When NANO ponders... Mo va on of marine research in Peru Jesus Ledesma Ins tuto del Mar del Peru, Peru Alumnus profile: h p://nf-pogo-alumni.org/profile/Jesus%20Ledesma/ The source of moƟvaƟon for my team of researchers is given by our history, fishing wealth and oceanographic processes that reach climate impact, which I want to share in this ediƟon NANO News
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eru has an ancient history with marine tradi on since Caral civiliza on, considered the oldest in America with records on year 3000 BC, with a diet based on marine organisms such as anchovy that stands great fishery produc vity. Centuries later, around year 100 AD, Moche Culture stands out because of its fishing capacity and worship to the bivalve called Spondylus. Both civiliza ons used boats made of Totora plants (Schoenoplectus californicus), which have been used since 3000 BC for fishing opera ons as well as recrea on. At this me, we maintain a great fishing ac vity, capturing about 10% of worldwide fisheries. Besides, we have to face the climate phenomenon known as El Niño Southern Oscilla on (ENSO). Some of the major marine research conducted at ‘Ins tuto del Mar del Peru’ (IMARPE) are related with these two thema c aspects: climate and fisheries. In this sense, two research vessels (RV) are used by our ins tute: RV Jose Olaya, in honour of a Peruvian fisherman and RV Humboldt in honour of a German scien st and naturalist, whose names reaffirm our research. On the other hand, the scien fic community has been able to demonstrate that the Humboldt Ecosystem is an intense upwelling system, with climate variability related to ENSO. This phenomenon affects produc ve ac vi es such as fishery and agriculture. That is why, it is studied by various scien fic worldwide ins tu ons, for impacts regarding climate and economic ac vi es. Part of high biological ac vity off the coast of Peru is due to fer liza on caused by upwelling and trade winds. Op mal wind speed between 3 to 6 m s-1, cause cold and nutrient-rich subsurface waters to reach the eupho c zone, despite being at la tudes between 3°S - 20°S. The organic ma er generated by high rates of photosynthesis have their reverse process called remineraliza on, placing the top edge of the Oxygen Minimum Zone less than 22 μM concentra ons, close to depths of 25 m depth. These low concentra ons are a result of balance between the consump on of oxygen by remineralisa on of organic ma er and poor ven la on.
Ledesma team sampling along the Peruvian coast
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