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Dr. Brianne Palmer

Our work focuses on examining the role of fungi, bacteria, and diatoms in the preservation and decay of plant tissue in order to understand the complex fossilization processes of leaf compressions.

Research topics

  • Microbial Ecology

Positions

  • Since 2022: Postdoctoral scientist at the University of Bonn
  • 2017–2022: Ph.D. in Ecology at the University of California, Davis and San Diego State University, California, USA
  • 2012–2016: B.Sc. in Ecology, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA

Teaching

  • San Diego State University, 2022: Primary instructor for Conservation Biology
  • San Diego State University, 2021: Lead teaching assistant for General Ecology
  • San Diego State University, 2020: Teaching assistant for General Ecology
  • San Diego State University, 2017–2018: Teaching assistant for Introductory Biology
Avatar Palmer

Dr. Brianne Palmer

Website

+49 228 734069

Pal 0.009

Nussallee 8

53115 Bonn

© Manuel Kunz

Paleobotany PD Dr. Carole Gee

Experience Prior to Ph.D.

  • Botanist for Utah Rare Plant Inventory and Analysis, 2016–2017.  Utah State University, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
  • Technician at National Ecological Observatory Network, 2016.  NEON, Salt Lake City Utah, USA
  • Botanical intern, 2016.  Utah State University, Randolph, Utah, USA
  • Botanical intern, 2015.  United States Department of Agriculture. Logan, Utah, USA
  • DAAD intern in Freshwater Microbial Ecology, 2014.  University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
  • Undergraduate researcher in Conservation Genetics, 2013–2016.  Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
  • National Science Foundation undergraduate intern in Microbial Ecology.  2013.  University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA
  • Zoology intern, 2011.  Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Denver, Colorado, USA.

Publications

  1. Karačić, S., Palmer, B., Karačić, J., Sib, E., Gäb, F., Gee, C. T., and Bierbaum, G.  MS in prep.  Impact of metal ions on leaf preservation by microbial biofilms: Insights from experimental studies.
  2. Palmer, B., Karačić, S., Liesegang, M., Bierbaum, G., and Gee, C. T.  In press.  Microbial taphonomy of Ginkgo leaves in fine-grained substrates: How sediment type facilitates preservation.  Palaeontology, in press since August 2025.
  3. Palmer, B., Karačić, S., Bierbaum, G., and Gee, C. T.  2025.  Microbial methods matter: Identifying discrepancies between microbiome denoising pipelines using a leaf biofilm taphonomic set.  Applications in Plant Sciences: e11628. https://doi.org/10.1002/aps3.11628
  4. Gäb, F., Bierbaum, G., Wirth, R., Bultmann, C., Palmer, B., Janssen, K., and Karačić, S.  2024.  Enzymatic phosphatization of fish scales—a pathway for fish fossilization.  Scientific Reports, 14: 8347.  https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-59025-3
  5. Palmer, B., Karačić, S., Low, S .L. Janssen, K., Färber, H., Liesegang, M., Bierbaum, G., and Gee, C. T.  2024.  Decay experiments and microbial community analysis of water lily leaf biofilms: Sediment effects on leaf preservation potential.  PLoS One, 19: e0315656.  https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0315656
  6. Palmer, B., Karačić, S., Low, S. L., Janssen, K., Färber, H., Liesegang, M., Bierbaum, G., and Gee, C. T.  2024.  Decay experiments coupled with the 16S rRNA and ITS region amplicon sequencing of water lily leaf biofilms: Does sediment type influence preservation?  PLoS One, 19(12): e0315656.  https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0315656
  7. Karačić, S., Palmer, B., Gee, C. T., and Bierbaum, G.  2024.  Oxygen-dependent biofilm dynamics in leaf decay: An in vitro analysis.  Scientific Reports, 14: 6728. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-57223-7

  8. Gäb, F., Bierbaum, G., Wirth, R., Bultmann, C., Palmer, B., Janssen, K., and Karačić, S.  2024.  Enzymatic phosphatization of fish scales—a pathway for fish fossilization.  Scientific Reports, volume 14: 8347.  https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-59025-3https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-59025-3

  9. Palmer, B. Lawson, D., and Lipson, D.  2023.  Prescribed fire and changes in annual precipitation alters biocrust cover in a coastal grassland. Western North American Naturalist, 83: 325–334.  https://doi.org/10.3398/064.083.0303

  10. Palmer, B., Pietrasiak, N., Cobb, P., and Lipson, D.  2023.  Using simulated wildland fire to assess microbial survival at multiple depths from biocrust and bare soils. Frontiers in Microbiology, 14:1123790.  doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1123790

  11. Reeve, S., Palmer, B., Cobb, P., Pietrasiak, N., and Lipson, D.  2023.  Facilitating restoration of degraded biological soil crusts using mixed culture inoculation. Journal of Arid Environments,  208: 104876.
    Palmer, B., Lawson, D., and Lipson, D.  2022.  Years after a fire, biocrust microbial communities are similar to unburned communities in a coastal grassland.  Microbial Ecology: 1–17.
  12. Palmer, B., Hernandez, R., and Lipson, D.  2020.  The fate of biological soil crusts after fire: A meta-analysis.  Global Ecology and Conservation, 24:e01380.
  13. Palmer, B.  2019.  Restoration ecology: The study of applied optimism.  Restoration Ecology, 27(6): 1192–1193.