Two PhD Positions in Nitrogen Isotope Biogeochemistry at University of Basel

The Aquatic and Isotope Biogeochemistry Research Group at the Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel ( https://duw.unibas.ch/de/bgc/ ) invites applications for two PhD positions in the field of benthic nitrogen isotope biogeochemistry . The students will be part of a project investigating the stable isotope effects during elimination and cycling of bioavailable nitrogen (N) in lake and marine sediments. Research is planned in collaboration with scientists from the University of Southern Denmark (Department of Biology), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the Eawag Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Systems Analysis, Integrated Assessment and Modelling), and the GFZ Potsdam (Section Geomicrobiology).

Your position

The prime goal of the planned research is to build a thorough understanding of the controls on the nitrate and nitrite N (and O) isotope signatures of sedimentary denitrification and anammox (and the interacting effects from other benthic N cycling reactions), and the N isotopic composition of gaseous N that is ultimately lost from aquatic sediments. The PhD projects will combine 1.) laboratory experiments, 2.) field investigations into the sediment porewater (N and O) isotope dynamics of distinct lacustrine and marine benthic environments, and 3.) mathematical modeling. The research will make extensive use of stable isotope mass spectrometry methods (IRMS, GC-IRMS, GC-MS), isotope tracer and microbiological techniques, and it will be highly relevant for the use of N isotope measurements to constrain local, regional, and even global N budgets.

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Two PhD Positions in Nitrogen Isotope Biogeochemistry at University of Basel