A guided tour of the UA’s Santa Pola Marine Research Centre (CIMAR). The aim is to make visitors aware of the need to preserve iconic and endangered marine species, such as Posidonia oceanica or Pinna nobilis,

A guided tour of the UA’s Santa Pola Marine Research Centre (CIMAR). The aim is to make visitors aware of the need to preserve iconic and endangered marine species, such as Posidonia oceanica or Pinna nobilis, explain the threat posed by marine invasive species and emphasise the importance of seaweed washed up on beaches.

This open day will introduce the general public to the activities, resources and facilities offered by the CIMAR scientific station. Visitors will be shown the permanent exhibition of species from the Mediterranean and around the world, whose differences and synergies will be analysed. They will learn about the relevance of and problems faced by iconic species (for instance, the Posidonia oceanica seaweed); the evolution and current status of critically endangered species such as the Pinna nobilis, a mollusc; or the origin of, and threats posed by, allochthonous and invasive species like the blue crab. Attendees will visit the nearby beach to see the seaweed washed up on the shore and the autochthonous fauna and flora of this coastal area. Guides will also raise awareness of the problem of waste dumping in the sea.

Organised by: Irene Antón Linares, Department of Marine Sciences and Applied Biology, University of Alicante.

Date and time: 30/09/2022, 10 a.m.-12 noon and 4-6 p.m.

Place: UA Marine Research Centre (CIMAR), Santa Pola