I work in the Marine Zoology Lab of the Polytechnic University of Marche (Italy). My main fields of interest are the biodiversity, biology, and ecology of benthic organisms, in particular sponges and corals.
Regarding biodiversity, we described tens of new species, from polar, temperate and tropical regions.
Regarding ecology, I'm studying the effects of climate change on benthic assemblages, comparing responses of several species between shallow and deep populations.
Regarding biology, I'm studying the interaction between minerals and the living world, evaluating the responses of biological systems to different mineralogies at the cellular, organismic, and community level.
2. Can you describe for us the biological scientific research of the GUE Lost Island Project?
There is a general interest in knowledge of the biodiversity of the area. The possibility of fixing a baseline along a depth gradient represents the first opportunity to detail the benthic assemblages of the island. The peculiar geographic position of the island, between the western and eastern basins, and its unique geological history furnish the possibility to monitor a key area of the Mediterranean Sea for the study of climate change and to evaluate the pattern of colonization of such a young, in a geological way, substrate.
3. What is the importance of submerged volcanoes in biological research?
Owing to their peculiar geomorphologic and hydrodynamic characteristics, volcanoes and seamounts are considered fundamental "stepping stones," very rich in biodiversity. This means they can be considered true oases emerging from deep muddy bottoms, allowing dispersal of species and, at the same time, hosting many unique characteristics. Different factors contribute to the high levels of species richness found on these key areas: the high productivity of these environments, and the coexistence, in a relatively limited area, of various biological communities characterized by different bathymetric ranges.
4. What is the function of a technical diver in a scientific project?
There is a general problem of fundraising for research, especially regarding marine biology studies. Volunteers make it possible to do research that would never have been funded, even if considered of great importance on both a local and international scale.
Volunteers, when adequately utilized, can amplify the range of action of researchers. Thanks to their help, it is possible to increase the area of observation, and multiply the amount of data.
5. What could be the results of this first year of activity?
A detailed biological description of the area, including finding the most important species structuring benthic assemblages along a depth gradient. The possibility of working with taxonomists, experts both in meio- and macrobenthos, interested in the analyses of samples will guarantee the achievement of this result.
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