Authors:
Mariacristina Prampolini, Valentina Grande, Fabio Di Giovanna, Taha Lahami, Marcello Felsani, Tiahana Marceta, Alberto Colletti, Tranquillo Placidi, Marian Birtu, Andrea Orsini, Daniele Gitto
Title:
BIODREAM25 Cruise
Page: 11
Year: 2026
Abstract:
BIODREAM25 cruise represents the second phase of restoration activities carried out in the
Bari Canyon (South Adriatic Sea) in the framework of the LIFE DREAM Project. The cruise aimed
at monitoring, exploring and sampling the cold-water coral habitats of the Bari Canyon, which
were the focus of active and passive restoration efforts during the ECOREST24 cruise
conducted in April 2024.
Tetrapods equipped with benthic cameras, current meter and temperature sensor have been
installed in the restored sites in the Bari Canyon to monitor the recolonization of the area. CTD
casts have been acquired and water samples collected for eDNA analyses, repeating the
transects acquired last year, to monitor eDNA variations through time.
Explorations using the Sub-Atlantic Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) by AALEA have been
conducted at specific sites where the Artificial Reef Structures (ARS) were deployed during the
ECOREST24 in 2024. In these sites, the ROV dives explored the ARS status, the colonization
stage, and allow collecting Madrepora oculata samples to perform DNA analyses. A new site
has been explored for the first time with the aim to validate habitat suitability models and
seafloor marine litter distribution models developed for the Adriatic Sea.
Box cores and manta net transects were performed to assess microplastic distribution in
surface sediments and water surface respectively, and to validate marine litter distribution
models developed for the Adriatic Sea
