Marine Science Programme

The Bertarelli Foundation established its Indian Ocean focussed marine science programme in 2017 to advance the understanding of how large marine protected areas function and they can be better managed.

This programme is an endorsed action of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030 and addresses the protection of marine biodiversity and securing ocean health, and uses science to inform management and conservation. Whilst the programme focuses on the Indian Ocean, the research and other outcomes are applicable to scientists and conservationists around the globe.

The programme currently involves 96 researchers from 24 institutions and nine countries. Projects are, by design, collaborative and interdisciplinary and each of them includes partners from the Indian Ocean, with a total involvement of 35 regional institutions.

Island Reef Connections

Sea Turtle Conservation

Coral Reef Resilience and Recovery in the Chagos Archipelago

Physical Oceanography

Manta Ray Conservation

Seabird Connectivity

Pelagic Predators

Plastic pollution

Coral Reef Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function

Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems – BRUVS

Cetacean Refuges

Chagos Brain Coral

Coral Reef Imaging

Human Dimensions of Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported Fishing

Shark Genomics Seascapes

Fisheries Acoustics

Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems

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1 to 10 of 65 Results

Seabird Tracking Data: Red-Footed Booby Acceleration Data Jun 30, 2025 - Harvard Dataverse Dunn, Ruth, 2025, "Seabird Tracking Data: Red-Footed Booby Acceleration Data", https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/5BCOAP, Harvard Dataverse, V1, UNF:6:khdnUvlf9hXL1FwQUNCfBw== [fileUNF] Tri-axial acceleration data recorded via TechnoSmArt Axy-Trek Marine data loggers deployed on the underside of adult red-footed booby (Sula sula) tail feathers adults during the breeding season. Data were collected from individuals at Barton Point in February 2019, East Island in February 2022, and Nelson’s Island in January 2024 (in the Chagos Arc...
Seabird Tracking Data: Red-Footed Booby Bird-Bourne Video Data Jun 22, 2025 - Seabird Connectivity Dunn, Ruth E.; Freeman, Robin M.; Nicoll, Malcolm A.; Trevail, Alice M.; Votier, Stephen C., 2025, "Seabird Tracking Data: Red-Footed Booby Bird-Bourne Video Data", https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/U0BGFJ, Harvard Dataverse, V2 Footage recorded via bird-borne video cameras on the backs of red-footed booby (Sula sula) adults during the breeding season, while undertaking central-place foraging trips. Data collected using DVL400M Little Leonardos from two individuals at Nelson’s Island (5.68° S, 72.32° E) in the Chagos Archipelago in January 2024. Cameras were programmed to...
Data for "Deep neural networks to predict foraging behaviour: salt-water immersion data can accurately predict diving in seabirds" Jun 21, 2025 - Seabird Connectivity Freeman, Robin; Dunn, Ruth; Nicoll, Malcolm; Trevail, Alice; Votier, Stephen; Wood, Hannah, 2025, "Data for "Deep neural networks to predict foraging behaviour: salt-water immersion data can accurately predict diving in seabirds"", https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/GHWM5U, Harvard Dataverse, V1 Dataset for the paper "Deep neural networks to predict foraging behaviour: salt-water immersion data can accurately predict diving in seabirds" by Swaby et al. This dataset was collected from Axytrek GPS/dive/accelerometer loggers on the backs of adult red-footed booby (Sula sula) during the central place foraging from Barton Point, Diego Garcia (-...
Fine-scale oceanographic drivers of reef manta ray visitation patterns at a feeding aggregation site Jun 1, 2025 - Manta Ray Conservation Harris, Joanna, 2025, "Fine-scale oceanographic drivers of reef manta ray visitation patterns at a feeding aggregation site", https://doi.org/10.6084/M9.FIGSHARE.13139309.V1, figshare Acoustic tag detection data for reef manta rays and oceanographic measurements which accompanies Harris, J. L., Hosegood, P., Robinson, E., Embling, C. B., Hilbourne, S. and Stevens, G. M. W. (2021) 'Fine-scale oceanographic drivers of reef manta ray (Mobula alfredi), visitation patterns at a feeding aggregation site’. Ecology and Evolution. The metadata for the Dataset was harvested from DataCite. Clicking the dataset link will take you directly to the original archival location, as registered with DataCite.
Data from: Shark movement strategies influence poaching risk and can guide enforcement decisions in a large, remote Marine Protected Area May 31, 2025 - Pelagic Predators Jacoby, David; Ferretti, Francesco; Freeman, Robin; Carlisle, Aaron; Chapple, Taylor; Curnick, David; Dale, Jonathan; Schallert, Robert; Tickler, David; Block, Barbara, 2025, "Data from: Shark movement strategies influence poaching risk and can guide enforcement decisions in a large, remote Marine Protected Area", https://doi.org/10.5061/DRYAD.G98B456, Dryad Large, remote marine protected areas (MPAs) containing both reef and pelagic habitats, have been shown to offer considerable refuge to populations of reef-associated sharks. Many large MPAs are, however, impacted by illegal fishing activity conducted by unlicensed vessels. While enforcement of these reserves is often expensive, it would likely bene... The metadata for the Dataset was harvested from DataCite. Clicking the dataset link will take you directly to the original archival location, as registered with DataCite.
Data from: High dive efficiency in shallow water May 31, 2025 - Sea Turtle Conservation Stokes, Kimberley L; Esteban, Nicole; Stokes, Holly J; Hays, Graeme C, 2025, "Data from: High dive efficiency in shallow water", https://doi.org/10.5061/DRYAD.C2FQZ61C1, Dryad Dive studies across mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish often focus on deep dives, and shallow-water diving has tended to be overlooked. For air-breathers, foraging in shallow water poses challenges since the lungs generate buoyancy, and shallow divers must trade off the extent of inhalation against the negative buoyancy needed to avoid floating to... The metadata for the Dataset was harvested from DataCite. Clicking the dataset link will take you directly to the original archival location, as registered with DataCite.
Linking variation in planktonic primary production to coral reef fish growth and condition May 31, 2025 - Coral Reef Resilience and Recovery in the Chagos Archipelago Roche, Ronan, 2025, "Linking variation in planktonic primary production to coral reef fish growth and condition", https://doi.org/10.5061/DRYAD.Q83BK3JKT, Dryad Within low nutrient tropical oceans, islands and atolls with higher primary production support higher reef fish biomass and reef organism abundance. External energy subsidies can be delivered onto reefs via a range of physical mechanisms. However, the influence of spatial variation in primary production on reef fish growth and condition is largely... The metadata for the Dataset was harvested from DataCite. Clicking the dataset link will take you directly to the original archival location, as registered with DataCite.
Data from: Past volcanic activity predisposes an endemic threatened seabird to negative anthropogenic impacts May 31, 2025 - Seabird Connectivity Teixeira, Helena; Le Corre, Matthieu; Michon, Laurent; Nicoll, Malcolm A C; Jaeger, Audrey; Nikolic, Natacha; Pinet, Patrick; Couzi, François-Xavier; Humeau, Laurence, 2025, "Data from: Past volcanic activity predisposes an endemic threatened seabird to negative anthropogenic impacts", https://doi.org/10.5061/DRYAD.S1RN8PKFB, Dryad Humans are regularly cited as the main driver of current biodiversity extinction, but the impact of historic volcanic activity is often overlooked. Pre-human evidence of wildlife abundance and diversity are essential for disentangling anthropogenic impacts from natural events. Réunion Island, with its intense and well-documented volcanic activity,... The metadata for the Dataset was harvested from DataCite. Clicking the dataset link will take you directly to the original archival location, as registered with DataCite.
Data from: Synergistic use of UAV surveys, satellite tracking data and mark-recapture to estimate abundance of elusive species May 31, 2025 - Sea Turtle Conservation Stokes, Holly; Mortimer, Jeanne; Laloë, Jacques-Olivier; Hays, Graeme; Esteban, Nicole, 2025, "Data from: Synergistic use of UAV surveys, satellite tracking data and mark-recapture to estimate abundance of elusive species", https://doi.org/10.5061/DRYAD.TTDZ08M1P, Dryad Estimating population abundance is central to many ecological studies and important in conservation planning. Yet the elusive nature of many species makes estimating their abundance challenging. Abundance estimates of sea turtles, marine birds and seals are usually made when breeding adults are ashore, while life-stages spent at sea, including as j... The metadata for the Dataset was harvested from DataCite. Clicking the dataset link will take you directly to the original archival location, as registered with DataCite.
Seabird nutrient subsidies enrich mangrove ecosystems and are exported to nearby coastal habitats May 31, 2025 - Island Reef Connections Appoo, Jennifer, 2025, "Seabird nutrient subsidies enrich mangrove ecosystems and are exported to nearby coastal habitats", https://doi.org/10.5061/DRYAD.0RXWDBS79, Dryad In this study, we investigate how mangrove ecosystems respond to nutrient subsidies supplied by nesting seabirds. We first quantify seabird guano nutrient input and seabird guano nitrogen isotopes. We then assess the influence of seabirds on mangroves by comparing nitrogen, phosphorus, nutrient ratios and resoprtion efficiency in mangrove leaves sa... The metadata for the Dataset was harvested from DataCite. Clicking the dataset link will take you directly to the original archival location, as registered with DataCite.

Seabird Tracking Data: Red-Footed Booby Acceleration Data

Jun 30, 2025 - Harvard Dataverse

Dunn, Ruth, 2025, "Seabird Tracking Data: Red-Footed Booby Acceleration Data", https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/5BCOAP, Harvard Dataverse, V1, UNF:6:khdnUvlf9hXL1FwQUNCfBw== [fileUNF]

Tri-axial acceleration data recorded via TechnoSmArt Axy-Trek Marine data loggers deployed on the underside of adult red-footed booby (Sula sula) tail feathers adults during the breeding season. Data were collected from individuals at Barton Point in February 2019, East Island in February 2022, and Nelson’s Island in January 2024 (in the Chagos Arc...

Seabird Tracking Data: Red-Footed Booby Bird-Bourne Video Data

Jun 22, 2025 - Seabird Connectivity

Dunn, Ruth E.; Freeman, Robin M.; Nicoll, Malcolm A.; Trevail, Alice M.; Votier, Stephen C., 2025, "Seabird Tracking Data: Red-Footed Booby Bird-Bourne Video Data", https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/U0BGFJ, Harvard Dataverse, V2

Footage recorded via bird-borne video cameras on the backs of red-footed booby (Sula sula) adults during the breeding season, while undertaking central-place foraging trips. Data collected using DVL400M Little Leonardos from two individuals at Nelson’s Island (5.68° S, 72.32° E) in the Chagos Archipelago in January 2024. Cameras were programmed to...

Data for "Deep neural networks to predict foraging behaviour: salt-water immersion data can accurately predict diving in seabirds"

Jun 21, 2025 - Seabird Connectivity

Freeman, Robin; Dunn, Ruth; Nicoll, Malcolm; Trevail, Alice; Votier, Stephen; Wood, Hannah, 2025, "Data for "Deep neural networks to predict foraging behaviour: salt-water immersion data can accurately predict diving in seabirds"", https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/GHWM5U, Harvard Dataverse, V1

Dataset for the paper "Deep neural networks to predict foraging behaviour: salt-water immersion data can accurately predict diving in seabirds" by Swaby et al. This dataset was collected from Axytrek GPS/dive/accelerometer loggers on the backs of adult red-footed booby (Sula sula) during the central place foraging from Barton Point, Diego Garcia (-...

Fine-scale oceanographic drivers of reef manta ray visitation patterns at a feeding aggregation site

Jun 1, 2025 - Manta Ray Conservation

Harris, Joanna, 2025, "Fine-scale oceanographic drivers of reef manta ray visitation patterns at a feeding aggregation site", https://doi.org/10.6084/M9.FIGSHARE.13139309.V1, figshare

Acoustic tag detection data for reef manta rays and oceanographic measurements which accompanies Harris, J. L., Hosegood, P., Robinson, E., Embling, C. B., Hilbourne, S. and Stevens, G. M. W. (2021) 'Fine-scale oceanographic drivers of reef manta ray (Mobula alfredi), visitation patterns at a feeding aggregation site’. Ecology and Evolution.