“Blue Carbon”: Studying the Seagrass Capacity to Store Carbon

Seagrass meadows are considered to be a crucial coastal ecosystem at global scale which contribute, alongside mangroves and tidal marshes, to ‘Blue Carbon’ storage. These coastal ecosystems through the process of photosynthesis sequester (capture) and store large quantities of carbon within the plants themselves and the underlying sediment layer. In fact, seagrass in some cases can

Protecting the Nobel Pen shell (Pinna nobilis) in the Easter Aegean Sea

The endemic Mediterranean Pinna nobilis (Fig. 1) is one of the largest bivalves of the world reaching heights up to 120cm, and found in depths up to 60m. It is partially buried in soft sediment and tends to shelter itself on the edge of seagrass meadows. As an “Endangered Species” it is under protection, according

Herpetofauna monitoring in the south-east of Samos Island, Fall 2018

As the winter approaches reptiles are preparing for brumation, a process similar to hibernation but for cold-blooded animals, to handle an extreme change in temperature, burying themselves under the soil. Reptiles are crucial to study due to their high susceptibility to environmental changes and our projects focus on the habitat preference of the Common chameleon

The Mykali Bay Monk Seal Project

The Mediterranean Monk seal (Monachus monachus; Figure 1), is currently considered to be facing a ‘very high risk of extinction’. According to the IUCN, it is the most endangered Pinniped species in the world, with less than 600-700 individuals left, of which 300-400 in Greece. Mykali Bay is a rocky beach in the south-eastern side

Presenting the Global problem of Microplastics Pollution at the 6th International Conference on Industrial & Hazardous Waste Management.

PRESENTING THE GLOBAL PROBLEM OF MICROPLASTICS POLLUTION AT THE 6TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INDUSTRIAL & HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT. Eleonora Faraggiana, [email protected] Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation, P.O. Box 42 Pythagorio 83 103 Samos (Greece) Context During the 6th International Conference on Industrial & HazardousWaste Management, taking place in Chania (Crete) between 4th – 7th September 2018,

Microplastics research

Introduction Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastics up to 5mm in size, anything bigger is considered a macroplastic. Since their invention in the 1950s plastics have been polluting our oceans and waterways. Big pieces of plastic in the oceans are broken down by phytodegradation, photodegradation (through plants or light) or weathering processes in the sea

The silent invasion

Beneath the waves of the Mediterranean Sea a silent invasion is taking place, unseen by anyone above. The invaders are foreign species from all over the world, allowed transport by the hand of man. And they are here to stay. These types of incursion are far from uncommon around the world, but no place is

Seagrass mapping in the Aegean Sea

The last half year, the GIS-team was working out a method for seagrass mapping. Global seagrass meadows are under threat. Reduction of water clarity, climate change and dredging destroy meadows at an incredible speed of 1.5% a year. The mapping of the Greek seagrass meadows, especially the specie Posidonia Oceanica, remains behind and counteracts conservation

Posidonia Oceanica Mapping in the Southeastern Aegean Sea

Posidonia oceanica meadows are one of the most valuable ecosystems of the Mediterranean Sea. Climate change, fishing activities and anthropogenic influences threaten the survival of these meadows. Since the 20th century, 30% of the seagrass meadows have disappeared. Therefore, there is an increasingly pressing need to map the current extent of the seagrass cover. The

Μapping of Posidonia oceanica using a Drone

Posidonia oceanica is an endemic seagrass species in the Mediterranean Sea. It has a key ecological role and many impacts on its ecosystem. Its role in fisheries production and in sediment stabilization are well-known. In fact, seagrass meadows provide habitats for a number of threatened species. However, throughout the Mediterranean these meadows are declining at