Katharina Kordubel

Since my BSc I have developed a strong interest in phytoplankton, and I was involved in various studies related to the topic. My main interests are the diversity and ecology of phytoplankton, as well as understanding how different environmental factors affect their community structures, spatiotemporal distribution and their influence on the marine foodwebs. I am fascinated by the crucial role these microorganisms play in the marine environment, especially in highly productive coastal ecosystems subject to anthropogenic impact, and their function as climate regulators. Developing our knowledge about phytoplankton means a better understanding of the functioning of our oceans.

My PhD project at the Hereon focuses on assessing the diversity and productivity of phytoplankton and its role in the food web dynamics and coastal carbon cycle using data from ocean color satellites and autonomous FerryBoxes, as well as high resolution in situ imaging of plankton and marine snow.