Cresci Blu Reef / IFAA 2024

During the coring operation, high stability is required due to the brittleness of the coralligenous samples.  In order to reach this stability, the ROV has to be firmly anchored to the reef surface. Hence, we designed an ad hoc anchoring system by testing different types of screw: the common ones used for wood, self-drilling screws, and finally drill bits commonly used for concrete and metals. The first two options failed because an excessive axial force was needed and the resulting thread was not able to withstand enough pulling force. Instead, the last option seemed to be the best since it allows easier penetration in the material. Then, a specifically designed test rig was used to find the current consumption and the axial thrust required to penetrate in the coralligenous sample.

However, drill bits alone are not sufficient to assure vertical force resistance so we are going to mate them with a rubber expansion sleeve. Once the holes are made, a mechanism is going to move up just the tip of the screws that is opportunely constrained to it by a sphere on the top. Hence, each rubber sleeve is going to be compressed and will expand providing sufficient grip with the sidewalls of the holes.

Specific tests already validated such a system but we cannot wait to try it underwater!

On the 7^th of June we had the pleasure to receive the visit of Maria Cristina Messa, Minister of University and Research, and Giovanna Iannantuoni, rector of University of Milano-Bicocca.

Guests had the opportunity to see Unical research facilities, in particular the STAR research infrastructure: a huge hangar hosting a linear accelerator that produces an electron beam of high peak current and high brightness used to generate X-ray beams. The high penetrating power of these radiation will allow the investigation of materials and devices through the acquisition of 3D tomographies providing for the first time the possibility of carrying out such analyzes on massive samples and/or heavy elements.

During the visit, Professor Maurizio Muzzupappa introduced the visitors to our first coral reef corer prototype. Its plastic components were 3d printed via Selective Laser Sintering and Multi Jet Fusion technology, while a 5-axis CNC machining centre was used to mill the metallic parts. Also, there are 3 electric brushless motors that will be easily controlled by a custom designed app on a waterproof tablet. In the next weeks we are going to run a series of laboratory tests on the underwater corer before allowing it to meet its favourite “meal”: the Coralligenous reef.

the XXI INQUA congress “Time for change” (https://inquaroma2023.org/) will be held in Rome (Italy) at the “La Sapienza” University from 14 to 20 July 2023.

We invite you to submit your abstract in our session “Conservation paleobiology: late Neogene to Quaternary records as a baseline for conservation of modern ecosystems” (Scientific theme: 4: Ecosystems and biogeography from latest Pliocene to “Anthropocene”).

Here is the link to submit your abstract: https://inquaroma2023.org/abstract-submission/

The deadline for the submission is November 1, 2022

Le unità di CrescibluReef sono molto orgogliose di presentare il progetto durante la Settimana del Pianeta Terra (dal 2 al 9 ottobre). Gli eventi si svolgeranno durante due giorni della settimana nelle sedi delle unità. La partecipazione è gratuita e aperta a tutti ma, per questione di spazi e organizzazione, è necessario prenotare la propria visita (www.settimanaterra.org). Di seguito trovate tutte le informazioni necessarie per le varie sedi.

During the second 2022 summer campaign the team from the University of Catania performed a core drilling of the sediment surrounding the Coralligenous bioconstructions. The analysis of a small dredged portion of the substrate and overlying sediment will provide important data on the evolution of the studied Coralligenous. Furthermore, we have placed some Concretion Accretion Units (CAUs) , structures specifically built for evaluate the colonization processes and the carbonate production.

Summer 2022 is a very important period for the CBR project. One year has passed since the project has started and it is time to check the progresses, assess the situation and continuing with the analysis and monitoring.

The first of these summer campaign has been carried out by the team from the University of Milano-Bicocca. During this period the CBR team has done ROV immersions, SCUBA diving for sample collection (always aided by the SUTTAKKUA diving), photogrammetry of the seafloor, retrieval of the monitoring equipment deployed in the last year.

The CBR team took part to the “Paleodays 2022” conference organised by the Italian Paleontological Society in Asti (Piedmont, Italy). It was the perfect occasion to showcase the project and expose our progresses to the scientific community!

During the CBR5 campaign (in February), the team, with the precious help from Suttakkua diving, has deployed some instruments to collect data on the temperatures, light exposure and currents on the Coralligenous area in Marzamemi.

The currentometer has been set on the sea floor (using some heavy ballast), where he will measure the direction and strenght of the currents. Then, other instruments will measure the water temperature and sunlight changing throughout the many months that they will be underwater.

During the CBR4 campaign the staff from the University of Catania (with the help of Suttakkua diving) has recovered a sediment core off the Marzamemi coast. The analysis of the sediments of this area could give us extremely important information on the Coralligenous colonization and growth.

Here comes the funny part of the research! 

A fundamental step of the research is understanding what species contribute to the formation of the bioconstructions. We are consolidating previous knowledges about the role of the different taxa, which are the constructors, the bafflers, the binders, the dwellers and the destroyers, but we are also having knew interesting discoveries!

At the University of Catania we are focusing on serpulids, bryozoans, foraminifers and ostracods, finding a lot of species, of which some were unexpected!