Volker Brüchert

Volker Brüchert is an Associate Professor of Biogeochemistry in the Department of Geological Sciences at Stockholm University. He serves as co-leader of the research theme "Water, biogeochemistry and climate" in the Bolin Centre for Climate Research and is the Study Director of the Master's program in Geological Sciences. His work focuses on understanding biogeochemical cycles in aquatic environments through the action of macro- and microorganisms and their response to climate change and eutrophication effects.

Brüchert's research interests span the coupled biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus in coastal and offshore sedimentary environments. His work primarily concentrates on the Baltic Sea, Barents Sea, and Arctic shelf seas, with specific emphasis on benthic and pelagic nitrogen cycling processes, carbon mineralization of terrestrial and marine organic matter, and sea-air exchange of methane and nitrous oxide. His research approach combines stable isotope mass spectrometry, liquid scintillation-based radioisotope analysis, gas chromatography, and microelectrode-based instrumentation in both field and laboratory settings.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on nutrient cycling processes in the Baltic Sea ecosystem, with particular attention to nitrogen transformation pathways, methane dynamics, and the impacts of climate change on biogeochemical processes. His work demonstrates significant contributions to understanding how temperature affects microbial processes, the role of meiofauna in sediment biogeochemistry, and the complex interactions between iron, sulfur, and carbon cycles in marine sediments.

As an educator, Brüchert teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses in geochemistry and biogeochemistry, including Basics of Geochemistry, Geochemistry in the field and laboratory, Biogeochemistry (as coordinator), Isotope Geology, Global Biogeochemical Cycles, and Applied Environmental Geochemistry. He has been instrumental in designing new courses for geoscience B.Sc. and geochemistry M.Sc. programs at Stockholm University.

His research group, part of IGV's Geochemistry group, conducts integrated large research activities including SWERUS-C3 (Carbon, climate, cryosphere interactions in the Eastern Siberian Arctic Ocean) and Baltic Ecosystem research focusing on nitrogen cycling processes, coupled iron-silica-phosphorus-carbon cycles, and greenhouse gas exchange in eutrophied near-shore environments. Through collaborations at the Stockholm SciLifelab, his group combines biogeochemical research with molecular biological work.