Plattform Platform	Reise-Nr. Cruise-No.	Zeitraum Period	Projekt Project	Arbeitsgebiet Working area
Heincke	HE419	02.04.2014 - 13.04.2014		North Sea

Fahrtleiter Chief Scientist	Institut Institute	Auslaufhafen Port of departure	Einlaufhafen Port of return	Stationskarte Station map	Schiffsroute Trackchart
Gutow Lars	Alfred-Wegener-Institut fur Polar- und Meeresforschung	Bremerhaven	Bremerhaven

Ziel der Reise / Objectives of Cruise:

Aim of the cruise North Sea benthos ecological research of the AWI is based on two major approaches: long-term ecological research and geo-referenced ecological modeling. The core of these approaches is (1) a continuous long-term ecological research program initiated 1969 and (2) an extensive data base on benthos ecological and environmental data. The aim of the research cruise in spring 2014 was to conduct the annual sampling of the benthic long-term ecological research program and to fill spatial gaps in the benthos-ecological database. We planned to sample the benthic in- and epifauna of the German Bight. Additionally, site specific sedimentological and hydrographic background data should be collected that will help explain observed spatial and temporal variation of benthic communities in the German North Sea. Implementation At each of four benthic ecological long-term stations five sediment samples were taken with a 0.1 m² van Veen grab to analyse the local benthic infaunal communities. The samples were sieved through a 500 ?m sieve. A subsample from the fifth sample was taken to analyse local sedimentological parameters and the bottom temperature was measured. The retained organisms were fixed in 4 % BORAX-buffered formalin. Quantitative (abundance, biomass), taxonomical and sedimentological analysis of the samples will be conducted in the AWI laboratory after the cruise. At each of the 101 benthos stations 3 sediment samples were taken with the same grab. The samples were sieved through a 1000 ?m sieve. The retained organisms were fixed for later analysis in the laboratory. A fourth sample at each station provided a subsample that was used to analyse the local sedimentological conditions and the bottom temperature. At each station the benthic epifauna was sampled with a 2 m beam trawl (mesh size: 1 cm) which was trawled for 10 min at a speed of 2-3 knots. The organisms were determined immediately onboard, counted and weighed. At sensitive reef stations a 1 m benthos dredge was used instead of the beam trawl. Vertical CTD-profiles were recorded at selected stations. In addition to the originally program we quantified anthropogenic litter caught with the beam trawl at each station and used the transitions between the benthos stations for counting floating anthropogenic litter items at the sea surface.

Messungen / Measurements

Verankerungen / Moorings