BIOPACKS-BIOdiversity PAtterns of Crustacea from Karstic Systems

SPECIFIC GOALS TO BE ACHIEVED

1. To collect biological material and physical-chemical parameters of groundwater systems by means of a temporary sampling (every 3 months during 2019-2021), to characterize possible variations throughout time.
2. Describe and illustrate the species identified by optical microscope, digital photography, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Perform recordings using an ultra-fast camera to describe the behaviour of the groundwater fauna.
3. To use a genome skimming approach on groundwater crustaceans, to obtain a comprehensive molecular phylogenomic analysis of Malacostraca.
4. Characterize crustacean- associated bacteria, sequencing freshly-collected material and isolating taxa of potential interest through laboratory culture.
5. Finally, to publicize the results to the scientific community through publications and disseminate in the society the existence of this exceptional and highly vulnerable fauna.