Department of Ocean Biosphere Dynamics

The department investigates the dynamics of the ocean carbon cycle, its variability and predictability, and its role in the Earth system through climate-carbon cycle feedbacks operating across timescales from years to millennia.

As the largest active carbon reservoir on Earth, the ocean plays a central role in regulating atmospheric carbon dioxide and climate. Understanding the processes that govern carbon uptake, transformation, export, and long-term storage is therefore essential for predicting the future state and health of our planet under anthropogenic pressures.

A major research focus is the role of marine microbes in ocean biogeochemical cycling. These microorganisms drive key processes controlling carbon uptake and sequestration, yet their influence remains poorly represented in current Earth system models (ESMs), contributing to uncertainties in projections of marine productivity, carbon export, and ocean carbon storage. The department aims to address this challenge by integrating new microbiological observations and process understanding into next-generation ESMs, improving predictions of ocean biogeochemical dynamics, climate feedbacks, and the response of the Earth system to ongoing environmental change.