Antarctica as a global pollution sensor: aquatic and terrestrial organisms as bio-indicators and meta-analysis of pollutant trends

Antarctica is the southernmost part of the planet, but its geographical isolation does not protect it from the negative impact of human activities. The aim of the project is to make Antarctica a sensor of global pollution by using its endemic organisms as bioindicators. Through a multilevel approach, AntaGPS aims to achieve biomonitoring of traditional and emerging pollutants, assessment of their effects, and analysis of contamination trends in recent decades. To provide a comprehensive overview of the past decades, a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of literature data will be performed. In addition to the newly collected samples, previously collected and properly preserved samples of Antarctic organisms will also be analyzed from scratch. The planned research activities fit into the objectives of the establishment of the Ross Sea Marine Protected Area (MPA). In particular, this project is proposed as a functional tool for initial and past monitoring of the ecosystem of the new MPA. The synergy between different disciplines (biology, chemistry, meta-analysis), will help overcome the fragmentation that often characterizes research in Antarctica. AntaGPS will involve 4 UOs and 3 international partners working in an integrated way. The strength of the project lies in the convergence of data from different and innovative ecotoxicological analysis methods and the application of advanced statistical methods. The feasibility of the proposal is ensured by the team's great expertise and the synergy between the OUs in the areas of investigation and the availability of important and innovative instrumentation. The results will provide an overall picture of global pollution due to the interdisciplinary approach that will provide important information capable of directing protection strategies for Antarctic and non-Antarctic ecosystems.