General Research interests:
- Complex Ecological Systems
- Microbial Ecology
- Marine Ecosystem Dynamics
- Deep-Sea Animal Forests
- Further: Individual-based Ecology, Computational Simulations, Marine Spatial Planning Scenarios
Deep-Sea Animal Forests—assemblages of sponges and cold-water corals in the deep sea—are among the most complex communities on Earth. A key aspect of this complexity are the microbiomes that live within these animals. Scientific literature emphasizes the important role of biological cooperation (esp. symbioses) in enabling and sustaining key biological functions. However, how these interactions shape the overall structure, stability, and functioning of deep-sea animal forests is still lacking on an integrated systems-level. My research examines how deep-sea animal forests function as a holistic network that spans the marine environment, individual animals, and their microbiomes. I combine experimental work (during international ship expeditions) with computer-based simulations, and also translate— together with my colleagues— what scientific findings can mean for marine spatial planning and common goods.
Dr. Kathrin Busch
Publications
All scientific articles: google scholar
Three key publications:
Busch, K., Slaby, B. M., Bach, W., Boetius, A., Clefsen, I., Colaço, A., Creemers, M., Cristobo, J., Federwisch, L., Franke, A., Gavriilidou, A., Hethke, A., Kenchington, E., Mienis, F., Mills, S., Riesgo, A., Ríos, P., Roberts, E. M., Sipkema, D., Pita, L., Schupp, P. J., Xavier, J., Rapp, H. T., Hentschel, U. (2022) Biodiversity, environmental drivers, and sustainability of the global deep-sea sponge microbiome. Nature communications. 13: 5160. doi:10.1038/s41467-022-32684-4.
Busch, K., Murillo, F.J., Lirette, C., Wang, Z., Kenchington, E. (2024) Putative past, present, and future spatial distributions of deep-sea coral and sponge microbiomes revealed by predictive models. ISME communications. 4 (1), ycae142. doi:10.1093/ismeco/ycae142.
Busch, K., Pardy, G., King, M., Lirette, C., Murillo, F.J., Kenchington, E. (2024) Marine spatial planning for socio-ecological management of animal-associated microbiomes. Conservation Science and Practice. 6 (10), e13153. doi:10.1111/csp2.13153.