TWINKLE

“Life in the TWIlight: New Knowledge on the bioLogy and Ecology of the mesopelagic zone in the context of global change”

TWINKLE aims to perform research on the ocean’s twilight zone, focusing on the study of:
(i) fish and other nekton community composition,
(ii) basic biological features of mesopelagic fishes in the Mediterranean Sea,
(iii) functional traits,
(iv) fish behaviour
(v) food web dynamics of the zone and
(vi) the effect of global warming on its inhabitants.

The mesopelagic, or “twilight,” zone spans depths of ~200–1000 m, where light is too weak for photosynthesis but still allows vision

Long overlooked, this ecosystem has gained attention due to its resource potential. Recent estimates suggest mesopelagic fish are ~10–30 times more abundant than previously believed, making them the most abundant vertebrates on Earth. Despite their key role in marine food webs, their ecology remains poorly understood. Growing interest is driven by the need for an Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF) and their potential contributions to food security, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.

Chauliodus sloani

Diaphus rafinesquii

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TWINKLE "Life in the TWIlight: New Knowledge on the bioLogy and Ecology of the mesopelagic zone in the context of global change" is carried out within the framework of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan Greece 2.0, funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU (Implementation body: HFRI)