MD 169 / MICROSYSTEMS

Type Oceanographic cruise
Ship Marion Dufresne
Ship owner TAAF
Dates 15/07/2008 - 24/07/2008
Chief scientist(s) BLAMART Dominique , BALTZER Agnès , VOLKER Antje

LABORATOIRE DES SCIENCES DU CLIMAT ET DE L'ENVIRONNEMENT - UMR 8212

Orme des Merisiers

Bâtiment 714

Chemin de Saint Aubin - RD 128

91191 Gif sur Yvette Cedex

+33(0)1 69 08 77 11

contact@lsce.ipsl.fr

https://www.lsce.ipsl.fr/
DOI 10.17600/8200100
Objective

This multidisciplinary and integrated study comprises geophysical, sedimentological and (bio)geochemical data and aims to present a holistic view on the interaction of both environmental and geological drivers in cold-water coral mound development in the Gulf of Cadiz. In this context, it was fundamental to obtain "samples from the deep" to explore and characterize the biodiversity thought (1) geophysical and video imaging, (2) targeted microbiological profiling, (3) evaluation of present and past oceanic conditions.

Targeted microbiological and biogeochemical transects with long sediment cores were proposed to elicit the 3D spatial architecture and diversity of the microbial mound community and its possible role in slope stabilization. Off-mound cores were also targeted in order to evaluate present and past oceanic conditions by dating of the cored sequences and by reconstruction of water mass and sedimentary dynamics variability for eliciting the time frame of natural biodiversity changes.

The key objective aiming to investigate the microbial diversity and the functional link microbes-metazoans was addressed through biogeochemical approaches (biomarkers), molecular fingerprinting (DGGE, 16S rRNA), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and laboratory culture. This also includes the analysis of microbial infestation of coral frame builders and fauna-microbe interactions, in general, and the analysis of microbially mediated processes of carbonate precipitation, at various sites and scales: coral mucus, carbonate crusts, mound slopes, mound interior.

The sites targeting was mainly prepared by geophysical surveying (high-resolution sparker seismics, multibeam bathymetry) and ROV imagery, performed by RCMG (Ghent University). Especially the location of all on-mound core sites was determined from interpretation of the ROV Genesis dives during the CADIPOR III campaign of June 2007 on board of R/V Belgica. Additional information was made available through cooperation within past or ongoing European projects such as ESF EuroMARGINS "Moundforce", EC FP5 RTN "EURODOM" and EC FP6 IP "HERMES". Although the MiCROSYSTEMS-MD169 cruise focus was on the Pen Duick Escarpment (PDE), (8 sites, Figures 1 and 2) also other sites such as Conger Cliff (Vernadsky Ridge) and Mercator Mud Volcano were sampled. Special attention was given to the two proposed drill sites for IODP Full proposal 673 "Atlantic Mound Drilling 2: Morocco Margin". A total of five main site locations were identified:
1)The Pen Duick Mounds: Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Epsilon Mounds,
2) The Vernadsky Ridge mounds: Conger Cliff,
3) A depression site at the foot of PDE,
4) Palaeoceanographic reference sites,
5) Mercator Mud Volcano.

Figure 1: Shipboard map of the SF11 multibeam bathymetry with site tracks.

The coring and subsampling strategies used during this campaign were predominantly site-dependent, distinguishing between "on-mound" and "off-mound" sites. Every on-mound site was cored at least two times; one core for geochemistry and microbiology, to be sampled immediately on board, and a second core for sedimentology, palaeoceanography and chronostratigraphy, to be left unopened and stored immediately.

 

MD 169/MICROSYSTEMS (Microbial diversity and functionality in cold-water coral reef ecosystems) includes several programmes: VT 98/BISCOT (Agnès BALTZER - University of Caen) / VT 99/CALYTEST (Jean-François BOURILLET (IFREMER)) / VT 100/AMOCINT INETI (Antje VOLKER - INETI) / VT 101BATHY GU (Hélène LEAU (IPEV)) / 11th floating university (David GRAINDORGE (IEUM)).

The objectives were as follows:

  • MD 169/MICROSYSTEMS: studying the environmental, climate and oceanographic variability of the North Atlantic during glacial and interglacial periods.
  • VT 98/BISCOT: collecting sediments in the Bay of Quiberon to compare them with those from Scotland, followed by a high resolution study of climate variability over the past 20 000 years.
  • VT 99/CALYTEST: studying the behaviour of the Calypso II corer in an area where sediment characteristics are known (Meriadzek zone).
  • VT 100/AMOCINT INETI: reconstituting the variability of the thermohaline circulation in the North Atlantic during interglacial periods.
  • VT 101/BATHY GU: Bathymetric mapping of the North-west Moroccan margin.

Scientific context

Main results

Published data

David Ophélie, Penaud Aurélie, Vidal Muriel, Wiem Fersi, Lambert Clément, Goubert Evelyne, Herledan Maiwenn, Stephan Pierre, Pailler Yvan, Bourillet Jean-Francois, Baltzer Agnès (2022). Sedimentological and palynological records since 8.5 ka BP along a proximal-distal gradient on the northern Bay of Biscay (NW Europe). https://doi.org/10.17882/86430


Data managed by SISMER

Sampling operations

Bibliography

Publications

Vandorpe Thomas, Delivet Stanislas, Blamart Dominique, Wienberg Claudia, Bassinot Frank, Mienis Furu, Stuut Jan‐berend W., Van Rooij David (2023). Palaeoceanographic and hydrodynamic variability for the last 47 kyr in the southern Gulf of Cádiz (Atlantic Moroccan margin): sedimentary and climatic implications. Depositional Record, 9(1), 30-51. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1002/dep2.212 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00801/91346/


David Ophelie, Penaud Aurélie, Vidal Muriel, Fersi Wiem, Lambert Clément, Goubert Evelyne, Herlédan Maiwenn, Stéphan Pierre, Pailler Yvan, Bourillet Jean-FrançoisORCID, Baltzer Agnes (2022). Sedimentological and palynological records since 10 ka BP along a proximal-distal gradient on the Armorican shelf (NW France). Quaternary Science Reviews, 293, 107678 (22p.). Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2022.107678 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00792/90413/


Cassarini Chiara, Rene Eldon R., Bhattarai Susma, Vogt Carsten, Musat Niculina, Lens Piet N.L. (2019). Anaerobic methane oxidation coupled to sulfate reduction in a biotrickling filter: reactor performance and microbial community analysis. Chemosphere, 236, 124290 (10p.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.07.021


Cassarini Chiara, Rene Eldon R., Bhattarai Susma, Esposito Giovanni, Lens Piet N. L. (2017). Anaerobic oxidation of methane coupled to thiosulfate reduction in a biotrickling filter. Bioresource Technology, 240, 214-222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2017.03.003


Dubois-Dauphin Quentin, Bonneau Lucile, Colin Christophe, Montero-Serrano Jean-Carlos, Montagna Paolo, Blamart Dominique, Hebbeln Dierk, Van Rooij David, Pons-Branchu Edwige, Hemsing Freya, Wefing Anne-Marie, Frank Norbert (2016). South Atlantic intermediate water advances into the North-east Atlantic with reduced Atlantic meridional overturning circulation during the last glacial period. Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems, 17(6), 2336-2353. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GC006281 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00339/45047/


Baltzer Agnes, Walter-Simonnet Anne-Veronique, Mokeddem Zohra, Tessier Bernadette, Goubert Evelyne, Cassen Serge, Diffo Ange (2014). Climatically-driven impacts on sedimentation processes in the Bay of Quiberon (south Brittany, France) over the last 10,000 years. Holocene, 24(6), 679-688. https://doi.org/10.1177/0959683614526933


Pirlet Hans, Wehrmann Laura M., Foubert Anneleen, Brunner Benjamin, Blamart Dominique, de Mol Lies, Van Rooij David, Dewanckele Jan, Cnudde Veerle, Swennen Rudy, Duyck Philippe, Henriet Jean-Pierre (2012). Unique authigenic mineral assemblages reveal different diagenetic histories in two neighbouring cold-water coral mounds on Pen Duick Escarpment, Gulf of Cadiz. Sedimentology, 59(2), 578-604. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3091.2011.01267.x


Maignien L., Depreiter D., Foubert A., Reveillaud J., de Mol L., Boeckx P., Blamart D., Henriet J.-P., Boon N. (2011). Anaerobic oxidation of methane in a cold-water coral carbonate mound from the Gulf of Cadiz. International Journal Of Earth Sciences, 100(6), 1413-1422. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-010-0528-z


Frank Norbert, Freiwald Andre, Lopez Correa Matthias, Wienberg Claudia, Eisele Markus, Hebbeln Dierk, Van Rooij David, Henriet Jean-Pierre, Colin Christophe, Van Weering Tjeerd, de Haas Henk, Buhl-Mortensen Pal, Roberts J. Murray, de Mol Ben, Douville Eric, Blamart Dominique, Hatte Christine (2011). Northeastern Atlantic cold-water coral reefs and climate. Geology, 39(8), 743-746. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1130/G31825.1 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00214/32554/


Henriet J.P., Spezzaferri S., Samankassou E., Foubert A., Van Rooij D., Ruggeberg A. (2011). Carbonate mounds in shallow and deep time Preface. Marine Geology, 282(1-2), 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2011.02.010


Templer Stefanie P., Wehrmann Laura M., Zhang Yu, Vasconcelos Crisogono, McKenzie Judith A. (2011). Microbial community composition and biogeochemical processes in cold-water coral carbonate mounds in the Gulf of Cadiz, on the Moroccan margin. Marine Geology, 282(1-2), 138-148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2010.10.020


Wehrmann Laura M., Templer Stefanie P., Brunner Benjamin, Bernasconi Stefano M., Maignien Lois, Ferdelman Timothy G. (2011). The imprint of methane seepage on the geochemical record and early diagenetic processes in cold-water coral mounds on Pen Duick Escarpment, Gulf of Cadiz. Marine Geology, 282(1-2), 118-137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2010.08.005


Van Rooij D., Blamart D., de Mol L., Mienis F., Pirlet H., Wehrmann L. M., Barbieri R., Maignien L., Templer S. P., de Haas H., Hebbeln D., Frank N., Larmagnat S., Stadnitskaia A., Stivaletta N., Van Weering T., Zhang Y., Hamoumi N., Cnudde V., Duyck P., Henriet J.-P. (2011). Cold-water coral mounds on the Pen Duick Escarpment, Gulf of Cadiz: The MICROSYSTEMS project approach. Marine Geology, 282(1-2), 102-117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2010.08.012


Larmagnat Stéphanie, Neuweiler Fritz (2011). Exploring a link between Atlantic coral mounds and Phanerozoic carbonate mudmounds: Insights from pore water fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM), Pen Duick mounds, offshore Morocco. Marine Geology, 282(1-2), 149-159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2010.04.010


Wienberg Claudia, Hebbeln Dierk, Fink Hiske G., Mienis Furu, Dorschel Boris, Vertino Agostina, Lopez Correa Matthias, Freiwald Andre (2009). Scleractinian cold-water corals in the Gulf of Cadiz-First clues about their spatial and temporal distribution. Deep-sea Research Part I-oceanographic Research Papers, 56(10), 1873-1893. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2009.05.016


Gutscher Marc-Andre, Dominguez Stephane, Westbrook Graham K., Leroy Pascal (2009). Deep structure, recent deformation and analog modeling of the Gulf of Cadiz accretionary wedge: Implications for the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. Tectonophysics, 475(1), 85-97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2008.11.031


References of Technical Reports

Blamart, D. and Van Rooij, D. (Chief Scientists) (2010) MD169/MiCROSYSTEMS Cruise on board of R/V Marion Dufresne, Brest July 15 2008-Algeciras July 24 2008. IPEV Les rapports de campagnes à la mer, OCE/2013/XX, XY pp.

References of International Seminar Communications

Frank N., Freiwald A., Wienberg C., Van Rooij D., Colin C., de Haas H., Buhl-Mortensen P., Roberts J. M., De Mol Ben and the HERMIONE partners Team. Northeastern Atlantic cold-water coral reefs and climate. Geoph. Res. Abstracts 13:EGU2011-5486. 2010 European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly, May 2010, Vienna, Austria.

Mienis F., H. C. de Stigter , H. de Haas , D. Groot , N. Frank , T.C.E van Weering Cold-water coral growth and mound formation on the Pen Duick escarpment. Geoph. Res. Abstracts 12:EGU2010-10360. 2010 European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly, May 2010, Vienna, Austria.

Rüggeberg A, Henriet J-P, Foubert A, Van Rooij D, Samankassou E, Dullo W-C, Spezzaferri S, and COCARDE Science Community (2010) COCARDE ? a research platform for a new look to ancient mounds. Geoph. Res. Abstracts 12:EGU2010-8360. 2010 European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly, May 2010, Vienna, Austria.

Stadnitskaia, A., Baas, M., de Haas, H., van Weering, T.C.E., Kreulen, R., Sinninghe Damsté, J.S. 2010. Carbonate mounds from the Gulf of Cadiz in relation to methane seepage: unrelated phenomena or coupling? Geoph. Res. Abstracts 12:EGU2010-13505. 2010 European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly, May 2010, Vienna, Austria.

Van Rooij D., L. De Mol, D. Blamart F. Mienis, L.M. Wehrmann, R. Barbieri, L. Maignien, S.P. Templer, H. de Haas, , J.-P. Henriet and the MiCROSYSTEMS MD 169 shipboard party. Integrated research on the Pen Duick cold-water coral mounds: the MiCROSYSTEMS approach. Geoph. Res. Abstracts 12:EGU2010-4787. 2010 European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly, May 2010, Vienna, Austria.

de Haas, H., van Weering, T.C.E., Tokarev, M., Ivanov, M., Gorban, A., Mienis, F. Shallow seismic structure of the Pen Duick area, Gulf of Cadiz. Geoph. Res. Abstracts 12:EGU2010-13480. 2010 European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly, May 2010, Vienna, Austria.

de Mol L, Pirlet H, Van Rooij D, Blamart D, Frank N. Cnudde V, Duyck P, Henriet J-P. Sedimentological study of cold-water coral mounds on Pen Duick Escarpment (Gulf of Cadiz): preliminary results of the MD169 cruise. Geoph. Res. Abstracts 12:EGU2010-4617. 2010 European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly, May 2010, Vienna, Austria.

ESF-MiCROSYSTEMS-COCARDE-CHECREEF Workshop and Field Seminar "Carbonate Mounds in Shallow and Deep Time", Oviedo, Spain, 16-20 September 2009.

Henriet JP, the MiCROSYSTEMS Team (2009) The giant cold-water coral mound as a nested microbial/metazoan system: physical, chemical, biological and geological picture (ESF EuroDiversity MiCROSYSTEMS). Geoph. Res. Abstracts, 11, EGU2009-9996.

Zhang, Y., Maignien, L., Verstraete, W., Henriet, J.-P. & Boon, N. Simulation of the deep-sea biosphere by a continuous high-pressure bioreactor. Geoph. Res. Abstracts, 11, EGU2009-1065.

de Mol L, Pirlet H, Van Rooij D, Blamart D, Cnudde V, Duyck P, Houbrechts H, Jacobs P, Henriet J-P, the Marion Dufresne 169 shipboard party and the UGCT Team (2009) Application of medical X-ray computed tomography in the study of cold-water carbonate mounds. Geoph. Res. Abstracts, 11, EGU2009-8536.

de Mol L, Pirlet H, Van Rooij D, Blamart D, Henriet J-P, the R/V Belgica 07/13 & 08/13 shipboard parties and the Marion Dufresne 169 shipboard party (2009) Unraveling the 4D architecture of cold-water carbonate mounds. NGF Abstracts and Proceedings, 2, 24.

Henriet, J.P., de Haas, H., Van Rooij, D. Connectivity issues and compartmentalization in mixed cold water carbonate/siliciclastic systems - first hints from subrecent mound provinces.

Rüggeberg, A., Spezzaferri, S., Gennari, G., Margreth, S., Dullo W.C. Potentiality and reliability of proxies for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction.

Zhang, Y., Boon, N. The potential of high-pressure reactor experimentation in untangling the role of microbial activity in mounds.

Dullo, W.C. European cold-water reef research: highlights and outlook. ESF Magellan Workshop "Cold-Water Carbonate Reservoir systems in Deep Environments - COCARDE" in Fribourg, Switzerland (22-24 January 2009).

Foubert, A. IODP Exp. 307 - the tale of a recent Carbonate Mound. ESF Magellan Workshop "Cold-Water Carbonate Reservoir systems in Deep Environments - COCARDE" in Fribourg, Switzerland (22-24 January 2009).

Spezzaferri S. Workshop on Marine Drilling. EOS Trans. AGU 90(24):209. ESF Magellan Workshop "Cold-Water Carbonate Reservoir systems in Deep Environments - COCARDE" in Fribourg, Switzerland (22-24 January 2009).

Spezzaferri, S. and Henriet, J.P. Disovering common field labs, themes and strategies in cold-water carbonate systems. ESF Magellan Workshop "Cold-Water Carbonate Reservoir systems in Deep Environments - COCARDE" in Fribourg, Switzerland (22-24 January 2009).

Stadnitskaia, A. Encrypted knowledge in microbial methane-derived carbonates and carbonate mounds. ESF Magellan Workshop "Cold-Water Carbonate Reservoir systems in Deep Environments - COCARDE" in Fribourg, Switzerland (22-24 January 2009).

Titschack, J. Cold-water carbonates through Geological Time. ESF Magellan Workshop "Cold-Water Carbonate Reservoir systems in Deep Environments - COCARDE" in Fribourg, Switzerland (22-24 January 2009).

Van Rooij, D., Henriet, J.P., Dullo, W.C., McKenzie, J.A., van Weering, T.C.E., Sinninghe Damsté, J.S., Freiwald, A., Blamart, D., Spezzaferri, S., Swennen, R., Hamoumi, N.& Hebbeln, D. "IODP 673-Full Proposal on the Pen Duick Carbonate Mounds and Drift, off Morocco". ESF Magellan Workshop "Cold-Water Carbonate Reservoir systems in Deep Environments - COCARDE" in Fribourg, Switzerland (22-24 January 2009).

Larmagnat, S., Neuweiler, F. Tracking organominerals - modern and ancient. Pirlet, H., Larmagnat, S., Zhang Y. An overview of the MiCROSYSTEMS cruise results on Pen Duick Escarpment (MD169, 2008).

Freudenthal, T. What can we learn from the 2008 CARBONATE cruise: the driller?s perspective. ESF Magellan Workshop "Cold-Water Carbonate Reservoir systems in Deep Environments - COCARDE" in Fribourg, Switzerland (22-24 January 2009).

References of National Seminar Communications

Van Rooij, D., Hernandéz-Molina, F.J., Llave, E., de Mol, L., Iglesias, J., Ercilla, G., Blamart, D., Huvenne, V., De Mol, B., Leon, R., Gomez-Ballesteros, M., Estrada, F., Baeye, M., Perez, L. & Henriet, J.-P. Expression of contouritic processes generated by the Mediterranean Outflow Water along the NW European margin. 3rd International Conference Geologica Belgica "Challenges for the Planet: Earth Science?s perspective", Gent, Belgium (14-15 September 2009).

Van Rooij, D., de Mol, L., Hernandéz-Molina, F.J., Llave, E., Réveillaud, J., Iglesias, J., Le Guilloux, E., Ingels, J., Ercilla, G., Blamart, D., Leon, R., Greinert, J., Huvenne, V., Gomez-Ballesteros, M., Estrada, F., Wisshak, M., Pirlet, H., Baeye, M., Perez, L., Quemmerais, F., Vanreusel, A. & Henriet, J.-P. Impact of the Mediterranean Outflow Water on NE Atlantic sedimentary processes and ecosystems. 3rd International Conference Geologica Belgica "Challenges for the Planet: Earth Science?s perspective", Gent, Belgium (14-15 September 2009).

de Mol, L., Pirlet, H., Van Rooij, D., Blamart, D., Dewanckele, J., Boone, M., Cnudde, V., Jacobs, P., Houbrechts, H., Duyck, P., Henriet, J.-P., the Marion Dufresne 169 shipboard party & the UGCT Team. Application of medical X-ray tomography in the study of cold-water coral mounds. 3rd International Conference Geologica Belgica "Challenges for the Planet: Earth Science?s perspective", Gent, Belgium (14-15 September 2009).

de Mol, L., Pirlet, H., Van Rooij, D., Frank, N., Blamart, D., Henriet, J.-P., the R/V Belgica 07/13 & 08/13 shipboard parties and the Marion Dufresne 169 shipboard party. Unravelling the 4D architecture of cold-water coral mounds. 3rd International Conference Geologica Belgica "Challenges for the Planet: Earth Science?s perspective", Gent, Belgium (14-15 September 2009).

References of Contracts reports (European Union, FAO, Convention, Collectivities...)

Final Report of the Collaborative Research Project "MiCROSYSTEMS". CRP Number: 05_EDIV_FP083-MICROSYSTEMS. CRP Title and Acronym: Microbial Diversity and Functionality in Cold-Water Coral Reef Ecosystems MiCROSYSTEMS. Name Project Leader:Professor Jean-Pierre Henriet.

DEA or MASTER 2 using campaign data

Lucile Bonneau. Master 2 : Étude de l'hydrologie du Golfe de Cadic à partir de l'isotopie du Nd des coraux profonds (2011). Université de Paris-Sud, 70pp.

Thesis using campaign data

Hemsing Freya (2017). Cold-Water Corals as Archives for Ocean Dynamics. Environmental Conditions and Glacial Reef Accumulation. PhD Thesis, University of Heidelberg.


Dubois-Dauphin Quentin (2016). Restitution de l’hydrologie de l’Atlantique Nord-Est et de la Méditerranée occidentale depuis la dernière période glaciaire à partir de la composition isotopique du néodyme mesurée dans l’eau de mer et les coraux d’eau froide / Restoration of the North-east Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea hydrology from the neodymium isotopes since the last glacial period. PhD Thesis, Université Paris-Saclay.


Quentin Dubois-Dauphin. Variabilité de l'hydrologie du Golfe de Cadiz à partir de l'isotopie du Nd des coraux profonds (Université de Paris XI- IDES/LSCE) Fall 2016.

Lies De Mol (RCMG): Visual and sedimentological characterization of cold-water coral mounds ? From a single coral up to a large mound ? July 2012.

Julie Reveillaud (Marine Biology): Distribution and evolution of Atlanto-Mediterranean sponges from shallow-water and deep-sea coral ecosystems ? A molecular, morphological and biochemical approach ? June 2011.

Lois Maignien (Marine Biology): Microbial Ecology of Carbon and Sulphur Cycles in Deep-Sea Carbonate Mounds and Mud Volcanoes ? September 2011.

Stephanie Larmagnat (University of Laval, Canada): Tracking organominerals ? modern and ancient ? December 2011.

Yu Zhang (LabMET): Microbial Processes in a Simulated Cold Seep Ecosystem ? January 2011.

Hans Pirlet (RCMG): The matrix of cold-water coral mounds: origin and early-diagenetic interactions ? September 2010.

Thomas Vandorpe (RCMG) Highlighting the contourite facies: an in-depth baseline study (CONTOURITE-3D).

Stanislas Delivet (RCMG) Assessment of the variability of the distal Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW) and its impact on deep-water ecosystems since the Middle Pleistocene.