Baseline studies allow us to know the local fauna composition and use these information to result in a successful monitoring program.

• Taxonomy of nematodes, identification and description of new species.
• Identification of meiofauna from different ecosystems (deep-sea, sandy beaches, mangroves, tidal flats, estuaries). At the moment, mainly deep-sea specimens.
• Participation in Oceanographic campaigns. Most of deep-sea animals are not yet known to Science. Oceanographic campaigns offer us the opportunity of sampling inhospitable environments, enabling the knowledge of species and their related habitats.