Mag. Maximilian Nepel
Scientific project collaborator
4. floor, room 411
t: +43 (0)1 4277-540 81
m: maximilian.nepel@univie.ac.at
Research interests
- Symbiosis
- Plant-Ant Interactions
- Microbial Diversity in various ecosystems
- Tropical Ecology
My research mainly focuses on investigating microbial communities and their potential functions in various ecosystems. To address ecological questions, I am mostly applying molecular and stable isotope techniques. Currently, my main focus lies on bacteria, fungi and also nematodes being present in special compartments – so called patches – located in the nests of Azteca ants inside Cecropia trees. This ant-plant mutualism is widespread in the Neotropics and turned out to be a stunningly complex multi-species-network. Additionally, due to my broad research interests, I have been working on identifying N2-fixing bacteria and studying their distribution patterns in grasslands and biological soil crusts.
Projects
Scientific project collaborator FWF-Project P 31990-B "Species interactions and their impact on nutrient recycling in ant-made fungal patches" (Veronika Mayer)
Cooperations
- Dagmar Woebken, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Austria
- Andreas Richter, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Austria
- Roey Angel, Soil and Water Research Infrastructure and Institute of Soil Biology, Biology Centre CAS, Czechia
- Nutrient Network (NutNet) - a globally replicated experiment investigating the effects of nutrient addition and herbivores on grassland ecosystems
Curriculum Vitae
Current position
- 2019– Scientific project collaborator (prae doc) FWF-Project P 31990-B
Education and scientific career
- 2019–2022 PhD student
- 2016–2019 Associated PhD student of the graduate program "Microbial Nitrogen Cycling – From Single Cells to Ecosystems" funded by the FWF
- 2016–2019 DOC fellowship of the Austrian Academy of Science (ÖAW) for excellent doctoral candidates
- 2015–2019 Scientific project collaborator and PhD student Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science (University of Vienna)
- 2013–2014 Laboratory assistant in the group of Dr. Veronika Mayer, Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Austria.
- 2009–2013 Graduate studies in ecology, University of Vienna, Austria Emphasis on conservation biology and biodiversity management
- 2007–2009 Undergraduate studies in biology, University of Vienna, Austria