Ponza Research Station

Facilities

Fusani Leonida — 2012-05-31T22:00:00Z

Nets

Researchers at the station have access to the net arrays (318 m) of the Ringing Station, which has one of the highest efficiency (capture/net surface) in the Mediterranean region. Daily captures average 600 in late April and May, with peaks of 1200 captures per days. Morphological and physiological data collected by the ringers are available for research projects, as well as specific data collected on request.

Lab space

Limited laboratory space is available for simple operations. Electricity and water are freely available, and there is a refrigerator and a - 18 C freezer for sample storage. In addition, space can be arranged for temporary caging of birds. This needs to be requested well in advance and will involve additional costs.

Accomodation

There are apartments available for rent which can host up to 4 people at 60-80 EUR per day including water and electricity. Apartments are located very close to the Station and within the village, with easy access to shops, restaurants, bank, and public transportation.

About us

Fusani Leonida — 2012-05-31T22:00:00Z

The Ponza Research Station is located on the island of Ponza in the Thyrrenian Sea, about XX miles from the western coast of central Italy. Researchers at the station focus on bird migration. The station operates in close connection with the Ponza Ringing Station, where traditional bird ringing and monitoring acivities are carried out. There is a bidirectional flow between the Research and Ringing programmes, in that the researchers profit from the large mist-nets setup of the Ringing Station which provides very large numbers of birds throughout the migratory season, whereas the Ringing Station receives financial support from the research programmes and provide a stimulating environment for bird ringers who whis to see their work contributing to scientific advances.

Visiting us

Fusani Leonida — 2012-05-16T13:35:00Z

Research application

We welcome researchers from all countries to visit and work at our Station. For a preliminary inquiry, please send an email to leonida.fusani (at) unife.it. Make sure to include details of experimental procedures which require an ethical evaluation. Usually, the Ringing Station operates between March and May. However, we will be happy to consider applications for research outside this period.

Research fees

Both the Research and the Ringing Stations rely completely on external funding for operation. Thus, we need to ask a small fee for using our facilities, in order to be able to continue operations when funding is scarce. The fee is 150 EUR per calendar week, which can be provided as a donation to the CISCA, the no-profit organization (registered charity) that runs the Ringing Station. Additional fees will be applied for special requests, which need to be organized well in advance.

Acknowledgements

All publications resulting from work conducted at the Ponza Research Station should report in the Acknowledgements this text: "This is publication N. XX of the Ponza Research Station". The number to be inserted will be provided by us.

Visiting scientists

Several scientists have conducted research at the Ponza Research Station, including:

-Jacques Balthazart, University of Liege, Belgium

-Ulf Bauchinger, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany

-Marco Catoni, Ornis Italica, Rome, Italy

-David Costantini, University of Glasgow, UK

-Scott McWilliams, Rhode Island University, USA

-Marylin Ramenowski, University of California at Davies, USA

-Marjorie Sorensen, University of Cambridge, UK

-John C. Wingfield, University of California at Davies, USA

-Marco Zaccaroni, University of Florence, Italy

Ponza Research Station

Fusani Leonida — 2012-05-16T13:30:00Z

The Ponza Research Station is located on the island of Ponza in the Thyrrenian Sea, about 20 nautical miles (37 km) from the Western coast of central Italy. Researchers at the station focus on bird migration. The station operates in close connection with the Ponza Ringing Station, where traditional bird ringing and monitoring acivities are carried out. There is a bi-directional flow between the Research and Ringing programmes, in that the researchers profit from the large mist-nets setup of the Ringing Station which provides very large numbers of birds throughout the migratory season, whereas the Ringing Station receives financial support from the research programmes and provides a stimulating environment for bird ringers who whis to see their work contributing to scientific advances.

Isole pontine

Fusani Leonida — 2012-05-16T13:29:18Z

Images

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Ponza Research Station

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reti.jpg

Fusani Leonida — 2014-01-20T13:37:19Z

Ponza Ringing Station

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Link to the web site of the ringing station

Scientific Board

Fusani Leonida — 2013-05-16T10:13:30Z

Research at the station is coordinated by the board of founding members:

Claudio Carere, University of Tuscia, Italy	claudiocarere (at) unitus.it	web
Massimiliano Cardinale, Swedish University of Agricultural Science, Sweden	massimiliano.cardinale (at) slu.se	web
Leonida Fusani, University of Ferrara, Italy (Chair)	leonida.fusani (at) unife.it	web
Wolfgang Goymann, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany	goymann (at) orn.mpg.de	web

Research

Fusani Leonida — 2012-06-09T16:23:28Z

Since 2005 we have been conducting research on behavioural and physiological adaptations of migratory birds. More recently, we have started collaborations with other research groups and expanded our interests to large-scale changes in bird migration.

Physiological adaptations and decision-making during migration

Migratory birds often use a stop-and-go migratory strategy: long flights are alternated to stopovers, during which the animals rest and refuel. Our research focuses on the physiological mechanisms that control the decision of resuming migrating at stopover sites.

Recent work has shown that the decision of resuming migration depends mainly on the physiological conditions of the birds and on the availability of food.

Click to see a 15-min documentary movie on our work (in Italian) made by the national channel Rai3!

Funding

The Research Council of Norway University of Ferrara Max-Planck Society

Publications of the Ponza Research Station

5. Fusani, L., Cardinale, M., Schwabl, I. & Goymann, W. 2011. Food availability but not melatonin affects nocturnal restlessness in a wild migrating passerine. Hormones and Behavior, 59, 187–192.

4. Carere, C., Costantini, D., Fusani, L., Alleva, E. & Cardinale, M. 2010. Hypothermic abilities of migratory songbirds at a stopover site. Rend. Fis. Acc. Lincei, 21, 323-334.

3. Fusani, L., Cardinale, M., Carere, C. & Goymann, W. 2009. Stopover decision during migration: physiological conditions predict nocturnal restlessness in wild passerines. Biology Letters, 5, 302-305.

2. Goymann, W., Trappschuh, M. & Fusani, L. 2008. A Gentler method to raise melatonin levels in birds. Journal Of Biological Rhythms, 23, 274-277.

1. Costantini, D., Cardinale, M. & Carere, C. 2007. Oxidative damage and anti-oxidant capacity in two migratory bird species at a stop-over site. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C, 144, 363-371.