On Tuesday, December 11, in the magnificent setting of the Mole Vanvitelliana in Ancona, the final meeting of the project Life+ Delfi, an European project that addresses the issue of interactions between dolphins and fishing activities, developing sustainable management solutions and models for dolphin-fishing interactions, was held. The day was an opportunity to showcase the work of the Life Delfi team, make a final assessment, and most importantly, think about the future. Life Delfi has produced research, monitoring, and has also built a close collaboration with fishermen to promote sustainable fishing practices. The experimentation of solutions to keep dolphins away from fishing nets included the installation of acoustic and visual deterrents on fishing gear, the promotion of alternative fishing gear, and the development of dolphin observation activities. The project also invested heavily in raising awareness among fishermen and the public about the importance of dolphin conservation, generating a great deal of information. Coordinated by Alessandro Lucchetti, with Massimo Virgili, Andrea Petetta, Daniel Li Veli from CNR IRBIM, Life Delfi was built with numerous partners: the Marine Protected Areas of Egadi Islands, Torre del Cerrano, Punta Campanella, and Tavolara, Filicudi WildLife Conservation, Legambiente Onlus
University of Siena, Blue World Marine Research and Conservation Institute (Croatia), Marine Research Institute of Rovinj (Croatia), Marine Research Institute of Split (Croatia), Marine Research Institute of Dubrovnik (Croatia), National Association of Professional Fishermen (Italy), National Association of Sport Fishermen (Italy), National Association of Amateur Fishermen (Italy), and National Association of Amateur Fishermen (Croatia). On the LifeDelfi website, you can find numerous videos and documentary material produced over the 5 years of the project; the official recording of the final day is visible here.
Author: Manuela Coci
PER24 Campaign – Pollutants’ Environmental Research 2024
The scientific campaign PER24 – Pollutants’ Environmental Research 2024 aboard the CNR research vessel Gaia Blu started from the port of Bari on October 12 and ended on October 28, 2024. The investigations were conducted within the Italian Exclusive Economic Zone of the Southern Adriatic Sea/Northern Ionian Sea, adopting a multidisciplinary approach. Studies on sediments and the water column, geophysical surveys, and geochemical analyses were carried out.
The objective of the PER24 campaign is to assess the extent of anthropogenic alterations in the Southern Adriatic Sea and the Strait of Otranto, with particular attention to the levels of contamination present and the pathways of various pollutants from coastal areas to their deep basins. Therefore, scientific activities have been conducted and are planned in various fields: determination of concentrations of historical pollutants (heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, nonylphenols) and emerging pollutants (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, bisphenol A); analysis of carbon, nitrogen, and their stable isotopes; bathymetric surveys and geomorphological characterization of the seabed; oceanographic characterization of water masses and their circulation patterns; sedimentological investigations; characterization of the microbial community; taxonomic classification of benthic foraminifera communities. All data will be made available in Open Science according to FAIR principles upon processing or publication in scientific journals. IRBIM was able to count on the participation of Federico Spagnoli (Scientific Director of the campaign), Rocco De Marco (Mission Leader), Gaspare Avanzato, Alessandro Di Cola, Chiara Evangelista, Angela Freddi, and Sarah Pizzini, who carried out all activities on board together with other colleagues from various institutions. The campaign is indeed the result of collaboration with the staff of ISPRA from the Chioggia and Rome offices, with the University of Urbino “Carlo Bo”, the Polytechnic University of Marche, the University of Camerino, the CNR-ISP of Rome, Venice, and Bologna, the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, and the Fano Marine Center. Here is the final report of the PER24-Pollutants’ Environmental Research 2024 campaign.
IRBIM Day 2024
From 7 to 9 October 2024, Milazzo hosted the sixth edition of IRBIM DAY, the annual conference that brings together the staff of the four CNR IRBIM Institute’s Mazara, Messina, Lesina and Ancona locations. The main objective of the event is to promote the sharing of research and operational activities between the different locations, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and uniformity of objectives, despite the geographical distance. The first day was dedicated to an internal discussion on administrative and planning issues. Representatives of the administrative offices, the Grant Office and the competition office intervened, illustrating the news and future challenges of the Institute. IRBIM DAY was not only a moment of internal discussion, but also an opportunity to involve the local community. The Municipality of Milazzo sponsored the event and the students of the Majorana Higher Technical Institute participated in the institutional greetings. The inaugural evening took place at the MuMa, Museum of the Sea in Milazzo, thanks to the collaboration of the founder and colleague Carmelo Isgrò. The following days were dedicated to plenary sessions with internationally renowned experts, such as Rainer Froese and Geert Wiegertjes, who addressed highly topical issues in the field of marine science. A round table on “Research and Training on the Sea” saw the participation of Paola Del Negro (OGS-Trieste) and Teresa Romeo (Stazione Zoologica “Anton Dohrn” and Alessandro Sarro (Captain of the Coast Guard). The poster session offered young researchers the opportunity to present the results of their research and finally the IRBIM Poster Prize 2024 was awarded to Pamela Lattanzi. The organization of the IRBIM DAY was possible thanks to the valuable work of a group of collaborators coordinated by Gian Marco Luna, director of the Institute. To learn more: Detailed agenda and video of the works:
Sharper 2024, The European Researchers’ Night
On Friday 27 September 2024, Ancona was one of the Italian cities to light up with science during the SHARPER 2024 European Researchers’ Night.
Open-air laboratories, interactive experiments and meetings with researchers and experts involved citizens of all ages, demonstrating how scientific research is an integral part of our daily lives.
In particular, for the CNR-IRBIM from the Central stage, colleagues Andrea Miccoli and Fabio Campanella spoke about “Gaia Blu: the oceanographic ship of the National Research Counciland presented the activities of the PELASeam campaign.
For the occasion, the film of the campaign activities made by colleague Daniel Li Veli was screened.
In addition, on Radio Arancia in the “Researchers on Air” column, Andrea Petetta spoke on “Studying the impacts of recreational fishing at sea” and Martina Scanu on “the cultural value of the mussel”.
The square was also animated by various games: the “Who wants to be a marine biologist?” full of questions related to curiosities of marine organisms was conducted by Andrea Petetta, Martina Scanu, Greta Cerrone and Chiara Evangelista, while Enrico Cecapolli and Roberto Cacciamani led the game: “Don’t say fish if you don’t have it in the bag”.
Stands have been set up for: “Fishing for plastic waste: from pollutant to new resource” with Maria Chiara Catta and Ilaria Martino; the “Microscope with benthos” curated by Deborah D’Angelo and Adele Basho and the stand “Agrifish: Would you eat a trout fed with scraps?” curated by Monica Panfili; while the “Delphi” project was presented by Flavia Scocca.
Among the other colleagues of the IRBIM of Ancona who actively participated in the organization of the Researchers’ Night under the coordination of Monica Panfili, there are Maria Chiara Catta, Deborah D’Angelo, Federico Calì, Paolo Scarpini, Angela Freddi, Lorenzo Zacchetti and Enrico Armelloni.
The event has once again demonstrated the importance of creating a bridge between research and society, promoting the dissemination of scientific culture and stimulating new generations of researchers.
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).
Mass mortality of the wild mussel of the Conero
Researchers from the CNR IRBIM in Ancona have documented a drastic mass mortality event of the wild mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) along the Conero Riviera.
The event follows the occurrence of prolonged marine heat waves, recorded by the buoys of the CNR IRBIM, with sea temperature peaks above 30 degrees Celsius and extensive mucilage phenomena.
The massive mortality of these mussels has caused deep concern among experts and the local population.
The CNR-IRBIM Marine Weather Observation Network, consisting of buoys and beacons in the Adriatic Sea, has made it possible to record the exceptionally high and prolonged water temperatures.
There is still no certain data on the extent of the phenomenon, but the event does not seem to be limited to the Ancona area alone and mass die-offs are reported in various areas of the Adriatic Sea, both in wild populations and farmed populations.
The disappearance of the mussel in the Monte Conero area represents a loss for the local gastronomy, with socio-economic and cultural implications, as mosciolo fishing is an integral part of local history and traditions.
At the same time, it also represents an alarming signal for the entire coastal ecosystem.
The mussel, in fact, plays a fundamental role in the purification of water and in the regulation of marine communities, and its disappearance could have significant repercussions on the biodiversity and functionality of coastal ecosystems.
The death of mussels in the Conero area is therefore a wake-up call that reminds us of the importance of protecting our marine environment, hence also the commitment of CNR IRBIM to support institutions and citizens to face the challenges posed by climate change and to ensure the sustainability of our marine resources.
The video, conceived by Ernesto Azzurro, Luca Bolognini and Gian Marco Luna, is available here.
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).