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Extreme ecosystems studies in the deep ocean: technological developments

Objetivo

The aim of this proposal is the technological development of a specific instrumentation allowing the study of natural or accidentally perturbed ecosystems found in the deep ocean. These ecosystems are related to the emission of reduced fluids (cold seeps, hydrothermal vents), peculiar topographic structures (seamounts, deep corals), massive organic inputs (sunken woods) or to unpredictable events (pollution, earthquakes). Beside their insularity in the abyssal plain, the targeted ecosystems are characterised by patchy faunal distributions, unusual biological productivity, steep chemical and/or physical gradients, high perturbation levels and strong organism/habitat interactions at infra-metric scales. Their reduced size and unique biological composition and functioning make them difficult to study with conventional instrumentations deployed from surface vessels. Their study requires the use of submersibles able to work at reduced scales on the seafloor as well as the development of autonomous instruments for long-term monitoring (seafloor observatories). The general objective of EXOCET/D is to develop, implement and test specific instruments aimed at exploring, describing and quantifying biodiversity in deep-sea fragmented habitats and to identify links between community structure and environmental dynamics. Inboard experimental devices will complement the approach, enabling experiments on species physiology. The EXOCET/D working fields include: video and acoustic imagery, in site analysis of habitat chemical and physical components; quantitative sampling of organisms, in vivo experiments; 4D integration of multidisciplinary data; implementation on European deep-submersibles; validation during demonstration actions.

Tema(s)

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Convocatoria de propuestas

FP6-2002-GLOBAL-1
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Coordinador

INSTITUT FRANÇAIS DE RECHERCHE POUR L'EXPLOITATION DE LA MER'
Aportación de la UE
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Dirección
155 rue J.J. Rousseau
ISSY LES MOULINEAUX
Francia

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Participantes (12)