Programme: Programme for Environment and Climate Action (LIFE)

Title of the Project: Deep REef restoration And litter removal in the Mediterranean sea

Acronym: LIFE21-NAT-IT-LIFE DREAM

Duration: 01/09/2022 – 31/08/2027

Budget totalwe: € 5.308.472,89€

Web site

The Marine Deep Reefs are fundamental benthic habitats recognized for acting as CO2 sinks and attracting highly diverse fauna. Multiple pressures are threatening the health of these habitats and resulting in the loss of their associated ecological functions, including climate change, fishing increments, and litter. The objective of LIFE21-NAT-IT-LIFE DREAM is to implement an innovative and sustainable approach to mitigate the effects of anthropogenic impacts on these habitats. LIFE21-NAT-IT-LIFE DREAM will provide supporting information for extending Natura 2000 to deep-sea habitats so as to promote actions of protection, recovery, and preservation. Additionally, the project will operate in pilot sites by deploying artificial structures aimed at facilitating the growth of deep reef-forming species and removing marine litter.

The CNR-ISMAR is the Coordinator of the Project and, in addition to managing the project, will collect and manage the data of LIFE21-NAT-IT-LIFE DREAM in Spatial Data Infrastructure consisting in software, hardware, spatial data, metadata, web services, data storage and standards. The created Geoportal will allow to share data, results, and improve the knowledge base, permitting further exploitation outside the project.

The main objectives of the Project are:

- Improving the knowledge base on Deep Reefs and the stressors threatening this habitat
- Extending the N2000 network by integrating the previous knowledge and acquiring new data
- Facilitate and promote the passive and active restoration of the Deep Reefs
- Prevent further litter accumulation
- Foster the circular economy concepts by recycling and reuse the removed marine litter
- Increase the public awareness about ocean health and human wellbeing

The expected results are:

- The development of an innovative and sustainable approach to mitigate anthropic pressure on Deep Reefs and promote their recovery
- The production of scientific data and knowledge on Deep Reefs to sustain the flow from scientists to decision-makers and enhance the natural resources management and governance
- The extension of the Natura 2000 network to deep benthic habitats by collecting and providing information to support the designation of 2 new deep-sea sites
- Apply restoration actions (either active or passive) that will extend the surface of the target habitats and provide new substrate for reefs forming species
- Develop a prototype for the removal of marine litter and enhance the cooperation with fisheries to follow a circular economy perspective and further recycle and reuse the litter removed

Contact in ISMAR: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Consortium

1. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - Istituto di Scienze Marine (CNR/ISMAR) (IT)
2. Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro (IT)
3. Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (EL)
4. Net European Consulting srls (IT)
5. Enaleia Astiki Mi Kerdoskopiki Etaireia (EL)
6. Università Politecnica delle Marche (IT)
7. Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Cientificas (ES)
8. Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II (IT)
9. Regione Puglia (IT)
10. Region of Thessaly (EL)
11. Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (IT)
12. Federpesca – Federazione Nazionale delle Imprese di Pesca (IT)

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Bommarito, C., Díaz-Morales, D.M., Guy-Haim, T., Noè, S., Delasalle, J., Buchholz, B., Khosravi, M., Rilov, G., Sures, B., and Wahl, M. (2023). Warming and parasitism impair the performance of Baltic native and invasive macroalgae and their associated fauna. Limnology and Oceanography 68, 1852-1864. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.12390

Bonanomi, S., Annibale, O., Lucchetti, A., & Bottaro, M. (2023). Extinct but not entirely: A new occurrence of the critically endangered Squatina squatina (Linnaeus, 1758) stresses the urgency of its conservation in the Adriatic sea. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 287, 108344.

Bottaro, M., Sinopoli, M., Bertocci, I., Follesa, M. C., Cau, A., Consalvo, I., ... & Danovaro, R. (2023). Jaws from the deep: biological and ecological insights on the kitefin shark Dalatias licha from the Mediterranean Sea. Frontiers in Marine Science, 10.

Consales, G., Bottaro, M., Mancusi, C., Neri, A., Sartor, P., Voliani, A., ... & Marsili, L. (2023). Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in three bathyal chondrichthyes from the North-Western Mediterranean Sea. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 196, 115647.

Costa, V., Sciutteri, V., Consoli, P., Manea, E., Menini, E., Andaloro, F., Romeo, T., and Danovaro, R. (2023). Volcanic-associated ecosystems of the Mediterranean Sea: a systematic map and an interactive tool to support their conservation. PeerJ 11, e15162. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15162

Díaz-Morales, D.M., Bommarito, C., Knol, J., Grabner, D.S., Noè, S., Rilov, G., Wahl, M., Guy-Haim, T., and Sures, B. (2023). Parasitism enhances gastropod feeding on invasive and native algae while altering essential energy reserves for organismal homeostasis upon warming. Science of The Total Environment 863, 160727. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160727

Fioravanti, T., Maio, N., Psomadakis, P. N., Manzotti, S., Gigante, A. P., Splendiani, A., Bottaro, M., ... & Barucchi, V. C. (2023). The sawfish (Rhinopristiformes, Pristidae) rostrum displayed in the “Basilica Santuario del Carmine Maggiore” in Naples, Italy: A long story of legends and taxonomic errors. Contributions to Zoology, 1(aop), 1-20.

Gallo, S., Nania, G., Caruso, V., Zicarelli, G., Leonetti, F. L., Giglio, G., Bottaro, M., ... & Sperone, E. (2023). Bioaccumulation of Trace Elements in the Muscle of the Blackmouth Catshark Galeus melastomus from Mediterranean Waters. Biology, 12(7), 951.

Motta, G., Caffara, M., Fioravanti, M. L., Bottaro, M., Avian, M., Terlizzi, A., & Tedesco, P. (2023). Parasitic infection in the scyphozoan Rhizostoma pulmo (Macri, 1778). Scientific Reports, 13(1), 5549.

Pfister, C.A., Cardini, U., Mirasole, A., Montilla, L.M., Veseli, I., Gattuso, J.-P., and Teixido, N. (2023). Microbial associates of an endemic Mediterranean seagrass enhance the access of the host and the surrounding seawater to inorganic nitrogen under ocean acidification. Scientific Reports 13, 19996. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-47126-4

Russo, M. T., A. Santin, A. Zuccarotto, S. Leone, A. Palumbo, M. I. Ferrante and I. Castellano (2023). "The first genetic engineered system for ovothiol biosynthesis in diatoms reveals a mitochondrial localization for the sulfoxide synthase OvoA." Open Biology 13(2): 220309. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsob.220309

Savin, A.; Sini, M.; Xynogala, I.; Lioupa, V.; Vougioukalou, K.; Stamatis, K.; Noè, S.; Ragkousis, M.; Gerovasileiou, V.; Dailianis, T.; Katsanevakis, S. (2023). Assessment of Macroalgal Communities on Shallow Rocky Reefs in the Aegean Sea Indicates an Impoverished Ecological Status. Medit. Mar. Sci. 24, 241-258. https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.31034

Sinopoli, M., Badalamenti, F., Bottaro, M., & D’Anna, G. (2023). The Role of Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) in Juvenile Fish Dispersal along the North-Western Coast of Sicily. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 11(4), 746.

Somma E, Terlizzi A, Costantini M, Madeira M, Zupo V. (2023) Global Changes Alter the Successions of Early Colonizers of Benthic Surfaces. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 11: 1232. https://doi:10.3390/jmse11061232

D’Aniello E, Amodeo P, Vitale RM. (2023) Marine Natural and Nature-Inspired Compounds Targeting Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptors (PPARs). Marine Drugs, 21(2):89. https://doi.org/10.3390/md21020089

Gafranek, J.T., D’Aniello, E., Ravisankar, P., Thakkar, K., Vagnozzi, R.J., Lim, H.-W., Salomonis, N., and Waxman, J.S. (2023). Sinus venosus adaptation models prolonged cardiovascular disease and reveals insights into evolutionary transitions of the vertebrate heart. Nature Communications 14, 5509. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-41184-y

Russo, M. T., A. Santin, A. Zuccarotto, S. Leone, A. Palumbo, M. I. Ferrante and I. Castellano (2023). "The first genetic engineered system for ovothiol biosynthesis in diatoms reveals a mitochondrial localization for the sulfoxide synthase OvoA." Open Biology 13(2): 220309. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsob.220309

Federico S, Glaviano F, Esposito R, Tentoni E, Santoro P, Caramiello D, Costantini M, Zupo V. (2023) The “Bald Disease” of the Sea Urchin Paracentrotus lividus: Pathogenicity, Molecular Identification of the Causative Agent and Therapeutic Approach. Microorganisms. 11(3):763. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11030763

Gharbi M, Glaviano F, Federico S, Pinto B, Cosmo AD, Costantini M, Zupo V. (2023) Scale-Up of an Aquaculture Plant for Reproduction and Conservation of the Sea Urchin Paracentrotus lividus: Development of Post-Larval Feeds. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 11(1):154. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11010154

Glaviano, F., Federico, S., Pinto, B., Gharbi, M., Russo, T., Cosmo, A.D., Polese, G., Costantini, M., and Zupo, V. (2023). Morphologic and genic effects of waste pollution on the reproductive physiology of Paracentrotus lividus lmk: a mesocosm experiment. Frontiers in Physiology 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2023.1161852

Nieri P, Carpi S, Esposito R, Costantini M, Zupo V. (2023) Bioactive Molecules from Marine Diatoms and Their Value for the Nutraceutical Industry. Nutrients, 15(2):464. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15020464

Somma E, Terlizzi A, Costantini M, Madeira M, Zupo V. (2023) Global Changes Alter the Successions of Early Colonizers of Benthic Surfaces. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 11: 1232. https://doi:10.3390/jmse11061232

Viel, T., Cocca, M., Manfra, L., Caramiello, D., Libralato, G., Zupo, V., and Costantini, M. (2023). Effects of biodegradable-based microplastics in Paracentrotus lividus Lmk embryos: Morphological and gene expression analysis. Environmental Pollution 334, 122129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122129

Viel T, Manfra L, Zupo V, Libralato G, Cocca M, Costantini M. (2023) Biodegradation of Plastics Induced by Marine Organisms: Future Perspectives for Bioremediation Approaches. Polymers, 15: 2673. https://doi:10.3390/polym15122673