The staff of Villa Dohrn-Benthic ecology is carrying on long-term research in some sites around the Island of Ischia, which represent pilot stations for continuous and multifacets monitoring of species, communities and ecosystems which have some uniqueness or high ecological importance since include species and habitat protected in the frame of the European Community legislation.
Posidonia oceanica systems off Lacco Ameno and Castello Aragonese
These are two seagrass meadows around the Island of Ischia of the higher plant species Posidonia oceanica, which is protected by the European legislation and it is considered one of the reference habitat for the evaluation of the water quality and ecosystem health in the frame of the Marine Strategy. Both Posidonia meadows have been included in the network of the marine sites of the LTER-Italy ("Italian long-term ecological research network"), and have been studied for various ecological aspects since many years from the staff of Villa Dohrn. Additional details about these two sites and about the LTER-Italy project are available on the specific item (LTER-Italy) of this web site, as well as at: http://www.lteritalia.it
Volcanic CO2 vents of the Castello Aragonese and other sites around the Island of Ischia
These pilot stations represent unique sites where gaseous CO2, from volcanic origin, is bubbling under water, at ambient temperature and salinity, thus provoking only a natural acidification of the surroundings sea-waters. Around the waters of the Castello Aragonese of Ischia, in particular, the bubbling is creating a gradient of pH-pCO2 concentration and acidification affecting mainly the shallow rocky vegetated reef and a nearby shallow Posidonia oceanica system. In the other sites around Ischia, located not far from the Castello vent’s system, the bubbling and local acidification is affecting some of the most typical habitat of the Mediterranean, such as semi-obscure cave habitat, coralligenous outcrops, deeper rocky reefs and Posidonia meadows, as well as sandy and detritic bottoms. As a whole, these sites allow to study in real time the effects of ocean acidification, in relation to the near-future scenarios of climate change, and are utilized by the staff and various collaborators/guests as natural laboratories to perform in situ observation and experiments.
Research project ended in 2014-2015
- ASSEMBLE
- COST-Action Seagrass Productivity ES0906
- Tropical signals (CIESM)
Research project in progress:
- MIUR Project Bandiera RITMARE (2012-2015)
- VulnerClima (Ritmare-Cofund Bandiera)
- "Windows on the future ocean" (National Geographic, USA)
- NEMO (NExt generation Marine Observatories) (Premiali MIUR)
- Premiali ACIDIT
- FP7 - Perseus (Policy-oriented marine environmental research in the southern european seas)
- LTER-Italia
- LifeWatch MedPan
- PTSZN(2013-2015)- Program 4. Environmental variability, climate change and anthropogenic impacts: adaptive responses in species, communities and benthic systems.
Responsible: Francesco Paolo Patti
In the laboratory of Integrative taxonomy of benthic organisms (TIOM) one can perform analyses of classical taxonomy, phylogeny and comparative phylogeography of marine organisms using multisciplinary and integrative approaches, such as morphology, biometry, molecular and cellular analyses.
Activities
- Sorting of benthic samples of marine organisms, identification and counting of taxa.
- Taxonomic identification of marine organisms with traditional morphological methods and with more advanced molecular tools (including the preparation of genetic and ecological voucher specimens).
- Extraction and conservation of DNA from different organisms and (algal thalli and invertebrate tissues).
- Extraction of RNA from different organisms (algal thalli and invertebrate tissues).
- Extraction of secondary metabolites.
- Elettrophoresis in agarose minigel and digital documentation.
- Amplification of DNA (ss, ds).
- Cloning of DNA target fragments (plasmid preps, restriction and PCR analysis).
- Real-Time fluorescent Polymerase Chain Reaction.
- DNA barcoding.
- Preparation of DNA fragments for sequencing of target markers (in collaboration with the Unit of Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics of the SZN).
Systems for the experimentation
- Specific laboratory protocol setting
- System of bioinformatics analyses for 1) study of the nucleotidic variability (creation of soft-ware for metadata analyses); 2) study for comparison of morphotypes by mean of morphometric geometry techniques.
Analysis
Analyses of DNA sequences, including the reconstruction of phylogenetic trees.
Analyses of morphological variability and genetic polymorphism.
Analyses of allelic frequencies and genotypic distribution.
Analyses of polymorphysms of the DNA restriction fragments.
Preparation of samples for morphological analyses (use of fixative for observation at the optical and electron microscopes), and for molecular analyses (cryopreservation, standard fixatives, RNALater).
Instrumentation
- Stereomicroscopes.
- Vibratome.
- Rotavapor.
- Chemical flume.
- Laminar flow flume.
- Apparatus for minigel electrophoreris.
- Laboratory refrigerated centrifuge.
- Spectrophotometer "Genequant Pro Classic".
- Termocyclator PCRs (Techne- Euroclone).
- RTPCR BIO RAD Opticon 2.
- Incubator for cell cultures.
- Analytical balance.
- Thermostatic bath (5l, +30°C/+120°C).
- Laboratory Vortex.
- Autoclave/Sterilizer.
- Granular ice-machine.
- Dewars for liquid nitrogen (5l+30l).
- Vertical ultra-freezer -86°C.
- Vertical freezers -20°C.
- UVP BioDoc imaging workstations for simple and gel fluorescence image analyses.
- Dedicated computer for phylogenetic analyses and data mining.
Maria Beatrice Scipione: senior investigator
Coordinator
Senior Scientist
Maria Cristina Buia, responsible BENT lab
Researcher
Technologist
Patti Francesco Paolo, responsabile TIOM lab
Technician
Iacono Bruno, diving officer
Lorenti Maurizio
Rando Vincenzo, Captain of the R/V Phoenicia
PhD Student
Butera Emanuela
Chiarore Antonia
Fioretti Sara
Grech Daniele
Kumar Amit
Mutalipassi Mirko
Napolitano Rachele
Valvassori Giulia
Post Doc
Teixido Nuria
Guglielmo Rosanna
Porzio Lucia
Secretary
Messina Rosanna (part-time at Villa Dohrn)
The collections of the Zoological Station were created to research on marine species in the Gulf of Naples. Thanks to the inventiveness and skill of preparator Salvatore Lobianco, who began working at SZN at the age of 14 years at the Zoological Station, the collection soon became known for the beauty and perfection of its preserved marine animals.
These were sold to museums, institutes, and individuals all over the world, and many samples are still on display in the major natural history museums in, for instance, Naples, Florence and Berlin.
Projects
The Museum, as part of MAB, participates in educational projects organized by the unit: during the years 2014-2015 and as part of activities for schools, a classroom was set up specially equipped to view microscopic marine organisms. This tool allows showing sea life and microorganism al diversity. In external activities ("Collecting Nature") we introduce children to scientific drawing, by means of observation of live shells and marine animals, and showing them the designs kept in our Historical Archive, made by two professional artists: Comingio Merculiano and Vincenzo Serino.
For 2015 we do not foresee specific types of activity because the collections are temporarily stored, but following the move of the museum to the Casina del Boschetto, located in Villa Comunale, we will greatly expand our portfolio of training, animated visits, workshops and meetings aimed to teachers, school children and the public at large.
The mission of the new SZN Museum is to introduce various audiences to the rich historical, cultural, scientific and technological patrimony of the SZN. The collection will include marine animals, antique research instruments, precious books and historical documents (photographs, letters, drawings etc.).
Contacts
Claudia di Somma
Tel. +39 081 5833291
e-mail: claudia.disomma(at)szn.it
Copyright © 2015 by Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Napoli - Italy
Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli - Tel.+39 081 5833111 - C.F./P.IVA : IT 04894530635 - PEC: ufficio.protocollo(at)cert.szn.it