On July 3, 2026, the research vessel “Elisabeth Mann Borgese” departed from Rostock (Germany) on Expedition EMB398. On board: an 11-people team of researchers from the IOW. Samples will be collected for three IOW projects, including surveys of benthic organisms, environmental DNA analysis, and molecular biological studies.

The 12-day research cruise, led by IOW biologist Katharina Romoth, is part of the BenthOs project, which began in October 2025 and is funded by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN). The goal is the ongoing survey of benthic (seabed-dwelling) animal species and communities, as well as their habitats, within the German Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Baltic Sea. The aim is to collect benthic data for monitoring compliance with the Habitats Directive (FFH) and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). In addition, the long-term data series that began in 2009 will be continued. The collected data will provide insights into habitat structure, the occurrence of individual species, and potential stressors. The most recent FFH assessment in 2025 showed that benthic communities in German nature reserves are also under significant ecological stress due to high nutrient levels and the resulting oxygen deficiency (hypoxia), pollutants (such as litter and munitions), fishing, and shipping traffic.

At all sampling sites, data on abiotic parameters, sediment properties, and the presence of invertebrates inhabiting the seafloor (macrozoobenthos) and macro algae will be collected using CTD probes (to measure water temperature, salinity, and water pressure), grab samplers, and underwater station cameras. During the research cruise, a newly developed towed camera system will also be tested for the first time; it is designed to provide high-resolution images and videos of bottom-dwelling (epibenthic) communities.

In addition, samples are being collected for two other IOW research projects funded by the BfN: BenthQual and KOFI. The BenthQual project involves collecting water samples for environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis to explore the potential of using genetic methods in monitoring. For the KOFI project, the Fehmarnbelt Nature Conservation Area is being studied. Samples are being taken from muddy sediments for later morphological and molecular biological analyses of bacterial and animal communities, as well as for chemical analyses of organic carbon. Furthermore, extensive underwater video and acoustic recordings are planned to document the benthic communities and their habitats. The goal of the KOFI project is to investigate the development of benthic biodiversity as well as the dynamics of carbon storage in the sediment following the exclusion of mobile bottom-contacting fisheries.