MALASPINA_LEG6 Cruise, RV Hespérides

Abstract

A circumnavigation oceanographic expedition to generate a high resolution inventory of global change impact on the ecosystem of the ocean, researching its biodiversity in the deep. 1) PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY: The main objective of the Physical Oceanography block is to contribute to understanding the oceanic variability by determining the trends of the different properties of the main bodies of water in the oceans, such as temperature, salinity and oxygen concentration, thus will allow us to determine the variation of atmospheric conditions. 2) BIOCHEMISTRY: The MALASPINA 2010 expedition will study on an unprecedented scale the biogeochemical processes in the ocean on a global scale. It will be investigated where the elements that contribute to life near the surface come from, and what is the fate of the organic matter generated by photosynthesis . The breath of the sea will be measured: the exhalation of gases that conditions our atmosphere and climate. 3) ATMOSPHERIC DEPOSITION: The objectives of block : "organic pollutants and atmospheric deposition" focus on the measurements of the levels of several families of organic pollutants in the global ocean and atmosphere and the quantification of air-ocean flows and their impact on food chains planktonics (phytoplankton and zooplankton). In addition, a characterization and quantification of the flows of organic carbon, aerosols, nutrients and organic biogenic compounds, and the role they play in the ocean biogeochemical cycles will also be carried out. 4) OCEAN OPTICS: In the Malaspina expedition we are going to study the optics of the ocean that involves measuring mainly the color of water and its transparency to solar radiation. 5) BIODIVERSITY AND MICROBIAL PROCESSES: Our main objective is to investigate, to know, what microorganisms are found and how they are acting in the different oceans of the planet, placing special emphasis on the vast and practically unknown deep ocean. 6) ZOOPLANKTON: The objective of this thematic block is to assess the diversity and efficiency of the energy transfer of the ocean zooplankton community on a global scale. 7)PHYTOPLANKTON AND BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTION: Quantify how solar radiation is transmitted through the water column. The behavior of the photosynthetically active light band, which includes visible light of wavelengths between 400 and 700, and of bands of light in the ultraviolet zone will be studied separately. Quantify the magnitude of the organic matter (in particulate and dissolved form) synthesized by the photosynthetic phytoplankton (the so-called primary production or PP), Quantify the carbon consumed by the respiration of the pelagic community, from the surface to the deepest levels of the water column) and compare it with the PP of the different areas visited, - Study the structure of sizes and the distribution by groups of the phytoplankton communities, Evaluate how phytoplankton growth rates vary in response to changes in PAR intensity, ultraviolet radiation and temperature, Estimate the losses due to cell death 8) POPULAR SCIENCE: The Malaspina project has among its objectives to inform society about the impact of global change on the ocean and new opportunities to explore marine biodiversity, increase social awareness of the original Malaspina expedition and encourage scientific vocations among young people 9) STUDENT TRAINING: The Malaspina 2010 project aims to promote scientific vocations among our young people by providing a highly visible activity that will combine aspects of frontier research with an adventure component and attractive teamwork as a training framework. Six universities (U. de Barcelona, ​​U. de Granada, U. de Oviedo, U. de Cádiz, U. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and U. Internacional Menéndez Pelayo and the CSIC) have come together to offer a common module in their postgraduate programs that will offer students the opportunity to participate in the Malaspina Expedition to develop their postgraduate project. PARTICIPANTS: IACT, CSIC-ICM, CSIC-IIM, CSIC-CID, CACYTMAR, IHM, ROA, IEO, UB, UCA, UGR, ULL, UMA, UO, UVIGO, UPV, ULPGC, UIPM