Geology in the Earth System

Team: Prof. Dr. Jörn Peckmann, Dr. Daniel Birgel, Dr. Richard Seifert

The working group investigates biosphere-geosphere interactions. The perception that different steering mechanisms concur in shaping the face of planet Earth is among the major achievements of modern Earth sciences. This perception led to a better understanding of interdependences in what is referred to as ‘System Earth’. Life is a key element in this complex system. It does not only adapt to environmental change by Darwinian evolution, it also shapes the shallow geosphere since it spread over the young planet. To better constrain how life was and is changing its environment, we use biogenic authigenic minerals and rocks as an archive of biological activity. Our focus in this endeavor is on ecosystems that are devoid of sunlight and rely on chemical energy for biomass production.

Our fields of research are:

-          Ancient and modern methane seeps

-          Hypersaline environments

-          Reef microbialites

-          Early Triassic microbialites

-          Phosphorite authigenesis

-          Geomicrobiology of serpentinization springs

-          Endolithic life in suboceanic volcanic rock

-          biomarker-inventory of marine microorganisms