“In my expedition suitcase I always have rubber boots, mosquito sprays and a sleeping bag”, Maria Korneikova, Ph.D., an ecologist-microbiologist

You are PhD candidate in Biology, a lecturer, a researcher. Was it always your dream to become a scientist?

As a child, I didn't see myself as a scientist. I really wanted to be a schoolteacher. I remember ‘playing’ school as a child. I had lots of different notebooks, my teacher's journal. And instead of a blackboard, I used a door.

How did you get involved in microbial ecology?

It all started with biology, which my mother introduced me to. She works in Botanical Garden, and from a small age I watched her "in the fields". Walked with her around the greenhouses, helped to take care of the plants. From here came the desire to learn more about plants, and then the craving for biological sciences. I got acquainted with the ecology of microorganisms during my university studies. Thanks to Galina Andreevna Evdokimova, my supervisor, Doctor of Biological Sciences, I became fascinated by the world of microbes. Then they seemed mysterious creatures because we cannot see them even with the naked eye. And then I wanted to know more.

Is being a woman scientist in the 21st century hard?

I do not agree with the opinion that women scientists have a hard fate nowadays. My scientific career has lasted almost 20 years, and during this time I have never faced discrimination or any restrictions. Nowadays, on the contrary, they create additional opportunities for us - for example, special competitions for women scientists.

What helps you find a balance between teaching, family, science?

Support of relatives and friends. Their understanding and patience allow me to devote quite a lot of time to scientific research. For this I thank them very much and warmly!

Rest is also relaxing. I don't always have enough time for it - it's a very tight schedule. But if I have a day, I like to go to the countryside, to be alone with nature. This way I can be energised for a new working week and new discoveries. Sport is also an integral part of my life. Thanks to it, I can take a break from mental work.

You were recently on an expedition in the Arctic region. What did you do there?

We went on a trip to the Murmansk region. We visited Murmansk, Apatity and Monchegorsk. For 10 days we worked in the parks of the cities - we studied the level of carbon dioxide in soils using gas analysers, and took soil samples for further analysis of urban microbial communities. The goal is to understand what role microorganisms play in the functioning of urban Arctic ecosystems. It is important to study them because they participate in the process of soil formation, in the cycles of carbon, nitrogen and other elements, and without them it is impossible to clean the soil from pollutants.

How do microbial communities differ between urban and rural areas?

The microbial communities that inhabit cities and villages are very different. Even within a city, if we take its different parts, the microbial communities will be different. The reason for this is the anthropogenic load that these areas experience. For example, in villages it is more related to agriculture, while in cities it is influenced by motor transport, industrial enterprises, recreational load.

Is it possible to understand from the microorganisms in the soil where the soil sample was brought for analysis, from the North or from the South?

Each natural zone is characterised by its own ecosystem. For the North, it is tundra, forest tundra or northern taiga. In the South, it is a forest steppe and a steppe. The composition of microbial communities directly depends on the type of soil and vegetation, and in tundra and steppe they are very different. This means that microorganisms will also be different in these regions. There are those who like warmth, they are called thermophiles. And there are those who, on the contrary, prefer low temperatures, psychrophiles. If we talk, for example, about communities of soil microscopic fungi, then in the South we will find a much greater diversity of fungi, Fusarium, Aspergillus, Alternaria than in the North, where representatives of р. Penicillium are dominant and Р. Mortierella is common to find

What should be the optimum level of CO2 in the soil of cities?

The less the better. We should aim for minimum carbon dioxide emissions, where the amount of CO2 absorbed is greater than the amount released into the environment. The magnitude of CO2 fluxes depends on soil type, vegetation, level of anthropogenic load and much more. An increase in CO2 emissions leads to climate change. And this can provoke droughts, floods, storms, shifting of natural belts and other severe consequences.

How can your research help the cities?

We study carbon dioxide emissions in soils and soil mixtures. This allows us to understand which soil mixtures emit carbon dioxide. Based on our findings, we can make recommendations to Arctic cities about which mixtures should be used for landscaping and which should not. Which trees are best to plant so that they can deposit or store carbon with their biomass. This is necessary to reduce the release of carbon dioxide into the environment, thus curbing climate change.

This is not your first expedition. You have already travelled to Norilsk, Vorkuta, Salekhard. You have studied the soils of the middle part of Russia and the South. What do you make sure to put in your expedition "briefcase"?

When I go to the North, I always take rubber boots and mosquito repellent with me. I also take warm clothes, because even in July it can snow in the northernmost regions. The main attribute of any expedition is a sleeping bag.

I don't forget to put acetic-alcohol-formalin in my suitcase. We use it to treat working instruments and hand surfaces before taking soil samples for analysis.

Have you overnighted on open air expeditions?

Outdoors no, only in a tent. The North is harsh, it is cold even in summer, and there are a lot of mosquitoes.

What do you like most about working with students?

Sharing my experience and knowledge with people who, I hope, will be able to make an even greater contribution to the development of science in the future.

What do you most often say to students?

Don't be afraid to ask stupid questions. That way you can avoid misunderstandings and the interest will not be lost in the future.

Who inspires you?

People. Communication with colleagues from different parts of the country and the world. The opportunity to exchange experience with them, learn new things at various scientific conferences, try your hand at new projects. All this gives strength and energy for future achievements.