The project staff of MareChiara (LTER-MC)

Fabio Conversano He studies the physical dynamics and geochemistry. Its activities include sampling and also deals with the management and organization of databases (oceanographic data acquired in the field) and administration of web sites.

Daniele Iudicone Physical oceanography and plankton biodiversity models
He is an expert in physical oceanography and plankton bio-physical coupling.

Francesca Margiotta N, P and C dynamics
Her research activity is focused on the dynamics of N, P and C in the dissolved and particulate pools (in terms of concentration, partition and stoichiometry) as related to the physical forcings and microbial communities. Person in charge of TN e TP, POC and Chl a analyses.

Maria Grazia Mazzocchi Ecology, biology and behavioural traits of mesozooplankton
She studies the biodiversity, phenology and long term trends of zooplankton communities and populations in relation to abiotic and biotic variability of the system.

Marina Montresor (LEEP) Life history strategies of marine phytoplankton
She studies the life strategies of phytoplankton organisms, their role in population dynamics, the role of endogenous and exogenous factors in regulating transitions between different stages and phases of life cycle. The study includes both experimental work in the lab as well as in situ observations.

Augusto Passarelli Field operations and chemical analyses
He is responsible for abiotic and biotic parameters sampling for organic and inorganic nutrient analyses and acquisition and processing of CTD data.

Maurizio Ribera d'Alcalà Biological Oceanography
His research focuses on the study of the interaction between internal and external controls relating to the biology and evolution of plankton. It also deals with the dynamic biogeochemistry of the Mediterranean Sea.

Maria Saggiomo Chemotaxonomy and photoacclimation of phytoplankton communities
The research activity is focused on chemotaxonomy and time variability of phytoplankton communities along the water column and of their photoacclimation as related to abiotic factors. She is responsible for HPLC analyses.

Raffaella Casotti Logistic and Sampling Coordinator
She studies bacteria and phytoplankton < 5 µm in size using flow cytometry and molecular methods such as CARD-FISH and metagenomics. Experiments to estimate growth and grazing rates and reactions to biotic and abiotic stresses (mainly light and natural algal products).

Diana Sarno Phytoplankton taxonomy
She is in charge of the phytoplankton time series data of LTER-MareChiara program.
She coordinates the activities related to identification and counting of phytoplankton samples in the context of national and international projects. The Service of Taxonomy and Identification of Marine Phytoplankton (TIMP) is also involved in the development of tools for collection and dissemination of taxonomic information, collected by the laboratory of Ecology and Evolution of Plankton.

Ferdinando Tramontano Sampling and analysis of dissolved oxygen
He employs the sampling of the main biotic and abiotic parameters, treatment of samples on board, filtrations for the determination of Chl a,  pigmentary spectrum and analysis of dissolved oxygen.

Adriana Zingone Scientific Coordinator
Biodiversity, phenology and long term trends of planktonic microalgae in relation to abiotic and biotic variability of the system. Her research is based on data obtained with traditional and advanced methods, including metagenomics.

Iole Di Capua Mesozooplankton taxonomy and ecology
Taxonomic identification and quantitative analysis of zooplankton samples of LTER-MareChiara program with light microscope and image analysis (ZooScan) techniques. She studies the coexistence and succession of zooplankton species at different temporal scales.

Isabella Percopo Phytoplankton taxonomy and ecology
She studies the phytoplankton biodiversity with microscopical and molecular methods. She is involved in the taxonomic identification and quantitative analysis of the phytoplankton time series data of LTER-MareChiara program.

Cecilia Balestra Composition and dynamics of autotrophic and heterotrophic picoplankton
Her main research interest is microbial ecology, with a focus on the abundance and distribution of autotrophic and heterotrophic picoplankton, on bacterial community composition and metabolic activity of heterotrophic bacteria.