FORPROX3
| Type | Oceanographic cruise |
|---|---|
| Ship | Côtes De La Manche |
| Ship owner | CNRS until 2019 - IFREMER since 2020 |
| Dates | 20/08/2005 - 26/08/2005 |
| Chief scientist(s) | JORISSEN Frans , GESLIN Emmanuelle |
LABORATOIRE DES BIO-INDICATEURS ACTUELS ET FOSSILES - UMR CNRS 6112 LPG-BIAF Université d'Angers 2, Bd Lavoisier 49000 ANGERS 02 41 73 53 91 |
|
| DOI | 10.17600/5480070 |
| Objective | The general objective of the FORAMPROX project (financed by French programmes PROOF and PNEDC) was to propose a combined geochemistry and ecology approach in order to calibrate the various "proxies" used in paleoceanography to reproduce productivity and hydrology parameters in the deep sea. The studies mainly involved isotopes of oxygen and carbon and Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios. One essential component of this research programme was the rearing of benthic foraminifers under controlled conditions. To improve our rearing of live fauna and start experiments, benthic fauna rich in live foraminifers are indispensable. The stations selected for this cruise corresponded to those studied during the OXYBENT (1997-2001) cruises, which are already well known. They contained key species for paleoceanography. This mission extended the data series begun since 1997 (OXYBENT). The chemical and geochemical characteristics of microhabitats of benthic foraminifera were to be analyzed (isotopes of carbon, of oxygen in interstitial waters, Redox zones). Concurrently, the geochemical make up of live foraminifer testes in these microhabitats was studied. The isotopic compositions of benthic foraminifera (obtained in the laboratory) were compared to those obtained in interstitial waters in order to understand the source of the foraminifera's signal. Laboratory experiments then validated these results checking the physical-chemical parameters of the cultures (temperature, salinity, organic matter flux). Sedimentary core samples were also taken to pursue taxonomic and ontogenic studies on benthic foraminifera. These studies were conducted in order to distinguish between morphogroups using geochemical signatures. |
