Contact

Mag. Dr. Thomas Reinthaler
Djerassiplatz 1
1030 Vienna
T: +43-1-4277-76432
thomas.reinthaler@univie.ac.at

What is it about?

For the bare eyes they are invisible, but with the aid of microscopy and special staining techniques it is possible to visualize microbes that are in the size range of around one micrometer and smaller.

Microbes are ubiquitous and more than one million are typically counted in one cubic centimeter of seawater. Because the global ocean covers 71% of the earth’s surface, microbes are particularly numerous in this ecosystem. Added to their abundance, the capability to transform dissolved organic carbon into living biomass and carbon dioxide, microbes are an extremely important biological component in the ocean.

We have some information on what functions microbes fulfill in nature, but we are at the beginning to find out how they are doing it. A better understanding of their ecology in the ocean will help us to better predict the changes in global climate.

My Current Project

The project is funded by the FWF and embedded in a research group coordinated by Oliver Wurl from the ICBM at the University of Oldenburg.

Other Projects Involved

NEREIDES: Neutrally Buoyant Particles in the Deep Sea: Turnover, Origin and Global Impact on the Marine Carbon Cycle

Funded by the ERC and led by Gerhard J. Herndl from the University of Vienna.

DEPOCA: Shedding light on dark ocean’s detrital particles – origin, composition and age

Funded by the FWF and led by Gerhard J. Herndl from the University of Vienna.