SONNE SO242/2

The work is extending the investigations started during leg 242/1 with a modified focus and using other methods. The main aim is to characterize and quantify effects of anthropogenic disturbances – as they may occur in the context of deep-sea mining – on deep-sea ecosystems. The focus of the investigations is on the composition of benthic communities (mainly mega-, meio-, and megafauna) as well as on ecosystem functions (biogeochemical processes, transfer of matter and energy in food webs, ecotoxicology). In addition, observations of physico-chemical characteristics of seafloor habitats and the overlying benthic boundary layer are carried out. Investigations are performed at stations that were subject to different levels of disturbance during the DISCOL experiment 1989. A large proportion of the work will be based on autonomous instruments that are deployed by means of GEOMAR's ROV KIEL 6000 and lander systems. In addition, ROV-manipulated and ship-based instruments are used for targeted sampling and surveys. Besides, experiments and small-scale disturbances are carried out and sampled directly at the seafloor by means of ROV.