Experimental Design and Assessment of Artificial Reefs

What is an artificial reef and why are we developing and using one? The artificial reef project has been ongoing since March 2017. It is a long-term project with the aim to successfully create reefs that increase biodiversity in the surrounding waters. The project is still in its experimental stage, but the long-term aim is

How eDNA is helping to Cast Light on the Noble Pen Shell

Have you ever stood on the shoreline, with waves lapping back and forth and allowed your mind to dive down into the mysterious world that lies beneath the waves? What creatures prowl the depth in search of their next meal? Dolphins, Sharks, Giant squid? What if I tell you that this mystery can be solved

Changing Biodiversity of Invertebrate Populations

  Mankind is having a major impact on every ecosystem on earth. From the very tops of the tallest peaks to the deepest abysses in our oceans, the world is changing, and how we measure these impacts, is also changing. Bioindicator species are helping us understand how we have affected our world and can even

Microplastics in Edible Fish and Invertebrates

Microplastics content found in edible fish and invertebrate species of the Eastern Aegean Sea, February 2018 The increasing abundance of marine plastic debris is a worldwide issue and it represents a critical threat in areas such as the Mediterranean Sea. Many studies so far already documented the negative effects of this global issue on marine

Abundance and Distribution of Echinoderms Throughout the Island of Samos

Echinoderms play an important role in marine, benthic ecosystems. They can be both carnivorous or, most importantly, grazers. The grazing of sea urchins specifically reduces the rate of colonization on bare rocks by settling organisms. This keeps algae in check, thereby enhancing the biodiversity of coral reefs. Despite that, echinoderms sometimes have large population swings

Determining the Ratio of Microplastic in Zooplankton in Surface Waters Surrounding Samos Island

The presence of vast amounts of plastics in our oceans is cause for great concern for our marine wildlife due to their toxicity, persistence and ubiquity. With the production of plastics increasing, these pollutants are entering our oceans and breaking down into microplastics (MPs) at an ever-increasing rate. Microplastics are buoyant fragments of <5mm which

Maritime ​Traffic​ ​Impact​ ​on​ ​Seagrass​ ​Vitality​ ​and​ Invertebrate​ ​Richness

Seagrass​ ​plays​ ​a​ ​vital​ ​role​ ​in​ ​the​ ​health​ ​of​ ​coastal​ ​ecosystems​ ​all​ ​across​ ​the​ ​world.​ ​It​ ​is​ ​useful​ ​in sediment​ ​stabilization​ ​and​ ​carbon​ ​storage,​ ​and​ ​it​ ​supports​ ​a​ ​very​ ​diverse​ ​set​ ​of​ ​organisms.​ ​The seagrass​ ​beds​ ​often​ ​house​ ​commercial​ ​invertebrate​ ​and​ ​fish​ ​species,​ ​and​ ​are​ ​therefore​ ​not​ ​only ecologically​ ​important​ ​but​ ​economically,​ ​as​ ​well. Seagrasses​

Identification of Bioindicator Species in the NE Aegean and Creation of a Photo Guide

The Marine Conservation Team of Archipelagos Institute has started to use marine bioindicator species to monitor ecosystems of the littoral zone. Bioindicator species are species which only can sustain within high quality environmental conditions. The use of Bioindicator Species is becoming of increasing importance as they can tell us more about the cumulative effects of

Daily Monitoring of Macroplastics

The long-term macroplastic monitoring project began in early June 2017 and has since been carried out almost daily in two beaches of SE Samos. Every weekday, two members of the research team go to the sites to collect all the debris left by the public and washed in by the sea. All the collected debris

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