Acronimo: MANILA

Titolo: Priming and Microbiota mAnipulation to mitigate shellfish Priming and Microbiota mAnipulation to mitigate shellfish changIng ocean (MANILA)

Bando: PRIN

Durata: 24 mesi

Coordinatore: PROF.SSA MAURA BENEDETTI

Budget BCA: € 95.500,00

Responsabile scientifico: prof. Massimo Milan

Research Team: Milan Massimo

Abstract: Anthropogenic CO2 emissions are triggering alterations of Earth’s climate, leading to increased frequency and magnitude of extreme events such as heatwaves, defined as episodes of increased seawater temperature above a seasonal climatological threshold. In summer 2019, a heatwave affected ~95% of the Mediterranean basin and in particular the North Adriatic Sea, an area already compromised by chemical pollution where several aquaculture facilities are held. According to this multiple stressors scenarios, filter-feeding and sedentary organisms like bivalves are subjected to severe pressures impacting population stocks, resulting in biodiversity loss and socio-economic impacts on aquaculture. In this context, the case of the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum is emblematic: in recent years this high ecological and economic importance species experienced several mortality events with a consequent dramatic decrease of stock availability due to the persistence of harsh stressful environmental conditions. The general objective of MANILA is to provide novel strategies to ameliorate Manila clam performance under multiple stressful conditions, using innovative tools as priming and microbiota manipulation, with the final aim to explore biodiversity conservation and sustainable aquaculture management strategies. Priming consists in stimulating stress-memory mechanisms, providing a transient increased tolerance toward stress in organisms pre-subjected to a bout of a similar stress, an approach so far efficiently used in plants but scarcely explored in animals, especially cultured bivalves. In addition, given the growing evidence of microbiota crucial role in host response to environmental stressors, the possibility that microbiota transplant from organisms adapted to severe environmental conditions could ameliorate receiving organisms performance will be explored. The project MANILA will be developed in three WPs: WP1 will focus on heat- and chemical-priming approaches to minimize the impact of multiple stressors; WP2 will decrypt the role of microbiota in host-response to multiple stressors; WP3 will be dedicated to knowledge transfer to local aquaculture stakeholders and to raise public awareness. These WPs will be carried out by highly experienced marine biologists, ecotoxicologists, and molecular biologists from two research units with expertise in bivalve mollusks and already involved in the main activities and panels of experts on such topics, with previous and ongoing collaborations. MANILA is an “innovative” project providing unprecedented views on actions/interactions of biological processes involved in responsiveness and adaptation to environmental changes, opening new scenarios for research in ecology, ecotoxicology, biology and for a sustainable bivalves aquaculture management.