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Takaaki K. Watanabe, PD. Ph.D

Principal Investigator (PI) - DFG SPP 2299 programme

Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (Kiel University)
KIKAI institute for coral reef sciences

Publications

Articles

Cahyarini et al., 2026

Cahyarini, S. Y., Zinke, J., Watanabe, T. K., Kartadimeja, Z., Utami, D. A., Hendrizan, M., et al. (2026). River runoff control on inshore salinity variability recorded by coral-derived δ18Osw in the Seribu Islands, Indonesia. J. Geophys. Res. Oceans, 131, e2025JC023909. DOI: 10.1029/2025JC023909

T.K.Watanabe et al., 2026

Watanabe, T. K., Ito, S., Nurhidayati, A. U., Cahyarini, S. Y., & Pfeiffer, M. (2026). Coral reefs in the Indonesian seas threatened by heat and cold stress. Geophys. Res. Lett., 53, e2025GL121003. DOI: 10.1029/2025GL121003

Hetzinger et al., 2026

Hetzinger, S., Halfar, J., Watanabe, T. K., & Tsay, A. Nonlinear increase of Greenland Ice Sheet runoff into Disko Bay, Climate of the Past in Discussion (2026, Preprint at EGUsphere). DOI: 10.5194/egusphere-2025-6074.

Ito et al., 2025

Ito, S., Watanabe, T. K., Yamazaki, A., Shen, C.-C. & Watanabe, T. The Northwestern Pacific corals unravel the NPGO/Victoria Mode-related temperature back to the 19th century. Climate of the Past in Discussion (2025, Preprint at Research Square). DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs- 3861020/v3.

Pfeiffer et al., 2025

Pfeiffer, M., Takayanagi, H., Reuning, L., Watanabe, T. K., Ito, S., Garbe-Schönberg, D., Watanabe, T., Shen, C.-C., Brummer, G.-J. A. & Cahyarini, S. Y. A sub-fossil coral Sr/Ca record documents meridional variability of the Intertropical Convergence Zone in the eastern Indian Ocean. Clim. Past. 21(1). 211–237 (2025). DOI: 10.5194/cp-21-211-2025.

Naciri et al., 2024

Naciri, W., Boom, A., Watanabe, T. K., Garbe-Schönberg, D., Hathorne, E., Nagarajan, R., Browne, N., McIlwain, J. & Zinke, J. Paired coral Sr/Ca and δ18O records reveal increasing ENSO influence on Malaysian Borneo's hydroclimate. Sci. Total Environ. 955, 176943 (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176943.

Leupold et al., 2023

Leupold, M., Pfeiffer, M., Watanabe, T. K., Nakamura, N., Reuning, L., Blume, A., McClanahan, T., Mohammed, M., Kiriama, H., Garbe‐Schönberg, D., Schröder, A. & Zinke, J. Mid-Holocene expansion of the Indian Ocean warm pool documented in coral Sr/Ca records from Kenya. Sci. Rep. 13(1), 777 (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28017-0.

Hu et al., 2022

Hu, H.-M., Trouet, V., Spötl, C., Tsai, H.-C., Chien, W.-Y., Sung, W.-H., Michel, V., Yu, J.-Y., Valensi, P., Jiang, X., Duan, F., Wang, Y., Mii, H.-S., Chou, Y. -M., Lone, M. A., Wu. C. C., Starnini, E., Zunino, M., Watanabe, T. K., Watanabe, T., Hsu, H. H., Moore, G. W. K., Zanchetta, G., Pérez-Mejías, C., Lee, S.-Y. & Shen, C.-C. Tracking westerly wind directions over Europe since the middle Holocene. Nat. Commun. 7866 (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34952-9.

T.K.Watanabe et al., 2022

Watanabe, T. K., Phan, T. T., Yamazaki, A., Chiang, H.-W., Shen, C.-C., Doan, L. D. & Watanabe, T. Nonstationary footprints of ENSO in the Mekong River Delta hydrology. Sci. Rep. 12, 21186 (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20597-7.

Zinke et al., 2022

Zinke, J., Watanabe, T. K., Rühs, S., Pfeiffer, M., Grab, S., Garbe-Schonberg, D. & Biastoch, A. A 334-year coral record of surface temperature and salinity variability in the greater Agulhas Current region. Clim. Past. 18, 1453–1474 (2022). DOI: 10.5194/cp-18-1453-2022.

Fousiya et al., 2022

Fousiya, A. A., Alberti, M., Achyuthan, H., Chakraborty, S., Watanabe, T. K., Gandhi, N., Reddy, A. P. & Lone, A. M. Anomalous δ18O signal in a giant clam shell (Tridacna maxima) from the Lakshadweep Archipelago, India: signature of thermal stress during a coral bleaching event. Coral Reefs. 41(4), 1–13 (2022). DOI: 10.1007/s00338-022-02263-6.

Pfeiffer et al., 2022

Pfeiffer, M., Watanabe, T. K., Takayanagi, H. Cahyarini, S. Y., Garbe-Schönberg, D. & Watanabe, T. Coral Sr/Ca records provide realistic representation of eastern Indian Ocean cooling during extreme positive Indian Ocean Dipole events. Sci. Rep. 12, 10642 (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14617-9.

T.K.Watanabe et al., 2022

Watanabe, T. K., & Pfeiffer, M. A simple Monte Carlo approach to estimate the uncertainties of SST and δ18Osw inferred from coral proxies. Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. 23(3), e2021GC009813 (2022). DOI: 10.1029/2021GC009813.

T.K.Watanabe et al., 2021b

Watanabe, T. K., Watanabe, T., Ohmori, K. & Yamazaki, A. Coral Ba/Ca Analysis using ICP-OES with an Ultrasonic Nebulizer. Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. 22, e2021GC009646 (2021b). DOI: 10.1029/2021GC009646.

T.K.Watanabe et al., 2021a

Watanabe, T. K., Watanabe, T., Pfeiffer, M., Hu, H.-M., Shen, C.-C. & Yamazaki, A. Corals reveal an unprecedented decrease of Arabian Sea upwelling during the current warming era, Geophys. Res. Lett. 48 (2021). DOI: 10.1029/2021GL092432.

Leupold et al., 2021

Leupold, M., Pfeiffer, M., Watanabe, T. K., Reuning, L., Garbe-Schönberg, D., Shen, C.-C. & Brummer, G.-J. A. El Niño–Southern Oscillation and internal sea surface temperature variability in the tropical Indian Ocean since 1675. Clim. Past 151–170 (2021). DOI: 10.5194/cp-2020-22.

T.K.Watanabe et al., 2020

Watanabe, T. K., Watanabe, T., Ohmori, K. & Yamazaki A. Improving analytical method of Sr/Ca ratios in coral skeletons for paleo-SST reconstructions using ICP-OES. Limnol. Oceanogr-Meth. 18(6), 297–310 (2020). DOI: 10.1002/lom3.10357.

Ito et al., 2020

Ito, S., Watanabe, T., Yano, M. & Watanabe, T. K. Influenceoflocalindustrialchangesonreefcoral calcification. Sci. Rep. 10, 7892 (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-64877-6.

Kahng et al., 2020

Kahng, S. E., Watanabe, T. K., Hu, H.-M., Watanabe, T. & Shen, C.-C. Moderatezooxanthellatecoral growth rates in the lower photic zone. Coral Reefs 39, 1273–1284 (2020). DOI: 10.1007/s00338-020- 01960-4.

T.K.Watanabe et al., 2019b

Watanabe, T. K., Watanabe, T., Yamazaki, A. & Pfeiffer, M. Oman corals suggest that a stronger winter shamal season caused the Akkadian Empire (Mesopotamia) collapse. Geology 47(12), 1141– 1145 (2019). DOI: 10.1130/G46604.1.

T.K.Watanabe et al., 2019a

Watanabe, T. K., Watanabe, T., Yamazaki, A., Pfeiffer, M., Garbe-Schonberg, D. & Claereboudt, M. R. Oman coral δ18O seawater record suggests that Western Indian Ocean upwelling uncouples from the Indian Ocean Dipole during the global-warming hiatus. Sci. Rep. 9, 1887 (2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-38429-y.

Watanabe et al., 2019

Watanabe, T., Watanabe, T. K., Yamazaki, A., Yoneta, S., Sowa, K., Sinniger, F., Eyal, G., Loya, Y. & Harii, S. Coral sclerochronology: similarities and differences in coral isotopic signatures between mesophotic and shallow-water reefs.In Coral Reefs of the World Series: Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems (eds. Loya, Y., Puglise, K. & Bridge, T.). Springer, Cham, vol. 12, pp. 667–681 (2019). DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-92735-0_36.

T.K.Watanabe et al., 2017

Watanabe, T. K., Watanabe, T., Yamazaki, A., Pfeiffer, M., Garbe-Schonberg, D. & Claereboudt, M. R. Past summer upwelling events in the Gulf of Oman derived from a coral geochemical record. Sci. Rep. 7, 4568 (2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-04865-5.

Kajita et al., 2017

Kajita, H., Yamazaki, A., Watanabe, T. K., Wu, C.-C., Shen, C.-C. & Watanabe, T. Holocene sea surface temperature variations recorded in corals from Kikai Island, Japan. Geochem. J. 51(4), e9–e14 (2017). DOI: 10.2343/geochemj.2.0482.

Nomura et al., 2017

Nomura, T., Sakaguchi, A., Steier, P., Eigl, R., Yamakawa, A., Watanabe, T., Sasaki, K., Watanabe, T., Golser, R. & Takahashi, Y. Reconstruction of the temporal distribution of 236U/238U in the Northwest Pacific Ocean using a coral core sample from the Kuroshio Current area. Mar. Chem. 190, 28–34 (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.marchem.2016.12.008.

Presentations (International Conference, as a first author)

Watanabe, T. K., Pfeiffer, M., Ito, S. Cahyarini, S. Y., Garbe-Schönberg, D. & Zinke, J. Corals reveal positive ocean-atmosphere feedbacks shaping tropical Indian Ocean climate. Ocean Sciences Meeting 2026. Glasgow, UK. February 2026 (poster). Accepted.

Watanabe, T. K., Pfeiffer, M., Yamazaki, A., Garbe-Schönberg, D., Hu, H.-M., Shen, C.-C., Ito, S. & Watanabe, T. Paleoclimate archives document an arduous life on the journey from Africa in the last interglacial era. Invited talk. Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2025. Chiba, Japan. May 2025 (Invited talk).

Watanabe, T. K., Pfeiffer, M., Nurhidayati, A. U., Garbe-Schönberg, D., Frick, D. A. & Cahyarini, S. Y. Coral growth response to multiple stressors: sediment runoff and heatwaves on the Tin Island of Belitung, Indonesia. European Coral Reef Symposium 2024. Napoli, Italy. July 2024 (poster).

Watanabe, T. K., Watanabe, T., Pfeiffer, M., Hu, H.-M., Shen, C.-C. & Yamazaki, A. Coral records support upwelling in the Arabian Sea is weakening during the current warming era, 15th International Coral Reef Symposium. Bremen, Germany. July 2022 (oral).

Watanabe, T. K., Watanabe, T., Yamazaki, A., Pfeiffer, M., Garbe-Schonberg, D. & Claereboudt, M. R. Omani coral record suggests that Western Indian Ocean upwelling uncouples from the Indian Ocean Dipole during the global-warming hiatus. PaleoENSO. Belitung, Indonesia. August 2019 (oral).

Watanabe, T. K. Coral records reveal that abrupt intensification in winter monsoon was the direct trigger of the Akkad empire collapse in 4 ka. 5th Young Reef Scientists Meeting. Munich, Germany. September 2018 (oral).

Watanabe, T. K., Watanabe, T., Yamazaki, A. & Pfeiffer, M. Coral records reveal that abrupt intensification in winter monsoon was the direct trigger of the Akkad empire collapse in 4 ka. European Geosciences Union assembly. Vienna, Austria. April 2018 (poster).

Watanabe, T. K., Watanabe, T., Yamazaki, A., Pfeiffer, M., Garbe-Schonberg, D. & Claereboudt, M. R. Global-warming hiatus triggered the inactive Indian Ocean Dipole. European Geosciences Union assembly. Vienna, Austria. April 2018 (poster).

Watanabe, T. K., Yamazaki, A., Pfeiffer, M., Shen, C.-C. & Watanabe, T. Indian monsoon reconstruction using fossil coral skeletons from Oman. GeoBremen. Bremen, Germany. September 2017 (poster).

Watanabe, T. K., Yamazaki, A., Pfeiffer, M., Shen, C.-C. & Watanabe, T. (2017) Indian Monsoon evolution during the last millennium, KIKAI international symposium for coral reef science 2017, Kagoshima, Japan. (August 2017)

Watanabe, T. K., Watanabe, T. Yamazaki, A., Pfeiffer, M., Garbe-Schönberg, D. & Claereboudt, M. R. (2015) High-resolution isotopic records in Oman corals: Indian Ocean Dipole reconstruction, KIKAI international symposium for coral reef sciences 2015, Kagoshima, Japan. (August 2015)

Watanabe, T. K., Watanabe, T., Eyal, G. & Loya, Y. Growth history recorded in skeletal stable isotopes in the mesophotic Porites coral from Gulf of Eilat, Red Sea. 13th International Coral Reef Symposium. Hawaii, USA. July 2016 (poster).

Watanabe, T. K., Watanabe, T., Yamazaki, A., Pfeiffer, M., Garbe-Schonberg, D. & Claereboudt, M. R. High-resolution Isotopic Records in Oman Corals: Indian Monsoon Climate Reconstruction. Asia Oceania Geosciences Society 11th Annual Meeting. Sapporo, Japan. July 2014 (poster).

Watanabe, T. K., Watanabe, T., Yamazaki A., Claereboudt, M., R. & Pfeiffer, M. (2014) High-resolution isotopic records in Oman corals: Indian Monsoon climate reconstruction, International Joint Workshop ‘‘Recent developments in Paleoenvironmental studies’’, Sapporo, Japan. February 2014 (poster).

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