Cruise Report ALKOR 438 [AL438] - Foraminiferal biomonitoring in the North Sea, May 29 - May 31, 2014, Kiel (Germany) - Kiel (Germany)

The aim of R/V Alkor cruise AL438 was to investigate the assemblage composition, population density and distribution of Recent benthic foraminifera in the Elbe estuary and southern North Sea. We focused on an assessment of the present state of the ecosystems and a comparison with data from former decades. Our work resumed investigations of the Geologisch-Paläontologisches Institut of Kiel University and the Federal Hydrographic Office from 1960s till the 1980s, as well as topical studies to the west of Helgoland. We revisited the same stations and took sediment samples with historical and modern grab samplers, box corer, Minicorer and a gravity corer. These samples were accomplished with samples from new stations in order to describe the relationships of foraminiferal faunas living in the Helgoland mud area with those inhabiting the surrounding sands. The sampling was accompanied with hydrographical measurements and water sampling to document relevant environmental parameters. The foraminiferal sampling was carried out for the first time following of the FOraminiferal BIoMOnitoring group (FOBIMO) recommendations as much as possible, in order to test the practicability of the guidelines. In total, 109 deployments at 37 stations were successfully accomplished