PhD Position in Freshwater Ecosystem, Germany

Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries
Research Network Berlin e.V.

PhD Position

Dept. Limnology of Stratified lakes
Alte Fischerhuette 2, 16775 Neuglobsow

The Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) is a research facility funded by the German government and the county of Berlin and belongs to the research organization „Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz“ (WGL). The IGB is situated in Berlin (Friedrichshagen) at Lake Mueggel and in Stechlin (Neuglobsow) at Lake Stechlin. The institute is a major German Centre for freshwater ecosystem research and links hydrologists, chemists, microbiologists, limnologists, fish ecologists and fish biologists. The research at the institute consists in a combination of basic and applied science for foresight research which provides the basis for sustainable management strategies of freshwater ecosystems.

In the frame of the “TERRALAC“ project (Aquatic-terrestrial coupling stabilizes lake
ecosystems) the Dept. Limnology of Stratified Lakes offers a PhD position starting from 01. January 2010. The position is limited to 3 years and the salary is equivalent to half of
a TvöD position.

The research focuses on the effects of allochthonous organic matter on microbial activities in the
water column, benthic biofilms and in the sediment of 2 shallow lakes. It is hypothesized that
allochthonous organic matter input plays a crucial role for bistability (macrophyte vs. microplankton dominated state).

Duties and responsibilities
• Determination of bacterial activities in the water column, benthic biofilms and sediments
• Preparation of samples (DOM, POM and bacteria) for stabile isotope analysis
• Design and realization of field sampling as well as testing methods for measuring bacterial
matter cycling in the lakes
• Quantification of gas fluxes (methane, CO2) from the lake into the atmosphere
• Determination of the aquatic P turn over
Requirements
• Completed studies in the field of microbiology and/or limnology
• Knowledge in chemical-analytical as well as microbiological methods
• Good command in English
• Good abilities for cooperation with all other groups of the TERRALAC project
The application of women is explicitly welcome. Disabled people with the same qualification will be preferentially employed. The application with all common documents should be submitted until 30th September 2009 to:
Dr. Hans-Peter Grossart,
Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Dept. Limnology of Stratified Lakes, Alte Fischerhuette 2, D-16775 Stechlin, Germany, e-mail: hgrossart@igb-berlin.de.