Groundwater and Subsurface Microbiology

The terrestrial subsurface hosts a vast and largely hidden microbial biosphere. Microorganisms in groundwater and rocks drive key transformations of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and other elements, while facing increasingly limited energy and nutrient availability with greater isolation from the surface.

Our research explores how microbial communities persist and function under these energy-limited conditions, respond to environmental change, and shape biogeochemical cycles. We investigate groundwater microbiomes across spatial and temporal scales, linking their diversity and activity to hydrology, geochemistry, and resource availability. A particular focus is on microbial strategies for life at the energetic limit, microbiome dynamics and resilience, and processes such as dark CO₂ fixation.