One of 黑料视频鈥檚 long-standing partner institutes 鈥� the Instituto do Mar (IMar) 鈥� as well as the jointly operated Ocean Science Centre Mindelo (OSCM) were also severely affected. A mudslide at least one metre high swept across the site, causing damage to buildings and infrastructure. 

鈥榃e stand firmly by our friends in Mindelo,鈥� says Professor Dr Katja Matthes, Director of the 黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel. 鈥極ur thoughts and sympathy are with the entire IMar team and their families during these difficult hours and days.鈥�

黑料视频 will do everything in its power to support its partner institutes in the reconstruction process and is in close contact with them to coordinate the next steps.

Modelling studies suggest that volcanic activity along mid-ocean ridges responds to these pressure variations, for instance through changes in the thickness of newly formed crust, the composition of magma, or the intensity of hydrothermal activity, where hot, mineral-rich fluids emerge from the seafloor. However, a lack of long-term time series data from the seafloor has so far made it difficult to confirm these hypotheses directly.

Time series: A Key to understanding the Earth System

鈥淲e already have excellent reconstructions of past sea-level changes, but there are no similarly high-resolution records of how geological processes on the ocean floor have evolved over time. This is the gap we aim to close,鈥� says Dr Martin Frank, a professor of chemical palaeoceanography at 黑料视频. Frank will lead an international research team aboard the German research vessel (RV) SONNE for the next eight weeks, studying the Southeast Pacific Rise 鈥� one of the fastest-spreading and most active segments of the global mid-ocean ridge system.

鈥淭his area of the ocean acts like a conveyor belt for Earth鈥檚 geological history,鈥� explains Frank. 鈥淲e suspect that the processes taking place here have been influenced by climate over geological timescales 鈥� for example, through pressure changes driven by sea-level fluctuations during glacial and interglacial periods.鈥�

Volcanic Glass as an Archive of the Deep Earth

Along the ship鈥檚 route from Papeete (Tahiti) to Antofagasta (Chile), the team will use a gravity corer to collect sediment cores up to 25 metres long. They will follow a transect running perpendicular to the ridge axis. This closely spaced sampling will provide a high-resolution time series.

鈥淭hese seafloor sediments contain volcanic glass and metal deposits,鈥� says Frank. 鈥淭hey reveal how magma chemistry and hydrothermal activity have varied over the past 1.5 million years. We can read these changes like entries in a geological archive.鈥�

Meanwhile, seismic measurements conducted during the expedition will help reconstruct changes in the thickness of the ocean crust 鈥� another key indicator of how Earth鈥檚 interior processes may respond to climate-driven pressure shifts at the surface.

Understanding Earth System Dynamics

Expedition SO314 forms part of the large-scale European ERC Synergy Project T-SECTOR (Testing Solid Earth - Climate Connections), which investigates the links between processes in the atmosphere, the ocean, and the Earth鈥檚 interior. Alongside the 黑料视频 teams led by professors  Martin Frank, Heidrun Kopp and Kaj Hoernle, the project involves Professor Charles Langmuir from Harvard University (USA). Scientists from MARUM (the Centre for Marine Environmental Sciences at the University of Bremen) and the University of Hamburg are also participating in the expedition.

Expedition at a Glance:

Name: SO314
Chief Scientist: Professor Dr Martin Frank
Duration: 13 August 鈥� 5 October 2025
Departure Port: Papeete (Tahiti)
Arrival Port: Antofagasta (Chile)
Research Area: Southeast Pacific

After being welcomed by Prof. Dr Katja Matthes, Director of 黑料视频, and Frank Spiekermann, the centre's Administrative Director, Dorothee B盲r learned about current research projects on a tour with Dirk Schr枚dter, the Minister for Digital Affairs and Head of the State Chancellery in Schleswig-Holstein.

At the information point on marine CO₂ removal and storage, Prof. Dr Klaus Wallmann explained methods that could contribute to the long-term storage of greenhouse gases beneath the seabed. In the molecular genetics lab, Prof. Dr Thorsten Reusch and two Master鈥檚 students presented research on the evolutionary impacts of overfishing, using cod as an example. In the centre鈥檚 Ocean Research Technology Hall, Prof. Dr Laura Wallace and Dr Jens Karstens introduced a compact underwater observatory developed at 黑料视频. This system 鈥� known as MOLA (Modular Ocean Lander) 鈥� enables real-time monitoring of earthquakes and tsunamis and supports the development of intelligent early warning systems. Dr Aaron Beck provided insights into the mapping and environmental implications of legacy munitions dumped at sea.

Another key topic in the discussion with the Minister was the construction of the new German research vessel METEOR IV, which will be based in Kiel from 2026 and operated by 黑料视频 as part of the national research fleet.

The Minister also visited the research vessel ALKOR, which is primarily deployed in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, and crossed over to the western shore of Kiel to attend the official start of The Ocean Race Europe.

Federal Research Minister Dorothee B盲r stated: 鈥淥ceans are critical to climate and biodiversity, but also vital as a source of food, a space for economic activity, and a habitat. We need science to protect and use the ocean sustainably. Germany is a leader in ocean research 鈥� and 黑料视频 is a prime example. It is one of the world鈥檚 leading institutions in this field. I am particularly pleased that 黑料视频 will operate the highly innovative new research vessel METEOR IV from 2026. We will ensure that 黑料视频 continues to deliver top-level ocean research with our full support.鈥�

Minister Dirk Schr枚dter emphasised the importance of 黑料视频 in understanding the oceans and climate change, and praised the cooperation in addressing current environmental and marine protection challenges. He said: 鈥淭he munitions on the ocean floor are a ticking time bomb for our environment. With state-of-the-art technologies such as AI and robotics, the maritime industry can contribute to defusing the situation and promote marine conservation, safety, growth and employment. The interaction between industry, science and administration is crucial here, and Schleswig-Holstein offers the best conditions for this.鈥�

黑料视频 Director Prof. Dr Katja Matthes said: 鈥淲e are delighted by the Minister鈥檚 interest in our work. It sends a strong signal about the growing importance of ocean research. We are investigating the alarming pace of change in the ocean and working on solutions to safeguard it as a foundation of life 鈥� both for humanity and for the marine ecosystem. Today鈥檚 exchange clearly showed that scientific innovation is high on the political agenda 鈥� and that there is a strong will to translate research into policy. That gives me great confidence.鈥�

About: The Ocean Race Europe and the new observation buoy in Kiel Fjord

The Ocean Race Europe is a seven-week regatta that combines elite sailing with ocean protection. Participating yachts collect valuable scientific data along the way. In 2025, the race starts from Kiel for the first time, before moving on to Portsmouth, Matosinhos, Cartagena, Nice, Genoa, and finally Boka Bay in Montenegro.

黑料视频 is a scientific partner of the Ocean Race Europe and contributes to the programme with research outreach, interactive activities, film screenings, and open ship events on board the research vessel ALKOR.

To mark the occasion, 黑料视频 deployed a newly developed oceanographic surface buoy for testing in Kiel Fjord. The buoy stands 7.5 metres tall, weighs 3.5 tonnes, and is designed for long-term observation in the tropical Atlantic. From 2026, it will become part of the Cape Verde Ocean Observatory (CVOO) operated by 黑料视频. Equipped with advanced sensors, the buoy measures CO₂ levels, temperature, salinity, wave activity and meteorological parameters. The aim is to better understand how climate change affects sensitive oceanic processes in the tropics 鈥� and how this, in turn, impacts the global climate system.

Racing yachts as data collectors

For the Ocean Race Europe, all participating sailing yachts are equipped with scientific measuring instruments that record important parameters such as water temperature and salinity, oxygen and CO2 concentration, microplastics and eDNA during the race. The collected data contribute to global ocean observation efforts and scientific studies.

Skipper Boris Herrmann and the German team of the racing yacht Malizia-Seaexplorer have been committed to protecting the ocean for many years. As part of their campaign 鈥�A Race We Must Win - Climate Action Now!鈥�, they support science by collecting valuable data during their regattas - often in remote marine regions. They recently began operating a sailing ship, the Malizia Explorer, which has been specially converted for research and in which 黑料视频 is also involved as a partner. The long-standing collaboration between Boris Herrmann and Team Malizia and the 黑料视频 research centre has laid the foundation for the many links between German professional sailing and marine research that exist today.

Innovation from Kiel - an ocean of possibilities

The utilisation of sailing yachts as so-called 鈥楽hips of Opportunity鈥� is part of a comprehensive research approach at 黑料视频. The innovation platform 鈥楽haping an Ocean Of Possibilities鈥� (SOOP), which is funded by the Helmholtz Association, plays a central role in this. In line with the project title, an 鈥榦cean of opportunities鈥� is to be created for cooperation between science and industry with the aim of establishing structures and technologies for ocean observation, improving access to measurement data and thus expanding knowledge about our oceans.

黑料视频 at The Ocean Race Europe 2025

Sailing meets science: Pavilion in the OCEAN LIVE PARK

6-10 August 2025 
Wednesday and Thursday: 1 to 7 pm
Friday to Sunday: 10 am to 7 pm
Together with Team Malizia and SubCtech, 黑料视频 will show how science and sailing can go hand in hand: The sailing team Malizia shows how it combines top-class sport and data acquisition. SubCtech will present the resources required for this using the OceanPack-RACE demo device and provide general information on the topic of 鈥楽ailing meets Science鈥�. 黑料视频 will provide information about the connection between sailing and marine research and protection.

(Pavilion in the Ocean Live Park on the Kiellinie, next to the sailing camp 24/7)

Open Ship on FS ALKOR

Saturday, 9 August 2025, 10 am to 5 pm
On Saturday, the RV ALKOR will lower the gangway for visitors. Interested visitors can take a look inside a research vessel and learn more about the work and life on board. Current research projects from the Baltic Sea and the world's oceans will be presented, along with hands-on experiments and much more.

(Admiralsbr眉cke, pier in front of the 黑料视频 Aquarium)

Programme:

• Plastic pollution on our beaches: Information and hands-on experiments
• Marine animals and plants from Kiel Fjord
• Guided tours of the Kiel benthokosms (starting at 12, 2 and 4 p.m.)
• Seagrass: A Baltic Sea multitool
• How do scientists track fish movements in the ocean?
• Tiny but essential: Plankton in the ocean
• 3D model of the Kolumbo undersea volcano: How are volcanoes explored?
• Bombs, mines and shells: The dangers of legacy munitions in the sea
• What happens at the air-sea interface?

鈥楩emale Heroes of the Sea鈥� on stage at Reventlouwiese

Friday, 8 August, 1:30 p.m.
Saturday, 9 August, 1:30 p.m.

Host Kristin Recke welcomes 黑料视频 scientist Sylvia Sander and offshore sailors Kerstin Zillmer and Kiki van Leeuwen.

(Main stage on Reventlouwiese)

New research project on the state of the Baltic Sea in ACO's Waterdome

The company ACO is represented with a 鈥榃补迟别谤诲辞尘别鈥� on the Reventlou Bridge and provides information about water filtration and treatment. ACO is a network partner in the new German-Danish Interreg project RECOVER, which is presented by 黑料视频 scientist Helmke Hepach. The project aims to assess the environmental status of the western Baltic Sea and to evaluate protective measures in Germany and Denmark in a comparative manner 鈥� with the help of a newly renovated traditional sailing ship, among other things, which will be used for measurement trips.

(Waterdome on the Reventlou Bridge)

GAME at the Ocean Summit

The international Master's student programme GAME will be represented on the Ocean Summit area with interactive information about its global research and education activities.

(Reventlouwiese)

CDRmare at the marine conservation camp

6-10 August 2025
Wednesday to Friday: 1 to 7 pm
Saturday and Sunday: 10 am to 7 pm

The marine carbon removal mission  will present an experiment on ocean alkalinity enhancement and offer a wealth of information in the pagodas of the Ocean Protection Camp in front of the Parliament building.

Screenings in the Ocean Dome

Experience 360掳 films in the immersive .

Live lecture: A walk across the seabed

Wednesday, 6 August, 3:30 p.m.

Multimedia lecture by 黑料视频 scientist Tom Kwasnitschka

"A Traveller's Guide to the Seafloor"
Thursday, 7 August, 5 pm 鈥� premiere
Saturday, 9 August, 6 pm
Sunday, 10 August, 1:30 pm and 6:30 pm

A premiere at The Ocean Race: 黑料视频鈥檚 Tom Kwasnitschka presents his latest Dome production.

"Drones of the Deep"
Thursday, 7 August, 1:30 pm
Friday, 8 August, 1:15 pm and 5:45 pm
Saturday, 9 August, 5:15 pm
Sunday, 10 August, 4:45 pm

CDRmare Talk
Thursday, 7 August, 3:45 pm

Participate online via: 

Three scientists talk about the topic of ocean-based CO₂ removal. The audience is warmly invited to join the debate: Binding CO₂ - protecting the climate: Are oceans part of the solution? What do we already know, and what do we still need to find out as a society? With Anna Ansch眉tz, Mirco W枚lfelschneider and Lukas Tank, and moderated by Michael Sswat.

(Ocean Dome at the Kiellinie)

CVOO buoy at the Admiralspier

An 7.5 metre high measuring buoy, intended for the Cape Verde Ocean Observatory (CVOO), lies in the Kiel Fjord for test purposes during the Ocean Race.

(Admiral's Bridge, pier in front of the 黑料视频 Aquarium)

Same viruses at both poles 鈥� an unexpected finding

The international research team, coordinated by 黑料视频, found that the composition of virus communities in the Arctic Ocean is strongly seasonal 鈥� and also unexpectedly similar to viruses in the Southern Ocean, surrounding Antarctica. This challenges the view that polar virus populations should differ markedly between the northern and southern hemispheres. Notably, the same viral groups were not found in warmer regions.

鈥淚t was completely unexpected to find such similar viral patterns at both poles, despite the huge geographical distance between them,鈥� says Alyzza Calayag, marine ecologist at 黑料视频 and lead author of the study. 鈥淯nderstanding how this similarity arises is one of the big questions for future research.鈥�

A multiannual viral catalogue

Samples for the study were collected in the Arctic using automated water samplers at the HAUSGARTEN Observatory, operated by the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI). Over four years (2016鈥�2020), the devices continuously collected seawater samples in the Fram Strait 鈥� the ocean passage between Greenland and Svalbard.

To detect viruses, the researchers searched millions of long DNA sequences with computational tools that identify viral DNA signatures. This enabled detecting viruses both inside of and attached to bacteria. The team also applied network analysis techniques to link specific viruses to their preferred hosts.

To determine whether these viruses also occur beyond the Arctic, the team compared their findings to global metagenomic datasets 鈥� that is, environmental DNA collected from various ocean regions. They found that 42 per cent of the Arctic viruses also appear in Antarctic waters.

Summer surge: 30 viruses per bacterium

Another striking result was the dramatic seasonal difference in virus abundance and composition. 鈥淚n winter, the number of viruses and bacteria was roughly equal鈥� explains Calayag. 鈥淏ut in summer, especially between August and September, virus numbers surged. On average, we found 30 viruses for every single bacterium.鈥�

This sharp seasonal peak had gone unnoticed until now, because previous studies lack the context of continuous ecosystem observation utilized in the study, and do not sample during the dark winter periods.

Calayag adds: 鈥淲e see that both the abundance and the composition of the viral communities shift with the seasons. Different environmental conditions lead to the dominance of different virus types 鈥� and these in turn have distinct effects on the microbial food web.鈥�

Viruses specifically infect certain bacteria, regulating their growth and spread. In doing so, they shape nutrient cycling and energy flow in the ocean.

Climate change could reshape polar microbial dynamics

This delicate microbial balance could be disrupted by climate change. 鈥淎s temperature, salinity or sea ice cover change, so do the living conditions for viruses,鈥� says Calayag. 鈥淐old-adapted viruses could be displaced, and new types may emerge. This would affect the entire ecological interplay in polar waters. That鈥檚 why viruses are important early indicators of change in the polar oceans.鈥�

Original Publication:

Calayag, A., Priest, T., Oldenburg, E., Muschiol, J., Popa, O., Wietz, M. & Needham, D. M. (2025): Arctic Ocean virus communities and their seasonality, bipolarity, and prokaryotic associations, Nature Communications.

Funding:

Helmholtz Association via a Young Investigator Grant and the HAUSGARTEN/FRAM infrastructure program

"The aim of the project is to produce hydrogen using saltwater electrolysis in an environmentally friendly and cost-effective way - but with optimised efficiency and less use of chemical catalysts,鈥� says Dr Mirjam Perner. She is Professor of Geomicrobiology at 黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel and is leading the project together with Prof. Dr Jana Schloesser, Professor of Materials Engineering at Kiel University of Applied Sciences, and Florian Gerdts, lead process engineer at the Kiel-based technology company Element22.

Challenges of electrolysis with salt water

Up to now, electrolysis has required purified fresh water, as it contains neither salts nor minerals and therefore protects the electrolysis system from corrosion. However, only 2.5 per cent of the world's water reserves are fresh water. Furthermore, the desalination and purification of salt water causes additional costs that could be avoided by utilising seawater directly. As part of the SalYsAse project, the scientists want to utilise salt water directly from the sea. This presents them with a number of challenges: The salt it contains can produce toxic chlorine gas during the electrolysis of seawater. "Faster corrosion of the electrodes or undesirable side reactions can also occur. We want to prevent this by using suitable materials in combination with the microorganisms," says materials expert Jana Schloesser.

Efficient catalysts and membranes

In order to be able to utilise the seawater, the researchers want to use marine microbes, i.e. bacteria, in addition to conventional catalyst layers. The microbes come from the Baltic and North Sea, as they are best adapted to the conditions of salt water. Mirjam Perner explains: "The chemical element iridium is often used as a catalyst as it is very resistant to corrosion. However, it is rare and therefore only available in limited quantities. That's why we want to use biocatalysts in the form of microbes." The microbes should help to reduce or even circumvent the challenges posed by the use of salt water.

The project team is also using suitable materials for the membrane, which separates hydrogen and oxygen during electrolysis, and the porous transport layer. "The special feature of SalYsAse is that the porous transport layer not only conducts the current and the reaction media. We design it in such a way that this layer also acts as a carrier for the microbes. This means that biological catalysis takes place directly in the electrolysis cell - an exciting approach that brings together materials science and life sciences," says Florian Gerdts. The project participants want to use porous titanium structures for this, as titanium is particularly resistant to corrosion, which is essential for use in seawater.

In future, the entire process is to take place where the electricity is already generated: at offshore wind turbines. In this way, the scientists avoid having to transport the electricity to the mainland first. This route is expensive and energy is lost. Instead, clean, climate-neutral hydrogen is produced on site. This can be transported onwards efficiently and used in energy-intensive industries such as steel and chemical production, for example.

Background: Hydrogen as the energy source of the future

In order to replace fossil fuels, more renewable energies will be used in the future and sustainable energy sources will be required. Hydrogen plays an important role in this context, as it can be easily stored and transported. Hydrogen as an energy carrier thus enables the coupling of various sectors - from industry and mobility to energy supply.  Green hydrogen is particularly efficient and conserves resources. Hydrogen is considered green if it is produced by electrolysis using electricity from renewable sources such as solar or wind energy. This process does not produce any greenhouse gases. Hydrogen produced by seawater electrolysis at windy locations can be used in industry or heavy goods transport, for example.

Funding:

The Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) is funding the project with a total of 733,000 euros over a period of three years.

Partners:

The project partners are Kiel University of Applied Sciences, coordinated by the Kiel University of Applied Sciences Research and Development Centre GmbH, and the technology company Element22 GmbH from Kiel, which manufactures the titanium components for this project. SalYsAse is linked to CAPTN Energy, an innovation alliance in Schleswig-Holstein that utilises renewable energies for maritime applications.

Using Citizen Science to Fill Data Gaps in the Mediterranean

The project team uses this citizen-sourced data, in compliance with data-protection regulations, to monitor and record temperature changes across different parts of the Mediterranean Sea and from coastal regions worldwide. Dr. Christophe Galerne and Prof. Achim Kopf, both from MARUM at the University of Bremen, Dr. Rebecca Zitoun from 黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, and Arne Schwab from Schwab Research Technology are leading the project.

Underwater Sensors: Calibration at Reference Dive Sites

To improve the quality of the collected data and ensure that temperature readings from the different dive computers are comparable, BlueDOT has installed permanent high-precision temperature sensors at selected reference dive sites on the Costa Brava, Heligoland, and the Maltese island of Gozo. These permanently deployed sensors record the temperature at various depths, allowing scientists to calibrate the data collected from dive computers against consistent, high-resolution measurements. To support this effort, BlueDOT is collaborating with two diving centers in Spain and Malta. These centers play a key role in engaging the diving community, raising awareness about the project, and helping to test and maintain the sensors.

Global Potential: Six Million Divers Worldwide

According to Christophe Galerne, the use of the sensors increases the accuracy of the database, 鈥渨hich creates a more reliable basis for research and helps to develop an optimal approach for the global expansion of the project in the long term.鈥� These diver-sourced data are an important complement to existing ocean-monitoring platforms such as satellite observations, Argo floats, and hydrographic surveys. 鈥淲ith an estimated six million active scuba divers worldwide, this citizen science initiative represents a huge potential for enhancing climate research through widespread, community-driven observations of ocean temperature.鈥�

The project is funded by the BMFTR 鈥� Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space, began in December 2024 and is initially scheduled to run for about 18 months. This serves as a test phase to develop the best approach for a possible global expansion.

Warming with Consequences: How Rising Sea Temperatures Affect Us

The team has already evaluated diving data from the Mediterranean Sea. As Galerne expected, these indicate that average ocean temperatures are rising steadily. The water masses of the oceans act as heat reservoirs that interact with the atmosphere and thus influence the climate. If this system becomes unstable with the continued warming of surface water, it could lead to intensified evaporation and, ultimately, regionally limited extreme precipitation events in the surrounding areas. Galerne explains that the associated rain belt has continuously shifted farther northward over the past 20 years, leading to sporadic droughts as well as heavy rainfall and flooding.

More Than Just Summer Data 鈥� Why Every Season Counts

鈥淭he constant warming and increasing frequency of marine heatwaves also have significant implications for biodiversity and the ecosystem services our oceans provide, making these phenomena a critical factor to consider in both research and management. There presently exists what is known as sampling bias in the data. This is exhibited by a clear predominance of data obtained during the warmer months and the holiday seasons. In order to be able to establish an average value, we would like to encourage divers to enter their data 鈥� including older data 鈥� into our portal and also to record and upload data from cooler seasons,鈥� says Galerne. By filling these seasonal gaps, divers can play a crucial role in building a completer and more accurate picture of how ocean temperatures are changing throughout the year.

The project is officially endorsed by the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

A lack of research infrastructure and training opportunities hampers effective responses to these challenges and makes it difficult to take well-informed, independent decisions for the sustainable management of marine ecosystems. In 2004, capacity gaps and research priorities were discussed in an international scientific exchange, and in 2006 the first land- and sea-based infrastructures were established to enable oceanographic research on site. For example, Cabo Verde鈥檚 first ocean time series station was set up, the Cape Verde Ocean Observatory (CVOO), which provides valuable data on the impacts of climate change on the ocean in the region.

Ocean Science Centre Mindelo as a Global Hub for Research and Exchange

This collaboration led to the opening of the Ocean Science Centre Mindelo (OSCM) in 2017. The OSCM serves as a central point not only for national and international researchers, but also promotes knowledge exchange between society, policy, and science. 鈥淭he centre is operated locally by scientists and technicians from Cabo Verde, who have contributed to and benefited from the bilateral partnership since the beginning,鈥� says Cordula Zenk from 黑料视频, coordinator of the German-Cabo Verdean cooperation, who managed the establishment of the OSCM together with the Cape Verdean colleagues.The OSCM is jointly managed by the Cape Verdean partner institute Instituto do Mar (IMar) and 黑料视频, ensuring the integration of regional and international perspectives and the ongoing development of the network.

Ivanice Monteiro, who joined the partnership as a student and now leads the OSCM laboratories, emphasizes the transformative impact: 鈥淭his partnership gave me and many of my colleagues the opportunity to build and apply our knowledge and skills in marine research here in Cabo Verde. It鈥檚 incredibly fulfilling to see how we now operate the OSCM together with our German partners and make an independent, real contribution to our country and the entire region.鈥�

International Master鈥檚 Program on Climate Change and Marine Sciences

The Oceanography article also highlights academic education and the development of a network of young West African scientists, in which 黑料视频 plays a key role. A major milestone in 2019 was the establishment of an international Master鈥檚 program on Climate Change and Marine Sciences at the Universidade T茅cnica do Atl芒ntico (UTA) in Mindelo. The program is part of the WASCAL initiative (West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land-Use), funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), and has since been officially recognized as a UN Decade of Ocean Science project. Students from a total of 12 West African countries are participating. In addition to their studies in Mindelo, they complete a research stay in Germany and take part in practical shipboard training, the 鈥淲ASCAL Floating University.鈥�

鈥淭he network now includes more than 50 young researchers and continues to grow. Some alumni pursue doctoral research, while others are already working in public or private institutions in their home countries,鈥� says Dr. Bj枚rn Fiedler, lead author of the article and scientific coordinator of the OSCM. 鈥淲e firmly believe that the challenges caused by climate change in West Africa can only be tackled jointly. This requires long-term initiatives that enable shared use of research infrastructure and knowledge across national borders.鈥�

One such initiative is the FUTURO project coordinated by 黑料视频, a large-scale international research campaign in West Africa involving seven West African countries to be conducted toward the end of this decade. 鈥淚n addition to a year-long ship expedition aboard the new METEOR IV, the campaign will focus on the joint development and implementation of the research activities in close cooperation with our West African partners, including the growing network of early-career scientists,鈥� says Prof Dr Arne K枚rtzinger, Chemical Oceanographer and scientific coordinator of the FUTURO project.

Publication:
Fiedler, B., Monteiro, I., Almeida, C., Zenk, C., Silva, P., Karstensen, J., Rodrigues, E., Vieira, N., Pinto-Almeida, A., Lima, E., Hahn, T., Kon茅, D., Rodrigues, Y., & K枚rtzinger, A. (2025). 20 Years of Partnership in Marine Sciences Between Cabo Verde and Germany: From Ideas, Opportunities, and Observations to Long-Term and Sustained Capacity Sharing. Oceanography, 38(1).

"No one really knows how much ammunition lies on the seafloor. But we have a responsibility to remove it - safely, efficiently and in an environmentally friendly way. After years of preparatory work, the CAMMera project now focuses on practical implementation. The aim is to further develop methods and technologies in order to recover old munitions on an industrial scale and thus set an international example," says Professor Dr Jens Greinert, head of the project, marine geologist and expert on old munitions at 黑料视频.

Strategies for Safe and Environmentally Friendly Disposal

In previous projects, experts have already identified strategies for dealing with old munitions. These technologies will now be further developed. Autonomous and unmanned underwater vehicles are helping to recover objects directly from the sea floor. The project partners are also working on methods for the environmentally friendly disposal of open explosives and broken shells, automatic monitoring of clearance sites and disposal on an industrial scale. The results will be used to develop and provide examples of best practice.

A total of seven project objectives were defined:

1. Develop gripping robots: The aim is to develop and test an unmanned vehicle that can efficiently clear munitions piles both from the water surface and directly underwater.

2. Salvage of large or damaged munitions: The project aims to develop environmentally friendly methods for retrieving heavily corroded munitions with exposed explosives.

3. Security and protection concept: Since ammunition dumps are often located in coastal, heavily trafficked areas frequented by tourists and may even be potential targets for hostile action, the focus is on developing a comprehensive protection concept. It should help to identify risks at an early stage and enable safe, transparent clearance process.

4. Automation of pre-sorting: The project is working on the design of an automated dismantling system that can sort and cut up small and medium-calibre ammunition directly at sea for thermal destruction. This addresses a key bottleneck in automation 鈥� in particular the opening of boxes, the pre-sorting of small-calibre ammunition and the dismantling of medium-sized ammunition.

5. Aftercare and monitoring: The goal is to systematically check cleared areas to ensure that no munitions remain in the sediment or that the targeted level of clearance has been achieved. In addition, environmental monitoring will be set up to protect water and sediments from contaminants.

6. Knowledge consolidation: The experts analyse national and international projects on munitions clearance and consolidate the findings in a comprehensive guideline.

7. Economic feasibility: The project is developing viable business models and economic analyses to shape munitions clearance in European seas in the long term.

Background: Hazard on the sea floor

After the end of the Second World War, munitions were dumped in the sea 鈥� and most of them are still there. Old munitions on the seafloor can be potentially harmful to the ocean. Explosive chemicals such as TNT or toxic substances such as mercury and lead accumulate in fish and mussels, for example. They have a carcinogenic effect and can alter genetic material. As corrosion progresses, these substances are released more quickly. Rising temperatures and storms, which are partly caused by climate change, accelerate the decay of ammunition. Individual unexploded ordnance has already been removed, for example when wind turbines or data cables are built in the sea. The CAMMera project focuses on preparing for the large-scale clearance of entire munitions dumps. Thousands of ammunition crates, sea mines and other objects are stored in large quantities and in confined spaces.

Background: Projects on munitions in the sea at 黑料视频

Researchers at 黑料视频 have already carried out several successful projects on munitions in the sea in recent years. The knowledge gained is now being incorporated into the CAMMera project. 

From 2019 to 2022, the ExPloTect (Ex-situ, near-real-time exPlosive compound deTection in seawater) project developed technologies to detect chemicals originating from dumped munitions.

In parallel, the BASTA project (Boost Applied munition detection through Smart data inTegration and AI workflows) developed strategies for collecting and analysing data on old munitions in the sea.

As part of the CONMAR project (CONcepts for conventional MArine Munition Remediation in the German North and Baltic Sea), the participants are pooling their knowledge about risks, strategies and approaches for dealing with old munitions. The project entered its second phase in 2024 and is scheduled to run until 2027. CONMAR is one of several joint projects of the DAM research mission sustainMare.

Funding:

The CAMMera project is scheduled to run for three years and is funded by the European Union within the Pilot Projects and Preparatory Actions programme (PPPA) with 5.6 million euros.

鈥淭he deep ocean and its inhabitants do not exist in isolation from life on land. Pelagic animals help regulate our climate, cycle nutrients and sustain fisheries. If and how these animals adapt is a mounting concern and understanding their responses to change is critical to managing a healthy planet,鈥� says Vaness Stenvers.

Contact: media(at)geomar.de

The AL635 expedition is part of the Interreg 6A project PlastTrack (Technological platform for micro- and nanoplastics tracking), in which 黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel is collaborating with the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) and the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), among others. The aim of the project is to record plastic pollution caused by micro and nanoplastic particles (MNP) in the Baltic Sea and to test and further develop new methods.

In the sea, plastic particles are found both on the surface and at the bottom of the deepest oceans, and ocean currents transport them all over the world. Thousands of tons of plastic end up in the Baltic Sea every year. Sampling showed microplastics in 28 percent of all fish examined. Tiny plastic particles (microplastics) are produced for various consumer applications, such as cleaning agents, or come from the decomposition processes of larger pieces of plastic. When they decompose into nanoplastics, they can also penetrate cell membranes and thus enter the bodies of living organisms directly.

Methods for sampling plastic particles

During the expedition, various methods will be used to sample microplastics. For example, the Neuston catamaran can be used to take samples near the water surface, as some plastic particles are light and float in salt water. Other instruments can take sinking particles from deeper water layers or filter different particle sizes from the water. Some of the samples are analyzed directly on board using special cameras or spectroscopic measurements. Further methods are then used in the laboratories at home to analyze very small particles in particular. 

Challenges in detecting micro- and nanoplastics

Expedition leader Prof. Dr. Anja Engel, Professor of Biological Oceanography and Head of the Marine Biogeochemistry Research Unit at 黑料视频, explains: "Nano-particles are 1000 times smaller than microplastics and can no longer be seen with the naked eye. We are currently unable to identify nanoparticles in the environment because there is a lack of standardized methods for sampling these small particles, especially in the sea. In the PlastTrack project, we are working on solutions and methods to detect microplastics and nanoplastics in the environment more quickly and in a more targeted way," says Anja Engel.

From Kiel via Flensburg to Sonderburg and Apenrade

The route runs clockwise through the German-Danish border region of the western Baltic Sea: after starting in Kiel, the ALKOR will sail along the Schleswig-Holstein coast to the Flensburg Fjord. The northernmost stop will be Apenrade, before sailing around the Danish island of Als and along the Schleswig-Holstein coast back to Kiel. 
There will be a stopover in Sonderburg on Friday, July 4. In the afternoon, the research vessel will moor at the pier in front of the Multikulturhuset cultural center, where there will be an exhibition and a hands-on station. Anyone interested is invited to find out more about the researchers' work.
 

Background: PlastTrack

The PlastTrack project is funded by the European Union as part of Interreg Deutschland-Danmark with around 1.74 million. 黑料视频 is collaborating with the Mads Clausen Institute and the Danish Molecular Biomedical Imaging Center from Denmark, as well as the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research (AWI). Since 2023, the researchers have been investigating the dangers of plastic pollution for humans and the environment and developing instruments to combat it. The aim is to create an open platform that compares and evaluates the data collected. For example, new tools will help to improve sampling and monitor the transformation and degradation of materials.

The expedition at a glance:

Name: ALKOR AL635 (as part of PlastTrack)

Expedition leader: Prof. Dr. Anja Engel

Period: 30.06.2025 鈥� 11.07.2025

Start and end: Kiel

Cruising area: Western Baltic Sea

For 黑料视频, the LITTORINA is an important research vessel that is used intensively in the shallow coastal waters of the North and Baltic Seas. 鈥淚t is used almost every day. In the long term, we need the ability to cast off directly from our quay in order to collect important data for the protection of the Baltic Sea," explains Professor Dr Katja Matthes, Director of 黑料视频.

"50 years is a remarkable age for a research vessel. The fact that the LITTORINA is still in such reliable service is truly exceptional,鈥� says 黑料视频 Ship Coordinator Dr Klas Lackschewitz, reflecting on the 1970s: 鈥橝t that time, marine research in Germany was experiencing a major boom, especially here in Kiel." In 1972, the then Institute of Oceanography at Kiel University moved into its new building on the western shore of the Kiel Fjord, directly on the Kiellinie. The Collaborative Research Centre 95 of the German Research Foundation (DFG) paved the way for numerous scientific breakthroughs. In order to conduct research independently of other ships, the DFG approved the construction of its own research cutter (FK). On 27 June 1975, the time had come: FK LITTORINA was officially put into service.

Periwinkle snail as namesake

The cutter was built at the Julius Dietrich shipyard in Oldersum at a cost of 3.4 million Deutsche Marks. The name LITTORINA symbolises the close cooperation between marine biology and marine geology. The periwinkle Littorina littorea, one of the most common sea snails, lends its name to the 'Littorina Sea', which was an early stage in the development of the Baltic Sea between 8,500 and 2,500 years ago.

Following the conclusion of the Collaborative Research Centre, responsibility for the cutter was assumed by the CAU. Currently, Kiel University and 黑料视频 share the personnel and operating costs. Dr Klas Lackschewitz is responsible for coordinating LITTORINA's operations on behalf of 黑料视频, which are currently managed by Briese Shipping from Leer. 鈥淭he professionalism of the ship's crew is a key factor in enabling the LITTORINA to undertake so many missions,鈥� emphasises Klas Lackschewitz.

Versatile work platform

The LITTORINA is highly versatile. Although it is most frequently used in the coastal waters of the North and Baltic Seas, it can also operate as far as the Lofoten Islands off the coast of Norway. It can collect water and sediment samples from depths of up to 500 metres. It is also equipped with a special diving room and a robust work dinghy. Training courses for research divers, who have been trained at the Kiel University for over 50 years, as well as scientific work by the Institute of Geosciences at the CAU, take place on board the LITTORINA regularly.

Monthly 黑料视频 cruises to the Boknis Eck time series station at the mouth of Eckernf枚rde Bay form an integral part of the LITTORINA's schedule. Since 1957, oxygen content, nutrient concentration, plankton growth and other biological, chemical and physical parameters have been continuously measured there. This makes the Boknis Eck station one of the longest continuously sampled marine stations in the world.

The shrinking of the cod population, in terms of both number and in size, is the result of human influence. In their new study, scientists from the 黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel have demonstrated for the first time that decades of intense fishing, combined with environmental change, have profoundly affected the genetic make-up of a fully marine species. Their findings are published today in the journal鈥�Science Advances.

鈥淪elective overexploitation has altered the genome of Eastern Baltic cod,鈥� explains Dr Kwi Young Han, first author of the study and a biologist who completed her PhD in the Marine Evolutionary Ecology group at 黑料视频 about this topic. 鈥淲e see this in the significant decline in average size, which we could link to reduced growth rates. For the first time in a fully marine species, we have provided evidence of evolutionary changes in the genomes of a fish population subjected to intense exploitation, which has pushed the population to the brink of collapse.鈥�

Specifically, the researchers identified genetic variants associated with body growth that showed signs of directional selection 鈥� that is to say, they became systematically more or less frequent over time. These regions overlap strikingly with genes known to play a role in growth and reproduction. The study also found that a known chromosomal inversion, a structural change in the genome commonly relevant to environmental adaptation, followed a directional selection pattern. This confirms that the 鈥渟hrinking鈥� of cod has a genetic basis and that human activities have left a measurable mark on their DNA.

Strong directional selection for slow growth due to fishing pressure

To reach these conclusions, the researchers used an unusual archive: the tiny ear stones (otoliths) of 152 cod, caught in the Bornholm Basin between 1996 and 2019. Much like tree rings, otoliths record annual growth, making them valuable biological timekeepers. These samples are part of 黑料视频鈥檚 Baltic Sea Integrative Long-Term Data Series, which has been collecting annual data since 1996. This dataset enabled the scientists to conduct a genetic time-travel exercise stretching back to the period before the collapse of the Eastern Baltic cod population.

Using a combination of chemical otolith analysis and high-resolution DNA sequencing, the researchers investigated how cod growth and genetic composition have changed over 25 years under fishing pressure.

Their central finding was that the genomes of fast- and slow-growing individuals differ systematically, and that the fast growers have nearly disappeared. Cod that grow slowly but reach reproductive maturity at a smaller size have had a survival advantage under high fishing pressure.

鈥淲hen the largest individuals are consistently removed from the population over many years, smaller, faster-maturing fish gain an evolutionary advantage,鈥� explains Prof. Dr Thorsten Reusch, Head of the Marine Ecology Research Division at 黑料视频 and Dr Han鈥檚 PhD supervisor. 鈥淲hat we are observing is evolution in action, driven by human activity. This is scientifically fascinating, but ecologically deeply concerning.鈥�

Smaller and less diverse populations recover more slowly

The evolutionary consequences are severe. Genetic variants associated with faster growth and later maturation may already be lost, and the surviving cod now reach maturity at smaller sizes and produce fewer offspring. It also means a loss of adaptive potential with implications for the population under future environmental changes.

鈥淓volutionary change unfolds over many generations,鈥� says Reusch. 鈥淩ecovery takes far longer than decline, and it may not even be possible. This is evident in our 2025 length data from the current ALKOR cruise: despite the fishing ban, there鈥檚 no sign of a rebound in body size.鈥�

The study underscores a clear message: management and protection measures must consider generational timescales. 鈥淥ur results demonstrate the profound impact of human activities on wild populations, even at the level of their DNA,鈥� says Dr Han. 鈥淭hey also highlight that sustainable fisheries are not only an economic issue, but also a matter of conserving biodiversity, including genetic resources.鈥�

About: Eastern Baltic Cod

The Eastern Baltic cod population is native to the central Baltic Sea and belongs to the species Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). It diverged 7,000 to 8,000 years ago when the Baltic Sea formed due to post-glacial sea level changes. Today, it differs biologically and genetically from other Atlantic cod populations, such as Western Baltic and North Sea cod. It is adapted to the Baltic鈥檚 unique conditions: low salinity, high carbon dioxide, widespread oxygen depletion, and extreme seasonal temperature fluctuations.

Since the mid-1990s, the stock鈥檚 condition has deteriorated significantly. Spawning stock biomass (fish over 35 cm) has declined sharply, and two major spawning areas have been lost due to deteriorating environmental conditions. The Bornholm Basin is now the last remaining spawning ground. In recent years, the size at maturity and condition of the fish have dropped to record lows, with L50 values (the length at which 50% of the population is mature) falling below 20 centimetres. The collapse of the stock prompted a complete fishing ban in 2019, which remains in place 鈥� yet recovery has so far failed to materialise.

Original Publication:

Han, K.Y., Brennan, R.S., Monk. C.T., Jentoft, S., Helmerson, C., Dierking, J., H眉ssy, K., Endo Kokubun, E., Fuss, J., Krause-Kyora, B., Thomsen, T.B., Heredia, B.D., Reusch, Th. B.H. (2025): Genomic Evidence of Fisheries Induced Evolution in Eastern Baltic cod. Science Advances

Funding and award:

Kwi Young Han鈥檚 PhD research was funded by the DFG Research Training Group TransEvo. She received the 鈧� 5,000 Research Prize from the 鈥濬orschungsstiftung Ostsee鈥� for her dissertation.

Shedding Light on the 鈥淒ark Matter鈥� of Life

Traditionally, the discovery of new enzymes has relied on the direct analysis of environmental samples. Microorganisms were isolated and tested for their biochemical properties. While this approach has led to significant discoveries, such as the identification of penicillin in 1928, it has several limitations.

鈥淢any organisms cannot be cultivated in the laboratory, meaning their enzymes remain inaccessible,鈥� explains Dr Erik Borchert, marine microbiologist at 黑料视频 and coordinator of AI MareExplore. Since the late 1990s, metagenomics has made it possible to analyse all the DNA in environmental samples comprehensively. However, even this method has its limitations, as only around 30-40% of the detected sequences can be linked to known functions. 鈥淲e know that there's a lot more out there 鈥� a kind of functional 鈥榙ark matter鈥� that eludes current analytical approaches,鈥� says Borchert.

This is where AI comes in. By identifying patterns in huge data sets, AI can reveal sequences that are likely to have biocatalytic functions, which would otherwise remain unknown. Borchert elaborates: 鈥淎I helps us uncover these hidden treasures because it is excellent at recognising patterns. With the right training, it can discover links between DNA sequences and enzymatic properties that are invisible to us.鈥�

Interdisciplinary Research for Sustainable Solutions

AI MareExplore brings together four Helmholtz Centres and a variety of scientific disciplines. Alongside 黑料视频, the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) and the Forschungszentrum J眉lich (FZJ) are involved, as well as the GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences. The team is developing a powerful AI model with two key objectives: to identify enzymes that can efficiently degrade plastics and those that convert CO鈧� into sugars, thereby aiding carbon fixation.

The AI model will be trained using extensive marine metagenomic datasets collected in recent years. The larger the dataset, the more accurate the model will be. The next step will be to test in the laboratory whether the identified enzymes have the desired properties. 鈥淥ur goal is to develop not only a novel analytical method, but also tangible biocatalysts that can help address global environmental challenges,鈥� says Borchert.

About: Helmholtz Innovation Pool Projects

The project is funded by the Helmholtz Association鈥檚 Innovation Pool. The Innovation Pool鈥檚 aim for the Earth and Environment research field is to strengthen cooperation between Helmholtz Centres, to promote innovative ideas within three-year projects, to support initiatives by early-career researchers and to enable flexible responses to new and socially relevant research topics.

Seagrass meadows are true all-rounders: They create a three-dimensional habitat for many marine organisms, offering both shelter and food. They improve water quality and store carbon dioxide (CO₂) long-term in the sediment, in their roots and rhizomes. Additionally, they protect coastlines by slowing down waves and stabilizing sandy seabeds with their roots.

Like coral reefs, seagrass meadows are vital ecosystems and habitats in the ocean and are therefore essential for marine biodiversity. However, they are also sensitive to external influences such as excess nutrients, increasing human use of coastal areas, and ongoing warming. The result: in many regions, seagrass populations are declining. This makes it all the more important to protect and restore these meadows. NGOs and citizens are contributing by replanting seagrass in coastal areas of the Baltic Sea.

At 黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, scientists are studying how seagrass can be restored, how climate-resilient seagrass can be cultivated, and how much CO₂ is stored in Baltic Sea seagrass meadows.

Jana Willim is a doctoral researcher in the Marine Evolutionary Ecology research unit at 黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research. Her research focuses particularly on restoration measures and the adaptation processes of seagrass to environmental stressors.

Florian Sch眉tte: 鈥濼he ocean absorbs over 90 per cent of the excess heat鈥�.

Since the beginning of industrialisation, mankind has had a massive impact on the Earth's natural heat balance by burning fossil fuels. Since then, the ocean has absorbed more than 90 per cent of the additional heat released. This means that the oceans act as a buffer, without which the earth would already be much warmer today.

However, this extreme warming of the oceans also has many negative consequences: The higher temperatures of the water surface, can lead to increased evaporation - and thus regionally to more precipitation. In tropical regions, the warmer sea surface also favours the development and intensification of tropical cyclones.

In addition, the warming and increased stratification of the upper water layers reduces the mixing of the water. This has an impact on the supply of oxygen and nutrients to living organisms - and therefore on the marine ecosystem. Last but not least, ocean warming contributes to the melting of ice, particularly in the Antarctic and Greenland. This in turn accelerates sea level rise. By the end of the century, an average rise of 50 to 100 centimetres can be expected. Even if we were to stop emitting greenhouse gases now, sea levels would continue to rise for several centuries, as the climate system reacts slowly to such changes.

Florian Sch眉tte is Junior Professor of Physical Oceanography at the 黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel. His research interests include the physical observation of oceanic eddies, which can be found throughout the world's oceans.

Morelia Urlaub: "We monitor volcanic slopes under water".

Just like on land, underwater slopes can also begin to slide. However, the scale of submarine landslides often far exceeds those on land. Around one quarter of all tsunamis are triggered by underwater landslides. The causes of such submarine slope failures are still poorly understood, and the dynamic processes on the seafloor remain insufficiently explored. This is mainly because the traces of landslides lie hidden under several hundred or even thousands of meters of water 鈥� and the layer that initially gives way is usually destroyed in the process.

Comprehensive mapping of the seafloor using autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and targeted long-term monitoring aim to close these knowledge gaps. For example, acoustic seafloor positioning networks are being deployed. These consist of several autonomous transponders that communicate with each other. By measuring the travel time of acoustic signals, the distance between the devices can be determined with centimeter accuracy. If the signal travel time changes (for example, due to a slope failure), the relative movements between devices can be calculated.

The goal of this research is to develop an early warning system on the seafloor to collect real-time data on earthquakes, ground movements, and volcanic activity. This would enable reliable monitoring of submarine volcanoes.

Morelia Urlaub is a junior professor of Marine Geomechanics at 黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research and Kiel University. Her research focuses on submarine natural hazards, particularly those caused by slope instabilities and underwater landslides. She investigates these processes through long-term seafloor observations and numerical modeling.

Amavi Silva: 鈥濼he ocean is our planet's biggest carbon storage鈥�.

The ocean is our ally in the fight against climate change. Since the beginning of industrialization, the ocean has absorbed around a quarter of the carbon dioxide (CO₂) released by human activities. This natural buffering effect has significantly slowed global warming. But CO₂ uptake comes at a high cost: the ocean water is becoming more acidic.

CO₂ enters the ocean at the surface, where it dissolves from the air into the seawater. Whether and how much CO₂ is absorbed depends primarily on the difference in what鈥檚 called the CO₂ partial pressure between the atmosphere and the surface ocean. Put simply, this is the pressure generated by the CO2 dissolved in the surface water and the CO2 in the atmosphere. The natural gas exchange between ocean and atmosphere always works to balance out this pressure difference.

At 黑料视频, researchers are exploring ways to increase the ocean鈥檚 ability to absorb CO₂ in the future 鈥� in order to help meet international climate goals and offset unavoidable emissions. The top priority on the path to climate neutrality is and remains the avoidance of emissions.

Amavi Silva is a marine biogeochemist (postdoc) at 黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel. Her research aims to understand the dynamics of the sea surface microlayer 鈥� the ocean鈥檚 鈥榮kin鈥� that controls the air-sea exchange of CO₂.

As the lead scientific partner, the 黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel contributes its extensive expertise to the conference. Together with partners from current research projects 鈥� MUNI-RISK, MMinE-SwEEPER, Validity, SAM, BorDEx, MUNIMAP, ErovMUs and REMARCO 鈥� 黑料视频 researchers will present the latest scientific knowledge in talks and in the accompanying exhibition.

Geomar has laid the scientific foundations for munitions recovery

At the opening of KMCW25, 黑料视频 Director Prof. Dr Katja Matthes said:
鈥淔or many years, 黑料视频 has been conducting fundamental research into the clearance of munitions off our coasts. Together with our international project partners, we are increasingly adopting a European approach. As a scientific partner of the conference, we are contributing our expertise in mapping and dealing with leaking hazardous substances. In cooperation with the State of Schleswig-Holstein and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, we have also established the MUNIMAR Competence Centre, a dedicated platform to advance the development of concrete projects and technologies to deal with legacy munitions鈥�.

Renowned scientists such as Prof. Dr Jens Greinert, Prof. Dr Jacek Beldowski, Prof. Dr Edmund Maser and Hans Sanderson will take part in panels, workshops and the specialist exhibition.

19 June: Public event on sea-dumped munitions
On Thursday, 19 June, all interested parties are invited to the Business Lounge of the Wunderino Arena: From 7:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., a discussion will take place under the title 鈥淐ommunicating about sea-dumped munitions: Challenges and opportunities鈥�, addressing how this topic can be communicated transparently and comprehensibly 鈥� beyond fear narratives and with a view to opportunities for a sustainable 鈥淏lue Economy鈥�. The Centre for the Management of Munitions in the Marine Environment Schleswig-Holstein (MUNIMAR) will also be presented. No registration is required.

About: Kiel Munition Clearance Week
In September 2021, experts on the topic of ammunition in the sea met for the first time at the Kiel Munition Clearance Week (KMCW) to exchange ideas and drive forward solutions for ammunition clearance. On the initiative of Jann Wendt (north.io GmbH), the Ammunition Cadastre Sea (AmuCad.org) organised the conference in cooperation with partners from industry and science like 黑料视频. The second KMCW is organised by the Ministry of Energy Transition, Climate Protection, Environment and Nature of the State of Schleswig-Holstein (MEKUN) together with north.io.

The weakening of those major ocean currents could drastically alter living conditions on the continents, potentially raising or lowering regional temperatures by dozens of degrees Celsius. Understanding and modeling the dynamics of deep water in the oceans is therefore crucial to preparing for such changes.

To understand these shifts in the future, scientists use the past when climate was very different to gain insight into the current and systematic interaction between ocean and climate. At the University of Lausanne (UNIL), a team of scientists has studied the last ice age - which peaked around 20,000 years ago - and retraced the planet's deep ocean currents. Their results have been published in Nature Geoscience.

They demonstrate that, contrary to what was previously thought, the flow path of deep ocean waters remained relatively stable during this period, of extreme cold and massive ice coverage. This discovery challenges earlier hypotheses that ocean circulation had changed dramatically at this point in history.

The findings suggest that deep water formation was more persistent under glacial conditions than previously assumed. "However, we must be careful not to draw simple comparisons with the current situation. The warming we are seeing today, caused by human activity, is indeed much more rapid, and the ice masses much smaller than 20,000 years ago," explains Patrick Blaser, first author of the article and researcher at the University of Lausanne's Faculty of Geosciences and Environment as well as at the 黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (Germany). 鈥淭his study reveals that we still do not fully understand the interaction between ocean and climate system during the ice age. Thus, the Earth system models used for such paleo-reconstructions have significant shortcomings.鈥�

The researcher advocates launching new research based on this breakthrough, to better understand past climate mechanisms, and correct future climate projections. 鈥淭his work is essential if we are to correctly apprehend past, present and future natural phenomena, and meet the challenges that lie ahead.鈥�

To reconstruct ocean currents 20,000 years ago, the researchers combined five different indicators from ocean sediments, including isotope ratios of neodymium, oxygen and carbon, as well as radiocarbon and the chemical composition in the shells of microorganisms. Their approach can be compared to the cross-referencing of several testimonies to observe the same scene. This multi-proxy analysis makes it possible to reconstruct the origin of water masses and their circulation with higher confidence and detail than before (although the rate at which they moved is harder to constrain). This led the authors to challenge the idea that ocean circulation in the North Atlantic came to an abrupt halt during the last ice age.

Publication:

P. Blaser, C. Waelbroeck, D. J. R. Thornalley, J. Lippold, F. P枚ppelmeier, S. Kaboth-Bahr, J. Repschl盲ger & S. L. Jaccard (2025):鈥�Prevalent North Atlantic Deep Water during the Last Glacial Maximum and Heinrich Stadial 1, Nature Geoscience

doi: 

鈥淲hat helps the climate is not automatically good for the ocean,鈥� says Prof. Dr Andreas Oschlies, lead author of the study and head of the Biogeochemical Modelling research division at 黑料视频. Together with an international team that is part of the UNESCO Global Ocean Oxygen Network (GO₂NE), he conducted a comprehensive assessment using idealised global model simulations to analyse both the direct impacts of various mCDR approaches on ocean oxygen and their indirect effects through climate mitigation. The results have now been published in Environmental Research Letters.

Ocean fertilisation and seaweed sinking among the most critical approaches

The study identifies several biotic mCDR methods as particularly critical 鈥� including ocean fertilisation, large-scale macroalgae farming followed by sinking of the biomass, and artificial upwelling of nutrient-rich deep water. These approaches involve the enhancement of photosynthetic biomass production, followed by its decomposition in the ocean interior. This remineralisation process consumes oxygen 鈥� at levels comparable to the current rate of global deoxygenation caused by ocean warming.

鈥淢ethods that increase biomass production in the ocean, and subsequently lead to oxygen-consuming decomposition, cannot be considered harmless climate solutions,鈥� says Oschlies. 鈥淥ur model simulations show that such approaches could cause a decrease in dissolved oxygen that is four to 40 times greater than the oxygen gain expected from reduced global warming.鈥�

By contrast, geochemical mCDR approaches that do not involve nutrient input 鈥� such as ocean alkalinity enhancement through the addition of alkaline substances based on limestone 鈥� appear to have minimal effects on ocean oxygen levels and are comparable to simply reducing CO鈧� emissions.

Among all methods examined, only large-scale macroalgae farming with biomass harvesting (i.e. removal from the ocean) resulted in an overall increase in oceanic oxygen levels. In this case, no additional oxygen is consumed within the marine environment, and the removal of nutrients limits oxygen consumption elsewhere. Model results suggest that if deployed at sufficient scale, this approach could even reverse past oxygen losses 鈥� providing up to ten times more oxygen than has been lost due to climate change within a century. However, here it is the removal of nutrients that would negatively impact biological productivity in the ocean.

Call for systematic monitoring of ocean oxygen

Given these findings, the authors advocate for mandatory inclusion of oxygen measurements in all future mCDR research and deployment efforts.

鈥淭he ocean is a complex system which is already heavily under pressure,鈥� says Oschlies. 鈥淚f we intervene with large-scale measures, we must ensure that, no matter how good our intentions are, we are not further threatening marine environmental conditions that marine life depends on.鈥�

Original publication:
Oschlies, A., Slomp, C. P., Altieri, A. H., Gallo, N. D., Gregoire, M., Isensee, K., Levin, L. A., & Wu, J. (2025): Potential impacts of marine carbon dioxide removal on ocean oxygen. Environmental Research Letters.

Background: Carbon dioxide removal as part of climate strategy

Even with ambitious climate policy, Germany is expected to emit 10 to 20 percent of today鈥檚 greenhouse gas levels in three decades鈥� time 鈥� continuing to drive global warming. Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is therefore being considered to help reach net-zero emissions. The ocean is the key player in the global carbon cycle due to its natural CO₂ uptake and its huge storage capacity. However, these processes typically occur over long timescales. Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal (mCDR) approaches aim to accelerate these natural processes, thereby increasing the ocean鈥檚 carbon uptake capacity.

The scientific advisory board brings together 16 experts covering the fields of marine ecology, dumped munitions, geology, climate, tourism, economics, fisheries, agriculture and social sciences. They represent 黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (黑料视频), Kiel University, the Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW), the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), the Institute for Tourism and Spa Research in Northern Europe (NIT), and the German Marine Research Alliance (DAM).

鈥淭his interdisciplinary approach enables us to understand complex ecological, economic and social interconnections and to develop targeted measures that will help us to protect the Baltic Sea more effectively,鈥� the Minister-President said.

鈥淏iodiversity loss, pollution and climate change 鈥� the three global environmental crises are concentrated in the Baltic Sea like under a magnifying glass. With the Action Plan for Baltic Sea Protection 2030, the state government has initiated an effective protection programme. The advisory board will provide an important platform for linking science, administration and politics in support of a vibrant and healthy Baltic Sea. We in Schleswig-Holstein love our Baltic Sea 鈥� and together we will treat it better in future,鈥� said Environment Minister Tobias Goldschmidt.

The members of the advisory board elected Professor Dr Ursula Siebert from the Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover Foundation, as Chair. 鈥淚 am sincerely grateful for the trust placed in me to lead the Scientific Advisory Board for the Baltic Sea Protection Action Plan 2030. This board offers a great opportunity to advise decision-makers and the public at an interdisciplinary scientific level and thus help pave the way for a healthier Baltic Sea,鈥� said Siebert.

Professor Dr Thorsten Reusch of 黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel was elected Vice-Chair of the board. 鈥淚 look forward to working with this highly competent interdisciplinary team. This is an important opportunity to contribute our collective expertise as an independent scientific body to political processes. We share the responsibility of preserving the Baltic Sea ecosystem with all its diverse functions 鈥� despite very challenging conditions such as the legacy of heavy overfishing and ocean temperatures rising three times faster than the global average,鈥� Reusch said.

The Scientific Advisory Board will meet at least once a year.

Members of the Scientific Advisory Board for the Action Plan for Baltic Sea Protection:

• Prof. Prof. h. c. Dr Ursula Siebert, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover Foundation, Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW B眉sum)
• Prof. Dr Thorsten B. Reusch, 黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Research Division 3: Marine Ecology
• Prof. Dr Jens Greinert, 黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Research Division 2: Marine Biogeochemistry
• Dr Thomas Martin, 黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Research Division 1: Ocean Circulation and Climate Dynamics
• Prof. Dr Christian Winter, Kiel University, Institute of Geosciences
• Prof. Dr Stefan Garthe, Research and Technology Centre West Coast, Kiel University
• Prof. Dr Konrad Ott, Department of Philosophy, Kiel University
• Prof. Dr Nicola Fohrer, Kiel University, Institute for Natural Resource Management, Department of Hydrology and Water Resources Management
• Prof. Dr Marie-Catherine Riekhof, Kiel University, Political Economy of Resource Management with a focus on Marine and Coastal Resources
• Prof. Dr Nele Matz-L眉ck, Kiel University, Executive Director of the Walther Sch眉cking Institute for International Law
• Prof. Dr Torben Tiedemann, Kiel University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Economics
• Prof. Dr Wilfried Rickels, Kiel Institute for the World Economy
• Dr Dirk Schm眉cker, Institute for Tourism and Spa Research in Northern Europe GmbH
• Dr Joachim Harms, German Marine Research Alliance e.V.
• Andreas Burmester, Maritime Coordinator of the Schleswig-Holstein State Government
• Dr Juliane Rumpf, State Commissioner for Nature Conservation, Ministry for Energy Transition, Climate Protection, Environment and Nature of Schleswig-Holstein

About: Action Plan for Baltic Sea Protection 2030

As part of the Action Plan for Baltic Sea Protection 2030 (Aktionsplan Ostseeschutz, APOS), adopted by the state government on 19 March 2024, numerous measures are being implemented to protect the sea. 12.5 per cent of Schleswig-Holstein鈥檚 share of the Baltic Sea is being designated as strictly protected areas. These are intended to serve as refuges and resting zones for animals and plants. To safeguard biodiversity, measures include the restoration of reef structures and seagrass meadows.

To reduce nutrient inputs, the state reached an agreement with the agricultural sector at the end of 2024 to supplement the Fertiliser Ordinance. The aim is to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus runoff from agriculture by ten per cent by 2030 and by a further ten per cent by 2035. This corresponds to a reduction of 400 tonnes of nitrogen and 13 tonnes of phosphorus by 2035 鈥� about six per cent of current loads. In addition, municipal wastewater treatment plant discharge limits are being aligned with state-of-the-art standards, and funding for phosphate precipitation and nitrogen elimination is being continued and expanded.

To address the issue of dumped munitions in the Baltic Sea, the federal government launched an immediate action programme in 2024 and treated the first six tonnes of recovered munitions. In future, offshore platforms will be constructed to carry out the entire process 鈥� from detection to recovery and disposal 鈥� directly at sea.

黑料视频 Side Events:

10 June | 13:00鈥�15:00

Bridging Science, Policy and Society for Sustainable Ocean Management in Africa 鈥� MeerWissen and Future West African Marine Ecosystem (FUTURO)

Organizers:

黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel

Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Germany

Deutsche Gesellschaft f眉r Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)

Co-organizer:

Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO 鈥� Sub-Commission for Africa and the Adjacent Island States (IOC-AFRICA)

Read more:

11 June | 18:00鈥�20:00

No Time to Waste: Tackling Submerged Munitions in European Seas

Organizers:

黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel

Helsinki Commission (HELCOM) 鈥� Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission

Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV), Germany

Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBF), Germany

Co-organizers:

Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI)

Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS)

Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IO PAN)

JPI Oceans 

German Environment Agency (UBA)

Read more: 

Researchers on Site:

Prof Katja Matthes, Director of 黑料视频 (expertise in ocean and climate, CO鈧� storage and removal, and international agreements)

Prof Arne K枚rtzinger (expert in ocean observation and research in the highly relevant upwelling regions off West Africa)

Dr Toste Tanhua (developer of innovative instruments for ocean observation in cooperation with merchant vessels and sailing ships)

Prof Jens Greinert (specialist in the recovery of submerged munitions in the North Sea, Baltic Sea and other European waters)

With a net bag and neoprene: Underwater gardening for nature and climate protection

The method is called single-shoot transplantation and is currently considered the most effective technique for reintroducing seagrass. It requires many hands. This summer, five non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and numerous volunteer divers are taking on seagrass restoration on a larger scale for the first time.

"The pilot phase is over 鈥� now we are moving into the field," says Prof. Dr. Thorsten Reusch, Head of the Marine Ecology research department at 黑料视频. "The fact that the NGOs are now independently restoring seagrass meadows with the help of trained divers is great news for biodiversity in the Baltic Sea鈥檚 coastal areas and for natural climate protection."

Seagrass - the underestimated natural CO鈧� sink

Seagrass is a true all-rounder underwater: it provides important habitats for fish and other creatures, stabilizes sediment, calms waves, and filters pathogens from the water. Most importantly, it binds carbon very effectively and over the long term. This makes seagrass meadows one of the most important natural CO鈧� sinks in our coastal waters.

This is precisely where the ZOBLUC project, which is funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment and started this year under the leadership of 黑料视频, comes in. ZOBLUC stands for "Zostera marina as a blue carbon sink in the Baltic Sea" and combines research, protection, and restoration of seagrass meadows. The focus is on the extent to which these ecosystems act as natural carbon reservoirs 鈥� and how they can be specifically strengthened. The project is part of the Natural Climate Protection Action Programme (ANK) and is funded by the federal government and the state of Schleswig-Holstein.

鈥淪eagrass meadows are like undersea moors,鈥� explains Reusch. 鈥淭hey store carbon in the oxygen-poor sediment for centuries 鈥� this makes them an underestimated but effective weapon in the fight against climate change.鈥�

But seagrass meadows are under threat. Excessive nutrient inputs and the resulting excessive growth of algae, mechanical disturbances such as anchors, and rising water temperatures have led to the disappearance of seagrass in many places in recent decades. However, according to 黑料视频 data, conditions have improved again on some stretches of coast. 鈥淚n order to jump-start the slow natural colonisation, it makes sense to renaturalise seagrass in carefully selected areas.鈥�

Citizen science for marine conservation

The involvement of citizens in renaturalisation as part of the citizen science approach is a central element of ZOBLUC. The training formats required for this were developed over several years and gradually expanded: in 2023, 黑料视频 researchers developed an eight-part pilot course and offered it in cooperation with Sea Shepherd for a small group of experienced 鈥渃itizen divers.鈥� In the following year, 2024, the training courses were extended to diving instructors and diving club leaders.

2025 now marks the transition to the area: the members of five NGOs 鈥� Sea Shepherd Germany, Mission F枚rde, Lake Divers (Just1Ocean), Seagrass Conservation e.V. (SeaGCon, in formation) and Greenpeace 鈥� will be trained. They will then look after nine scientifically selected areas in the Baltic Sea, from Holnis to Fehmarn, where seagrass has either completely disappeared or is only present in small remnants. Targeted planting is intended to fill these gaps and create a long-term network. The suitable renaturalisation areas and donor species are selected by 黑料视频 and approved in close consultation with the Schleswig-Holstein Ministry of the Environment (MEKUN). The measures are scientifically accompanied by a monitoring programme that documents environmental conditions and planting successes.

Nine areas, five NGOs, one common goal

For Christin Otto from Sea Shepherd, who is coordinating the training courses, this mission is a central concern: 鈥淲e are thus consistently continuing our long-standing commitment to protecting the Baltic Sea 鈥� with direct, effective marine protection. Thanks to the cooperation with 黑料视频, we are able to further expand our conservation efforts and make a sustainable contribution to the preservation of important habitats.鈥� 鈥淲e offer nature conservation that you can take part in,鈥� says biologist and research diver Christian Lieberum. He is the full-time coordinator of the Citizen Science programme. 鈥淭he response has been huge,鈥� he says. Not all those interested could be offered a training course. 鈥淏ut we鈥檙e only just getting started. This success story will hopefully continue for a long time to come.鈥�

Experience the sea 鈥� protect nature

鈥淲e only want to protect what we know and love,鈥� says Dr. Mark Lenz, a marine biologist at 黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel. He initiated the project last year and is delighted that it is continuing this year. 鈥淥nce you have seen with your own eyes how diverse life is just below the surface of the water, you will never look at the Baltic Sea with indifference again. That's exactly the experience we want to offer children and young people through 鈥楽norkeling.City鈥�.

This is made possible by the association Pro Ocean and funding from the BINGO! Environmental Lottery. The BUND-Umwelthaus in Neustadt, BUND SH and the Tourism Agency L眉becker Bucht are providing the snorkeling equipment. Dr Henry G枚hlich, a marine biologist at 黑料视频, is coordinating and managing the project on a voluntary basis. The success of the programme also relies on the support of teams from Ocean Summit, the Heinrich B枚ll Foundation SH, Kiel Marketing, the Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund SH, and freediving instructor Kjell Wassermann.

School classes and students take the plunge

From 2 June to 4 July, school classes will go snorkelling almost every weekday. Each course lasts around three hours. Before entering the water, participants receive an introduction to the unique characteristics of the Baltic Sea and its marine life, followed by a debrief and discussion after the snorkelling session. The groups are guided by students from Kiel University (CAU) and 黑料视频 who have been trained in environmental education, first aid, lifeguarding and snorkelling instruction.

On 12 June, 25 biology students from Kiel University (CAU) will join the 鈥楽norkeling.City鈥� team for a day-long excursion, organised by Dr Kim Wagner and Dr Daniela Winkler. The trip is supported by the CAU Alumni and Friends Association.

Vision for the future: Every child living on the Baltic Sea coast should have the opportunity to explore the underwater world

The organisers have an ambitious goal: every child living along the Baltic Sea coast of Schleswig-Holstein should one day have the opportunity to explore the underwater world of the Baltic Sea. To realise this vision, the project needs additional partners and long-term funding. It鈥檚 a goal worth pursuing 鈥� because both Lenz and G枚hlich are convinced that anyone who has experienced a seagrass meadow up close will understand the vital role that each animal and plant plays in the marine ecosystem, and be motivated to help protect them.

鈥淲e analysed the problems and concluded that they are driven by short-sighted national calls for higher, unsustainable catches, compromising all levels of decision making,鈥� says lead author Dr Rainer Froese, a fisheries scientist at 黑料视频. 鈥淓nvironmental factors such as warming waters and oxygen loss also play a role, but overfishing is so strong that it alone suffices to collapse stocks.鈥� He adds: 鈥淲e propose a new approach to EU fisheries management that would overcome the problems, be doable within existing legislation, and lead to profitable fisheries from healthy fish stocks within a few years.鈥�

The European path to setting annual quotas

The EU鈥檚 Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which states that fish populations are to be maintained or restored to levels that can support maximum sustainable catches. In northern Europe, this is implemented through legally binding total allowable catches (TACs), which are advised scientifically by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), an intergovernmental organization with working groups consisting mostly of scientists from national fisheries institutions. Based on this advice, the European Commission proposes annual quotas, which are then discussed with member states and stakeholders. Ultimately, the Council of EU Fisheries Ministers decides on the legally binding total allowable catch for the following year. Unfortunately, this process often results in quotas that were increased at every step 鈥� with harmful consequences for fish stocks.

Mismanagement in the western Baltic Sea

The western Baltic Sea is a window into the dynamics between fish and fisheries 鈥� a relatively simple ecosystem for which extensive data are available, and which is fished solely under EU control.

鈥淭he western Baltic is dominated by three commercially important species: cod, herring and plaice,鈥� explains Prof. Dr Thorsten Reusch, Head of the Marine Ecology Research Division at 黑料视频. 鈥淟ong-standing overfishing of cod and herring has led to the recent collapse of these fisheries, whereas flatfish such as plaice, flounder and dab 鈥� which are less demanded and fished less intensively 鈥� have shown stable or even increasing stock sizes.鈥� In 2022, overall, less than a tenth of what could have been sustainably caught from healthy stocks was actually landed. Reusch continues: 鈥淚t鈥檚 the small-scale coastal fishers who are suffering the most, often without having done anything wrong, except perhaps relying on fishing associations that lobbied for unsustainable quotas.鈥�

Systematic overestimation and phantom recoveries

In order to manage catches sustainably, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) advises on how much fish of a given species of fish can be extracted annually without threatening the long-term viability of the stock.

However, ICES鈥檚 assessments repeatedly overpredicted stock sizes for the upcoming year for which sustainable catches were to be advised. These overly optimistic projections suggested that fish stocks were recovering and could support much higher catches, when, in reality, the stocks were stagnating or declining. 鈥淲e鈥檙e talking about 鈥榩hantom recoveries鈥�,鈥� says Froese, 鈥渞ecoveries that were predicted but never happened.鈥�

The overfishing ratchet: when the system undermines its own goals

Building on the already too high ICES advice, the European Commission often proposed even higher catch limits, which the ministers in the EU Council usually approved, or sometimes increased further. As a result, official quotas permitted the capture of far more fish than the stocks could replenish. In some years even more than there were fish in the water. The authors call this process the 鈥榦verfishing ratchet鈥�: like a mechanical ratchet, it only turns in one direction. This process strongly favours higher catches at every step, leading to total allowable catches (TACs) that often exceed what fishers are able to catch.

As Froese notes: 鈥淚nterestingly, actual catches often remained below these inflated quotas 鈥� simply because fishers stopped fishing when the cost of chasing the last fish exceeded the value of the catch.鈥�

A new independent authority for ecosystem-based catch advice

The Common Fisheries Policy included an explicit deadline of 2020 to end overfishing 鈥� a goal that was clearly missed, as Thorsten Reusch points out. 鈥淓urope must play a leading role by making its own fisheries sustainable if it hopes to encourage other regions of the world to adopt sustainable fishing practices.鈥� His appeal: 鈥淭he EU must take its sustainability goals seriously and implement the CFP according to its stated objectives, urgently.鈥�

To make the process more transparent and ensure accountability, the researchers propose creating a new politically independent institution with a clear mandate to provide robust scientific estimates of the highest sustainable annual catch for every stock, in line with ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) principles. This would enable the EU to finally implement its own laws and effectively end overfishing.

Froese concludes: 鈥淭o be successful, such an institution would need to operate with the same level of independence as a central bank.鈥� He reiterates: 鈥淚mplementing sound scientific advice can lead to highly profitable fisheries from large fish stocks in healthy European seas in many cases, and within a few years.鈥�

Original Publication:

Froese, R., Steiner, N., Papaioannou, E., MacNeil, L., Reusch, T.B.H., Scotti, M. (2025): Systemic failure of European fisheries management, Science.

DOI: 10.1126/science.adv4341

Two Decades of Interdisciplinary Data

The study is based on an exceptionally rich dataset, including results from 34 research expeditions, measurements by autonomous underwater gliders, satellite observations, and data from long-term ocean moorings. The team combined physical, chemical, and biological parameters to uncover relationships between currents, nutrient availability, and species composition.

鈥淥nly by combining all of these different data sources were we able to identify patterns that would have remained invisible using physical data alone,鈥� says first author Dr Florian Sch眉tte, Assistant Professor of Physical Oceanography at 黑料视频. The findings not only offer new insights into the ecosystem, but also lay the groundwork for digital tools such as coupled ecosystem models or even a Digital Twin of the Ocean 鈥� a virtual model that integrates massive interdisciplinary datasets. 鈥淲hat we did here is essentially the core idea of a digital twin: bringing together multiple perspectives to understand the system as a whole,鈥� Sch眉tte explains.

Three Key Processes Bring Nutrients to the Surface

From the extensive dataset, the researchers identified three physical mechanisms that drive the upward transport of nitrate 鈥� the key limiting nutrient for phytoplankton growth in the Atlantic 鈥� from deeper layers to the surface, where it fuels biological productivity:

1. Wind-Driven Island Wakes:
   The first mechanism involves 鈥渋sland wakes鈥� 鈥� swirling wind patterns that form when the steady northeast trade winds are deflected by the high volcanic peaks of Santo Ant茫o and Fogo. These wind distortions create intense local shear zones that, in turn, generate small but highly productive water eddies. These eddies enhance vertical mixing and nutrient transport in the water column.
2. Mesoscale Ocean Eddies:
   The second process involves large-scale ocean eddies 鈥� so-called 鈥渕esoscale eddies鈥� with diameters of up to 120 kilometers. These features regularly form off the West African coast, where they trap cold, nutrient-rich, and fresher water, carrying it westward toward the Cape Verde Islands. When these eddies encounter islands or shallow waters, they release their nutrient-rich cores and enhance local vertical mixing.
3. Internal Tidal Waves:
   The third mechanism results from the interaction of tides with the steep underwater topography of the islands. The Cape Verde Archipelago sits in a deep-sea basin (the Cape Verde Basin) with depths of 3,000 to 4,000 meters. Here, regular tidal flows are disrupted by seamounts and island slopes, generating so-called internal tidal waves. These waves oscillate within ocean layers of differing densities and can travel long distances 鈥� or break when encountering steep slopes or shallows, much like surface waves breaking on a beach. When internal waves break, they release significant energy, dramatically increasing vertical mixing. This effect is especially strong south of Santo Ant茫o, where 黑料视频 recorded the highest mixing rates ever measured 鈥� accompanied by flow speeds several times higher than the original deep-sea tidal current.

The Key Insight: Physics Determines Who Lives Where

鈥淎ll of these processes bring nitrate into the sunlit surface layer, where it stimulates phytoplankton growth 鈥� the foundation of all marine life,鈥� explains Dr Sch眉tte. These productive zones exhibit up to ten times more zooplankton biomass, higher fish catches, and more whale sightings. Even annual catch volumes of mackerel and tuna in the Cape Verde region strongly correlate with the strength of these small-scale physical processes and associated chlorophyll levels.

But the study鈥檚 key finding goes beyond productivity: It shows that not only the quantity of life, but also the type of organisms present, depends on the underlying physical dynamics. Zooplankton communities differ markedly between regions dominated by tidal mixing, wind-driven island wakes, or large ocean eddies 鈥� and these differences appear to propagate up the food chain to fish and marine mammals.

鈥淲here tides dominate, we find different animals than in areas influenced by wind or eddies,鈥� says Sch眉tte. 鈥淲hat used to seem like chaotic variety now shows recognizable patterns. We're beginning to structure the ocean 鈥� and understand how biodiversity emerges.鈥�

Relevance for Marine Conservation and Sustainable Use

For the first time, the study reveals in detail how marine biodiversity around the Cape Verde Islands is shaped by physical ocean processes and underwater topography. This holistic view provides a crucial foundation for understanding the entire ecosystem 鈥� from physical drivers to microscopic algae, fish, and whales.

Such a systemic perspective is especially important for marine conservation and sustainable fisheries management. Until now, many fishery decisions have relied primarily on catch statistics. This study shows that forward-looking ocean monitoring requires more: interdisciplinary data collection that captures physical, chemical, and biological processes 鈥� ideally combined with satellite data and long-term observations on site.

Original Publication:

Sch眉tte, F., Hans, A.C., Schulz, M., Hummels, R., Assokpa, O., Brandt, P., Kiko, R., K枚rtzinger, A., Fiedler, B., Fischer, T., Rodrigues, E., Hoving, H-J., Hauss, H. (2025). Linking physical processes to biological responses: Interdisciplinary observational insights into the enhanced biological productivity of the Cape Verde Archipelago, Progress in Oceanography, 235, 103479.

Contact:
Prof. Hinrich Schulenburg
Spokesperson CRC 1182 鈥濷rigin and Function of Metaorganisms鈥�, Kiel University
Phone: +49 431-880-4141
Email: hschulenburg(at)zoologie.uni-kiel.de
 
Prof. Ute Hentschel Humeida
Research Unit - Marine Symbioses
Research Division 3 - Marine Ecology
黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
Phone +49 431 600-4480
Email: uhentschel(at)geomar.de

鈥淭his expedition has given us a glimpse into one of the most remote and biologically rich parts of our ocean. This is exactly why the Ocean Census exists 鈥� to accelerate our understanding of ocean life before it鈥檚 too late,鈥� said Dr. Michelle Taylor, head of science and expedition principal investigator at the Ocean Census, and senior lecturer at the University of Essex. 鈥淭he 35 days at sea were an exciting rollercoaster of scientific discovery; the implications of which will be felt for many years to come as discoveries filter into management action.鈥�

Mother Nature threw everything she had at the expedition, said Taylor, including a subsea earthquake, tropical storm force winds with hurricane-level gusts, eight-meter (26-foot) waves, and icebergs to navigate.

Located in the South Atlantic, the South Sandwich Islands are part of a rich mosaic of geologic features such as hadal zone trenches, underwater volcanoes, and spreading centers 鈥� features created by tectonic forces that have supported the evolution of species found nowhere else on the planet. It took eight days for the research vessel to travel to the islands from the port of Punta Arenas, Chile.

The GoSouth team, led by Co-Chief Scientist Dr. Jenny Gales, discovered two pockmarks in the mapping data of an underwater caldera 鈥� a bowl-shaped depression in the seafloor, left after a volcano erupts. Pockmarks can indicate hydrothermal activity. Using a 鈥渘ested鈥� approach, the team deployed Schmidt Ocean Institute鈥檚 remotely operated vehicle, SuBastian to map the pockmarks at a higher resolution and confirm the presence of vents.

The larger pockmark contained three hydrothermal vents, and the smaller contained one. Located at 700 meters depth (nearly 2300 feet), they are one of the shallowest hydrothermal vents to have been discovered near the South Sandwich Islands, and the only ones to be explored using a remotely operated vehicle. The tallest vent chimney was four meters (13 feet), making it about as tall as a basketball hoop. Each vent was covered with an array of life dependent on chemosynthesis, including sea snails and barnacles. Thriving coral gardens and large sponges were found in close proximity to the vents 鈥� an unusual observation, said Taylor.

鈥淒iscovering these hydrothermal vents was a magical moment, as they have never been seen here before,鈥� said Gales, an associate professor in Ocean Exploration at the University of Plymouth (UK). 鈥淚t鈥檚 an incredible discovery that provides valuable insights into the area鈥檚 tectonic activity. Making such a discovery is rare. It highlights the importance of ocean exploration and seafloor mapping.鈥�

In addition to the vents, other notable observations during the expedition included:

• In the trench, scientists found snailfish eggs that had been laid on a black coral, as well as a potential new sea cucumber species;
• large pumice blocks, indicating that the South Sandwich Islands are capable of explosive volcanism; 
• a vibrant coral garden located west of Saunders Island at a depth of 120 meters (394 feet); 
• Capturing the first footage of Akarotaxis aff. gouldae, a species of dragonfish that was discovered two years ago.

鈥淭he challenging ocean and weather conditions and the isolated location of the South Sandwich Islands capture the imagination of the boldest explorers 鈥� often the closest humans to the vessel were on the International Space Station,鈥� said Schmidt Ocean Institute鈥檚 Executive Director, Dr. Jyotika Virmani. 鈥淲e are proud to have collaborated with Ocean Census in their mission to advance the discovery of marine life and GoSouth in their quest to better understand the geological nature of this dynamic corner of the world.鈥� 

Contact person:
Dr. Tom Kwasnitschka, tkwasnitschka(at)geomar.de

'Various technical approaches have already been tested, some of which have had a positive effect on lakes,' says Prof Dr Andreas Oschlies, Professor of Marine Biogeochemical Modelling at the 黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel. 'However, artificial oxygenation cannot work miracles 鈥� it only temporarily alleviates the symptoms and does not address the underlying causes.'

Together with Prof. Dr Caroline P. Slomp, Professor of Geomicrobiology and Biogeochemistry at Radboud University in the Netherlands, Andreas Oschlies heads the Global Ocean Oxygen Network (GONE). GO₂NE is an international expert committee of the United Nations Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC UNESCO) researching the causes and consequences of declining oxygen levels in the ocean. GO₂NE held its first international workshop on artificial oxygenation in autumn 2024. The results of this workshop were published last week in the scientific journal EOS.

Main causes of oxygen loss in coastal seas

Coastal seas naturally obtain oxygen through exchange with the atmosphere and through photosynthesis by phytoplankton on the surface. Deeper water layers can only obtain oxygen through exchange with surface water. Seawater loses oxygen through bacteria consuming it when decomposing organic material. These bacteria can thrive particularly well when the nutrient supply is high, which is why excessive nutrient inputs (especially nitrogen and phosphorus) from wastewater and agriculture are among the main causes of falling oxygen levels. In addition, water bodies are warming, meaning less oxygen can be dissolved in warmer water. Warm layers of water overlying cooler ones also inhibit the mixing of the water layers.

Oschlies: 鈥淭here are now huge zones in the Baltic Sea where there is no oxygen at all. We call these zones anoxic, i.e. oxygen-free. They are colloquially referred to as 'dead zones'. They are not completely devoid of life, as there are bacteria that can still survive in this environment. However, these areas are absolutely hostile to all other organisms.鈥�

Limits and risks of artificial oxygen input

Oschlies and Slomp investigated two technical approaches for supplying oxygen to bodies of water: air or pure oxygen injection (bubble diffusion), and pumping oxygen-rich surface water into deeper layers (artificial downwelling). Both methods have already been tested locally, producing partially positive results. However, as soon as the measures are discontinued, the anoxia usually returns very quickly. Slomp: 鈥淭his artificial introduction of oxygen can be used successfully in lakes, shallow estuaries or small bays. However, the effect only lasts as long as the operation is maintained.鈥� The Chesapeake Bay near Baltimore in the USA is one example of this. After decades of aerating a shallow tributary, the systems were switched off and the oxygen levels fell back to their original levels within a day.

The artificial supply of oxygen also poses ecological risks. For instance, the injection of oxygen can intensify the upward movement of gases such as methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas. Changes in temperature and salinity distributions, as well as underwater noise, could affect marine habitats and, in extreme cases, lead to a further decrease in oxygen levels. 鈥淭hese processes should only be used after thorough testing and accompanied by environmental monitoring,鈥� emphasises Oschlies.

No substitute for climate protection and reducing nutrient inputs

The expansion of plants for the production of green hydrogen is currently a topic of debate. Green hydrogen is produced by electrolysis, which splits water into hydrogen and oxygen. If the electrolysers are located near the sea, the oxygen produced as a by-product could be used for oxygen enrichment measures in coastal marine regions. However, the researchers urge caution, stating that while technical interventions could be beneficial where suitable conditions prevail, they would need to be part of comprehensive water protection strategies.

Slomp鈥榮 conclusion: 鈥淭he technical possibilities for supplying oxygen do not replace the need for consistent climate protection and the reduction of nutrient inputs from agriculture and wastewater. However, under certain conditions, they can help mitigate the worst consequences of oxygen deficiency, at least temporarily.鈥�
 

Original Publication:

Slomp, Caroline P./Oschlies, Andreas (2025): Could bubbling Oxygen revitalize dying coastal seas?. Eos.

Volcanically active laboratory on the seafloor

鈥淭he Brothers volcano is like a laboratory on the seafloor for us. Nowhere else in the Kermadec Arc is there such an active caldera with so many hot springs and hydrothermal vents,鈥� says Dr Christian Berndt, cruise leader and Professor of Marine Geophysics at the 黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel. 鈥淭his combination of a large volcanic crater, ultra-hot fluids, and unique habitats is key to understanding how underwater volcanoes work and how raw materials are formed on the seafloor.鈥�

Following on from the MARUM drilling campaign

This expedition builds directly on a research cruise conducted by the MARUM Centre for Marine Environmental Sciences at the University of Bremen. During this cruise, research was also carried out on the Brothers volcano using the research vessel SONNE. That expedition focused on scientific drilling to study hydrothermal processes and the formation of seafloor metal deposits. This expedition complements those investigations by taking large-scale geophysical measurements, which provide important contextual data for interpreting the drill cores.

German鈥揘ew Zealand partnership

The project is a successful example of international cooperation in marine research. In addition to 黑料视频, the New Zealand research organisation GNS Science (in M膩ori: Te P奴 Ao) is also involved in the expedition. This collaboration on exploring the seabed around the Pacific island state has lasted for over thirty years, combining state-of-the-art technology with decades of local expertise. Recently, the Deputy New Zealand Ambassador to Germany, Evelyne Coulombe, also visited 黑料视频 to find out more about the cooperation.

Knowledge for greater safety and sustainable resource utilisation

The results of the expedition will help us to better understand the history of the Brothers volcano and improve risk assessments for future eruptions and tsunamis in the region. At the same time, the results will provide a valuable foundation for assessing mineral deposits in the deep sea.

Background: Caldera 

A caldera is a large, cauldron-shaped crater formed when large quantities of magma escape underground during a volcanic eruption. The overlying rock loses its supporting function and collapses. Such calderas can be several kilometres in size and hundreds of metres deep - both on land and underwater.
 

The expedition at a glance:

Name: BRASS (Brothers Volcano Seismic Structure)

Expedition leader: Professor Dr Christian Berndt

Period: 03.05.2025 鈥� 29.05.2025

Start and end: Auckland (New Zealand)

The Past as a Key to the Future

Prof Cui鈥檚 research focuses on periods in Earth鈥檚 history greenhouse gases were released in massive quantities over geologically short timescales 鈥� often associated with global warming events and mass extinctions. At 黑料视频, she is particularly interested in the Miocene epoch, which ended about 5.3 million years ago, when global temperatures were approximately two to three degrees Celcius warmer than today.

鈥淥ur hypothesis is that warmer climates lead to oxygen loss in the ocean, because less oxygen can dissolve in warmer water,鈥� says Cui. But oxygen levels are not driven by temperature alone 鈥� ocean circulation also plays a crucial role. And millions of years ago, ocean currents looked very different from today. 鈥淭here was no land bridge between North and South America yet, so the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific could still mix,鈥� Cui explains. All these factors have to be taken into account to answer the central question: how did the loss of oxygen impact marine life?

Into the Depths: A Focus on the North Atlantic

To investigate this, Cui鈥檚 work focuses on the North Atlantic between 50 and 70 degrees north, east of Greenland 鈥� a region known for its nutrient-rich waters. 鈥淭he North Atlantic is not only one of the most productive regions of the ocean, but also a key area for the global carbon and oxygen balance,鈥� says Cui. 鈥淐hanges in these processes can have major impacts on marine ecosystems and the global climate.鈥�

During the international IODP Expedition 395 aboard the JOIDES Resolution drilling vessel, Cui collected deep-sea sediment cores from this region. These cores, essentially a geological diary, contain records of ocean and climate development spanning millions of years and provide valuable insights into past climate extremes. She is now using these data to drive the UVic Earth system model 鈥� a tool that simulates physical, chemical and biological processes in the ocean. The three-dimensional simulations make visible how warmer climates may have altered nutrient cycles and oxygen levels in productive ocean regions such as the North Atlantic.

Fossil Data as a Key to Better Climate Models

鈥淵ing Cui鈥檚 research complements our work perfectly,鈥� says her host, Prof. Dr Andreas Oschlies, head of the Biogeochemical Modelling Research Unit at 黑料视频. 鈥淥ne of the major uncertainties in marine biogeochemical models is their sensitivity to short-term climate fluctuations. By studying past climates, we can understand these processes under very different conditions and improve our models accordingly鈥�. Fossil records, he adds, can help us make more reliable projections of future climate scenarios.

Background: Humboldt Research Fellowship for Experienced Researchers

The Humboldt Research Fellowship supports highly qualified researchers from abroad for a long-term research stay (6 to 18 months) in Germany. Fellows develop and carry out a research project of their own choice in cooperation with a German research institution.

鈥淪ite-specific factors play a crucial role in determining which ocean-based CDR and storage methods could realistically be considered. Our analysis helps us to understand what scale we are talking about when discussing the deployment of these methods in German waters 鈥� and where along the process chains foreseeable bottlenecks or limitations to feasibility might arise,鈥� says co-lead author Dr Wanxuan Yao, who was a climate modeller at 黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel at the time of the study.

Comprehensive Assessment of CO鈧� Removal Methods and Their Impacts

For their analysis, the team reviewed current scientific literature and incorporated findings from their own research as part of the CDRmare DAM research mission. For each method, they assessed factors such as the amount of water, materials, energy, land or sea area required, possible by-products and waste streams, necessary infrastructure and transport routes required, operating costs and what is currently known about potential environmental and societal impacts.

鈥淚n addition, we looked at whether there are already established processes for measuring and monitoring CO₂ removal rates and potential environmental impacts for each method. Without such monitoring frameworks, none of the proposed approaches has a realistic chance of ever being deployed on a large scale,鈥� explains co-lead author Dr Teresa Morganti, a marine biologist at the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnem眉nde at the time of the study.

Ten marine CDR methods shortlisted

At the end of the multi-year selection process, five methods of CO₂ removal remained that could potentially be implemented in German North Sea and Baltic waters. A further five approaches would require deployment in international waters or cooperation with other coastal states.

鈥淭he options we鈥檝e outlined are intended to raise specific, practical questions and challenges that would need to be addressed in the event of any large-scale application, and to provide a basis for further discussion. It鈥檚 important to emphasise, however, that these outlines do not take into account the legal, political or economic frameworks, nor do they address whether the potential environmental impacts of targeted marine carbon removal are consistent with our societal values and ethical principles. These are essential questions that need to be addressed in follow-up studies,鈥� says Dr Nadine Mengis of 黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, co-author of the study and CDRmare co-chair.

Expectations for marine CDR often too high

The research team is therefore working systematically to develop methods and processes that provide a realistic picture of how feasible marine CDR techniques actually are, and what their consequences might be for both people and ecosystems. 鈥淥nce you scale up marine CDR methods for a particular region, making the true scale of interventions tangible, it becomes clear that earlier expectations were often too high because such practical considerations had not been taken into account. We need many more of these context-specific feasibility studies if we are to arrive at robust estimates of the potential for marine CDR,鈥� says Nadine Mengis.

There is also a risk that high expectations might encourage countries like Germany to place too much hope in future technological solutions, while scaling back existing and proven measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the meantime. 鈥淭his must not be the outcome of our research,鈥� stresses Nadine Mengis.

The marine CDR and storage methods described in the study include:

Methods to increase the CO鈧� buffering capacity (alkalinity) of the ocean:

1. Production of a silicate-based alkaline solution and its distribution in shallow coastal waters along Germany鈥檚 North Sea coast

2. Production of a lime-based alkaline solution and its distribution along shipping routes in the German North Sea

3. Spreading of ground basalt of volcanic origin along the German coastline

4. Discharge of sodium hydroxide produced via electrolysis in desalination plants (there are currently no desalination plants in the North Sea or Baltic Sea)

Methods to restore and expand vegetated coastal ecosystems:

5. Establishing and expanding kelp forests around the German North Sea island of Heligoland

6. Restoration and expansion of mangrove forests in Indonesia

7. Artificial upwelling of nutrient-rich deep water to enhance plankton production in the North Atlantic (strengthening the ocean鈥檚 biological carbon pump)

8. Offshore Sargassum (algae) farming in the South Atlantic subtropical gyre, followed by biomass sinking

Methods for storing captured biogenic CO₂:

9. Cultivation of large macroalgae, with subsequent conversion of the biomass into biomethane; the CO₂ released during combustion would be captured and stored in saline aquifers in the German North Sea

10. Direct air capture of CO₂ with subsequent storage in subsea basalt crust off the coast of Norway

Original Publication:

Yao, W., Morganti, T. M., Wu, J., Borchers, M., Ansch眉tz, A., Bednarz, L.-K., et al. (2025). Exploring site-specific carbon dioxide removal options with storage or sequestration in the marine environment 鈥� the 10 Mt CO鈧� yr鈦�鹿 removal challenge for Germany. Earth鈥檚 Future, 13, e2024EF004902.

About: CDRmare

CDRmare is a research mission of the German Marine Research Alliance (DAM). Its full title is 鈥淢arine carbon storage as a pathway to decarbonisation鈥�. The mission started in summer 2021 with six research consortia investigating promising ocean-based CO鈧� removal and storage methods (alkalinisation, restoration of coastal vegetated ecosystems, artificial upwelling, CCS) in terms of their potential, risks and interactions, and integrating these findings into a transdisciplinary assessment framework. In August 2024, CDRmare entered its second three-year funding phase with five research consortia. CDRmare is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the science ministries of the northern German states of Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein.