Researcher
Integrative Marine Ecology Department
Calabria Marine Centre
Tel.: +39 081 5833512
e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2702-5393
Scholar: https://scholar.google.it/citations?user=bVUwR0MAAAAJ&hl=it
Research Interests
Marco Munari is a marine ecophysiologist at the Calabria Marine Centre of the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, where he conducts research within the Department of Integrative Marine Ecology. His research investigates how marine organisms and coastal ecosystems respond to global environmental change, with a particular focus on ocean acidification, marine heatwaves, pollution, and the interactive effects of multiple environmental stressors. By combining laboratory experiments, mesocosm studies, field ecology and natural COâ‚‚ vent systems, his work aims to understand the physiological and ecological mechanisms that determine species resilience and ecosystem functioning under changing ocean conditions. A major focus of his research is the role of habitat-forming species, such as Mediterranean macroalgal forests, in mediating organism responses to climate change and anthropogenic pressures. His research also explores how natural environmental variability can shape phenotypic plasticity, ecological resilience, and restoration success. Marco collaborates with several national and international research institutions and has coordinated and participated in numerous research projects on marine global change biology. He is also Adjunct Professor of Marine Ecology and Marine Ecotoxicology at the University of Padua, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in marine biology. In 2026, he was elected Italian Representative on the Steering Committee of the GOA-ON Mediterranean Hub, the regional coordination body of the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON), promoted by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO). In this role, he contributes to strengthening scientific cooperation and coordination of ocean acidification research across the Mediterranean.His scientific interests include marine ecophysiology, ocean acidification, climate change biology, habitat-forming species, restoration ecology, marine ecotoxicology, and the use of natural analogues to investigate ecosystem responses to environmental change."
Selected Publications
Fabbrizzi E, Giakoumi S, De Leo F, Tamburello L, Chiarore A, Colletti, A, Coppola M, Munari M, Musco L, Rindi F, Rizzo L, Savinelli B, Franzitta G, Grech D, Cebrian E, Verdura J, Bianchelli S, Mangialajo L, Nasto I, Sota D, Orfanidis S, Papadopoulou NK, Danovaro R, Fraschetti S., 2022. The challenge of setting restoration targets for macroalgal forests under climate changes. J. Environ. Manage. 326, 116834.
Brundu G, Cannavacciuolo A, Nannini M, Somma E, Munari M, Zupo V, Farina S, 2022. Development of an efficient, noninvasive method for identifying gender year-round in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. AQUACULTURE 564, 739082.
Asnicar D, Zanovello L, Badocco D, Munari M, Marin M, 2022. Different ecological histories of sea urchins acclimated to reduced pH influence offspring response to multiple stressors. Environ. Res. 212, 113131.
Munari M, Chiarore A, Signorini SG, Cannavacciuolo C, Nannini M, Magni S, Binelli A, Gambi MC, Della Torre C, 2022. Surviving in a changing ocean. Tolerance to acidification might affect the susceptibility of polychaetes to chemical contamination. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 181, 113857.
Lee J, Gambi MC, Kroeker KJ, Munari M, Peay K, Micheli F, 2022. Resilient consumers accelerate the plant decomposition in a naturally acidified seagrass ecosystem. Glob. Change Biol. 28, 4558–4576.
Foo S, Munari M, Gambi MC, Byrne M, 2022. Acclimation to low pH does not affect the thermal tolerance of Arbacia lixula progeny. Biol. Lett.18, 20220087.
Berlinghof J, Peiffer F, Marzocchi U, Munari M, Quero GM, Dennis L, Wild C, Cardini U, 2022. The role of epiphytes in seagrass productivity under ocean acidification. Scientific Reports 12, 6249.
Munari M, Devigili A, dalle Palle G, Asnicar D, Pastore P, Badocco D, Marin MG, 2022. Ocean acidification, but not environmental contaminants, affects fertilization success and sperm motility in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 10, 247.
Asnicar D, Novoa-Abelleira A, Minichino R, Badocco D, Pastore P, Finos L, Munari M, Marin MG, 2021. When site matters: Metabolic and behavioural responses of adult sea urchins from different environments during long-term exposure to seawater acidification. Mar. Environ. Res. 169, 105372.
