CE19008 MOnitoring CHAnge in Submarine CANyon Coral Habitats (MoCha_SCan) Leg 1North East Atlantic Ocean 2019

This 11 day survey led by University College Cork took place in May 2019 on board the RV Celtic Explorer in the North West Atlantic Ocean off the continental shelf. This survey focused on the maiden deployment of a number of novel, ROV-adapted lander systems in the Porcupine Bank Canyon (PBC) coral habitats, NE Atlantic. Cold water corals (CWCs) flourish on the Irish-Atlantic margin between 600 and 100 m water depth, where they form a number of structural habitat types (coral reefs, mounds and gardens). Recent research shows that deep water habitats, including CWC habitats on the Irish margin, may be impacted by recent environmental change. The main objectives of this survey are: a) to deploy 8 new lander systems within a range of coral habitats throughout the PBC; b) to complete mapping coverage within the PBC; c) to sample the coral, sediment and ambient watermass around the lander sites and; d) to sample particulate organic matter around key coral habitats. Data recorded via landers from each habitat will allow to determine the controls on habitat variability. Furthermore, this data can be used as a baseline to which later deployments at this site will be used to compare against. Completed canyon coverage will feed into a number of multiscale mapping projects including the H2020 project “Integrated Assessment of Atlantic Marine Ecosystems in Space and Time” (iATLANTIC) and the SFI-, GSI- and MI-funded “Mapping, Modelling and Monitoring Key Processes and Controls on Cold Water Coral Habitats in Submarine Canyons” (MMMonKey_Pro) programme. Video data will be used to characterise key coral habitat within the canyon and subsequesntly, HD DEM’s will be generated as a central dataset for the multiscale projects listed above. 1. To define high-resolution (1 - 20 m) temporal and spatial distribution of benthic boundary layer hydrodynamics processes influencing the canyon and associated habitats over a 3 month period (May - August). 2. To determine contemporary spatial and temporal sediment supply and distribution to the canyon and associated habitats (May - August). 3. To determine the specific factors controlling the type of habitat formed by cold water corals and associated organisms. 4. To determine active sedimentary processes within the Porcupine Bank Canyon, the furtherest westward canyon in Europe. 5. To determine the potential influence of nearby industrial impact (i.e. fisheries sediment plumes) on deep water benthic habitats. 6. To determine the anthropogenic finger print in suspended/contempory sediments (microplastics/faecal matter/pollutants) in deep water habitats offshore Ireland. 7. To generate a series of recommendations for site surveys by industrial activities to ensure responsible practice. 8. To determine the health status (diseases) of cold water corals in the Porcupine Bank Canyon. 9. To understand threshold and boundary conditions of cold water coral habitats. 10. To extend INFOMAR's spatial coverage of the Irish deepwater EEZ. During the survey 8 landers were deployed and 20 ROV dives took place. Water samples and push cores were taken at several of the lander sites. Multibeam seabed mapping of a wreck took place during the survey also.2019年5月，由科克大学学院（University College Cork）主导的一场为期11天的科考航次，在西北大西洋大陆架外海域的"凯尔特探索者号"（RV Celtic Explorer）研究船上开展。本次航次聚焦于在东北大西洋豪猪滩峡谷（Porcupine Bank Canyon, PBC）的珊瑚生境中，首次部署多套适配遥控水下机器人（Remotely Operated Vehicle, ROV）的新型着陆器系统。冷水珊瑚（Cold Water Corals, CWCs）在爱尔兰大西洋陆缘600至100米水深区域蓬勃生长，形成了珊瑚礁、珊瑚丘与珊瑚园等多种结构性生境类型。近期研究表明，包括爱尔兰陆缘冷水珊瑚生境在内的深海生境，可能受到近期环境变化的影响。本次航次的核心目标如下：a）在豪猪滩峡谷全域的各类珊瑚生境中部署8套新型着陆器系统；b）完成豪猪滩峡谷的全覆盖测绘；c）采集着陆器站点周边的珊瑚、沉积物与环境水体样本；d）采集关键珊瑚生境周边的颗粒有机质样本。通过各生境着陆器记录的数据，可明确影响生境多样性的调控因素。此外，本数据集可作为基准参照，用于后续在该海域开展的着陆器部署数据的对比分析。本次航次完成的峡谷全域测绘数据，将支撑多项多尺度测绘项目，包括欧盟地平线2020（H2020）计划项目"大西洋海洋生态系统时空综合评估"（iATLANTIC），以及由爱尔兰科学基金会（SFI）、爱尔兰地质调查局（GSI）与MI资助的"海底峡谷冷水珊瑚生境关键过程与调控因素测绘、建模与监测"（MMMonKey_Pro）项目。本次航次获取的视频数据将用于表征峡谷内的关键珊瑚生境，后续将生成高清数字高程模型（Digital Elevation Model, DEM），作为上述多尺度测绘项目的核心数据集。1. 明确2019年5月至8月这3个月内，影响豪猪滩峡谷及相关生境的底栖边界层水动力过程的高分辨率（1-20米）时空分布特征。2. 确定2019年5月至8月期间，输入峡谷及相关生境的现代沉积物的时空供给与分布情况。3. 明确调控冷水珊瑚及伴生生物形成生境类型的具体因素。4. 探究欧洲最西端海底峡谷——豪猪滩峡谷内部的活跃沉积过程。5. 评估周边人类活动（如渔业活动产生的沉积物羽流）对深海底栖生境的潜在影响。6. 分析爱尔兰近海深海生境悬浮/现代沉积物中的人为印记（包括微塑料、粪便物质与污染物）。7. 为工业活动的现场勘测制定一系列规范建议，以保障作业的环境责任感。8. 评估豪猪滩峡谷内冷水珊瑚的健康状况（含病害情况）。9. 阐明冷水珊瑚生境的阈值与边界条件。10. 拓展爱尔兰海洋测绘项目（INFOMAR）在爱尔兰深海专属经济区（Exclusive Economic Zone, EEZ）的空间测绘覆盖范围。本次航次共部署8套着陆器，完成20次遥控水下机器人下潜作业。在部分着陆器站点采集了水体样本与柱状沉积物岩芯。航次期间还完成了一处沉船的多波束海底测绘。