Scarlett Trimborn

Dr. Scarlett Trimborn is a Senior Scientist and Head of the EcoTrace Group at the Alfred Wegener Institute's Ecological Chemistry section. Her work focuses on Southern Ocean phytoplankton ecology, trace metal ecophysiology, and the biological carbon pump. She leads initiatives such as the Subtopic 6.3 Future Biological Carbon Pump and collaborates on projects like MOSAiC and FRAM. Her research combines field experiments, lab-based physiological studies, and biogeochemical modeling to understand climate impacts on marine systems.

Education and affiliations include roles at the AWI Marine Station Helgoland and contributions to international polar research networks. She has published extensively on Southern Ocean biogeochemistry, trace metal dynamics, and climate change effects, with over 128 peer-reviewed articles. Key focuses include iron limitation mechanisms, phytoplankton community responses to acidification, and carbon sequestration pathways.

Her work integrates interdisciplinary approaches, such as transcriptomics and exopolymer analysis, to uncover stress adaptation strategies in Antarctic species. She also explores trophic interactions, like fecal pellet nutrient recycling by salps vs. krill, influencing Southern Ocean biogeochemical cycles.