The episode of Linea Verde Italia made a stop in the Marche region, and in particular in the lively city of Ancona. Researchers from CNR-IRBIM and the Polytechnic University of Marche were also involved in the discovery of the wonders and activities of the area.
The shots at sea were led by colleagues who illustrated some activities carried out within the NBFC – National Biodiversity Future Centre , the research center dedicated to the in-depth study of marine biodiversity and the development of innovative strategies for its preservation, a crucial issue for the health of our planet. Here is the link to watch the episode again
Author: Manuela Coci
The disappearance of Gianna Fabi
With deep sorrow, the Institute for Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnology (CNR-IRBIM) announces the death of Gianna Fabi who has dedicated over 40 years of his career to marine research. In the words of the director: “Gianna was an esteemed colleague and a passionate researcher, whose scientific contribution has enriched not only our Institute, with particular reference to Ancona, but also the wider marine scientific community. She has always participated with dedication in the Working Group on Artificial Reefs; she has also contributed as an expert to prestigious working groups such as GFCM, CITES, EFARO and STECF and has built and conducted dozens and dozens of research projects”. Her death leaves a deep void in the scientific community, which will miss her strongly.
IRBIM and YACademy Collaboration
The collaboration between CNR-IRBIM and YAC- Young Architects Competitions continues successfully. Following the support for the competition “Iron Island” to write the future of ancient oil platforms, the Advanced Training Course “Concept Design for Architecture” will be held in 2025 to encourage research in design by providing concrete themes and generating solutions for modern challenges. The course includes participation as lecturers by colleagues Gian Marco Luna and Pierluigi Penna from IRBIM in Ancona for the module “Climate Change and Environmental Challenges – Habitats in the Post-Anthropocene”. The goal is to offer a structured criterion with content from various disciplines to stimulate creativity and guide designers in generating original and successful architectural ideas with an innovative approach. As sea professionals, the colleagues will illustrate the changes in marine space caused by human interaction and the scientific questions that require, for example, the creation of low-impact infrastructures. Climate change entails increasingly pressing challenges that require innovative and sustainable solutions to mitigate the effects of global warming and build a more sustainable future, even for marine ecosystems. All these challenges must be addressed with multi-disciplinarity and the meeting of professionals from different sectors. For information and dissemination of the initiative, it is possible to consult the Yacademy website. It is possible to watch presentation videos of the past competition Iron Island; and the official presentation video of the course “Concept Design for Architecture”.
Moby Litter, workshop on plastic pollution in the oceans
On September 24th at the Aula Azzurra “Mario Giordano” of the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DISVA) of the Polytechnic University of Marche, the fifth edition of the annual workshop “Moby Litter“. The event, which focused on the persistent problem of plastic pollution in the oceans, offered an important platform for discussion between researchers, government bodies, civil society, innovative companies and educational institutions. The freediving champion Ilaria Molinari inaugurated the workshop with a touching speech entitled “Deep Plastic”, emphasizing the profound impact of this environmental problem. The Rector, Prof. Gian Luca Gregori, reiterated the strategic importance of “Moby Litter” for the University, underlining how the event stimulates an in-depth reflection on the causes, effects and possible solutions to plastic pollution, promoting a transdisciplinary approach.
This year, the workshop took an even broader approach, integrating scientific research with art and concrete action.
Among the speakers, Daniele Silvetti (Mayor of Ancona), Vincenzo Vitale (Maritime Director of the Marche and Commander of the Port Authority of Ancona) and many other representatives of academic and research institutions.
For the CNR-IRBIM , the director Gian Marco Luna opened with institutional greetings and his colleague Elisa Punzo of the Ancona office, held a presentation entitled: “Marine Litter, challenges and opportunities in the field of Blue Growth”.
The event, part of the SHARPER – European Researchers’ Night programme, funded by the European Commission, offered a unique opportunity to deepen knowledge on plastic pollution and to discuss possible mitigation strategies. At this link the poster of the event with the details of the interventions.
FARO Campaign – Fishing impacts on Isidella elongata vulnerable marine ecosystems
September 18, 2024. The oceanographic campaign FARO (Fishing impacts on Isidella elongata vulnerable marine ecosystems) on board the research ship “Gaia Blu” of the National Research Council has started. The campaign aimed at the protection and enhancement of deep marine ecosystems: its primary objective is the identification and mapping of the so-called “soft-bottom coral gardens”, valuable habitats characterized by the presence of the black coral Isidella elongata, a species classified as “critically threatened” by the IUCN.
Through the use of advanced underwater telemetry systems, researchers on board the ship will explore the seabed of the Strait of Sicily, collecting crucial data for understanding the biodiversity associated with these delicate ecosystems and for assessing the impact of human activities.
In particular, predictive models will be used to identify areas of potential presence of black coral and high-resolution bathymetric surveys will be carried out to obtain detailed images of the seabed.
The FARO campaign, coordinated by Giorgio Castellan of CNR-ISMAR, and Valentina Lauria of CNR IRBIM in Mazara del Vallo, sees the participation of a multidisciplinary team of experts from various Italian research institutes, including CNR-Ismar, the Anton Dohrn Zoological Station in Naples and the University of Bari. For CNR IRBIM also Vincent Georges was on board.
The planned activities are part of the context of European policies for the conservation of marine biodiversity, in line with the objectives of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and with the recent approval of the Nature Restoration Law.
The campaign is supported by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), as part of the activities of the National Centre for Biodiversity (NBFC).
PELASeam campaign on the CNR-Gaia Blu ship
On Monday, July 23, 2024, the “PELASeam” Pelagic Sea Mountain campaign began. The campaign is coordinated by Fabio Campanella together with Andrea Miccoli of the CNR-Institute for Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnology in Ancona. It will last about two weeks with the aim of exploring the pelagic productivity, biodiversity and ecological roles of two seamounts in the Tyrrhenian Sea, “Vercelli” and “Vavilov”. Numerous researchers from the various CNR IRBIM centres are involved in the campaign, namely: Martina Scanu, Daniel Li Veli, Federico Calí, Sara Bonanomi, Alessandra Campanelli, Giuseppe Caccamo, Rocco De Marco, Claudia Sacchetti, Gaspare Avanzati, Monica Panfili, Luca Bolognini, Deborah D’Angelo and Maria Chiara Catta. The campaign is the result of the collaboration with the CNR-ISMAR – Institute of Marine Sciences, CNR-ISP of Polar Sciences, the Polytechnic University of Marche, the University of Palermo and the OGS – National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics, thanks also to the technical support of the University of Padua. In the vicinity of the two submerged mountains, water samples will be collected for the analysis of the chemical and physical component and biological samples will be collected through plankton net, to examine biodiversity at various levels of the marine food chain. On board the Gaia Blu, acoustic, optical and visual observations will be carried out to study the marine fauna and its interactions, and large volumes of water will be filtered on board for the study of the animal community present in the immediate vicinity of the mountains, through environmental DNA analysis. The information will contribute to a greater understanding of seamounts and their role in supporting marine biodiversity: this will also allow the development of strategies for the sustainable management of resources, all under the auspices of the NBFC-National Biodiversity Future Centre.
IRBIM course on scientific writing and management of bibliographic elements
From 28 to 30 May 2024, the IRBIM-Lesina hosted the first edition of the “Practical course on scientific writing and management of bibliographic elements” designed and dedicated to members of the Institute. The course, lasting a total of 16 hours, combined theoretical lessons (4 hours) with practical exercises (12 hours), offering participants a complete and up-to-date overview of best practices for the effective management of bibliographic sources and citations in the drafting of scientific reports and articles. The course was divided into three main modules, structured to provide participants with the knowledge and tools necessary to deal with each phase of the scientific writing process:
- pre-writing, with research and management of the bibliography, use of keywords and Boleani operators to make the search effective;
- writing, with the creation of a solid and original bibliography, Cite-while-writing in word and Latex, plagiarism self-assessment;
- post-writing, evaluation of scientific journals and selection of the most suitable publication venue, analysis of metrics and impact indicators.
In addition to lectures and practical exercises, the course included moments of sharing and discussion among the participants, with lunches and coffee breaks organized by the staff of the Lesina office, to encourage interaction between participants from different IRBIM locations, creating a collaborative and stimulating learning environment. The Scientific and Organizational Committee was composed of: Manuela Coci, Andrea Miccoli, Paolo Pezzutto, Antonella Specchiulli, Primiano Schiavone, Marco D’Adduzio and Gian Marco Luna. The course was a valuable opportunity for IRBIM researchers to deepen their knowledge and skills in the field of science communication. The course also provided participants with the necessary tools to produce high-quality scientific articles, compliant with international publication standards and to increase their chances of success in the competitive research landscape. It is possible to download the program and contact the organizers for interest, information and any other editions.
Symposium “Biodiversity Change in the Anthropocene: Research Priorities”
On 10 and 11 April 2024, the Symposium “Biodiversity Change in the Anthropocene: priorities in research” was held at the Fano Marine Center, a fruitful meeting between experts dealing with biodiversity in Italy, both in the terrestrial and aquatic fields. The keynote lecture by Grégoire Dubois, head of the Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity (KCBD), Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, Ispra (VA) introduced the theme of “Reverting biodiversity loss by 2030: all for one policy and one for all policies”. This was followed by 46 oral communications divided in three sessions: examples of change; predictions of change; tools, actions and change management. A specific session, the “PhD spot”, was dedicated to PhD students funded and co-funded by the National Research Council to allow even the youngest researchers to discuss the key issue of biodiversity change. The poster communications reached a total of 78 contributions, also articulated in the three sessions. With a view to the complete sharing of contents, the symposium web page contains: the detailed agenda, the recording of the event and all the oral scientific communications and from it it is also possible to consult the posters. The event was organized by the Biodiversity Working Group (WG) of the CNR and CNR-IRBIM of Ancona in collaboration with the Fano Marine Center, Lifewatch Italia and the National Biodiversity Future Center. In particular, the organizing committee was composed by the CNR-IRBIM members: Ernesto Azzurro, Sara Bonanomi, Pierluigi Strafella, Marina Chiappi, Fabrizio Moro, Paolo Scarpini, Rocco de Marco, Andrea Miccoli and Mattia Betti. The event received a remarkable interest, with a total of about 200 participants and well over 50 remote connections. Participants had the opportunity to discuss biodiversity changes, intervening with questions during oral communications and discussing in the poster session permanently open in the hall of the Fano Marine Centre. The symposium’s strategy also included, from the moment of registration, the collection of individual proposals to improve research activities on biodiversity changes; these proposals were then subjected to a real evaluation by all congress participants with real-time voting. The thematic tables were also used to elaborate the conclusions of the individual sessions and all these experiences of sharing and debate will flow into a list of concrete recommendations to prioritize biodiversity research. The organizers and participants of the symposium demonstrated a deep commitment to addressing the health of the Planet and protecting natural resources. For more information and updates, please consult the symposium page.Photo Courtesy by Fabrizio Lecce (CPM – Centro di Produzione Multimediale – Università del Salento and LifeWatching).
Meeting “Gaia Blu: an infrastructure at the service of the marine scientific community”
On February 15, 2024, the meeting entitled “Gaia Blu: an infrastructure at the service of the marine scientific community” was held at the Marconi room of the CNR Centrale, dedicated entirely to the new research ship of the CNR. During the day there were numerous speeches to present in details the new outfitting of the ship, the on-board instrumentation, the first campaigns conducted in the Mediterranean, and also the research perspectives and management structure. The Director of the Department of Earth System Sciences and Technologies for the Environment (DSTTA), Fabio Trincardi, retraced the main stages of the preparation of the Gaia Blu ship, a real technological jewel, that once was the FALKOR vessel ship of the Schmidt Ocean Institute (SOI). The changes implemented make the Blue Gaia a ship suitable for operating in ocean waters. During the first “Jamme Gaia“ cruise, a survey comparable to one of about twenty years earlier was carried out by researchers and technologists of the Neapolitan CNR which will allow to evaluate the evolution of the instrumentation on a technological level and the evolution of the seabed under the pressure of natural processes, near the Gulf of Naples. While the campaign “PIONEER: Processes in the IONian Sea: Exploring, Experimenting, Researching” was dedicated to the Ionian Sea and allowed to test the on-board instrumentation; details of the numerous tests will soon be available on a page dedicated to the ship. Space was given to the problem of acquiring new instrumentation, and in particular of a Remotely Operated Vehicle- ROV, for which a careful evaluation is required; and on the importance, necessity, opportunity and also, of course, the complexity of third-party management of the ship The meeting was also an opportunity to explicitate the actual need to have other smaller ships to recreate the CNR’s naval fleet; the economic considerations and the comparison with otherEuropean Research Centers dedicated to the sea were punctually discussed by Andrea Miccoli, of CNR-IRBIM. Also for CNR-IRBIM, colleagues Andrea Berardinelli and Emilio Notti are involved in the activities of Gaia Blu. The speeches and participation in the day showed that all the researchers involved in the activities of the Gaia Blu ship have carried out a crucial service for the growth of the Institution with great generosity. Finally, it was announced that the selection of applications opened in December for the working groups had been concluded, with a total of 38 applications received and the formation of the following groups: 1. Management of the ship access process, 2. Logistics and Investments, 3. Data management, 4. Communication and outreach. Here you can download the program of the entire day.
Conference of the CNR DSSTTA in Rome
The Department of Earth System Sciences and Environmental Technologies held its conference on December 12th, at the conference hall of CNR Headquarter. In the presence of over 300 researchers and as many colleagues present remotely, the Director Fabio Trincardi presented the missions and research lines of the various institutes affiliated to the Department, highlighting their scientific value and the strong impact they have, have had and, above all, must strongly maintain in the creation of scientific knowledge, in the transfer to civil society and in the impact on decision-making policies. The day was very intense: rich in scientific contents, reports and research results, accompanied by considerations on their economic value. There were also suggestions from experts on scientific hypotheses for the near future. For CNR-IRBIM, Enrico Arneri presented the National Program for Fishery Data Collection, which was created in response to a legislative requirement. He quantified its economic impact and suggested improvements. The discussion turned to the impact that the PNRR-National Recovery and Resilience Plan has had on the creation of new national centers, including the NBFC – National Biodiversity Future Centre, in which the CNR-IRBIM is involved as Spoke 2 leader, the Biodiversity Gateway, Itineris –the Italian Integrated Environmental Research Infrastructures System, for enhancing the research infrastructures. The session dedicated to the 10 Working Groups was highly dynamic, with brief presentations of the cross-cutting, multidisciplinary, and innovative research activities of the groups. Those groups were often created around urgent environmental issues, from drought to the carbon cycle, from paleoclimate to planetary geosciences. The CNR President, Prof. Maria Chiara Carrozza, then spoke about the CNR relaunch plan in terms of the ERC-European Research Council disciplinary sectors and about its perspectives. The “Project Coordination and International Dimension” and “Keynote” sessions were combined, with presentations from CNR researchers who have been involved in significant experiences abroad, foreign researchers who have been hosted by the CNR, and important cutting-edge research topics on Earth, Fire, Water and Climate. The day was closed by Director Trincardi, who defended the Department’s work, citing its scientific importance and the quality of its research, demonstrated by an extraordinarily rich day in terms of content. In-depth information, full program and materials on the dedicated page of the departmental conference.