TROPHYC is a project financed by the Italian Ministry of University and Research – MUR
Networking eng TROPHYC
Products TROPHYC
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TROPHYC is a project financed by the Italian Ministry of University and Research – MUR
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TROPHYC is a project financed by the Italian Ministry of University and Research – MUR
Products
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- Data Management Plan – The DMP defines the common and coordinated strategy adopted in the USEit project for the management of research products on invasive alien species following the principles of FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) and Open Science. The DMP takes into account all phases of the data lifecycle to ensure that the data collected and generated during the project activities are quality controlled, documented, archived and preserved for the long term, interoperable and made accessible for reuse in other projects or research activities.
- Synthesis from a national survey – This document stems from the responses to a national survey about the research activities focusing on the collection of data on Non-Indigenous Species (NIS) and provides an initial base for assessing the type and quantity of this information. The aim of this document is to stimulate reflections and concrete proposals to improve research processes on NIS in the light of current scientific knowledge, and to identify gaps and criticalities in data collection processes in order to improve the management of biological invasions in Italy, in both aquatic and terrestrial environments.
USEit is a project funded by the National Research Council of Italy
USEit è un progetto finanziato dal Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
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TROPHYC is a project financed by the Italian Ministry of University and Research – MUR
Work plan TROPHYC
The work plan proposes a multidisciplinary, crowdsourcing approach aimed at large-scale data collection on the trophic position and ecological impact of Atlantic blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) in different regions of the Mediterranean Sea. This will provide an advanced understanding of the trophic impact of the species and develop a more effective management of the impact of invasive alien species (IAS) to support the protection of the biodiversity and integrity of coastal ecosystems.
The work plan, carried out by experts in marine ecology and stable isotopes analysis, will be divided into five different Work Packages, described below.
WP1 – Project management – WP leader Unisalento
Work Package 1 is dedicated to the coordination and management of the project. Specifically, managing administrative aspects, monitoring activities, writing reports, and organizing meetings/workshops with all partners to define procedures, monitor progress, and ensure that project objectives are met.
WP2 – Inventory of blue crab populations and involvement of data providers – WP leader Unisalento
This Work Package will have as its main objective to assess the state of art of the presence of established Atlantic blue crab populations in the Mediterranean Sea, then identify project study areas and assemble a large group consisting of scientists, academics and governmental organizations (data providers – DPs). Activities within WP2 will include in detail the drafting of methodological guidelines for sample collection and pretreatment of them, the development of questionnaires to be provided to DPs to obtain quantitative assessments of the trophic impact of blue crab in the study areas and the organization of an informational meeting with DPs to discuss the protocols and methodologies to be followed.
WP3 – Stable isotope analysis – WP leader UNIPA
Work Package 3 is devoted to stable isotope analysis to estimate the diet and trophic position of Atlantic blue crab in different study areas in the Mediterranean Sea. WP3 activities include collection of blue crab and baseline bivalves samples from DPs, stable isotope analysis of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) to estimate the trophic position and isotopic niche of blue crab populations, in-depth analyses of the trophic preferences of blue crab in the study areas in Italy (Stagnone di Marsala and Lesina Lagoon) by collecting samples of potential plant and animal prey, and finally, the processing and analysis of collected data.
WP4 – AS-ISK, LEK, and data integration – WP leader UNIPV
The fourth Work Package will focus on collecting blue crab impact data by means of specific questionnaires submitted to DPs, the results of which will then be integrated with isotopic analyses. The three main activities planned are: the collection of AS-ISK and LEK questionnaires by the partners, analysis and summaries of the collected data by using spatial statistical methods similar to those used for SIAs, and integration of the data obtained from the questionnaires with those obtained by stable isotope analysis.
WP5 – Dissemination and outreach – WP leader CNR
Work Package 5 will focus on the dissemination of TROPHYC project results to various levels: the scientific community, the public, stakeholders, regional entities and international organizations. Planned activities include the production of scientific publications, press releases, involvement of entities and networks to maximize the dissemination of results and their impact on decision-making processes.
TROPHYC is a project financed by the Italian Ministry of University and Research – MUR
Documents for contributors
TROPHYC is a project financed by the Italian Ministry of University and Research – MUR
TROPHYC EN
In the last few decades, the introduction of invasive alien species (IAS) has been acknowledged as a major environmental issue worldwide, following the accumulation of evidence of their impacts on biodiversity, ecosystems, economy and human health. There is an urgent need to identify and test standardized and broad-scale indicators of the ecological impact of IAS in order to implement effective strategies of control and mitigation. However, research focusing on IAS impacts is mostly performed at relatively small spatial scales and thus is inherently limited in generalizability. This is particularly manifest for marine bioinvaders, for which large knowledge gaps exist, with consequences in terms of underestimated risks and delayed or, even worse, ineffective management. For consumer IAS located at various trophic levels, recent meta-analytical investigations have indicated that native responses to invasion depend critically on the invader’s trophic strategy.
The TROPHYC proposal builds on these premises, and proposes an advancement of the understanding through a methodological approach based on crowdsourced data. Specifically, the general aim of TROPHYC is to use the current invasion of the Mediterranean Sea by the invasive Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus as a model to study the geography of the trophic impact of a consumer IAS. Target research groups will be identified throughout the whole Mediterranean basin and invited to provide specimens of blue crabs from local established populations and available knowledge on blue crab invasion in the geographical area of competence. Stable isotope analysis will be carried out on collected samples to estimate the trophic position and isotopic niche metrics of the different populations, providing an assessment of the crab’s potential trophic impact of the blue crab by a conventional scientific knowledge (CSK) approach. At the same time, information on the species impact will be collated by using formal risk screening tools (AS-ISK) and local ecological knowledge (LEK) of target research groups. CSK and LEK data will be ultimately integrated in a Cumulative Impact Indicator within a spatially-explicit context. By means of a previously unattempted effort to collect and share standardized, broad-scale CSK and LEK information on an invasive species, TROPHYC will provide a valuable support to the management of C. sapidus in invaded Mediterranean waters, and will constitute a proof of concept that could be adapted to other invasive consumers at both a EU and global scale, ensuring replicability and a long-term scientific impact of the project.
TROPHYC is a project financed by the Italin Ministry of University and Research - MUR
Team TROPHYC EN
Project members
Giorgio Mancinelli
University of Salento
Salvatrice Vizzini
University of Palermo
Agnese Marchini
University of Pavia
Lucrezia Cilenti
national research Council of Italy
TROPHYC is a project financed by the Italin Ministry of University and Research - MUR
Publications TROPHYC
TROPHYC is a project financed by the Italin Ministry of University and Research - MUR