Jorit Kniest

Jorit Kniest is a PostDoctoral Researcher at GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, affiliated with the Research Division 1: Ocean Circulation and Climate Dynamics and the Paleo-Oceanography Research Unit. Previously, they completed a PhD at Goethe University Frankfurt (2020–2024) and a Master’s in Earth Sciences – Georesources and the Environment at University Greifswald (2017–2020). Their research focuses on paleoceanography, climate dynamics, and geochemistry, utilizing marine carbonate archives to study past and future high-CO2 climates.

• Education:
  • PhD (2020–2024): Goethe University Frankfurt
  • M.Sc. (2017–2020): University Greifswald
  • B.Sc. (2013–2017): University Greifswald

Research Interests center on reconstructing paleoenvironmental conditions using fossil and modern marine organisms (bivalves, cold-water corals). Key areas include climate seasonality during the Eocene greenhouse period, Devonian contourite sedimentology, and the utility of geochemical proxies (Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca, clumped isotopes) to decode ocean-atmosphere interactions. Their work bridges deep-time climate analogues and modern climate change predictions, emphasizing marginal seas and ocean gateways.

Publication Trends reveal expertise in isotope geochemistry, carbonate sedimentology, and climate proxy development. Notable topics include tropical climate variability from giant clam archives, Devonian bottom-current dynamics, and cold-water coral ecosystems in the Indian Ocean.