Who we are
We are the Marine Benthic Ecology group. We study various mutualistic associations between sulfur-oxidizing chemoautotrophic bacteria and animal/protist hosts and animal communities in marine benthic chemosynthesis-based ecosystems such as deep-sea hydrothermal vents and shallow-water wood. We strongly focus on experiments in the field and in the lab to understand ecology and evolution of host – symbiont relationships and the diversity and succession of vent and wood communities. We apply a suite of molecular and imaging methods, bioinformatic tools and biodiversity and trait analyses.
Why/How are we going Green
Located in a land-locked country travel to the sea is unavoidable. Nevertheless, we try to minimize our footprint. Therefore, we have chosen the Northern Adriatic Sea for our shallow-water wood fall project with long-term experiments in the field. For the future, we want to raise self-awareness on our use and sensible re-use of consumables and our use and careful long-term maintenance of instruments. In addition, we wish to enlarge our engagement with other working groups to share and exchange our equipment. This will save resources and will be economically and socially beneficial.
