Biogeochemical cycles

Global climate and natural and anthropogenic environmental changes affect and are affected by the biogeochemical cycles, which may cause changes in planktonic productivity and food web structure, resulting in altered carbon portioning and biogenic fluxes.

In this framework, ISMAR are actively studying the biotic and abiotic processes that affect the basic elements such as carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, silicon in coastal and deep waters,  lagoon and transitional environments.

Research includes the study of nutrients in relation to hydrological and hydrodynamic conditions to analyze the temporal and spatial variability at different scales and the influence on the biological communities structure.

CO2 parameters and related biogeochemical properties at the oceanic and atmospheric boundary-layer and in sea waters are studied to understand the interactions and the feedbacks with the climate and environmental change and the effects on chemical equilibria and consequently on marine organisms and communities.

Primary production in the pelagic environment and the benthic-pelagic coupling by determining the vertical fluxes and export of organic carbon are analyzed in relation to the trophic web and to the physical and chemical variability.

The processes of transport and transformation of organic matter, occurring along the water column and at the bottom, are analyzed using chemical tracers, stable isotopes and radionuclides in different matrices, to obtain mass budgets of the key elements of the ecosystem. This study is particularly focused on the processes regarding the estuarine and continental sloop (canyon, etc).
Specific studies are focused on the sediment/water interface, regarding particularly the recycle to the overlying water or the definitely burial into the sediment of nutrients and contaminants.