Research Mode Project Research Mode Project

ROSEMEBROSEMEB

Role of secondary metabolites in driving ecosystem Role of secondary metabolites in driving ecosystem functionality and maintaining ecosystem biodiversity functionality and maintaining ecosystem biodiversity

In the last decade, there has been an increased awareness that many secondary metabolites play fundamental roles as defences against predators and competitors, by acting as infochemicals, allelogens and kairomones. They are therefore driving ecosystem

functionality at the species, population, community and ecosystem level, by affecting cell physiology as well as interactions among organisms. The discipline that studies chemical interactions among living organisms is named Chemical Ecology, which focuses

on the production and response to signaling molecules, toxins, and other organic compounds.

ROSEMEB aims at integrating research in chemical ecology at the european scale by fostering exchange between laboratories involved in the study of secondary metabolites of marine organisms. This integration should allow the participants to collaborate in

projects that cannot be carried out by a single institute, and will allow for the training of young scientists in the rapidly growing discipline of chemical ecology.

-Kick-off workshop on New Trends in Marine Chemical Ecology in Ischia, (Italy) November 2005

Presentations offered by the participants and a report of the

workshop are available at http://marbef.org/projects/rosemeb/results.php

- A reference list of relevant publications in chemical ecology is online at the ROSEMEB RMP website. The list focuses on secondary metabolites of marine organisms and their effects at the molecular, cellular, population, community and ecosystem level and should be a good starting point for potential researchers in chemical ecology.It is updated periodically Weblink: http://www.marbef.org/projects/rosemeb/results.php

RESULTS

Coordinator of the RMP: Dr. Adrianna Ianora (ianora@szn.it)Responsible for outreach within ROSEMEB:Dr. Raffaella Casotti (raffa@szn.it)Stazione Zoologica A. Dohrn di Napoli, Villa Comunale, Napoli 80121, Italy,

WORKPLAN-Coordination among participants is achieved though the joint organisation of workshops and training activities. One joint position paper has been

written as output of the first workshop and two more are under elaboration. -Training is an important engagement of all partecipants in ROSEMEB. Three courses are being organized, on bioassays and on chemical isolation

methods.-Exchange of material and samples among the participants, together with short sabbaticals, have taken place among the partecipants

More detail, updates and further information is available at

http://www.marbef.org/projects/rosemeb/index.php

Alfred WegenerInstitute of

Bremerhaven, Germany

Max-Plank-Institut Für Marine Mikrobiologie,

Germany

CNR-ICB Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare di

Pozzuoli, Italy

Stazione Zoologica A.

Dohrn di Napoli, Italy

University of Göteborg, Sweden

CNRS_LOV Laboratoire

de Océanographie de Villefranche,

France

Station Biologique de Roscoff, France

PARTECIPANTS

Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Portugal

Klaipeda University; Coastal Research and

Planning Institute Lituania

-Workshop on Chemical Ecology of Plankton in Juodkrante (Lithuania)

July 2008

Presentations offered by the participants and a report of the

workshop are available at http://marbef.org/projects/rosemeb/results.php

Kalmar University Sweden

Observatoire Océanologique de

Banyuls s/merFrance

Plymouth Marine Laboratory

UK

CNR-ISMAR Istituto

Scienze del Mare di Venezia, Italy

Courses

- Workshop on Chemical ecology as a driver for bioprospecting and blue technology in Ischia, Italy, from 29 to 31 October 2008