Dr Sebastian Naeher
Adjunct Teaching Fellow
School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences
Research Interests
Sebastian Naeher completed his MSc from University of Mainz (Germany), and PhD at Eawag/ETH Zurich (Switzerland) followed by postdoctoral fellowships at Université Pierre et Marie Curie (France), Curtin University (Australia) and MARUM (Germany). Between 2016 and 2025, he was Organic Geochemist and Lead Scientist of the GNS/VUW Organic Geochemistry Laboratory at GNS Science in New Zealand. Since 2016, Sebastian has been Adjunct Scientist and Organic Geochemist at Victoria University of Wellington. He regularly teaches at VUW and is co-supervisor and mentor of students (BSc, MSc, PhD levels). His research has focused on biomarkers and compound-specific stable isotopes to reconstruct past and study modern environmental and climate changes from lake sediments, coastal and marine environments, soils, sedimentary rocks (deep time) and petroleum. He also serves as Associate Editor for Biogeosciences, New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, and New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research.
Qualifications
PhD (Dr sc. ETH) in Biogeochemistry/Environmental Sciences – ETH Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Switzerland (2013)
German Diplom (eqv. MSc) in Geochemistry/Geology – University of Mainz, Germany (2009)
Publications
Orcid: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5336-6458
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastian-naeher-8a0970a6
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sebastian_Naeher
Google scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=udLVDRsAAAAJ&hl=en
Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=55260739800
Maier, K.L.; Ginnane, C.E.; Naeher, S.; Turnbull, J.C.; Nodder, S.D.; Howarth, J.; Bury, S.J.; Hilton, R.G.; Hillman, J.I.T. 2025. Earthquake-triggered submarine canyon flushing transfers young terrestrial and marine organic carbon into the deep sea. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 654: 119241.
De Jonge, C., et al. (incl. Naeher, S.) 2024. Interlaboratory comparison of branched GDGT temperature and pH proxies using soils and lipid extracts. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 25, e2024GC011583.
Hingley, J.S.; Martins, C.C.; Walker-Trivett, C.; Adams, J.K.; Naeher, S.; Häggi, C.; Feakins, S.J.; Naafs, B.D.A. 2024. The global distribution of Isoprenoidal Glycerol Dialkyl Diethers (isoGDDs) is consistent with a predominant degradation origin. Organic Geochemistry, 192: 104782.
Campbell, M.; Treble, P.C.; McDonough, L.K.; Naeher, S.; Baker, A.; Grierson, P.F.; Wong, H.; Andersen, M.S. 2024. Combustion Completeness and Sample Location Determine Wildfire Ash Leachate Chemistry. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 25(5): e2024GC011470.
Ginnane, C.E.; Turnbull, J.C.; Naeher, S.; Rosenheim, B.E.; Venturelli, R.A.; Phillips, A.M.; Reeve, S.; Parry-Thompson, J.; Zondervan, A.; Levy, R.; Yoo, K.C.; Dunbar, G.; Calkin, T.; Escutia, C.; Gutierrez Pastor, J. 2024. Advancing Antarctic sediment chronology through combined ramped pyrolysis oxidation and pyrolysis-GC-MS. Radioncarbon 1-20.
Grant, G.; Williams, J.; Naeher, S.; Seki, O.; Patterson, M.O.; Prebble, J.; Yamamoto, M.; Behrens, E.; McClymont, E.; Johnson, K. 2023. Amplified surface warming in the south-west Pacific during the mid-Pliocene (3.3-3.0 Ma) and future implications. Climate of the Past. 19: 1359-1381.
Puddick, J.; Naeher, S.; Pearman, J.K.; Page, C.D.; Romanazzi, D.; Schallenberg, L.A.; Howarth, J.D.; Vandergoes, M.J.; Wood, S.A. 2023. Characterizing carotenoids in cyanobacterial cultures – Opportunities and implications for paleolimnological studies. Harmful Algae, 127: 102481.
Cesar, J.; Robinson, R.; Naeher, S.; Milovic, M.; Ardakani, O.H. 2023. Fatty acids, alkanones and alcohols from a major lower Triassic low-permeability petroleum reservoir. Frontiers in Earth Science, 11: 1137026.
Rotich, E.K.; Handler, M.R.; Sykes, R.; Naeher, S.; Selby, D. 2023. Evaluation of Re-Os geochronology and Os isotope fingerprinting of Late Cretaceous terrestrial oils in Taranaki Basin, New Zealand. Marine and Petroleum Geology 149: 106071.
Naeher, S.; Cui, X.; Summons, R.E. 2022. Biomarkers: Molecular Tools to Study Life, Environment, and Climate. Elements, 18(2): 79–85
Hollis, C.J.; Naeher, S.; Clowes, C.D.; Dahl, J.; Li, X.; Naafs, B.D.A.; Pancost, R.D.; Taylor, K.W.R.; Ventura, G.T.; Sykes, R. 2022. Late Paleocene CO2 drawdown, climatic cooling, and terrestrial denudation in the southwest Pacific. Climate of the Past, 18: 1295-1320.
Pearman, J.P.; Wood, S.A.; Vandergoes, M.J.; et al. (incl. Naeher, S.) 2022. A bacterial index to estimate lake trophic level: National scale validation. Science of The Total Environment, 812: 152385.
Belem, A.; Bell, T.; Burdett, H.; et al. (incl. Naeher, S.) 2022. Paleoclimatology and Paleoceanography Perspectives on Integrated, Coordinated, Open, Networked (ICON) Science. Earth and Space Science, 9(1): e2021EA002115.
Dwivedi, D.; Santos, A.L.D.; Barnard, M.A.; et al. (incl. Naeher, S.) 2022. Biogeosciences perspectives on Integrated, Coordinated, Open, Networked (ICON) science. Earth and Space Science, 9(3): e2021EA002119.
Rotich, E.K.; Handler, M.R.; Sykes, R.; Selby, D.; Naeher, S. 2021. Depositional influences on Re-Os systematics of Late Cretaceous–Eocene fluvio-deltaic coals and coaly mudstones, Taranaki Basin, New Zealand. International Journal of Coal Geology, 236: 103670.
Rotich, E.K.; Handler, M.R.; Naeher, S.; Selby, D.; Hollis, C.J.; Sykes, R. 2020. Re-Os geochronology and isotope systematics, and organic and sulfur geochemistry of the middle–late Paleocene Waipawa Formation, New Zealand: Insights into early Paleogene seawater Os isotope composition. Chemical Geology, 536: 119473.
Naeher, S.; Hollis, C.J.; Clowes, C.D.; Ventura, G.T.; Shepherd, C.L.; Crouch, E.M.; Morgans, H.E.G.; Bland, K.J.; Strogen, D.P.; Sykes, R. 2019. Depositional and organofacies influences on the petroleum potential of an unusual marine source rock: Waipawa Formation (Paleocene) in southern East Coast Basin, New Zealand. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 104: 468-488.
Wang, G.; Naeher, S.; Li, J.; Shi, S.; Chang, R. 2019. 1H-pyrrole-2,5-diones (maleimides): the novel biomarkers in petroleum geochemistry. Acta petrolei Sinica, 40(2): 176-181.
Hoshino, Y.; Poshibaeva, A.; Meredith, W.; et al. (incl. Naeher, S.) 2017. Cryogenian evolution of stigmasteroid biosynthesis. Science Advances, 3(9): e1700887.
Naeher, S.; Suga, H.; Ogawa, N.O.; Schubert, C.J.; Grice, K.; Ohkouchi, N. 2016. Compound-specific carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions of chlorophyll a and its derivatives reveal the eutrophication history of Lake Zurich (Switzerland). Chemical Geology, 443: 210-219.
Naeher, S.; Suga, H.; Ogawa, N.O.; Takano, Y.; Schubert, C.J.; Grice, K.; Ohkouchi, N. 2016. Distributions and compound-specific isotopic signatures of sedimentary chlorins reflect the composition of photoautotrophic communities and their carbon and nitrogen sources in Swiss lakes and the Black Sea. Chemical Geology, 443: 198-209.
Tyroller, L.; Tomonaga, Y.; Brennwald, M.S.; Ndayisaba, C.; Naeher, S.; Schubert, C.J.; North, R.P.; Kipfer, R. 2016. Improved method for the quantification of methane concentrations in unconsolidated lake sediments. Environmental Science & Technology, 50: 7047-7055.
Naeher, S.; Lengger, S.K.; Grice, K. 2016. A new method for the rapid analysis of 1H-Pyrrole-2,5-diones in environmental samples by two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Journal of Chromatography A, 1435: 125-135.
Grice, K.; Riding, J.B.; Foster, C.B.; Naeher, S.; Greenwood, P.F. 2015. Vascular plant biomarker distributions and stable carbon isotopic signatures from the Middle and Upper Jurassic (Callovian–Kimmeridgian) strata of Staffin Bay, Isle of Skye, northwest Scotland. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 440: 307-315.
Naeher, S.; Grice, K. 2015. Novel 1H-Pyrrole-2,5-dione (maleimide) proxies for the assessment of photic zone euxinia. Chemical Geology, 404: 100-109.
Naeher, S.; Huguet, A.; Roose-Amsaleg, C.L.; Laverman, A.M.; Fosse, C.; Lehmann, M.F.; Derenne, S.; Zopfi, J. 2015. Molecular and geochemical constraints on anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) in a riparian zone of the Seine Estuary (France). Biogeochemistry, 123: 237-250.
Friedrich, J.; Janssen, F.; Aleynik, D.; et al. (incl. Naeher, S.) 2014. Investigating hypoxia in aquatic environments: diverse approaches to addressing a complex phenomenon. Biogeosciences, 11: 1215-1259.
Naeher, S.; Peterse, F.; Smittenberg, R.H.; Niemann, H.; Zigah, P.K.; Schubert, C.J. 2014. Sources of glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) in catchment soils, water column and sediments of Lake Rotsee (Switzerland) – Implications for the application of GDGT-based proxies for lakes. Organic Geochemistry, 66: 164-173.
Naeher, S.; Niemann, H.; Peterse, F.; Smittenberg, R.H.; Zigah, P.K.; Schubert, C.J. 2014. Tracing the methane cycle with lipid biomarkers in Lake Rotsee (Switzerland). Organic Geochemistry, 66: 174-181.
Naeher, S.; Schaeffer, P.; Adam, P.; Schubert, C.J. 2013. Maleimides in recent sediments – Using chlorophyll degradation products for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 119: 248-263.
Naeher, S.; Gilli, A.; North, R.P.; Hamann, Y.; Schubert, C.J. 2013. Tracing bottom water oxygenation with sedimentary Mn/Fe ratios in Lake Zurich, Switzerland. Chemical Geology, 352: 125-133.
Naeher, S.; Geraga, M.; Papatheodorou, G.; Ferentinos, G.; Kaberi, H.; Schubert, C.J. 2012. Environmental variations in a semi-enclosed embayment (Amvrakikos Gulf, Greece) – reconstructions based on benthic foraminifera abundance and lipid biomarker pattern. Biogeosciences, 9: 5081-5094.
Naeher, S.; Smittenberg, R.H.; Gilli, A.; Kirilova, E.P.; Lotter, A.F.; Schubert, C.J. 2012. Impact of recent lake eutrophication on microbial community changes as revealed by high resolution lipid biomarkers in Rotsee (Switzerland). Organic Geochemistry, 49: 86-95.
OTHER PUBLICATIONS (excluding non-public or confidential reports)
Field, B.D.; Sykes, R.; Naeher, S.; Ventura, G.T.; Clowes, C.D.; Pascher, K.M.; Shepherd, C.L.; Griffin, A.G.; Hollis, C.J. 2018. Depositional influences on the petroleum potential of the Waipawa Formation in the Orui-1A drillhole, Wairarapa. Lower Hutt, N.Z.: GNS Science. GNS Science report 2017/49. 76 p.; doi: 10.21420/G2MM18
Sykes, R.; Naeher, S. 2018. Source and maturity of oil inclusions in wells Hawke Bay-1, Tawatawa-1, and Titihaoa-1, offshore East Coast Basin. GNS Science consultancy report 2018/187. 38 p.
Sykes, R.; Scadden, P.G.; Martin, C.; Mohnhoff, D.; Naeher, S. 2018. Updated ArcGIS project on petroleum source rocks in New Zealand basins. Lower Hutt, NZ: GNS Science. GNS Science data series 26A.
Naeher, S.; Thompson, J. 2018. Tracking environmental change using pigments. GNS public outreach video on YouTube. https://youtu.be/ck0KDugpsWk
Naeher, S.; Strong, C.P. 2017. Field trip to investigate oil and gas seeps and Cretaceous-Paeocene sections in Kaikoura and eastern Marlborough. GNS Science internal report 2017/06. 24 p.
Naeher, S.; Hollis, C.J.; Listiono, G.; Waitaiki, H. 2017. Field trip to investigate and sample Waipawa Formation sections in the Gisborne region. GNS Science internal report 2017/02. 25 p.
Naeher, S.; Ohkouchi, N. 2017. Pigmente – Indikatoren für Umweltveränderungen. Nachrichten aus der Chemie, 65: 16-20; doi: 10.1002/nadc.20174056149
Plet, C.; Naeher, S.; Schwark, L.; Grice, K. 2016. The distribution and stable carbon isotopic composition of 2-methyl-3-ethyl-maleimide (1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione) within a Toarcian (182.7Ma) fossiliferous carbonate concretion. Ph.D. thesis chapter, Curtin University, Perth, Australia. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/56466
Naeher, S.; Gilli, A.; Hamann, Y.; Schubert, C.J. 2015. Wie viel Sauerstoff war im Zürichsee? VTA-Aktuell, Nr. 1/2015, 57: 32-37.
Naeher, S.; Gilli, A.; Hamann, Y.; Schubert, C.J. 2014. Wie viel Sauerstoff war im Seewasser? Nachrichten aus der Chemie, 62: 1094-1097; doi: 10.1002/nadc.201490384
Naeher, S.; North, R.P.; Gilli, A.; Livingstone, A.; Schubert, C.J. 2014. Lake sediments tell the story of climate change. CHIMIA, 68: 333; doi: 10.2533/chimia.2013.333
Naeher, S. 2012. Sedimentary lipid biomarkers and trace metals as indicators for past hypoxia and eutrophication. Ph.D. thesis. ETH Zurich, Switzerland. Diss. ETH No. 20753; doi: 10.3929/ethz-a-007599070
Naeher, S. 2009. Sorption of selected radionuclides on pipe materials and biofilms in water distribution systems. Diploma thesis (MSc eqv). University of Mainz, Germany.