Global warming is altering the biogeochemical cycles of key elements in marine and terrestrial environments, i.e. C, S, N, P…, creating potential feedback on future climate. Understanding, monitoring and predicting these processes bear global societal and economic implications.

Our mission: 

To increase knowledge on ecosystems and biogeochemical processes in deep-sea extreme environments, i.e. methane and oil seeps, gas hydrates, and hydrothermal vents, and in shallow aquatic systems impacted by anthropogenic activities such as fjords, lakes and coastal areas. 

We combine field work (marine research expeditions, field trips), experimental studies (biological, molecular and isotopic analyses), sediment characterization (sedimentology, lithostratigraphy), and numerical models to quantify elemental fluxes through the bio-geo-hydrospheres. 

Multidisciplinary approach:

We believe in the importance of applying a multidisciplinary approach to solve scientific questions and for that reason, we include collaborations from many fields e.g., microbiology, environmental sciences, molecular biology, and geophysics. 

Research areas: 

• Cold seeps and hydrothermal vents  
• Environmental geology  
• Environmental biogeochemistry in marine and terrestrial aqueous systems affected by human activities 
• Micropaleontology and environmental DNA (eDNA) 
• Sediment and pore fluid geochemistry 
• Marine authigenic carbonates 

Research objectives: 

• To reconstruct past hydrocarbon and hydrothermal activities at Arctic sites using (micro)faunal and geochemical proxies (sediment and pore fluids) on sediment cores

• To characterize the composition and distribution of seafloor chemosynthetic ecosystems at cold seeps and vents in relation to subsurface geochemical gradients  

• To reconstruct the history of hydrothermal activity at the Arctic mid-ocean ridge using (micro)faunal and geochemical proxies on sediment cores 

• To study the effect of submarine mine tailing disposal on seafloor communities and quantify metal fluxes in/out of the sediment

• To understand and quantify the impact of human activities on the environments  

People

Sabina Strmic PalinkasProfessor

Sabina Strmic Palinkas  –  Professor

Contact:

Position: Professor

E-mail: sabina.s.palinkas@uit.no

Work phone: +4777625177

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Giuliana PanieriProfessor (Group leader)

Giuliana Panieri  –  Professor

Contact:

Position: Professor

E-mail: giuliana.panieri@uit.no

Work phone: +4777625191

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Claudio ArgentinoResearcher

Claudio Argentino  –  Researcher

Contact:

Position: Researcher

E-mail: claudio.argentino@uit.no

Work phone: +4777625190

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Projects

Opportunities

If you are looking for funding to begin a postdoc or become a principal investigator, get in contact with us to brainstorm and develop your network! 

UiT provides support for exceptional candidates to search for funding as a postdoc or research project leader. 

- The Tromsø Research Foundation provides support for l activities to train the next generation of scientific leaders here at UiT. 

- The Arctic Marie Skłodowska-Curie - Individual Fellowships at UiT can provide an opportunity to receive training and mentorship on your MSCA-IF application to be a distinguished postdoctoral researcher in our group. 

Publications

Panieri, G., Knies, J., Vadakkepuliyambatta, S. et al. Evidence of Arctic methane emissions across the mid-Pleistocene. Commun Earth Environ, 4, 109 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00772-y

Argentino, C., Kalenitchenko, D., Lindgren, M. and Panieri, G., 2023. HgCl2 addition to pore water samples from cold seeps can affect the geochemistry of dissolved inorganic carbon ([DIC], δ13CDIC). Marine Chemistry, p.104236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marchem.2023.104236

Argentino, C., Lee, A., Fallati, L., Sahy, D., Birgel, D., Peckmann, J., Bünz, S. and Panieri, G., 2022. Biogeochemistry and timing of methane-derived carbonate formation at Leirdjupet Fault Complex, SW Barents Sea. Frontiers in Earth Science, p.2010. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2022.1029471

Alumni

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ROMEO – Environmental biogeochemistry