Enhancing The value of natural science collections from ecological and paleontological studies in transitional waters

Natural Science Collections (NSCs) originate from different fields of study such as zoology, botany, ecology, geology, paleontology. The Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMAR) has been carrying out ecological and paleontological research projects for a long time, resulting in the establishment of various NSCs. focused on transitional waters and coastal waters of the North Adriatic Sea. The systemization and availability of NSCs and associated data has therefore become a tenet of biological and ecological disciplines. The ultimate goal is to enhance the scientific value of ISMAR NSCs and to integrate them in the emerging international initiatives, such as the European Research Infrastructure DiSSCo (Distributed System of Scientific collections).