Porcupine - ESONET, a Network of Excellence

CeltNet
CeltNet
A long-term observatory for global change
and hotspot ecosystems
Olaf Pfannkuche , KDM/IFM-GEOMAR
Galway
Porcupine
Bank
Celtic Sea
Porcupine Seabight
Goban Spur
Porcupine
Abyssal Plain
Canyon
CeltNet
Source : ESONET /ESONIM
The western European continental margin and adjacent abyssal plain is a
research focus since the 1980ties until today.
It is one of the most studied deep water areas of the world.
http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis
The NE Atlantic exhibits a pronounced
seasonality in plankton production with
profound feed backs on the biology,
biogeochemistry and CO2 draw down
capacity.
Atmosphere surface ocean coupling influences ocean productivity
Deep winter mixing determines
new production.
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Latitudinal gradient of
deep winter mixing
Dynamic pelagic-benthic coupling
Lampitt,NOC
Deposition of
Phyto-detritus is
extremely variable
in time and
quantity.
April
February
June
December
October
August
The development of
the spring phytoplankton
bloom can result in massive
phyto-detritus deposition
on the abyssal sea floor.
Lampitt,NOC
Evidence of a faunal shift: Megabenthos changes on the
abyssal seafloor at PAP
Plankton composition creates specific biochemical signatures
Large-scale
phytoplankton blooms
Complex mixtures
diatoms, dinos, coccos,
zooplankton
OM flux carries a
unique biochemical
signature
Phytodetritus
Faunal response
ANIMATE: Atlantic Network of Interdisciplinary Moorings and Time-series for Europe
ANIMATE started December 2001 under EU FP5 program and
continues under FP6 supported by MERSEA and
CARBOOCEAN.
Real-time and delayed-mode data on:
pCO2, Chlorophyll, nutrients, water column physics and
downward particle flux.
Data are available from: www//noc.soton.ac.uk/animate
and placed on web site every 2 hours for real time data or after
QC for delayed mode data.
Water column multidisciplinary science at PAP since 2002:
The PSB slope exhibits a large variety of geo-morphological features
such as canyons and carbonate mounds
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Henriet et al. (1998)
Carbonate mounds
represent ecosystem
hotspots.
Living cold water coral
reefs are a prominent
feature.
Galway Mound: Time series observations with lander observatories
Time lapse camera: film
RV Meteor 61-1
25. April 2004
sediment trap
ADCP up-ward looking
ADCP down-ward looking
Variability of chemical and physical water mass properties at carbonate mounds
Salinity, temperature, density, and
dissolved oxygen in the Belgica
Mound Province.
SW = Surface Water
ENAW = Eastern North Atlantic Water
MOW = Mediterranean Outflow Water
Seasonal variability of
T/S characteristics in the
zone of coral occurrence.
TS-plot of all investigated sites in The
N-Atlantic. Dashed lines indicate
levels of isodensity.
Grey patches show habitats of living
cold-water corals.
The lower limit is confined by the
Intermediate Salinity Maximum (ISM)
corresponding to MOW at the Celtic
margin.
The upper boundary is characterized
by the water mass boundaries of
ENAW/MOW.
Human impact
Celtic margin: Otter trawling
destroys ecoystems
What other hazards are created?
e.g. slumps, slides…
Significance of the Celtic Margin/PAP as an European window to the NE Atlantic
Occurrence of all important deep-water habitats (except seeps) in a confined
area.
¾ High habitat diversity and biodiversity.
¾ Is located in a key area, where global changes will manifest rapidly:
Atmospheric forcing, carbon dioxide draw down, currents, productivity,
biogeochemical cycles, plankton and benthic biota, fish stocks.
¾ Harbours ecosystem with high indicator potential, dynamically responding to
environmental changes (e.g. aphotic corals).
¾ Growing human impact, economic interest, high anthropogenic disturbance
potential.
¾ Strong demands for environmental protection, foundations of MPAs by
nature conservation stakeholder.
CeltNet
- GLOBAL OCEAN
GLOBAL CHANGE
The Role of the North Atlantic in CO2 draw down.
The Carbon Cycle
Environmental Hotspots
Biodiversity
Hazards (Tsunamis)
Human impact
NEW DISCOVERIES
What are we going to monitor?
CeltNet
Climate change as reflected in:
- coral biota response;
- other key biota response;
- biodiversity changes;
- productivity changes (plankton, nekton benthos);
- biogeochemical changes (proxies);
- variation in deep water masses (salinity, temperature, current speed &
direction);
- variation in water masses (integrity of the North Atlantic Current,
Mediterranean Water);
- changes in atmospheric forcing (e.g. NAO impact).
Anthropogenic impact as reflected in:
- coral biota response;
- biodiversity and habitat changes;
- occurrence and distribution of pollutants;
…
more to be added after our discussions at Barcelona