Ph.D. Student
Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms Department (BEOM)
Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Sicily Marine Centre
Villa Pace - C.da Porticatello 29, 98167 Messina – Italia
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare, Università degli Studi di Palermo
Tel.: + 39 3277022411
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Ph.D. Coordinator: Prof. Gianluca Sarà
Internal Supervisors: dott.sa Teresa Romeo and dott.sa Daniela Pica
External Supervisor: prof. Sergio Rossi (UniSa)
Program: National Biodiversity Future Center - Università di Palermo, Dottorato di Interesse Nazionale (DIN) in Biodiversity, XL cycle
Research interests
I have a Master's degree in Biodiversity and ecosystems management at Roma Tre University, where I conducted an experimental thesis related to the variation of microcrustaceans community in coastal temporary pools. I started working in the research field as a research fellow at CNR-IRBIM in Lesina, focusing on the summer turnover of phytoplankton communities in transitional water ecosystems. I have always been fascinated by the biological responses of organisms to particularly critical periods (such as summer), as I believe it is essential to acquire accurate cause-effect information to design effective environmental restoration actions. As a result of this, my doctoral project aims to analyse the effects of climate change on Marine Animal Forests (MAFs), classified as Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) by IUCN. These ecosystems, recognized as real biodiversity hotspots, are increasingly threatened by temperatures exceeding the tolerance limits of structural species, which, in the worst cases, lead to mass mortality events. Using a comparative approach, we will assess the ecological state of selected areas in Capo Milazzo 10 years after the establishment of the Marine Protected Area (MPA), and through mesocosm experiments, we will conduct tests on the thermotolerance of habitat-forming species. All information gathered step by step will help define a more accurate ecological niche framework for MAFs, ultimately contributing to perform and test environmental restoration actions.
Selected Publications
M. Scalici; M. Perrone; J. Battisti; L. Benedini; M. Malavasi. (2021). First Perceptions of Hydroperiod Mapping and Assessment of Shallow Waters in Coastal Landscapes by Drone-Based Monitoring Activities: A Remote-Sensing and GIS Approach. Applied Sciences. (DOI: 10.3390/app11209773)
