PD Dr. Matthias Zabel

• Research Interests
• Peer-reviewed publications
• Books
• Research Projects
• Expeditions
• CV

• Teaching Experience
• Meteor 84-1 (DARC-SEAS)

Inorganic Aquatic Geochemistry Group

(selection in chronological order; * designates paper as senior and/or corresponding author)

2010 - ...

Govin A, Holzwarth U, Heslop D, Ford Keeling L, Zabel M, Mulitza S, Collins JA, Chiessi CM (2012) Distribution of major elements in Atlantic surface sediments (36°N-49°S): imprint of terrigenous input and continental weathering. G-cubed, 13, doi:10.1029/2011GC003785.

Lin Y-S, Heuer VB, Goldhammer T, Kellermann M, Zabel M, Hinrichs K-U (2012) Molecular hydrogen in a subseafloor sediment transect off Namibia. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta., 77:186-201.

Schubotz F, Lipp JS, Elvert M, Kasten S, Prieto-Mollar X, Zabel M, Bohrmann G, Hinrichs K-U (2011) Petroleum degradation and associated microbial signatures at the Chapopote asphalt volcano, Southern Gulf of Mexico. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 75:4377-4398.

*Goldhammer T, Brunner B, Bernasconi SM, Ferdelman TG, Zabel M (2011) Phosphate oxygen isotopes: New insights into sedimentary phosphorus cycling in the Benguela upwelling system. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 75:3741-3756.

*Goldhammer T, Max T, Brunner B , Einsiedl F, Zabel M (2011) Marine sediment pore-water profiles of phosphate δ18O using a refined micro-extraction. Limnol. Oceanogr. Methods., 9:110-120.

Collins JA, Schefuß E, Heslop D, Mulitza S, Prange M, Zabel M, Tjallingii R, Dokken TM, Huang E, Mackensen A, Schulz M, Tian J, Zarriess M, Wefer G (2011) Interhemispheric symmetry of the tropical African rainbelt over the past 23,000 years. Nature Geosci., 4:42-45.

Blumenberg M, Mollenhauer G, Zabel M, Reimer A, Thiel V (2010) Decoupling of bio- and geohopanoids in sediments of the Benguela Upwelling System (BUS). Org. Geochem., 41:1119-1129.

*Goldhammer T, Brüchert V, Ferdelman TG, Zabel M (2010) Microbial sequestration of phosphorus in anoxic upwelling sediments. Nature Geosci., 3(8):557-561.

Holmkvist L, Arning ET, Küster-Heins K, Vandieken V, Peckmann J, Zabel M, Jørgensen BB (2010) Phosphate geochemistry, mineralization processes, and Thioploca distribution in shelf sediments off central Chile. Mar. Geol., 277:61-72.

Jaeschke A, Abbas B, Zabel M, Hopmanns EC, Schouten S, Sinninghe Damste JS (2010) Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (annamox) in continental shelf and slope sediments off northwest Africa. Limnol. Oceanogr., 55(1):365-376.

*Küster-Heins K, Steinmetz E, de Lange GJ, Zabel M (2010) Phosphorus cycling in marine sediments from the continental slope off Namibia. Mar. Geol., 274:95-106.

*Küster-Heins K, de Lange GJ, Zabel M (2010) Benthic phosphorus and iron budgets for three NW African slope sediments: a balance approach. Biogeosci., 7:469-480.

Mulitza S, Heslop D, Pittauerova D, Fischer HW, Meyer I, Stuut J-B, Zabel M, Mollenhauer G, Collins JA, Kuhnert H, Schulz M (in press) Increase in African dust flux at the onset of commercial agriculture in the Sahel region. Nature, 466(7303):226-228.

Pape T, Kasten S, Zabel M, Bahr A, Abegg F, Hohnberg H-J, Bohrmann G (2010) Gas hydrates in shallow deposits of the Amsterdam mud volcano, Anaximander Mountains, Northeastern Mediterranean Sea. Geo-Mar. Lett.., 30(3-4):187-206.

*Seiter K, Hensen C, Zabel M (2010) The benthic silica release and its implication for the estimation of the non-lithogenic particle fluxes to the sea floor. Geo-Mar. Lett., 30(5):493-509

2005 - 2009

Lohmann R, Bollinger K, Cantwell M, Feichter J, Fischer-Bruns I, Zabel M (2009) Fluxes of soot black carbon to South Atlantic sediments. Glob. Biogeochem. Cycles, doi:10.1029/2008GB003253

Mulitza S, Prange M, Stuut J-B, Zabel M, Dobeneck Tv, Intabi C, Nizou J, Schulz M (2008) Sahel megadroughts triggered by glacial slowdowns of Atlantic meridional overturning. Paleoceanogr., 23, PA4206, doi:10.1029/2008PA001637

*Aspetsberger F, Zabel M, Ferdelman T, Struck U, Mackensen A, Ahke A, Witte U (2007) Instantaneous benthic response to different organic matter quality: In situ experiments in the Benguela Upwelling System. Mar. Biol. Res., 3:342-356.

Mollenhauer G, Inthorn M, Zabel M, Sinninghe Damsté JS & TI Eglinton (2007) Aging of marine organic matter during cross-shelf lateral transport in the Benguela upwelling system revealed by compound-specific radiocarbon dating. G-cubed, 8(9), doi:10.1029/2007GC001603.

*Inthorn M, Rutgers van der Loeff M, Zabel M (2006) A study of particle exchange at the sediment–water interface in the Benguela upwelling area based on 234Th/238U disequilibrium. Deep-Sea Res. I, 53:1742-1761.

*Inthorn M, Mohrholz V, Zabel M (2006) Nepheloid layer distribution in the Benguela upwelling area offshore Namibia. Deep-Sea Res. I, 53:1423-1438.

*Inthorn M, Wagner T, Scheeder G, Zabel M (2006) Lateral transport controls distribution, quality and burial of organic matter along continental slopes in high-productivity areas. Geology, 34:205-208.

Rickaby REM, Shaw S, Bennitt G, Kennedy H, Zabel M, Lennie A (2006) Potential of ikaite to record the evolution of oceanic d18O. Geology, 34(6):497-500.

Hensen C, Zabel M, Schulz HN (2006) Early diagenesis at the benthic boundary layer: Oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus in marine sediments.- in: Schulz HD, Zabel M (eds): Marine Geochemistry, Springer, Heidelberg, NY, 2. Ed., 207-240.

Zabel M, Hensen C (2006) Quantification and regionalization of benthic reflux.- in: Schulz HD, Zabel M (eds): Marine Geochemistry, Springer, Heidelberg, NY, 2. Ed., 429-456.

*Seiter K, Hensen C, Zabel M (2005): Benthic carbon mineralization on a global scale. Glob. Biogeochem. Cycles, 19, GB1010, doi:10.1029/2004GB002225.

Stuut J-B, Zabel M, Ratmeyer V, Helmke P, Schefuß E, Lavik G, Schneider R (2005) Provenance of present-day dust collected off NW Africa. J. Geophys. Res., 110, No. D4, D04202, 10.1029/2004JD005161.

2000 - 2004

Zabel M, Wagner T, DeMenocal P (2004): Terrigenous signals in sediments of the low latitude Atlantic - implications to environmental variations during the late Quaternary: Part II: Lithogenic matter. in: Wefer G, Mulitza S, Ratmeyer V (eds): The South Atlantic in the Late Quaternary: Reconstruction of Mass Budget and Current Systems, Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, pp 323-345.

Kasten S, Zabel M, Heuer V, Hensen C (2004): Processes and signals of non-steady-state diagenesis deep-sea sediments and their pore waters. in: Wefer G, Mulitza S, Ratmeyer V (eds): The South Atlantic in the Late Quaternary: Reconstruction of Mass Budget and Current Systems, Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, pp 431-459.

Wagner T, Zabel M, Dupont L, Holtvoeth J, Schubert C (2004): Terrigenous signals in sediments of the low latitude Atlantic - implications to environmental variations during the late Quaternary: Part I: Organic carbon. in: Wefer G, Mulitza S, Ratmeyer V (eds): The South Atlantic in the Late Quaternary: Reconstruction of Mass Budget and Current Systems, Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, pp 295-322.

*Seiter K, Hensen C, Schröter J, Zabel M (2004): Organic carbon content in surface sediments - defining regional provinces. Deep-Sea Res. I, 51:2001-2026.

Abouchami W, Zabel M (2003): Climate forcing of the Pb isotope record of terrigenous input into the Equatorial Atlantic. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 213:221-234.

Hensen C, Zabel M, Pfeifer K, Schwenk T, Kasten S, Riedinger N, Schulz HD, Boetius A (2003): Control of anaerobic methane oxidation by sedimentary events - reconstruction of time scales and quantitative importance. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 67:2631-2647.

Licari L, Schumacher S, Wenzhöfer F, Zabel M, Mackensen A (2003): Communities and microhabitats of living benthic foraminifera from tropical east Atlantic: impact of different productivity regimes. J. Foram. Res., 33:10-31.

Kukowski N, Schlüter M, Haese RR, Hensen C, Hinkelmann R, Sibuet M, Zabel M (2002): The importance of fluid flow in ocean margin systems. in: Wefer G, Billett D, Hebbeln D, Joergensen B, Schlüter M, van Weering TJ (eds), Ocean Margin Systems, Springer Verlag, Berlin, pp. 295-306.

Zabel M, Hensen C (2002): The importance of mineralisation processes in surface sediments at continental margins. in: Wefer G, Billet D, Hebbeln D, Joergensen B, Schlüter M, van Weering TJ (eds), Ocean Margin Systems, Springer Verlag, Berlin, pp 253-267.

Zabel M, Schulz HD (2001): Importance of submarine landslides for non-steady state conditions in pore water systems - lower Zaire (Congo) deep-sea fan. Mar. Geol., 176:87-99.

Zabel M, Schneider RR, Wagner T, Adegbie AT, deVries U, Kolonic S (2001): Late Quaternary climate changes in central Africa as inferred from terrigenous input to the Niger Fan. Quaternary Res., 56:207-217.

Freudenthal T, Wagner T, Wenzhöfer F, Zabel M, Wefer, G (2001): Early diagenetic fractionation of stable nitrogen and carbon isotopes in marine sediments in the Canary Islands region. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 65:1795-1808.

Kasten S, Haese RR, Zabel M, Rühlemann C, Schulz HD (2001): Barium peaks at glacial terminations in sediments of the equatorial Atlantic Ocean - Relicts of deglacial productivity pulses? Chem. Geol., 175:635-651.

Hensen C, Zabel M, Schulz HD (2000): A comparison of benthic nutrient fluxes from deep-sea sediments off Namibia and Argentina. Deep-Sea Res. II, 47:2029-2050.

Hensen C, Zabel M (2000): Early Diagenesis at the Benthic Boundary Layer: Oxygen and Nitrate in Marine Sediments. in: Schulz HD, Zabel M (eds): Marine Geochemistry, Springer, Heidelberg, NY, 209-231.

Zabel M, Hensen C, Schlüter M (2000): Back to the ocean cycles: Benthic fluxes and their distribution patterns. in: Schulz HD, Zabel M (eds): Marine Geochemistry, Springer, Heidelberg, NY, 373-395.

1994 - 1999

Zabel M, Bickert T, Dittert L, Haese RR (1999): The significance of the sedimentary Al/Ti ratio as indicator for reconstructions of the terrestrial input to the equatorial Atlantic. Paleoceanography, 14:789-799.

Gingele FX, Zabel M, Kasten S, Bonn WJ, Nürnberg CC (1999): Biogenic barium as a proxy für paleoproductivity: methods and limitations of application. in: Fischer G, Wefer G (eds): Use of proxies in paleoceanography - Examples from the South Atlantic, Springer, Heidelberg, NY, 345-364.

Zabel M, Dahmke A, Schulz HD (1998): Regional distribution of phosphate and silicate fluxes through the sediment-water interface: the eastern South Atlantic. Deep-Sea Res. I, 45:277-300. (pdf)

Niewöhner C, Hensen C, Kasten S, Zabel M, Schulz HD (1998): Deep sulfate reduction completely mediated by anaerobic methane oxidation in the upwelling area off Namibia. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 62:455-464.

Hensen C, Landenberger H, Zabel M, Schulz HD (1998): Qualification of diffusive benthic fluxes of nitrate, phosphate and silicate in the Southern Atlantic Ocean. Global Biogeochem. Cycles, 12:193-210.

Hensen C, Landenberger H, Zabel M, Glud RN, Gundersen JC, Schulz HD (1997): Simulation of early diagenetic processes in continental slope sediments off Southwest Africa: The Computer model CoTAM tested. Mar. Geol., 144:191-210.

Schulz HD, Dahmke A, Schinzel U, Wallmann K, Zabel M (1994): Early diagenetic processes, fluxes and reaction rates in sediments of the South Atlantic. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 58:2041-2060.

Publications in rev., subm., or in prep.

Plewa K, Meggers H, Kuhlmann H, Freudenthal T, Zabel M & Kasten S (subm.) Geochemical distribution patterns as indicators for productivity and terrigenous input off NW Africa. at Deep-Sea Res. I.

Fischer D, Sahling H, Noethen K, Bohrmann G, Zabel M, Kasten S (in rev.) Interaction between hydrocarbon seepage, chemosynthetic communities and bottom water redox at cold seeps of the Makran accretionary prism: insights from habitat-specific pore water sampling and modeling. to Biogeosciences Discuss., 8, 1–48, 2011.

Zabel M, Kasten S (in prep.) Geochemistry and origin of high saline pore fluids from the Chapopote asphalt volcano – Southern Gulf of Mexico.

Recent Projects

Completed Projects

• 2005-2009 Balancing of the benthic carbon cycle - a scientific synthesis (DFG)
• 2005-2009 Simulation of biogeochemical processes in the marine subsurface: understanding carbon-flow and identification of process-specific biosignatures (DFG - RCOM B2)
• 2005-2009 Quantification of emissions of fluids and gas at cold seeps (DFG - RCOM E3)
• 2005-2008 Phosphor-cycle and phosphorite formation in marine sediments of high productive areas (DFG - EUROPROX Proj. II-9)
  2002-2004 Geochemical Studies on Sediments of the Chinese Seas (BMBF - IB)
• 2002-2003 Quantification and Characterization of Benthic Flux Rates Based on Their Regional and Global Patterns - Implication for the Ocean Budgets (DFG)
• 2002-2003 Geochemical Gradients and Microbial Activity (BMBF - "Gas Hydrates in Hemipelagic Sediments - A Pilot Study in the Lower Congo Basin", Proj. D)
• 2001-2005 Origins, Reactivity, and Transport of Particulate Organic Material in the Benthic Boundary Layer in High Productive Systems (DFG - RCOM B2)
• 2001-2004 Non-steady state sedimentation, its documentation and preservation in the solid phase (DFG - European College for Graduates "Proxies in Earth History" Proj. I-9)
• 2001-2004 Modeling of steady and non-steady state diagenetic processes (DFG - European College for Graduates "Proxies in Earth History", Proj. 10)
• 2000-2002 Quantification and Characterization of Benthic Flux Rates Based on Their Regional and Global Patterns - Implication for the Ocean Budgets (DFG)
• 2000 RV METEOR expedition: "Structure and Evolution of the Southwest African Continental Margin - A Combined Seismic and Geological-Geochemical Study off the Congo Mouth and in the Field of ODP Leg 175" (DFG)
• 1998 Supplement for RV SONNE Cruise SO129 in BIGSET (BMBF)
• 1997 Supplement for RV SONNE Cruise SO118 in BIGSET (BMBF)
• 1997-1999 Atlantic Data Base for Exchange Processes at the Deep Sea Floor (EU-ENRICH) - Contractor: K. Lochte (IOW), 18 international participants
• 1996-1999 Interactions Between Saisonality of Benthic Transformation Rates, Particle Flux and Trace Element Distribution in Deep-Sea Sediments (BMBF - BIGSET Proj. 6)
• 1995-1997 Fluxes Through the Sediment-Water Interface - Global Distribution Patterns and Their Importance on the Ocean Budget (DFG / BMBF - JGOFS III)

(* leader of the group "marine geochemistry")