The research programme of Belgica campaign 2014/14 aimed at assessing the different biogeochemical processes controlling the carbon and nitrogen cycles in oligotrophic N.E. Atlantic waters. These cycles are essential components of the ‘biological Carbon Pump' by which part of atmospheric carbon dioxide is transferred to the ocean's interior. Our approach is based on the use of dual nitrate isotope measurements (natural abundance and enrichment experiments) to disentangle these various nitrogen processes in the marine environment, and in particular the process of diazotrophy by which atmospheric N2 is introduced into the oceanic fixed nitrogen reservoir. This input of ‘new' nitrogen should stand in balance with the denitrification process by which nitrogen is lost from the oceanic system. There are indications that the intensity as well as the geographical distribution of diazotrophic activity has been underestimated till date, in general. It is of particular interest to better document diazotrophic activity at latitudes of 38°N and northward, areas for which only few data are available. During the cruise we studied the different biogeochemical processes acting on the marine N-cycle, including N2 fixation, nitrate (NO3-), ammonium (NH4+) and nitrite (NO2-) uptake, nitrification, along a north-south section through the Gulf of Biscaye to Cape Finisterre and further south in open ocean waters along the Iberian peninsula till about 38°30'N. In addition, the effect of iron limitation on the nitrogen fixation and the nitrification processes was investigated.

Determinación de las variaciones diarias en la dieta de larvas de sardina

The objective of the DOS MARES project is twofold. First, we aim at understanding the effects of the atmospheric teleconnections between the Cantabrian Sea and the north-western Mediterranean Sea, and their impacts on the deep ecosystem, both pelagic and benthic. Second, we want to know in which way the transfer of the signal from the external forcings towards the deep ecosystem controls the community structure and the population dynamics. Thus, in March 2012 we deployed 6 mooring lines equipped with sediment traps and currentmeters in the Avilés and Gaviera canyons and the slope. In September 2012 the moorings were successfully recovered and redeployed again, and during this cruise DOSMARES BIOCANT3 they have been finally recovered and the 1-year monitoring effort finalised. In addition, CTD profiling has been performed to characterise the biological and physical structure of the water column (including the acquisition of discrete water samples), multicorers have been obtained to characterise the geochemical properties of surface sediments, and a multinet used to obtain macro- and meso-zooplankton community structure. Overall, data will allow to characterize the external forcings and abiotic conditions in the Cantabrian Sea, and thus establish the links between abiotic conditions, populations and pelagic and benthopelagic resources.

Multidisciplinary campaing for mooring instruments and adquiring samples and variables to: * Know the thermohaline, kinematic, dynamic and biological characteristics of the Gulf of Cadiz. * Study of carbon fluxes between the Atlantic and Mediterranean. * Linking climatology, hydrology and hydrodynamics and the early stages of development of the species associated with the platform, with a focus on species of fishing interest. * Provide data to feed global and regional numerical models. * Generate and distribute a database to know the evolution of marine climate and its resources.

The objective of the DOS MARES project is twofold. First, we aim at understanding the effects of the atmospheric teleconnections between the Cantabrian Sea and the north-western Mediterranean Sea, and their impacts on the deep ecosystem, both pelagic and benthic. Second, we want to know in which way the transfer of the signal from the external forcings towards the deep ecosystem controls the community structure and the population dynamics. Thus, in March 2012 we deployed 6 mooring lines equipped with sediment traps and currentmeters in the Avilés and Gaviera canyons and the slope. In September 2012 the moorings were successfully recovered and redeployed again, and during this cruise DOSMARES BIOCANT3 they have been finally recovered and the 1-year monitoring effort finalised. In addition, CTD profiling has been performed to characterise the biological and physical structure of the water column (including the acquisition of discrete water samples), multicorers have been obtained to characterise the geochemical properties of surface sediments, and a multinet used to obtain macro- and meso-zooplankton community structure. Overall, data will allow to characterize the external forcings and abiotic conditions in the Cantabrian Sea, and thus establish the links between abiotic conditions, populations and pelagic and benthopelagic resources.

Multidisciplinary campaing for mooring instruments and adquiring samples and variables to: * Know the thermohaline, kinematic, dynamic and biological characteristics of the Gulf of Cadiz. * Study of carbon fluxes between the Atlantic and Mediterranean. * Linking climatology, hydrology and hydrodynamics and the early stages of development of the species associated with the platform, with a focus on species of fishing interest. * Provide data to feed global and regional numerical models. * Generate and distribute a database to know the evolution of marine climate and its resources.

Multidisciplinary campaing for mooring instruments and adquiring samples and variables to: * Know the thermohaline, kinematic, dynamic and biological characteristics of the Gulf of Cadiz. * Study of carbon fluxes between the Atlantic and Mediterranean. * Linking climatology, hydrology and hydrodynamics and the early stages of development of the species associated with the platform, with a focus on species of fishing interest. * Provide data to feed global and regional numerical models. * Generate and distribute a database to know the evolution of marine climate and its resources.

The EU funded MIDAS RTD project (7th FP, gran agreement 603418) overarching objective is to determine the impact of deep-sea mining on deep marine ecosystems. To investigate the behaviour and the effects of heavy metal rich resuspended sediment plumes over benthic organisms and ecosystems, the University of Barcelona coordinates a plume generation and monitoring experiment in the bay of Portman, SE of Spain, where millions of tones of metal rich mine tails from onshore mines were dumped from 1957 to 1990. Prior to the seafloor disturbance experiment to generate the plumes, a careful mapping of the study area, and in particular of the area covered by the mine tails deposit was carried out. Two vessels are used for the disturbance experiment. The first vessel generates the plumes by bottom trawling, while the second one monitors the plume evolution through time with a variety of sensors, including acoustics. Moorings with sediment traps, current-meters, mussel ropes and baited traps are deployed in and around the seafloor area disturbed by the trawler.

Multidisciplinary campaing for mooring instruments and adquiring samples and variables to: * Know the thermohaline, kinematic, dynamic and biological characteristics of the Gulf of Cadiz. * Study of carbon fluxes between the Atlantic and Mediterranean. * Linking climatology, hydrology and hydrodynamics and the early stages of development of the species associated with the platform, with a focus on species of fishing interest. * Provide data to feed global and regional numerical models. * Generate and distribute a database to know the evolution of marine climate and its resources.

Multidisciplinary campaing for mooring instruments and adquiring samples and variables to: * Know the thermohaline, kinematic, dynamic and biological characteristics of the Gulf of Cadiz. * Study of carbon fluxes between the Atlantic and Mediterranean. * Linking climatology, hydrology and hydrodynamics and the early stages of development of the species associated with the platform, with a focus on species of fishing interest. * Provide data to feed global and regional numerical models. * Generate and distribute a database to know the evolution of marine climate and its resources.