We analyzed concentrations of dissolved and particulate trace metals, including iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), vanadium (V), molybdenum (Mo), thallium (Tl), and rare earth elements (REE), during a mesocosm-based phytoplankton summer bloom mimicking the intertidal zone of the southern North Sea (Jade Bay). The studies aimed to identify key drivers controlling their biogeochemical cycling in dynamic, high-productivity coastal environments. Our results highlight the tidally influenced coastal zone as a critical interface that alters the behavior of supposedly conservative elements such as Mo and Tl (Mori et al., 2021) as well as natural and anthropogenic REE (incl., lanthanum, samarium, and gadolinium) (Mori et al., under review). Trace metal concentrations and shale-normalized REE patterns, determined by quadrupole inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), were combined with biogeochemical bulk parameters and pigment-based assessments of phytoplankton growth and community composition (Mustaffa et al., 2020). Trace metal and REE cycling were evaluated in relation to phytoplankton dynamics, particulate organic matter composition (C, N, P), dissolved organic carbon, total dissolved nitrogen, and macronutrient concentrations (nitrate, ammonium, silicate, and inorganic phosphate). The dataset was obtained during a Planktotron-based mesocosm experiment conducted within the framework of the Coastal Ocean Darkening project (Mustaffa et al., 2020).