Researchers

The theme of my research is to understand the processes and mechanisms that regulate the structure and functioning of coastal benthic systems, especially in seagrass ecosystems, with particular emphasis on how human activities transform them. My background is mainly focused on plant-herbivore interactions, acclimating seagrasses to different drivers of change (nutrients, temperature, acidification or hydrodynamics conditions) and analysing plant responses integrating morphological, chemical and biomechanical leaves properties.
On the other hand, I also investigate the important role of seagrass as ecosystem engineers by modelling current flows altering filter-feeding organisms within patches as well as their importance in recycled nutrient through physiological experiments about ammonium and phosphate uptake rates. Other significant part of my work is based on studying the carbon sink capability of temperate and tropical seagrass and how the anthropogenic impact affects them.
I am currently working with invasive algae in the Mediterranean sea.