Project

Several processes influence the emission rates of stem-respired CO₂and up to 41% of CO₂ respired by stems is not locally emitted. Respiratory CO₂ may be dissolved and transported in the xylem, or refixed and metabolized by stem photosynthesis or via the enzyme phosphoenolpyruvatcarboxylase (PEPC). During my PhD, I want to understand reduced CO₂ emissions from tree stems and the post-respiratory fate of CO₂ in stems. I am using a novel respiration chamber system for measuring CO₂ and O₂ repeatedly and fully autonomous in the field. The system allows assessing the ratio of CO₂ efflux to O₂ influx which provides a reliable proxy for CO₂ losses due to (potential) xylem flow and CO₂ refixation but also for stem respiration.

Education

2018-ongoing PhD Student at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Department of Biogeochemical Processes, Jena, Germany. Supervision: Dr. Henrik Hartmann, MPI-BGC and Prof. Ansgar Kahmen, University of Basel.

2017 Eurofins Agraranalytik Deutschland GmbH, Jena, Germany.

2013-2016 Master Evolution, Ecology and Systematics, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Germany. Master Thesis: "Do plant functional traits determine the re-establishment process of plant species in steppe grasslands?” (Supervision: Prof. Dr. Christine Römermann, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Germany and Prof. Dr. Thierry Dutoit, University of Avignon, France).

2014 Research Stay at the Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Science, Plant Physiology Group, Groningen, Netherlands.

2010-2013 B.Sc. Biology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Germany.