogen sulfide and methane from sediments at Boknis Eck (SW Baltic Sea). Frontiers in Microbiology, 13 . Art.Nr. 1096062. DOI 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1096062.
Head of the research group
"Geomicrobiology":
Prof. Dr. Mirjam Perner
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre
for Ocean Research Kiel
Building 12
Wischhofstrasse 1-3
D-24148 Kiel
Tel.: +49 (0) 431-600-2837
Fax: +49 (0) 431-600-2941
E-mail: mperner(at)geomar.de
Team assistance / Office Management:
Marion Liebetrau
Tel.: +49 (0) 431-600-2847
Fax: +49 (0) 431-600-2941
E-Mail: mliebetrau(at)geomar.de
