Plankton Ecology and Ocean Health

Our goal is to advance the knowledge of the marine pelagic ecosystem, to promote innovative research and inform the society about the importance of protecting the health of the oceans, for the benefit of human health and well-being. Our research focuses on studying the structure and dynamics of plankton, their response to environmental and anthropogenic disturbances (global warming, stratification, acidification, turbulence, atmospheric deposition, continental runoff, pollution -including plastics-) and their role in the cycling of key chemical elements in the ocean. To do this, we use a wide range of laboratory techniques, innovative experimental and field approaches, time series, remote sensing data analysis, and computational modeling. With all this, we want to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the marine planktonic ecosystem and explore solutions to reduce anthropogenic impacts on the oceans.