The strategic area investigates the functioning of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, and their biodiversity also through the acquisition of long-term (multi-decennial) ecological data sets; to preserve biodiversity and the quality of the environmental status, the sustainable use of biological resources and ecosystem services in a circular bio-economy framework is necessary; the definition of abiotic (non-renewable) resources requires their thrifty use, while all opportunities for the exploitation of renewable energy resources compared to fossils must be developed. Assessing the response of ecosystems to natural and anthropogenic forces, interactions between organisms and environments (marine, freshwater, agro-forestry and urban), ecosystem processes and dynamics, trophic networks, energy flows and ecosystem services is essential to manage biological, mineral, water, geothermal and other renewable energy resources, enhancing them in a circular economy logic, also through science-to-policy and participatory decision-making methods.
