PhD program in
	Environmental Sciences
	Coordinated by Prof. Giuseppe Corriero

Sustainable aquaculture   G. Corriero, C. Nonnis Marzano, L. Stabili

This research project is aimed at improving sustainable use and management of vegetal and animal marine resources of traditional or recent commercial interest with respect to their so-called supply problem. In most cases, indeed, the limited availability of marine natural products makes them extremely vulnerable to intensive fishery, often leading to local extinction phenomena.

Additionally, the group has long been testing methods for both in situ and ex situ cultivation of macroalgae and sponges. Sponges are recently drawing a strong scientific attention as the marine invertebrates producing the largest number of bioactive compounds with potential therapeutic value. We are exploiting different functional approaches towards a better understanding of sponges' habitat conditions. This improved knowledge will be exploited for their cultivation in an aquarium which is quite problematic. In this context we are collecting data on their quantitative morphological features, growth dynamics, cell characterization, feeding physiology, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites.

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Published papers (selection) (click to download the pdf)

Stabili L, Licciano L, Longo C, Corriero G, Mercurio M: Evaluation of microbiological accumulation capability of the commercial sponge Spongia officinalis var. adriatica (Schmidt) (Porifera, Demospongiae). Water Research 42: 2499-2506 (2008)

Stabili L, Licciano M, Giangrande A, Longo C, Mercurio M, Nonnis Marzano C, Corriero G: Filtering activity of Spongia officinalis var. adriatica (Schmidt) (Porifera, Demospongiae) on bacterioplankton: implications for bioremediation of polluted seawater. Water Research 40: 3083-3090 (2006)

Perrone C, Felicini GP, Bottalico A: The prostrate system of the Gelidiales: diagnostic and taxonomic importance. Botanica Marina 49: 23–33 (2006)

Corriero G, Longo C, Mercurio M, Nonnis Marzano C, Lembo G, Spedicato MT: Rearing performances of Spongia officinalis on suspended ropes off Southern Italian coast (Central Mediterranean Sea). Aquaculture 238: 195-205 (2004)

Felicini GP, Bottalico A, Fanelli M: Morphogenesis in Pterocladiella capillacea (Rhodophyta, Gelidiales): bud differentiation in relation to irradiance-temperature combinations. Plant Biosystems 136:261-267 (2002)

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