Project description
The hidden role of rhodolith beds in climate and marine planning
Described as underwater, carpet-like communities of free-living, unattached red algae, rhodolith beds are important in marine ecosystems. However, little is known about how their spatial arrangement and connectivity with surrounding habitats influence key ecosystem functions such as carbon retention and sequestration. As a result, these habitats remain largely overlooked in marine conservation and climate mitigation strategies. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Programme, the SEAFUN project will investigate how environmental conditions, seascape connectivity and habitat configuration shape the functioning and climate resilience of rhodolith beds. Combining ecological modelling, connectivity analyses and climate change scenarios, SEAFUN will deliver scientific evidence and practical tools to support marine spatial planning and nature-based solutions that better recognise the contribution of rhodolith beds to healthy and climate-resilient seas.
Objective
Rhodolith beds (RBs) are among the most biodiverse yet overlooked marine ecosystems, despite covering >4M sq km globally and contributing to Earth’s biodiversity and carbon cycling. Their functions remain poorly quantified compared to other marine habitats, limiting integration into conservation strategies. SeaFun addresses this gap by developing spatially-explicit, functionality-integrated models for the Mediterranean’s largest RB in the Menorca Channel. The project hypothesizes that RB spatial configuration and connectivity enhance functions such as carbon storage and aims to translate these processes into decision-support tools for marine spatial planning (MSP) and nature-based solutions (NBS). While seascape ecology and Earth observation methods have advanced, no approach currently links RB spatial heterogeneity and connectivity with ecosystem function or climate resilience. SeaFun moves beyond state-of-the-art by combining remote sensing, ecology, graph theory, and scenario-based climate modelling in a novel multi-scale framework. The project is structured into four objectives: (1) map environmental drivers of RB function and carbon dynamics, (2) assess seascape connectivity using network analysis, (3) project RB resilience under IPCC-aligned climate scenarios, and (4) integrate outputs into spatial tools for MSP and NBS. A short stay in New Zealand will provide training in advanced seascape modelling, strengthening transferability of the methods to new systems. SeaFun will substantially advance my expertise in ecological modelling, seascape ecology, and science-policy integration, while building an international network. Beyond individual training, SeaFun will provide the first reproducible framework for RB functions, directly supporting the EU Green Deal, EU Nature Restoration Law, and UN SDGs 13, 14, and 15. By elevating RBs to the level of other blue carbon habitats, the project positions Europe at the forefront of marine biodiversity and climate solutions.
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 environmental engineering ecosystem-based management climate change adaptation
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology ecosystems
- natural sciences mathematics pure mathematics discrete mathematics graph theory
- social sciences economics and business economics sustainable economy
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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.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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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.
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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.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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28006 Madrid
Spain
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