Grants

Sea

IMEDEA | Scientific Monitoring of the Restoration of a Posidonia oceanica Meadow

10,556€ awarded

TOTAL PROJECT COST – €10,556

IN PROGRESS

  • Organisation Applying for Funding:IMEDEA – Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (CSIC-UIB)
  • Project Duration: September 2025 to October 2026
  • Area of Interest: Sea
  • Other organisations involved: IME-OBSAM (Institut Menorquí d’Estudis – Observatori Socioambiental de Menorca)

Project Summary:

The “Scientific Monitoring of the Restoration of a Posidonia oceanica Meadow in Ciutadella” supports the ecological recovery of seagrass damaged by anthropogenic activity during the construction of the Ciutadella desalination plant. As part of the Interreg Euromed ARTEMIS project, 1,040 rhizome fragments will be planted across a 1,638 m² area near Cala Blanca. IMEDEA is responsible for the specific scientific monitoring of the survival and development of planted material over the first year. This data will be vital to evaluate the early success of the restoration.

Main Objectives:

The study aims to:

  1. Assess the survival and development of the Posidonia oceanica rhizome fragments planted in 2025.
  2. Compare the performance of planted specimens with naturally occurring reference clones in the same area.
  • Provide evidence-based data to inform longer-term monitoring of seagrass restoration effectiveness.

 

Expected results:

Environmental outcomes include:

  • Baseline data from the initial (0) monitoring campaign, including:Identification and in situ marking of natural P. oceanica clones and Estimation of leaf bundle density in both planted and surrounding plots.
  • Data from the one-year (1) monitoring campaign, measuring:Survival and growth (leaf bundles per fragment) of both planted fragments and natural clones and Continued estimation of leaf bundle density in planted and control areas.

These results will inform the overall assessment of restoration success and biodiversity recovery.

Social, economic and/or political outcomes:

  • Strengthen scientific collaboration between IMEDEA and IME-OBSAM.
  • Provide reference data for the broader Interreg Euromed ARTEMIS initiative.
  • Generate high-quality scientific outputs that support evidence-based conservation policy.
  • Contribute to the development of scalable restoration methodologies in the Mediterranean.
  • Help enhance ecosystem services such as fish nursery habitats through increased structural complexity.

 

Project Legacy:

Given the slow growth of Posidonia oceanica, long-term monitoring (5+ years) is essential to fully assess the restoration’s ecological impact. This project secures the critical first year of monitoring and sets the foundation for future campaigns. The data generated will contribute to scientific literature, regional guidelines (e.g., the Mediterranean Posidonia Network), and restoration best practices across the Balearic Islands and beyond.

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