Prof. George Wolff Organic Biogeochemistry, Department of Earth & Ocean Sciences Nicholson Building, Room 213 University of Liverpool Tel: +44 151 7944094 Fax: +44 151 7945196 Email: wolff@liv.ac.uk

Since my appointment at the University of Liverpool, I have tackled a number of research problems in the environment, particularly in the deep sea. I have developed links across disciplines, between organic geochemistry, geology and biology and have formed a strong research group, which has included more than 18 PhD students and 8 PDRA's. Our laboratory facilities are reasonably well equipped with elemental analysis (CHNOS), GC, HPLC, GCMS and LCMS. Additionally we have strong links with the stable isotope laboratory of Prof. Jim Marshall (also in Earth and Ocean Sciences).

History

Our principal scientific achievements include:

• The recognition of spatial variability in sedimentary organic matter quality and quantity in marine sediments (Santos et al., 1994).
• The first realistic mechanism for incorporation of sulphur into biomarkers (Rowland et al., 1994).
• The significance of seasonality on the quality and quantity of organic matter (i.e. food) reaching deep sea ecosystems (Kiriakoulakis et al., 2001; Ginger et al., 2001; Neto et al., 2006)
• Evidence for the close relationship between bethic fauna and organic matter quality in sediments and the water column (Lambshead et al., 1995; Smallwood et al., 1999; Ginger et al., 2001; Billett et al., 2001; Galleron et al., 2001; Kiriakoulakis et al., 2004; Neto et al., 2006).
• Identification of the relationship between the steroid biochemistry of deep-sea megafauna and their feeding strategies/ecological niches (Ginger et al., 2000) which has led to a potentially important hypothesis regarding the distribution of megafauna in the deep ocean (Ginger et al., 2001; Neto et al., 2006).
• Evidence for the association of diagenetic and (ancient) deep bacterial processes in marine sediments (Wolff et al., 1983; Kiriakoulakis et al., 2000).
• Identification of novel molecular parameters in identification of environment change (Fisher, 1999; Fisher et al., submitted).
  

Presently, I have a number of projects underway, which are also of international interest. A number of these are funded externally, whilst others have PhD studentships associated with them:

• Limitation of secondary benthic production by organic nutrients - Benthic CROZET. (With Dr. D. Billett, Prof. P. Tyler, NOCS and Dr. Alex Rogers, BAS and Prof. Monty Priede, Ocean Lab, Aberdeen).
• The characterisation of organic materials sorbed to mineral surfaces in marine sediments. Is the monolayer hypothesis an adequate model for organic carbon preservation in marine sediments? (With Dr Richard Worden, DEOS).
• The environment of deep-sea coral systems in the north Atlantic Ocean; the corals are recognised as being an extremely sensitive ecosystem - HERMES. (with Prof. A. Freiwald, University of Erlangen and others; EC Framework VI funded).
• The environment of canyons cutting the European Continental Margin - HERMES (EC Framework VI funded).
• Oceanic Seamounts: an integrated study - OASIS (Work Package Leader with Dr. Bernd Christiansen, University of Hamburg and others).
• Benthic processes in the Arabian Sea: Interrelationships between benthos, sediment biogeochemistry and organic matter cycling (with Edinburgh, DML, SOC; NERC funded).
• Development of analytical methodology for the analysis of dissolved organic matter in environmental samples. PhD studentship funded by University of Liverpool. (with Prof. R. Jaffé, FIU, USA).
• Development of molecular and isotopic methods for the assessment of the dominant limitation of oceanic production in oligotrophic and high nutrient/low productivity regions. NERC funded PhD Studentship in both AMT and 36°N Consortia. (with Prof. R. Williams, DEOS, Dr. Richard Saunders, NOCS and Dr. C. Robinson).