The Federico II University partners with the BioBoost+ Project.

An ambitious initiative that aims to transform marine biodiversity monitoring through innovative, non-invasive and low-cost technologies. It is the three-year BioBoost+ Project, which will end at the end of March 2027 and involves, in addition to Federico II with Professor Simonetta Fraschetti, theUniversity of Pisa, coordinator of the initiative, the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Nord University, the Laboratory of Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management of theUniversity of the Aegean, theUniversity of Montpellier, Fundación AZTI - AZTI Fundazioa, and Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research.

The project, with European funding of €1,662,134, integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI) to digital image analysis to improve the frequency and scale of monitoring of marine plants and animals. The focus is on habitats and species of ecological and economic importance, including habitat-forming species such as seagrass beds, shellfish beds, and macroalgae forests as well as indicator species such as coastal fish, lobsters, and seabirds. In addition, the project also addresses the monitoring of invasive species and little-studied groups, from microscopic organisms to rare marine fishes. Through the use of AI to analyze images acquired through camera networks and citizen science programs, BioBoost+ will significantly improve the understanding of marine biodiversity in Europe's regional seas, including the Mediterranean, North Sea, and Norwegian Sea.

BioBoost+ will provide real-time, high-frequency data, supporting ongoing conservation interventions such as active habitat restoration projects and management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). By improving and enhancing monitoring capacity, the project aims to become a key tool for decision-making in marine conservation and ecosystem restoration strategies.