Dr. Brandi Kiel Reese

Associate Professor,

Marine Sciences

Bio

Associate Professor, University of South Alabama
Senior Marine Scientist, Dauphin Island Sea Lab
Ph.D. 2011, Texas A&M University

Emphasis: Microbial ecology; Geomicrobiology; Astrobiology; Understanding microbial communities through systems biology

Research Interests

My research is interdisciplinary by bringing together Geology, Molecular Microbiology, and Geochemistry to provide a more integrated examination of aquatic and sediment biogeochemical cycling. When examining various environments, I am guided by fundamental questions such as: Who is alive? What are they doing? What are the global implications of microbial life within Earth systems? Specifically, my lab specializes in combining state-of-the-art culture-independent molecular techniques (including metatranscriptomics and metagenomics) with high throughput culturing and advanced geochemical analysis to describe the total microbial environment. This systems biology approach to understanding microbial ecology has spanned marine and freshwater; shallow sediments within estuaries and coastal hypoxic zones; deeply buried continental mines and caves, and marine subsurface sediments through the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP).

Publications

26. Patrick, C.J., L. Yeager, F. Carvallo, V. Congdon, K.H. Dutton, M. Fisher, A. Hardison, J.D. Hogan, J. Hosen, X. Hu, B. Kiel Reese, S. Kinard, J.S. Kominoshi, X. Lin, Z. Liu, P.A. Montagna, S.C. Pennings, L. Walker, C.A. Weaver. M. Wetz. 2019. A Systems Level Analysis of Coastal Ecosystem Responses to Hurricane Impacts. Estuaries and Coasts. DOI 10.1007/s12237-019-00690-3
25. Mullis, M.M. * , I. Rambo, B.J. Baker, B. Kiel Reese. 2019. Ecological roles and diversity of antimicrobials in nature. Frontiers in Microbiology: Antimicrobials, Resistance and Chemotherapy. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02518
24. Jangir, J., A.A., Karbelkar, N.M. Beedle, L.A. Zinke * , G. Wanger, C.M. Anderson,B. Kiel Reese, J.P. Amend, and M.Y. El-Naggar. 2019. In situ electrochemical studies of the terrestrial deep subsurface biosphere at the Sanford Underground Research Facility, South Dakota, USA. Frontiers in Energy Research: Bioenergy and Biofuels. DOI: 10.3389/fenrg.2019.00121
23. Sobol, M.S.* , T. Hoshino, T. Futagami, F. Inagaki, B. Kiel Reese. 2019. Draft genome sequences of Penicillium spp. from deeply buried oligotrophic sediment. Microbiology Resource Announcements. DOI: 10.1128/MRA.01613-18
22. Bird, J.T., E.D. Tague, L.A. Zinke* , J.M. Schmidy, A.D. Steen, B. Kiel Reese, I.P.G. Marshall, G. Webster, A. Weightman, H.F. Castro, S.R. Campagna, K.G. Lloyd. 2019. Uncultured microbial phyla suggest mechanisms for multi-thousand-year subsistence in Baltic Sea sediments. mBio. DOI: 10.1128/mBio.02376-18
21. Pohlner, M., L. Dlugosch, B. Wemheuer, H.J. Mills, B. Engelen, B. Kiel Reese. 2019. The majority of Rhodobacteraceae in marine sediments belong to uncultured genera: A molecular approach to link their distribution to environmental conditions. Frontiers in Aquatic Microbiology. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00659

20. Zinke, L.A.* , C. Glombitza, J.T. Bird, H. Røy, B. Barker Jørgensen, K.G. Lloyd, J.A. Amend, B. Kiel Reese. 2018. Climate influences microbial organic matter degradation in Baltic Sea sediments. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.02164-18
19. Zinke, L.A.* , B. Kiel Reese, J. McManus, C.G. Wheat, B.N. Orcutt, J. Amend. 2018. Sediment microbial communities influenced by cool hydrothermal fluid migration. Frontiers in Extreme Microbiology. 9:1249. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01249
18. Sheik, C.S., B. Kiel Reese (co-first author), K.I. Twing, J.B. Sylvan, S.L. Grim, M.O. Schrenk, M.L. Sogin, F. Colwell. 2018. Identification and removal contaminant sequences from genomic databases: Lessons from the Census of Deep Life. Frontiers in Microbiology. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00840
17. Kiel Reese, B.K., L.A. Zinke* , M.S. Sobol* , D.E. LaRowe, B.N. Orcutt, X. Zhang, U. Jaekel, F. Wang, H.J. Mills, T. Dittmar, J.P. Amend, K.J. Edwards, P.R. Girguis. 2018. Nitrogen cycling potential of active bacteria within oligotrophic sediment of the MidAtlantic Ridge flank. Geomicrobiology Journal. 35(6): 468-483. DOI: 10.1080/01490451.2017.1392649 3
16. Zinke, L.A.* , M.M. Mullis* , J.T. Bird, I.P.G. Marshall, B. Barker Jørgensen, K.G. Lloyd, J.P. Amend, B. Kiel Reese. 2017. Thriving or Surviving? Evaluating active microbial guilds in Baltic Sea sediment. Environmental Microbiology Reports. 9(5): 528-536. DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12578 (Top 20 most read paper in Environmental Microbiology Reports)
15. Momper, L.M., B. Kiel Reese, L.A. Zinke* , G. Wanger, M.R. Osburn, D. Moser, and J.P. Amend. 2017. Major phylum-level differences between porefluid and host rock bacterial communities in the terrestrial deep subsurface. Environmental Microbiology Reports. DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12563
14. Kiel Reese, B.K., J. Koester, J.B. Kirkpatrick, T. Konotchick, L.Z. Allen, and C. Dziallas. How extreme is extreme? A review of life in extreme environments. 2015. Eco-DAS X Symposium Proceedings. Waco, TX: Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography. 5:69–87. DOI: 10.4319/ecodas.2014.978-0-9845591-4-5.69
13. Kieft, T., T. Onstott, L. Ahonen, V. Aloisi, F. Colwell, B. Engelen, S. Fendrihan, E. Gaidos, U. Harms, I. Head, J. Kallmeyer, B. Kiel Reese, L. Lin, P. Long, D. Moser, H. Mills, P. Sar, D. Schulze-Makuch, H. Stan-Lotter, D. Wagner, P. Wang, F. Westall and M. Wilkins. 2015. Workshop to develop deep-life continental scientific drilling projects. Scientific Drilling 19: 43-53. DOI:10.5194/sd-19-43-2015
12. Momper, L.M., B. Kiel Reese (co-first author), G. Carvalho, P. Lee, and E.A. Webb. 2014. Characterization of a novel cohabitation between two diazotrophic Cyanobacteria. ISME Journal. 9(4):882. DOI:10.1038/ismej.2014.186.
11. Orcutt, B.N., D.E. LaRowe, K.G. Lloyd, H. Mills, W. Orsi, B. Kiel Reese, J. Sauvage, J.A. Huber, and J. Amend. 2014. ODP Deep Biosphere Research Workshop report–a synthesis of recent investigations, and discussion of new research questions and drilling targets. Scientific Drilling. 17: 61-66
10. Reese, B.K., A.D. Witmer, S. Moller, J.W. Morse, and H.J. Mills. 2013. Molecular assays advance understanding of sulfate reduction despite cryptic cycles. Biogeochemistry. 118(1): 307-319. DOI: 10.1007/s10533-013-9933-2
9. Orcutt, B., D. LaRowe, J.F. Biddle, F.S. Colwell, B.T. Glazer, B. Kiel Reese, J. Kirkpatrick, H.J. Mills, J.B. Sylvan. 2013. Microbial activity in the deep biosphere: Progress and prospects. Frontiers in Extreme Microbiology. 4:189. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2013.00189
8. Reese, B.K., H.J. Mills, S.E. Dowd, and J.W. Morse. 2013. Benthic biogeochemistry of microbial iron and sulfate reduction in the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone. Geomicrobiology. 30:160-172
7. Bianchi, T.S., F. Garcia-Tigreros, S. Yvon-Lewis, M. Shields, H.J. Mills, D. Butman, C. Osburn, P. Raymond,C. Shank, S.F. DiMarco, N. Walker, B. Kiel Reese, R. Mullins, A. Quigg, G. R. Aiken, and E.L. Grossman. 2013. Enhanced transfer of terrestrially-derived carbon to the atmosphere in a flooding event. Geophysical Research Letters. DOI:10.1029/2012GL054145
6. Mills, H.J., B. Kiel Reese, A. Shepard, N. Riedinger, S. Dowd, Y. Morono, and F. Inagaki. 2012. Characterization of metabolically active bacterial populations in subseafloor Nankai Trough sediments above, within and below the sulfate-methane transition zone. Frontiers in Extreme Microbiology. 3:113. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2012.000113 4
5. Mills, H.J., B. Kiel Reese, and C. St. Peter. Characterization of microbial population shifts during sample storage. 2012. Frontiers in Extreme Microbiology. 3:49. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2012.00049
4. Reese, B.K., D.W. Finneran, H.J. Mills, M.-X. Zhu, and J.W. Morse. 2011. Examination and refinement of the determination of aqueous hydrogen sulfide by the methylene blue method. Aquatic Geochemistry. 17(4):567-582. DOI:10.1007/s10498-011-9128-1
3. Reese, B.K. and M.A. Anderson. 2009. Dimethyl sulfide production in a hypersaline eutrophic lake, Salton Sea, California. Limnology and Oceanography. 54: 250–261
2. Reese, B.K., M.A. Anderson, and C. Amrhein. 2008. Hydrogen sulfide production and volatilization in a polymictic eutrophic lake, Salton Sea, California. Science of the Total Environment. 406:205-218
1. Parker, D.R., A.L Seyfferth, and B.K. Reese. 2008. Synoptic survey of perchlorate in groundwater: A synoptic survey of "pristine" sites in the coterminous United States. Environmental Science and Technology. 42:1465-1471

Publications in Review/In Press

Kiel Reese, B., M.S. Sobol* , M. Bowles, K.-U. Hinrichs Redefining the Subsurface Biosphere: Characterization of Fungi Isolated from Energy-Limited Marine Deep Subsurface Sediment. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. In Review.

Publications in Progress

Weisend, R.E. * , M.M Mullis* , B. Kiel Reese. High throughput culturing of microbial communities from Mid-Atlantic Ridge sediment and crustal fluids using Fluorescently Activated Cell Sorting (FACS).
B. Kiel Reese, J. Roque Rosell, L.A. Zinke* , M.S. Sobol* , T. Aiglsperger. Iron bioavailability in sedimented layers of foraminiferal sand and clayey nannofossil ooze from west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

Teaching

Graduate

Microbial Ecology
Geomicrobiology
Marine Organisms and Processes

Undergraduate

Microbial Diversity and Ecology
Environmental Microbiology
Oceanography
Essentials of Oceanography Lab
Marine Microbial Molecular Methods