AtlantECO Final Scientific Conference
One Ocean, One Health
Microbiomes of the Atlantic Seascape

Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal 15-19 September 2025

About

  • The AtlantECO Final Conference

  • One Ocean, One Health

  • Microbiomes of the Atlantic Seascape

The research and innovation project AtlantECO, funded by the European Union, is in its final year. It brought together experts from Europe, South America and Africa, conducting research on the Atlantic Ocean Microbiomes, Microplastics and Seascape connectivity.

The objective of the project is to provide knowledge-based resources for a better understanding and management of the Atlantic Ocean and its ecosystem services. AtlantECO also engaged with citizens and actors from the industry and policy sectors in order to stimulate responsible behaviour and Blue Growth.

The AtlantECO Final Scientific Conference is an opportunity for AtlantECO partners and other European and international research projects (e.g. Mission Atlantic, iAtlantic, SUMMER, NECCTON, eDNAbyss, BioGeoScapes, EXPORTS, APERO, ACE, GO-SHIP) to present & discuss their latest findings and approaches.

The scientific community is increasingly asked to integrate fundamental research and socio-economic evaluations in order to address societal needs, inform policy makers, support the economy, and advance international cooperation.

Under the UN Decade of Ocean Science, this endeavour is embodied in the concept of One Ocean, One Health. While the focus of the AtlantECO Final Scientific Conference is to present & discuss scientific results, participants are asked to highlight how their science is relevant to that concept.

To that end, the AtlantECO Final Scientific Conference is organised around a handful of Themes that correspond to key ecosystem services provided by Microbiomes of the Atlantic Seascape, i.e. climate regulation, food provision, health provision and regulation, deep sea ecosystems support, and biodiversity.

The Atlantic seascape is made of 3D physical processes such as large river plumes, upwelling and downwelling associated with coastal winds and mesoscale eddies, boundary currents and gyres.

This highly dynamic system shapes the diversity of marine microbiomes and the ecosystem services that they provide. While the human microbiome is composed principally of bacteria, marine microbiomes consist of a much broader ensemble of microscopic organisms that inhabit river plumes, coastal waters, the open ocean, the atmosphere and plastic particles, i.e. the plastisphere. Microbiomes of the Atlantic Seascape can be used to develop diagnostic tools and metrics that assess the health status of the Atlantic Ocean.

The AtlantECO Final Scientific Conference is an opportunity to present & discuss innovative methods, new digital knowledge, multi-omics approaches, data analysis & modelling, and assessments & forecasts that help us better understand Microbiomes of the Atlantic Seascape.

Programme

 

General Programme (15-19 September)

Day One

  • 13h00 - Registration

  • 14h00 - Welcome & Session 1 - Climate Regulation

  • 18h00 - Welcome Tapas & refreshments

Day Two

  • 07h00 - Morning 5 km run (optional)*

  • 09h00 - Session 2 - Biodiversity

  • 13h00 - Lunch

  • 14h00 - Session 3 - Biodiversity

  • Self-organised dinner

*The 5 km run will start at 7 am sharp in front of the Conference venue (Teatro Micaelense) 

Day Three

  • 09h00 - Session 4 - Food Provision

  • 13h00 - Grab your lunch bag

  • 13h30 - Excursion (optional, self paid)*

  • Self-organised dinner

Whale Watching excursion Picos de Aventura

The boat will leave at 13h30 sharp, so you need to grab your lunch bag at the registration desk and head to the boat right after Session 4, which ends at 12h30. 

Depending on your hotel location, you might need to go straight to the boat from the conference venue. The boat is a 10 min walk from the Conference venue (see meeting point on Google Maps).

Tickets were pre-booked and pre-paid. Please make sure to pay us back, in cash (€52) at the Conference registration desk on Monday-Wednesday morning.

Day Four

  • 09h00 - Session 5 - Health Provision & Regulation

  • 13h00 - Lunch

  • 14h00 - Session 6 - Energy provision & Connectivity

  • 20h00 - Conference dinner (paid by AtlantECO)

The Conference dinner is at the oceanfront restaurant Cais da Sardinha. Dinner starts at 20h, but you are welcome to arrive early for drinks (self-paid) on the restaurant’s terrasse. See meeting point on Google Maps 

Day Five

  • 09h00 - Plenary session - From Atlantic Cooperation to Global Ocean Policy

  • 13h00 - Farewell Tapas & refreshments

  • 14h00 - End of Conference

 

Wi-Fi Network: ATLANTECO
Password: Azores2025

Download the Programme (PDF)

Download the Book of Abstracts (PDF)

Session 1. Climate regulation

Co-chairs: Dr. Bruno Buongiorno Nardelli (CNR), Daniele Iudicone (SZN)

This session will address our understanding of natural and geoengineered mechanisms involved in climate-related services provided by Microbiomes and the Atlantic Seascape. 

Time

Title of presentation

Speaker

Duration

14:00

AtlantECO Final Scientific Conference - Opening presentation

Daniele Iudicone

20 min

14:20

Session introduction

Bruno Buongiorno Nardelli

10 min

14:30

A dynamical geography of observed trends in the global ocean

Bruno Buongiorno Nardelli

15+5 min

14:50

Long-term adaptation of an abundant marine diatom to global change drivers

Bogdan Drugă

15+5 min

15:10

Multi-omics approach to monitor diatom sexual reproduction in natural environments

Lucia Campese

15+5 min

15:30

AFTERNOON BREAK (room: Foyer)

 

30 min

16:00

Tracking phytoplankton nutrient stress across ocean basins

Harriet Alexander

15+5 min

16:20

The case for oxide-mediated cryptic mid-water silicon isotope cycling: Reanalysis of new and existing GEOTRACES data

Julien Middleton

15+5 min

16:50

Iron fertilization alters microbial network structure and dynamics

Mancha Mabaso

15+5 min

17:10

High-Resolution Temporal Dynamics of Microphytoplankton in a Large and Well-Mixed Tropical Estuary

Paula Birocchi

15+5 min

17:30

Results from the AtlantECO Multi-Omics Hackathon

Nello Gregori,

Nosipho Hlalukana,

Or Amar

15+5 min

18:00

TAPAS & REFRESHMENTS (room: Foyer)

 

90 min

Session 2. Biodiversity

Co-chairs: Dr. Emma Rocke (UCT), Dr. Harriet Alexander (WHOI)

This session will address our understanding of mechanisms involved in biodiversity-related services provided by Microbiomes and the Atlantic Seascape. 

Time

Title of presentation

Speaker

Duration

09:00

Session introduction

Emma Rocke & 

Harriet Alexander

10 min

09:10

Exploring ocean microbial biodiversity through MGnify genome catalogues

Ekaterina Sakharova

15+5 min

09:30

Unveiling the Functional Landscape of Microbial Communities in the Benguela Upwelling Region

Emma Rocke

15+5 min

09:50

A genome-resolved approach to investigate functional redundancy and community assembly rules in marine microbial communities

Antoine Bagnaro

15+5 min

10:10

Global Functional Signatures of Ocean Microbiomes Revealed Through a Protein-Driven Metagenomic Approach

Paula Huber

15+5 min

10:30

MORNING BREAK (room: Foyer)

 

30 min

11:00

Metatranscriptome-informed modeling of diatom ecological succession in Cape Cod Bay

Arianna Krinos

15+5 min

11:20

Modelling bacterioplankton community interactions at the metabolic level

Swan Li San Sow

15+5 min

11:50

Mining of the plankton meta-metabolome in the Antarctic Ocean

Udita Chandola

15+5 min

12:10

Meta-metabolomics reveals distinct chemical signatures within the Amazon River Plume

Maïa Henry

15+5 min

12:30

Results from the AtlantECO Multi-Omics Hackathon

Udita Chandola,

Léna AiIlliot,

Saliou Faye,

Nikolai Matviiets

15+5 min

13:00

LUNCH (room: Foyer)

 

60 min

Session 3. Biodiversity

Co-chairs: Dr. Hugo Sarmento (UFSCar), Dr. Swan Sow (Univ. Nantes)

This session will address our understanding of mechanisms involved in biodiversity-related services provided by Microbiomes and the Atlantic Seascape. 

Time

Title of presentation

Speaker

Duration

14:00

Session introduction

Hugo Sarmento & 

Swan Li San Sow

10 min

14:10

Implementing long-term marine genomic observation: preliminary results from Atlantic coast observatories of the European Marine Omics Biodiversity Observation Network (EMO BON)

Christina Pavloudi

15+5 min

14:30

Dealing with P deficiency: contrasting strategies in phytoplankton and bacteria

Sandra Martinez-Garcia

15+5 min

14:50

Bottom-up environmental controls of Penilia avirostris abundance across multiple time scales

Caio Braz

15+5 min

15:10

West Africa Quantitative Imaging Platform

Saliou FAYE

15+5 min

15:30

AFTERNOON BREAK (room: Foyer)

 

30 min

16:00

Characterization of the vertical distribution of plankton and the formation of thin layers in the northern Gulf of Mexico using digital holography

Rubens M. Lopes

15+5 min

16:20

Mesozooplankton abundance and composition across the South Atlantic Ocean 

Erik Muxagata

15+5 min

16:50

Robust pattern between trophic levels in planktonic ecosystems suggests unifying process shaping biodiversity

Lorenzo Fant

15+5 min

17:10

Currents of Culture: Valuing Biodiversity through Public Voices from Marine Iconic Sites

Gillian B. Ainsworth

15+5 min

17:30

Results from the AtlantECO Multi-Omics Hackathon

Sebastian Metz,

Lucia Campese,

Runesu Bakasa,

Chloe Hollerer,

Yameen Badrodien

15+5 min

18:00

END OF DAY 2

  

Session 4. Food provision

Co-chairs: Dr. Simone Libralato (OGS), Dr. Ferenc Jordan (KNR), Dr. Neda Gilannejad (NORCE)

This session will address our understanding of natural and bioengineered mechanisms involved in food-related services provided by Microbiomes and the Atlantic Seascape. 

Time

Title of presentation

Speaker

Duration

09:00

Session introduction

Simone Libralato &

Neda Gilannejad

10 min

09:10

Diversity of co-occurrence networks: key nodes and functioning

Ferenc Jordan

15+5 min

09:30

eDNA complements microscopy to identify shared traits of zooplankton winners and losers under climatic warming

Karen Tait (online)

15+5 min

09:50

Warming-Driven Shifts in North Atlantic Plankton

Clare Ostle

15+5 min

10:10

Quantifying trophic transfer efficiency in world oceans could support better ecosystem management

Katalin Patonai

15+5 min

10:30

MORNING BREAK (room: Foyer)

 

30 min

11:00

Assessing the role of the microbiome and mesoplankton by high-throughput imaging systems to boost the largest fishing ground in the Brazilian shelf.

Andrea Freire

15+5 min

11:20

Linking climate change-driven impacts on Net Primary Production in the Atlantic and mid-century global macroeconomic scenarios

Gabriele Standardi (online)

15+5 min

11:50

Assessing Socioecological Health in Galicia: An Ocean Health Index Perspective

Antía Campos Suárez

15+5 min

12:10

Comparative analysis of skin and gut microbiome dynamics in wild versus farmed Atlantic salmon smolts

Neda Gilannejad

15+5 min

12:30

GRAB YOUR LUNCH BAG and head to the Excursion (optional)

 

60 min

Session 5. Health provision & regulation

Co-chairs: Dr. Linda Amaral-Zettler (NIOZ), Dr. Tonje Marita Bjerkan Heggeset (SINTEF)

This session will address our understanding of natural and bioengineered mechanisms involved in health-related services provided by Microbiomes and the Atlantic Seascape. 

Time

Title of presentation

Speaker

Duration

09:00

Session introduction

Linda Amaral-Zettler &

Tonje Bjerkan Heggeset

10 min

09:10

Uncovering the Biodegradation Potential of the Marine Plastisphere Across the Atlantic Ocean

Or Amar

15+5 min

09:30

Development and Validation of a MultiplexTranscriptomic Tools in Cyprinodon variegatus for the Detection of Endocrine Disruption Induced by Plastic Additives

Raquel Abad Pérez

15+5 min

09:50

Life on the move - How traits and environment constrain marine species dispersal

Erik van Sebille

15+5 min

10:10

Sinking Plastic Snow in the Atlantic Ocean: how much and how microplastics get to the deep ocean.

Katsia Pabortsava

15+5 min

10:30

MORNING BREAK (room: Foyer)

 

30 min

11:00

New technologies for high-resolution detection of toxigenic algae

Julie Robidart (online)

15+5 min

11:20

Digital bioprospecting for mining novel bioactive compounds and industrial enzymes

Giang-Son Nguyen

15+5 min

11:50

Assessing ocean health in South Africa: A comprehensive evaluation of marine ecosystem services in the southern Benguela using the Ocean Health Index

Diana Lorena Rico-Velez

15+5 min

12:10

Citizen science to measure ocean health in Galicia (Spain)

Antía Campos Suárez

15+5 min

12:30

Results from the AtlantECO Multi-Omics Hackathon

Andras Hidas,

Maïa Henry,

Caio de Moraes Braz,

Leonardo Bruni

15+5 min

13:00

LUNCH (room: Foyer)

 

60 min

Session 6. Energy provision & Connectivity

Co-chairs: Dr. Erik van Sebille (Utrecht Univ.), Dr. Daniele Iudicone (SZN)

This session will address our understanding of mechanisms involved in services provided to deep sea ecosystems by Microbiomes and the Atlantic Seascape. 

Time

Title of presentation

Speaker

Duration

14:00

Session introduction

Erik van Sebille

10 min

14:10

The oceanic physical injection pump of organic carbon

Bruno Buongiorno Nardelli

15+5 min

14:30

Influence of upper-ocean physical processes on carbon flux variation in the mesopelagic equatorial Atlantic

Danilo Silva

15+5 min

14:50

How are changes in temperature and productivity affecting ecosystem size spectra across pelagic food webs in the Atlantic Ocean?

Ralf Schwamborn

15+5 min

15:10

In situ measurements of marine snow vertical speeds: Insights from TZEX across three ocean basins

Alexandre Accardo

15+5 min

15:30

AFTERNOON BREAK (room: Foyer)

 

30 min

16:00

Seasonality and sea-ice variability shape microbial particle-associated communities in the North-Atlantic - Arctic transition zone

Ana Gusmao

15+5 min

16:20

AtlantECO: Numerical Modeling of Diatom Dispersion in a Tropical, Well-Mixed Estuary

Paula Birocchi

15+5 min

16:50

Flow-topography interactions drive zooplankton abundance and carbon export to depth along the Vitoria-Trindade Seamount Chain (Southwest Atlantic)

Danilo Silva

15+5 min

17:10

Carbon sequestration service in the Atlantic Ocean: an assessment from coastal to ocean ecosystems

Donata Canu

15+5 min

17:30

AtlantECO Final Scientific Conference - Closing presentation

Daniele Iudicone

20 min

18:00

END OF DAY 4

  

st results. 

Session 7. Plenary discussion - From Atlantic Cooperation to Global Ocean Policy

Co-chairs: Andre Abreu, Diana Sousa

This session will consist of a roundtable dialogue on the future of cooperation

Time

Title of presentation

Speaker

Duration

09:30

Scene-Setting Presentations introduction

Diana Sousa

5 min

09:30

A Scientific Perspective: Clustering of Horizon Atlantic research projects

Ivo Grigorov

15+5 min

09:50

A Policy Perspective: EU Ocean Policy frameworks and links to the BBNJ and KMGBF processes. 

Andre Abreu

15+5 min

10:10

A Global South Perspective: Perspectives from Africa and South America on equitable cooperation and capacity building

Emma Rocke

15+5 min

10:30

MORNING BREAK (room: Foyer)

 

30 min

11:00

Voices across the Ocean: Roundtable dialogue on the future of cooperation

  • Paulo Nascimento Cabral / EU MEP from the Azores 
  • Saliou Faye / CRODT, Senegal. 
  • Natalia Ospina-Alvarez, AIR Centre, 
  • Hugo Saramento, UFSCAR
  • Sofia Cordeiro, AIR Centre, AAORIA and OKEANOs initiatives
 

60 min

12:00

Looking Ahead, Closing remarks

  • Gonzalo Garcia-de-Arboleya / Project Adviser, Research Executive Agency (EC_REA), AtlantECO 

  • Daniele Iudicone / SZN, AtlantECO Coordinator

 

15 min

12:30

FAREWELL TAPAS & REFRESHMENTS (room: Foyer)

or

LUNCH BAG for those who go to the excursion

 

60 min

 

st results. 

Scientific Committee

Daniele Iudicone Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (SZN), Italy
Stéphane Pesant European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), United Kingdom 
Andre Abreu Fondation Tara Océan (FTO), France
Linda Amaral-ZettlerRoyal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Netherlands
Bruno Buongiorno Nardelli National Research Council (CNR), Italy
Marion Gehlen Commissariat à l'énergie atomique (CEA), France
Tonje Heggeset SINTEF, Norway
Olivier Jaillon Commissariat à l'énergie atomique (CEA), France
David Johns Marine Biological Association (MBA), United Kingdom
Ferenc Jordan Keynote Research Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag (KNR), Hungary
Carlos Lentini Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Brazil
Simone Libralato National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS), Italy
Rubens Lopes Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Brazil
Thulani Makhalanyane Stellenbosch University (SUN), South Africa
Ricardo Oliveira Sociedade Portuguesa de Inovação (SPI), Portugal
Emma Rocke University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa
Francesca Santoro United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), France
Hugo Sarmento Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Brazil
Erik van Sebille Utrecht University (UU), Netherlands
Marcello Vichi University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa
Sebastian Villasante Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (USC), Spain
Meike Vogt ETH Zürich, Switzerland


 

Organising Committee

Sara Pittonet Gaiarin, TRUST-IT Services
Diana Diana Marques, SPI
Stéphane Pesant, EMBL-EBI

Logistics

Venue details

The AtlantECO Final Scientific Conference will be held at Teatro Micaelense in Ponta Delgada on the magnificent Island of São Miguel in the Azores, at the heart of the Atlantic Ocean. Teatro Micaelense successfully hosts national and international congresses of small and medium scale and the most diverse types of professional, cultural and social events.

See on Google Maps

How to get to Ponta Delgada

Direct flights are available from/to: Lisbon, Porto, Brussels, Dusseldorf, London, Toronto (Canada) and Boston (USA) Ponta Delgada Airport is 10 minutes away by taxi to Teatro Micaelense and the nearby hotels.

Hotels near Teatro Micaelense 
(Ponta Delgada)