The aim of the R/V Sonne cruise SO-205 in April/May 2010 was the eastern part of the German license area for exploration of polymetallic nodules... » More

The aim of the R/V Sonne cruise SO-205 in April/May 2010 was the eastern part of the German license area for exploration of polymetallic nodules in the northeast equatorial Pacific Ocean (Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone). Within the scope of the multidisciplinary project MANGAN the research institute Senckenberg am Meer aims to characterize the benthic community in terms of community composition, standing crops and biodiversity. The factors controlling and maintaining diversity patterns in the abyssal nodule area such as nodule coverage and size, food availability, sediment parameters and oxygen availability will be analyzed. Additionally a DNA-Bank will be built for some genes (mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit 1 and 12S and nuclear 28S) for studying the gene flow of organisms within the German license area and to make statements about isolation and range of the distribution of benthic species. The benthic community within the German license area displays a high biodiversity. First results reveal that the megabenthic fauna strongly resembles those of the French license area located 1000 km to the west. As a preliminary result it is shown that the abundance of meiobenthic organisms is much higher in areas with low nodule coverage of some small nodules.

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