Effects of drought and heat waves on functional soil microbiomes
Duration of contract: 4 years
Planned starting date: Not later than April 2024
Place of work: University of Vienna
Main supervisor: Andreas Richter (CV | Lab Homepage)
Supervision team: David Berry, Matthias Horn, Christina Kaiser, Wolfgang Wanek, Dagmar Wöbken
This position has been filled.
Project description:
The PhD student will study the direct and indirect effects of combined drought and heat waves on the soil microbiome, specifically focusing on interactions within the soil microbial community (bacteria, archaea, saprotrophic and mycorrhizal fungi, and protists) and between soil microbes and plants. Their main task will be conducting experiments to identify the active soil microbiota during drought, using a novel technique, 18O-based water vapor equilibration quantitative stable isotope probing, that allows to label microbial communities without adding liquid water. The position involves utilizing existing long-term field drought experiments in the Austrian Alps to investigate drought legacy effects on microbiome structure and function, as well as establishing a new experiment to simulate combined heat waves and drought periods.
The ideal candidate should have experience in working with soil and/or climate change experiments. A solid background in microbial ecology methods is advantageous. We seek a scientifically curious candidate who is eager to explore new avenues and contribute to a better understanding and prediction of the effects of climate change on terrestrial ecosystems.