Research institutes from Bremen install new Arctic deep-sea o...( Three research institutes from the G...)

Three research institutes from the German federal state Bremen among others have set up an observation ward for the long-term observation of a mud volcano in the Norwegian deep sea. This took place during RV Polarstern's 24th Arctic expedition from July 10th until August 3rd. The endeavours are part of the project ESONET (European Seas Observatory NETwork), funded by the European Union. Its purposes are to provide information about the dynamics of gas eruptions in the next years and to show the consequences of these eruptions, for example on the biological communities on the seafloor. Another investigation area was the deep sea ecosystem west of Spitsbergen, the so-called "Hausgarten" of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research in the Helmholtz Association. 50 researchers from seven nations participated in the research activities on board of Polarstern.

The Fram Strait between eastern Greenland and Spitsbergen is the only deep sea connection between the North Atlantic and the central Arctic Ocean. The Hausgarten is situated here and the Alfred Wegener Institute is conducting long-term observations at this observatory since 1999. The observatory consists of 16 separate stations from 1.000 to 5.500 m depth. The researchers are able to discern considerable changes after a decade of systematic research. The water temperature in 2.500 m depth has increased by a tenth degree Celsius, for example. There is first evidence that the oxygen saturation has decreased at the boundary layer between seafloor and water and that the composition of the animal community has changed quicker than expected. "Whether we really observe consequences of rapid change in the Arctic in several thousand metres of water depth, or if we are witnesses to natural changes taking place over several decades will be seen after the analysis of our data and further research", says Dr. Michael Klages, biologist at the Alfred Wegener Institute and scientific head of the expedi
'/>"/>