Endophytes and local adaption modulate aquatic plant responses to warming and anoxia stress
The PhD project of Christina Bakowski at GEOMAR investigates the microbiome of eelgrass from different population origins and developmental stages. Using a combination of targeted amplicon sequencing and microbial isolates, the goal is to identify key functional groups and understand microbe-microbe and microbe-host interactions. A key question is how the local microbiome influences eelgrass resilience to abiotic stress, with the balance between supportive and pathogenic functions yet to be determined. To this end, controlled indoor experiments will involve microbial inoculations and elicitors to simulate biotic stressors, exploring how the plant integrates microbial and abiotic stress signals, which has important consequences for the resilience and defense mechanisms in eelgrass. These controlled experiments will be complemented with field surveys.
Seagrass box that is lifted from a wave-tank for experimental set-up © Jana Willim.
Similarly, Amine Mahdjoub’s PhD project at IGB will focus on the freshwater macrophyte Stuckenia pectinata, investigating how this widely distributed species and its microbiome adapt to two primary abiotic stressors affecting freshwater bodies: warming and anoxia. Through lab and field experiments, the project examines both the plant’s individual-level adaptations (morphological and physiological) and its relationship changes with microorganisms, particularly when challenged with abiotic stressor and pathogen-mimicking elicitors.
Experimental Pondweed from Lake Müggelsee © Amine Mahdjoub.
Additionally, we will conduct comparative experiments in brackish water environments where both species naturally co-occur, directly comparing stress resilience mechanisms between the two models. Abiotic stress levels will be made comparable to experiments on terrestrial plants by imposing the same level of quantifiable stress, e.g. measured through photosynthetic efficiency, or ROS markers.
Stuckenia pectinata in Lake Müggelsee © Klaus van de Weyer
