Thematic Areas

ISP's research activities take place, mainly though not exclusively, in Antarctica and the Arctic, where snow and ice are the dominant aspect of the landscape. These regions, more than others, are affected by climate change. Understanding the history of our planet, and how human activities, from the origins of the first civilizations to the present day, have influenced ecosystems, by interacting and modifying the delicate balances that govern the earth's climate system, is the challenge we face. The history enclosed and preserved in ice and, going even further back in time, in sediments, even in times before the appearance of man, is an important topic addressed by ISP researchers.

Mute witnesses of these changes are the polar biological communities: on them the anthropic impact can be devastating. It is essential to improve our knowledge of their current state, to understand their evolution, with a view to future research missions in space. In fact, some polar habitats represent important terrestrial laboratories for astrobiological studies.

All these activities, and many others, are deepened in the thematic areas that characterize the institute.

Thematic Area 1 - CONTAMINANTS and ECOSYSTEMS

The research activities carried out within the Thematic Area Contaminants and Ecosystems are aimed at studying the sources, transport dynamics, diffusion and fate of regulated and emerging contaminants, including micro/nano-plastics and trace elements, in polar ecosystems. These ecosystems are particularly sensitive to external perturbations, such as human activities and climate change. In fact, the Polar regions constitute the final sink for many pollutants emitted at mid-latitudes and transported on a regional and global scale (long-range) through atmospheric and oceanic circulation and migratory animals: all drivers influenced by the ongoing climate change. Global warming has also favored a growing anthropic impact in the polar areas due to the development of tourist activities, mining and maritime traffic with a consequent increase in the local input of contamination, including noise pollution. The direct and indirect effects of these changes combined with the different dynamics of contamination are causing the fragmentation and destruction of habitats, the alteration of aquatic and terrestrial food webs, as well as loss of diversity with repercussions also on Arctic populations.
In this context, the multidisciplinary skills that converge in this Thematic Area constitutes an indispensable requirement for understanding the effects due to anthropic impact and climate change in polar ecosystems by following a One Health approach and aiming at a sustainable management of these vulnerable environments in the near future.

The main lines of investigation refer to the following areas: development and optimization of highly sensitive analytical methods for the detection of pollutants in the abiotic and biotic environmental compartments, understanding of transport and distribution processes in ecosystems, evaluation of the interactions with biota and the ecological effects, study of the capability of ecosystems to adapt and respond to contamination.

Main ERC panels:
• LS8 - Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution
• PE4 - Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences
• PE10 - Earth System Science

Referents: Elena Barbaro, Maria Papale, Luisa Patrolecco, Francesca Spataro

Contact: info-impacts AT isp.cnr.it

Sottotematiche

Legacy and emerging polluntants

From the development of analytical methods to the study of environmental processes

Despite the geographical isolation and limited human presence, polar regions are strongly affected by long-range transport leading to the dispersion of pollutants emitted in low and medium latitudes and on a local scale. Scientific research efforts have allowed the collection of long-term data on the presence of heavy metals and persistent organic contaminants (POPs) in the Arctic; however, there are still no systematic monitoring programs for such compounds in Antarctica.
More recently, attention has been focused on new classes of contaminants, defined as emerging, because they are not yet included in current regulations. The effects of these compounds on the organisms and environment are still not fully known. The determination of the occurrence of these substances in the environment and the evaluation of their effects on ecosystems is an important scientific challenge, especially considering their different chemical-physical properties and the continuous production of new formulations. Since many emerging contaminants are bioactive molecules with potentially harmful effects on the organisms and environment even at low concentrations, the development of suitable monitoring programs has crucial importance. The Arctic Monitoring and Evaluation Program (AMAP) has indicated that the risk due to the presence of emerging chemical pollutants but also the more investigated persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and mercury at the poles is still very high. Therefore, it is of priority interest to deepen the knowledge of this issue in the polar areas.
The main research activities concern:
• Optimization, and standardization of analytical methods for the determination of legacy pollutants (e.g. PAHs, PCBs, PBDEs, organo-chlorinated pesticides, etc.), emerging (e.g. pharmaceutical residues, fragrances, perfluorinated compounds, new generation pesticides, etc.) compounds and their metabolites/transformation products. Suspect screening analysis (performed when there is evidence/information that a given structure could be present in the samples) and non-target screening (analysis of all detected components, when no preliminary information is available).
• Development of chemical speciation methods for the identification of biologically active species or species produced by photochemical reactions.
• Continuous and long-term monitoring of organic and inorganic contaminants transported by atmospheric (Gruvebadet - Aerosol laboratory) and oceanic currents (Mooring) via permanent platforms.
• Studies on bioconcentration / biomagnification in the food web (screening assessment); evaluation of antibiotic susceptibility profiles of bacterial strains isolated from water/sediment.
• In-situ and real-time monitoring of organic and inorganic contaminants by using biosensors.
• Development and application of metabolomic analysis in environmental matrices for the study of degradative processes that determine the production of potentially polluting metabolites; this approach makes it possible to identify the presence of unknown pollutants and to relate them to the biological processes taking place in the system.
• Laboratory scale studies (e.g., microcosm and batch) to evaluate biotic and abiotic (chemical and physical) degradation processes (DT50 calculation), formation of metabolites and transformation products, and bioaccumulation in target organisms (vegetable and animal species).
• Optimization, standardization and validation of innovative biotechnologies for the in situ bioremediation and bio-mitigation of environmental matrices impacted by organic and inorganic contaminants.

Main ERC Panels:
• PE4_5 - Analytical chemistry
• PE4_7 - Chemical instrumentation
• PE4_9 - Method development in chemistry
• PE4_18 - Environment Chemistry
• PE10_1 - Atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric composition, air pollution
• PE10_8 - Oceanography (physical, chemical, biological, geological)
• PE10_9 - Biogeochemistry, biogeochemical cycles, environmental chemistry
• PE10_17 - Hydrology, hydrogeology, engineering and environmental geology, water and soil pollution

Micro- and Nano plastics

Plastic Pollution: occurrence, distribution, and impacts on the environment and biota

Plastic polymers are ubiquitous and persistent pollutants; they have been observed in different environmental compartments and various taxa and can fragment into smaller particles. We speak of macroplastics (>20 cm), mesoplastics (20 cm - 5 mm), microplastics (5 mm -1 µm), and nanoplastics (<1 µm). Microplastics have been observed in the world's oceans, soils, air, organisms from aquatic insect larvae to fish, and some marine mammals. Plastic particles have been observed at any latitude, from the equator to the North Pole and Antarctica. Their transport pathways can be influenced by bulk density and, most importantly, the size of the polymers. Smaller particles (<100 µm), called small microplastics, can be transported far from the release source. The residence time in the environment not only affects their size because particles can become smaller and smaller through photodegradation, the action of marine and atmospheric currents, but also their bulk density, so that even low-density polymer particles can sink the water column accumulating in sediments. Since there are no standardized methods for analysis, extensive studies are needed to understand the fate and pathways of these particles, which may also play a pivotal role in climate change. Microplastics can act as cloud condensation nuclei and ice nucleating particles, impacting albedo, solar radiation, and ice melt. Microplastics and nanoplastics, through ingestion, can enter the trophic web and reach humans. Small invertebrates such as Arctic amphipods or bivalves (e.g., mussels) can ingest small microplastics, promoting their potential biomagnification along the trophic net to pose a risk to human health as well. Small microplastics and nanoplastics can also be inhaled and, because of their size, can reach organs such as the lungs or brain, causing chronic inflammatory states. The toxicity of micro- and nanoplastics can be related to plastic additives, such as plasticizers, vulcanizers, antioxidants, etc.; some of these compounds can undergo leaching during particle breakup and be released into the environment.

• Development of mild pretreatment methods for the simultaneous extraction of microplastics, particularly small microplastics, and plastic additives from different environmental matrices
• Development of analytical methods (via Micro-FTIR and pyrolysis-GC/MS)
• Simultaneous quantification and characterization of polymers and plastic additives (Micro-FTIR)
• Cross-validation of polymer characterization (pyrolysis-GC/MS)
• Identification of bioindicators
• Qualitative and quantitative analysis of bacterial communities associated with plastic debris and their metabolism in different environmental matrices (water, sediment, snow)
• Identification of stress biomarkers

Main ERC Panels:
• LS8_12 - Microbial ecology and evolution
• LS8_13 - Marine biology and ecology
• PE4_5 - Analytical Chemistry
• PE4_9 - Method development in chemistry
• PE4_17 - Characterization methods of materials
• PE4_18 - Environment Chemistry
• PE10_1 - Atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric composition, air pollution
• PE10_4 - Terrestrial Ecology
• PE10_8 - Oceanography (physical, chemical, biological, geological)

Sources, transport and environmental dynamics

Contaminants can be transported from lower latitudes to Polar Regions through sea currents, atmospheric currents and migratory animals. Certain evidences suggest that long-range atmospheric transport of organic contaminants and metals occurs on a global scale. The detailed mechanism and extent of this phenomenon is poor investigated, as well as the chemical and physical proprieties of the atmospheric aerosols that facilitate this transport to polar environments.
Monitoring data from remote locations was currently used by regulatory agency to assess the potential for long-distance transport of a substance. This evaluation method has limitations, as the collection of monitoring data tends to be a posteriori rather than a priori. Then, a substance can have a harmful effect on the environment before any regulation actions. This Thematic Area focuses on the investigation of sources and diffusion mechanisms of contaminants to model and predict the long-distance transport of existing and new substances even before their manufacture and use. Global warming affects these processes, thereby altering the long-range transport and environmental distribution of contaminants. The melting increase of glaciers and permafrost remobilizes several contaminants previously trapped in the cryosphere. Nowadays, polar areas are becoming a source of pollution on a local scale. In fact, an increase of old contaminants, of which the production was banned many years ago, has been recently observed in these regions.
Furthermore, climate change has favored a greater human presence in these remote areas, with the consequent development of fishing, cruise tourism, commercial activities and the extraction of resources (oil, gas and minerals), and therefore greater contamination on a local and regional scale. A further concern is the absence of appropriate abatement technologies available in water treatment plants. Finally, the presence, persistence and distribution of contaminants are strongly influenced by the peculiar characteristics of these regions, such as extreme seasonal variations of light, low temperatures, short growing seasons and limited availability of nutrients.
The research activities focus on:
• Study of primary and secondary sources of contamination as well as medium and long-range transport processes of contaminants mainly through the study of atmospheric aerosol also thanks to the (Gruvebadet - Aerosol laboratory).
• Reconstruction of long-term time patterns and human impact in environmental and climate archives, such as ice cores, sediment and permafrost;
• Investigation of the influence of local meteorology on the spatial distribution and temporal trend of contaminants, and how this effect can vary over time;
• Studies on laboratory scale (microcosm and batch) to evaluate the biotic and abiotic degradation processes (DT50 calculation), simulating the real environmental conditions (radiation, temperature, humidity, presence/absence of autochthonous microbial communities).

Main ERC Panels:
• PE4_12 - Chemical reactions: mechanisms, dynamics, kinetics and catalytic reactions,
• PEA4_18 - Environment Chemistry
• PE10_1 - Atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric composition, air pollution
• PE10_3 - Climatology and climate change
• PE10_8 - Oceanography (physical, chemical, biological, geological)
• PE10_9 - Biogeochemistry, biogeochemical cycles, environmental chemistry
• PE10_16 - Ozone, upper atmosphere, ionosphere
• PE10_17 - Hydrology, hydrogeology, engineering and environmental geology, water and soil pollution
• PE10_18 - Cryosphere, dynamics of snow and ice cover, sea ice, permafrosts and ice sheets
• PE10_21 - Earth system modelling and interactions

Noise Pollution

Underwater noise and impact on polar organisms

The increasing underwater acoustic noise related to the maritime traffic and the high-intensity sound sources for oil and gas exploration activity represents a considerable impact on marine ecosystems. The impacts of noise on different marine species are increasingly being observed and understood and previously silent areas such as the Arctic are now exposed to noise pollution. Over the last 60 years, in some oceans (i.e. the Pacific ocean), there has been a doubling of noise levels approximately every ten years leaving to suppose that the growth in underwater noise levels is considerably faster in the Polar areas. The effects of increased diffuse noise are widely documented for several terrestrial and marine species affected by increased stress levels, physiological weakening and difficulties in intra- and inter-specific acoustic communications, with alterations in energy expenditure and decreased immune responses. Similar effects have already been observed at all levels of the marine food chain and in particular in numerous species of marine mammals, crustaceans, molluscs and fish. However, the evaluation of the effects of diffuse noise in the short- and long-term at population, species and ecosystem level, remains complex to define due to the absence of long-term data series on the cumulative effects of noise exposure associated with the physical state, physiology and sensitivity of the animals. In this context, and thanks to the availability of underwater observatories and research infrastructures such as SIOS in the Arctic and eLTER in Antarctica, ISP is working to collect long-term data series in the Polar areas. The researchers involved in this Thematic Area are focused in the PAM (Passive Acoustic Monitoring) data collection and analysis in order to characterize the different acoustic components in these areas, to establish the noise levels in the polar sites and to assess their impact on ecosystems. In the present context, the collection of environmental acoustic data is performed by autonomous underwater recorders operating up to 1000 meters deep and with autonomy of one year.
Data collection and analysis aim to:
• study the underwater soundscape for the spatio-temporal characterization of the biological, geophysical and anthropogenic components and the development of automatic methods for the identification of the acoustic sources in the polar areas;
• define the long-term trends for the assessment of environmental changes and anthropic pressures; - estimate the underwater noise levels on wide spatial and temporal scales;
• define the ecological effects of noise pollution on marine organisms and in particular the evaluation of presence/absence and displacement, seasonal abundance, acoustic behaviour, acoustic biodiversity and the related temporal trends in relation to the different anthropic pressures on populations of marine mammals, fish and crustaceans.
In addition to the PAM data collection in field, studies are carried out in a controlled environment to define the short-, medium- and long-term physiological and behavioural responses of specimens exposed to noise generated by human activities. A fundamental aspect of both field and controlled studies is the development of analysis and tools to predict the alterations and the observable effects at population, species and ecosystem level.

Main ERC Panels:
• LS4_8 - Impact of stress (including environmental stress) on physiology
• LS8_2 - Biodiversity
• LS8_5 - Biological aspects of environmental change, including climate change
• LS8_11 - Behavioural ecology and evolution
• LS8_13 - Marine biology and ecology

Ecosystem responses and adaptations

In every environment and in particular in the polar areas, ecosystems tend to maintain specific balances in order to self-perpetuate over time, always tending to a climax state. This condition can fail or be profoundly modified due to disturbances in the ecosystems. Sometimes the perturbations can also be beneficial (e.g. favoring greater biodiversity) but, when they derive by the introduction of pollutants the situation changes considerably. In this context, downstream and/or simultaneously with the investigations and objectives of the section relating to emerging and regulated pollutants and that relating to sources, transport, and environmental dynamics, the lines of research that deal with the effects that these perturbations cause within ecosystems. This area deals with assessing the ecological risk, the responses, and/or adaptations of polar and sub-polar marine and terrestrial ecosystems that may be related to the presence of emerging or regulated pollutants. The investigations focus on the study of the composition and metabolic activity of the microbial communities (cultural, microscopic, biochemical, and molecular investigation techniques, etc.) as well as the effects on the food web due to the presence of pollutants. Finally, a look is directed at the selection of microorganisms that can be used for bioremediation and therefore for the decontamination of environments (in connection with the Thematic Areas Biosciences and Changes in polar systems).
The research activities concern:
• analysis of the response of microbial communities to contaminants in terms of abundance, structural, and functional diversity; effect of contaminants on microbial susceptibility profiles to contaminants.
• Search for specific genes related to the microbial populations, responsible for resistance to pollutants, in abiotic matrices and in specific microorganisms.
• Laboratory scale studies (microcosm/mesocosm, batch) to evaluate the effects of selected contaminants on individual microbial strains and autochthonous microbial communities (in terms of structure, function, selection of ARGs, etc.) or target organisms (direct and indirect) representative of the aquatic compartment (e.g. Vibrio fischeri) or terrestrial (e.g. Eisenia fetida).
• Assessment of ecological risk associated with the presence of contaminants and bioaccumulation potential (bioconcentration/biomagnification) in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
• Analysis of the metabolomic pattern of organisms in order to identify the presence of stress in relation to the presence of pollutants or changes in environmental conditions (temperature, salinity, CO₂).

Main ERC Panels:
• LS8_1 - Ecosystem and community ecology, macroecology
• LS8_2 - Biodiversity
• LS8_5 - Biological aspects of environmental change, including climate change
• LS8_12 - Microbial ecology and evolution
• LS8_13 - Marine biology and ecology
• LS9_12 - Ecotoxicology, biohazards and biosafety
• PE10_9 - Biogeochemistry, biogeochemical cycles, environmental chemistry

Thematic Area 4 - EARTH OBSERVATION and MODELS

The main activities of the thematic area Earth Observation (EO) and Polar Ecosystem Modeling include remote and proximal sensing, spatial analysis, thematic mapping, and geographic and environmental knowledge organization. The activity focuses on three main methodological pillars: remote and in situ observations, information organization, and representation by numerical and conceptual models. The research of this thematic area focuses on the responses of polar ecosystems to changes in air and sea temperature, in polar ice caps, in sea level height, and in persistence and thickness of snowpack and ice, also through the comparisons of climate belts. Analyses also cover permafrost evolution, coastal erosion, accretion processes, release and segregation of climate-altering gases, biogeochemical cycles, and biodiversity. The observational methodologies aim to detect environmental and climate dynamics at different spatial and temporal scales by identifying and studying multiple essential variables and their biological and geophysical interactions by integrating information from different platforms. The continuous comparison allows the combination of spatial and ecological models with observations.

The team has a group dedicated to organizing multilingual terminological knowledge, thesauri, and metadata to support data description and environmental information, focusing on polar environments. The subject area develops, by Findable Accessible Interoperable Reusable (FAIR) principles, data chains and products to support the study of terrestrial, aquatic, and cryosphere systems and the development of interoperable GIS, thematic mapping, and operational services. Figure 1: the Spegazzini Glacier (Los Glaciares National Park, Santa Cruz, Argentina, January 2010), together with the Upsala and the Perito Moreno Glaciers, feeds the Lago Argentino in the Los Glaciares National Park, in this photo, the calving-type glacier front is visible, characterized by abundant seracs, which can reach 135 m in height.

Main ERC Panels:
• LS8 - Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution
• PE10 - Earth System Science
• SH7 - Human Mobility, Environment, and Space
• SH2 - Institutions, Values, Environment and Space

Referents: Francesco De Biasio, Francesco Filiciotto, Emiliana Valentini, Matteo Zucchetta

Contacts: info-observation AT isp.cnr.it

Sub-Theme

Atmosphere

Characterization of the atmospheric column by remote sensing techniques and study of aerosol at the interface with the ground, use of EO data and their validation with ground-based measurements. Atmospheric chemistry, microchemistry, and climate-altering microphysics (use of thematic products of fire emissions and air pollution); physics of the atmosphere by point measurements at permanent observatories in polar and high-altitude areas, both fixed and mobile (ships); bioaerosol and its quantitative and qualitative composition. Study of the spatial structure of wind over the sea at various resolutions (from tens of km to 500 m) obtained through radar echo detections from the sea surface and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite images, integrated with artificial intelligence (AI) techniques in a continuous comparison with ground truth and numerical modeling.

Hydrosphere

Geospatial data management for marine and maritime domains, dynamics of marine ecosystems in the Svalbard area through analysis of existing thematic products (e.g., Copernicus). Management of the IT17 macro-site in Antarctica as part of the Italian Network for Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER-Italy). Characterization and description of the soundscape of polar and mid-latitude marine areas from permanent autonomous observatories for detecting biological, anthropogenic, and geophysical components. Noise analysis and assessment of ecological dynamics of marine mammals. Distribution and density analysis of maritime traffic and interaction with large mammals. Marine traffic, detection of large mammals, and correlation with sea ice. Coastal meteorology using SAR satellite data, wind from SAR and subsequent ice identification, and AI algorithms (local filters). Techniques for detecting, through the integration of remote and in situ sensors, sea level change trends at regional scales and their connection with subsidence phenomena. Chemical-physical and biological observations by sensing and point measurements in limnological environments in polar areas.

Figure 1 - Atlantic walrus acoustic signals: Spectrogram of the sounds (series of clicks or "knocks") produced by the Atlantic walrus, Odobenus rosmarus, underwater. The graph, produced in MATLAB(c), has a temporal resolution of 0.003 s and a frequency resolution of 0.128 Hz. The acoustic recording was performed by an underwater bottom recorder positioned within Kongsfjorden - Svalbard Islands.
Listen:

Figure 2 - Sentinel 3: In the image acquired by the Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI) sensor of the Sentinel 3A satellite on Aug. 28, 2021, the Svalbard Islands archipelago (79 N, 17 E) can be seen as RGB (bands 4, 6, 8, 9, and 14 combined by enhanced true color visualization. Several perennial glaciers are visible, almost uniformly covering the tops of the islands in the archipelago. Cloud formations obscure the sea view to the north and west of the image. Ny-Ålesund, on the north-western edge of the archipelago's largest island, Spitsbergen, is home to the permanent base "Dirigibile Italia", CNR"s multidisciplinary research station in the Arctic.

Pedosphere

Biological and geological responses of soils and vegetation cover in the Arctic region to global warming; study of cause-and-effect relationships of permafrost greening and thawing processes and the carbon cycle using EO data, field radiometry, and geospatial models; analysis of the ecosystem dynamics of polar regions at different spatial and temporal scales, including extreme environments and modeling of alpine glaciers.

Figure 1 - PRISMA’s hyperspectral satellite sensor acquired this image in July 2020. It is a false colors composite: RGB = VNIR-42,22,15 on Barentsburg (Svalbard, 78.065041° N, 14.214635° E). The red color represents the vegetation coverage, and the light blue-to-white color gradient is related to the snow and ice presence. The plumes near the coastline are determined by sediments that reach the sea through the inland waters network. Credits: The color composite image is provided by the Institute of Polar Sciences (CNR-ISP) and the School of Advanced Studies (IUSS) under an ASI License to Use; Original PRISMA Product - © ASI - (2020). All rights reserved. Crediti: CNR-ISP; IUSS, Original PRISMA Product - © ASI - (2020).

Figure 2 - On the left: Image acquired by the active sensor of the satellite Sentinel 1 on April 17, 2023, visualized in RGB composite =VV+VH+VV. The Yukon Delta (Alaska) is covered by snow, highlighting the contrast between the icy delta branches and the sea ice (violet and blue). On the right: Image acquired by the passive sensor of the satellite Sentinel2 on June 9, 2022, visualized in RGB composite = 9-3-2. The Yukon Delta is totally greened by the arctic tundra (red) the characteristic wetlands appear as dark patches and a coastal plume of sedimentary origin contours the delta.

Cryosphere

Monitoring of snow cover characteristics, radiometry, and field measurements on ice and seasonal snow, by composing thematic maps from satellite data and developing operational services. Study of absorbing particles such as black carbon and organic carbon on snow cover, algal occurrence in glacial areas, and processes at the cryosphere-atmosphere interface. Paleoclimate and environmental processes analysis using long point data sets. Calibration and validation of EO data.

Figure 1 - Extract from the CNR Spectral Library "Sispec" which highlights the spectral behavior, detected in the field, of a snow surface and its snowy characteristics (shape and size of the grains)

Figure 2 - Image acquired by the hyperspectral sensor of the PRISMA satellite on August 7, 2020, visualized in pan RGB (VNIR) composite= 30-20-9. The extension of one of the glacial tongues located on the northern coast of Greenland can be seen, (81°14'36.57"N,52°10'29.56"W), and fragments of ice and the flow lines can be observed. © CNR-ISP, Original PRISMA Product © ASI(2020)

Thematic Area 2 - PALEOCLIMATE and PALEOENVIRONMENTS

The Anthropocene Epoch is a novel, yet unofficial, unit of geologic time, used to describe the most recent period in Earth’s history when human activity started to have a significant impact on the planet’s climate and ecosystems. The Anthropocene is also a period characterized by an unprecedented technology level that allows us to measure essential variables of the climate system (ECVs) at high temporal resolution (e.g. satellites) and forecast future climate scenarios using state-of-the-art supercomputers based on Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs). However, instrumental records exist only since the mid XX century while simulations are time-limited to a few centuries. Thus, it remains elusive whether the documented and predicted changes are part of the long-term natural variability of the climate system. In this respect, climate archives such as ice cores, marine/lake sediment cores, corals, speleothems and tree-rings offer an extraordinary perspective of the past climate evolution and, thus, they represent a fundamental benchmark to place on-going climate change into a larger context of long-term natural climate variability. In particular, the past climate is punctuated by important climate events that can be used as examples (not necessarily analogues) to assess the rate of natural changes and understand the interactions between critical components of the climate system including external and internal forcings. Thus, paleo-climatology is a fundamental research field for the study of the Anthropocene as it provides insight into how Earth's climate system works and how it may change in the future. This, ultimately, improves climate models by lowering uncertainties on future projections.
Natural archives of past climate history are pillars for paleoclimatologists as they literally represent time machines. Scientists look for clues of past events in these records as biological, geochemical, and sedimentary indicators used for the empirical quantification of climatic and environmental parameters, something generally referred to as proxies. Each type of archive comes with its benefits and drawbacks. Thus, paleo-studies greatly benefit from the integration of complementary archives together to have an interdisciplinary overview on how the climate system works.

Main ERC Panels:
• PE4_5 - Analytical chemistry
• PE4_18 - Environment chemistry
• PE10_1 - Atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric composition, air pollution
• PE10_3 - Climatology and climate change
• PE10_6 - Palaeoclimatology, palaeoecology
• PE10_8 - Oceanography (physical, chemical, biological, geological)
• PE10_9 - Biogeochemistry, biogeochemical cycles, environmental chemistry
• PE10_11 - Geochemistry, cosmochemistry, crystal chemistry, isotope geochemistry, thermodynamics
• PE10_18 - Cryosphere, dynamics of snow and ice cover, sea ice, permafrosts and ice sheets

Referents: Andrea Spolaor, Tommaso Tesi

Contact: info-paleoclimate AT isp.cnr.it

Sub-themes

Ice cores

Ice cores are among the best resolved archives of the past Earth climate to the point that it is possible to describe even seasonal climate oscillations. They are drilled on mountain glaciers and ice sheets, where year-round below freezing temperatures allow undisturbed solid deposition and preservation of the original stratigraphy. Ice cores recovered from Antarctica and Greenland provide the oldest records, covering respectively the last 800 000 and 125 000 years. Yet, important climate information can also be extracted from non-polar glaciers such in the Alpine, Andes and the Himalaya regions. Among the climatic information, ice core analyses can give insight to past temperatures, volcanism, winds, precipitation, aridity, solar activity, change in biogeochemical cycle and atmospheric composition. In particular, ice core records are valuable paleo archives for the past atmospheric composition since the ice can trap the chemical compounds and their abundance as well as the gasses concentration, preserved in the ice as air bubbles of an ancient atmosphere. Physical properties of the ice layers identified in the core can also be studied and provide the past history of ice sheet dynamics.

Sediment cores

Marine sediment records can span millions of years, with the resolution that can vary from centuries to seasonal deposition and thus they represent far the oldest climate archives available. Sediments cover all latitudes meaning that they can provide information about different environmental conditions and, thus, can resolve different aspects of the climate system from the Equator to Polar Regions. Lake sediments are complementary to marine archives as they provide information about the terrestrial environment although their temporal range is usually much narrower. There is a wide range of proxies that can be analyzed in sediments to describe several Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) during different periods of the Earth’s history. The most common ECVs studied through sediments include, among the others, surface ocean and atmospheric temperature, salinity, sea ice distribution and ice-sheet dynamics, precipitation on land, dissolved oxygen content, sea level change, ocean current energy, ocean pH, nutrient availability and primary productivity. Overall, proxies analyzed in sediments can be grouped into three main categories: sedimentological, geochemical and ecological parameters. Sedimentological proxies typically provide information about the paleo-depositional environment that changes over different climate conditions. Geochemical proxies embrace a wide number of organic molecules and inorganic elements including their isotopes and reflect an extensive range of biotic and abiotic processes all driven by climate. Finally, ecological proxies are mostly fossils (e.g. diatoms, foraminifera) whose original community structure varies as a function of the paleo-climate conditions.

Corals

Cold-water corals (CWC) are widely distributed to great depths (from the intertidal to more than 4000 m) in all ocean basins, and occur as massif coral reefs, coral carbonate mounds, or coral patches. CWC are one of the few organisms that can calcify within corrosive undersaturated environments, common to the very cold depths of the high latitudes in the Southern Ocean waters (including Antarctica) and North Atlantic. CWC have unique advantages compared to other established sedimentary archives: 1) they can be radiometrically dated using both 14C and U-series and techniques; the latter to better than 1% accuracy, 2) they incorporate trace elements, stable and radiogenic isotopes reflecting seawater temperature, nutrient content, pH and dissolved inorganic carbon, ventilation age and water mass provenance and 3) their relatively massive size allows multiple proxies to be applied within a single individual specimen. Furthermore, their slow growth rate (~ 0.1 mm/yr) and long life spans (~ 100-200 yr) enable quantifying sub-decadal scale oceanic variability at a range of depths in the subsurface ocean for century-long time slices through much of the last glacial period and deglaciation. Therefore, CWC has the potential to reconstruct key physico-chemical parameters of the high latitude North Atlantic and Southern Ocean and reveal critical aspects of the recent warming in the Arctic and Antarctica in relation to the climate-ocean dynamics (e.g. changes of AMOC and ACC) and the major modes of atmospheric variability at decadal timescale.

Speleothems

Speleothems, and in particular stalagmites, are a widely used paleoclimate archive given that they can grow continuously for thousands of years, resist alteration, be precisely dated, and provide high resolution paleoenvironmental information. Karstic cave environments are present worldwide at all latitudes and can thus provide complementary records to marine sediments and ice cores, at comparable resolutions and times scales (>500 kyr BP), and with an ability to preserve multiple independent climate proxies of local to regional processes at orbital to seasonal scale. The chemical composition of speleothems is determined by the composition of cave drip water, which in turn is influenced by temperature, precipitation, vegetation composition, and environmental changes occurring over the cave. Stable isotopes of oxygen and carbon, along with trace elements, are the primary well-established chemical markers used in speleothems for the reconstruction of long-term changes and patterns of periodic and abrupt climate oscillations affecting atmospheric and oceanic circulation. In addition, a newly developing field of research is showing the potential of trace organic compounds in speleothems for high-resolution reconstruction of fine-scale features such as paleofire frequency.

Glacier geomorphology

Glaciers release a vast set of geomorphological features able to maintain the memory of past glaciations and colder climate periods. As such, they are a useful paleoclimate proxy of past cold phases when conditions were more favorable to glaciation. Reconstructing the extent of paleoglaciers allows calculations on past glacier geometry, ice volume and thus the climate. In fact, the existence and dimensions of terrestrially terminating glaciers is controlled, to a first order, by climate, through variations in temperature and precipitation. When the geometry of a paleo glacier is inferred from geomorphological evidence, the ratio between the glacier accumulation area and the entire area of the glacier, which is called Accumulation Area Ratio (AAR) and is somewhat well known for different types of glaciers around the globe, allows calculation of the effective Equilibrium Line Altitude (effELA) of that glacier. The ELA joins points on a glacier where annual accumulation exactly balance annual ablation and therefore the sector of the glacier where the annual mass balance equal to zero. From this information, using empirical models and environmental lapse rate, is possible to infer the climatic conditions when that particular glacier was in equilibrium with the climate. The ELA can be modeled following an inverse approach based on bias corrected annual precipitation and summer temperature, considering the glacier at a steady-state during the simulation. The so-calculated ELA is defined as the Environmentla ELA (envELA and represents the lowest boundary of the climatic glaciation. Eventually, areas where the envELA is lower than the topography indicate conditions supporting the existence of glaciers, supporting geological and geomorphological evidence on the ground. Such a procedure is useful for both paleoglaciers extension and future scenarios.

Thematic Area 3 - CHANGES in POLAR SYSTEMS

Changes and evolution of polar systems: processes, feedback mechanisms and interactions on a global scale

The Earth system is highly interconnected. In this thematic area research activities are aimed at deepening our understanding of the processes and interactions among the different components of the climate system and assessing its responses to global changes. A more comprehensive and holistic understanding of the polar system is needed to guide future climate policy decisions. The knowledge of the characteristics of the polar atmosphere is crucial for studying the biogeochemical cycles of natural chemical species, the long-range transport processes of pollutants and climate-altering compounds and the feedback mechanisms triggered by the atmospheric warming and the interaction of the atmosphere with the cryosphere and oceans.
The cryosphere constitutes a very fragile portion of the Earth system, made even more vulnerable by climate change. Through multidisciplinary and interconnected research activities, the study of snow and ice, their chemical composition and their main physical parameters, the evolution of the permafrost and the increased melting impact on the atmosphere, biosphere and hydrosphere at both regional and global levels is being pursued.
The hydrosphere consists largely of the oceans, which influence the Earth system in all its spheres by storing and redistributing fresh water, heat, climate-altering gases, and other particulate and dissolved substances. Oceanographic research supports more accurate predictions of global changes by studying the chemical and physical properties of seas and oceans, their movements, energy exchanges with the atmosphere, the organisms that inhabit them, and the geological structure of ocean basins. Polar limnological environments are studied as both sentinels of climate change and to investigate the responses of their short trophic net to these changes, including anthropogenic perturbations.
Polar ecosystems are an important reservoir of natural resources and can partly mitigate the effects of climate change from which they are threatened today. The study of biodiversity and resilience to global changes with an ecosystem approach, integrating the influence of environmental factors, community-level interspecific relationships, and socio-economic aspects is a challenge for effective and sustainable management of natural resources.

Main ERC Panels:
• LS8 - Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology
• PE4 - Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences
• PE10 - Earth System Science
• SH2 - Institutions, Values, Environment and Space
• SH7 - Human Mobility, Environment, and Space

Referentes: Nicoletta Ademollo, Maurizio Azzaro, Fabiana Corami, Federico Giglio, Stefania Gilardoni

Contact: info-polarchanges AT isp.cnr.it

Sub-themes

Atmosphere

The atmosphere as an environmental matrix proves to be a medium of rapid global dispersion of climate-altering compounds and pollutants. Various compounds characterize the atmosphere; among these, climate-altering compounds, i.e., greenhouse gases that affect the Earth's energy and heat balance, and atmospheric aerosols, are of relevant interest. Due to its characteristics of stability and thermal inversion and the presence of the polar vortex, the polar atmosphere is an ideal observatory to be able to assess the energy exchanges and interactions of various phenomena with atmospheric circulation, including at different spatiotemporal scales, transport to high latitudes, aerosol composition, and biogeochemical cycles of the natural chemical species and pollutants present. Atmospheric aerosols play a key role in human-induced climate change because they influence the planet's radiative budget (absorption and scattering of solar radiation and surface albedo), cloud formation, and properties. In particular, atmospheric aerosols influence and amplify climate change. Atmospheric particulate matter consists of particles of natural origin (volcanic eruptions, fires, ocean emissions, resuspension of soil dust) and particles of anthropogenic origin (industrial emissions, combustion processes, micro- and nanoplastics). It is critical, thus, to identify chemical, biochemical, and biological tracers to study the origin and composition of polar aerosols and understand their climatic feedback. Although present in trace amounts, organic compounds, black carbon, sea salt, and microplastics (< 100 µm) may act as cloud condensation nuclei, thereby affecting albedo and precipitation, as well as radiation budget and climate. Black carbon, microplastics, and dust could also act as ice-nucleating particles. The presence of these particles in the atmosphere and sea ice impacts albedo and can alter sea ice permeability and solar radiation absorption with feedback on sea ice melt. In a rapidly changing polar area like the Arctic, microplastic pollution adds to the effects of climate change in terms of sources, transport processes, feedback, and ecological consequences. Other stressors present in atmospheric aerosols may include medium volatile organic compounds, water-soluble compounds, phenolic compounds, and trace elements. The presence of chemical stressors affects the physical dynamics of the atmosphere, mainly through interaction with both solar and terrestrial radiation, helping to amplify the increase in air temperature, which in turn impacts sea ice melting, humidity, cloudiness, and precipitation, significantly affecting the climate system. Monitoring the physical parameters and processes and the dynamics of the atmosphere through the use of various measurement methodologies (including remote sensing) is essential for the in-depth understanding of the synergies between the various components and for developing increasingly efficient weather-climate forecasting models. It is necessary to study in depth all the processes that characterize the atmospheric boundary layer to improve the quality of the results of weather and climate forecasting models.

Biosphere

Global changes are the effects of the interactions between different phenomena and changes that are occurring on a planetary scale; from global warming to climate changes, from increasing carbon dioxide to rainfall and oceans acidification, from melting and retreating glaciers, thawing permafrost, rising sea levels and changes in marine and ocean circulation, and extreme weather events. In addition, residues from anthropogenic contamination and pollution activities accelerate destructive processes. These mutual interactions affect both Polar Regions by leading to dramatic changes in the behavior and physiology of species, ecosystems and biodiversity. The Polar Regions have enormous natural resources and provide, for example, some of the most productive fisheries on the planet. However, polar environments and ecosystems are fragile and vulnerable. Our research focuses on understanding the effects of change on ecosystems with a holistic view: from microbial communities to higher organisms with both a local and circumpolar view.
In this thematic area, with a strongly multidisciplinary approach, we consider different aspects of polar ecosystems (both Arctic and Antarctic) and the services they provide: from the impact of natural and anthropogenic pressures on both marine and terrestrial polar ecosystems, to the ability of species and ecosystems to respond to these changes.
Understanding polar ecosystems through the study of biodiversity and resilience to environmental change is critical to developing ecosystem-centered conservation and management strategies. Specifically, the topics covered are:
• structure and functioning of polar ecosystems.
• Ecosystems responses to natural and anthropogenic drivers.
• Influence of climate change on pollutant levels in biota and trophic nets.
• Ecosystems modelling also in light of future changes.
• Role of protected areas in polar areas.

Main ERC Panels:
• LS8 - Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology
• PE4 - Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences
• PE10 - Earth System Science

Cryosphere

The melting of ice caps and glaciers in general, the consequent change in sea level, the acclaimed collapse of the glacial shelves highlight how this part of the cryosphere is a fragile portion of the Earth system. Glaciers are unique climatic archives. Ice cores, both from polar areas and from glaciers at medium latitudes make it possible to study climatic and palaeoclimatic events that have occurred over time in order to evaluate the impacts on the climatic evolution of our planet produced by forcers such as volcanic and fire emissions, as well as sea ice, oceanic productivity and anthropic pressure. The response of glaciers, and in particular those of the alpine type and not connected to large caps, depends on the evolution of the Equilibrium Line Altitude (ELA). In addition to local factors, the ELA mainly depends on climatic parameters and modulates the areal variations of the glacial and nival accumulation basins. As such, ELA represents a very powerful tool for the reconstruction of glacial masses both from a palaeoclimate point of view and for future projections. Further diagnostic elements are provided by the marine climatic archives, which allow the reconstructions of the climate and of specific components of the earth system.
Snow affects the mass balance of glaciers and polar caps, reflects the chemical composition of the atmosphere and interacts dynamically with all the other environmental components of the Polar Regions. It represents an extremely reactive portion of the cryosphere where multiple post-depositional processes can take place. The study of the snowpack in these regions therefore becomes fundamental for understanding the processes, interactions and changes due to the ongoing climate change, and for evaluating the effects on the global system. It is also fundamental for understanding the mechanisms of re-emission of compounds accumulated during the polar night and the relevant impact that such release can have on polar bio-geochemical cycles. Snow dynamics can also be impacted by the presence of light absorbing particles deposited from the atmosphere, or re-emerged by seasonal melting. This process has a direct effect on the reflectivity of snow and has an impact on the surface hydrology of areas covered by snow and ice.
Permafrost stores large quantities of organic carbon (OC) and greenhouse gases. The temperature increase due to climate changes causes the degradation of significant portions of permafrost, as highlighted by the deepening of the surface active layer, making the stored OC content available for microbial decomposition. The metabolic processes and the degradation of frozen soils can therefore release significant quantities of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide and methane, leading to further atmospheric warming. The extent, the speed of thawing, the spatial variability of these processes are still poorly understood and represent one of the main unknown factors in the prediction of climate feedback. In addition, viruses and bacteria segregated in the permafrost could be reactivated and circulated in food webs. The risks associated with the degradation of rock permafrost in mountain environments, both alpine and polar, as well as those deriving from the growing contraction of the underground cryosphere, represent new challenges to be faced in the near future. Furthermore, underwater permafrost, formed during the last ice age, represents a very important factor for the stability/instability of coastal areas and structures founded on the seabed.
The Institute of Polar Sciences research investigates snow and ice, their chemical composition as well as the main physical parameters, the evolution of permafrost and the impact that permafrost degradation has on the atmosphere, biosphere and hydrosphere, both regionally and globally.

Hydrosphere

Most of the water in the hydrosphere is contained in the oceans, and marine currents are the most efficient system for heat distributing around the world. In this sense, the oceans and the movements of water masses are one of the main factors in controlling the global climate. In the polar areas occur the most important processes for ocean-atmosphere heat exchange, this is the reason because studies of the hydrosphere in high-latitude areas assume extraordinary importance in understanding global change. The southward retreat of the great chemical-physical Fronts (i.e. Polar Front, sub Antarctic front, etc.) identified by the convergence of different water masses in Antarctica and the significant increase in the Arctic phenomenon named Atlantification are some examples of processes that best describe how global warming is acting on Polar marine environments.
Ocean currents in controlling Terrestrial climate dynamics act both by means global mechanisms mainly related, as already described, to the efficiency of heat transport from equatorial areas to other latitudes, but also through regional processes with locally very strong impacts. To the oceanic water masses have been attributed an important role in the great polar glaciers melting and, in particular, in accelerating the process of melting of the great Arctic and Antarctic ice caps. The stability of these caps remains, to this day, one of the fundamental requirements in order to maintaining the Earth's thermal state in an acceptable equilibrium.
Sea currents transport not only energy, in terms of heat, but also dissolved substances, gases and marine particles that significantly influence the very composition of the waters and, ultimately, the Earth's climate. The study of the geochemistry of polar water masses, in particular by the acquisition of long time series of data, allowed to assess the relationships between the different water masses (recently formed and/or "old" water from lower latitudes), to understand the processes currently in progress and to provide the necessary data for models formulation and implementation, useful to understand the interaction of the different water masses and, more generally, the evolution of the Earth's climate system. Ocean currents carry in their Particles suspended loading, not yet fully quantified, of pollutants and microplastics that have a significant impact on polar ecosystems.
Changes in the composition of polar waters that are rapidly occurring, as result of global change processes also have a strong impact on the biotic compartment in the sea water. Changes in the composition of water masses also lead to changes in oxygen and nutrient inputs, thereby influencing marine biological components. The long polar night strongly affects organic production under the seasonal sea ice, especially in terms of the flow of matter available to the marine trophic network. Marine basins are also ultimate receptors of all detrital and organic particulate matter washed from the continent. A stream of continental-derived material along with residual organic matter originating from primary productivity from the photic layer precipitates continuously along the water column.
The portion of free (runoff) fresh water that is part of the hydrosphere is a minimal but fundamental amount for the development of vegetation in the soil and thus favours the transfer of carbon along the trophic network. Current climate changes, progressively favour its circulation in the active permafrost layer. In addition to this water, rivers in the Arctic are important vehicles of biotic and abiotic substances to the sea, including pollutants. Polar lakes are terrestrial boundary sites for aquatic species, whose blooming is generally inversely proportional to their height above sea level and closeness to glaciers, where bird species are important for nutrient input.

Lithosphere

The portions of the lithosphere most subject to changes in relatively rapid times are the more superficial portions of the continental and oceanic crust in its most coastal part. In these areas, also defined as "Critical Zones", the main processes of interaction with all the other environmental compartments take place. Terrestrial dynamics are expressed through the two main processes of erosion and sedimentation. In the polar areas, and in particular in the Arctic, these processes are particularly relevant given that the retreat of the glaciers and the warming of the soil favor the erosive action of the rains with consequent washout of large quantities of eroded soil towards the sea. Much of this particulate matter, whose composition is directly linked to the characteristics of the surrounding environment, settles on the sea bed in continuous layers over thousands or millions of years. For this reason, the marine sediment cores taken in the polar seas are a very important environmental archive, in which the main recent climatic events and those of the geological past are recorded. Through the study of these archives it is possible to evaluate the impact that natural forces have had and may have on the climatic evolution of our planet.
Another important phenomenon is the degradation of the permafrost due to global warming and the consequent release of large quantities of greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide. The importance of this phenomenon is due to the immense quantity of climate-altering gases stored in the soil whose degradation would release concentrations of greenhouse gases that would have no equal in the recent era of the Earth's history. This release of such a large quantity of greenhouse gases inevitably impacts with negative feedbacks towards the other spheres of the Earth System and with catastrophic repercussions in particular on the fragile balance of the biosphere. In this context, the study of the key processes taking place in the Critical Zone are fundamental to understanding the evolution of the changes to which the polar areas are subject. Furthermore, the reduction of the permafrost on the one hand leads to the enlargement of the thickness of the active layer and on the other it could bring old microorganisms that were previously segregated. Such a biological resource is a genetic reserve to be studied also for biotechnological purposes, but it is also a potential reservoir of hitherto unknown pathogens.
The modifications of the lithosphere caused by climate change can influence the transport of pollutants towards the deeper layers of polar soils. In the portion of the lithosphere related to Plasticene, the plastic particles could favor the thaw of ever deeper portions of the permafrost, varying the dynamics of the environmental fate of the pollutants. As far as the deeper portions of the lithosphere are concerned, the research activities are focused more on the more superficial effects highlighted by the presence of hydrothermal vents in the sea and/or other geothermal phenomena present in the lithosphere in polar areas.

Thematic Area 5 - BIOSCIENCES

The Biosciences thematic area deals with the study of the biosphere in polar areas at different levels of biological complexity, from molecules to ecosystems and up to biomes. In particular, the attention is focused on the description and quantification of the biodiversity of the organisms that inhabit polar environments, to evaluate their structural and functional complexity. In this regard, scenarios of population shifts, changes in biodiversity and biogeochemical processes deriving from climate change and human impact are evaluated. The main interest is focused on the interactions between biological and ecological aspects, together with abiotic processes and effects on the carbon cycle and energy flows in the polar regions. Further fields of investigation concern the research of biomolecules of microbial origin, the ability of polar microorganisms to degrade organic contaminants and astrobiological aspects linked to life in extreme environments.
The central themes of the research carried out within the Biosciences Thematic Area are (1) structural and functional organization of polar ecosystems and dynamics of populations and communities; (2) response of individuals, populations and communities to external influences of climatic and anthropogenic origin (including loss and fragmentation of habitat, withdrawal, extraction, pollution, etc.); (3) biotechnological implications deriving from adaptation to low temperatures and/or other physical-chemical factors.
Research objectives include:
• the study of structural and functional diversity and the ecophysiology of polar organisms, to shed light on the limits of adaptation, also in relation to climate change and human impacts;
• the study of biogeochemistry and ecology in marine and terrestrial habitats at the Poles, including the environmental factors controlling biological interactions;
• the estimation of the biotechnological potential of organisms adapted to life at low temperatures and/or other physical-chemical factors;
• the exploration of behavior and evolution of polar ecosystems, through spatial-temporal analyses of ecological processes;
• the management and conservation of polar marine resources;
• comparison between trends observed in polar areas and middle latitudes. The Thematic Area Biosciences is organized into the 4 sections, i.e. Biodiversity and adaptation, Biogeochemistry, Biotechnology and Astrobiology.

Main ERC Panels:
• LS8 - Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution
• LS9 - Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering
• PE10 - Earth System Science

Referents: Angelina Lo Giudice, Mario La Mesa, Cairns Warren Raymond Lee

Contact: info-biosciences AT isp.cnr.it

Sub-themes

Biodiversity and adaptations

Polar biological communities are generally subjected to the influence of various factors concomitant with low temperatures, such as dehydration, ice cover, low nutrient availability, exposure to harmful solar radiation (e.g. UV-B radiation), highly variable light periods and, in specific cases, high salinity and osmotic stress. Biodiversity guarantees the functioning of all ecosystems, so studying the properties and temporal evolution of polar ecosystems is a tool of fundamental importance for improving our knowledge on their current state and for making future predictions in relation to climatic change. The analysis and monitoring of the biodiversity of biological communities and their ecological dynamics constitute the focal point of this research topic. Of particular interest is the study of morphological-functional adaptation mechanisms adopted by polar organisms for survival in extreme conditions. Temporal processes and spatial patterns of greening are also considered through remote sensing technologies, especially as a response to the deepening of the active layer of the Arctic permafrost.
The growing human footprint in the polar regions, already made vulnerable by ongoing climate change, can have negative effects through pollution, habitat destruction, introduction and proliferation of invasive/alien species and overexploitation of resources. The study of the levels of contamination and of the potential for bioaccumulation and biomagnification in the food web makes it possible to provide integrated information on the ecosystem by identifying the hotspots in which species may be more vulnerable and sensitive to climate variability. Of interest is also the study of the colonization processes of plastic polymers, with structural and functional analysis of microbial biofilms (plastisphere) and their response to anthropic/natural forces.

Main ERC Panels:
• LS8_1 - Ecosystem and community ecology, macroecology
• LS8_2 - Biodiversity
• LS8_5 - Biological aspects of environmental change, including climate change
• LS8_12 - Microbial ecology and evolution
• LS8_13 - Marine biology and ecology
• PE10-1 - Atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric composition, air pollution
• PE10_17 - Hydrology, hydrogeology, engineering and environmental geology, water and soil pollution

Biogeochemistry

The research activities concern the study of marine and terrestrial biological processes that modulate and influence the chemical characteristics of polar environments and the related cycles of matter and energy, and changes in their relationships driven by climate. Particular attention is paid to the evaluation of the role of microorganisms in the global carbon cycle and in the biogeochemical cycles of nutrients (e.g. nitrogen, phosphorus) of marine and limnological environments (lakes and rivers), through the study of both productive and degradative processes. Among these, the activities involved in the production, decomposition and mineralization of organic polymers, through estimation of microbial activity rates (enzymatic and respiratory). Analyses are also carried out on bacterial strains isolated from environmental matrices or associated with organisms, to characterize their biochemical profiles and potential in decomposition and mineralization processes of organic matter. The data obtained constitute an indispensable tool for understanding the response of microbial communities to environmental variations and potential impacts on the functioning of the polar ecosystem. The biogeochemical processes mediated by the microbial component are also being studied in the cryosphere to understand the ecological significance of microbes in snow and the permafrost, and their ability to maintain an active metabolism under extreme living conditions.

Main ERC Panels:
• LS8_10 - Ecology and evolution of species interactions
• LS8_12 - Microbial ecology and evolution
• PE10_9 - Biogeochemistry, biogeochemical cycles, environmental chemistry

Biotechnologies

Increased understanding of biological processes and recent advances in biotechnology enable the natural world to be used to drive advances in various industries, such as the development of drugs and food additives. In general, the term bioprospecting is used to indicate the exploration of living things and biological materials to search for biomolecules that may be useful for humankind. In this context, poorly known and poorly described genetic resources have a high potential for the discovery of new and valuable natural products. Therefore, polar organisms, given their peculiar metabolic capacities and physiological adaptations to extreme environmental conditions, are well suited to this purpose.
Furthermore, the development of new biotechnologies capable of carrying out bioremediation and bio-mitigation works on environmental matrices impacted by different types of pollutants (organic and inorganic) directly in-situ is not overlooked. This is done by stimulating the indigenous microbial communities, (aerobic, microaerophilic or anaerobic), including fungi and algae, to develop new bioremediation strategies (e.g. bioaugmentation, biostimulation, phytoremediation).
Psychrophilic bacteria, as a biological element, are used for the development of new biosensors for real-time monitoring, operating at low temperatures. Biosensors based on bacterial cells offer the advantage of having a high specificity towards the substrate and an immediate response mechanism, becoming a valid early-warning system to the presence (bioavailability) of a pollutant and its effect on living systems.

Main ERC Panels:
• LS9_4 - Microbial biotechnology and bioengineering
• PE10_17 - Hydrology, hydrogeology, engineering and environmental geology, water and soil pollution

Astrobiology

Extreme environments can be exploited as terrestrial analogues for the search for answers related to the origin, evolution, and distribution of life forms in the universe. Their geological and environmental parameters do not fully replicate, but certainly mimic those found for example on Mars and Venus, and the moons of Jupiter (for example Europa) and Saturn (Titan and Enceladus). In this context, to establish whether the physical/chemical conditions of a given celestial body can support life as we know it on Earth, some polar habitats are the object of investigations into galactic habitability. In fact, recent scientific evidence has shown that Antarctic hyper-saline lakes, sub-glacial lakes and even sub-glacial volcanoes have very strong similarities with possible life hot spots in extra-terrestrial contexts such as the Martian poles and the thick blankets of ice and the underlying oceans of Europa and Enceladus. These environments are suitable for testing methodologies, protocols, and technologies, for the search for possible traces of life in future space missions., For establishing the physical and chemical processes or the survival mechanisms and adaptation strategies of organisms to these extreme conditions. The information obtained through these studies are essential to improving our understanding of the metabolic capacities of polyextremophile organisms, in view of their possible use for biotechnological bioprospecting, and to broaden our knowledge on the environmental limits to which life is/was able to adapt, both in the present and in the geological past. Current frontier themes are the production of food and/or energy by microorganisms. These studies in the coming decades will be the basis for the next challenges in conquering new worlds.

Main ERC Panels:
• PE9_4 - Astrobiology

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