Partners
University of Ljubljana, SLOVENIA
ubterranean Biology Lab (SubBioLab)
Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty
OBJECTIVES
Our central focus is ecology and evolution of subterranean organisms, also with the aim to add to improved monitoring and conservation of their habitats and diversity.
FUNDING AGENCY
Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
THE TEAM
Maja Zagmajster
I am coordinating the project Sub-BioMon. My research is mainly focused on studies of biodiversity, biogeography and ecology of subterranean fauna on different geographical scales. I am involved also in educational and citizen science activities, as well as communication with different stakeholders. Aims to improve conservation of subterranean habitats are important part of my work, also by leading activities within the other projects, related to improving knowledge on distribution, biodiversity patterns and monitoring of subterranean fauna (DarCo, NarcIS, LIFE-IP NATURA.SI).
Teo Delić
Extremely diversified taxa of subterranean beetles and groundwater amphipods, including their morphological diversity and mechanisms and processes that caused their proliferation, present the basics of my research interests. I cover field-work activities, from planning to performance, as well as morphological and molecular analyses of the collected samples.
Cene Fišer
I am an expert in amphipod morphological taxonomy. My responsibility is to identify amphipod samples and to reconcile the classical amphipod taxonomy with barcodes.
Valerija Zakšek
As a researcher, I am interested in biogeographic patterns of subterranean fauna and what shaped them in diverse aquatic groups on the Dinaric Karst. I provide assistance with molecular part, from lab to analyses, also with e-DNA, field work and conservation related topics.
Anja Kos
I am a PhD student, studying the diversity of centipedes within the subterranean environments of the Dinarides. I spent a lot of the time in caves or molecular laboratory. I participate mainly as a help on activities related to fieldwork or sample management.
Universite libre de Bruxelles, BELGIUM
OBJECTIVES
FUNDING AGENCY
THE TEAM
PI Jean-Francois Flot
Università degli Studi dell'Aquila ITALY
Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, ABC Dark World O
OBJECTIVES
different aspects related to the zoology, ecology, evolution and conservation of multiple organisms (vertebrates and invertebrates) that live in both surface and subterranean environments, with special emphasis on the European cave salamanders (genus Speleomantes),
FUNDING AGENCY
THE TEAM
PI Enrico Lunghi
Eötvös Loránd University HUNGARY
Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology
OBJECTIVES
Phylogeny and taxonomy of the Niphargus genus. Morphological adaptation to cave environment. Faunistic research of Hungarian caves.
FUNDING AGENCY
NKFIH, National Research, Development and Innovation Office
THE TEAM
Dr. Gergely Balázs, PI, Data acquisition, sample collection, field test of methods in Hungary, Coordination of WP5
Anna Biró, Researcher, Data acquisition, sample collection, field test of methods in Hungary
Dr. Gábor Herczeg, Adviser
Romanian Academy - Cluj-Napoca Branch ROMANIA
Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology
Department of Cluj-Napoca
OBJECTIVES
the multidisciplinary study of karst and caves
FUNDING AGENCY
The Executive Unit for the Financing of Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation (UEFISCDI)
THE TEAM
Sanda Iepure, PhD in Biology, Romanian Academy (Project coordinator). Sanda has broad research interest in subterranean biology and cave ecology, and on biodiversity, biogeography, and caves ecosystem function. Her researches also focus on systematics, and taxonomy of groundwater crustaceans (cyclopoids, ostracods); evolution and adaptations of cave crustaceans to extreme cave environments (ice caves, sulfidic caves) and cave aquatic fauna monitoring.
Oana Teodora Moldovan, PhD in Ecology, Universite Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France. Interest in cave ecology, cave beetles and conservation issues in this project.
Catalina Haidău PhD student, Scientist, focusing on bacteria from caves. With experience in microbiology (aerobe microorganisms’ isolation & cultures; phylogeny), molecular techniques, as well as in bioinformatics, her role in the project will be to perform the molecular
and eDNA analysis.
Ruxandra Bucur, PhD in Biology, Romanian Academy, Cave beetles monitoring. Ruxandra is involved in research on cave fauna; her research interest is in the monitoring of terrestrial and aquatic fauna, as well as evolution, adaptation and speciation in subterranean environment. She uses molecular approaches to address issues on phylogeny and phylogeography of cave beetles for a better understanding of origin and evolution of subterranean biodiversity at different systematic levels, from populations to species.
Cristian Sitar, PhD in Biology, Entomology, taxonomy of cave beetles, field monitoring of cave fauna. Cristian is an entomologist and ecologist. Since 2018, he has been part of the team at the Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology in Cluj-Napoca, where he is involved in monitoring cave fauna and studying the taxonomy and biology of cave beetles.
Dragoş Ştefan Măntoiu, PhD in Biology, is an ecologist with a Batchelor and Master’s degree in Geography (GIS modelling) and a PhD on the migration pathways of bats. His work revolves around the movement ecology of animals, with multiple projects within caves and karst areas.
Orest Sambor, MSc, Bachelor in Biology, University Babes Bolyai Cluj Napoca, Romania. Orest holds a Bachelor's degree in Biology and a Master's degree in Systemic Ecology and Conservation from the Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeş-Bolyai University, with his graduation theses focused on aquatic invertebrates. With expertise in ecology, hydrobiology, biospeleology, and as an ecologist, he continues to conduct research and field monitoring in cave environments, exploring various aspects of cave ecology, biodiversity, and ecosystem dynamics.
National Museum of Natural History LUXEMBURG
The Zoology Department OBJECTIVES
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to document animal biodiversity in Luxembourg,
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to archive it in systematic collections, and
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to contribute to the conservation of species and populations.
THE TEAM
PI Alexander Weigand– national project coordinator, taxonomic identification, reporting
Dr. Hannah Weigand – organization, data analysis, reporting
Dr. Dieter Weber – fieldwork, taxonomic identification, reporting
Stéphanie Lippert – laboratory work