Circunnavigation Expedition Malaspina 2010: Global Change and Biodiversity Exploration of the Global Ocean: MALASPINA 2010

This project aims at conducting a circumnavigation cruise, MALASPINA 2010, with the aims of (1) providing a high-resolution coherent inventory on the impact of global change on the ocean ecosystem and a exploration of deep sea microbial biodiversity across the world’s ocean; (2) building, through the participation of the broader spanish oceanographic community in the project, leadership and cooperative frameworks within this community, thereby abating present fragmentation and loss of relevance; (3) train a new generation of young scientists with a global outlook to ocean ecosystems; (4) celebrate, the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin (1809, 2009 named International Year of Biodiversity) and the death of Alessandro Malaspina (1810), who lead the first Spanish scientific circunnavigation and raise awareness on his expedition and the role of Spain in the exploration of the planet’s natural resources; (5) promote scientific vocations among Spanish youth, thereby reverting current recruitment declines; and (6) informing society of all aspects above, with a dual emphasis on the impacts of global change on ocean ecosystems and the opportunities for exciting discoveries in the exploration of marine biodiversity in the deep sea.