I have a strong interest in the research field of paleo-limnology and stable isotope biogeochemistry. In my PhD project, I will ground-truth a new proxy for paleo-limnological studies: the diatom-bound nitrogen (N) isotope proxy.

First, I will investigate whether this N in the diatom frustule undergoes isotopic fractionation during diagenesis (degradation) processes. For this purpose, I will perform isotopic analyses of the N bound to subfossil diatoms in sediment traps, surface sediments, and downcore sediment materials from a varved lake in Sweden (Lake Nylandssjön), as well as degradation experiments using diatom cultures.

Second, I will investigate whether this proxy can be used to determine the past N sources of lakes (natural or anthropogenic), and to reconstruct the past environmental conditions of these lakes and their watershed. Thus, I will retrieve sediment cores in lakes and measure the δ¹⁵N of the diatom-bound N. Finally, I will compare the data obtained with existing data on these lakes (monitoring data, paleoecological data) in order to evaluate the relevance of this new proxy for paleo-limnological reconstructions.

This work combined with that of Saeed Ebrahimnezhad will provide a comprehensive knowledge of the diatom-bound N isotope proxy, and thus allows its use in paleo-ecological studies in both lacustrine and marine environments.

Education Background

• Aug 2021 - now: PhD candidate at the Aquatic and Isotope Biogeochemistry Research Group (Leading by Prof. Dr. Moritz Lehmann), Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Switzerland.
• Sep 2019 – Jun 2021: Master of Science EMME – Ecology, Monitoring and Management of Ecosystems, at the Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, France
  • Feb 2021 – Jun 2021: Internship at the Chrono-Environnement laboratory (UMR 6249 CNRS-UFC): "Assessment of the past trophic functioning of lakes and the origin of carbon in food webs"
  • Mar 2020 – May 2020: Internship at the Chrono-Environnement laboratory (UMR 6249 CNRS-UFC): "Ecotoxicity of contaminant mixtures to soil invertebrates: review, study case and involvement in risk assessment"
• Sep 2016 – Jun 2019: Bachelor of Science in Biology - Ecology at the Université de Franche-Comté, France
• Apr 2019: Internship at the Chrono-Environnement laboratory (UMR 6249 CNRS-UFC): "Determination of benthic macroinvertebrate populations in shallow lakes, sampled as part of the development of a French lake macroinvertebrate index (IML)"