Are cave-sediment bacteria reacting to climate change?

cave-sediment bacteria

Karst subterranean cave sediments are vulnerable habitats, hosting microbial communities that provide crucial services, such as nutrient cycling and pollutant degradation.

So far, these systems have not been studied adequately at the microbial functional level, yet, although karst aquifers currently contribute around 25% of the world’s drinking water. Rather than passive deposits, cave sediments are dynamic microbial habitats that influence fundamental biogeochemical processes through nitrogen, sulfur, and carbon cycling.

A new study on cave microbiology addresses this gap, co-authored by LifeWatch Slovenia member Janez Mulec (Karst Research Institute – ZRC SAZU), together with Lejla Pašić (Sarajevo Medical School – University Sarajevo School of Science and Technology) and Andreea Oarga-Mulec (Materials Research Laboratory – University of Nova Gorica).

The paper, recently published in Frontiers in Microbiology, highlights how cave-sediment bacteria in the the Slovenian eLTER Postojna-Planina Cave System site respond to environmental change, examining key environmental factors such as sediment age and short-term environmental variability.

Slovenian researchers are trying to understand whether these factors have any influence on substrate degradation, taxonomic composition, and on the metabolic potential of bacterial communities. In the midst of hydroclimatic extremes such as floods, droughts, and rising cave temperatures, it is fundamental to understand if these communities are capable of adapting to climate change.

The paper examines two types of sediments that host these microbial habitats: alluvial sediments recently deposited, subject to hydrological and geochemical variability, and ancient palaeo-river deposit, the latter still under-investigated in comparison to the first type, despite its potential to tell us a lot more about microbial ecological functions.

The authors have shown that older sediments can actually function as a geochemical filter: the palaeo-deposit exhibited low taxonomic and functional diversity alongside elevated heavy metal concentrations, consistent with constraints on microbial functioning under long-term geochemical stress. Adaptive traits have been revealed in key taxa, such as Polaromonas, Methylibium, and Beggiatoa.

The study integrates functional and taxonomic approaches, using metagenomic analysis, community-level physiological profiling (CLPP), and sediment geochemistry to assess the roles of sediment age, oxygen availability and temperature, as well as the potential of the microbial communities for applied environmental use.

Read the full article: (DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1724116).

International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2026

Women and girls in science 2026

On 11 February, LifeWatch ERIC joins the global celebrations to raise awareness on the important initiative of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

Every year, we have the privilege of working with excellent women scientists, and sometimes we get a chance to feature them in our videos, where they share their knowledge and experience first-hand. To honour this day, we have curated a special Women in Science selection on LifeWatching TV, bringing together and republishing a series of interviews with women researchers.

This collection offers but a glimpse into the impact of women’s contribution on biodiversity and ecosystem research, fields where they often remain underrepresented. We invite you to explore these contents covering topics such as Digital Twins, FAIR data, coastal wetlands restoration, biological invasions, and much more!

The full selection is available here: https://www.lifewatching.tv/women-in-science.

We have also dedicated a special section within our podcast series. You can access it by clicking on the tag “Women in Science”: https://www.lifewatch.eu/podcasts. Enjoy the conversations!

About the International Day of Women and Girls in Science:

This initiative started in 2015, during the inaugural High-Level World Women’s Health and Development Forum, organised by the Royal Academy of Science International Trust (RASIT), and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA): https://www.womeninscienceday.org/our-history.html.

The Outcome Declaration of the Forum focused on women’s health and development, reaffirming the importance of physical and mental health of girls and women as a planetary approach to sustainable development, the crucial role of country leadership, and the importance to tackle aspects such as global maternal mortality, uneven progress, gender differences in media representation, among many others.

Every year since 2015 (last year marked the 10th anniversary), this day is internationally celebrated and continues growing global awareness and visibility on the achievements of women in science, and on the need for full and equal access to STEM roles for women and girls.

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

Virtual Research Environments and Essential Variables: join LifeWatch ERIC at EGU 2026

EGU 2026

LifeWatch ERIC is taking an active part in two sessions at EGU 2026, the European GeoSciences Union General Assembly in Vienna, from 3-8 May 2026. As one of the biggest conferences on environmental and earth sciences, EGU 2026 welcomes every year around 20,000 scientists to present their work and meet other researchers.

The first session “Co-creating Climate Services: Linking Essential Variables with Actionable Decision Support“, is organised by the ENVRI-Hub-Next project. The session is inspired by the current work in the project, where Essential Variables (EVs) play a key role. It will explore the technical, infrastructural, and policy advancements required to make EVs the foundational language for global environmental cooperation.

The session conveners and co-conveners invited scientists, data engineers, social scientists, and policymakers to connect the “essential” with the “actionable”, forging a coherent path from global observation to local solution: https://www.egu26.eu/session/57662

The second session is titled “Bridging Earth Science Research through Integrated e-Infrastructures and Virtual Research Environments (VREs): From Digital Services to Digital Twins“. Co-convened by Jacco Konijn (LifeWatch ERIC VLIC), it focuses on Virtual Research Environments in Earth and Environmental science, which are at the heart of LifeWatch ERIC services. This session aims to highlight how interoperable e-Infrastructure services can be used to build VREs and Virtual Labs to provide end-to-end support, strengthening research capacity through collaboration between service providers and scientists.

Contributions selected for this session will demonstrate practical examples of how digital services, VREs and e-infrastructures enhance research workflows in Earth and environmental science, present innovative integration approaches, highlight technical implementations, and share lessons learnt and new challenges: https://www.egu26.eu/session/56062

For more information on EGU 2026 visit the official event page: https://www.egu26.eu

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.

Italy joins GBIF through the establishment of a National Node

LifeWatch Italy & GBIF

As of October 2025, Italy has officially joined the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), strengthening its engagement in the international landscape of open biodiversity data.

Already a member of LifeWatch ERIC through LifeWatch Italy, with the National Research Council (CNR) as the leading entity, Italy has now established its national GBIF node, coordinated by DSSTTA (Department of Earth System Sciences and Environmental Technologies). Ilaria Rosati, already actively involved in LifeWatch Italy, has been appointed Node Manager of the Italian GBIF node.

DSSTTA is committed to advancing the understanding of how Earth’s systems, including climate, cryosphere, biodiversity, and related components, are deeply interconnected and influenced by human activities.

The Italian GBIF node builds on national expertise in biodiversity research and data management, contributing to free and open access to biodiversity data at the global scale. GBIF represents the leading international platform for the management and sharing of species occurrence data, supporting research, policy, and decision-making worldwide.

The governance of the Italian GBIF node includes the following representatives:

  • Head of Delegation: Diego Fontaneto (CNR-IRSA)
  • Node Manager: Ilaria Rosati (CNR-IRET)
  • Alternate Head of Delegation: Stefano Martellos (University of Trieste)
  • Additional Delegate: Gabriele Bucci (CNR-IBBR)

This development is significant because membership in GBIF enables Italy to contribute its biodiversity data directly to the world’s largest open-access repository of species occurrence information, supporting international research through science-based knowledge.

Map data image from: OpenStreetMap

Marine SABRES in Fairs: a stop in Pisa to explore marine ecosystems and local challenges

Marine SABRES in Fairs - Pisa

The ‘Marine SABRES in Fairs’ initiative reached Pisa for a new stop dedicated to dialogue, knowledge exchange, and marine ecosystem restoration. The event took place within the third round of stakeholder consultations, organised by HuFoSS together with the University of Pisa.

At the Marine SABRES stand, students, researchers, PhD candidates, and stakeholders were invited to discover how marine research connects with everyday life and coastal realities. Through visual materials, videos, and direct interaction with project representatives, visitors explored the objectives and results of Marine SABRES and its contribution to ecosystem-based management.

A central focus of the Pisa edition was the Tuscan Archipelago Demonstration Area. Particular attention was given to restoration actions addressing the degradation of Posidonia oceanica meadows, key marine habitats that are increasingly impacted by human activities, especially tourism pressure along Mediterranean coasts.

The stand also featured documentary trailers produced by the LifeWatch Italy Multimedia Production Centre, offering participants a visual insight into the project’s work and the environmental challenges faced across different marine regions. These short previews helped translate scientific research into accessible stories, fostering awareness and engagement among diverse audiences.

We warmly thank everyone who joined us in Pisa and contributed to the discussion with their interest and questions. If you were unable to attend, the documentary trailers are available on LifeWatching.tv.

For more information, please visit Marine SABRES official website: www.marinesabres.eu

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.

RESTORE4Cs Policy Briefs #6 and #7: Coastal Wetlands Indicators and Social Acceptability

RESTORE4Cs Policy Brief 6 (1)

The RESTORE4Cs project has published two more Policy Briefs that add to the 5 previously published by the consortium: https://www.restore4cs.eu/resources/policy-briefs/.

Policy Brief #6 “European Coastal Wetland Indicators: A proposal for monitoring policy processes across space and time”, offers a practical approach to track the status, trends, and policy performance of Europe’s coastal wetlands.

In fact, despite covering less than 0.6% of the European landscape, coastal wetlands provide important benefits to the environment, such as carbon storage, protection from storm, regulation of water flows. They also filter pollutants, and support a diversity of threatened species.

In order to protect and preserve wetlands, countries need to be able to monitor them through robust and harmonised indicators that track their extent, health, biodiversity, the progress of restorations, GHG emissions and removals, among others. The RESTORE4Cs approach integrates remote sensing, GIS, modelling, machine learning and in-situ monitoring to enable timely and high-quality assessment. You can read and download the full document: https://www.restore4cs.eu/restore4cs-6th-policy-brief

Policy Brief #7 “Social Acceptability: The Key Ingredient for Enhanced Coastal Wetland Restoration”, tackles the topic of social acceptability (the degree to which something reflects a community’s values, beliefs, and norms), and how this can “make or break” the success of wetland restoration across six European sites. Using a participatory, multi-criteria analysis, RESTORE4Cs researchers combined scientific assessments with local stakeholders’ perspectives.

They also analysed which key drivers play a bigger role in shaping acceptability: according to their findings, these are local economic interests, environmental benefits, and cultural values, while other aspects, such as trust, participation, and contextual knowledge, seem to be undervalued in decision-making.

Read and download the document here to get the key policy recommendations: https://www.restore4cs.eu/restore4cs-7th-policy-brief