GEOMAR  Melzner, Frank  Arbeitsgruppe - Ökophysiologie

Research Group Environmental Physiology

The working group 'Environmental Physiology' (Research Division Marine Ecology, Research Unit Experimental Ecology) is interested in marine invertebrate and algal physiology, particularly with respect to phenotypic plasticity and adaptation capacity to a changing climate (ocean acidification, ocean warming). We are conducting field, mesocosm and laboratory experiments to study species responses in a community context. We collaborate with scientists from the disciplines of geology, ecology, biogeochemistry, marine chemistry, medicine and zoology. Currently, we are involved in the collaborative projects FUBLUC and ROVKA that focus on the role of macroalgal meadows as blue carbon habitats, as well as the project YESSS that focuses on ocean warming impacts in the Arctic. 

Contact

Our labs and offices are located in Wischhofstraße 1-3, 24148 Kiel, building 5, 1st floor.

Team members

  • Prof. Dr. Frank Melzner (guest scientist, FUBLUC, coordination); marine invertebrate zoology & environmental physiology, eco-evolutionary responses of communities to warming (primary affiliation: University of Vienna, Austria, Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, frank.melzner@univie.ac.at). 
  • Dr. Jahangir Vajedsamiei (Postdoctoral researcher, FUBLUC, WP2 lead); assessment of carbon budgets in brown algae using mesocosm, field lab and modeling approaches.
  • M.Sc. Katja Seebass (Doctoral researcher, DBU/GEOMAR); assessment of factors contributing to and causing sea star wasting disease in the Baltic Sea.
  • M.Sc. Lola Nader (Doctoral researcher, YESSS); assessment of impacts of Arctic warming on marine invertebrate reproductive capacity.

Selected Publications

  1. Melzner, F., Panknin, U., Buchholz, B., Wall, M. (2020). Ocean winter warming induced starvation of predator and prey.  Proceedings of the Royal Society B  287:20200970.

  2. Melzner, F., Mark, F.C., Seibel, B.A., Tomanek, L. (2020). Ocean acidification and coastal marine Invertebrates: tracking CO2 effects from seawater to the cell. Annual Review of Marine Science 12:499-523.

  3. Wall, M., Fietzke, J., Crook, E.D., Paytan, A. (2019). Using B isotopes and B/Ca in corals from low saturation springs to constrain calcification mechanisms. Nature Communications 10:3580.

  4. Ramesh, K., Hu, M.Y.A., Thomsen, J., Bleich, M., Melzner, F. (2017). Mussel larvae modify calcifying fluid carbonate chemistry to promote calcification. Nature Communications 8:1709.

  5. Thomsen, J., Stapp, L.S., Haynert, K., Schade, H., Danelli, M., Lannig, G., Wegner, K.M., Melzner, F. (2017). Naturally acidified habitat selects for ocean acidification–tolerant mussels. Science Advances 3: e1602411

  6. Stumpp, M., Hu, M.Y., Melzner, F., Gutowska, M.A., Dorey, N., Himmerkus, N., Holtmann, W., Dupont, S.T., Thorndyke, M.C., Bleich, M. (2012). Acidified seawater impacts sea urchin larvae pH regulatory systems relevant for calcification. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA 109:18192-18197.