RRS "Discovery" Cruise 282, 30 Jun - 01 Aug 2003. The environment and ecology of Seine and Sedlo Seamounts, NE Atlantic

The general aim of the cruise is to undertake a range of physical, chemical and biological investigations on and around Seine and Sedlo Seamounts. Specific objectives for the cruise included: a) the recovery of two current meter moorings from Seine Seamount (originally deployed from FS Poseidon in March 2004); b) to make underway observations of upper water column currents and zooplankton migrations (using ADCPs and 10 kHz echosounder); c) to assess water column hydrography, primary production and biogeochemistry through deployments of a CTD and water bottle rosette; d) to assess the biochemistry and biogeochemistry of suspended particulate matter by the use of SAPS (stand alone pumping system); e) to investigate the taxonomy, ecology and biogeochemistry of zooplankton communities using a multiple opening and closing net system (MOCNESS); f) to make photographic (stills and video) observations of the seabed and its larger fauna (megabenthos) using the SOC SHRIMP system (Seabed High Resolution Imaging Platform); and g) to carry out a suite of seabed sampling (coring, dredging and trawling) to investigate the taxonomy, ecology and biogeochemistry of seabed communities. The latter objective was immediately precluded by the unavailability of either the coring or trawl winches for the duration of this cruise. Only limited SHRIMP operations and no MOCNESS operations were undertaken at Sedlo Seamount as a result of the failure of the electro-optical tow winch. All other cruise objectives were fully achieved.