Project description
Studying the effects of brine on the stress metabolism of protected seagrass Posidonia oceanica
Desalination has gained importance as a water management activity, particularly in countries along the Mediterranean seashore. The brine waste produced through desalination is directly discharged in the subtidal zone and can harm coastal communities, most of which are nurtured by seagrass meadows. The EU-funded OSMOTIC SEAGRASS project intends to study the effects of brine on the stress metabolism of the protected seagrass Posidonia oceanica. Through a series of laboratory- and field-based experiments, it will observe antioxidant metabolism, osmotic regulation and the whole transcriptome and contrast them with the physiology and primary metabolism. This work will provide insight into the tolerance mechanisms of Posidonia oceanica as well as tools for environmental biomonitoring.
Objective
Desalinization has become an important water management activity, Especially in countries along the Mediterranean Seashore. Desalination produces a discard of brines which are directly discharged to the subtidal; these can cause detrimental effects on coastal communities, most of which are nurtured by seagrass meadows. Posidonia oceanica is a protected seagrass, base of the most ecologically and economically important ecosystems along the Mediterranean coast. Our project aims to assess the effects of brines on the stress metabolism of P. oceanica through laboratory- and field-based experiments. We aim to provide insights of tolerance mechanisms through observations on antioxidant metabolism, osmotic regulation and the whole transcriptome; this will be contrasted with observations on the physiology and primary metabolism. Laboratory experiments can provide valuable information on specific metabolic features but do not necessarily represent responses at the natural, more complex, environment; in contrast, field observations denote responses under realistic conditions but lack information that can be attributed to specific stressors. In this context, the latter will provide valuable information on mechanisms to thrive under hypersalinity and contribute to study biomarkers that could act as environmental biotechnology tools to follow the extent of brine impacts. The research will be led Dr. Claudio Sáez, experienced researcher in the field of biochemical and molecular stress metabolism. Groups of Prof. José Luis Sánchez-Lizaso at Universidad de Alicante (beneficiary) and Dr. Juan Manuel Ruiz at the Spanish Oceanographic Institute (secondment), in addition to the Spanish Association of Desalination and Reuse (industry link) through Dr. Domingo Zarzo, will support the researcher to develop this interdisciplinary project that merges the expertise of highly achieved scientists in the areas of ecology, physiology, biochemistry, transcriptomics and innovation.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences marine biology
- engineering and technology chemical engineering separation technologies desalination
- engineering and technology environmental biotechnology
- engineering and technology environmental engineering natural resources management water management
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
-
H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme -
H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
See all projects funded under this programme
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2019
See all projects funded under this callCoordinator
Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
03690 Alicante
Spain
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.