WoRMS and AlgaeBase: a story of collaboration supporting algal taxonomic research

Taxon match

WoRMS (https://www.marinespecies.org) the World Register of Marine Species supported by LifeWatch Belgium, and AlgaeBase have been collaborating since 2013. Recently, their collaboration has led to a new result: building on the widely used WoRMS taxon-match tool, a dedicated version developed for AlgaeBase has been made available through the LifeWatch Belgium eLab.

AlgaeBase (https://www.algaebase.org) is a database of algae information, including terrestrial, marine and freshwater algae and seagrasses. It was funded in 1996 by the Irish Higher Education Authority’s Programme for Research in Third-level Institutions, and has been maintained since then – mainly through private funds – in support of taxonomic studies. Currently, the database contains over 183,200 species and infraspecific names, supplemented with more than 24,000 images, over 75,000 bibliographic items and more than 611,000 distributional records.

The platform includes several features such as Species Search, Genus Search, Literature Search, and a rich library of images, as well as information about species’ common names, their distribution and more. AlgaeBase also has its own peer-reviewed online journal, Notulae Algarum, as part of its services to the Phycological Community.

Since 2013, thanks to the joint efforts between WoRMS and AlgaeBase, the taxonomic names of marine, freshwater and terrestrial algae have been included in Aphia (WoRMS infrastructure), which allowed WoRMS to further complete its overview of all described marine species.

The synergy and open communication between the two entities has continued, and since 2019 WoRMS has been integrating AlgaeBase content through regular cycles of data harvesting. This mutual collaboration has now led to the creation of AlgaeBase Taxon Match: a dedicated adaptation of the WoRMS taxon-match tool, specifically tailored for AlgaeBase.

As the name suggests, the tool allows the matching of species and infraspecies as part of the LifeWatch Belgium eLab infrastructure, runs directly on AlgaeBase and, importantly, can be combined with other taxon-matching services.

Read more and find out how to access this service on LifeWatch Belgium: https://www.lifewatch.be/news/taxon-match-tool-algaebase-based-worms-taxon-match

RECUP-DAS: the new €10.4M project to restore the Tinto and Odiel river basins

RECUP-DAS

LifeWatch ERIC is proud to be part of the new funded project RECUP-DAS, through an agreement signed together with the Andalusian Regional Governement and the University of Huelva.

With a total budget of 10.4 million euros, RECUP-DAS is a strategic initiative funded under ERDF Andalusia 2021-2027, that promotes the environmental recovery of the Tinto and Odiel river basins, two of the systems that most suffered the acid drainage from historical mining (the name “Río Tinto” refers to the reddish colour of its waters from iron and other metals dissolved into them).

This initiative entails the collaboration of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development in terms of leadership on the sustainable management of water, in collaboration with the Andalusian knowledge system and LifeWatch ERIC as scientific infrastructure specialised in biodiversity and ecosystem.

The project follows an innovative and sustainable approach, aligned with the regional hydrological planning. The Directorate General responsible for water resources will oversee the construction of a DAS technology-based plant for the treatment of acid mine drainage and environmental restoration of the affected areas, with a gradual recovery of biodiversity and associated ecosystem services.

DAS stands for “Dispersed Alkaline Substrate“, a technology developed by the “Tharsis” Research Group of the University of Huelva, which will be improved and optimised throughout the project: this passive treatment system neutralised acidity and removes dissolved metals in contaminated water without the need for continuous energy or permanent addition of reagents.

With a total budget of 5.9 million euros assigned, LifeWatch ERIC will lead the digitisation of the system and the development of a digital twin, which will allow the simulation of different operating scenarios to optimise efficiency, and improve decision-making along the plant operation.

In addition, LifeWatch ERIC will also be responsible for the dissemination of project’s results, ensuring that knowledge generated can be transferred and replicated in future restoration initiatives, regional, national and international.

The main expected results of RECUP-DAS are a significant reduction in the pollutant load in affected waters, improvement of the ecological status of the intervened watercourses, and the generation of scientific and technical knowledge applicable to basins in similar conditions. Solid waste generated from the treatment process will be the object of further analysis on how to potentially valorise it, within the framework of circular economy.

Stay tuned to know more about RECUP-DAS!

A new understanding of nature: ITINERIS 2-day training on VREs and presentation of the final platform

ITINERIS

ITINERIS (https://itineris.cnr.it/) is an initiative started in November 2022 with the objective to support the Italian integrated system of Research Infrastructures (RIs) in the environmental domain, under the coordination of the National Research Council (CNR) of Italy.

One of its main outputs is the ITINERIS HUB, a gateway to the wide range of data, cutting-edge facilities, analytical tools, and services from these RIs, facilitating observation and study of processes in the atmosphere, marine domain, terrestrial biosphere, and geosphere. Italy is in fact actively involved in all major pan-European Environmental Research Infrastructures, and hosts other nationally relevant RIs, demanding for coordinated actions to integrate, interlink and harmonise their activities.

The ITINERIS HUB includes digital tools such as datasets, research products, and training resources among others, as well as Virtual Research Environments (VREs), that is, web-based, community-oriented working environments that enable researchers to work remotely and interactively.

Now in its final phases, ITINERIS has recently launched a VREs training event in two sessions, on 27 and on 30 January. The event will be an opportunity to train the platform super-admins and admins on two newly launched VREs developed in collaboration with LifeWatch ERIC by EquiUP SRL. The first one, Biomass VRE, helps study aquatic and terrestrial biomass dynamics in relation to climatic, ecological, and anthropogenic factors, while the second one, Phyto VRE, allows phytoplankton data computation and analysis.

After the training events, the final version of the platform will be presented to its end-users in another session on Friday 30 January at 15:00, together with some practical case studies to help in the adoption of its tools.

Researchers are just beginning to understand the series of intricate relations governing our planet: this is one of modern science’s biggest challenges in the face of today’s critical issues. Platforms like ITINERIS HUB can help elaborate and interpret the huge quantity of data available from different sources and offer a new understanding of nature.

Biodiversity and planetary health: presenting the Crete Declaration at the University of Lisbon

Doctoral Programme on Planetary Health

On 5th January 2026, LifeWatch ERIC’s CEO Christos Arvanitidis delivered an online presentation for the 4th Course of the Doctoral Programme in Planetary Health, organised by the University of Lisbon.
The 40-minute presentation titled “From Biodiversity to Planetary Health: Enabling Science for Societal Transformation” focused on the link between the course’s holistic approach and the “Crete Declaration” approach.

The Crete Declaration is a Declaration of Intent signed between LifeWatch ERIC and a group of Research Infrastructures and European projects and organisations. It takes its name from Heraklion, Crete, where the signing took place in the summer of 2025, during the BEeS 2025 Conference.

With this Declaration, the signatories committed to advance the One Health approach, promoting cross-domain research and integrated solutions. The core premise supporting this ecological-social continuum, which also underlies the common thread of the University of Lisbon Course, is that to address Planetary Health through the current poly-crisis, we need a concerted action.

The Doctoral Programme, in fact, aims at preparing students to tackle complex issues that cross ecological and societal boundaries. The three modules of the course (Adaptation; Transformation; Into Action) address critical global challenges at the intersection of health, environmental, social and political science, with the aim of fostering discussion and critical thinking through a wide variety of topics.

This was central to Christos’ intervention, proposing suggestions on how to turn biodiversity science into action: an ambition that requires a shift from fragmentation to integration of disciplines, data silos, and policy gaps.
An insightful round of discussions with the students followed the presentation, providing a mutual exchange that may inspire both the students and the future work of the Crete Declaration.

If you would like to contribute your perspective to the Crete Declaration, you can add your name here: https://www.lifewatch.eu/crete-declaration. We will inform you about future developments. Are you interested in applying for the Doctoral Programme in Planetary Health? The first round of applications runs from 12 January to 20 February 2026. All details are available here: https://www.ulisboa.pt/planetary-health-studies.

WoRMS Top Ten Marine Species of 2025: nominations open!

WoRMS Top Ten Marine Species of 2025 (1)

WoRMS, the World Register of Marine Species, opens again the nominations for the Top Ten Marine Species of 2025, with the objective to highlight to the wider public the discovery of numerous new marine species made every year, and the crucial job of taxonomists.

In fact, the release of the list coincides with the World Taxonomist Appreciation Day, 19 March.

The 2024 edition winners spanned the tree of life, from worms to isopods to anglerfish (learn more here: https://www.marinespecies.org/worms-top-ten/2024).

This year, nominations will be collected via this online form: https://form.vliz.be/en/form/worms-top-ten-2025-nomination. In order to be eligible for nomination, the species must have been validly published in 2025, and must be marine, fossils included.

Nominations must include the PDF of the paper in which the species was described, and at least one good image of the species, including copyright and ownership information.

If you have a compelling story, a species with rare or unusual morphology, an interesting name, or that holds particular importance for various reasons (e.g., toxic, dangerous, medical, conservation target), don’t hesitate to submit your nomination by 25 January 2026!

You can find more details here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/call-nominations-worms-top-ten-marine-trkwe/?trackingId=5CllFojTmxmjIRNMiXujgw%3D%3D

Tracking sharks in the North Sea

Tracking sharks

Researchers from the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) and the Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO) are tagging sharks in the Belgian part of the North Sea to gain insights on their habits. With the support of LifeWatch Belgium and the European Tracking Network (ETN), data gathered through this work might help guide targeted protection and management actions.

By implanting small acoustic transmitters into sharks, researchers are in fact able to track their movements across borders (read this article to see how ETN makes cross-borders science possible). Moreover, they use other techniques such as ultrasound, underwater video systems, and genetics to gain other insights on reproduction, diet, species distribution and more.

So far, they have tagged over 140 typical shark species of the North Sea, like the small-spotted catshark, the starry smooth-hound, and the majestic basking shark.

Despite being top predators, and despite their crucial role in keeping the ecosystem healthy, these species are highly vulnerable due to their slow growth and low reproductive rate. Monitoring them doesn’t only provide information about their health and habits: their presence is also an important indicator of good marine biodiversity in the area.

Read the full article on LifeWatch Belgium and find out the recents results of these studies: https://www.lifewatch.be/news/tracking-sharks-north-sea-better-protection-and-management

Agroecology Partnership Meeting in Plasencia

Plasencia

On 11 November 2025, LifeWatch ERIC took part in the Meeting of Living Labs and Research Infrastructures in Agroecology, at the Centro de Agricultura Ecológica y de Montaña (CAEM–CICYTEX) in Plasencia (Spain), within the framework of the European Partnership for Agroecology (https://www.lifewatch.eu/agroecology-partnership).

The meeting gathered Spanish members of the Partnership to share the progress of ongoing activities, present new joiners and introducing work packages starting in the second phase.

It was also a chance to explore the ground for potential synergies and future collaboration opportunities. During the event, Iria Soto, Senior Scientific Manager at LifeWatch ERIC, facilitated the Working Table on Research Infrastructures and Links with Living Labs, together with José Manuel Ávila, Senior Scientific Manager at LifeWatch ERIC.

This session aimed to identify challenges, barriers, and opportunities in the interaction between Research Infrastructures and Living Labs, as well as to discuss tools and models for stronger, long-term connections beyond project-based collaborations.

The activity is part of a broader task, in which LifeWatch ERIC contributes to strengthening collaboration between scientific infrastructures and agroecological territories, leveraging its expertise in e-Science, FAIR data, and virtual research environments to support the transition toward more sustainable food systems.

The meeting also featured representatives from several institutions, including CSIC, AEI, CDTI, Junta de Extremadura, FUNDECYT-PCTEX, AGAPA, and the University of Córdoba, among other Spanish partners of the Partnership.

A conversation with Anne Fouilloux: meet LifeWatch ERIC’s new CTO

Anne Fouilloux CTO

November 2025 marks an important transition for LifeWatch ERIC, with the arrival of its new Chief Technology Officer, Anne Fouilloux. In this role, Anne will guide the development of LifeWatch ERIC’s technological strategy and strengthen the organisation’s capacity to serve the biodiversity and ecosystem research community across Europe.

We had the pleasure of sitting down with her for a conversation about her vision, and what she hopes to build together with our community. Anne brings over two decades of experience in Open Science, FAIR principles, and Research Infrastructures. She has dedicated her work to build seamless information flows connecting scientists, researchers, and technologists, working across academia, international organisations, and scientific collaborations in Norway, the UK, and France.

This two-part interview begins by focusing on Anne’s professional journey: the experiences that shaped her, real-life examples from her day-to-day work, and how this perspective will inform her approach as CTO.

Anne, what brought you to LifeWatch ERIC at this moment of your career? What made you feel that this was the right next step for you?

“The ‘e‘ in e-infrastructure, that digital ecosystem connecting people, data, and tools across borders, has always fascinated me. I first experienced its potential during the EOSC-Nordic project with the Nordic e-Infrastructure Collaboration, where we enabled ecologists to run complex Earth system models through user-friendly interfaces and automated workflows. Working across distributed networks showed me how combining different perspectives under a common mission achieves far greater impact than isolated efforts. LifeWatch ERIC’s distributed structure resonates deeply with my experience. The timing feels right because there’s tremendous opportunity ahead for LifeWatch ERIC. And on my side, after years supporting grassroots research community through initiatives like Pangeo big Data geoscience, and the Galaxy Project, I’m excited to contribute strategically to infrastructure with both the mandate and mission to maximise impact for biodiversity research across Europe.”

You bring over 25 years of experience in research software engineering, open science practices, knowledge transfer, and bridging gaps between science and industry. How will this background shape your approach at LifeWatch ERIC?

“I’ve learned that successful infrastructure requires understanding users deeply, enabling innovation through thoughtful governance, recognising the work done by the technical and scientific teams that support users, and critically, planning for both today and tomorrow. In e-infrastructure, this is amplified:

  • Balancing present and future is essential. At ECMWF, the system had to run operationally every six hours while also supporting cutting-edge research. This taught me you can’t just optimise for today or dream about tomorrow: you need both. You maximise what exists while preparing infrastructure and people for what’s coming. My priority is helping us make the best of our current resources while establishing a clear strategic roadmap. LifeWatch ERIC has valuable capabilities, from computational resources to tools to people. Strategic coordination helps us amplify these strengths.
  • Preparing users and staff is as important as preparing infrastructure. At ECMWF, we introduced an observational data governance that helped scientists integrate their research into operations smoothly. When leading the Nordic e-Infrastructure Collaboration for Earth System Tools (NICEST), we helped Nordic researchers prepare for next-generation computing. It’s never just about the technology: it’s about ensuring people can actually use it effectively and build on each other’s work.
  • Strategic collaboration multiplies impact. We can’t build everything ourselves, nor should we. My collaboration work with ELIXIR, EGI, Euro-BioImaging, and through EOSC taught me that smart collaboration with other Research Infrastructures lets us focus where we add unique value while leveraging others’ expertise for shared needs. This is particularly critical for LifeWatch ERIC in the context of EOSC nodes and in leveraging or preparing for technologies such as AI and quantum computing, as well as evolving cybersecurity challenges, where effective partnerships are indispensable.”.

Stay tuned for the second part of this interview! Anne will share her vision on how to turn data into impact, and how LifeWatch ERIC can contribute to breaking down silos and enable cross-discipline collaboration and synthetic knowledge.

Underwater marine sounds from the Belgian part of the North Sea: meet SoundLib

SoundLib

The Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), has launched SoundLib, its Marine Sound Library collecting underwater sound data from the Belgian part of the North Sea. The open database counts thousands of recordings and advanced analysis tools, and provides new insights into the region’s highly dynamic and complex acoustic environment.

These data could support scientists, policymakers and the public in understanding how natural and human-made sounds affect marine ecosystems and even create new opportunities for AI-driven research. The database also contributed to the Waves of Resonance artistic project in June (https://www.lifewatch.eu/2025/09/25/waves-of-resonance), that explores the psychological impact of climate change and the therapeutic potential of ocean sounds.

Sound in water travels farther, and faster than outside, and for many marine animals it is the primary way to communicate, navigate, and interact with their environment. The European policy context, for this reason, considers it as a critical environmental parameter and includes it among the eleven descriptors for the assessment of Good Environmental Status of marine waters.

Marine sounds include natural sources, such as rainfall, waves, sediment transport and noises originated by the marine fauna, and human sources, such as ship traffic, seismic surveys and offshore energy production.

Learn more about SouldLib on the LifeWatch Belgium website: https://www.lifewatch.be/news/soundlib-marine-sound-library-belgian-part-north-sea

Virtual Research Environments and Essential Variables: LifeWatch ERIC sessions at EGU 2026 open for abstracts submissions

EGU 2026

LifeWatch ERIC is co-organising two interesting sessions during EGU 2026, the European GeoSciences Union General Assembly in Vienna, from 3-8 May 2026. One of the biggest conferences on environmental and earth sciences expects to welcome around 20,000 scientists, presenting their work and learning from and networking with other researchers.

The first session focuses on Virtual Research Environments in Earth and Environmental science, which is at the heart of LifeWatch services and organised in close collaboration with our colleagues in the National Research Council of Italy (CNR), the University of Amsterdam and the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research. This session aims to bring together case studies and innovative approaches from different domains of the earth sciences, both from a technology point of view, and scientific applications based on workflows, virtual laboratories and even digital twins of (parts of) the environment.

The second session we organise is in collaboration with our ENVRI colleagues and inspired by the work in th the current ENVRI-Hub-Next project where Essential Variables (EVs) play a key role. This session will explore the technical, infrastructural, and policy advancements required to make EVs the foundational language for global environmental cooperation. We welcome contributions addressing scientific use cases, technical barriers, and emerging solutions.

For more information visit the official event page: https://www.egu26.eu