Date: Wednesday 29 January 2025
Time: 11:15 AM
Venue: Esplora Interactive Science Centre, Kalkara
Esplora is proud to host the closing seminar of the PALEOSIM research project, a groundbreaking study on the impacts of climate change on arthropod habitats in small islands, with a focus on the Mediterranean region. Join us on Wednesday, 29 January 2025 at 11:15 AM, as we explore the fascinating findings from a 30-month study that used advanced climate modelling to examine how small island ecosystems, particularly those in the Mediterranean, are affected by environmental changes.
PALEOSIM, which stands for “PALEO climate modelling of Small Islands in the Mediterranean and possible impacts on arthropod habitats,” is a research project led by Dr James Ciarlo` from the University of Malta’s Institute of Earth Systems, and is funded by the Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowship. 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.
PALEOSIM resulted in several exciting outputs, including a novel index that describes the climate suitability for land-based arthropods (The publication describing this index is currently under review). One of the project’s most exciting aspects is its paleoclimate simulations, which provide a look back at the last Ice Age (21,000 years ago) with an unprecedented 3 km horizontal resolution for most of the Mediterranean region. These simulations made possible by collaboration with the Earth System Physics Section at the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste, Italy, and with CINECA’s Marconi supercomputer in Bologna, Italy, provide new insights into how climate change has shaped the environment over millennia.
The project also collaborated with talented local graphic designer Mel Grek, who brought to life the Maltese landscapes as they might have appeared during the Ice Age, based on the results of PALEOSIM simulations and other studies. The stunning visuals contrast ancient paleo-landscapes 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 visuals will be featured in a new science show developed in collaboration with Esplora. The show, which will debut at the seminar, and will later become part of Esplora’s Educational Programme, explores the vital role of arthropods in ecosystems and the threat that climate change poses to these species and, by extension, to humanity.
What to expect at the seminar:
If you wish to learn about cutting-edge research on climate change, its effects on small island ecosystems, and how we can use this knowledge to protect our planet’s future, then please RSVP by emailing james.ciarlo@um.edu.mt with the subject line RSVP for Closing PALEOSIM Seminar.
Don’t miss this incredible and unique opportunity to dive into the past, present and future of climate change, at Esplora Interactive Science Centre!
