Interacción de procesos oceanográficos y sedimentarios en el talud superior y medio del golfo de Cádiz y sus implicaciones ambientales y en los hábitats

Laburpena

Numerous studies on habitats, oceanographic processes (bottom currents, tides, etc.) and geology have been recently carried out in the Gulf of Cadiz, although few have addressed them from an integrated and multidisciplinary point of view. The current INPULSE project is studying the interaction of oceanographic processes (mainly originated by the Mediterranean Outflow Water -MOW- and associated processes as tides, internal waves, etc.) with the sedimentary processes in the northern upper and middle continental slope of the Gulf of Cadiz and their environmental and habitat implications, as well as their mathematical modelling. In July 2019, an oceanographic cruise (INPULSE0719) was carried out and based on collected date set there is a more detailed knowledge of the geological, sedimentary, oceanographic and benthic processes that occur in 4 key areas of the Gulf of Cadiz. We obtained 216 h of bathymetry, reflectivity and acoustic profile data, 5 h of underwater video images, 4053 cm of sediment, 831 oceanographic profiles and 4 oceanographic moorings. All this was integrated into a common database using Geographic Information Systems software. After a preliminary analysis of the results obtained during that cruise, it can be determined that changes in the intensity and direction of the MOW influence sedimentary proces- ses and the evolution of the seabed. Sediment deposits reflect the effect of the bottom current on the seabed and both current velocity and type of substratum condition the occurrence and distribution of different types of habitats.