Summary

Climate change is dramatically affecting the Mediterranean Sea, which is warming at a rate 20% faster than the world’s average. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), despite the nature-based solution they offer to support efforts towards climate change adaptation and mitigation, are the first ones to feel the climate change effects. Several Mediterranean MPAs are already facing major biodiversity and functional alterations due to climate change, whereas others will likely face them in the next few decades. There is, therefore, an urgency to mitigate these risks and consider adaptation options in partnership with local communities; decision-makers at local, national, and regional level; civil society, civil society organizations; research bodies and other socio-economic actors.
MPA Engage, led by the Institute of Marine Sciences of the Spanish National Research Council, has the main goal to put Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas in the frontline for adaptation to Climate Change. To do this, the project will support Mediterranean MPAs to adapt to and mitigate the ongoing climate change effects in the Mediterranean Sea. Through a participatory approach, the project will monitor in a harmonized way the climate change impacts, will elaborate vulnerability assessments and will develop climate change adaptation action plans in 7 Marine Protected Areas located in 6 Mediterranean countries, namely Albania, Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Spain

What we do

Our main lines of action are:

• Engaging local communities, small-scale fishermen and citizen scientists in monitoring climate change impacts
• Promoting MPAs as nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation
• Facilitating a Mediterranean policy dialogue with scientists, MPA managers, decision-makers, environmental NGOs and socio-economic stakeholders on climate change adaptation strategies.

The project will provide a framework for guiding regional adaptation and mitigation actions on climate change.

Partners

The project involves:

7 Marine Protected Areas

Portofino MPA (Italy)
Calanques National Park (France)
Brijuni National Park (Croatia)
Zakynthos National Marine Park (Greece)
Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park (Albania)
Tavolara MPA - Punta Coda Cavallo (Italy)
Cap de Creus Natural Park (Spain)

4 Research Institutions

Spanish Research Council (LP) (Spain)
Zoological Station of Anton Dohrn of Naples (Italy)
Polytechnic University of Marche (Italy)
University of Vigo –Future Oceans Lab (Spain)

2 Regional Administrations

Department of Territory and Sustainability of the Government of Catalonia (Spain)
Regional Government of Liguria (Italy)

2 Non-Governmental Organizations

Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development (MIO-ECSDE)
DAN Diving Alert Network Foundation

30+ Associated Partners clustered in 3 groups

MPA4Change: MPAs interested in developing Climate Change adaptation plans
Science4Change: Scientists contributing to the development and validation of harmonized approaches
Med4Change: Mediterranean policy actors ensuring that the project outputs are coherent, policy relevant and mainstreamed into related policy processes.

Research Area

Conservation biology, testing and capitalizing

Project Lifetime

11/2019 to 06/2022

SZN Role

Partner responsible of the Work Packages 2 (Communication) and 3 (Testing)

Principal Investigator

Ernesto Azzurro senior researcher at IRBIM-CNR, affiliated to SZN

Funding Institution

Interreg MED programme, 85% co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (Grant number: 5216 | 5MED18_3.2_M23_007)

Contribution to SZN

285 813.95 €

Dedicated website

https://mpa-engage.interreg-med.eu/

Publications

D’Amen, M., & Azzurro, E. (2020). Lessepsian fish invasion in Mediterranean marine protected areas: a risk assessment under climate change scenarios. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 77(1), 388-397.
D’Amen, M. and Azzurro, E., 2020. Integrating univariate niche dynamics in species distribution models: A step forward for marine research on biological invasions. Journal of Biogeography, 47(3), pp.686-697.
Azzurro E, Sbragaglia V, Cerri J, Bariche M, Bolognini L, Ben Souissi J, Busoni G, Coco S, Chryssanthi A, Fanelli E, Ghanem R. Climate change, biological invasions, and the shifting distribution of Mediterranean fishes: A large‐scale survey based on local ecological knowledge. Global change biology. 2019 Aug;25(8):2779-92.

Meet the team

Ernesto Azzurro senior researcher at IRBIM-CNR, affiliated to SZN
Francesco Colloca Senior researcher
Antonio Di Franco Researcher
Manuela D’Amen Post-doc
Sonia Smeraldo Post-doc
Giulio Franzitta Technician
Marco Signore Webmaster support

1^o stage di biologia marina a Salina (Messina) 3-9 luglio 2020

For more information

Prof. Roberto Bassi, Coordinator
Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy

Dr. Chris Bowler
Head of Plant and Algal Genomics, Laboratory at the Institut de Biologie, École normale supérieure (IBENS), Paris, France

Prof. Dr. Nicole Dubilier
Max-Planck-Institute for Marine Microbiology (MPI-MM), Bremen, Germany

Prof. Paul G. Falkowski
Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, USA

Prof. Mauro Magnani
Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Urbino (PU), Italy

Prof. Fiorenza Micheli
Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA

Dr. Marina Montresor
Integrative Marine Ecology Department, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy

Prof. Roberto Bassi, Coordinator
Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy

Dr. Chris Bowler
Head of Plant and Algal Genomics, Laboratory at the Institut de Biologie, École normale supérieure (IBENS), Paris, France

Prof. Dr. Nicole Dubilier
Max-Planck-Institute for Marine Microbiology (MPI-MM), Bremen, Germany

Prof. Paul G. Falkowski
Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, USA

Prof. Mauro Magnani
Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Urbino (PU), Italy

Prof. Fiorenza Micheli
Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA

Dr. Marina Montresor
Integrative Marine Ecology Department, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy

CDA until 2024

Prof. Simonetta Fraschetti

CDA until 2019

Prof. Mauro Magnani

Prof.ssa Serena Fonda

Atto di Nomina

Curriculum Vitae

The Histology platform is equipped with instruments utilized for the preparation of histological samples. The instruments available allow the inclusion of biological samples in paraffin, resin or optimal cutting temperature compound (OCT), and cutting of sections of various thickness through the use of vibratome, cryostat and microtome.

Manager: Pamela Imperadore

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Extension #232

First Floor EAST Wing, #149 #150

The Behavioral and Morphological Analysis platform is equipped with instruments suitable for the morphological characterization and analysis of the behavior of large and small marine organisms. The available equipment includes: ultrasound machine, microscopes (stero- and fluorescence), video recording analysis and high-throughput systems for behavioral tests.

Manager: Pamela Imperadore

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Extension #232

First Floor EAST Wing, #147

Under Construction

Manager: Pamela Imperadore

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Extension #232

First Floor EAST Wing, #144

Albarano L, Costantini M, Zupo V, Lofrano G, Guida M, Libralato G (2020) Marine sediment toxicity: A focus on micro- and mesocosms towards remediation. Science of the Total Environment 708: 134837. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134837

Albarano L, Esposito R, Ruocco N, Costantini M. (2020) Genome Mining as New Challenge in Natural Products Discovery. Marine Drugs, 18(4):199.

Asai S, Sanges R, Lauritano C, Lindeque PK, Esposito F, Ianora A, Carotenuto Y (2020) De Novo Transcriptome Assembly and Gene Expression Profiling of the Copepod Calanus helgolandicus Feeding on the PUA-Producing Diatom Skeletonema marinoi. Marine Drugs 18: 392. https://doi.org/10.3390/md18080392

Buonocore C, Tedesco P, Vitale GA, Palma Esposito F, Giugliano R, Monti MC, D’Auria MV, de Pascale D (2020) Characterization of a New Mixture of Mono-Rhamnolipids Produced by Pseudomonas gessardii Isolated from Edmonson Point (Antarctica). Marine Drugs 18: 269. https://doi.org/10.3390/md18050269

Coppola D, Oliviero M, Vitale GA, Lauritano C, D’Ambra I, Iannace S, de Pascale D.  (2020) Marine Collagen from Alternative and Sustainable Sources: Extraction, Processing and Applications. Marine Drugs, 18(4):214. https://doi.org/10.3390/md18040214

Couturier LIE, Michel LN, Amaro T, Budge SM, da Costa E, De Troch M, Di Dato V, Fink P, Giraldo C, Le Grand F, Loaiza I, Mathieu-Resuge M, Nichols PD, Parrish CC, Sardenne F, Vagner M, Pernet F, Soudant P (2020) State of art and best practices for fatty acid analysis in aquatic sciences. ICES Journal of Marine Science. https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsaa121

D’Ambra I, Lauritano C (2020) A Review of Toxins from Cnidaria. Marine Drugs 18: 507  https://doi.org/10.3390/md18100507

De Luca D & Lauritano C (2020) In Silico Identification of Type III PKS Chalcone and Stilbene Synthase Homologs in Marine Photosynthetic Organisms. Biology 9(5):110. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology9050110

Di Dato V, Barbarinaldi R, Amato A, Di Costanzo F, Fontanarosa C, Perna A, Amoresano A, Esposito F, Cutignano A, Ianora A, Romano G. (2020) Variation in prostaglandin metabolism during growth of the diatom Thalassiosira rotula. Scientific Reports, 10(1):5374. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-61967-3.

Di Dato V, Ianora A, Romano G (2020) Identification of Prostaglandin Pathway in Dinoflagellates by Transcriptome Data Mining. Marine Drugs 18: 109. doi:10.3390/md18020109

Eliso MC, Bergami E, Manfra L, Spagnuolo A, Corsi I (2020) Disclose nanoplastic toxicity on the embryogenesis of the ascidian Ciona robusta (Phylum Chordata). Nanotoxicology: 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/17435390.2020.1838650

Eliso MC, Manfra L, Savorelli F, Tornambè A, Spagnuolo A (2020) New approaches on the use of tunicates (Ciona robusta) for toxicity assessments. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 27: 32132-32138. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-09781-2

Esposito R, Ruocco N, Albarano L, Ianora A, Manfra L, Libralato G, Costantini M. (2020) Combined Effects of Diatom-Derived Oxylipins on the Sea Urchin Paracentrotus lividus. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 21(3):719. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21030719

Gregorin C, Musco L, Somma E, Zupo V (2020) Behavioural Responses of the Colonial Sea Squirt Botrylloides violaceus Oka to Suspended Food Micro-Particles in Laboratory Cultures. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 8: 1021. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse8121021

Lauritano C, Helland K, Riccio G, Andersen JH, Ianora A, Hansen EH. (2020) Lysophosphatidylcholines and Chlorophyll-Derived Molecules from the Diatom Cylindrotheca closterium with Anti-Inflammatory Activity. Marine Drugs, 18(3):166. PubMed PMID: doi:10.3390/md18030166.

Lauritano C, Ianora A (2020) Chemical Defense in Marine Organisms. Marine Drugs 18: 518.  https://doi.org/10.3390/md18100518

Lauritano C, Martínez KA, Battaglia P, Granata A, de la Cruz M, Cautain B, Martín J, Reyes F, Ianora A, Guglielmo L. (2020) First evidence of anticancer and antimicrobial activity in Mediterranean mesopelagic species. Scientific Reports, 10(1):4929. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-61515-z.

Lauritano C, Rizzo C, Lo Giudice A, Saggiomo M (2020) Physiological and Molecular Responses to Main Environmental Stressors of Microalgae and Bacteria in Polar Marine Environments. Microorganisms 8: 1957. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms8121957

Lauritano C, Roncalli V, Ambrosino L, Cieslak MC, Ianora A (2020) First De Novo Transcriptome of the Copepod Rhincalanus gigas from Antarctic Waters. Biology 9: 410. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology9110410

Manfellotto F, Stella GR, Falciatore A, Brunet C, Ferrante MI (2020) Engineering the Unicellular Alga Phaeodactylum tricornutum for Enhancing Carotenoid Production. Antioxidants 9: 757. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox9080757

Milito A, Murano C, Castellano I, Romano G, & Palumbo A (2020) Antioxidant and immune response of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus to different re-suspension patterns of highly polluted marine sediments. Marine Environmental Research 160:104978. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.104978

Milito A, Orefice I, Smerilli A, Castellano I, Napolitano A, Brunet C, Palumbo A (2020) Insights into the Light Response of Skeletonema marinoi: Involvement of Ovothiol. Marine Drugs 18: 477. https://doi.org/10.3390/md18090477

Riccio G, De Luca D, & Lauritano C (2020) Monogalactosyldiacylglycerol and Sulfolipid Synthesis in Microalgae. Marine Drugs 18(5):237. https://doi:10.3390/md18050237

Riccio G, Lauritano C. (2020) Microalgae with Immunomodulatory Activities. Marine Drugs. 18(1):2. https://doi.org/10.3390/md18010002

Riccio G, Ruocco N, Mutalipassi M, Costantini M, Zupo V, Coppola D, de Pascale D, Lauritano C (2020) Ten-Year Research Update Review: Antiviral Activities from Marine Organisms. Biomolecules 10: 1007. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom10071007

Ruocco N, Albarano L, Esposito R, Zupo V, Costantini M, Ianora A (2020) Multiple Roles of Diatom-Derived Oxylipins within Marine Environments and Their Potential Biotechnological Applications. Marine Drugs 18: 342. https://doi.org/10.3390/md18070342

Ruocco N, Bertocci I, Munari M, Musco L, Caramiello D, Danovaro R, Zupo V, Costantini M (2020) Morphological and molecular responses of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus to highly contaminated marine sediments: The case study of Bagnoli-Coroglio brownfield (Mediterranean Sea). Marine Environmental Research 154: 104865. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2019.104865

Ruocco N, Nuzzo G, d’Ippolito G, Manzo E, Sardo A, Ianora A, Romano G, Iuliano A, Zupo V, Costantini M, Fontana A (2020) Lipoxygenase Pathways in Diatoms: Occurrence and Correlation with Grazer Toxicity in Four Benthic Species. Marine Drugs 18: 66. https://doi.org/10.3390/md18010066

Russo E, Lauritano C, d’Ippolito G, Fontana A, Sarno D, von Elert E, Ianora A, Carotenuto Y (2020) RNA-Seq and differential gene expression analysis in Temora stylifera copepod females with contrasting non-feeding nauplii survival rates: an environmental transcriptomics study. Bmc Genomics 21: 693. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-020-07112-w

Sorrentino I, Gargano M, Ricciardelli A, Parrilli E, Buonocore C, de Pascale D, Giardina P, Piscitelli A (2020) Development of anti-bacterial surfaces using a hydrophobin chimeric protein. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 164: 2293-2300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.07.301

Vingiani GM, Štālberga D, De Luca P, Ianora A, De Luca D, Lauritano C (2020) De novo Transcriptome of the Non-saxitoxin Producing Alexandrium tamutum Reveals New Insights on Harmful Dinoflagellates. Marine Drugs 18: 386. https://doi.org/10.3390/md18080386

Vitale GA, Coppola D, Palma Esposito F, Buonocore C, Ausuri J, Tortorella E, de Pascale D (2020) Antioxidant Molecules from Marine Fungi: Methodologies and Perspectives. Antioxidants 9: 1183. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox9121183

Vitale GA, Sciarretta M, Cassiano C, Buonocore C, Festa C, Mazzella V, Núñez Pons L, D’Auria MV, de Pascale D (2020) Molecular Network and Culture Media Variation Reveal a Complex Metabolic Profile in Pantoea cf. eucrina D2 Associated with an Acidified Marine Sponge. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 21: 6307. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21176307

Vitale GA, Sciarretta M, Palma Esposito F, January GG, Giaccio M, Bunk B, Spröer C, Bajerski F, Power D, Festa C, Monti MC, D’Auria MV, de Pascale D. (2020) Genomics–Metabolomics Profiling Disclosed Marine Vibrio spartinae 3.6 as a Producer of a New Branched Side Chain Prodigiosin. Journal of Natural Products. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.9b01159.

Saide A, Lauritano C, & Ianora A (2020) Pheophorbide a: State of the Art. Marine Drugs 18(5):257. https://doi.org/10.3390/md18050257

Wang Z, Tauzin AS, Laville E, Tedesco P, Létisse F, Terrapon N, Lepercq P, Mercade M, Potocki-Veronese G (2020). Harvesting of Prebiotic Fructooligosaccharides by Nonbeneficial Human Gut Bacteria. mSphere. Jan 8;5(1):e00771-19. doi: 10.1128/mSphere.00771-19.

Zou Y, Tortorella E, Robbens J, Heyndrickx M, Debode J, De Pascale D, Raes K (2020) Bioactivity Screening of Hydrolysates From Brown Crab Processing Side Streams Fermented by Marine Pseudoalteromonas Strains. Waste and Biomass Valorization. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-020-01195-y