Welcome to Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics

Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology

We belong to the Faculty of Life Sciences of the University of Vienna. On 1 January 2022 Archaea Biology, Molecular Systems Biology, Limnology and Bio-Oceanography and Marine Biology merged to the Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology.

Archaea arose together with Bacteria as the first organisms on this planet about 3.5 billion years ago. They form a separate domain of life beside bacteria and eukaryotes and inhabit virtually all environments on earth, including the most extreme environments that can sustain life.
Our unit studies the biology of archaea as well as bacterial symbioses with a focus on ecological, physiological and evolutionary aspects to shed light on the diversity and fundamental distinctions between these two prokaryotic groups.

In particular we are interested in:

- the ecological distribution of archaea from terrestrial, aquatic and hot environments

- the phylogeny of archaea

- the metabolism and genomes of ammonia oxidizing thaumarchaeota

- virus-defense (CRISPR-) systems of hyperthermophilic archaea

- archaea Biotechnology

- bacterium-nematode symbioses

We thus attempt to improve the understanding of the role of microorganisms, in particular of archaea, in global biogeochemical cycles and in early evolution.

22.10.2020
 

Join the online talk on Thursday, 22 October 2020!

15.10.2020
 

"Comparative Physiology of Methanogenic Archaea with respect to Biotechnological Applications"

13.10.2020
 

"Ancestral Reconstructions Decipher Major Adaptations of Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaea upon Radiation into Moderate Terrestrial and Marine Environments"

12.10.2020
 

First Economy for the Common Good report for the Archaea Biology Unit!

08.10.2020
 

Climate change and Climate Crisis - future perspectives and concepts

06.10.2020
 

Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Unit spent the wonderful sunny day hiking outdoors

Guest Lectures

18.11.2021
 

"Smart spatial strategies and climate change"

11.11.2021
 

"Too scared to act? A psychological perspective on the climate crisis"

04.11.2021
 

"Cities and climate change - about complex interactions and response strategies"