PLACE AND DATE OF BIRTH: Bologna (Italy), 13 September 1971
EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS
Degree in Biological Science: University of Bologna. 1998. Thesis: “Dendroflora of the Bologna district”. Grades: 110/110.
Post-degree training: 1998-99. First semester at the Herbarium of Bologna (University of Bologna): identification and recording of herbarium specimens. Second semester at Ambiental S.L. company, Murcia (Spain): environmental management (grant from the European Program “Leonardo da Vinci”).
Ph.D. 2003. University of Firenze, “Reproductive biology and pollination ecology of Leguminosae-Cytiseae”.
Post-doctoral research. From june 2004 to march 2005. Project title: “Pollination modalities and efficiency in Leguminosae-Faboideae: ecological and evolutionary aspects”. Department of Evolutionary Experimental Biology, University of Bologna -Italy.
Italian National Professorship habilitation in Systematic Botany. 2015.
WORKING POSITION
April 2005 - December 2015: Researcher position in Systematic Botany. Department of Evolutionary and Experimental Biology, University of Bologna, Italy.
January 2016 - to date: Associate Professor position in Systematic Botany. Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), University of Bologna, Italy.
RESEARCH ACTIVITY
MG started her research activity studying the systematics and local distribution of woody species of the italian flora, paying particular attention to the genera Rubus, Rosa, Salix. She has been co-author and illustrator of the book: “Guida alle piante legnose dell’ Emilia-Romagna”. She then started to investigate the reproductive biology of wild mediterranean legume species. Fom year 2000 MG participated in several research projects financed by the University of Bologna, the National Research Council and the Ministry of University and Research. From april to august 2005 MG attended the Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, CNRS, Montpellier (France), collaborating with the équipe of John Thompson 2005 on a research project concerning the reproduction and viability of the protected perennial Paeonia officinalis.
At the present MG is carrying out her research activity at Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences of the University of Bologna, focusing on reproductive ecology of wild flowering species. Main objectives are to provide insights into population dynamics and
reproductive patterns of entomophilous plant species, with special emphasis on pollination and rare plants with narrow and/or fragmented distribution. Mating system, reproductive output and pollen limitation are investigated to elucidate the repercussions of plant-pollinator interactions for gene flow and population persistence and to obtain combined information on biological traits (reproductive mode, dispersal behaviour) and demography of populations. Main findings concern the role of floral rewards on insects' attraction and behaviour, and consequently on plant’s reproduction; the evaluation of the pressure of deficit in pollinator service and pollen supply on population stability; the evolution and the adaptive value of pollination systems; the identification of possible effects of risk factors on populations’ future persistence and the development of conservation strategies.
REVIEW COMMITMENTS
Since 2003 MG is referee for several international scientific journals: Plant Biology, Australian Journal of Botany, Flora, Plant Systematics and Evolution, Acta Oecologica, Botanica Helvetica, Plant Biosystems, Ecological research, Journal of Insect Science, Journal for Nature Conservation, AoB Plants, Plant Species Biology, Diversity.
COLLABORATIONS
Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria - Centro di Ricerca Agricoltura Ambiente - CREA-AA, Bologna, Italy (Dr. L. Bortolotti, Dr. F. Grillenzoni)
Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, DISTAL, University of Bologna (Dr. F. Sgolastra)
Laboratory of Higher Plants Reproductive Ecophysiology, University of Siena (Prof. M. Nepi)
Department of Biology, University of Pisa (Prof. L. Peruzzi)
Tropical Herbarium Studies Centre, Department of Biology, University of Florence (Dr. R.M. Baldini)
Department Dynamics and Governance of Ecological Systems, CEFE-CNRS Montpellier, France (Prof. J.D. Thompson)
Laboratorio de Ecologia y Evolucion de Plantas, Universidade de Vigo, Spain (Prof. Luis Navarro)
Unité Evo-Eco-Paléo (EEP) - CNRS / Université de Lille - Sciences et Technologies, Lille, France (Dr. F. Massol)
GRANTS
Local Scientific Coordinator of the research unit of the PRIN 2008 project - “Reproductive success in plants: the role of floral rewards and signals. Limiting factors and adaptation of pollination system in isolated populations” (National scientific coordinator: Prof. Ettore Pacini, Univ. Di Siena) (2009-2011).
Scientific Coordinator of the European Project Life+ Nature & Biodiversity LIFE09/NAT/IT000212 “Plant-Pollinator Integrated CONservation approach: a demonstrative proposal” (2011-2015)
COST Action CA18201: An integrated approach to conservation of threatened plants for the 21st Century (2019-2022). Proponent and Science Communication Manager
Scientific Coordinator of the European Project LIFE18 GIE/IT/000755 LIFE 4 POLLINATORS “Involving people to protect wild bees and other pollinators in the Mediterranean” (2019-2023).
TEACHING
MG has been lecturer of botany courses at the University of Bologna since 2001. At present she teaches “Biodiversity Field Laboratory” to master students in Biodiversity and Evolution, “Systematic botany” and “Plant Monitoring and Conservtaion” to master students in “Sciences and Management of Nature”. She has been supervisor of several Bsc, Msc and PhD students.
SEMINARS
“Floral rewards in Leguminosae-Faboideae”, Dottorato in “Biodiversità ed Evoluzione”, University of Bologna (18/10/2004).
“Pollination types and efficiency in Leguminosae-Faboideae”, School of Doctorate in Sciences and Technology Applied to Environment, University of Siena (2005).
“Sex allocation in Leguminose Mediterranee”, School of Doctorate in “Biodievrsity and Evolution”, University of Bologna (23/01/2006).
“Reproductive ecology of Mediterranean flowering plants”, Dept. BES seminars, University of Bologna: La ricerca è giovane (18/02/2008).
“Reproductive ecology of Mediterranean flowering plants”, Corso di Biologia Vegetale Agraria (L.S. Scienze dei sistemi agroindustriali, Facoltà di Agraria), University of Bologna (02/05/2008).
“Short-course in Pollination ecology”, Scuola di Dottorato in Scienze Biologiche e molecolari, Università di Pisa (“A pollen grain story I: from microsporogenesis to dispersal” 15/3/2012; “A pollen grain story II: the trip (to a compatible stigma)” 22/3/2012; “A pollen grain story III: from pollen deposition to ovule fertilization” 27/3/2012).
Summer school “FLOWERS & POLLINATORS: FIELD AND LAB TECHNIQUES TO ASSESS FUNCTIONALITY FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION”, University of Naples Federico II, Portici (NA). Member of the scientific committee and lecturer (14-17/9/2016)
Seminar “La flora apistica” and workshop “Raccolta e riconoscimento delle piante in fiore”, CORSO DI INTRODUZIONE ALLA MELISSOPALINOLOGIA, CREA-AA (Bologna 8/5/2017)
Seminar “La flora apistica” and workshop “Raccolta e riconoscimento delle piante in fiore”, CORSO DI INTRODUZIONE ALLA MELISSOPALINOLOGIA, CREA-AA (Bologna, 30/5/2018)
CONGRESSES/ SYMPOSIA ORGANIZATION
How can we protect and preserve biodiversity? (Scientific workshop, Bologna, 3-4/5/2013)
International meeting on plant reproduction (Bologna, 15-16/9/2014)
Biodiversity conservation: the plant and pollinator perspectives to enhance ecosystem services (Scientific workshop, Bologna, 15/9/2014)
From research to policy: promoting biodiversity conservation through civil society involvement (Scientific workshop, Bologna, 8-9/5/2015).
Symposium “PLANT-ANIMAL INTERACTIONS: FROM MOLECULES TO LANDSCAPE”. 114° Congress of the Italian Botanical Society (Padova, 5/9/2019).
Awards FOR SCIENTIFIC WORK
Post-doctoral fellowship (Dept. Evolutionary Experimental Biology, University of Bologna - Italy, 2004) for the research project "Modalità ed efficienza dell'impollinazione nelle Leguminosae-Faboideae. Aspetti ecologici ed evolutivi".
"MARCO POLO" research grant (Alma UE, Università di Bologna, 2005) for a research period of 5 months abroad with the project "Reproductive biology of mediterranean endemic flowering plants”
DISSEMINATION TO CITIZENS
Since 2011 MG is involved in the organization of dissemination activities and events addressed to general public, aimed at improving awareness on plant-pollinators interdependence and biodiversity value and conservation.
