Soil Ecology
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Since the retirement of Erwin Meyer, former Head of the Group, the activities are affiliated to
Molecular Ecology and Applied and Trophic Ecology.
Our work addresses the biology and ecology of alpine soil invertebrates, focussing on structural and functional aspects. We use traditional field and laboratory as well as modern techniques such as stable isotopes and molecular tools to investigate the composition of soil animal communities, their functional role in decomposition processes, in nutrient cycling and soil formation. A further aspect of our studies concerns the effect of land-use changes on these communities. Current work deals with the soil invertebrate community in high alpine soils, in particular the role of diperan larvae in humus and soil formation. In cooperation with the Institute of Microbiology, we investigate whether the gut microbiota of soil invertebrates is diet-related or species-specific to get a better understanding of microorganism-macrodecomposer relationships in a changing environment. Longterm research projects include monitoring the macrofauna of forest soils and the evaluation of biodiversity in cultivated and natural land.
Group Members
- Erwin Meyer, Dr. Ao. Univ.-Prof.
Expertise: animal ecology, soil zoology - Julia Seeber, Dr.
Expertise: alpine soil ecology, alpine dipterans, stable isotopes, DNA barcodes, statistics - Alexander Rief, Mag.
Expertise: spider taxonomy, alpine dipterans, stable isotopes, DNA barcodes - Thomas Peham , DI
Expertise: soil macrofauna, soil biological field and lab methods, agro-ecology - Michael Steinwandter, MSc.
Expertise: soil macrofauna, stable isotopes - Regina Medgyesy
Technical assistant - Irene Schatz, Dr.
affiliated researcher - Heinz Schatz, Dr.
affiliated researcher - Barbara Thaler-Knoflach, Dr.
affiliated researcher - Gregor Degasperi
PhD Students
Thomas Peham
Alexander Rief
Michael Steinwandter
MSc Students
Andrea Schwemberger
Our latest papers
Traugott M, Kamenova S, Ruess L, Seeber J, Plantegenest M, 2013.Empirically characterizing trophic networks: what DNA-based methods, stable isotope and fatty acid analyses offer. Advances in Ecological Research 49, 177-224.
Rief A, Knapp BA, Seeber J, 2012. Palatability of selected alpine plant litters for the decomposer Lumbricus rubellus (Lumbricidae). PLoS ONE 7(9), e45345. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0045345. Paper
Seeber J, Rief A, Richter A, Traugott M, Bahn M, 2012. Drought-induced reduction in uptake of recently photosynthesized carbon by springtails and mites in alpine grassland. Soil Biol Biochem 55, 37,39. pdf
Peham T, Bruckner A, 2012: Optimising whole-soil multiple substrate-induced respiration (MSIR) of soil microbiota for large scale surveillance and monitoring. Eur J Soil Biol 50, 182-190. doi: 10.1016/j.ejsobi.2012.02.006. Abstract
Knapp BA, Rief A, Seeber J, 2011. Microbial litter decomposition on managed and abandoned alpine pastureland. Biol Fert Soils 47, 845-851. Abstract
Current research Projects
- The application of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to analyze litter chemical composition
Alexander Rief - Alpine dipterans – a contribution to solve the enigma of soil animal biodiversity
Julia Seeber - The applicability of qPCR to quantify the occurrence of decomposers and pests in managed and abandoned alpine soils
Julia Seeber