Sara König - Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research

Dr. Sara König

Contact

Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ
Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4
06120 Halle (Saale)
Germany

Tel.: +49 341 6025-2347

Research interests

My research interests focus on spatiotemporal dynamics of soil ecosystems and the resilience behaviour of their functions under environmental fluctuations. I develop and apply mechanistic simulation models for investigating related research questions in various scenarios. I am especially interested in

finding trade-offs between describing complex systems adequately, while keeping enough simplicity for understanding the model dynamics
applying a systemic approach involving knowledge of various disciplines
combining theory, simulation models and empirical work
gaining a mechanistic understanding of the dynamic response to fluctuating conditions or management strategies
bringing simulation models into practical application to serve as a decision support tool

In my current position in the BonaRes project, I am developing the systemic soil model BODIUM for understanding and predicting the influence of soil management on soil functions under different conditions. In addition to production, we focus on carbon storage, nutrient cycling, water storage and filtration, and soil as a habitat for biodiversity.

We use this model as the basis for the web application BODIUM4Farmers, which is intended to inform farmers and consulting firms, as well as politicians, about the future effects of agricultural measures on the soil functions mentioned.

Full CV

uncovering stability Structure of the BODIUM model

Publications

2024 (2)

Müller, S., Lange, M., Fischer, T., König, S., Kelbling, M., Leal Rojas, J.J., Thober, S. (2024):
FINAM – is not a model (v1.0): a new Python-based model coupling framework
Geoscientific Model Development Discussions 10.5194/gmd-2024-144
Vogel, H.-J., Amelung, W., Baum, C., Bonkowski, M., Blagodatsky, S., Grosch, R., Herbst, M., Kiese, R., Koch, S., Kuhwald, M., König, S., Leinweber, P., Lennartz, B., Müller, C.W., Pagel, H., Rillig, M.C., Rüschhoff, J., Russell, D., Schnepf, A., Schulz, S., Siebers, N., Vetterlein, D., Wachendorf, C., Weller, U., Wollschläger, U. (2024):
How to adequately represent biological processes in modeling multifunctionality of arable soils
Biol. Fert. Soils 60 (3), 263 - 306 10.1007/s00374-024-01802-3

2023 (2)

König, S., Weller, U., Betancur-Corredor, B., Lang, B., Reitz, T., Wiesmeier, M., Wollschläger, U., Vogel, H.-J. (2023):
BODIUM - a systemic approach to model the dynamics of soil functions
Eur. J. Soil Sci. 74 (5), e13411 10.1111/ejss.13411
Vogel, H.-J., Betancur-Corredor, B., Franke, L., König, S., Lang, B., Lucas, M., Rabot, E., Stößel, B., Weller, U., Wiesmeier, M., Wollschläger, U. (2023):
The soil knowledge library (KLIB) – a structured literature database on soil process research
Soil 9 (2), 533 - 543 10.5194/soil-9-533-2023

2021 (1)

Clark, A.T., Arnoldi, J.-F., Zelnik, Y.R., Barabas, G., Hodapp, D., Karakoç, C., König, S., Radchuk, V., Donohue, I., Huth, A., Jacquet, C., de Mazancourt, C., Mentges, A., Nothaaß, D., Shoemaker, L.G., Taubert, F., Wiegand, T., Wang, S., Chase, J.M., Loreau, M., Harpole, S. (2021):
General statistical scaling laws for stability in ecological systems
Ecol. Lett. 24 (7), 1474 - 1486 10.1111/ele.13760

2020 (1)

König, S., Vogel, H.-J., Harms, H., Worrich, A. (2020):
Physical, chemical and biological effects on soil bacterial dynamics in microscale models
Front. Ecol. Evol. 8 , art. 53 10.3389/fevo.2020.00053

2019 (1)

König, S., Köhnke, M.C., Firle, A.-L., Banitz, T., Centler, F., Frank, K., Thullner, M. (2019):
Disturbance size can be compensated for by spatial fragmentation in soil microbial ecosystems
Front. Ecol. Evol. 7 , art. 290 10.3389/fevo.2019.00290

2018 (2)

König, S., Worrich, A., Banitz, T., Centler, F., Harms, H., Kästner, M., Miltner, A., Wick, L.Y., Thullner, M., Frank, K. (2018):
Spatiotemporal disturbance characteristics determine functional stability and collapse risk of simulated microbial ecosystems
Sci. Rep. 8 , art. 9488 10.1038/s41598-018-27785-4
König, S., Worrich, A., Banitz, T., Harms, H., Kästner, M., Miltner, A., Wick, L.Y., Frank, K., Thullner, M., Centler, F. (2018):
Functional resistance to recurrent spatially heterogeneous disturbances is facilitated by increased activity of surviving bacteria in a virtual ecosystem
Front. Microbiol. 9 , art. 734 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00734

2017 (2)

König, S., Worrich, A., Centler, F., Wick, L.Y., Miltner, A., Kästner, M., Thullner, M., Frank, K., Banitz, T. (2017):
Modelling functional resilience of microbial ecosystems: Analysis of governing processes
Environ. Modell. Softw. 89 , 31 - 39 10.1016/j.envsoft.2016.11.025
Worrich, A., Stryhanyuk, H., Musat, N., König, S., Banitz, T., Centler, F., Frank, K., Thullner, M., Harms, H., Richnow, H.-H., Miltner, A., Kästner, M., Wick, L.Y. (2017):
Mycelium-mediated transfer of water and nutrients stimulates bacterial activity in dry and oligotrophic environments
Nat. Commun. 8 , art. 15472 10.1038/ncomms15472

2016 (3)

König, S. (2016):
Modelling spatiotemporal dynamics of biodegradation under disturbances: Insights into functional stability of microbial ecosystems
Dissertation, Universität Osnabrück
PhD Dissertation 4/2016
Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung - UFZ, Leipzig, 108 pp.
Worrich, A., König, S., Banitz, T., Centler, F., Frank, K., Thullner, M., Harms, H., Miltner, A., Wick, L.Y., Kaestner, M. (2016):
Bacterial dispersal promotes biodegradation in heterogeneous systems exposed to osmotic stress
Front. Microbiol. 7 , art. 1214 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01214
Worrich, A., König, S., Miltner, A., Banitz, T., Centler, F., Frank, K., Thullner, M., Harms, H., Kästner, M., Wick, L.Y. (2016):
Mycelium-like networks increase bacterial dispersal, growth, and biodegradation in a model ecosystem at various water potentials
Appl. Environ. Microb. 82 (10), 2902 - 2908 10.1128/AEM.03901-15

CV

2018-	PostDoc at the Department of Soil System Science BonaRes project
2017-2018	Sponsorship Coordinator for ISME17
2016-2018	PostDoc at the Department of Ecological Modelling (in cooperation with the Department of Environmental Microbiology)
2012-2016	PhD Student at UFZ within the Twin Project, topic: "Modelling spatiotemporal dynamics of biodegradation under disturbances"
2011-2012	Master of Science Environmental Systems and Resources Management, University of Osnabrück
2007-2011	Bachelor of Science Applied System Science, University of Osnabrück

Teaching

2018 - 2020	Institute of Environmental Systems Research, Osnabrück University, Germany
	Modelling Exercise for compact course 'Modelling in Ecological risk management II' (2 SWS) Lecture 'Modelling of soil functions and the impact of land use'
2014 - 2019	Institute of Environmental Systems Research, Osnabrück University, Germany
	Introduction to statistical analysis with R
2014 - 2019	Institute of Environmental Systems Research, Osnabrück University, Germany
	Modelling Exercise for compact course 'Introduction to Ecological risk management' (2 SWS) Lecture 'Spatiality and functional resilience'
2013 - 2017	Department Ecological Modelling, UFZ, Leipzig & Kohren-Sahlis, Germany
	Modelling exercise of annual winter school 'Ecological Modelling' (8 days)
2011 - 2012	Institute of Environmental Systems Research, Osnabrück University, Germany
	Supervision of bachelor students Exercise for 'Data and Models' (2 SWS)