Aboard the Merian we are investigating the entire food web off Madeira. This includes all water depths and therefore all ocean habitats. The different trophic levels range from tiny algae, called phytoplankton, to the large predatory fish that hardly have to worry about being hunted. The diversity of fish in the Eastern Atlantic is huge […]
Anton and I have just brought CTD cast number 45 to light. While we are once again shaking freshly tapped bottles with great enthusiasm, I think I can make out question marks in Jamileh’s expression as she smiles good morning to us. That’s what everyone here seems to be thinking: 45 CTD casts already? And […]
We explore the entire tree of life on the research vessel MARIA S. MERIAN: animals, algae, bacteria, and viruses. The cruise focuses on the food web and ocean biodiversity. However, some animals, especially hunters such as squid and whales, are too big, fast or camera-shy for our instruments. To detect these top predators, we search […]
Exciting plankton creatures have been making their way into the laboratories on board RV Merian since we left Funchal almost two weeks ago. Several scientists and engineers from German, Portuguese and US institutions set up shop in the chemistry, dry and deck labs on the main deck to prepare for plankton sampling and analysis. Since […]
Seit wir vor fast zwei Wochen Funchal verlassen haben, sind aufregende Planktonlebewesen in die Labore an Bord der MARIA S. MERIAN gekommen. Mehrere Wissenschaftler:innen und Ingenieur:innen aus deutschen, portugiesischen und US-amerikanischen Einrichtungen haben sich im Chemie-, Trocken- und Deckslabor auf dem Hauptdeck niedergelassen, um sich auf die Probennahme und -analyse von Plankton vorzubereiten. Seitdem hat […]
“Which species are there?”, “Where are they in the water column and why?”, “Who eats whom?” – These and other seemingly simple questions remain largely unanswered for the deep sea, the largest and least explored habitat for life on Earth. At the same time, climate change and increasing human exploitation are putting pressure on this […]
Embarking on the Meteor cruise CYRTACI was a journey that we, a group of early-career researchers and students, looked forward to very much. This blogpost will give an insight into our pre-cruise expectations and our actual experiences. Our expectations were a mixture of curiosity and uncertainty, as we were looking forward to doing some science […]
When it comes to roles at sea that bridge deck operations and the science team, every ship needs a Flo. Meet Florian Evers, the marine core technician in the geology division at Geomar Kiel. Originally a sport-boat technician, Flo took a leap a decade ago to apply for a position as a marine equipment technician […]
Bright sunshine, intense thunderstorms, storms up to wind force 9 – the weather during the CYRTACI journey M195 is diverse and varied. Observant eyes even witnessed mirages and waterspouts, not to mention colorful rainbows, sunrises, and sunsets, especially captivating due to the mostly unobstructed sea horizon. Seafaring and weather are traditionally closely intertwined. The success […]
Ever pondered a career that takes you from the vastness of the sea to the stability of land? While the image of a ship’s captain may be the first that comes to mind, the maritime world is teeming with diverse possibilities and even a captain’s journey can be full of adventurous detours. Meet Rainer Hammacher, […]