Liguria
Great news from Liguria! During our spring monitoring activity in the Marine Protected Area Isola di Bergeggi, our colleagues from the University of Genoa recorded excellent growth of the algae outplanted this summer!
At the Bergeggi site, our researchers are restoring Ericaria amentacea, an intertidal species also known as Cystoseira amentacea. In July, when our researchers outplanted the disks from the laboratory to the reef, the young algae did not exceed a few millimetres in length.
Now, the outplanted individuals of Ericaria amentacea have grown so much that they completely cover the disks below.
Our restoration is going at full speed in Bergeggi!
Campania
A team from Shoreline and the “Parthenope” University of Naples travelled to the Marine Protected Area of Santa Maria di Castellabate in the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park.
The monitoring of the outplanted disks went well. We recorded the growth of young individuals of Cystoseira crinitophylla, a subtidal species that thrives at a depth of a few metres.
We continued other research-related activities at this site: we keep to experiment with materials and structures to improve our restoration techniques. This time, we transferred all disks to lower-impact structures designed to reduce sedimentation after the transplantation of Cystoseira s.l. on the seafloor.
We took the opportunity to collect data on temperatures: in January we placed some thermometers near the receiving sites. We are checking temperature variations to support fertility control activities and to monitor possible heat waves.
Sardinia
A research team from the University of Trieste and the staff of the Marine Protected Area Penisola del Sinis started monitoring in different areas of the Marine Area.
Over the three days of work, the team monitored one subtidal area at a depth of between 24 and 30 metres, and one intertidal area.
We sampled the seafloor using the photogrammetry method, taking photos in the different areas. This time, we collected samples for laboratory analysis to check the health of the different species of Cystoseira s.l. present.
The fertility monitoring phase now begins in preparation for the summer harvest, we will keep you updated!
