04 Observing a miniature world

For six weeks, the scientists take plankton nets, water samplers and other instruments on their small boats out to the mesocosms in the Kongsfjord (Svalbard) to collect samples and data.

Day in, day out, after the sampling procedure, they analyse about 300 litres of water in their laboratories and measure more than 60 biological, chemical and physical parameters in order to closely monitor effects of ocean acidification on the plankton community.

Photo: Nick Cobbing