Objectives​

Objective 1​

Large-to-mesoscale interactive processes: Measure on CWC fields the interaction of large and mesoscale water mass properties with the seafloor complexity of prominent geomorphic features such as canyons and mounds. How does this interaction create suitable regional conditions for the establishment of CWC?

Objective 2​

Fine-scale interactive processes: Quantify feedback mechanisms between near-bed hydrodynamics, local seafloor complexity and the associated particulate organic matter dynamics on CWC fields. How do these interactive processes regulate particle (i.e., food) and oxygen supply to CWC communities, and how do CWC reef morphologies self-organize in response to these interactions?

Objective 3​

Across-scale interactions: Highlight the physical drivers of CWC growth and maintenance, through a chain of interconnected scales and time intervals, applying a multiscale observational approach to the study of the proposed sites. How do natural processes interact across nested (temporal and spatial) scales to maintain nutritional links feeding CWC ecosystems? How can human disturbance break these links and lead to degradation of CWC?