Ariel Rabines
Papers
1
Total Citations
24
H-Index
1
About
Ariel Rabines is a marine microbial ecologist whose work centers on understanding nitrogen cycling in the vast, nutrient-poor expanses of the open ocean. Her primary research focus is on biological nitrogen fixation—the process by which specialized microbes convert inert nitrogen gas into a usable form, a critical source of new nitrogen in oligotrophic ecosystems. Rabines is best known for her innovative field methodology, particularly the development and deployment of a free-drifting submersible incubation device. This tool, detailed in her highly regarded 2015 study (24 citations), allows for more representative, in-situ rate measurements of nitrogen fixation in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, overcoming the significant spatial and temporal biases of traditional shipboard incubations. Her work directly addresses a fundamental challenge in marine microbial ecology: obtaining accurate, high-resolution data on biogeochemical processes. By refining how these rates are measured, Rabines has provided a more robust foundation for understanding the ocean’s nitrogen budget and the microbial drivers of global nutrient cycles.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
- 1