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The marine biodiversity lab is involved in the research of benthic flora and fauna, fish assemblage, mapping and assessment of the status of benthic habitat types, ecology of bioconstructors and non-indigenous species. Our working methods are a combination of traditional benthic sampling techniques and newly developed non-destructive SCUBA techniques. To assess the status of the sea according to WFD and MSFD, we are also developing new methodologies for some biological elements. Special interest is paid to the conservation of endangered marine species, with the identification of the causes for the regression of important habitat-builders. Particular attention is given to the development and testing of restoration actions, focused on the recolonization of vulnerable bioconstructors (such as corals, noble pen shell, brown algae and seagrasses). The lab includes specialists for different taxonomic groups.

 

 

Fields of research and expertise

Research:

-  Comprehensive studies of marine biodiversity

-  Long term studies of the coastal fish fauna

-  Research of cartilaginous fish fauna

-  Monitoring of alien fauna and flora

-  Ecology of the Mediterranean Stony coral and biogenic formations

-  Studies on species recolonization and marine habitat restoration

-  Assessing the impact of climate change on local biota

-  Ecology of marine biodiversity of the Slovenian coastal wetlands

-  Fouling communities and their filtration efficiency

-  Mapping and monitoring of heterobranch gastropods

-  Studies on the lagoonary and euryhaline environments with special regards to its biodiversity

-  Feeding ecology of mesopredators of the northern Adriatic

 

Expertise:

-  Mapping and monitoring of habitat types

-  Inventarisation of marine fauna & flora

-  Mapping and monitoring alien fauna

-  Mapping and monitoring species, related to the process of tropicalisation and climate change

 

 

Staff members

 

Dr. Martina Orlando Bonaca, Senior Research Associate, Head of WG Marine biodiversity

https://www.nib.si/mbp/sl/cv/martina-orlando-bonaca

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Dr. Ana Fortič, Research Assistant

https://www.nib.si/mbp/en/cv/ana-fortic

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Prof. Dr. Lovrenc Lipej, Scientific Counsellor

https://www.nib.si/mbp/en/cv/lovrenc-lipej

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Ana Lokovšek , Young Researcher

https://www.nib.si/mbp/en/cv/ana-lokovsek

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Dr. Borut Mavrič, Senior Research Associate, Head of Department

https://www.nib.si/mbp/en/cv/borut-mavric

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Dr. Valentina Pitacco, Scientific Associate

https://www.nib.si/mbp/en/cv/valentina-pitacco

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Dr. Domen Trkov, Research Assistant

https://www.nib.si/mbp/en/cv/domen-trkov

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Leon Lojze Zamuda, Associate

http://www.nib.si/eng/index.php/component/directory/?view=details&id=309&Itemid=12

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Projects

 

Interreg Italia/Slovenija

 

TRETAMARA

Trezze, Tegnue and marine environments of the upper Adriatic: management proposals

Leader: dr. Martina Orlando Bonaca

1.2.2020 - 31.1.2022

https://www.nib.si/mbp/en/projects/48-cross-border-projects/1029-tretamara

ARRS

 

Factors affecting Adriatic brown algal forests and solutions for habitat restoration  (J1-1702)

Leader: dr. Martina Orlando Bonaca

1.7.2019 - 30.6.2022

https://www.nib.si/mbp/sl/projects/45-slovenian-research-agency/939-dejavniki-ki-vplivajo-na-gozdove-jadranskih-rjavih-alg-in-resitve-za-obnovo-habitata

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food

 

Upgrading the knowledge on biotic and abiotic characteristics and extent of benthic habitat types: circalittoral  coarse sediments (MC3), circalittoral mixed sediments (MC4) and circalittoral sands (MC5).

Leader: dr. Borut Mavrič

2020-2023.

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food

 

Monitoring of marine habitat types Natura 2020-2022.

Leader: prof. dr. Lovrenc Lipej

DOPPS

 

Monitoring of the Mediterranean Shag in the Slovenian Sea 2020-2021

Leader: prof. dr. Lovrenc Lipej

2020-2021

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food

 

Survey of the species richness and abundance of alien species in the Slovenian Sea

Leader: dr. Borut Mavrič

5.3.2018 - 5.6.2021

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food

 

State of the art, assessment of the impact on the environment and the survey of possible actions to control the population of akliens species Mnemiopsis leidyi in the Slovenian Sea

Leader: dr. Borut Mavrič

Interreg MED

 

SHAREMED (2019-2022)

Sharing and enhancing capabilities to address environmental threats in Mediterranean sea

Leader: dr. Borut Mavrič

Interreg Italia/Slovenija

 

TRECORALA

Rocky outcrops and coralligenous formations in the North Adriatic: enhancement and sustainable management in the Gulf of Trieste

Leader: dr. Martina Orlando Bonaca

14.10.2012 - 30.4.2015

https://www.nib.si/mbp/en/about-us/completed-projects/84-completed-projects/cross-border-projects/129-trecorala-eng

 

 

 

Publications

 

ORLANDO-BONACA, M., PITACCO, V., LIPEJ, L. (2021). Loss of canopy-forming algal richness and coverage in the northern Adriatic Sea. Ecological indicators: integrating monitoring, assessment and management, 125, 107501, str. 1-11, doi: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.107501

 

ORLANDO-BONACA, M., LIPEJ, L., BONANNO, G. (2021). Non-indigenous macrophytes in Central Mediterranean ports, marinas and transitional waters: origin, vectors and pathways of dispersal. Marine pollution bulletin, 162, 111916, str. 1-19, doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111916.

 

PALINKAS, C., MISTRI, M., STAVER, L., LIPEJ, L., KRUŽIĆ, P., STEVENSON, J. C., TAMBURRI, M., MUNARI, C., ORLANDO-BONACA, M. (2021) Status of critical habitats and invasive species. V: MALONE, Thomas C. (ur.), MALEJ, Alenka (ur.), FAGANELI, Jadran (ur.). Coastal ecosystems in transition : a comparative analysis of the northern Adriatic and Chesapeake Bay, (Geophysical monograph series). 1st ed. Hoboken: American Geophysical Union: Wiley. 2021, str. 177-202. doi: 10.1002/9781119543626.ch9.

 

AZZURRO, E., V. SBRAGAGLIA, J. CERRI, M. BARICHE,L. BOLOGNINI, J. BEN SOUISSI, G. BUSONI, S. COCO, A. CHRYSSANTHI, E. FANELLI, R. GHANEM, J. GARRABOU, F. GIANNI, F. GRATI, J. KOLITARI, G. LETTERIO, L. LIPEJ, C. MAZZOLDI, N. MILONE, F. PANNACCIULLI, A. PEŠIĆ, Y. SAMUEL‐RHOADS, L. SAPONARI, J. TOMANIĆ, N. NUR TOPÇU, G. VARGIU, P. MOSCHELLA (2019). Climate change, biological invasions, and the shifting distribution of Mediterranean fishes: A large‐scale survey based on local ecological knowledge. Global Change Biology, doi: 10.1111/gcb.14670.

 

TRKOV, D. & L. LIPEJ (2019). Non-Destructive Method for Assessing the Feeding Habits of Coastal Fish. Mediterranean Marine Science, 20(2), 453-459.

 

ORLANDO-BONACA, M., PITACCO, V., SLAVINEC, P., ŠIŠKO, M., MAKOVEC, T., FALACE, A. (2021) First restoration experiment for Gongolaria barbata in Slovenian coastal waters: What can go wrong? Plants, 10(2), 239; doi: 10.3390/plants10020239.

 

KOVAČIĆ, M., L. LIPEJ & J. DULČIĆ (2020). Evidence approach to checklists: critical revision of the checklist of the Adriatic Sea fishes. Zootaxa, 4767 (1), https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4767.1.1

 

PITACCO, V., MISTRI, M., LIPEJ, L. (2019). Species-Area Relationship (SAR) models as tools for estimating faunal biodiversity associated with habitat builder species in sensitive areas : the case of the Mediterranean stony coral (Cladocora caespitosa). Marine environmental research, 149, 27-39, doi: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2019.05.016.

 

ORLANDO-BONACA, M., ROTTER, A. (2018). Any signs of replacement of canopy-forming algae by turf-forming algae in the northern Adriatic Sea? Ecological indicators: integrating monitoring, assessment and management, 87, 272-284, doi: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2017.12.059.

 

ZUNINO, S., PITACCO, V., MAVRIČ, B., ORLANDO-BONACA, M., KRUŽIĆ, P., LIPEJ, L. (2018). The ecology of the Mediterranean stony coral Cladocora caespitosa (Linnaeus, 1767) in the Gulf of Trieste (northern Adriatic Sea): a 30-year long story. Marine biology research, 14(3), 307-320, doi: 10.1080/17451000.2017.1408915.

 

 

Collaborations

 

Natural History Museum Rijeka, Croatia, prof. dr. Marcelo Kovačić

Zoologische Staatssammlung Munchen & Department Biologie II, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universtitet Munchen, Munchen, Germany, prof. dr. Roland Meltzer

Faculty of Science. Department of biology, University of Zagreb, Croatia. prof. dr. Petar Kružić

ARPA Friuli Venezia Giulia, dr. Nicola Bettoso

University of Trieste, prof. dr. Annalisa Falace

Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Split, Croatia, prof. dr. Jakov Dulčić

Institute for Marine biology, Kotor, Montenegro, dr. Vesna Mačić

University of Catania, dr. Giuseppe Bonanno

Ruđer Bošković Institute, Center for Marine Research, Rovinj, Croatia, dr. Ljiljana Iveša

 

 

Other activities

 

Involvement in the pedagogical process and  Mentorship:

 

- FAMNIT, University of Primorska, Marine biodiversity, Biotic globalisation in seas and oceans, Marine Ecology,  Marine Zoology

- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Marine Ecology 

- University of Maribor, Faculty for natural sciences and mathematics, Marine Ecology

- Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Ljubljana, Ichthyology and fishery biology

 

 

Editorial Boards:

 

- Annales for Istrian and Mediterranean Studies

- Acta Adriatica

- Natural and Engineering Sciences (NESciences)

- Acrocephalus

- Studia marina

- Natura Sloveniae

 

 

Gallery