This subproject is part of the collaborative research centre RETAKE, one of the six consortia within the DAM research mission CDRmare with the scope of assessing CO2 removal by alkalinity enhancement.
The overall goal of RETAKE is to study the potential, benefits and environmental risks of alkalinity enhancement (AE) in order to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. The activity of CO2 in seawater is reduced with increased ocean alkalinity, leading to an enhanced flux of CO2 from the atmosphere into the ocean, which could effectively reduce atmospheric CO2 concentrations.
Marine sediments will be supplemented with olivine and carbonate minerals in incubations and mesocosm experiments to simulate alkalinity enhancement scenarios. We will study the interactions and feedbacks between benthic weathering (geochemistry coordinated by Dr. Sonja Geilert, https://www.geomar.de/en/sgeilert) and microbial activities. For this purpose, we will analyse microbial community compositions by 16S RNA/DNA studies and quantify organisms of major microbial groups via CARD-FISH and qPCR. For selected samples of interest, we will use transcriptomics to capture potential shifts in gene expression caused by alkalinity enhancement through benthic weathering.
Geomicrobiology
Prof. Dr. Mirjam Perner (AP1.4 of RETAKE)
Dr. Stefanie Böhnke-Brandt - Scientist
Rebecca Bährle - PhD student
Benthic Biogeochemistry
Dr. Andy Dale
Michael Fuhr - PhD student
Bährle, R., Böhnke-Brandt, R., Fuhr, M., Dale, A. and M. Perner (2024). Reactions of the microbial community in benthic alkalinity enhancement experiments. VAAM, Würzburg.
Fuhr, M., Wallmann, K., Dale, A. W. , Diercks, I., Kalapurakkal, H. T., Schmidt, M. , Sommer, S., Böhnke, S., Perner, M.und Geilert, S.(2023) Disentangling artificial and natural benthic weathering in organic rich Baltic Sea sediments. Frontiers in Climate, 5 . Art.Nr. 1245580. DOI 10.3389/fclim.2023.1245580.
Diercks, I.,Geilert, S., Böhnke-Brandt, S., Dale, A.W., Fuhr, M., Perner, M. (2022). Interactions between microbial activity and enhanced benthic weathering of carbonate and olivine in the Baltic Sea. ePoster auf der VAAM Jahrestagung 2022
Diercks, I.,Geilert, S., Dale, A.W., Fuhr, M. and Perner, M. (2022). Interactions between microbial activity and enhanced benthic weathering in the Baltic Sea to analyse the potential, benefits and risks of a marine CDR strategy. YOUMARES13, Berlin.
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
Find out more about the geomicrobiology team here
You can find information on our teaching programmes here
!!! Bachelor and Master Theses !!!
There are numerous exciting projects available in our working group raising questions that can also be investigated in the context of bachelor and master theses. Feel free to contact us and find a suitable topic for your thesis together with us!
March 2021 <<< Dr. Katja Laufer published her new paper on the importance of Fe cycling in Arctic fjord sediments and the potential impacts of glacial retreat inNature Communications >>>
March 2021 <<<Our new project Emden FM has been kicked-off. We are looking forward to exciting research in a great consortia (coordinator: Julia Gebert, TUDelft )>>>
December 2020 <<<Dr. Nicole Adam receives the Prof. Dr. Werner Petersen-Preis 2020 for outstanding doctoral theses at GEOMAR>>>
