A unique expedition
 
The recent Tara Arctic expedition has strongly demonstrated the reality of global warming. The next question is obvious: what will be the impact on life and on human society?

The increase in CO2 and its acidifying effects on the oceans are at the heart of the problem. Half of our CO2 production is absorbed by planktonic organisms. These organisms are at the very origin of life, and a major component of the climate engine. Without oxygen-producing plankton, humans would never have seen the light of day, and without them, we will disappear.

Our future is bound to the fate of the microscopic life in the oceans. How will plankton adjust to abrupt changes in the environment? Will the oceans bloom with invasive species or will there be ocean desertification ?
Tara Oceans, the next expedition of the schooner Tara will embark for 3 years on a unique trip across the world's oceans and seas in search of answers to these basic questions.

Guided by satellite communication and oceanographic data, Tara Oceans will analyze the composition of plankton at different depths while monitoring the physicochemical parameters of the ocean. The expedition will explore strategic sites where ocean life is disturbed or shows signs of unexpected adaptation. We will also visit and compare major coral reefs, and record levels of marine pollution.

An international team of oceanographers, ecologists, biologists and physicists from prestigious laboratories has been organized for the Tara Oceans expedition. The multidisciplinary and continuous exploration of the world’s oceans and seas using the same collection and observation methods throughout is what makes this expedition unique.

The schooner Tara will have on board the most advanced technologies for exploring the abundance and diversity of planktonic life, including a continuous underway cytometer and a 3D imaging fluorescent microscope. Filtration equipment will collect cells on filters that will be sent to participating laboratories for genomic analyses. Each day, samples will be collected from the surface down to 2 000 meters. The results, widely disseminated and carefully archived, will become a valuable resource for future generations.

Artists, journalists, scientific and cultural personalities from the visited countries are also associated with this exceptional adventure. Tara Oceans perpetuates the line of pioneering expeditions, such as the voyage of the Beagle, at the origin of Darwin’s discoveries which will be commemorated throughout 2009. 2010 will also be the international year of biodiversity.

The Tara Oceans expedition is led by Eric Karsenti, from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and Etienne Bourgois, director of Tara Expeditions

This expedition will be environmentally friendly