Inhaltspezifische Aktionen

Final thesis projects

Bachelor / Master thesis topics

 

Most topics can be conducted at B.Sc. or M.Sc. level. Please get in touch with Dr. Maren Ziegler if you are interested in these topics or want to discuss your own ideas. It is also possible to work on different aspects of the same topic as a team.

 

Nutrition status of (bleached) corals in response to different types of food

When corals are bleached, they lack the endosymbiotic microalgae usually inhabiting their tissues, and with that they also lack their main source of energy. In this project different types of food will be tested in substituting the nutrition and energy demand of bleached reef-building coral species.
 

Engineering coral-symbiont associations

Reef-building corals live in a symbiosis with microalgae that facilitate their exceptional productivity in nutrient-poor environments. This symbiosis is also at the heart of the coral crisis which manifests in the disociation of the symbiotic partners, a process termed coral bleaching. Different coral host - microalgal symbiont associations possess different characteristics and environmental tolerances. The aim of this project is to engineer targeted coral-symbiont combinations, to monitor successful associations, and to define their environmental tolerances.

Biodiversity-productivity effects on reef-building corals

Coral reefs are the most biodiverse marine ecosystems making them productivity hotspots of ecological and economical importance. We have previously found that the productivity of reef-building coral species may change depending on the surrounding organisms and the diversity of the system. Many aspects in this emerging field remain to be explored and we continuously offer final thesis topics in our ongoing research projects on biodiversity-productivity interactions.

Effects of biodegradable plastic on coral health and microbial dynamics

Microplastic particles are not easily degradable and therefore they are rapidly accumulating in all ecosystems. Coral reef ecosystems represent a sink for microplastics on a global scale, and these particles affect the health of reef-building corals. In this project, biodegradable microplastics will be applied to reef-building corals to test its effects on coral health and associated microbiome dynamics. This is a collaborative project together with Dr. Matthew McIntosh (Institute of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, JLU).

Deposition of microplastics in reef-building corals

The pollution with microplastics in the oceans is increasing and can influence reef-building corals. As corals are able to ingest and overgrow marine microdebris, it can be deposited inside these important reef-builders. However, a qualitative assessment to disentangle what leads to the incorporation is still necessary. This project will contribute to ongoing studies on the deposition of microplastics in reef-building corals.