Phytoplankton plays a key role in marine biogeochemical cycles. Physiological adaptations of phytoplankton affect biodiversity, dynamics and interactions in marine ecosystem networks.

Project specific objectives

ALIENA project aims to build up a common knowledge and joint monitoring system to enhance biodiversity protection against NIS species, starting from the identification of target NIS which could represent a threat to local marine ecosystems, also affecting socio-economic activities. Joint Monitoring and modelling activities on target NIS will finally aim to develop solutions for early warning, useful for managing marine areas, protecting biodiversity and public health, and for providing additional tools for decision makers.The project will encourage the improvement of shared protocols for NIS detection, monitoring and management jointly developed, and also foresees the enhancement of the sensibility of stakeholders regarding NIS.

Project main outputs

Four Pilot observing campaigns will allow to increase the technical skills of partners and acquire new and valuable data on the ecosystem.
A set of jointly developed solutions will provide indications and suggestions for the set-up and running of similar campaigns of monitoring and modelling, thus stimulating the dissemination of knowledge and good practices and enabling the replication of experiences and results in other contexts and to other organisations.
Results from  monitoring and modelling activities will be summarised in a jointly organised Summer School.
An early warning protocol for different target NIS will be developed by project partners and diffusely tested during pilot activities.
From the communication point of view, a transnational event will be jointly organised by partners, presenting key activities, outputs and achievements to stakeholders. Moreover, a series of other physical and on-line workshops, events at local level and a final public event will be organised.

Project specific objectives

Developing and enhancing research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies.

Project main outputs

Developing and enhancing research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies

The general objective of the project is to implement concrete and joint interventions that allow to address the phenomenon of marine Litter from different points of view and methods of intervention. The project therefore puts into effect concrete actions of monitoring, management, prevention and removal of the marine litter without neglecting the normative aspect within which these actions are framed. Finally, it proposes innovative and experimental actions aimed at treating plastic waste in a circular economy perspective.

1/ to enhance CC adaptation capacity in coastal areas developing homogeneous and comparable data

2/ to improve knowledge, capacity and cooperation on climate change observing and modeling systems

3/ to develop advanced information system, tools and indicators for optimal CC adaptation planning 

Project CASCADE (eng. CoaStal and marine waters integrated monitoring systems for ecosystems protection and management) it is co-financed by the funds of the Interreg Italy-Croatia Strategic Program 2014-2020. The main goal of the CASCADE project is to assess the quality of marine coastal ecosystems for the purpose of habitat restoration of endangered species and to provide support for integrated management.

JERICO-S3 will provide a state-of-the-art, fit-for-purpose and visionary observational Research Infrastructure (RI), expertise and high-quality data on European coastal and shelf seas. The project will support world-class research, high-impact innovation and a window of European excellence worldwide for better understanding of the marine environment.

The network action DNAqua-Net aims at connecting expertise and stakeholders around the topic of DNA-based environmental monitoring. The network is coordinated at the University Duisburg-Essen.

Investigating the spatio-temporal distribution and environmental impact of microplastics in coastal waters of the northern Adriatic.