Underwater Biotechnological Park

Underwater Biotechnological Park

Key research areas

Long-term monitoring of the coastal environment, Recreational Diving Oasis with Artificial Reefs, Effects of climate change on marine organisms, Assessment of non-indigenous species (NIS)

People involved

Thanos Dailianis

Thanos Dailianis
Principal Researcher
+30 2810 337750
thanosd@hcmr.gr


Costas Dounas (retired)

Costas Dounas (retired)
Research Director


Panayota (Yolanda) Koulouri

Panayota (Yolanda) Koulouri
Principal Researcher


Research Directions
Marine biodiversity Marine biodiversity
Ecology and ecosystem management Ecology and ecosystem management
Services
  • Scientific diving
  • Environmental assessment and monitoring
  • Innovative artificial reefs technology services
  • Taxonomic identification services
  • The Underwater Biotechnological Park of Crete (UBPC) is an applied research infrastructure established in 2015.  It occupies a seafloor area of 2.5 hectares at depths between 18 and 22 m in the Gulf of Heraklion, Crete, one nautical mile from the coast. Its main objectives are:

    • the continuous monitoring of coastal environmental parameters
    • the experimental cultivation and study of marine biological resources
    • the development and testing of methods in fisheries management and marine ecotourism
     

    The underwater experimental facility is fully supported by the scientific diving unit operated by IMBBC. At the core of the experimental area, an underwater observatory continuously monitoring environmental parameters, comprising three autonomous oceanographic instruments (ADCP, CTD, fluorometer) deployed on the seafloor and an array of temperature loggers deployed along the water column.

    Equipment of the seafloor observatory operating at the core of the underwater experimental facility:

    • SonTek Acoustic Doppler Profiler (water velocity; 24 cells, 1 m cell size; wave height)
    • SAIV SD208 CTD (conductivity, temperature, dissolved oxygen)
    • Turner Designs C3 Fluorometer (in-vivo chlorophyll sensor, turbidity sensor, fluorescein sensor)
    • Onset HOBO Pro v2 U-22 temperature loggers (temperature along the water column, array of 6)

    This facility is part of the following Research Infrastructures and Transnational Access projects: CMBR, EMBRC, ASSEMBLE+ 

    Related Content

    • RECREATIONAL DIVING OASIS WITH ARTIFICIAL REEFS: Research and Development Programme of ELKETHE within the framework of the Operational Programme of Crete 2014-2020, Strengthening Competitiveness, Innovation and Entrepreneurship of Crete, Action 1.b.1: Demonstrative – Pilot applications promoting innovation in the fields of RISCrete, http://oasi.hcmr.gr

    • ARTIFICIAL REEFS INNOVATIVE APPLICATIONS: SPIN OFF COMPANY OF HCMR, https://www.aria-marine.gr/en/home

    • Rallis I, Chatzigeorgiou G, Florido M, Sedano F, Procopiou A, Chertz-Bynichaki M, et al. Early Succession Patterns of Benthic Assemblages on Artificial
      Reefs in the Oligotrophic Eastern Mediterranean Basin. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. 2022;10: 620. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10050620
    • https://www.jerico-ri.eu/2023/01/17/in-the-cretan-sea-pss-jerico-s3-collaborates-with-embrc-to-complement-data-series-at-the-eastern-mediterranean-emo-bon-observatory-and-study-the-effect-of-extreme-events-on-phytoplankton-productivity/

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