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Projects

Notwithstanding, its recent foundation, Pelagosphera has already been involved in several public and private projects.

April 2010: study of the mycotic community of Posidonia oceanica leaves in cooperation with the Universtity of Turin, department of vegetal biology (Cristina Varese PhD). Up to recently this topic was poorly investigated (2% of species identified in the biosfera are marine) while currently the potential pharmacogical uses are worldwide recognized. Sampling was carried out at the Elba Island both on the north side (inside the special protected area, SPA, known as “Le Ghiaie”) and on the south (“Lo Scoglietto”).

May 2010: analysis of benthic organisms of the Adriatic Sea to evaluate dredge harbour operations of the italian city Pescara. Funded by ISPRA (Institute for environmental protection and research) and in collaboration with the Department of Animal and Human Biology (Laboratory of Marine Biology – Prof. D. Pessani) of the University of Turin.

June 2010 - June 2012: lectureships and seminars (under the supervision of the Prof. D. Pessani) regarding differrent university courses such as Marine Biology, Zoology of Invertebrates, Ecoethology of different aquatic organisms from seagrasses to marine mammals (e.g. in Baja California-Mexico).

July – September 2010: elaboration of a naturalistic photographic guide of the Elba Island beaches (published in march 2011) including information on biodiversity, geology of substrata, planning of underwater route for snorkel and dive.

February 2011: revision and approval of the agreement signed among the Municipality of Portoferraio, Italian Naval league, the divers association Teseo Tesei and Greenpeace for the formation of a moorings area with low environmental impact to regulate dives in the preserved area of Scoglietto.

June - December 2011: technical and scientific support to management and maintenance of aquarium tanks. Financed by the Municipality of Milan (museums, aquaria and Hydrobiologic units).

July 2011: moorings installation (Manta Ray type) in the special protected area of Scoglietto di Portoferraio (LI). Monitoring of Posidonia ocanica to compare data of before and after moorings implanting.

September 2011 - May 2012: Education Mediterranean marine environment course, involving students from ten different levels schools of the Elba Island. Funded by Tuscany Region and in collaboration with Livorno province and the Municipality of Portoferraio.

May 2012 - March 2013: analysis of macrobenthos of the Aveiro Lagoon (Portugal). Funded by FIAT-Teksid, in partnership with the Laboratory of Aquatic Ecosystem (Francesca Bona PhD) of the University of Turin (Department of Life Science and Systems Biology).

September 2012 - June 2013: the Marine Mediterranean Environmental Education program (EAMM) involved four upper secondary schools of the Province of Turin with the help of the Centre Educational Systems (CESEDI) and funded by the European Social Funds (ESF).

March 2012 - March 2014: chimical, physical and biological monitoring of surface waters in proximity of the power station located in Moncalieri-La Loggia (Turin). Sampling are carried out quarterly in order to calculate the Extended Biotic Index (E.B.I). Funded by the IREN Energy in collaboration with EUROLAB S.r.l.

June 2012 - September 2014: analsysis of the zooplanctonic community in proximity of sank ship Costa Concordia (Giglio Island, Italy). Funded by the Laboratory of Marine Biology of the University of Turin (Prof. Daniela Pessani).

February 2013 – present: Pelagosphera awarded a contract for the two-year monitoring of benthic biocenosis and fish populations at the Pianosa Island. The aim of the work is the short-term monitoring of the impact of diving on the unspoiled seabed of the island. Pianosa is a protected area on land and sea in the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago.

July - August 2013: on behalf of ERM-Italy, Pelagosphera performs an underwater monitoring located on the bottom off the coast of municipality of San Foca (LE), in order to verify the meadow extension of seagrass Cymodocea nodosa for the placement of a portion of gas pipeline.

June - November 2015: on behalf of Gnosis SpA, Pelagosphera performs sampling of Macrofouling in different areas of the Ligurian Sea subjected to different environmental impacts.

Current projects

August 2012 - present: analysis of zooplancton in proximity of the regasification terminal offshore OLT-LNG Toscana off the coast of Livorno. Funded by the Laboratory of Marine Biology of the University of Turin (Prof. Daniela Pessani).

May 2014 - present: with IZSPLV (Institute Zooprofilattico of Piedmont, Liguria and Valle d'Aosta) and on behalf of the Marine Biology Laboratory of the Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology (DBIOS) of the University of Turin, Pelagosphera participates in an analysis project of the heavy metals found in the zooplankton and macroalgae.

Education project on Mediterranean marine environment (EMme):

We consider essential to provide students at the beginning of their education, the right tools to form their own environmental awareness, by promoting the culture of respect for the environment and activities helping its conservation. Since 2011, Pelagosphera planned a detailed project regarding Mediterranean marine environmental Education in order to enrich students with knowledge on marine biology and particularly the Mediterannean Sea.

The project, addressed to different levels of education, has been approved by several municipalities of Turin and is in compliance with programs by school professors. For high level of education, the project is possible thanks to the help of the Centre Educationl Systems (CESEDI) and to the European Social Funds (ESP).

Since 2013 Pelagosphera also offers of students of secondary schools, Multidisciplinary School Trips involving participants in the field meetings with professionals naturalists, biologists, botanists, geologists, ornithologists.
The school trip, lasting 3 or 4 days, is carried out in Liguria, in the area of Cinque Terre-Portovenere.

For more information please contact us at the email didattica@pelagosphera.com

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