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Overview

Meer mit Wasserschöpferrosette
© Thünen-Institut/Sakis Kroupis

In the Thünen topic “Seas”, we investigate how the state of the oceans is developing. This is done in the framework of the integrated environmental assessment. In cooperation with other institutions we develop meaningful indicators and regularly conduct surveys.

On the basis of comprehensive monitoring data, we analyze how environmental stressors affect the living conditions in the sea and the condition of the marine organisms (particularly: fish diseases). Our focus is on the influences of climate change, ammunition contaminated sites, radioactivity, and marine litter.

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Eine blau-gelbe Europaflagge mit Wellenmuster
MSFD and the „good environmental Status”

The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD): What is its goal and which role can the Thünen Institute play here?

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Blick über das Deck der Walther Herwig III auf das Meer im Gegenlicht
Assessment of the marine environment and protection concepts

"Good" or "not good": That is the question about the environmental status of the European seas.

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Vorbereitete Messpräparate für die gammaspektrometrische Messung.
Who's afraid of cesium?

Control centres of the federal and state governments regularly check the distribution of radioactive substances in the environment and in food. The article provides information about radioactivity monitoring in the sea.

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Eine von Seesternen besiedelte Munitionskiste am Meeresgrund.
Munition on the seabed

Around 1.6 million tonnes of old munitions are lying and corroding in German marine areas of the North Sea and Baltic Sea since decades. The possible effects of released warfare agents on the environment, especially on fish fauna, are currently ...

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Probenahme verschiedener Gewebe einer Kliesche auf dem Forschungsschiff.
Effects of TNT and its metabolites on fish

What happens to fish that ingest explosives such as TNT underwater? What effects can be observed? We have investigated this in dumping areas in the Baltic Sea, including the Bay of Kiel.

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Dorsche verschiedener Größe liegen für weitere Untersuchungen auf einem Labortisch.
Effects of chemical warfare agents on fish

Chemical warfare agents were predominantly dumped in deeper areas of the Baltic Sea because of their hazardousness and brisance. Studies on fish to date do not yet provide a clear picture of their endangerment status.

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Metallteile von Minen und Torpedos im Munitionsversenkungsgebiet Kolberger Heide.
Management options: possible ways of dealing with old ammunition

The decision on how to deal with old munitions in the individual dumping areas depends on many factors. Strategies for the clearance of contaminated sites in the North Sea and Baltic Sea are currently being developed.

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Stichlingseier mit Mikroplastik
Microplastics: less harmful to fish than expected

Microplastics accumulate in the marine environment due to their longevity. Micro plastics enter food webs and are a potential hazard to marine organisms. We have investigated in the North and Baltic Seas to what extent fish ingest microplastics and ...

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Symbolbild zu Quecksilber: Die Buchstaben H g sind in metallisch-silbriger Farbe dargestellt.
Mercury in fish from German marine areas

Mercury is one of the most toxic elements on our planet and is distributed worldwide. The levels of mercury in fish from German marine areas are regularly monitored by the Thünen Institute. The results are incorporated into national and European ...

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Symbolbild für Tritium im Meer: Ein Tritium-Atom vor einem Meeresbild.
Assessing the impacts of the tritium discharges into the Pacific Ocean

The operator of the nuclear power plant in Fukushima damaged in March 2011, has been discharging water containing radioactive tritium into the Pacific Ocean since August 2023. The following text provides an assessment of possible impacts on the ...

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Ein roter Fischkutter fährt im Öresund in Sichtweite des Atomkraftwerks Barsebäk entlang.
Radioactivity in the ocean

Radioactive substances can be released into the ocean in various ways. The concentration of these substances in seawater and marine organisms is regularly monitored.

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The epibenthic video sledge on board the research vessel
Sledging at the bottom of the sea

The amount of waste in the oceans - especially plastic - has steadily increased in recent decades. However, the data situation on the spatial distribution of marine litter on the seabed is unsatisfactory. A new epibenthic video sledge developed at ...

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Alte Teile von Fischereinetzen.
Litter in German marine areas

Marine litter is a global problem. A large proportion of marine litter lies on the seabed and is hidden from our view. The Thünen Institute is investigating how much and what kind of litter lies on the seabed in German marine areas using fishing ...

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