Foreword
Silvana D'Angelo (*), Andrea Fiorentino (*) & Crescenzo Violante (**)
(*) Geological Survey of Italy - ISPRA.
(**) Institute for Coastal Marine Environment - CNR.
Volume: 134 (2015) f.1
Pages: 5-6
Abstract
Introduction
The Geological Survey of Italy – ISPRA undertakes marine geology as part of the national geological mapping project (CARG). Due to this activity, the marine geology working group of the Geological Survey of Italy has been involved in the international community of marine sciences, contributing to European projects and presenting results at several congresses.
The Institute for Coastal Marine Environment of the National Research Council (IAMC-CNR) deals with issues related to marine sciences, in particular in the domains of biology, chemistry, physics, geology, studies on renewable resources (fishing and aquaculture) and on marine technologies.
Among the diverse projects connected to marine geology carried on in recent years by the two Institutes, these latter have been involved in the GeoHab community.
The GeoHab (Marine Geological and Biological Habitat Mapping) annual forum brings together geologists, biologists, acousticians, statisticians, spatial analysts and environmental managers from around the world, who are developing new methods and procedures to link remotely sensed data with seafloor geology and marine biology within a geo-spatial environment.
Particular attention is devoted to the relationship between seafloor geology and morphology and flora and fauna assemblages. All of these components contribute to characterize marine habitats. The aim is to relate the distribution and structuring of benthic assemblages to geological features and to emphasize the consequently strict relation between geodiversity and biodiversity.
The mapping of seabed habitats is increasingly recognized as an important tool for both marine resource management and scientific study. Many governmental organizations managing coastal resources are developing standards for seafloor and benthic habitat mapping that include physical, chemical and biological data.
The GeoHab 2013 conference was held for the first time in the Mediterranean region, hosted by the Geological Survey of Italy – ISPRA together with the Institute for Coastal Marine Environment – CNR, at the CNR Headquarters in Rome.
Objectives
GeoHab conferences welcome presentations covering a wide range of aspects relevant to research and applications associated with marine geological habitat mapping. However, for each conference specific focus themes are proposed. The main theme of the GeoHab 2013 conference was Multidisciplinary and multiscalar approaches to habitat mapping, deriving from the observation that an integrated approach is needed for studies in the marine environment and that the scale of study influences the resolution as well as the type of the resulting information. Themes of other sessions were:
National Seabed Mapping Programmes, funded by governmental institutions in order to address multiple national priorities, including economic and political objectives related to Exclusive Economic Zones. Predictive Habitat Modeling, which is the logical progression of habitat mapping aimed at achieving the possibility to make models and predictions. Geoscience Characterization of the Seabed for Environmental Assessment of Marine Renewable Energy Activities, since spatial analyses have proved to be useful in assessing overall environmental risks as well as in planning mitigating measures, connected to energy industry, mineral exploration, infrastructure development and marine spatial planning in general. Habitat mapping in geologically complex areas, with examples from the Mediterranean Sea, theme specifically proposed for peculiar areas as opposed to large oceanic environments. Linking science to marine policies for conservation. Experience and forthcoming strategies, a useful overview on the relationship between marine studies and the relevant policies adopted around the world. Deep-Sea Habitats, important deep-sea geological environments are characterized by specific sedimentary and oceanographic processes which foster the occurrence of peculiar and sensitive benthic habitats. Advances in Technology and Methodology for Mapping Habitats, a necessary update on current developments of instruments and elaboration methods. A specific pre-conference workshop was dedicated to Multibeam Backscatter – State of the Technology, Tools & Techniques, whose contributions can be found at http://geohab.org/bswg-workshop-papers/.
Contents
The GeoHab 2013 conference contributions have evidenced that an integrated multidisciplinary approach is fruitful and might allow further achievements in the interpretation of the data collected. The information obtained during any kind of survey could be elaborated for multiple purposes. Cooperation among scientists of different disciplines is desirable and might improve the quality of the elaboration of the results as well as their multiple applications. New developments in methods of data acquisition and elaboration represent a common ground for all of the diverse fields of marine sciences.
The conference also provided an interesting opportunity to compare national environmental policies and strategies, including the use of georesources. A multiscalar perspective is needed in order to get a comprehensive view of the marine environment in each of its particular aspects.
The location of the conference in a Mediterranean country has enabled to focus on a geologically complex and tectonically active area, with its great variety of geological and morphological settings which generate a rich diversity of marine habitats.
Deep sea settings represent a widespread environment still to be investigated in detail especially because of its peculiarity.
The articles contained in this volume are an example of the more than 150 contributions which were presented at the GeoHab 2013 conference, whose discussion produced the abovementioned results.
The Geological Survey of Italy – ISPRA undertakes marine geology as part of the national geological mapping project (CARG). Due to this activity, the marine geology working group of the Geological Survey of Italy has been involved in the international community of marine sciences, contributing to European projects and presenting results at several congresses.
The Institute for Coastal Marine Environment of the National Research Council (IAMC-CNR) deals with issues related to marine sciences, in particular in the domains of biology, chemistry, physics, geology, studies on renewable resources (fishing and aquaculture) and on marine technologies.
Among the diverse projects connected to marine geology carried on in recent years by the two Institutes, these latter have been involved in the GeoHab community.
The GeoHab (Marine Geological and Biological Habitat Mapping) annual forum brings together geologists, biologists, acousticians, statisticians, spatial analysts and environmental managers from around the world, who are developing new methods and procedures to link remotely sensed data with seafloor geology and marine biology within a geo-spatial environment.
Particular attention is devoted to the relationship between seafloor geology and morphology and flora and fauna assemblages. All of these components contribute to characterize marine habitats. The aim is to relate the distribution and structuring of benthic assemblages to geological features and to emphasize the consequently strict relation between geodiversity and biodiversity.
The mapping of seabed habitats is increasingly recognized as an important tool for both marine resource management and scientific study. Many governmental organizations managing coastal resources are developing standards for seafloor and benthic habitat mapping that include physical, chemical and biological data.
The GeoHab 2013 conference was held for the first time in the Mediterranean region, hosted by the Geological Survey of Italy – ISPRA together with the Institute for Coastal Marine Environment – CNR, at the CNR Headquarters in Rome.
Objectives
GeoHab conferences welcome presentations covering a wide range of aspects relevant to research and applications associated with marine geological habitat mapping. However, for each conference specific focus themes are proposed. The main theme of the GeoHab 2013 conference was Multidisciplinary and multiscalar approaches to habitat mapping, deriving from the observation that an integrated approach is needed for studies in the marine environment and that the scale of study influences the resolution as well as the type of the resulting information. Themes of other sessions were:
National Seabed Mapping Programmes, funded by governmental institutions in order to address multiple national priorities, including economic and political objectives related to Exclusive Economic Zones. Predictive Habitat Modeling, which is the logical progression of habitat mapping aimed at achieving the possibility to make models and predictions. Geoscience Characterization of the Seabed for Environmental Assessment of Marine Renewable Energy Activities, since spatial analyses have proved to be useful in assessing overall environmental risks as well as in planning mitigating measures, connected to energy industry, mineral exploration, infrastructure development and marine spatial planning in general. Habitat mapping in geologically complex areas, with examples from the Mediterranean Sea, theme specifically proposed for peculiar areas as opposed to large oceanic environments. Linking science to marine policies for conservation. Experience and forthcoming strategies, a useful overview on the relationship between marine studies and the relevant policies adopted around the world. Deep-Sea Habitats, important deep-sea geological environments are characterized by specific sedimentary and oceanographic processes which foster the occurrence of peculiar and sensitive benthic habitats. Advances in Technology and Methodology for Mapping Habitats, a necessary update on current developments of instruments and elaboration methods. A specific pre-conference workshop was dedicated to Multibeam Backscatter – State of the Technology, Tools & Techniques, whose contributions can be found at http://geohab.org/bswg-workshop-papers/.
Contents
The GeoHab 2013 conference contributions have evidenced that an integrated multidisciplinary approach is fruitful and might allow further achievements in the interpretation of the data collected. The information obtained during any kind of survey could be elaborated for multiple purposes. Cooperation among scientists of different disciplines is desirable and might improve the quality of the elaboration of the results as well as their multiple applications. New developments in methods of data acquisition and elaboration represent a common ground for all of the diverse fields of marine sciences.
The conference also provided an interesting opportunity to compare national environmental policies and strategies, including the use of georesources. A multiscalar perspective is needed in order to get a comprehensive view of the marine environment in each of its particular aspects.
The location of the conference in a Mediterranean country has enabled to focus on a geologically complex and tectonically active area, with its great variety of geological and morphological settings which generate a rich diversity of marine habitats.
Deep sea settings represent a widespread environment still to be investigated in detail especially because of its peculiarity.
The articles contained in this volume are an example of the more than 150 contributions which were presented at the GeoHab 2013 conference, whose discussion produced the abovementioned results.
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