BS H 
kompakt 
27 
Ausrüstung der Nordseeboje III auf dem BSH-Gelände am 
Kirchenpauerkai in Hamburg 
North Sea Buoy III being eguipped at BSH’s Kirchenpauerkai guay 
in Hamburg 
Entwicklungen beobachten - 
Gefahren erkennen 
Aus diesem Grund nehmen wir mit den BSH-For- 
schungsschiffen systematisch Wasserproben, unter 
anderem zur Bestimmung von Schad- und Nähr 
stoffen, radioaktiven Substanzen oder zur Analyse 
sonstiger Problemstoffe, die das ökologische Gleich 
gewicht beeinträchtigen könnten. In unseren Labora 
torien erfolgt dann die exakte chemische Untersu 
chung der einzelnen Substanzen. Diese Ergebnisse - 
zusammen mit den ebenfalls gemessenen physikali 
schen Daten wie Temperatur, Salzgehalt und Strö 
mung und all den Daten, die wir über von uns betrie 
bene automatische Messnetze gewinnen - ermög 
lichen es, den Zustand von Nord- und Ostsee zu be 
werten und zumindest langfristig ursächliche Zusam- 
mosalc of the BSH’s manifold tasks. To protect the 
oceans, you must have profound knowledge of the 
processes taking place. What are the Immediate and 
long-term Impacts of contaminants In the North and 
Baltic Seas? How does the ecosystem react to 
changes, e. g. novel uses and activities? To answer 
questions like these, continuous monitoring over long 
periods of time is necessary, with follow-up research 
on the basis of the data obtained. 
To observe developments and 
identify hazards 
Against this background, we routinely take water 
samples during cruises of the BSH research vessels 
and determine their contaminant and nutrient levels, 
radioactivity and other factors liable to affect the 
ecological balance. At our laboratories, we carry out 
thorough chemical analyses of the samples. These 
data, together with the measurement results of physi 
cal parameters like temperature, salinity, and cur 
rents as well as the data from automated monitoring 
networks operated by us, enable us to assess the 
status of the North and Baltic Seas and to determine 
causal relationships, at least in the longer term. An 
example is the correlation between eutrophication 
and mass developments of algae, or that between 
pesticides and impaired development of marine 
organisms. 
Our observation series have shown a clear reduction 
of phosphate levels and heavy metal concentrations 
in the German Bight. Excessive nutrient Input due to 
agricultural fertilizers, sewage treatment plants and 
waste gases from traffic and industry is now observ 
ed only in the the near-shore coastal waters of the 
North Sea. In 2002, our environmental monitoring net 
work in the North and Baltic Seas will be upgraded 
by two additional stations: “Nordseeboje III“ and 
“Arkona Becken“. These enormous buoys, which are 
some 20 metres high and have a service life of about