Italiano
University TS
Biology
Research
ECOLOGY: Water Ecology - Zoology
Evaluation of mollusc stocks
(mainly Chamelea, Ensis and Callista in the districts of Monfalcone and Venice).
Research has been going on for more than ten years with the aim of providing information, for
administration purposes, to the M.R.A.A.F., to the local authorities and to the Harbour Offices.
Studies on population dynamics, growth and recruitment patterns. Recently, in collaboration with
the Department of Earth Sciences, research has been initiated into the isotopic ratios and the
mineralogical composition of the shells in order to better define the growth
parameters, which vary considerably from zone to zone and from year to year. The results
have shown the need to reassess some of the commonly accepted hypotheses concerning
the rates of growth of Callista and Chamelea and the modality of recruitment of the latter. The
examination of shell sections is carried out in collaboration with the Department of Geological ,
Environmental and Marine Sciences. The projects are mainly financed by M.R.A.A.F., by
M.U.R.S.T and by local authorities.
Scientist in charge: D. Del Piero.
ECOLOGY: Water Ecology - Zoology
Antarctic Marine Biology
(National Antarctic Research Project)
Biologic characterisation of the water masses of the Ross Sea. Research into the characterisation
of micro-zooplanktonic communities. As of the last expedition (December 1997), pico- and nano-
planktonic, and also micro-phytoplanktonic, communities have also been included in the study and
the energy fluxes between the various components quantified. These researches are funded by the
N.A.R.P. and are part of the CLIMA project, which is headed by Prof. Giancarlo Spezie of the
Naval Institute of Naples.
Scientist in charge: S. Fonda .
ECOLOGY: Water Ecology - Zoology
Structure of ichthyic populations
These studies concern the structure of freshwater, euryhaline and marine ichthyic populations.
Among the freshwater species, those belonging to the Ciprinida and Salmonida families in
particular are the main objects of research.
Ichthyo-plankton: research into the distribution of the eggs of anchovies and sardines in the
northern and central Adriatic Sea in order to estimate the stocks. More specifically, the distribution
of eggs and larvae of anchovies in relation to the distribution of meso-zooplanktonic biomasses.
Calendar of the pelagic eggs and larvae of the Gulf of Trieste.
Monitoring of the ichthyic fauna: distribution, structure and dynamics of the ichthyo-fauna of the
rivers of Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
Collaborations: Laboratory of Marine Biology and Fishing of Fano, the Fishery Conservation Trust
(Ente Tutela Pesca) of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Department of Biology of the University of Zagabria,
Zavod za Ribistvo - Fisheries Research Institute of Ljubljana.
Scientists in charge: M. Specchi,
E. Pizzul, G. Valli,
M. Avian, S. Battistella.
ECOLOGY: Water Ecology - Zoology
Benthos, alieutics, marine pollution
Study of the marine and lagoonal benthonic biocoenoses of the Mediterranean and of their
evolution in relation to anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic factors. Biology and management of
marine and lagoonal alieutic resources and study of the environmental impact of collection
systems. Integrated management of the marine coastline.
The following projects are in progress:
- Structure and evolution of living and degraded prairies of Posidonia oceanica in the northern
Adriatic Sea
- Long term effects of the dumping of fine earthy materials of industrial origin on the benthonic
populations of the Gulf of Venice
- Impact of the instruments for the harvesting of the philippine mussel (Tapes philippinarum) on
the seabed of the northern Adriatic lagoons
- Breeding trials for Tapes philippinarum in the breeding grounds of the Lagoons of Marano and
Grado.
Scientist in charge: G. Orel.
ECOLOGY: Water Ecology - Zoology
Marine eco-ethology
The subject of the study is the spatial and temporal distribution of the territorial, trophic and
reproductive resources of benthonic marine species and in particular of stomatopoda, gobid
teleosts and pomacentrids. Analysis of underwater video-recordings allows definition of the
etogrammes and, by means of transition frequency matrices, of the most significant behavioural
patterns. In the feeding behaviour, the predation distance is put into relationship with the sensorial
abilities, revealed by morpho-functional studies whilst the reproductive behaviour is put into relationship
with physiological markers dealt with below. Phenomena of spermatic competition have been recorded in hole-nesting species giving parental
care. A programme of bio-acoustic monitoring in nature and in confined environments has led to the
identification of the physical characteristics and the communicative significance of interactions in
the meccano-vibratory canal. The research is carried out in collaboration with the Inst. of Biology,
University of Ljubljana SLO, the Universities of Parma and Pavia and with the scientific and
logistic support of the WWF-Marine Sanctuary of Miramare in the field observations.
Scientist in charge: E. Ferrero.
ECOLOGY: Water Ecology - Zoology
Reproductive biology of medusas
The study is based on the histologic and ultrastructural analysis of the gonads of medusas, both of
the Adriatic and of other geographic areas (eastern Mediterranean, south-western Atlantic) carried
out in parallel with the seasonal monitoring of medusas and the verification of the quantitative
distribution of the exemplars at different stages of development within each sample.
Collaborations: Daphne Command Centre of Cesenatico (Adriatic Sea), University and I.O.R.L. of
Haifa (Israel), INIDEP Centre of Mar del Plata (Argentina).
Scientist in charge: M. Avian.
ECOLOGY: Water Ecology - Zoology
Reproductive biology of the pike
The study is based on the histologic and ultrastructural analysis of the gonads of Exos luccius,
together with monthly/fortnightly monitoring in the Friulian plane, with the determination of the
distribution by age, sex, body/ovary weight, size and content of stomach, in order to obtain an
overview of the reproductive biology of this teleost.
Scientists in charge: E. Pizzul, M. Avian, M. Specchi.
ECOLOGY: Water Ecology - Zoology
Ecology of Bivalvia and Gasteropoda
Studies on the reproduction, the biometry and the distribution of Mollusca Bivalvia and
Gasteropoda with particular emphasis on those in the sea in the Gulf of Trieste (north Adriatic).
Scientists in charge: G. Valli, E. Vio.
ECOLOGY: Water Ecology - Zoology
Mussel toxicity and algal blooms
Starting from the well-known relationship between the appearance of Dinophysis spp. (and
consequently of okadaic acid) and DSP (Diarrhoic Shellfish Poison) in mussels, the research
carried out so far has shown that the build-up of Dinophysis in the mussel produces a reversible
histological alteration of the hepato-pancreas with consequent ex-novo appearance of a
characteristic protein (probably an enzime). To this end, monoclonal antibodies are being set up,
which, when assembled in a kit, will enable the operators to detect, in a simple and specific way,
the presence of the protein marker for okadaic-derived toxins.
Scientists in charge: G. A. Amirante, S. Battistella.
Italiano
University TS
Biology
Research