Abovyan 68, Yerevan 0025, Republic of Armenia. https://www.ecocentre.am

CENS was founded in 1989 as a principal research organization engaged in fundamental and applied studies in the area of environmental protection.CENS has now a strong leadership in carrying out fundamental and applied studies in ecology and the health of the environment.
Multidisciplinary investigations performed in the CENS are oriented to the complex assessment of ecological state of territories and development of scientific-and-methodical fundamentals of ecological expertise and optimization of natural resource management processes. CENS includes a number of problem-oriented laboratories and research teams dealing with environmental geochemistry, biogeochemical cycles, biomonitoring, radioecology, bioenergy, landscapes and natural resources planning, geopathogenic zones, GIS and Remote Sensing technologies.

Of special interest in environmental research carried out by CENS are E-science tools, such as Geographic Information System and remote sensing, widely employed when managing ecological issues. Since 2009, CENS has been involved in the Armenian National Grid Initiative with the purpose of using the mechanisms and tools of data processing, visualizing and storage provided by the Grid infrastructure. Moreover, CENS have successfully carried R&D projects funded by NATO "Science for Peace" program, OSCE, UNESCO, CRDF, USAID, etc.

Research team

• Dr. Shushanik Asmaryan
• Dr. A. Saghatelyan
• Dr. V. Muradyan

Link with enviroGRIDS

Close collaboration with enviroGRIDS will be especially useful in the context of our ongoing collaboration in the SCOPES project ARPEGEO (https://arpegeo.sci.am) in order to deploy a Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) for sharing environmental Data in Armenia and beyond.

1 P. Sevak St, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia. https://iiap.sci.am/en

IIAP is the leading ICT research and technology development institute of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia. Since its establishment in 1957 IIAP is the only state supported structure for software, hardware and brainware technologies. IIAP has become the leading force in ambitious State programmes developing Information Society and Information Industry in Armenia. Historically IIAP is linked to the first computer designed and assembled in Armenia in 1960 at the famous Yerevan Scientific Research Institute for Mathematical Machines, whose research partner IIAP became.
Today the main fields of scientific and applied research include theory of algorithms; theory of automata and applications, mathematical logic; discrete mathematics and combinatorics; information theory and applied statistics; algebraic coding theory; artificial intelligence and management support systems; pattern recognition and image processing; distributed processing and data bases; scientific computations; design and testing; telecommunication and networking.
IIAP is responsible for the Academic Scientific Research Computer Network of Armenia (https://www.asnet.am) and Armenian National Grid Initiative (https://www.grid.am). IIAP has a history of successful international collaborative R&D projects and grants within the EU FP, ISTC, INTAS, CRDF, SNSF, etc.

Research team

• Dr. Hrachya Astsatryan
  

Link with enviroGRIDS

Close collaboration with enviroGRIDS will be especially useful in the context of our ongoing collaboration in the SCOPES project ARPEGEO (https://arpegeo.sci.am) in order to deploy distributed processing capacities for environmental GEOspatial Data in Armenia.

36, Nahimovski prospect, Moscow, Russia, 117997

https://www.ocean.ru/eng/

Contact

• Dr Tamara Shiganova e-mail: shiganov@ocean.ru
• Academician, Professor Robert Nigmatulin

Role in the project

Collection of long-term data on biodiversity and invasive species of the Black Sea.

Current status

Participation of one expert in invasive species preliminary agreed  (without support from the project)

https://www.ssc-ras.ru/ras/eng/index.html

Contacts

• Academician, Dr Gennady Matishov (Chairperson)
• Dr Sergey Berdnikov (Scientific Secretary)

Role in the project

Long-term data on biodiversity and invasive species of the Azov Sea. Possible organization of invasive species monitoring in Don River (currently the river itself is not studied by any regional institution). Organisation of technical workshop on risk assessment, and regional conference on invasive species and biodiversity issues

Current Status

There is a general framework agreement on cooperation with SPSU; negotiations ongoing on possible involvement of one of experts from SSC RAS in collection of data and their delivery to enviroGRIDS database via SPSU (this expert can be half-time PhD student hired by SPSU, but this should be approved by administration of SSC RAS).

ODESSA BRANCH A.O. KOVALEVSKY INSTITUTE OF BIOLOGY OF THE SOUTHERN SEAS (OBIBSS), NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENSES OF UKRAINE

37 Pushkinska St., 65125, Odessa, Ukraine

https://www.nas.gov.ua/en/Structure/dgb/obibss/Pages/default.aspx

The city of Odessa from olden times was known as a leading centre for marine studies. N.N. Miclucho-Mclay, the famous seafarer and anthropologist initiated the decision of the Novorossisk (Odessa) Society of Natural Scientists dating from 1871 to organize biological stations in Russia- the first, the Sevastopol Biological Station in Crimea.

The interest of studying the Black Sea and its resources especially on the northwestern shelf in the mid 1950s prompted the idea of establishing a marine scientific unit. At that time the Institute of Hydrobiology was conducting research in near coastal water bodies, limans and river deltas. Studies on the highly productive zones of the Ukrainian shelf under the influence of river runoff were required. Professor, Dr. K.A. Vinogradov (1902 1989) was invited to head the Odessa Biological Station (1954 1972) established on the basis of a marine laboratory of the Institute of Hydrobiology. It was the first academic establishment in Odessa. Its objective was the integrated study of the dynamics of the hydrobiological regime of the northwestern Black Sea in conditions after retrieving the Dnieper and Dniester runoff. Also this area is highly influenced by the Danube, one of the largest rivers in Europe.

In 1964 the three Ukrainian marine biological stations of Sevastopol, Odessa and Karadag carrying out studies in the Black Sea were joined in the A.O.Kovalevsky Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas. Having been transformed into the Odessa Branch A.O. Kovalevsky Institute of Biology of the Southern Sea (OBIBSS), the former Odessa Biological Station continued to develop and expand its studies in the northwestern Black Sea as a completely independent legal entity from the IBSS parent institute in Sevastopol with the juridical rights to determine its own scientific policy, to form its budget and fulfill all kinds of financial operations.

From the five researchers working there in 1954, today it has a staff of 118, including 73 research associates (1 academician, 8 DSc and 22 PhD). In 1961 a marine research vessel Michlucho-Maclay was procured for scientific expedition work which furrowed the Black, Azov, Caspian and Mediterranean seas for more than 30 years until 1989 having performed 143 expeditions. Today, a small diving boat “Sprut” is used as a research vessel for scientific studies in near coastal waters.

Major areas of the OBIBSS activities

Since its foundation OBIBSS has been conducting long term studies of man-made changes of aquatic ecosystems on the northwestern shelf and coastal water bodies. The study areas are highly productive shelf zones of river runoff of the Danube, Dnieper and Dniester rivers entering the Northwestern Black Sea (NWBS). Man-made eutrophication has had the greatest impact on ecology, biodiversity and biology of marine organisms (microflora, meiobenthos, phytoplankton, zooplankton, macrophytobenthos, macrozoobenthos). Some populations and whole communities may serve as ecological indicators of sea water quality. Studies include also: modeling of water dynamics, the spread of alien species, and assessment of man made impact on water quality, hydrobiological amelioration of sea waters, mariculture and biotechnology of processing of sea products.

Areas of specialty

marine biology and ecology, marine fungi, microbiology, phytoplankton, zooplankton, meiobenthos, benthos, fish parasites, algae, eutrophication, plankton blooms, mollusks, crustaceans, marine physiology and biochemistry, toxicology, productivity, monitoring, pollution, physical oceanography, water masses and circulation, currents, air-sea interaction, nutrients, heavy metals, organics (petroleum hydro carbons), marine biota, marine sediments and waters, suspended matter.

Key implemented international projects:

COPERNICUS, European River-Ocean Project (EROS-2000, EROS 2001), BSERP, GLOBALLAST, NATURA /2000, NATO Science for Peace, NEAR, TACIS project in monitoring in near Danube water bodies, GEF WB project on Conservation of biodiversity in the Danube Delta, ALARM.

Project team

• Professor, Dr. Boris Alexandrov is director of OBIBSS
• Dr. Yuriy Kvach, Senior Research Associate graduated in biology from Odessa I.I. Mechnikov State University in 1999
• Dr.Mikhail Son Research Associate graduated in biology from Odessa I.I.Mechnikov(now) National University in 2004

Role in the project

Data base information has been received for more than a 30 year period so that the survey of marine communities according to a number of parameters can be established in the most impacted areas as compared to earlier historical records for the purpose of protecting and conserving species, habitats, ecosystems or ecological processes. Recommendations will be provided on the organization of monitoring, the assessment of the state and on prognosis of changes in aquatic NWBS ecosystems all of which will serve as an input to the EnviroGRIDS project.

As an associated partner the expected outcome will expand networking and develop common views of participating expert scientists, and more interactive access to data.

Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia

https://www.ibiss.bg.ac.rs

The Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković” (“IBISS”) is the largest (14 Departments and five supporting Units) and most complete research institution for biological sciences in Serbia. IBISS is an independent research Institute founded 1947 (former names Institute for Ecology and The Institute for Developmental Physiology, Genetics and Selection).

Of the 240 employed, 113 members have PhD (44 are Senior Scientist, 25 are Senior Scientific Associates, 44 are Scientific Associates) and 78 are PhD students.

Investigations in the IBISS are primarily focused on fundamental studies in biology including complex inter- and multidisciplinary investigations in molecular biology, biochemistry, cytology, physiology, plant physiology, neurobiology, immunology, genetics, ecology, evolutionary biology, taxonomy, biogeography and the environmental protection. The majority of current research projects are funded by Ministry of Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia receiving significant support from other Serbian Ministries (e.g. Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning). In period from 2000 up to know, IBISS took a part in 47 fundamental, five projects of the program “Technological development” (funded by Ministry of Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia), four projects of European Commission Framework Programs, and more than 25 applied national and international projects financed by other sources.

IBISS has established a successful co-operation with institutions in Serbia and all over Europe. Collaboration is realized with foreign academies of sciences, scientific institutions and universities. Participation in international projects supported by The Commission of the European Community, The International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River, The International Sava River Basin Commission,  U.S. Ministry for Agriculture, National Institute for Health (U.S.), International Atomic Agency (Vienna) and others, have contributed to a particularly fruitful scientific communication.  Between others, we underline excellent collaboration with Institute for Water Management “Jaroslav Cerni”, Belgrade, Republic Hydrometereological Institute of Serbia, VITUKI - Water Resources Research Center (VITUKI Rt.), Budapest, Hungary, Biological Faculty, University of Belgrade, Environmental Institute, Kos, Slovak Republic, Saint-Petersburg State University, Russia, Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas, Odessa Branch, Ukraine, Institute of Zoology National Academy of Sciences, Minsk, Belarus, Centre for Environmental Research Leipzig-Halle, UFZ, Germany, GOBIO GmbH - Institut für Gewässerökologie und angewandte Biologie (Institute for Ecology of Waters and Applied Biology), Hessen, Germany, European Foundation for studies of Diabetes (Sweden), FP7 Project (cooperation with Holland, Spain, France, Greece) and Academic Exchange Programs of Belgrade University (Greece, USA).

Beside national projects important part of the IBISS activity is connected with investigation of freshwater ecosystems within the Danube River Basin. Research covers biodiversity, endangered aquatic species and introduction, distribution and acclimation of invasive species, which involves investigation on phytoplankton, phytobenthos, aquatic macrophytes, macroinvertebrates, fish and fish parasites. Experience gathered through fundamental research enables involvement in applied limnology. Applied research is focused on use of biota in environmental status evaluation, aquatic ecosystem monitoring methodology and conception of biological indexes for water monitoring.

Since 2004, IBISS contributes to activities for Water Framework Directive implementation in Serbia. Out of 22 projects relevant to the EnviroGrids, and beside eight studies connected with Water Framework Directive Implementation in Serbia and Region (Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Danube and the Sava Basin Area) we selected the following projects:

1. (2008-2009) Study of the Biological Monitoring of the Rivers and Lakes/Reservoirs in Bosnia and Herzegovina, RFP no: BA-PMT-QCBS/02/CS/08-BQS Water Quality Protection Project, Loan: GEF Trust Fund Grant No.055265.

2. (2007-2009) ALARM - Assessing LArge-scale environmental Risks with tested Methods. European Commission 6th Framework Program - Integrated Project contract GOCE-CT-2003-506675

3. (2006-2010) Running Waters of Serbia – Study on Biodiversity and Use of the Data in Typology, Design of Ecological Index and Ecological Status Monitoring“, (Project No. 143023).

4. (2007) Joint Danube Survey 2 (JDS 2) a survey organized by the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) aimed at producing comparable, accredited water quality information for the whole length of the Danube River.

5. (2004-2008) AQUATERRA - Study on river-sediment-soil-groundwater pollution interaction, modeling, monitoring tools (EU 6th Framework Programme, No. N°505428;);

6. (2002-2003) National Water Quality Monitoring Strategy coordinated by Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe Country Office Serbia and Montenegro and supported by Japan Special Fond. (12/2002-04/2003)

7. (2001) Investigation of the Tisza River (JDS ITR), a survey organized by the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR);

8. (2001) Joint Danube Survey (JDS), a survey organized by the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) aimed at producing comparable, accredited water quality information for the whole length of the Danube River.

Project team

• Momir Paunovic, PhD, Scientific Associates, IBISS.
• Miroslava Mitrović, PhD, Senior Scientist, IBISS, University of Belgrade.
• Pavle Pavlović, PhD, Senior Scientist, IBISS, University of Belgrade.
• Snežana Jarić, PhD, Scientific Associates, IBISS.
• Predrag Simonovic, PhD, Professor, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade.
• Vladica Simic, PhD, Assistant professor, Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac.
• Bojana Stojanovic, BSc, Researcher trainee, IBISS.
• Jelena S. Vranković, MsC, PhD student, Ressearch Associates,, IBISS.
• Jelena Tomović, Research Assisstant, IBISS, PhD student.
• Katarina Zorić, Research Assisstant, IBISS, PhD student.
• Božica Vasiljević, Research Assisstant, IBISS.
• Mirjana Mihailović, PhD, Senior Scientific Associates, IBISS.

Role in the project

Within the enviroGRIDS project, IBISS will focus, in collaboration with SPSU and other teams, on development of the regional Early Warning System on invasive species, contributing with relevant monitoring data on Danube River basin and with risk assessments (WP5 of the project, task 5.1 Biodiversity and task 5.6 Disaster Early Warning System).

27 Akademycheskaia St, Minsk, Republic of Belarus. https://biobel.bas-net.by/zoo/index.html (in Russian)

https://biobel.bas-net.by/zoo/

Scientific and Practical Center for Bioresources was founded in 2007 as the result of reorganization the former Institute of Zoology. Now there are 130 persons on the staff (24 Ph.Ds and 8 DSc ). The main activity of Institute is connected with the study of different taxa of animals, landscape and freshwater ecology, conservation of lakes, rivers and wetlands and anthropogenic influence on ecosystems. Scientific trends in field of study ecosystems are orientated on the solution of theoretical and applied issues including the following:

• fauna and systematic of different taxa of animals;
• community structure and population ecology;
• monitoring and inventorying of fauna;
• study of alien species areas and experimental modelling of invasive processes;
• bioindication and estimation of ecological water quality (implementation of EU Water Framework Directive);

SPCB is a major player in the conservation of biodiversity, heads the monitoring network on animals included in Red Data Book of Belarus, Bonn and Ramsar Conventions. It also coordinates the activities on study of alien species in Belarus. Some projects were financed by FP6, GEF, INTAS, TASIS, Bird Life International and others International Funds. Within the European cooperation on aquatic invasions SPCB study the distribution of invasive species on Baltic and Black Sea basins.

Research team

• Vitaliy Semenchenko DS, Prof. in biology (aquatic ecology), expert in ecology of water invertebrates, population ecology, monitoring and bioindication of surface water in Black Sea basin
• Mr Victor Ryzevsky PhD in biology (aquatic ecology), expert in invasive fish in Black Sea basin
• Mr Mikhail Pluta PhD in biology (aquatic ecology), expert in invasive fish in Black Sea basin
• Mr Vasily Vezhnovetz PhD in biology (aquatic ecology), expert in invasive Ponto-Caspian crustaceans

The research team took part in realization the DAISIE and ALARM Projects in FP6.

Link with enviroGRIDS

Close collaboration with enviroGRIDS partner SPSU for the collection of long-term data on biodiversity and invasive species of the upper Dniepr River and Prypet River.