InterAct
(Ecosystem Interactions in the Arctic)
In high Arctic peatlands organic matter is slowly decomposed by large and complex microbial communities. In the upper few centimeters of soil, aerobic microorganisms are degrading fresh organic matter deposited by mosses, grasses, and other vascular plants to form CO2.
We study the effect of altered plant vegetation on the microbiota responsible for aerobic decomposition in high Arctic peatlands. Plant populations are driven by changes in herbivore populations and our preliminary results suggest that the microbial food web in the upper soil layer is substantially affected by changes in the plant cover. Thus, our studies link above- and below-ground ecology. Our main objective is to identify how above-ground ecology alters microbial food webs and which consequences this has to aerobic carbon cycling in high-Arctic peatlands.
*Page under construction* *More content will follow* (Picture: Mette M. Svenning)
Members:
- Kathrin M. Bender (Graduated PhD)
- Edda M. Rainer (Graduated PhD)
- Andrea Söllinger (Researcher)
- (Professor)
- (PI)
Former members: Edda M. Rainer
Publications:
Edda M. Rainer. . 2022. PhD Thesis
Edda M. Rainer, Christophe V.W. Seppey, Caroline Hammer, Mette M. Svenning, Alexander T. Tveit. . 2021. Microorganism
Kathrin M. Bender, Mette M. Svenning, Yuntao Hu, Andreas Richter, Julia Schückel, Bodil Jørgensen, Susanne Liebner, Alexander T. Tveit. . 2021. Polar Biology
Edda M. Rainer, Christophe V.W. Seppey, Alexander T. Tveit, Mette M. Svenning. . 2020. FEMS Microbiology Ecology
Collaborators:
Maarten Loonen - University of Groningen
Andreas Richter - University of Vienna
Financial/grant information:
Tromsø Research Foundation (TSF) - 17_SG_ATT
Last update: August, 2022