Laurea cum laude in Biology,
University of Pisa; Doctoral degree in Environmental Sciences
(Science of the Sea), University of Genoa. 1991-1998 Research
Manager at the Department of Human and Territorial Sciences of the
University of Pisa, since 1998 Associate Professor in Ecology and
since 2002 Professor in Ecology at the School of Environmental
Sciences and Research Center for Environmental Sciences in Ravenna,
of the University of Bologna in Ravenna. I have been teaching
courses Applied Ecology, Marine Ecology, Ecological Approach to EIA
e Interdisciplinary Marine Laboratory; I have been
Director of the Master course (II level) in Integrated Coastal Zone
Management. I am member of the Committee for the PhD Course in
Environmental Sciences: Conservation and management of the Natural
Resources. I have
participated to several national and international research
projects, contributing to their management and co-ordination. These
projects were dealing with the conservation and management of
costal and transitional waters habitats and species assemblages and
they have been carried out in the framework of UE projects (DELOS -
“Environmental Design of Low
Crested Coastal Defence Structures”, contract
EVK3-CT-2000-00041, EUMAR - “European Marine Genetic
Biodiversity”, contract EVK3-CT-2001-00048, “Management and sustainable development of
protected transitional waters” (TWReferenceNet), INTEREG
IIIB CADSES, etc.) national projects (Artificial Marine Structures
–AMS- Multifunctional Tool for Research and Environmental
Management in the Mediterranean and Red Sea” Ministry of
Environment, PRIN f Ministry of Research and Univeristy, etc) and
private company funded projects (BIOMARE - Sviluppo di una
metodologia di monitoraggio delle strutture off-shore in alto
Adriatico, BIODIVERSITÀ - Approccio metodologico alla
caratterizzazione della biodiversità ad al monitoraggio del ruolo
ecosistemico di piattaforme in ambiente offshore, etc.).
Author of over 70 scientific papers published on peer reviewed
journals, I have presented my researches at numerous scientific
conferences.
My research deals with the ecology of coastal habitats, focussing on
processes affecting the spatial and temporal organisation of faunal
assemblages and on the adaptive strategies of populations of
benthic invertebrates to natural adn human environmental stressors.
My research has been dealing with the impact of artificial costal
defence structures on environmental quality. This research has a
relevant applied aspect, considering the spread of artificial
structures worldwide. Studies on estuarine and transitional
habitats where dealing with the impact of anthropogenic disturbance
on the organisation of the assemblages and genetic structuring of
benthic invertebrates. Particularly interesting are the results of
the studies on the impact of artificial structure as corridors for
the spreading of local populations along the sandy shores following
the stepping stone model. Molecular tools have been applied also to
investigate connectivity, larval dispersal and phylogeographyc
patterns in Hediste diversicolor and Corallium
rubrum, the precious coral par excellence.
