Dr. Saskia Bindschedler
Kontakt
Dr. Saskia Bindschedler
Post-doctoral researcher
Department Umweltmikrobiologie
Helmholtz-Zentrum
für Umweltforschung - UFZ
Permoserstr. 15
04318 Leipzig, Germany
Tel: 0341 235 1368
Fax: 0341 235 45 1351
saskia.bindschedler@ufz.de
CV / Scientific Career
Since 03/2012
Post-doctoral researcher in the Bioavailability group of Dr. Lukas Y. Wick, Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Liepzig, Germany. Swiss National Science Foundation fellowship for prospective researchers.
05/2011-02/2012
Post-doctoral assistant at the Laboratory of Microbiology, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Participation in lectures and tutorials of the laboratory. Research area : ecological aspects of bacteria dispersion by fungal hyphae in soils.
11/2006-04/2011
PhD Thesis in Environmental Sciences, Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland. Funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation. Supervisor : Prof. E.P. Verrecchia. Thesis title : « The role of Fungi in the precipitation of calcite. Relationships between fungal filaments, nanofibres and needle fibre calcite ».
2005-2006
Master of Science in Biogeosciences, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Thesis title : « Characterization and functionalities of fungal and bacterial communitites in organic soils developped on a cold scree slope ecosystem. Creux du Van/NE », Laboratory of Microbiology and Laboratory of Soil and Vegetation, University of Neuchâtel.
2001-2005
Bachelor of Science Pluridisciplinary in Nature Sciences, Biology and Geology options. University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
Research interests
Overall, I am interested in the interaction between mineral and biological compartments within ecosystems, as well as in the functions of microorganisms in biogeochemical cycling. To explore these issues, focusing on soil environments is particularly interesting. Indeed, soils are typical systems at the mineral-biological interface, were biogeochemical processes are intensely occurring, these latter being largely driven by microbial communities activities.
In my current research project in the 
Bioavailability group, I am interested in an interaction between fungi and bacteria called the “fungal highways” mechanism. In this interaction, fungal hyphae are considered as a physical support helping bacteria to spread into the heterogeneous soil environment, and consequently increasing nutrient bioavailability to bacteria. In this particular context, I would like to understand if, and how, this mechanism is involved in the oxalate-carbonate pathway (OCP), a process occurring in soils and known to be relevant on biogeochemical cycles of both carbon and calcium. The OCP is a process involving plants, fungi and bacteria. Plants and fungi are considered as the oxalate suppliers, whereas bacteria oxidise oxalate as a carbon and energy source, a metabolism leading to the production of CO2 as well as to a pH increase. The interaction between fungi and bacteria seems to be critical in the efficiency of the OCP, however the nature of this interaction is still poorly understood. In acidic tropical soils, were the effects of the OCP have been mainly studied up to now, this process can potentially lead to the accumulation of large amount of CaCO3 as a result of the soil pH raise (up to 2-3 units). In certain conditions, these CaCO3 accumulations can constitute an efficient atmospheric C sink. A second benefit of the OCP is that soil fertility is increased due to the soil pH raise.
This project is carried out in collaboration with the Swiss Universities of Lausanne (Prof E.P. Verrecchia and Dr. G. Cailleau, 
Biogeosciences laboratory) and Neuchâtel (Profs. P. Junier and D. Job, Laboratory of Microbiology), which have already several years of experience in the OCP thematic.
Publications
Braissant O, Bindschedler S, Daniels AU, Verrecchia EP, Cailleau G. In press. Microbiological activities in moonmilk monitored using isothermal microcalorimetry (Cave of «Vers chez le Brandt», Neuchâtel, Switzerland). Journal of Cave and Karst Studies.
Bindschedler S, Millière L, Cailleau G, Job D, Verrecchia EP. 2012. An ultrastructural approach to analogies between fungal structures and needle fibre calcite. Geomicrobiology Journal 29 (4): 301-313.
Millière L, Spangenberg J, Bindschedler S, Cailleau G, Verrecchia EP. 2011. Reliability of stable carbon and oxygen isotope composition of pedogenic needle fibre calcite as environmental indicators: examples from Western Europe. Isotopes in Environmental & Health Studies 47 (3): 341-358.
Millière L, Hasinger O, Bindschedler S, Cailleau G, Spangenberg JE, Verrecchia EP. 2011. Stable carbon and oxygen isotopic signatures of pedogenic needle fibre calcite. Geoderma 161, 74-87.
Bindschedler S, Millière L, Cailleau G, Job D, Verrecchia EP. 2010. Calcitic nanofibres in soils and caves: a putative fungal contribution to carbonatogenesis. Tufas and Speleothems: Unravelling the Microbial and Physical Controls. Geological Society, London, Special Publications 336, 225-238.
