A5064959125- Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research
- Maritime and Coastal Archaeology
- Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Marine and fisheries research
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena
- Marine and environmental studies
- Geological formations and processes
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Underwater Acoustics Research
- Marine animal studies overview
- Cephalopods and Marine Biology
- International Maritime Law Issues
- Radioactive element chemistry and processing
- Marine Bivalve and Aquaculture Studies
- Geological and Geochemical Analysis
- Marine Invertebrate Physiology and Ecology
- 3D Surveying and Cultural Heritage
- Radioactive contamination and transfer
- Marine and coastal ecosystems
- Geochemistry and Geologic Mapping
- earthquake and tectonic studies
- Coastal and Marine Management
National Research Council
2010-2024
Istituto di Scienze Marine del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
2012-2022
Institute of Structure of Matter
2010-2022
Bologna Research Area
2010-2021
Institut de Ciències del Mar
2021
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
2021
Tel Aviv University
2019
Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives
1977
Recent ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) exploration and bottom sampling in the southern Adriatic Sea (Apulian Montenegrin margins) resulted discovery of cnidarian-rich deep-sea habitats depth range ca. 400-700 m. In particular, inspection canyons reveals existence megabenthic communities dominated by a variety cnidarians, including scleractinians (Madrepora oculata, Lophelia pertusa, Dendrophyllia cornigera), antipatharians (Leiopathes glaberrima) gorgonians (Callogorgia verticillata) as...
Abstract The Gulf of Naples is an example the most beautiful and biodiverse marine regions Mediterranean Sea impacted areas in terms industrial activities, large contaminated areas, resource exploitation, infrastructures at sea maritime transportation. We conducted Remotely Operated Vehicle surveys Dohrn Canyon Tyrrhenian approximately 12 NM off metropolitan area, revealed a hotspot deep-sea benthic biodiversity sessile fauna ca. 400 m depth. hard bottoms are characterized by high abundance...
Hyperspectral imagers enable the collection of high-resolution spectral images exploitable for supervised classification habitats and objects interest (OOI). Although this is a well-established technology study subaerial environments, Ecotone AS has developed an underwater hyperspectral imager (UHI) system to explore properties seafloor. The aim project evaluate potential instrument mapping monitoring benthic in shallow deep-water environments. For first time, we tested at two sites Southern...
Abstract. The geo-biological exploration of a pockmark field located at ca. 800 m below sea level in the Gela basin (Strait Sicily, Central Mediterranean) provided relatively diverse chemosymbiotic community and methane-imprinted carbonates. To date, this is first occurrence such type specialised deep-water cold-seep communities recorded from key region, before documented Mediterranean as rather disjunct findings its eastern westernmost basins. thiotrophic organisms recovered area include...
Megabenthic soft bottom communities of trawlable grounds have been studied since the first few decades last century, thanks to trawl fishing technologies. Despite providing an extensive amount presence data, trawling cannot be considered reliable from a quantitative point view, frequently giving only weak information about sessile species density, large and small-scale distribution main habitat features. The recent development visual technologies on remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) can give...
The paleontologic data (calcareous nannofossils, foraminifers, ostracods, molluscs and pollen) of the Trave section (south Ancona, central Italy) are presented in order to describe fossil content pre-evaporitic post-evaporitc units evaluate paleoenvironmental evolution sedimentary deposits from Tortonian/Messinian boundary top Messinian. Several calcareous plankton bio-horizons astronomically calibrated, temporally constrain sequence between 7.44 Ma (FO Amaurolithus primus) 6.35 (sinistral...
Aggregations of sea pens are important soft-bottom communities providing a three-dimensional complexity from which several associated species can benefit. The red pen Pennatula rubra is one the Mediterranean coastal field-forming able to establish dense aggregations on sandy/muddy bottoms infra- and circumlittoral zones. This was first described at end 17th century, but since then little information has been published about its biology, ecology biogeography. Even less known behaviour,...
Pockmarks are crater-like depression on the seafloor associated with hydrocarbon ascent through muddy sediments in continental shelves around world. In this study, we examine diversity and distribution of benthic microbial communities at shallow-water pockmarks adjacent to Middle Adriatic Ridge. We integrate data characterization local hydrocarbons concentrations sediment geochemistry. Our results suggest these enriched sedimentary hydrocarbons, host a community dominated by Bacteria, even...
Benthic habitats of the deep Mediterranean Sea and biodiversity they host are increasingly jeopardized by increasing human pressures, both direct indirect, which encompass fisheries, chemical acoustic pollution, littering, oil gas exploration production marine infrastructures (i.e., cable pipeline laying), bioprospecting. To this, is added pervasive growing effects human-induced perturbations climate system. International frameworks provide foundations for protection deep-sea ecosystems, but...
Abstract The 30–150 m bathymetric range is commonly adopted in the literature to constrain mesophotic zone. However, such depth interval varies depending on sunlight penetration, which primarily a function of solar radiation incidence and water clarity. This especially obvious Mediterranean Sea with its peculiar biophysical properties. Integrating information light regime estimation zone would provide more robust definition, orienting conservation actions targeting ecosystems. We present...
The south Adriatic shelf offshore of the predominently carbonate Apulian coast is characterized by a peculiar rough topography interpreted as relic karst formed at time lower sea level.The study area covers surface about 220 km 2 , with depths ranging from 50 to 105 m.The most relevant and diagnostic features are circular depressions few tens 150 m in diameter 0.50 20 deep thought be dolines various stages evolution.The major doline, Oyster Pit, has its top water depth deep.It partly filled...
Abstract The current strong motivation to explore those traces of the archaeological and prehistoric human heritage that presently lie submerged on continental shelf requires large-scale precise underwater mapping. One Mediterranean sector deserving particular attention is Sicily Channel, which critical for a better understanding Africa–Europe migratory routes early civilization patterns due its large expanses shallow seabed were partially or totally exposed at times lower relative sea...
Over 25 mounds have been identified in the Corsica Channel (Mediterranean Sea) through multibeam bathymetric mapping at depth of 400-430 m, with dimensions ranging from 70 to 330 achieving maximum heights m. Two such were explored detail by means Remotely Operated Vehicle, revealing thick coral growth a predominance branching scleractinian Madrepora oculata as main frame-builder, and subordinate Desmophyllum pertusum. The solitary species dianthus Javania cailleti add biodiversity here,...