English version below
Wenn man an Chemie denkt, denkt man wahrscheinlich schnell an explodierende Gläser, ätzende Säuren und verrückte Professoren, aber nicht an den Ozean. Hier an Bord wird unsere Wissenschaftsteam auch von zwei chemischen Ozeanographen begleitet, Tobias Steinhoff und Kristin Kampen.
Den beiden habe ich die Frage gestellt, „Was findet ihr an der chemischen Ozeanografie spannend?“: Es ist unglaublich interessant, was es alles an unsichtbaren Prozessen im Meer gibt, die unser aller Leben beeinflussen: In der chemischen Ozeanographie untersuchen wir, wie sich chemische Bestandteile im Meer verhalten, z.B. wie sich gelöste Gase (wie CO₂ und Sauerstoff), Nährsalze (wie Nitrat und Phosphat), Spurenmetalle und organische Verbindungen im Meerwasser verhalten und verteilen. Der Ozean nimmt CO₂ auf, produziert Sauerstoff und transportiert Nährstoffe durch den Ozean und überall wirken chemische Prozesse mit. Diese Zusammenhänge zu verstehen ist Grundlage unserer Arbeit.
Auf unserer Ausfahrt in der Labradorsee nehmen sie Seewasserproben und extrahieren gelöstes organisches Material (DOM). Dies umfasst alle organischen Verbindungen, die im Meerwasser gelöst sind, also nicht als Partikel vorliegen. Das sind zum Beispiel Zucker, Aminosäuren, Fette und komplexere Moleküle, die aus abgestorbenen Organismen, Ausscheidungen von Meereslebewesen oder dem Abbau von Algen stammen. Als einer der größten Kohlenstoffspeicher spielt DOM eine zentrale Rolle im marinen Kohlenstoffkreislauf. Die Labradorsee ist eine der wichtigsten Regionen für die Bildung des North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW). Oberflächenwasser sinkt in die Tiefe und nimmt dabei DOM mit. Das NADW verteilt dieses Material dann über Jahrhunderte durch die Weltmeere und entzieht so der Atmosphäre langfristig Kohlenstoff. Zusätzlich werden kontinuierliche Messungen von pCO₂/O₂ im Oberflächenwasser während der Fahrt durchgeführt, um sich den Austausch von CO₂ zwischen Ozean und Atmosphäre anzuschauen. Viele Prozesse sind hierbei immer noch nicht vollständig verstanden, wie z.B. der Gasaustausch bei hohen Windgeschwindigkeiten.
Da es hier auf See, besonders in dieser Region, oft sehr stürmisch zugeht, ist kein Geheimnis und es geht natürlich besonders in einem Chemie Labor dann doch mal etwas zu Bruch. Wie läuft diese Arbeit also bei 11bft und 6 Meter Wellen ab. Wasserproben müssen meist innerhalb von 24 Stunden verarbeitet werden. Da kann man nicht immer Rücksicht auf die Wetterbedingungen nehmen. Einige Arbeiten werden immer noch nasschemisch gemacht und unter Einsatz von Glasmaterial. Sowohl das genaue Abmessen von Reagenzien als auch das Zusammenhalten der Glasware ist nicht immer einfach bei einem rollenden Schiff (und auch nicht immer erfolgreich). Man versucht zwar den doch dann plötzlichen Bewegungen des Schiffes entgegenzuwirken und alle Proben Behälter, Kisten und Flaschen zu sichern. Man wird aber dann doch mal von einem umkippenden Mülleimer überrascht und die noch neu verpackten Plastikröhrchen oder andere Fliegengewichte im Regal finden bei der einen oder anderen Welle ihren Weg auf die gegenüberliegende Seite im Labor. Dazu kommt, dass beim Arbeiten mit chemischen Stoffen und Proben doch des Öfteren beide Hände für die Arbeit gebraucht werden. Wird man dann allerdings von einer Welle überrascht, erfordert das Festhalten mit der dritten Hand (Fuß falls man schnell genug ist), einiges an Bauchmuskeln.
Foto: Julia Pelle
Das Besondere an der Arbeit auf See ist, dass man neben der alltäglichen Schreibtischarbeit auch praktisch arbeiten kann. Dabei ist man auf die enge Zusammenarbeit mit seinen Kollegen angewiesen und lernt sie dabei viel besser kennen. Zusätzlich sind auch viele andere Forschungsbereiche mit an Bord, wodurch es einen spannenden Austausch zwischen den einzelnen Gruppen gibt.
Zum Schluss hier noch ein kleiner Tipp am Rande von unseren Chemikern und für deine erste Forschungsseereise: Laschen, laschen, laschen und immer ein Ohr am Bordfunk: Der Arbeitsplan ist bei den Wetterbedingungen eher ein Vorschlag und kann sich stündlich ändern (die nächste CTD Station ist immer um die Ecke).
Chemistry: Making the Invisible Visible
When you think of chemistry, you probably quickly imagine exploding glassware, corrosive acids, and crazy professors, but not the ocean. Here on board, our scientific team is also accompanied by two chemical oceanographers, Tobias Steinhoff und Kristin Kampen.
I asked them the question: “What do you find exciting about chemical oceanography?”
“It is incredibly fascinating how many invisible processes exist in the ocean that influence all of our lives. In chemical oceanography, we study the fate of various chemical components in the ocean: for example, how dissolved gases (such as CO₂ and oxygen), nutrients (such as nitrate and phosphate), trace metals, and organic compounds behave and are distributed in seawater. The ocean absorbs CO₂, produces oxygen, and transports nutrients through complex cycles, including chemical processes. Understanding these relationships forms the basis of our work.”
During our expedition in the Labrador Sea, they collect seawater samples and extract dissolved organic material (DOM). This includes all compounds dissolved in seawater, meaning they are not present as particles. Examples include sugars, amino acids, fats, and more complex molecules that originate from dead organisms, excretions from marine life, or the breakdown of algae. As one of the largest carbon reservoirs, DOM plays a central role in the marine carbon cycle.
The Labrador Sea is one of the most important regions for the formation of North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW). Surface water sinks into the depths, carrying DOM with it. NADW then distributes this material throughout the world’s oceans over centuries, thereby removing carbon from the atmosphere over the long term. In addition, continuous measurements of pCO₂ and O₂ in surface water are taken during the voyage to study the exchange of CO₂ between the ocean and the atmosphere. Many processes involved are still not fully understood, such as gas exchange under high wind speeds.
It is no secret that conditions at sea especially in this region are often very stormy, and in a chemistry lab, things can occasionally break. So how does this work at 11 Beaufort and 6-meter waves? Water samples usually need to be processed within 24 hours, so you cannot always take weather conditions into account. Some work is still done using wet chemistry and glass equipment. Accurately measuring reagents and holding glassware steady is not always easy on a rolling ship (and not always successful). Although efforts are made to counteract sudden ship movements and to secure all sample containers, boxes, and bottles, you may still be caught off guard by a tipping trash bin, and newly packaged plastic tubes or other lightweight items can suddenly fly across the lab with the next wave.
On top of that, when working with chemicals and samples, both hands are often needed. If a wave hits unexpectedly, holding on with a “third hand” (your foot, if you are quick enough) requires quite a bit of core strength. What makes working at sea special is that, alongside everyday desk work, you can also do hands-on work. This requires close cooperation with colleagues, allowing you to get to know them much better. In addition, many other research disciplines are on board, which creates exciting exchanges between different groups.
Finally, here is a small tip from our chemists for your first research expedition: strap everything down, strap everything down, strap everything down and always keep one ear on the ship’s radio. The work schedule is more of a suggestion under these weather conditions and can change hourly (the next CTD station is always just around the corner).
Welcome to the M219 ocean blog!
Here, we will share updates and stories about the scientific work taking place during this research expedition. We also hope to offer a glimpse into daily life and work at sea.
For many members of the scientific party, this is their first time aboard METEOR. It will also be their last, as METEOR is embarking on its final voyage before retiring from service as a German research vessel after more than 40 years at sea. Over the course of its distinguished career, METEOR has travelled more than 1.7 million nautical miles, which is equivalent to more than 8 times the distance between the Earth and the Moon. Throughout those decades the vessel has supported countless scientific discoveries and generations of marine scientists. We are very grateful and honored to be part of the final chapter of this remarkable ship’s history and to accompany her on the last few thousand miles of her legendary journey.
The scientific program of this cruise focuses on long-term observations of ocean currents off the coast of Brazil and at the equator, as well as interdisciplinary measurements near the Cape Verde Islands. At all these sites, GEOMAR has maintained observational programs for the past 10 to 20 years. Over the next four weeks, we will introduce these regions and the measurements carried out there in more detail. But first, let’s look at what happened in Brazil before the cruise began.
On Thursday, May 28, many of the scientists and students left the hotel early in the morning to attend a seminar at the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), celebrating the long-standing scientific collaboration between Brazil and Germany.
The seminar was opened by Prof. Dr. Marius Müller, a former student at GEOMAR and now a professor for biological oceanography at UFPE. These meetings have become a valued tradition, having been organized for more than 20 years by now. This year marked the 9th edition of the seminar since its inception over 20 years ago.
A total of 8 scientists and students from Brazil, Germany, and the U.S. presented their research on various aspects of the tropical Atlantic Ocean. We would like to thank Marius Müller, Doris Veleda and all the Brazilian scientists and students who helped organize the seminar and provided such a warm welcome. We greatly enjoyed the exchange of ideas and look forward to celebrating the 10th seminar in the years to come.
After the seminar we returned to the hotel, but there was little time to rest. Later that same day, the captain of METEOR and the German Consul General in Recife hosted a reception aboard METEOR in the Port of Recife.
The event brought together members of the scientific party, representatives of local institutions, and guests from the Brazilian and German scientific communities. It provided an excellent opportunity to celebrate the long-standing partnership between the two countries.
On Friday, May 29, the scientific party finally boarded METEOR. There was little time to settle into our cabins and workspaces, as preparations for departure were already in full swing. We left the Port of Recife as soon as possible and at around 1pm METEOR set sail and began the final voyage of her remarkable career.
About 12 hours after leaving port, we arrived at our first station. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of technical and scientific teams, all instruments had been installed and prepared in time for the start of operations. This station marked the beginning of our observational program off the coast of Brazil, which includes the deployment and recovery of tall moorings as well as CTD measurements. An intensive first week lies ahead, with a demanding schedule of measurements and mooring operations. After months of planning and preparation, everyone is excited to finally begin the scientific work and make the most of the final weeks aboard METEOR.
There are more than 2,000 species of gobies (Gobiidae) known to science today, making them the largest family of fish in the ocean. But these small creatures are far more complex and essential to marine ecosystems than first meets the eye. Found all around the world in brackish, fresh and salt water in tropical and subtropical regions, they are an astonishingly diverse group of fish with several curious characteristics that set them apart.
Most gobies are quite small and don’t usually measure more than six inches long. Measuring just about eight millimeters long, the dwarf pygmy goby (Trimmatom nanus) is not only the tiniest goby known to science but also one of the smallest of all fish species in the world.
Primarily bottom-dwellers, gobies are known to be excellent foragers and have evolved expert burrowing behaviors over time. As they sift around looking for food like copepods, seaworms and tiny crustaceans, their movement helps to aerate sediment and keep algae in check. Some are even known to be “cleaner fish,” snacking on parasites they remove off larger creatures. It’s like a spa day for the animal being cleaned and a choose-your-own-adventure buffet for the gobies. Studies also show that cleaner goby activity is largely tied to the microbial health of coral reefs, showcasing that even the tiniest of species are essential to functioning marine ecosystems.
Gobies have some unique aspects to their anatomy, too. First, their fused pelvic fins are designed to help them form a strong suction cup to perch on coral reefs, rocks and other ocean terrain amidst turbulent currents. Some freshwater species are even known to use this suction to climb waterfalls. It may come as no surprise then that gobies are cousins to mudskippers, animals known to “walk” through mud. There are more species-specific features that set certain gobies apart. From the use of bioluminescence to symbiotic relationships with shrimp, the adaptations within the goby family are truly wide-ranging. Some species have even been found to use marine terrain memorization to navigate back to the tide pools where they were born. Isn’t nature mind-blowing sometimes?
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Gobies have equally complex and varied behaviors. Male gobies are infamous for being territorial protectors of their nests. Many larger males are known as “guarders;” these hopeful fish make careful nests to attract a mate, and once fertilization occurs, guarders will remain diligently near the nests to keep eggs safe. However, there’s another type of male goby that complicates this dynamic. These other males are known as “sneaker gobies” and are called that for one reason: They’re sneaky! If guarder gobies aren’t careful, sneakers can creep into the nest, fertilize some of the eggs and quickly escape. As if on an underwater episode of Maury, guarder males who aren’t careful could end up unknowingly babysitting little gobies that aren’t their actual offspring.
Gobies serve as indicators of ecological health and are essential to keeping delicate food webs in check. Unfortunately, many changes in our ocean threaten their ability to survive and thrive today. Coral bleaching and degradation endanger the health of one of their key habitats, and a combination of warming waters and coastal development can make it difficult for both juvenile and adult gobies to survive and thrive.
Healthy gobies mean a healthy ocean. Their essential role in marine ecosystems demonstrates that even the tiniest creatures play a major role in helping hold together the beautiful yet fragile habitats that make up our beloved ocean. Visit Ocean Conservancy’s Action Center and join the movement to protect our blue planet today and for years to come—from the tiniest goby to the largest whales, our ocean is counting on us.
The post All About Gobies appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.
Recently, you may have heard about something called “El Niño.” But what exactly is El Niño and its sibling “La Niña”? Why do these terms seem to emerge from the depths of the scientific community and drop into popular vocabulary every few years? And how are they connected to extreme weather and our ocean?
What Are El Niño and La Niña?
El Niño and La Niña are part of a natural climate pattern in the tropical Pacific called the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, or ENSO. These two phases are different sides of the same coin, creating equally extreme shifts in temperature and air pressure.
El Niño occurs when surface water in the equatorial Pacific becomes warmer than average and easterly winds weaken. La Niña is the opposite: cooler-than-normal sea surface temperatures and stronger easterly winds. ENSO cycles can last up to seven years. El Niño and La Niña significantly impact weather patterns in all corners of the globe, often leading to more extreme weather, storm frequency and intensity.
A strong El Niño can cause flooding in some regions and drought, heat waves and wildfires in others. It often causes crop losses, coral bleaching and marine die-offs due to unusually warm ocean temperatures. El Niño tends to suppress Atlantic hurricane activity, though it increases the risk of heavy precipitation and harm to fisheries elsewhere. In the Northern Hemisphere, El Niño typically builds between March and June, peaks in December, and weakens by February.
La Niña, by contrast, often fuels an active Atlantic hurricane season and increases tornado frequency across the southern United States. Like El Niño, it builds in spring and peaks around December.
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Predicting ENSO
In 1923, the physicist Sir Gilbert Walker discovered the “Southern Oscillation,” or large-scale changes in sea level pressure across the tropical Pacific. However, it wasn’t until the late 1960s that the metorologist Jacob Bjerknes found that the changes in the ocean and the atmosphere were connected, and the hybrid term “ENSO” was born. In 1974, researchers at Oregon State University attempted to predict ENSO for the first time.
Modeling has greatly advanced since the early days. Today, scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issue regular predictions about ENSO, which are now more accurate than ever.
NOAA gives a one-in-four chance that an El Niño could reach “very strong” intensity later in 2026, qualifying it as a “super El Niño.” This threshold has been crossed only a handful of times in recorded history, each triggering droughts, floods and record temperatures across multiple continents. NOAA’s data and models deliver life-saving early warning forecasts, like that of the predicted super El Niño, which allow communities to better prepare for and respond to extreme weather events.
Take Action
Every American, regardless of where they live, depends on NOAA’s scientists and professionals, whose work spans from the ocean floor to the far reaches of space. Unfortunately, NOAA is under threat. The Trump administration has proposed billions of dollars in cuts to the agency, which could weaken weather forecasting, disrupt fisheries management and stall critical ocean research, putting American lives and global scientific leadership at risk.
Ocean Conservancy is committed to working with NOAA to keep the public informed on climate and ocean science. We all benefit from a healthier ocean, and investing in research is the most effective way to restore ocean health and reduce the impact of severe weather events caused by El Niño and La Niña. Our ocean is not partisan, and protecting it requires all hands on deck and all sides of the aisle. Now, it’s more important than ever to demand that members of Congress prioritize our ocean. Add your name now.
The post Do You Know the Difference Between El Niño and La Niña? appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.
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