Project Partner 2
Nacionalni inštitut za biologijo - NIB, Pirano (SLO)
Marine Biology Station (MBS) established in 1969 in Piran is affiliated to the National Institute of Biology (NIB) in Ljubljana. The main research activities of the MBS are focused on characteristics and problems of coastal waters especially on coastal dynamics and modelling, plankton ecology, biodiversity, biogeochemical processes and the impacts of pollution. MBS is national focal point for MED POL activities (Barcelona Convention) and is responsible for National Marine Monitoring Program including assessment of the state of marine environment, marine biodiversity monitoring and conservation of coastal areas. MBS is NODC (National Oceanographic Data Centre) and data provider for Transitional, Coastal and Marine Waters within EIONET. The MBS staff has been involved in over 50 projects in last 10 years covering a wide range of disciplines such as: modelling of circulation, marine biodiversity, gelatinous plankton, eutrophication and HABs, molecular biology, cycling of organic matter, aquaculture impacts.
NIB-MBS has a wide array of facilities available (field and lab measuring equipment) including fluid dynamics laboratory with rotating table, wet laboratory with running seawater, cold rooms and growth chambers, analytical, microbiological and molecular biology laboratories. Research boat (12 m) is equipped with ADCP, microstructure CTD/PAR/fluorescence probe, a variety of water column and bottom sampling gear an underwater video/photographic equipment. NIB-MBS operates Coastal oceanographic buoy Vida (deployed in the Gulf of Trieste). The buoy continuously records oceanographic data at a site thought to be typical of the southern half of the Gulf of Trieste. This data is complemented by observations taken from the research vessel. Complimentary measurements taken from the research vessel allows the spatial extent of such events to be estimated. The collected data are publicly accessible (http://www.nib.si/mbp/en/oceanographic-data-and-measurements).
NIB-MBS is placed at the sea-side and offers excellent laboratory working conditions, among which there is a chemical lab for standard chemical analyses, and a lab of fluid dynamics.
