We are looking for a PhD student to conduct experimental research on the diversity and interactions of fungi and protists in soils.

Both groups are important constituents of the soil microbiome. They provide indispensable ecosystem functions. However, their lifestyle is highly contrasting in regard to nutrient acquisition, mobility and interactions with other organisms. The spatial and temporal variation of their diversity and their response to land-use change or global warming is still poorly understood. The overall objective of this project is to assess whether abundance and/or diversity of fungi and protists, or specific phylogenetic or functional groups of them, can serve as indicators for describing the conditions and quality of soils.

The work is conducted in the Molecular Microbial Ecology group of Prof. Christoph Tebbe at the Thünen Institute in Braunschweig, Germany with research stays at the University of Cologne in the group of Prof. Michael Bonkowski. A PhD program at the Technical University of Braunschweig or the University of Cologne can be entered.

For more details, including payment etc., see the official job announcement in the attachment, on the Website of the Institute under Job Offers (2020-073-BD) or contact directly by Email christoph.tebbe@thuenen.de