Project "PACE" expedition to Antarctica begins

The expedition of the research project "PACE - Plankton production and carbon flux in Antarctic Coastal Ecosystems," dedicated to the study of plankton production and carbon fluxes in Antarctic coastal ecosystems, has officially begun.

The research group will operate at the Italian Base "Mario Zucchelli" from November to February, as part of the XLI Antarctic Expedition 2025/26. The main objective is to monitor the seasonal evolution of microalgae associated with sea ice in Terra Nova Bay, one of the most biologically productive areas of the Ross Sea.

The project is coordinated by Professor Olga Mangoni of the Department of Biology at the University of Naples Federico II, and involves a multidisciplinary team of young researchers from different research institutions: the University Federico II, the Anton Dohrn Zoological Station, the University of Naples Parthenope and the National Research Council (CNR). For the University of Federico II, Emanuela Serino, a forthcoming Ph.D. candidate in Biology, and Lorenza Mara Campoli, a Ph.D. candidate in Polar Sciences at Ca' Foscari University of Venice, are in the Base.

Scientific activities have already begun with sea ice sampling aimed at analyzing the composition of planktonic communities in the ice and in the water below. As the ice melts, researchers will continue open-water analyses between January and February to understand the seasonal dynamics of the coastal system and the mechanisms that regulate life in delicate polar ecosystems. A mooring-a system of instrumentation anchored to the seafloor for continuous monitoring of oceanographic and biogeochemical parameters-has been installed to study carbon fluxes, and will be retired in February when the summer campaign ends.

A highlight will be a video conference on December 15, 2025, when students in the three-year course in Science for Nature and the Environment and the master's course in Natural Sciences at Federico II University will have the opportunity to connect live with the Mario Zucchelli base. It will be a unique opportunity to talk with the researchers involved in the expedition and experience the experience of scientific research in Antarctica up close. The PACE project represents an important contribution to the understanding of changes in polar ecosystems and their role in global climate processes.

The Italian missions to Antarctica are carried out under the National Program of Research in Antarctica (PNRA), funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and managed by three entities: the CNR for scientific coordination, ENEA for the logistical organization of activities at Antarctic bases, and OGS for the technical and scientific management of the icebreaker ship Laura Bassi.