Title: Closing Seminar for PALEOSIM Research Project
Date: Wednesday 29 January 2025
Time: 11:15
Venue: Esplora Interactive Science Centre, Kalkara
The closing seminar for the PALEOSIM research project will be held at 11:15 on the 29 of January 2025 at Esplora Interactive Science Centre, Kalkara. This event marks the conclusion of a 30-month study on the impacts of climate change on arthropod habitats in small islands, with a focus on the Mediterranean region.
PALEOSIM, short for “PALEOclimate modelling of Small Islands in the Mediterranean and possible impacts on arthropod habitats,” is a research project funded by the Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowship. Led by Dr James Ciarlo` at the University of Malta’s Institute of Earth Systems, the project began in 2022 and applied a state-of-the-art regional climate model to the study of arthropods and island ecosystems.
Arthropods (of which insects is the largest group) are essential to ecosystems and are particularly vulnerable to human-induced changes like habitat destruction and climate change, especially on small islands with limited resources and unique ecosystems.
One of the project’s key outputs is a novel index that describes the climate suitability for land-based arthropods. The publication describing this index is currently under review. Additionally, PALEOSIM produced paleoclimate simulations dating back to the last Ice Age (21,000 years ago) at an unprecedented 3 km horizontal resolution for most of the Mediterranean region. These simulations were made possible through the close collaboration of the Earth System Physics Section at the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste, Italy, and CINECA’s Marconi supercomputer in Bologna, Italy.
The project also collaborated with talented local graphic designer Mel Grek to visualise Maltese landscapes as they might have appeared during the Ice Age, based on the results of PALEOSIM simulations (and other studies). The example provided, contrasts this paleo-landscape with a present-day photo (taken by Dr Ciarlo`) of Xrobb l-Għaġin in Marsaxlokk. This artwork brings to life a small part of the ancient Malta-Sicily land-bridge, as it would have been seen by an observer 21,000 years ago. [These and other images can be seen on the project website and Facebook page].
These images form part of a new science show, developed during the last six months of the project in collaboration with Esplora. The show will debut on the 29 January prior to the closing seminar and will later become part of Esplora’s Educational Programme. The show highlights the importance of arthropods, and explains how climate change threatens these vital creatures and, by extension, humanity.
The seminar will present the project’s outcomes and future directions, while showcasing parts of this new science show. Attendees will gain insights into the research, learn about the critical role of arthropods in ecosystems, and explore how advanced climate simulations can inform conservation efforts.
If you wish to attend the seminar, please RSVP via email with the subject line "RSVP for closing PALEOSIM seminar".