Foreword
This new book, as described in the Preface, presents a collection of contributions
by several participants of the First National Congress of Marine Sciences organized by the CoNISMa.
The 62 selected papers, grouped into seven sections, deal with a number of
significant and current topics of marine research conducted at Mediterranean
stations mostly situated along the Italian coast. The focus of each section is clearly
expressed in the headings.
The research sites may be conceived as "key" or focal points in the study of
marine ecosystems. Indeed. the information collected transcends regional interests by promoting better understanding of the structures and processes characterizing a wide area of the Mediterranean basin.
The reader may easily note that in the entire book special attention is devoted
to the observed changes and the ensuing diversity in time and space. Temporal
diversity ranges from paleontological scales to shorter time scales. The latter is
the case, for instance, with chemical species, circulation patterns, energy fluxes
linking particulate matter with microbial communities, structure of food webs,
bacterial, plant and animal species, etc.
As to the disciplinary aspects, the majority of papers reflect a modern
approach, in both conceptual and methodological terms, and a marked tendency
to overcome the boundaries of specific disciplines. This applies particularly to
the evaluation of intraspecific biodiversity, where methods borrowed from molecular biology are largely utilized.
A multidisciplinary approach, with a large contribution from physiology and
biochemistry, is also adopted in those studies aiming to evaluate environmental
quality and to search for causes and mechanisms responsible for deleterious biological effects. This kind of approach may find practical applications, for
instance, in the rational management of coastal wetlands.
Apart from the valuable scientific results presented at the meeting, a novelty
to be stressed is the role played by the consortium. Far from being confined to
providing space to scientific debates, other important goals of the CoNISMa are
the identification of new themes, relevant also from the viewpoint of possible
applications; the organization and coordination of multidisciplinary research
programs; and the appreciable task of circulating the product in the national and
international scientific community.
Prof. BRUNO BATTAGLIA
Biology Department
University of Padova
Padova (Italy)
This new book, as described in the Preface, presents a collection of contributions
by several participants of the First National Congress of Marine Sciences organized by the CoNISMa.
The 62 selected papers, grouped into seven sections, deal with a number of
significant and current topics of marine research conducted at Mediterranean
stations mostly situated along the Italian coast. The focus of each section is clearly
expressed in the headings.
The research sites may be conceived as "key" or focal points in the study of
marine ecosystems. Indeed. the information collected transcends regional interests by promoting better understanding of the structures and processes characterizing a wide area of the Mediterranean basin.
The reader may easily note that in the entire book special attention is devoted
to the observed changes and the ensuing diversity in time and space. Temporal
diversity ranges from paleontological scales to shorter time scales. The latter is
the case, for instance, with chemical species, circulation patterns, energy fluxes
linking particulate matter with microbial communities, structure of food webs,
bacterial, plant and animal species, etc.
As to the disciplinary aspects, the majority of papers reflect a modern
approach, in both conceptual and methodological terms, and a marked tendency
to overcome the boundaries of specific disciplines. This applies particularly to
the evaluation of intraspecific biodiversity, where methods borrowed from molecular biology are largely utilized.
A multidisciplinary approach, with a large contribution from physiology and
biochemistry, is also adopted in those studies aiming to evaluate environmental
quality and to search for causes and mechanisms responsible for deleterious biological effects. This kind of approach may find practical applications, for
instance, in the rational management of coastal wetlands.
Apart from the valuable scientific results presented at the meeting, a novelty
to be stressed is the role played by the consortium. Far from being confined to
providing space to scientific debates, other important goals of the CoNISMa are
the identification of new themes, relevant also from the viewpoint of possible
applications; the organization and coordination of multidisciplinary research
programs; and the appreciable task of circulating the product in the national and
international scientific community.
Prof. BRUNO BATTAGLIA
Biology Department
University of Padova
Padova (Italy)