DYFAMED

Latitude and Longitude: 43.25N, 7.52E

Depth: 2300m

Oceanographic Region: Ligurian Sea, Mediterranean

History of the Site:

In the framework of the France-JGOFS program, a long-term time-series investigation (DYFAMED: Dynamics of Atmospheric Fluxes in the MEDiterranean sea) has been initiated in 1988 in the north-western Mediterranean Sea. The DYFAMED site was first equipped with sediment trap moorings and visited punctually for hydrological monitoring. Atmospheric deposition survey was at the same time initiated in 1988 at the Cape Ferrat station. Since 1991, monthly cruises have been conducted and most of the JGOFS core parameters recorded. The DYFAMED time-series program was initiated during the JGOFS era on the model of BATS (Bermuda Atlantic Time-Series) and HOT (Hawaii Ocean Time-series) (Karl et al. 2003), with the objective of contributing to the comprehensive understanding of the global carbon cycle.

The objectives of the DYFAMED program are as follows:

to study the variations of hydrology and biogeochemistry at the seasonal and interannual scale
to investigate the ecosystem response to atmospheric deposition events and to long-term environmental/climate forcing;
to investigate and understand the ecological effects of meteorological forcing, especially the transition in community structure from spring mesotrophy to summer oligotrophy;
to estimate the air-to-sea exchange of carbon dioxide.

Parameters measured:

Parameter	Depths measured (m)	Sensor(s) used

Temperature		SBE 911plus CTD
Salinity		SBE 911plus CTD
Chl-a		WETLabs ECO-FLNTNS
Nitrate		Water Bottle Samples
PAR	-
Dissolved Carbon Dioxide		TCO2 and alkalinity from bottle samples
POC	200, 1000	Sediment traps
Sea pressure	-
Dissolved Oxygen		water bottle samples and SBE 43 Seabird Dissolved Oxygen Sensor
Wave Height	-
Current Profile	-
Turbidity	-

Enhancement/Modifications planned within EuroSITES:

Continuation: Monthly sampling cruise at DYFAMED site for core parameters acquisition (physical, biogeochemical and biological).
Enhancement: CTD surface mooring to observe and record high frequency variability of water mass circulation in the Ligurian Sea (advection, diffusion and water mass convection).

Contacts:

Principal Investigator: Dr. Laurent Coppola
Engineer involved: Floriane Desprez de Gésincourt

Link to website:

http://www.obs-vlfr.fr/sodyf

EuroSITES is a FP7 Collaborative Project coordinated by the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK
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