Postdoctoral position on electromicrobiological oxygen production in sediment

Description

Cable bacteria are filamentous microorganisms that transfer electrons across centimetre-scale distances, coupling distant oxidation and reduction reactions in aquatic sediment. Cable bacteria conserve energy by coupling the oxidation of hydrogen sulfide produced in deeper sediment layers to the reduction of oxygen diffusing into sediment from the overlying water. There is some evidence that under certain circumstances cable bacteria can reverse their oxygen reduction reaction in deep sediment, producing trace amounts of molecular oxygen from water. This oxygen then becomes available for respiration by aerobic bacteria in the surrounding sediment. This phenomenon has the potential to turn our concept of what “anoxic” sediment is upside-down. The successful candidate will investigate this process using a diverse suite of methods, including planar optodes, microsensors, stable isotope labeling, and metatranscriptomics.

This position is financed by the Villum Foundation. The successful candidate will work closely with researchers, technicians and students in the Center for Electromicrobiology (http://cem.au.dk), funded by the Danish National Research Foundation, to achieve the project goals. We seek a highly motivated candidate with a background in microbiology, microbial ecology, microbial biogeochemistry, environmental chemistry, environmental science, soil science, marine science, or other related fields.

Institution contact information

Aarhus University, Denmark

Contact email address

nat-tech.hr.emply@au.dk

Deadline

01-11-2021

External link

https://www.au.dk/om/stillinger/job/postdoctoral-position-on-electromicrobiological-oxygen-production-in-sediment/