Argomenti di tesi proposti dal docente.
Monitoring non-indigenous species (NIS) with SERC protocol
The purpose of this thesis project is to assess fouling communities in Ravenna (touristic marina) with a focus on the identification of non-indigenous species (NIS). For the first time, a method designed and successfully applied for more than 25 years in the United States by the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC, USA) will be applied in the Ravenna harbor. The passive collector (substrate) consists of a settling panel attached to a brick, with a sanded surface facing downward to minimize algal growth and facilitate invertebrate recruitment. The experimental units will be attached to floating docks and pontoons with a rope, suspended 1 m below the sea surface and submerged for three-six months during the spring/summer season in order to maximize larval recruitment. This thesis is part of a large-scale assessment of bioinvasions in Europe/Mediterranean Sea; this experiment also aims to evaluate the effectiveness of different methods of cleaning fouling communities in marinas as a management approach to the spread of non-indigenous species.
The student will characterize fouling communities growing on PVC panels that will be deployed in spring and retrieved after six months using an integrative approach based on rapid assessment, image analysis (CPCe software), and visual inspection (morphological taxonomy). The data will be compared with data carried out in previous campaign to evaluate the differences provided by the two different monitoring standard protocols (ARMS and SERC) in species richness and abundance of non-indigenous species.
The research activity will be carried out at the Laboratory of Ecological and Environmental Genetics (Via Sant’Alberto, 163, Ravenna) and also includes sampling activities in Ravenna in spring/summer 2024.
AVAILABLE: from March 2024
CONCTACT: Prof.ssa Federica Costantini presso i Laboratori. Mail: federica.costantini@unibo.it [mailto:federica.costantini@unibo.it]
Temporal variability of the hidden biodiversity of the Gulf of Venice
The aim of the project thesis is to investigate the status and changes in hard-bottom species communities in the Gulf of Venice using annual cycles of deployment-retrieval of ARMS (Autonomous reef monitoring structures). ARMS units are passive monitoring systems originally developed during the Census of Marine Life [https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/marine-census.html] project for the collection of marine fauna on and near the sea floor. Similarly to settlement plates, the ARMS units are stacks of plates that mimic the complex structure of the sea bottom. They are deployed on marine substrates and colonized by marine species, and after a period of time they are recovered by a team and taken apart to see who moved in.
The student will characterize the temporal variability of benthic communities growing on ARMS deployed in 2021 and 2022 at the bottom floor of the Acqua Alta Oceanographic Tower (16-meter depth), gulf of Venice, using an integrative approach based on image analysis, visual inspection (morphological taxonomy), and molecular (COI barcoding). The findings of this thesis will serve as a baseline for long-term monitoring of benthic biodiversity changes in the North Adriatic.The student will use an integrative approach bases on image analysis, visual inspection (morphological taxonomy) and molecular (COI barcoding) methods to characterize the temporal variability of the benthic communities growing on ARMS deployed in 2021 and 2022 at the bottom floor of the Acqua Alta Oceanographic Tower (16-meter depth), gulf of Venice. The results of this thesis will be used as baseline for a long-term monitoring of the changes of benthic biodiversity of the North Adriatic.
Since the thesis project is part of the Marine Biodiversity Observation Network ARMS-MBON (https://www.assembleplus.eu/research/ARMS-MBON ), the student will have the opportunity to attend international meetings, courses, and collaborations.
The research activity will be carried out at the Laboratory of Ecological and Environmental Genetics (Via Sant’Alberto, 163, Ravenna) and also includes sampling activities in Venice in July 2023.
AVAILABLE: from May 2023
CONCTACT: Prof.ssa Federica Costantini presso i Laboratori. Mail : federica.costantini@unibo.it [mailto:federica.costantini@unibo.it]
Temporal monitoring of non indigenous species on harbour and a touristic marina
The aim of the project thesis is to monitor the temporal changes in non-indigenous species along the Canale Candiano, Ravenna. Specifically, a three- months deployment of ARMS (Autonomous reef monitoring structures) will be performed in Ravenna harbour and a touristic marina. ARMS units are passive monitoring systems originally developed during the Census of Marine Life [https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/marine-census.html] project for the collection of marine fauna on and near the sea floor. Similarly, to settlement plates, the ARMS units are stacks of plates that mimic the complex structure of the sea bottom. They are deployed on marine substrates and colonized by marine species, and after a period of time they are recovered by a team and taken apart to see who moved in.
The student will characterize the temporal variability of benthic communities growing on ARMS that will be deployed in April 2024 and retrieved in July 2024 using an integrative approach based on image analysis, visual inspection (morphological taxonomy), and molecular (COI barcoding). The data will be compared with data carried out in previous campaign to evaluate the changes in species richness and abundance of non-indigenous species.
Since the thesis project is part of the Marine Biodiversity Observation Network ARMS-MBON (https://www.assembleplus.eu/research/ARMS-MBON ), the student will have the opportunity to attend international meetings, courses, and collaborations.
The research activity will be carried out at the Laboratory of Ecological and Environmental Genetics (Via Sant’Alberto, 163, Ravenna) and also includes sampling activities in Venice in July 2023.
AVAILABLE: from March 2024
CONCTACT: Prof.ssa Federica Costantini presso i Laboratori. Mail : federica.costantini@unibo.it
Fauna associated with farmed mussels in the northern Adriatic Sea with particular emphasis on alien and pest species
Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamarck, 1819) are important ecosystem engineers, which create habitats that support highly diverse benthic communities. Shellfish aquaculture is one of the main vectors for the introduction and spread of non-indigenous species (NIS) in the Mediterranean. NIS can have negative impacts on marine ecosystem and provoke serious adverse economic consequences for mussel farming.
The aim of this research is to characterize faunal assemblages associated with farmed mussels in the northern Adriatic Sea (Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, and Marche), concentrating particularly on alien species and mussels’ pests. The student will work in the MARECOL - Marine and Coastal Ecology, Conservation, Restoration research group (Via Sant’Alberto, 163, Ravenna) and use morphological taxonomy to analyze fauna associated with mussel clumps. The results of this thesis will present the baseline knowledge on the distribution of alien and pest species in mussel farms in the northern Adriatic and could be used to imply sustainable management measures for the aquaculture.
This study is part of the project “Integrative approach to study and preserve local aquaculture heritage” in cooperation between the University of Bologna and company “Cooperativa M.A.R.E.” It will give a student the opportunity to participate in different meetings, courses and collaborations and learn about aquaculture activity.
AVAILABLE: from October 2023
CONCTACT: Dott.ssa Barbara Mikac, mail: barbara.mikac@unibo.it [mailto:barbara.mikac@unibo.it] ; Prof.ssa Federica Costantini, mail: federica.costantini@unibo.it [mailto:federica.costantini@unibo.it] ; Prof.ssa Marina Antonia Colangelo, mail: marina.colangelo@unibo.it [mailto:marina.colangelo@unibo.it]
Fauna associated with farmed mussels in the central and southern Adriatic Sea with particular emphasis on alien and pest species
Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamarck, 1819) are important ecosystem engineers, which create habitats that support highly diverse benthic communities. Shellfish aquaculture is one of the main vectors for the introduction and spread of non-indigenous species (NIS) in the Mediterranean. NIS can have negative impacts on marine ecosystem and provoke serious adverse economic consequences for mussel farming.
The aim of this research is to characterize faunal assemblages associated with farmed mussels in the northern Adriatic Sea (Abruzzo, Molise, and Puglia), concentrating particularly on alien species and mussels’ pests. The student will work in the MARECOL - Marine and Coastal Ecology, Conservation, Restoration research group (Via Sant’Alberto, 163, Ravenna) and use morphological taxonomy to analyze fauna associated with mussel clumps. The results of this thesis will present the baseline knowledge on the distribution of alien and pest species in mussel farms in the northern Adriatic and could be used to imply sustainable management measures for the aquaculture.
This study is part of the project “Integrative approach to study and preserve local aquaculture heritage” in cooperation between the University of Bologna and company “Cooperativa M.A.R.E.” It will give a student the opportunity to participate in different meetings, courses and collaborations and learn about aquaculture activity.
AVAILABLE: from October 2023
CONCTACT: Dott.ssa Barbara Mikac, mail: barbara.mikac@unibo.it [mailto:barbara.mikac@unibo.it] ; Prof.ssa Federica Costantini, mail: federica.costantini@unibo.it [mailto:federica.costantini@unibo.it] ; Prof.ssa Marina Antonia Colangelo, mail: marina.colangelo@unibo.it [mailto:marina.colangelo@unibo.it]
