Researcher: Warren’s research is focussed on carbon cycling in the marine environment. His background is marine chemistry, and holds a M.Sc investigating carbon remineralisation in relation to sediment oxygen demand on the organic rich mud belt along the Namibian inner shelf. Warren recently completed his Ph.D in 2014, investigating surface ocean primary productivity in the Atlantic Southern Ocean, using a variety of in situ observation techniques. These include radiolabelled nitrogen tracer experiments for the uptake of nitrogen by phytoplankton, and net community productivity (NCP) using underway Equilibrator Inlet Mass Spectrometry to investigate the role of drivers such as nutrient- and light availability in explaining the observed primary productivity and NCP. Recent work highlighted the importance of variability in the mixed layer depth (which sets the surface irradiance and nutrient) in driving the variability in NCP, particularly in the Sub-Antarctic Zone.

Currently, Warren is responsible for ship based observations of ocean carbon parameters (pCO₂, Total Alkalinty, Dissolved Inorganic Carbon) to establish a long-term ocean CO₂ inventory in the African sector of the Southern Ocean. These measurements will assist in constraining interannual variability and contribute to global estimates atmosphere-ocean CO₂ flux estimates.