The project focuses on climate change and key ecological processes in Mediterranean aquatic ecosystems, associated with management models.

This project includes two subprojects: “Influence of environmental factors and conservation status on the carbon sequestration capacity of some types of Mediterranean wetlands: Implications for their management aimed at climate change adaptation and mitigation” (subproject 1) and “Climate change and emerging parasitoses on the Mediterranean coast” (subproject 2).

The activities of subproject 1 include:

• Field and laboratory manipulation experiments will be carried out to assess the role of the main environmental factors likely to influence the carbon balance of the wetland types studied
• Assessment of the effects of wetland management models on environmental characteristics and their role on the carbon cycle in the types of wetlands studied.
• Association of wetland management models to favourable situations in terms of carbon balance and good ecological status of the types of wetlands studied.

The project has yielded important results on the functioning of the carbon cycle and the ecological factors that influence it in Mediterranean coastal and Iberian saline wetlands. In this way, new scientific knowledge has been generated and published in this regard.

On the other hand, the study of the evolution of the parasitic species of the boga (Boops boops) in the Marine Reserve of the Island of Tabarca, has demonstrated the potential of the species-host system as an indicator of climate change, especially in natural reserves where other impacts of human beings are more controlled.

The activities of subproject 2 include:

• Preparation of the historical database for analysis in a “before-after” design: refinement of parasite identification, definition of functional groups, and analysis of data quality.
• Sampling, identification and quantitative characterization of Boops boops parasite populations and communities obtained around RMIT.
• Development of a standardized methodology for the discrimination of natural variability and the obtaining of specific indicators for host-parasite systems.
• Development of a standardized protocol of statistical testing and detailed statistical analysis of new data from parasite communities and historical data.