BUSCADOR RECOLECTA

INDEMARES-6 Cruise (29GD20120626) carried out on the Research Vessel García del Cid in 2012, To study the benthic communities of the Cap de Creus canyon and the Menorca channel.Up to 5 ROV dives per day were made. In each immersion, images were recorded and organisms were collected in some, such as the Chyronephthia mediterranea alicial. The duration of the dives ranged between 45 minutes and 3 hours approximately. There were 32 transects in the Menorca Channel, of which 3 were unsuccessful due to technical problems with the ROV. The "benthic ripper" epibenthic skate was used, which allows to make video transects and, in turn, to sample benthic organisms. This device has the advantage that it can be maneuvered from a motorboat so it did not cause any kind of interference with the activities carried out on the deck. With this instrument, relatively shallow areas between 85 and 110 meters deep were explored, with diverse substrates (maërl, coarse sands, low rock). This instrument proved to be very efficient in the sampling of erect organisms, such as sponges of the Haliclona genus and different species of gorgonia. In order to characterize the water column at a physical-chemical level and the seasonal heterotrophic plankton population within (39.8441 - 4.0228) and outside (39.8165 - 3.9098) of the Son Bou canyon, CTD profiles were made and collected samples of water and plankton in points previously sampled in INDEMARES 3, 4 and 5 campaigns. At each sampling point, four zooplankton diurnal catches and four nocturnal zooplankton catches were made. In order to study the biogeochemical characteristics of the sediment, associated with the soft bottom communities, a total of 14 sets of Box Corer were made in the Menorca Channel, of which 6 were valid. This maneuver was carried out at dusk, once all activities on deck had ceased. This activity began around 9 in the evening and lasted until 11 in the morning of the following day. The exposure of the sediment to light should be minimized as, otherwise, the pigments and other molecules degraded. This campaign was the most productive of all. In fact, ROV transects were performed on both the northern flank and the southern flank of the Canal. On the deep shelf of the canal a very diverse sponges community was found that occupied a large part of the adjoining areas of the Cap de Formentor. Many of the species observed have recently been described as maërl funds of the Canal de Sicília. Also noteworthy is the presence of a community of soft bottoms dominated by the sponge Thenea muricata and the penatulaceo Virgularia mirabilis, the uniqueness of this sponge is that it is usually found in batial zonesn the dives carried out on the deep platform, on the northern flank, there were fine sand backgrounds dominated by pennatulaceae (Virgularia mirabilis), alcyonators and the sponge Thenea muricata. While in those that were made in the deep platform of the south flank were observed bottoms of sands of variable thickness dominated mainly by the crinoid Leptometra phalangium and / or the brachiopod Gryphus vitreus. The shallow platform of both flanks of the channel was dominated by thick sands and rhodoliths in these zones the sponge Haliclona mediterranea was the dominant species. The transects made in the slope diverged a lot from each other. The transects made to the south of the channel, on the flanks of the Son Bou canyon, were dominated by mixed substrates, composed of coarse sands, gravel and small blocks. These transects were dominated by the alternating Chyronephtia mediterranea (in process of description) and the gorgonia Swiftia pallida. Occasionally an antipaterican of the species Antipathes dichotoma was observed. The transects carried out to the north of the channel in the vicinity of Cape Formentor determined that these areas were dominated by different species of gorgonian (Viminella flagellum, Eunicella sp. Callogorgia verticillata) and different species of antipatharians (Parantipathes larix, Antipathes dichotoma, Leiopathes glaberrima)

FISHJELLY-II_LEG2 Cruise (29GD20120712) carried out on the Research Vessel García del Cid in 2012, Effects of jellyfish proliferations in the northwestern Mediterranean: Study of the biological interactions between fish and jellyfish and their ecological implications

IBERIA-FORAMS Cruise (29GD20120910) carried out on the Research Vessel García del Cid in 2012, The Iberia-Forams cruise on R/V Garcia del Cid started in Vigo (Spain) on September 10th, 2012 and ended in Huelva (Spain) in the morning of September 16th, 2012. Along the cruise track CTD profiles and seawater samples were collected at 12 stations. Multiple opening closing plankton net (Multi-Net) hauls for plankton ecology studies were performed at 10 of those stations. At stations 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, and 12 an additional Multi-Net haul was executed to retrieved planktonic foraminifers for molecular phylogeny studies. Multi-sensor CTD profiles were done until close to the seafloor (depth range of 324 – 2559 m). Measured parameters include temperature, pressure, salinity, flourescence, oxygen content, and turbidity. The seawater samples, collected primarily for stable isotope analyses, cover the complete water column and sample all the water masses identified at the respective station. Thermocline and flourescence maxima depths encountered during the cruise were relative shallow and indicate that none of the stations sampled an upwelling event . Seawater samples from the upper 300 m were filtered to collect coccolithophorids. For all seawater samples the pH was determined as onboard measurement

IMPACT Cruise (29GD20120916) carried out on the Research Vessel García del Cid in 2012, The interest of this proposal is the effect long periods of bottom trawling on deep, soft sediment bottoms. Otter trawling in the slope of the Southwest and South coast of Portugal (200- 800m) has continuous over the last 60 yr. Numerous studies have focused on the effects of trawling on the bottom, most of them directed at the effects on hard bottoms where the disturbance to the biogenic structures (i.e. corals) is more dramatic. Few studies are dedicated to changes induced on muddy bottoms and even fewer to the effects on muddy, deep water grounds. Systems where natural disturbances are less frequent (such as deep muddy bottoms) tend to be more susceptible to changes and take longer to recover, than shallower and/or sandy. Persistent trawling has effects on the sediment structure, oxygenation, POM, as well as on diversity and abundance of bottom communities. Bottom crustacean trawling produces a diverse catch of fish and invertebrate species, from which only a few are of commercial interest, producing very high levels of by-catch (50-90% of total weight caught). Most of these organisms fall on the bottom in the general area where they were caught. The food subsidies provided by rejections at sea influence the dynamics of small bottom scavengers, the main organism involved in the quick consumption of this unnatural food supply. The main objective of this proposal is to evaluate the effects of continued trawling on deep muddy grounds, by studying indicators of the direct impact of the trawling activity (geochemical properties of the sediment, endo and sessile epifauna). The hypothesis that trawling favours scavengers will also be tested. These objectives will be reached by comparing towed and untowed stations in the following aspects: a) Bottom structure (physical + bio structures); b) Sediment properties (grain size, OC, calcium carbonate, OM - biomarkers); c) Species diversity + biomass (microfossils, epif + endofauna (macro meio + micro), small scavengers.Work to be done on boars includes sampling in specific sites and the seafloor mapping of the general area of interest, and was organized in the following tasks: a) Seafloor mapping b) Video recordings c) CTD profiling d) Current profiling e) Plankton sampling f) Sediment sampling g) Trap fishing

DOSMARES-BIOMED-2 Cruise (29GD20121005) carried out on the Research Vessel García del Cid in 2012, The general objective of the project is twofold. In the first place, the aim is to understand the effects of the existing teleconnections between the Cantabrian Sea and the North-Western Mediterranean Sea and their impacts on the deep ecosystem, both pelagic and benthic. And second, to know how the transfer of the signal from external forcings to the deep ecosystem determines the structure of the community and population dynamics, thus affecting the living resources of greater commercial interest. We understand that there is no precedent in marine science research in Spain with the approach and geographic scope of the DOS MARES project. The project is organized around three Activity Axes (1: Characterization of external forcings and abiotic conditions, 2: Relationship between abiotic conditions, populations and pelagic and bentopelagic resources, and 3: Relationship between abiotic conditions, populations and benthic resources) and identifies two work areas: the submarine canyons of Avilés and de Blanes, in the Bay of Biscay and in the Mediterranean, respectively, and the adjacent continental slopes. From the physical point of view, the effect of external forcings and transfers of matter and energy to the deep ecosystem will be investigated synchronically in both areas. From the biological point of view, research in the Cantabrian ecosystem and the associated living resources (including bentopelagic species such as M. merluccius) will be prioritized in the Bay of Biscay, while research in the benthic ecosystem and associated living resources will be prioritized in the Mediterranean. It is expected that the project will generate strong synergies among the participating groups and that it will be highly beneficial for the comprehensive knowledge of the seas surrounding the Iberian Peninsula. Specific works: -Anchoring of two instrumental lines at 1000 depth in the Blanes Canyon and in the Palamós Canyon --Multicores in the canyons of Blanes, Palamós and possibly in the Cap de Creus -Agassiz and Suprabentonic net fishing. -CTD: basically in the indicated positions of the anchorages

TOSCA Cruise (29GD20121025) carried out on the Research Vessel García del Cid in 2012, Tracking oil spills and coastal awareness.The proposed campaign aims to establish the hydrodynamic conditions in the southern area of ​​the Sea Balear with four fundamental objectives: i) validate the 3D fields obtained by a system of operational prediction, ii) validate the algorithms developed to obtain the fields superficial measured by the HF radar of the SOCIB; iii) study with buoy data "in situ"derived from the group requesting turbulent dispersion on the surface and iv) validating the measures and algorithms developed for the periodic, continuous and autonomous sampling carried out in the Ibiza channel a deepwater glidder of the Department of Marine Technologies of the IMEDEA An attached CTD campaign is requested as well as the ADCP

DOSMARES-BIOMED-3 Cruise (29GD20130405) carried out on the Research Vessel García del Cid in 2013, The general objective of the project is twofold. In the first place, the aim is to understand the effects of the existing teleconnections between the Cantabrian Sea and the North-Western Mediterranean Sea and their impacts on the deep ecosystem, both pelagic and benthic. And second, to know how the transfer of the signal from external forcings to the deep ecosystem determines the structure of the community and population dynamics, thus affecting the living resources of greater commercial interest. We understand that there is no precedent in marine science research in Spain with the approach and geographic scope of the DOS MARES project. The project is organized around three Activity Axes (1: Characterization of external forcings and abiotic conditions, 2: Relationship between abiotic conditions, populations and pelagic and bentopelagic resources, and 3: Relationship between abiotic conditions, populations and benthic resources) and identifies two work areas: the submarine canyons of Avilés and de Blanes, in the Bay of Biscay and in the Mediterranean, respectively, and the adjacent continental slopes. From the physical point of view, the effect of external forcings and transfers of matter and energy to the deep ecosystem will be investigated synchronically in both areas. From the biological point of view, research in the Cantabrian ecosystem and the associated living resources (including bentopelagic species such as M. merluccius) will be prioritized in the Bay of Biscay, while research in the benthic ecosystem and associated living resources will be prioritized in the Mediterranean. It is expected that the project will generate strong synergies among the participating groups and that it will be highly beneficial for the comprehensive knowledge of the seas surrounding the Iberian Peninsula. Specific works: -Anchoring of two instrumental lines at 1000 depth in the Blanes Canyon and in the Palamós Canyon --Multicores in the canyons of Blanes, Palamós and possibly in the Cap de Creus -Agassiz and Suprabentonic net fishing. -CTD: basically in the indicated positions of the anchorages

GEOMARGEN-2 Cruise (29GD20130509) carried out on the Research Vessel García del Cid in 2013, Study of leaks of gaseous fluids on the coast of Tunissia

FORMED-1 Cruise (29GD20130715) carried out on the Research Vessel García del Cid in 2013, Study the continental shelf and upper slope bottom forms.Specific works Multibeam bathymetry, high resolution seismic (sparker), realization of CTD profiles and sediment sampling with multicore.The FORMED project proposes to characterize the large scale (> 1 m) bottom forms of the Spanish Mediterranean continental margin from the study of its morphology and the current processes that intervene in its formation and evolution.In parallel, it is proposed the monitoring of hydrodynamic processes and sediment transport in the bottom boundary layer to study wave-current processes potentially associated with dunes in the coastal area (delta del Ebro), internal waves related to "sediment waves" of prodelta (prodelta del Llobregat), internal waves as a potential generator mechanism of "sediment waves" in the continental slope (Gulf of Valencia) and the measurement of deep contornitic currents as a potential mechanism to explain the deep "sediment waves" (North of Menorca ). The analysis of the interaction between bottom shapes and hydrodynamic forcings is complemented by the application of sediment transport models and the formation of bottom shapes and with hydraulic channel tests. Finally, in the areas of the Ebro delta and Cabo de Palos, the bottom forms are analyzed as specific habitats, characterized by their communities and benthic habitats, and applications for the cartography of habitats integrating physical, geological and biological data are proposed, such as a utility tool in the management of the marine environment

FORMED-2 Cruise (29GD20131014) carried out on the Research Vessel García del Cid in 2013, Study the continental shelf and upper slope bottom forms from anchorage oceanographic instrumentation ,sediment sampling and multibeam bathymetry.Specific works:equipment anchoring, multibeam bathymetry, CTD profiling and sediment sampling with multicore.The FORMED project proposes to characterize the large scale (> 1 m) bottom forms of the Spanish Mediterranean continental margin from the study of its morphology and the current processes that intervene in its formation and evolution.In parallel, it is proposed the monitoring of hydrodynamic processes and sediment transport in the bottom boundary layer to study wave-current processes potentially associated with dunes in the coastal area (delta del Ebro), internal waves related to "sediment waves" of prodelta (prodelta del Llobregat), internal waves as a potential generator mechanism of "sediment waves" in the continental slope (Gulf of Valencia) and the measurement of deep contornitic currents as a potential mechanism to explain the deep "sediment waves" (North of Menorca ). The analysis of the interaction between bottom shapes and hydrodynamic forcings is complemented by the application of sediment transport models and the formation of bottom shapes and with hydraulic channel tests. Finally, in the areas of the Ebro delta and Cabo de Palos, the bottom forms are analyzed as specific habitats, characterized by their communities and benthic habitats, and applications for the cartography of habitats integrating physical, geological and biological data are proposed, such as a utility tool in the management of the marine environment