Anne Daebeler

As a microbial ecologist I analyse the composition, diversity, and function of microbial communities with the objective to elucidate ecological relations between microorganisms and their role in biogeochemical cycles. Of particular interest in my previous and current research projects are nitrifying and methane-oxidising microbes. Studying these organisms in their natural habitats, in controlled microcosm experiments as well as in culture I focus on their physiological capabilities and responses to changing environmental conditions, i.e. their ecophysiology. Through these lines of research I want to determine explanations for abundance and activity patterns, (micro)diversity, niches specilisation, and quantify ecological importance of these guilds for biochemical cycles in various environments.

Education and Academic Positions

• 2021 - present Group leader and senior scientist at Soil & Water Research Infrastructure. Biology Centre CAS, České Budějovice, CZ
• 2013 - 2020 PostDoc at the Division for Microbial Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, AT
• 2009 - 2013 PhD student at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, NL
• 2008 - 2009 Research assistant at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, GER
• 2002 - 2009 Dipl. Biol. Technical University of Dresden, GER

Research Interests

Scientific Activities

List of 10 most recent scientific publications

Daebeler A, Kitzinger K, Koch H, Herbold CW, Steinfeder M, Schwarz J, et al. Exploring the upper pH limits of nitrite oxidation: diversity, ecophysiology, and adaptive traits of haloalkalitolerant Nitrospira. ISME J 2020; 14: 2967–2979.

Kitzinger K, Koch H, Lücker S, Sedlacek CJ, Herbold C, Schwarz J, et al. Characterization of the first “Candidatus Nitrotoga” isolate reveals metabolic versatility and separate evolution of widespread nitrite-oxidizing bacteria. mBio 2018; 9: e01186-18.

Daebeler A, Herbold CW, Vierheilig J, Sedlacek CJ, Pjevac P, Albertsen M, et al. Cultivation and Genomic Analysis of “Candidatus Nitrosocaldus islandicus,” an Obligately Thermophilic, Ammonia-Oxidizing Thaumarchaeon from a Hot Spring Biofilm in Graendalur Valley, Iceland. Front Microbiol 2018; 9.

Kits KD, Sedlacek CJ, Lebedeva EV, Han P, Bulaev A, Pjevac P, et al. Kinetic analysis of a complete nitrifier reveals an oligotrophic lifestyle. Nature 2017; 549: 269–272.

Pjevac P, Schauberger C, Poghosyan L, Herbold CW, van Kessel MAHJ, Daebeler A, et al. AmoA-targeted polymerase chain reaction primers for the specific detection and quantification of comammox Nitrospira in the environment. Front Microbiol 2017; 8.

Daebeler A, Bodelier PLE, Hefting MM, Rütting T, Jia Z, Laanbroek HJ. Soil warming and fertilization altered rates of nitrogen transformation processes and selected for adapted ammonia-oxidizing archaea in sub-arctic grassland soil. Soil Biol Biochem 2017; 107: 114–124.

Ho A, Angel R, Veraart AJ, Daebeler A, Jia Z, Kim SY, et al. Biotic Interactions in Microbial Communities as Modulators of Biogeochemical Processes: Methanotrophy as a Model System. Front Microbiol 2016; 7.

Daebeler A, Bodelier PLE, Hefting MM, Laanbroek HJ. Ammonia-limited conditions cause of Thaumarchaeal dominance in volcanic grassland soil. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2015; 91: fiv014.

Daebeler A, Bodelier PL, Yan Z, Hefting MM, Jia Z, Laanbroek HJ. Interactions between Thaumarchaea, Nitrospira and methanotrophs modulate autotrophic nitrification in volcanic grassland soil. ISME J 2014; 8: 2397–2410.

Daebeler A, Gansen M, Frenzel P. Methyl Fluoride Affects Methanogenesis Rather than Community Composition of Methanogenic Archaea in a Rice Field Soil. PLoS ONE 2013; 8: e53656.

Awards

2021 – 2025: Illuminating the interactions between nitrification and methane oxidation and the ensuing ecological impacts (GACR JuniorStar project 21-17322M). Role: PI

2017 – 2020: Ecology of Novel Nitrite-Oxidizers in the Phylum Chloroflexi (FWF Hertha Firnberg project T-938). Role: PI

2015 – 2017: Ecology of environmental nitrite oxidisers (Back to Research Grant of the University of Vienna). Role: PI

Scopus H-index: 11

Number of publications: 12

Citations (excl. self citation): 659