Research
The aim of my PhD is to investigate how lake sediment microbial communities process terrestrial resources, which are then integrated into aquatic food webs. Terrestrial inputs of organic matter (OM) contribute greatly to the functioning of aquatic systems, including carbon cycling and food web production. Through the variety of functions they perform, microbes play an important role in the initial breakdown of terrestrial OM. However, their activities remain poorly understood though.
I am interested in testing whether the decomposition of OM in freshwater food webs relies more on the taxonomic and/or functional composition of the microbial communities than on the quality and quantity of terrestrially-derived subsidies. Additionally, my thesis aims to link the biodiversity of lake sediments to ecosystem functioning, in particular to OM decomposition. I also investigate how these communities assemble over time. Finally, I am interested in seeing whether the presence of ecosystem engineers, like mussels, affects the structure of sediment microbial communities and their associated functions."
