PROMETEO-1 Cruise, RV García del Cid

Abstract

Integrated Study of deep Canyons and Slopes of the Western MEDITERRANEAN: an essential habitat.To investigate the impact on the bathyal populations of meio-, macro- and megafauna, and in particular on the deep red shrimp Aristeus antennatus, of the events of massive transport of sediment and fresh organic matter towards the deep margin and basin associated to cold water cascading from the shelf, the implications of which have recently been described by Canals et al. (Nov. 2006) in Nature.The combination of abiotic and biotic factors make the canyons and deep slopes of the Western Mediterranean essential habitats in which occur well structured communities characterized by a clear faunal zonation and trophic web of low energetic level. This fragile equilibrium is highly vulnerable to anthropogenic and natural perturbations (Canal et al, 2006) focused by the submarine canyons.The investigated area has been the submarine Blanes Canyon.The sampling of benthic megafauna was carried out with both an Otter-Trawl Maireta System (OTMS) and an Agassiz trawl, over the same trawling lanes.Physical oceanographic data were obtained six mooring lines were deployed between 900 and 1500 m of water depth from November 2008 to November 2009 inside the Blanes Canyon and on the adjacent open slope to the south. Each mooring line was equipped with a Technicap PPS3/3 sequential sediment trap and an Aanderaa RCM-8/9 current meter placed 30 m above the bottom Temperature and salinity data were sampled using CTD SBE 911 casts performed over the mooring sites during the different oceanographic cruises