In BlueAI, funded by the Ministry of Science with 1.6 million euros, CIM and CITMAga collaborate. It addresses the factors that cause variability in productivity and red tides
The use of artificial intelligence is making its way into almost every field of knowledge, including the management of ecosystems and natural environments. A good example of AI application in this area is the national project BlueAI, which has just been launched and involves the Marine Research Center of the University of Vigo in collaboration with other Spanish institutions such as the University of Murcia, the Murcia Oceanographic Center, the Polytechnic University of Valencia, and the University of Salamanca.
BlueAI explores the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for monitoring, analyzing, and improving the environmental status of coastal marine ecosystems, focusing on two case studies: the Mar Menor and the Galician estuaries. These regions face increasing anthropogenic pressures and natural phenomena that threaten their long-term sustainability.
The Vigo participation in BlueAI is led by researchers Bea Mouriño, from the Biological Oceanography group at the Marine Research Center (CIM), and Marta Sestelo, from the SiDOR group and the Galician Center for Mathematical Research and Technology (CITMAga). The research team also includes Emilio Fernández, Eva Teira, Emilio Marañón, Daniel Fernández (GOB at CIM), Carlos Souto Torres (Applied Physics), Nora Villanueva (SiDOR and CITMAga), and Esperanza Broullón (Southampton Oceanographic Center, United Kingdom).
The consortium has a total funding of 1.6 million euros from the Ministry of Science under the AI call, of which 375,000 euros are allocated to UVigo. In this national call, 69 projects were awarded, covering everything from basic research to advanced technological applications, with an expected duration of three to four years and highly specialized teams. The initiative, aligned with the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, aims to strengthen Spain’s critical mass of research talent and promote solutions to scientific, social, and economic challenges through cutting-edge AI technologies.
Anticipate environmental risks and support decision-making
Within the framework of this research, the BlueAI-UVigo subproject focuses on the Galician estuaries, a strategic area for the European blue economy, characterized by high biological productivity and its importance to the fishing and aquaculture sectors. Despite its significance, there is limited knowledge about the factors driving variability in primary production and the occurrence of phenomena such as harmful algal blooms, which affect water quality and ecosystem functioning.
To address this challenge, the subproject proposes a multidisciplinary strategy that integrates the analysis of historical and observational data with the use of advanced numerical models, both physical and biogeochemical. It also includes the development of predictive models based on artificial intelligence aimed at anticipating environmental risks and supporting decision-making in the management of coastal ecosystems.
As CIM researcher Bea Mouriño explains, “this subproject will make a significant contribution to the overall objectives of BlueAI, providing advanced observation and prediction tools that strengthen the resilience and sustainability of the marine ecosystems of the Galician estuaries, serving as a transferable model to other vulnerable coastal areas in the Mediterranean and Atlantic.”
Scientific and technical impact on the blue economy
From a scientific perspective, the subproject addresses areas of knowledge on the physical and biogeochemical processes that underpin the high productivity of the Galician estuaries, analyzing in depth the role of hydrodynamic forcings. These advances will support the development of data-driven models and contribute to the design of digital twins of these ecosystems.
From a technical perspective, BlueAI-UVigo will contribute to the project’s toolbox with high-resolution datasets and predictive scenarios related to harmful algal blooms, supporting the creation of early warning systems enhanced by artificial intelligence. These tools will allow the anticipation and mitigation of the ecological and economic impacts of such events, both in Galicia and in other regions with similar coastal characteristics.
“At the international level, the knowledge generated will be transferable to other coastal systems and will contribute to the global scientific debate on the evolution of coastal upwelling ecosystems. The project also strengthens integration with European initiatives such as the Digital Twin of the Ocean (DTO), European ocean observation networks, and on-demand AI platforms,” explains CITMAga researcher Marta Sestelo.
Within the framework of the project, a job opportunity is offered: a predoctoral contract funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities through the 2025 Call for Projects in the Field of Artificial Intelligence, with a duration of 3.5 years.
The contract is intended to develop a doctoral thesis focused on understanding the influence of hydrodynamics on the formation of toxic phytoplankton blooms in the Galician Rías Baixas.
CIM holds the CIGUS recognition from the Regional Government of Galicia, which certifies the quality and impact of its research, and its activities are co-financed by the European Union through the FEDER 21-27 Program.
Source: DUVI
