ALIENA
ALIgning Efforts to control Non-indigenous species in the Adriatic sea
ALIENA
ALIgning Efforts to control Non-indigenous species in the Adriatic sea
ALIENA
ALIgning Efforts to control Non-indigenous species in the Adriatic sea
Non-indigenous species (NIS) pose a significant threat to biodiversity and ecosystems globally, ranking as the second most common cause of species extinctions.
Particularly in the Adriatic Sea, a hub for fishing, tourism and maritime traffic, the introduction of NIS has the potential to exacerbate ecological and economic impacts. ALIENA aims at creating a shared knowledge base and collaborative monitoring system to protect biodiversity from NIS in the Adriatic Sea.
Through joint monitoring and modeling efforts focused on these species, the project seeks to develop early warning solutions essential for effective marine management, biodiversity conservation, and public health protection. Additionally, it aims to improve shared protocols for NIS detection, monitoring, and management, while also increasing stakeholders’ awareness of NIS issues.
ALIENA project will achieve the following objectives:
Non-indigenous species in the Adriatic Sea
PARTNER
Puglia Region – Department of Environment, Landscape, and Urban Quality serves as the regional governing body for environmental and landscape conservation. As the lead partner, its role involves overseeing project coordination among partners, including technical, administrative, financial, and communication efforts. The department works closely with ARPA Puglia to carry out technical operations in the pilot area, facilitating stakeholder engagement and ensuring the effective utilization of project outcomes.
The Center for Marine Research (CMR), a division of the Ruđer Bošković Institute (IRB), focuses on marine science, ecological assessments, and long-term environmental monitoring in the Northern Adriatic Sea.
Within the ALIENA project, the IRB team is involved in the monitoring of Non-Indigenous Species (NIS) using both traditional and innovative approaches in the Northern Adriatic Sea. IRB is collaborating with project partners across all Work Packages (WPs), contributing to tasks ranging from NIS assessment and detection to the development and validation of early-warning systems. Additionally, the team supports outreach and communication initiatives to enhance public awareness
The CMCC Foundation is an international research institute dedicated to generating climate change analyses, predictive scenarios, datasets, and in-depth assessments of its impacts on socio-economic and environmental systems.
In the ALIENA project, CMCC is focusing on the analysis of the distribution of target Non-Indigenous Species (NIS) in the Adriatic Sea through numerical models. Key contributions include:
- Leading WP2 activities by developing model simulations and forecasting tools for the Adriatic and pilot areas, directly supporting the project’s early warning and information systems.
- Enhancing ocean literacy and science communication to foster stakeholder engagement and knowledge exchange on best practices.
Bluefarm is developing an advanced Agent-Based Model (ABM) to map the distribution of the invasive microscopic algal species Ostreopsis ovata. This species, typically attached to rocky substrates and seaweeds for most of the year, can proliferate in the water column during summertime due to elevated temperatures, causing massive blooms.
During these events, O. ovata releases a toxin that may irritate the human respiratory tract through marine aerosol inhalation. This poses a significant health risk, particularly to vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly, and has potential economic impacts on the tourism industry.
To address these challenges, the ABM model will be integrated into the oceanographic prediction system managed by ARPA Friuli Venezia Giulia and tested in a selected pilot area. This innovative tool will enhance monitoring strategies, support early detection of O. ovata blooms, and help mitigate associated risks.
ARPA Puglia is a technical organization within the Apulian Regional Government, responsible authority for the monitoring of the marine waters according to the main European Directives. In the project, ARPA Puglia is contributing to the whole project realization by offering in-depth experience in marine monitoring activities over the South-Western Adriatic Sea. In particular, it is the lead- task 1.2 and directly participate in the other technical and communication/dissemination activities.
ARPA FVG is the regional agency responsible for environmental control, protection and monitoring in Friuli Venezia Giulia region. Within the ALIENA project, ARPA FVG leverages its expertise in marine surveillance activities in the Northern Adriatic Sea. Specifically, the agency is working on establishing a monitoring system utilizing environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques and providing key contributions in the field of predictive modeling for environmental sciences.
IOR is the first scientific institution in Croatia that since its foundation deals with multidisciplinary marine researches encompassing biological, chemical and physical oceanography, sedimentology, fisheries and mariculture. Within the ALIENA project IOR participates in all activities planned in the middle Adriatic pilot area and cooperate with other partners in all WPs. It is also involved into NIS overview and identification, design and test solutions for early warning, and the public awareness raising through dissemination and communication activities.
POTENTIAL NEWCOMERS
