A new era of coastal ecosystems exploration TREC multinational core partners are the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Tara Ocean Foundation and European Marine Biological Resource Centre (EMBRC-ERIC). In Naples, one of the super-sites of the expedition, the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (SZN) acts as a local hosts, and develops activities in collaboration with NBFC.

Save the dates and join us!  Download the program

Games, guided tours, exhibitions, amusing workshops, are waiting for you

 All activities are FREE of CHARGE

SZN organised various Public Engagement activities in cooperation with EMBL and TARA Foundation.

AML (Advanced Mobile Lab)guided tours o - A look inside the TREC's mobile laboratory

Target group: 12 to 99 years old
What: interactive guided tour offering participants the opportunity to explore the Advanced Mobile Lab directly. During the visit, state-of-the-art AML equipment will be showcased, and participants will have the chance to observe some mini-experiments up close.
Where: AML, seaside of the main SZN building.
When: May 11, 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM
MANDATORY RESERVATION HERE

TARA at Molo San Vincenzo

Three activities will take place near the TARA schooner:
Where: Molo San Vincenzo (Marina Militare).
When: May 11, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM
ATTENTION!! LIMITED ACCESS WITH MANDATORY FREE RESERVATION TO ACCESS THE PIER AT THE FOLLOWING LINK

• Guided tours on TARA - Discovering TARA
Target group: 8 to 99 years old
What: An interactive guided tour offering participants the opportunity to explore the Goletta TARA up close, understanding what it is, what it does, and what life and work are like on board.

• Observing the invisible inhabitants of the ocean - Hands-on workshop with a portable microscope
Target group: 8 to 99 years old
What: An experience to discover an essential world for life on Earth, the marine microbiome, by observing local seawater samples with the Curiosity microscope, understanding the importance of the marine microbiome, and why it needs to be studied for better protection.

• Plastic in the sea, solutions are on land - Interactive play-information about plastic pollution
Target group: 8 to 99 years old
What: A workshop based on games to trace the source of plastic pollution and associated chemical pollutants and find solutions. Observe plastic in its various forms, breake downpreconceived ideas, and discover your power to make a difference.

 Trec in the City – Science and fun around Naples

Three engaging activities that will pique your curiosity and provide entertainment, don't miss the opportunity!
Where and When:
Piazza Municipio, May 4, from 15:00 to 19:00
Città della Scienza, May 5, from 09:00 to 17:00
Mostra D'Oltremare, May 7, from 16:00 to 19:00
Rotonda Diaz, May 8, from 16:00 to 19:00
Mostra D'Oltremare, May 9, from 16:00 to 19:00
Rotonda Diaz, May 10, from 16:00 to 19:00
Piazza Municipio, May 11, from 15:00 to 19:00
Mostra D'Oltremare, May 12, from 15:00 - 19:00

• Curiosity hand-held microscope
Target group: 6 to 99 years old
What: Have you always wanted to use a microscope? Come and visit us and you'll discover the invisible! This traveling exhibition stand offers practical experiences and "wow-science!" on microscopy. Thanks to a portable microscope, you will see real samples from the TREC expedition, thus observing plankton in a unique and fun way!
• Run, Scientist, Run! - Scientific Goose Game
Target group: 4 to 99 years old
What: Come and play a giant goose game to discover the secrets of a scientific expedition! You will experience the challenges and successes of sampling for a scientific expedition.

N.B The game "Run, Scientist, Run" will be held at all locations except for Piazza Municipio.

• The Ocean, this Unknown - Exhibition
Target group: 8 to 99 years old
What: An exhibition, conceived as a journey, composed of 6 illustrated panels to convey a key message: the Ocean is the central ecosystem of our planet.

Nexus Island

Target group:12 to 99 years old
What: An interactive, game-based workshop focused on the health of the planet. Just like a scientist, you will take part in an expedition to discover, collect, and study the organisms of the coastal areas of an island... will you be able to save it?
Where: Città della Scienza
When: May 5, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Science without Frontiers - round table on TREC with live illustrations

Target group: 18 years old and above
What: On the occasion of Europe Day, the Tara Ocean Foundation and the Institut Français Napoli invite you to a roundtable discussion on TREC, an expedition that transcends geographical, disciplinary, and ecosystem boundaries. The roundtable features Douglas Couet, marine biologist from CNRS, France; Iole di Capua, marine biologist from SZN, Italy; Anne-Marie Alleaume, professional communicator from the Tara Ocean Foundation, France. The discussion will be illustrated in real-time by the Belgian artist François Olislaeger.
Where: Institut Français Napoli (via Francesco Crispi 86).
When: May 9, at 6:00 PM

Science in Travel - Scientific Conversations with and for the Public

Target group: 18 years old and over
What: Join us for a fun, informal, and accessible evening where scientists from across Europe come together to discuss with you! A sharing moment during which the TREC project - and science in general - is discussed with the public. Scientists, including those from SZN, take the "stage" and present various topics related to the marine world and the Trec-TARA expedition.
Where: Lo Spark Café di Napoli (Piazza Bovio, 33).
When: May 10, at 6:00 PM

PlanktoQuest - Virtual Reality Experience on Plankton

MANDATORY RESERVATION HERE
Target group: 8 to 99 years old
What: Plankton as you've never seen it: immerse yourself in an augmented reality experience that will allow you to "touch" the invisible! PlanktoQuest is a virtual reality animation that allows the user to explore and manipulate marine plankton with their hands. The user can stretch, section, feed different plankton organisms and enter inside them with only hands and a headset (no computer, no controller).
Where: Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn
When: May 11, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM and May 12, 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM

A new parasite species for science has been described from Munda round ray (Urotrygon munda) from the Pacific coast of the Costa Rica, making it the first known parasite from this rare ray. The new species, Anaporrhutum mundae (Trematoda) has been discovered by a team of Italian (Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn) and Costa Rican scientists (Universidad de Costa Rica and Instituto Costarricense de Pesca y Acuicultura) led by Dr. Mario Santoro and Dr. Alberto Solano-Barquero. The study has been published in the Journal of Helminthology (https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022149X2400018X) in the frame of an ambitious international project that aims to document marine fish parasite diversity in the Costa Rican waters. Costa Rica has impressive levels of marine biodiversity, including numerous endemic taxa. Dr. Mario Santoro ensures that ongoing research and exploration in this country's marine ecosystems will uncover many more ever seen “surprises” within the local fish fauna. 

A team from the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, led by researcher Ulisse Cardini from the Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, has published a new scientific study exploring the role of symbioses between marine plants and their microscopic partners, and how ocean acidification affects their nutrition

Seagrass beds are biodiversity-rich ecosystems, similar to underwater gardens, that are vital to the life of the oceans and marine creatures. However, they are now facing a growing threat: ocean acidification. This is caused by the excessive dissolution of carbon dioxide, which is mainly produced by human activities.

To better understand the impact of such acidification on the nutrition of marine plants, an innovative study has focused on the Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica and the role of its microscopic symbionts. Scientists used carbon dioxide emissions from volcanic activity near the island of Ischia, Italy, to study this plant and its symbionts under acidic conditions not far from those predicted for the future of the oceans.

Dr Ulisse Cardini from the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn at the Genoa Marine Centre led this important work in collaboration with researchers from the University of Bremen in Germany, the Institute for Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnology - CNR Ancona, the University of Aarhus in Denmark, and the University of Southern Bohemia in the Czech Republic.

The researchers made a surprising discovery: despite the rising acidity levels, Posidonia meadows demonstrate remarkable resilience in the nitrogen cycle, which is crucial for their growth. The leaves of these seagrasses have become highly effective powerhouses for nitrogen transformation, involving a wide range of symbiotic microorganisms, including bacteria and archaea.

Even more interesting, comments Dr Ulisse Cardini, was the observation that, despite the increasing acidity, these microorganisms not only remain active but also accelerate many crucial processes. Marine plants benefit from the increase in carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and sugar production, while the microorganisms promote protein synthesis through increased nitrogen acquisition.

However, Dr Cardini further explains, this nutritional advantage is not without risk, as it can increase the risk of predation by herbivores and other organisms. This delicate balance highlights the importance of studying the processes that regulate the health and resilience of marine ecosystems in detail.

In conclusion, this study offers valuable insights into how marine plants and their microbes adapt to ocean acidification. It highlights the significance of safeguarding these ecosystems, which are vital for mitigating climate change and conserving ocean life for future generations.

Team Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn
Ulisse Cardini (EMI), Johanna Berlinghof (EMI e Università di Brema), Luis Montilla (EMI), Friederike Peiffer (EMI), Ugo Marzocchi (EMI e Università di Aarhus), Francesca Margiotta (RIMAR), Maria Abagnale (RIMAR)

Original publication
Johanna Berlinghof, Luis M. Montilla, Friederike Peiffer, Grazia M. Quero, Ugo Marzocchi, Travis B. Meador, Francesca Margiotta, Maria Abagnale, Christian Wild & Ulisse Cardini. Accelerated nitrogen cycling on Mediterranean seagrass leaves at volcanic CO₂ vents. Communications Biology 7, 341 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-06011-0

Project funding
This research was supported by a Ph.D. fellowship co-funded by the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (SZN) and the University of Bremen (to J.B. and F.P.), a Ph.D. fellowship funded by the Open University – SZN Ph.D. Program (to L.M.M.), and a SZN postdoctoral fellowship (to U.M.). U.C. was partially supported by the Italian PRIN 2022 project ENGAGE (grant n. 20223R4FJK) and PRIN 2022 PNRR project BORIS (grant n. P2022R739J), funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU.

NEW DEADLINE - January 15, 2024

13^th Advanced Phytoplankton Course - APC13

Identification, Taxonomy, Systematics

Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy, 6-26 October 2024

For More Information

Call for PhD students n. 3/2023 (new Publishing)

N. 1 Ph.D. fellowship is available to carry out interdisciplinary training in Biological Sciences at the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn in Naples (Italy).
Applications are invited from suitably qualified postgraduate candidates.

LINK TO THE CALL

The closing date for applications is November 6th 2023 h. 12.00

Published on october 20, 2023