Staff

1. Pessani Daniela (Coordinator)
2. Favaro Livio (Staff)
3. Mussat Sartor Rocco (Staff)
4. Nicola Nurra (Staff)
5. Laura Ozella (Staff)

Contacts

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Activity

In the marine environment, the concept of flora and fauna preservation is taking a more and more remarkable role with the consequent increasing of research and dedicated action. Our group performs researches finalised to knowledge and consequent better protection of three taxa:

1) the marine phanerogam Posidonia oceanica: particular attention is given to analysis, in the time, of the extension of meadows in Northern Mediterranean and of the associated fauna, both indicators of plant status;

2) three of the four species of the penguin belonging to Spheniscus genus are nowadays present in captivity: the study of social and acoustic behavior (adult behaviour, parent-
offspring communication, mate recognition, acoustic communication) and physiological stress (by means of the analysis of metabolites of faecal corticosterone) helps estimating 
wellbeing level of individuals and allows to improve animal management, with the aim of carrying out strategies of ex-situ conservation;

3) the comprehension of processes regulating the emission of vocalizations by tursiops in captivity, of the vocalizations ontogenesis as well as of the tursiops vocal learning capacity are aspects of the biology of said mammals who can help their better knowledge and more effective protection standards.