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20547-01 - Lecture with practical courses: Introduction to Geo-Microbiology and Organic Geochemistry (3 CP)
| Semester | fall semester 2026 |
| Course frequency | Every fall sem. |
| Lecturers | Sarah Nemiah Ladd (n.ladd@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | This lecture is designed to provide the student with a global to molecular-level perspective of organic matter cycling in the oceans and marine sediments. Topics include: Organic matter (C,N,P) composition and reactivity, and fluxes; bacterial and archaeal membrane composition; carbon fixation pathways; ATP generating pathways; microbial recycling pathways for organic matter; models of organic matter degradation and preservation; relationships between dissolved and particulate organic matter; methods for characterization of sedimentary organic matter; and application of biological markers as tools in oceanography. Both structural and isotopic aspects are covered. In particular, lipids and their associated stable carbon isotope signatures will be discussed, which can be used to trace the source-organism (e.g. Archaea versus Bacteria), specific pathways (e.g. photosynthesis versus methanogenesis) or environmental conditions (e.g. temperature or pH) in modern and fossil environments. |
| Bibliography | - Canfield, D. E., Kristensen, E., and Thamdrup, B., 2005. Aquatic Geomicrobiology. Elsevier, Oxford. - Killops, S. D. and Killops, V. J., 2005. Introduction to organic geochemistry. Plackwell Publishing, Malden, USA. - Andrew H. Knoll, Donald E. Canfield, Kurt O. Konhauser, Fundamentals of Geobiology, 2012, Blackwell Publishing Ltd. |
| Weblink | Biogeochemie |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | Online, optional |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Tuesday | 10.15-12.00 | Bernoullistrasse 30/32, Sitzungszimmer 011 |
Dates
| Modules |
Module: Aquatic and Isotope Biogeochemistry (Master's Studies: Geosciences) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | To earn credit points, exercises in the form of “take home” quizes (30%) are carried out during the semester, and an “open book” exam (70%) has to be passed at the end of the semester. If the course is not passed, it can be taken again in the next fall semester. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration, dereg: cancel course registration |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | 1-6 0,5 |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Science, studiendekanat-philnat@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Geowissenschaften |