Plattform Platform	Reise-Nr. Cruise-No.	Zeitraum Period	Projekt Project	Arbeitsgebiet Working area
Alkor	AL438	29.05.2014 - 31.05.2014		North Sea

Fahrtleiter Chief Scientist	Institut Institute	Auslaufhafen Port of departure	Einlaufhafen Port of return	Stationskarte Station map	Schiffsroute Trackchart
Schonfeld Joachim	Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR)	Kiel	Kiel	Karte Map

Ziel der Reise / Objectives of Cruise:

The R/V ALKOR cruise AL438 commenced on 29th of May at 7:00 am at Kiel, GEOMAR jetty. After passing Kiel Canal we arrived at 17:00 in our study area Elbe estuary. The aim of the cruise was to investigate the composition, population density and distribution of Recent benthic foraminiferal assemblages 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-Palaontologisches 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 additional samples from new stations in order to reveal the relationships of foraminiferal faunas living on the Helgoland mud patch 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 BIOLOGY MONITORING group recommendations as much as possible, in order to test the practicability of the "FOBIMO-Recommendations". In total, 109 deployments at 37 stations were successfully accomplished. The station work ended on the 31th of May at 0:40 am to the west of Helgoland. Our return went through Kiel Canal again, and the cruise ended on the 31st of May 2014 at 2:30 pm at fish market quay, Kiel.

Messungen / Measurements