Deep-sea Corals

I. Ansammeln VFMG Bonn Eifeler Kalkmulden 2006
1. 23.5.2006 Bad Münstereifel Eschweiler …...……1   
2. Scheid Berg, Sötenich ……………………………1
3. Steinbruch Winter und Weiss, Mülldeponie ….. 2
4. 26.3.2006 großer Sötenicher Stbr ……………… 2

II. Maiwanderung DVG Brohltal 2006
5. 1.5.2006 Fachklinik Bad Tönnisstein ………….. 2

III. Maiwanderung DVG Weibern 2007
6. 1.5.2007 DVG Maiwanderung Weibern ………. 3

IV. Ansammeln VFMG Bonn Kollig/Eifel 2008
7. 29. – 30.3.2008 Kollig Eifel ………..………….… 4

            V. Ansammeln VFMG Bonn Wettersdorfer Richtschnitt 2009
8. 7.3. 2009 Wetteldorfer Richtschnitt …………… 4

VI. Ansammeln VFMG Bonn Gerolstein 2013
9. 15. – 17.3.2013 Gerolstein ……………………… 5

VIII. Ansammeln VFMG Bonn Kottenheim 2012 ……….. 5
10. 4.2.2012 Kottenheimer Büden/Kottenheimer Wald

IX. Ansammeln VFMG Bonn Eifel 2015 ………………….. 6
21.3.2015 Ingendorf/Bettigen, Ferschweiler/Enzen,
Liesberg, Kiesgrube Dodenburg
22.3.2015 Stbr Sterres bei Klausen, Deudesfeld

X. Ansammeln VFMG Bonn Eifel 2016 ………………….. 7
2.4.2016 Grube Bendisberg, Grube Silbersand,
Lavagrube Rothenberg
3.4.2016 In den Dellen

XI. Exkursion Fränkische Alb Geologen Bayer 2019 ……. 7

This visual guide is illustrated with images captured by Anadarko Colombia Company (ACC), a subsidiary of Anadarko Petroleum
Corporation (APC), during its normal offshore hydrocarbon exploration process at depths between 375 and 3288 m in the Colombian Caribbean Sea. Images were taken by towed camera, Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV), and by samples taken in Piston Core projects. Images were classified by large taxonomic groups. National experts were contacted to identify the organisms to the most specific taxonomic level possible. International experts were also contacted to confirm organisms previously identified or to identify those for which no national expert
was available. This guide includes introductions for each major taxonomic group and other ones for more specific groups (if applicable),
provided by the experts themselves, who participated in the identification of the organisms. This is the first visual guide of
deep-sea organisms (mega fauna) for the Colombian Caribbean.

Deep-sea proteinaceous corals represent high-resolution paleoarchives, extending biogeochemical time series far beyond recent instrumental data. While recent studies have applied compound specific amino acid δ15N (δ15N-AA) measurements of their organic skeletal layers to investigate Holocene nitrogen cycling, potential applications of amino acid δ13C (δ13C-AA) in proteinaceous corals have not yet been examined. Here we developed δ13C-AA analysis in deep-sea bamboo coral (Isidella sp.) from theMonterey Canyon to reconstruct exported primary production over an ~80 year record. Preserved deep-sea coral essential amino acid δ13C-AA patterns (δ13C-EAA) closelymatched those expected fromnatural and cultured phytoplankton, supporting the hypothesis that deep-sea coral δ13C-EAA values represent unaltered signatures of exported primary production sources. The coral bulk δ13C record showedcyclic0.5‰variations over the last century,with a shift to lower δ13C values in the early 1960s. Variations in coral δ13C-EAA values closely followed bulk δ13C signatures, although both the range and the magnitude of change in the bulk δ13C record were highly attenuated compared to the δ13C-EAA record. Our results indicate that δ13C-EAA in proteinaceous corals represent a new, direct proxy for δ13C in primary production that is more sensitive and accurate than bulk δ13C. To test this idea, we used existing phytoplankton δ13C-AA data to calculate an offset between bulk δ13C and δ13C-EAA. When applied to our data, a reconstructed record of δ13C values for exported organic matter was consistent with regional phytoplankton dynamics and expected trophic transfer effects, suggesting significant AA resynthesis only in the non-essential AA pool. Together, these results indicate that δ13C-EAA in deep-sea proteinaceous corals provide a powerful new long-term, high resolution tool for investigating variations in exported primary production and biogeochemistry.

Deep-water corals are some of the slowest growing,
longest-lived skeletal accreting marine organisms.
These habitat-forming species support diverse faunal
assemblages that include commercially and ecologically
important organisms. Therefore, effective management
and conservation strategies for deep-sea corals can be
informed by precise and accurate age, growth rate,
and lifespan characteristics for proper assessment of
vulnerability and recovery from perturbations. This is
especially true for the small number of commercially
valuable, and potentially endangered, species that are
part of the black and precious coral fisheries (Tsounis
et al. 2010). In addition to evaluating time scales of
recovery from disturbance or exploitation, accurate age
and growth estimates are essential for understanding
the life history and ecology of these habitat-forming
corals. Given that longevity is a key factor for
population maintenance and fishery sustainability,
partly due to limited and complex genetic flow among
coral populations separated by great distances, accurate
age structure for these deep-sea coral communities is
essential for proper, long-term resource management.

1. Cold-water coral (CWC) ecosystems are protected both in national and international waters. They are considered Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems and, in addition, meet the criteria to be defined ecological or biological significant areas. 2. Two new sites of the "Sardinian CWC province" were discovered by means of remotely operated vehicle surveys in two submarine canyons in the northeastern portion of the Sardinian continental margin, at depths ranging from 230 to 430 m. 3. Dense and healthy patches of small and medium-sized Madrepora oculata colonies were found dwelling on rocky walls and inclined silted soft bottoms. 4. A rich and diverse associated megafauna was found within both live and dead portions of the coral framework. In addition, the presence of benthic litter and derelict fishing gears were also documented. 5. These results further extend the "Sardinian CWC province" extension, providing insights of a potential CWC network along the Sardinian continental margin with implications for the Mediterranean mosaic of CWC provinces, further stressing the need for urgent conservation measures for these habitats.

In the Azores, Northeast Atlantic, an undescribed epizoan zoanthid is often found in association with the cold-water gorgonian Callogorgia verticillata at 110–800 m depth. This zoanthid was identified as a new species, Isozoanthus primnoidus sp. nov., based on morphological and anatomical characters of the polyps and type of cnidae. The distinguishing features of I. primnoidus are coenenchyme, column, and oral disc light brown, with short, translucent tentacles. Contracted polyps have column diameter up to 3 mm and height up to 2 mm. Ectoderm and outer mesogloea are densely encrusted with mineral particles and gorgonian sclerites. Capitulum bears a maximum of 14 distinctive ridges. Isozoanthus primnoidus was associated with 17% of C. verticillata colonies studied, and covered 14 ± 5% of the gorgonian colony. There was strong evidence of a parasitic relationship whereby I. primoidus progressively eliminates gorgonian tissue and uses the gorgonian axis for structure and support, and sclerites for protection.

The deep sea corals (DSC) of the world’s oceans are facing dangerous threats and seem to be disappearing at a rate faster than has ever been recorded since their discovery.  A lot of work and tracking has been for done over a century on corals in shallow waters closer to the coast.  However, although DSC or cold-water corals as they are called, were discovered back in the 1800s, there has not been much research done on them until recent years (Hall-Spencer, 2002).  This is mainly because they exist in very hard to reach depths. 
Many of the cold-water reefs beds have also been disrupted, damaged and destroyed by various reasons.  Notably, by trawling, where they are either completely uprooted or have been heavily damaged by the heaving trawls dragging along the sea beds where DSC exist (Hall-Spencer et al, 2002; Roberts et al, 2006; Turley et al, 2007).

A reef formed by corals of the azooxanthellate scleractinian genus Eguchipsammia Cairns, 1994 (Dendrophylliidae), identified following the morphological descriptions by Zibrowius (1980) and Cairns (2000), was discovered in July 2013 off the Faial-Pico Channel (Azores, Northeast Atlantic). This is the first record of such an extensive living Eguchipsammia framework and the first major discovery by the Rebikoff-Niggeler Foundation with its recently-inaugurated manned submersible Lula 1000.

Mission on board R/V Pourquois Pas? with Nautile6000 manned submersible to Rainbow and Lucky Strike hydrothermal vents, French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) & French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea (IFREMER).

This campaign was divided in two legs:
Leg 1. Surveys in the Rainbow hydrothermal vent with the manned submersible Nautile-6000m  (IFREMER) for video footage collection and in situ sampling of mussels, shrimps and corals - coordinated by Françoise Gaill (CNRS, Université de Paris 6)

Leg 2. Deployment and collection of monitoring landers in the Lucky Strike hydrothermal vent - coordinated by Javier Escartin (CNRS, IPGP).