LEVABENTOX 2. Integrated Surveillance of Toxic Benthic Dinoflagellates on the Spanish Levante Coast.
Pleamar program
The results of the LEVABENTOX project, of the 2023 call of the Pleamar Programme, have revealed proliferations of toxic dinoflagellates of the genus Ostreopsis and the presence of Gambierdiscus on beaches in Murcia and Almeria. These results justify the monitoring of these organisms, due to their potential impact on human health, the biodiversity of marine ecosystems and the coastal economy.
LEVABENTOX 2 will advance in its study, improving the knowledge of its diversity and dynamics by monitoring the most affected areas, and expanding the research to areas of the provinces of Almeria and Alicante. Coastal dynamics will be studied as a factor in their proliferation and metagenomic analyses will be applied for a more complete study of their taxonomy and biodiversity. In addition, the focus will be expanded to public health and fisheries, developing a cell bioassay for ovatoxins that can be used in monitoring and carrying out a preliminary screening to assess whether fish in the areas where Gambierdiscus was detected are bioaccumulating ciguatoxins that pose a possible health and economic risk.
Line of action:
Marine ecosystemsStatus:
En ejecuciónLocation
Andalusia, Valencian Community, Region of MurciaResearch line
Axis 7. Knowledge of the Marine EnvironmentExecution date:
2026End date:
2028Project web page:
https://www.programapleamar.es/proyectos/levabentox-2-vigilancia-integrada-de-dinoflagelados-bentonicos-toxicos-en-la-costa-del-0The general objective of the project is to expand the knowledge on the diversity, distribution and toxicity of potentially toxic benthic dinoflagellates (DBPTs) on the Levant coast, through an integrated approach that combines state-of-the-art molecular tools, microscopy, modelling of coastal dynamics and analysis of their presence in the food chain to contribute to the assessment of their ecological impact. health and socio-economic activities. The data characterising these ecosystems will be incorporated into the European Marine Observation and Information Network (EDMOnet).
Specific objectives:
OE0. Ensure that the knowledge obtained is freely accessible to the fishing community and the general public, and that it promotes the awareness of actors on the importance of addressing maritime spatial planning, taking into account criteria of sustainability and gender equality.
OE1. To deepen the characterization of the habitat and determine the abundance and spatiotemporal distribution of potentially toxic benthic dinoflagellate species in points of the coast of the Valencian Community, the Region of Murcia and northern Andalusia of fishing, recreational and conservation interest.
OE2. Implement a hydrodynamic model in the coastal zone to obtain the physical variables that characterize the sampling areas, such as the significant wave height, spectral energy of the waves or the dissipation of energy in the surf zone, in order to analyze their relationship with the proliferation of DBPT and optimize the spatial and temporal prediction tools
OE3. To identify the community of potentially toxic benthic dinoflagellates from the samplings carried out both in the previous LEVABENTOX project and in the samples collected in activities 1 and 2 of the LEVABENTOX 2 project, using metabarcoding, scanning electron microscopy, light microscopy and fluorescence microscopy techniques.
OE4. Characterize the marine toxin profile of the samplings carried out in activities 1 and 2.
OE5. To characterize the accumulation of toxins in fish in the Region of Murcia.
OE6. Develop and implement a system for access to georeferenced information, accessible to all actors and standardised according to the guidelines of the European Marine Observation and Information Network.
Polytechnic University of Cartagena (UPCT)
LEVABENTOX 2. Integrated Surveillance of Toxic Benthic Dinoflagellates on the Spanish Levante Coast.
back to search 