Bacteria are abundant in all marine habitats, from the sea surface to the greatest depths. Although often ignored they are one of the most important players in the marine food web. They are directly or indirectly linked to all partners within the marine food web via nutrient cycling and trophic cascades. Bacteria are highly flexible and are able to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Recently in our group pro/eukaryotic interactions in the pelagic food webs were investigated with respect to bacteria/microalgae interactions and regarding the microbiome of marine copepods.
Our current foodweb-focus is on jellyfish and bacteria since "jellies" seem to gain importantance in the pelagic food web in the last years. Jellyfish predation impacts the food webs by converting large amounts of carbon into biomass. Coinstantaneously jellyfish are only poorly consumed by other partners of the food web and release colloidal and dissolved organic matter (jelly –DOM). This proposed “bypass” of DOM offering additional carbon sources for bacteria is potentially influencing the microbial nutrient and DOM pathway and even the structure of the microbial community.

Current projects:

• Bacteria associated with Jellyfish