RESEARCH INTERESTS
The broad aim of my research is to identify the niches of bacterial populations in aquatic environments. Referring to Elton´s niche definition "the status of an animal" or "the place of an organism in nature" I am interested in both the requirements of bacteria to establish themselves in the environment and their role in the community. Especially marine microbes with mixotrophic life strategies are my current focus. By using molecular and stable isotope based approaches I study the geno- and phenotypic responses of photoheteroorganotorphic marine bacterial populations (for example the SAR11 group) to environmental stimuli.
Not only am I interested in the Population biology of marine microbes but also do I pursuit to identify the key players in marine microbial communities of the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre by linking distribution patterns of rRNA operon based genotypes to ecosystem functions. Using a statistical approach I attempt to test the hypothesis that bacterial diversity (community composition) alters the relationship between environmental conditions and bacterial community function in marine ecosystems. Guided by the resulting predictive models some directed efforts will also be applied to isolate and characterize the identified key-microbes.
PERSONAL DATA
Name:Alexander EILER
Date of birth:22nd of March 1976
Martial status:Married
Nationality:Austrian
CURRENT ADRESS
Hawai´i Institute of Marine Biology
P.O. Box 1346
Kane‘ohe, Hawai´i 96744
USA
Tel +1-808-236-7401
e-mail: eiler@hawaii.edu
CURRENT POSITION
Post-Doc at the Hawai´i Institute of Marine Biology, SOEST, University of Hawai´i, USA.
Host: Michael S. Rappé
MSc
April 2002University of Vienna, Austria, Dept. of Medical Biology, General Microbiology
Title:Factors controlling extremely productive heterotrophic communities in shallow soda pools
Advisors:Branko Velimirov (main); Alexander KT Kirschner (assistant)
PhD
2002-2007Uppsala University, Sweden, Dept. of Ecology and Evolution, Limnology
Title:The niches of bacterial populations in productive waters: Examples from coastal waters and four eutrophic lakes
Advisors:Stefan Bertilsson (main); Janet Jansson and Lars J Tranvik (assistant)
Post Doc
20074-months Post-Doc at Uppsala University, Sweden, Dept. of Ecology and Evolution, Limnology
Hosts:Stefan Bertilsson and Lars J. Tranvik
Research grants
2006-2007“Bacterial photosynthetic diversity – from oligotrophic to eutrophic lakes.” (Olsson-Borghs Foundation)
2006-2007“Abundance of photoheterotrophic bacteria in freshwater environments – implications and consequences for ecosystem functioning.” (Helge Ax:son Johanson Stiftelse)
2004 - 2005"Microbial hotspots and their importance for ecosystem carbon cycling a case study on Lake Erken, Sweden" (Malmens Stiftelse)
2003 – 2004"Environmental control of Vibrio spp. abundance in the Baltic Sea” (Helge Ax:son Johnsons Stiftelse)
2003 - 2004“Microbial hotspots - interactions between cyanobacteria and attached heterotrophic bacteria, a case study on Lake Erken, Sweden" (Malmens Stiftelse)
Other merits
2005-2006Scientific co-worker in the project “Impact of bacterial community assembly and temperature for the degradation of aromatic contaminants in freshwaters.” (Olsson-Borghs Foundation, PI Stefan Bertilsson)
2004-2006Scientific co-worker in the project “Environmental control of Vibrio populations in coastal waters.” (Formas (2004-0634), PI Stefan Bertilsson)
2003 – 2005Scientific co-worker in the project “Parasites in Dinoflagellates along the Swedish coast.”(FORMAS, PI Mona Johansson)
2002 – 2004Scientific co-worker in the project “Linking microbial diversity and individual populations to heterotrophic ecophysiology in freshwater systems” (V.R.; PI Stefan Bertilsson)
2003 – 2004Scientific co-worker in the project “Environmental risks associated with coastal cyanobacterial blooms: Does phytoplankton-derived DOC promote pathogenic Vibrio spp. in aquatic systems?” (Tryggers fondation, PI Stefan Bertilsson)
2002 – 2004Scientific co-worker in the project "Cyanobacterial blooms and diversity of associated bacterioplankton: phylogenetic and functional coupling" (FORMAS, supervisor: Dr. Stefan Bertilsson)
2000 – 2002Scientific co-worker in the project “Occurrence and determination of the potential toxical risks of Botulism Neurotoxine C1 produced by toxigenic clostridia, and their relation to ecological parameters of flat saltwater pools in the national park Neusiedler See – Seewinkel, Burgenland, Austria” (NP-24; funded by grants of the National park Neusiedler See – Seewinkel and the Biological Research Institute Burgenland – PI Alois Herzig)
2001/2002Scientific co-worker at the Institute of Limnology, University of Uppsala (Lars Tranvik)
2000 – 2001Scientific co-worker in the project “ Determination of the relevant environmental factors for the toxin production of BoNt C1 (Botulinum Neurotoxin C1) in microcosms as representative model systems” (FWF-30792, PI A.K.T. Kirschner)
2001Scientific co-worker in the project “Carbon fluxes in Indian estuaries on the example Gautami Godavari” (EU-project, University of Vienna, Austria, PI Branko Velimirov)
2000Scientific co-worker in the project “Limnological investigations for the restoration of the Old Danube” (financed by grants of the City of Vienna, MA 45; DI Ladinig). (PI Martin Dokulil, Austrian Academy of Sciencies)
1999 – 2000Project student in the project “Determination of primare production in the backwater system of the river Danube near Regelsbrunn, Austria”
RESEARCH PROJECTS (that I am currently involved in)
“C-MORE: Center for microbial oceanography: research and education” Funded by NSF, PI David M. Karl
“MICROBIOMICS for Agriculture, Forestry and Freshwater management.” Funded by V.R. and FORMAS, PI Janet Jansson, Co-PI Stefan Bertilsson
“Heterotrophic microorganisms and the carbon cycle: linking bacterial
diversity to ecosystem-scale processes.” Funded by V.R. (2004-3895), PI Stefan Bertilsson
“LEREC: Lake ecosystem response to environmental change” Funded by V.R. and FORMAS, PI Lennart Persson, Co-PI Lars J. Tranvik
REFEREEING FOR INTERNATIONAL JOURNALS
Aquatic Microbial Ecology
Ecology
Journal of Microbiological Methods
Microbial Ecology
Microbiology
Water Research
PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIPS
American Society for Limnology and Oceanography
American Society for Microbiology
International Society for Microbial Ecology
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Formal education in teaching
2004Pedagogical theory and aspects of teaching (3 weeks)
2006Supervision of project students (half-day)
Practical teaching experience
I had a 10% teaching assistant position at the Department of Limnology, Uppsala University from 2003-2006.
During the 4 years my regular teaching included:
(1)Responsibility for the implementation of lab courses on water chemistry including preparation and implementation of the lab work, data treatment, short introductory lecture, final synthesis and seminar.
(2)Teaching assistant in courses on applied ecosystem studies and microbial ecology, where my responsibilities included planning and supervision of lab work, data analyses and a final seminar.
(3)Teaching assistant in advanced limnology courses on aquatic microbial ecology, where my responsibilities included lab-introductory lectures, planning and supervision of lab work, data analyses and final seminars.
(4)Additonal teaching included:
-Seminars in environmental sciences on eutrophication.
-Teaching assistant in practical exercises on using the ARB software environment in the PhD course “Diversity and Function of Microorganisms in Nature”.
I was Co-Supervisor of 4 undergraduate thesis projects and an Ethiopian guest PhD student at the Department of Limnology, Uppsala University. Currently I am Co-supervising a PhD and MSc student at the Hawai´i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai´i, USA.