Project

ABSTRACT

METHODOLOGY

WORK PLAN

WORK PLAN

The project is planned for 4 years and includes the following activities: field work (8 cruises); several experiments (water column and sediment incubations); chemical analysis (water, sediment); data processing and statistical analysis; data synthesis and presenting; manuscripts writing. The proposed research has been divided into several tasks (1-6). The time schedule is presented in Fig.1.

Fig. 1. Gantt chart presenting the project’s progress

Task 1. Data mining
The published data will be assembled (manuscripts results and data obtained from the HELCOM monitoring stations). The data will include seasonal concentrations of nutrients, organic matter and other substrates for N-removal processes, oxygen concentrations, salinity distribution, sediment characterization and metagenomic data. Also the previously obtained results on denitrification and anammox together with existing metagenomic results will be collected. Within this task, a metadatabase and database including the obtained results will be created.
Milestones:
M.1.1 Data assembling completed, metadata and database created (month 36)
M.1.2 The N-cycle data and accompanied metagenomic data described (month 42)

Task 2. N-removal processes rates in the water column assessment.
The seasonal experimental quantification of N-removal processes in the water column will be linked with substrate availability.
Milestones:
M.2.1 The field sampling and incubations experiments completed (month 30)
M.2.2 The chemical analyses and measures completed (month 36)
M.2.3 The comparison between the MIMS and 15N-labelling methods in water column completed (month 30))
M.2.4 Obtained data described (month 42)

Task 3. N-removal processes rates in sediments assessment.
The seasonal experimental quantification of N-removal processes in the sediments will be linked with substrate availability.
Milestones:
M.2.1 The field sampling and incubations experiments completed (month 30)
M.2.2 The comparison between the MIMS and 15N-labelling methods in water column completed (month 30)
M.2.3 The chemical analyses and measures completed (month 36)
M.2.4 Obtained data described (month 42)

Task 4. The metagenomic potential and microbial community contribution in the marine ecosystem N-cycle assessment.
Changes in microbial community structure and function will be analysed and results will be compared and correlated with obtained denitrification potential results.
Milestones:
M.4.1 The field sampling completed (month 30)
M.4.2 The metagenomic analyses and measures completed (month 36)
M.4.3 Obtained data described (month 42)

Task 5. N-budget for the Baltic Proper establishment.
The obtained data within tasks 1-3 will be used to N-budget for the Baltic Proper assessment.
Milestones:
M.5.1 Data incorporation completed (month 36)
M.5.2 N-budget assessment completed (month 42)

Task 6. Project results synthesis.
The seasonal quantification of denitrification and anammox in the water column and sediments will be linked with analyses of seasonal metagenomic potential and seasonal microbial community contribution to the marine ecosystem N-cycle and incorporated to the coupled physical-biogeochemical Baltic Sea model.
Milestones:
M.6.1 Data obtained within tasks 1-5 processing and statistical analysis completed (month 48)
M.6.2 Data obtained within tasks 2-4 incorporation in a coupled physical-biogeochemical Baltic Sea model (month 48)
M.6.3 Manuscripts (at least 6) writing completed (month 48)