LifeWatch Italy

LifeWatch ERIC is a European research infrastructure dedicated to the study of biodiversity and ecosystems, supporting research on global priority topics through Open Science and e Science tools. LifeWatch ERIC facilitates the sharing and aggregation of open-data, their integration and analysis. Through its Virtual Research Environments (VREs), with high computational capacity and innovative technologies that enable simulation of change scenarios, plan for conservation of biodiversity, ecosystems and their services in response to various environmental pressures. The Joint Research Unit (JRU) coordinates the Italian contribution to LifeWatch ERIC, including the activities of the Service Center and the National Distributed Biodiversity Research Institute (LifeWatch-ITA). IRET in Lecce, part of the Italian JRU, coordinates the e-Science component, supporting data integration and implementation of digital tools for research. The Service Center, an integral part of the shared structures of LifeWatch Europe, is responsible for infrastructure communication, scientific community engagement and user service delivery, both at the European and national levels.