Ecology and resilience of benthic ecosystems in a changing ocean

The group conducts research projects related to the factors and mechanisms that determine the resilience of marine benthic ecosystems face to the global change impacts. To this end the group adopted a multidisciplinary ranging from taxonomy and systematics, to species biology, structure and dynamics of populations and communities, both benthic and planktonic, and the relationship of biological processes with environmental factors. The multidisciplinary approach implies that the studies contemplate a wide range of analytical, experimental (in the field and in the laboratory), statistical and modeling techniques. The team works mainly in the littoral and platform benthic ecosystems in which it has a long experience (campaigns in oceanographic and coastal areas with SCUBA-diving). The research activities is complemented by a long experience in educational and scientific outreach activities.