Processes and biodiversity in phototrophic mats, corals and sediments

In order to study benthic phototrophs we developed a combination of high resolution chemical and community analyses that is widely applicable. The community structure is derived from spectra simultaneously recorded by a hyperspectral camera. A last step was to make the hyperspectral imager autonomous and useful for in situ approaches, even for deep sea deployment. Using these methods we will further intensify our research and investigate ecological hot spots for their productivity, such as coral reefs and sediments under sea-ice.