Aquatic Ecology Lab - Pavia

11/08/2026

Proud to be part of this project!

Project INVestigAting non-indigenous Species in hotspot areas of the IONian Sea (INVASIONS) targets ports and marinas as non-indigenous species (NIS) hotspots, combining field surveys, innovative collectors and molecular tools. It integrates existing and new data to (...) - [email protected]

04/08/2026

❕❗️❕[new publication]

🌱 Semi-natural streams of Northern Italy used for irrigation purposes had been identified as stepping-stone habitats for the endemic aquatic plant 𝐼𝑠𝑜𝑒̈𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑎 Cesati & De Not.

🦞 However, in this work we show that when diversity of alien invertebrate taxa is high, this critically endangered species is absent, hence suggesting the incorporation of biopollution metrics in the assessment of benthic habitats for conservation purposes.

🔗 Link to full text article in the first comment

28/07/2026

One of the special features of our MOOCs are the original video contents that we have co-designed with the digital artists of 4draw.

Don't miss the video-series of interviews dedicated to the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive, where our Alice meets international experts of marine alien species monitoring.

For example, in this video Dr Julian Evans of Malta University speaks about the specific challenges of carrying out alien species monitoring in a small country like Malta.

In this mini series of videos, Alice, the GuardIAn, is leading inte...

25/07/2026

🖊️Have you already signed up for our MOOCs on aquatic invasive alien species?

⚠️MOOC #1: PREVENTION
🔬MOOC #2: EARLY DETECTION AND MONITORING

If you haven’t yet, here are some excellent reasons to do so:

🔹They’re completely free
🔹They have been developed by a team of expert researchers and professional educators
🔹They are delivered asynchronously: you can take them whenever you like, taking as long as you need
🔹You’ll have a virtual guide, Alice: follow her suggestions for a more interactive and comprehensive learning experience
🔹By passing the final exam – a multiple-choice test – you’ll receive a certificate issued by an academic institution: the Università degli studi di Pavia

☑️How does it work? It’s very simple: register for free on the ‘ECM lifelong learning’ website [🔗link in the first comment], search for the two courses with the GuardIAS logo, sign in and start exploring the teaching units

👍We’re working on producing a further three MOOCs on invasive aquatic alien species: keep following us so you don’t miss the upcoming releases

21/07/2026

New publication out!!!

Based on the discussions taken during the AZTI’s summer school held in June 2025 at the Aquarium of San Sebastián (Spain), this work addresses new technologies and approaches for marine biodiversity monitoring.

🔗Link to full text in the first comment

13/07/2026

The bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is the dolphin most commonly found off our coasts, where it finds ideal areas for feeding, breeding and rearing its young. 🌊🐬
For this reason, it is a species of great conservation interest, protected under the Habitats Directive (Annex II), and benefits from conservation measures such as the Pelagos Sanctuary and Marine Protected Areas and Parks, which are essential for preserving coastal habitats and reducing the impact of human activities, thereby contributing to the conservation of this keystone species.

10/07/2026

🇵🇹 🌊 Greetings from Peniche, Portugal!

​This week, Jasmine Ferrario attended the 59th European Marine Biology Symposium (EMBS 2026), hosted by the Polytechnic of Leiria and MARE research center.

​During the "Citizen science and participatory monitoring" session, she presented the results of the citizen science initiatives conducted in Italian marinas over the past year - a key part of the Horizon Europe GuardIAS project.

​Thank you to the organizers and colleagues for a fantastic week of great discussions and social events!! 🤝🍹

​ Università degli studi di Pavia

06/07/2026

A very welcome visit to Pavia today: our friend Anastasija Zaiko, founder of Sequench.co.nz. and an amazing scientist in the field of marine .
Thank you for the great chats and precious advice Ana!

05/07/2026

🧬 Summer School: 'GUARDING EUROPEAN WATERS FROM AQUATIC INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES USING E-DNA'

🇳🇴 Unforgettable experience in Norway for two members of our lab:
📍 our post-doc fellow Mar Santos
📍 our brand new PhD student Federica Soccio
Along with other master and PhD students of Università degli studi di Pavia, Mar and Federica joined a fantastic group of international trainers and students for a full-immersion week with inspiring lectures and field and lab practice about sampling protocols, sequencing technologies, bioinformatics, regulatory frameworks and FAIR data principles.

Everything surrounded by the breathtaking landscapes and amazing lab facilities of Nord universitet