Friederike Weith

Dr. Friederike Weith (née Säring) serves as a Scientific Associate and Coordinator in the Department of Maritime Systems within the Interdisciplinary Faculty at the University of Rostock. Her current position, held since October 2022, involves coordination for the "Ocean Talents – Talent Development along the Educational Path" initiative. She previously completed her doctoral studies (2018-2023) through a DFG-funded project investigating the role of meio- and macrofauna in benthic ecosystem functioning under different ice cover regimes in the Southern Ocean.

Dr. Weith's educational background includes an M.Sc. in Biology from the University of Leipzig (2016-2018) and a B.Sc. in Biology from the same institution (2013-2016). Her doctoral research focused on Antarctic marine ecosystems, particularly examining how environmental drivers affect benthic communities in the Southern Ocean.

Her research expertise centers on benthic biodiversity, with specialization in the ecology and taxonomy of benthic invertebrates, particularly polychaetes. She has developed significant expertise in community analyses of infauna, measurement and analysis of environmental parameters (such as grain size and chlorophyll content in sediment), and bioregionalization through modeling distribution patterns of communities and habitats. Her work primarily focuses on the Southern Ocean ecosystem, especially the Weddell Sea region of Antarctica.

Dr. Weith's publication record demonstrates consistent research output focused on Antarctic benthic communities, with particular emphasis on how ice cover regimes influence meiofauna and macrofauna differently. Her recent work (2022-2023) shows a progression from species discovery and taxonomy toward more complex community modeling and bioregionalization approaches. The research consistently addresses critical questions about polar ecosystem functioning in changing environmental conditions.

She has presented her research findings at numerous international conferences including the Southern Ocean Observation System Symposium, Scientific Committee of Antarctic Research (SCAR) Biology Symposium, and International Polar Conferences. Her presentations cover topics ranging from new species discoveries to advanced modeling of polychaete community distribution patterns.

Dr. Weith coordinates the MTS (Maritime Systems) program and conducts her own research through the University of Rostock. Her work contributes to understanding Antarctic benthic ecosystems and their responses to environmental change, with implications for polar conservation and management.