National Geog_Vezzulli_Cerrano Sei in: Ricerca scientifica>Ricerca Europea>Progetti di ricerca europei, internazionali e nazionali>Progetti di ricerca e cooperazione internazionale finanziati> Ricerca e mobilità internazionale per collaborazioni scientifiche Committee for Research and Exploration Grant Application http://www.nationalgeographic.com The exploration of the Mediterranean mesophotic zone: a new frontier for biodiversity discovery Responsabile scientifico: Prof. Carlo CERRANO - Prof. Luigi VEZZULLI Struttura: Dipartimento per lo Studio del Territorio e delle sue Risorse - DIPTERIS Durata: 12 mesi (01/06/2011-01/06/2012) ABSTRACT The mesophotic or twilight zone comprised between 60 and 120 m depth is one of the less explored area in the world. The mesophotic zone harbours a significant fraction of coastal biodiversity and, being less subjected to climate and human driven changes than the upper ocean it is believed to function as the main biodiversity reservoir for the coastal ecosystem. This zone also hosts biological communities with a potentially incredible ecological significance and unusual physiological adaptations, which represent an important biotechnological resource as well. The reason we know so little about the organisms which dwell in the mesophotic area stems from limitations in exploring technology recently overcome through the use of special gas mixtures (Trimix) which enabled deep scuba diving. The objective of this project is to assess the biodiversity of the largely unexplored mesophotic zone of the Mediterranean Sea focusing on ecosystem engineers sessile invertebrates such as sponges and cnidarians together with their associated microorganisms (the holobiont). The project activity will include a deep diving survey for biodiversity assessment in the Mediterranean mesophotic zone to be conducted in two rocky-shelf areas located in the northern (Ligurian Sea, Italy) and southern (Pantelleria Island) Mediterranean Sea as well as the metagenomic analysis of the microbial communities associated to representative benthic species collected during the survey. The data collected by the project are expected to provide new knowledge in the fields of biodiversity discovery, marine ecology, animal-microbe interactions and the role that mesophotic zone plays in marine ecosystem functioning and conservation. EXPECTED RESULTS (i) to identify the most important ecosystem engineers in the mesophotic zone and compare them between the two selected geographic sites, possibly highlighting the presence of species new for science. (ii) to describe the composition of the microbial assemblages in the mesophotic zone both free-living and associated with benthic organisms considering if they play a role in symbiotic relationships. The presence of pathogenic microorganisms and bacteria with a biotechnological potential will also be assessed. (iii) to evaluate the occurrence of human impacts in the mesophotic zone, through the comparison with the upper photic layer (generally characterised by high anthropic disturbance) with a particular focus on precious corals. VIDEO of the research expedition to Pantelleria island available on : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTQE1XDwrc8
