Ph. D. Student
CAPE Department
Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn
Villa Comunale
80121 Napoli - Italia
Tel.: +39 3312579402
E-mail: margheritasofia.panzuto(at)szn.it
Director of Studies: Dr Sandra Hochscheid
Internal Supervisor: Dr Daniele Iudicone
Advisor: Fulvio Maffucci
External Supervisor: Dr Luis Cardona Pascual
Program: Open University, XXX cycle
Research Interests
My research interests mainly focus on the identification of the spatial distribution, habitat connectivity, and responses to climate change of marine megafauna, specifically loggerhead turtles. The loggerhead turtle is the most abundant species of marine turtle in the Mediterranean Sea and in the last decades it has expanded its nesting range into the Western Mediterranean. The Cilento National Park in the Campania Region of SW Italy is a clear example of this phenomenon. In the last five years, the Park has become a hotspot of nesting activities for this species, with nest density that has reached a threshold of 3 nests/km/y. This range expansion has been linked to climate change, specifically to a rise in sea surface temperatures. Marine turtles are ectotherms with temperature dependent sex determination. Therefore, external temperatures influence their metabolic rates and physiological processes, as well as the viability and sex of the embryos during the incubation period.
To answer my research questions, both nesting females and juveniles, reared in a captive nursery facility at the SZN Turtle Point, will be equipped with satellite tags and released into the sea. Satellite tags will provide information on the habitat use, habitat connectivity, dispersal patterns, thermal ecology, and swimming performance of individuals.
The final objective is to improve the management and conservation status of the loggerhead turtle in the Mediterranean Sea by identifying the relevant areas for this species. This will help to understand where marine protected areas should be introduced, and natural resources should be properly managed.
