280195 VU MA-ERD-17.0 Marine biogeochemistry (PI) (2018W)

Marine biogeochemistry is a particular field of research that can be understood in terms of geology, chemistry, biology, even mineralogy or oceanography. In this lecture I will present examples how biology and chemical processes interact within different marine environments making them important sinks and sources for marine nutrient budgets (for example Nitrate and Phosphate). I will further present adaptations of different microorganisms, like foraminifera, to survive partly extreme anoxic conditions within sedimentary pore waters by facilitating the use of alternative electron acceptors and explain how this knowledge can be used within the paleorecord to reconstruct past oceanic nutrient budgets. The block seminar will be given in english and consist out of lectures and practical exercises on how to apply this knowledge to solve concrete scientific questions and problems.