Research

Physical and chemical oceanography

ISMAR has a long recognised experience in marine studies, both in the coastal areas and in the open oceans. Cutting-edge research is carried out by combining long and short-term observational and modelling approaches, involving both analytical and numerical tools.

Geology and geophysics

ISMAR investigates the evolution of oceanic basins in response to plate tectonics and sedimentary processes. Partnerships with the industry and Government Institutions are established for the study of geo-hazards related to sedimentary processes and for researches in the petroleum geology field.

Coastal systems and human impacts

The coastal zone is one of the world’s areas more pervasively modified by humans over several millennia and even more since the industrial revolution. The Mediterranean Sea provides one of the most extensive and diverse variety of coastal environments in the world. The diversity of the Italian coasts reflects a great variety of landform types, climates and processes. ISMAR studies the driving processes and the response of coastal systems to the impacts of climatic fluctuations or longer-term climate change and man-related activities. These factors are included into improved environmental planning strategies.

Climate and paleoclimate

ISMAR contributes to study the natural variability of Earth’s climate and the impact of human activities that are stressing the climate system.

Ecosystems and biogeochemistry

ISMAR has a long tradition focused on the the study of the biological communities comprehensive study of biodiversity of marine ecosystemssystems, from transitional to deep-sea habitats, including extreme ecosystems inhabiting and from polar and to chemosynthetic environmentsenvironments.

Fisheries and aquaculture

Fisheries science is one of the main institutional mandates of ISMAR, aimed at managing and understanding problems linked to fisheries.

Technology

Technological studies in ISMAR are carried out in different field: - the fishery - the study of the behaviour of innovative metallic materials in the marine environment - the develop of tools for innovative sea-floor sampling

Support and Administration