Luciana Ferraro1, Laura Giordano1, Sergio Bonomo1, Antonio Cascella2, Gabriella Di Martino1, Sara Innangi1, Serena Gherardi1, Stella Tamburrino1, Ines Alberico1, Francesca Budillon1, Vincenzo Di Fiore1, Michele Punzo1, Daniela Tarallo1, Erlisiana Anzalone1, Monica Capodanno1, Giuseppe Cavuoto1, Lorenza Evangelista1, Rosanna Ferraro1, Michele Iavarone1, Antonio Iengo1, Fabrizio Lirer1, Ennio Marsella1, Renata Migliaccio1, Flavia Molisso1, Nicola Pelosi1, Paola Rumolo1, Paolo Scotto di Vettimo1, Renato Tonielli1, Mattia Vallefuoco1

1IAMC – CNR (Istituto per l’Ambiente Marino Costiero, Napoli) 2INGV (Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Pisa)

This paper describes the results of the activities performed during the project PONa3_00363 I-AMICA (High Technology Infrastructure for Climate and Environment Monitoring; www.i-amica.it), as part of the activities of Development Objective 4.4 (Processes of the biosphere-hydrosphere interface and features of coastal ecosystems).

Through the strengthening of scientific-technological infrastructure and equipment, I-AMICA was planned to increase the observational capacity of the monitoring of marine coastal ecosystems, particularly vulnerable in the sensitive Mediterranean area and strictly connected to the natural and anthropic continental system. For this reason research activities were mainly focused on the neritic environment adjacent to the shelf area of the Volturno River mouth (Gulf of Gaeta – central part of the Tyrrhenian Sea). Advanced knowledge on the dynamics in time of marine coastal ecosystems, in relation to the physical, chemical and biological processes that characterize their habitat, were acquired while new methods of integrated monitoring, in relation to the specific characteristics of the study area, were tested. Particular attention was given to the identification of bio-indicators in water column and sediment at sea floor. The monitoring was also integrated by studies on the shoreline changes, seismic stratigraphy of deltaic deposits and by sedimentology and morpho-bathymetry of the seabed.