Ph. D. Student
Integrative Marine Ecology Department
Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn
Villa Comunale
80121 Napoli - Italia
Fax: +39 081 7641355
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Director of Studies: Gabriele Procaccini
Internal Supervisor: Emanuela Dattolo
External Supervisor: Thorsten Reusch
Program: Open University, XXVI cycle
Research Interests
I am a PhD student interested in applying genetics and genomics to the conservation of marine macrophytes. My research experiences have focused on kelps and seagrasses, working on their culture, ecophysiology and population genetics.
My PhD project will explore the plasticity and adaptive potential of long-lived seagrass clones, focusing on the Mediterranean endemic seagrass Posidonia oceanica. This project aims to address gaps in understanding the evolutionary mechanisms acting within long-lived seagrass clones, particularly the role of somatic mutations (SM) in introducing intra-clonal Somatic Genetic Diversity (SoGV) and challenging the perception of clonality as a static and less adaptive reproductive strategy. My objectives include (i) estimating the accumulation rate of SM to use it as an index for ageing P. oceanica clones, (ii) assessing the effects of age on sexual reproductive patterns, clonal-specific responses, and intraclonal plasticity, and (iii) exploring multi-level selection under changing environments. To investigate these aspects, the project will comprise field samplings, lepidochronology, genomic analyses, and laboratory experiments. The expected impact of this research is a significant contribution to understanding the persistence and resilience of long-lived seagrass clones and potentially influencing our perception of clonality in natural systems.
Selected Publications
Becheler R, Haverbeck D, Clerc C, Montecinos G, Valero M, Mansilla A and Faugeron S. (2022). Variation in Thermal Tolerance of the Giant Kelp’s Gametophytes: Suitability of Habitat, Population Quality or Local Adaptation? Front. Mar. Sci. 9:802535.
Tomas F, Hernan G, Mañez-Crespo J, Arona A, Haverbeck Meléndez D, Reynés X, Delgado J, Procaccini G, & Ballesteros E. (2024). Mass flowering and unprecedented extended pseudovivipary in seagrass (Posidonia oceanica) after a Marine Heat Wave. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 203.
