Boetius, Antje, ed. (2015) RV SONNE Fahrtbericht / Cruise Report SO242-2 [SO242/2]: JPI OCEANS Ecological Aspects of Deep-Sea Mining, DISCOL Revisited, Guayaquil - Guayaquil (Equador), 28.08.-01.10.2015. . GEOMAR Report, N. Ser. 027 . GEOMAR Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung, Kiel, Germany, 552 pp. DOI 10.3289/GEOMAR_REP_NS_27_2015.

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Abstract

The scientific work during SO242/2 (28. August - 01. October 2015) was part of the
JPIO Pilot Action ‘Ecological Aspects of Deep-Sea Mining‘. The main goal was to
study the potential long-term ecological impact of anthropogenic disturbances on the
deep-sea floor from mining polymetallic Mn-nodules. The expedition SO242 built on
studies of the former German TUSCH projects (1989-1996) with four RV SONNE
cruises to the DISCOL Experimental Area in the Peru Basin, South Pacific (7°S,
88.5° W; 4150 m water depth) between 1989 and 1996 (DISCOL and ATESEPP
projects). The integrated ecological studies were carried out within and next to plough
tracks of the original DISCOL experiment 1989, which mimicked seafloor
disturbances similar to those occurring during nodule mining. Leg 242/2 extended the
investigations started during leg 242/1 with a focus on biogeochemical and biological
sampling and observations, including comparative studies of the composition of
benthic communities (all size classes) as well as of ecosystem functions
(remineralization rates, transfer of matter and energy in food webs, ecotoxicology). In
addition, observations were continued of the physicochemical characteristics of the
DEA, including the overlying benthic boundary layer. The nodule fields surrounding
the DEA were used as references for undisturbed areas. A large proportion of the
work was based on autonomous instruments and sensor modules that were deployed
by means of ROV and lander systems. In addition, ROV-manipulated and telemetryguided
instruments such as the Ocean Floor Observatory System were used for
targeted sampling and surveys. Food-web experiments including some small-scale
disturbances were carried out and sampled directly at the seafloor by the ROV.

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