Research interests
I am broadly interested in theoretical ecology revolving biodiversity. My main focus is aquatic ecology.
More specifically, my contributions focus on community structuring, diversity maintenance and functioning in the pelagic ecosystem. In the past five years I have broaden my interest on diversification in deep time: what we observe today is the result of millions of years of evolution.
I like simple theories with far reaching implications.
Thus, even if I keep in mind the complexity and non-linear dynamics of the pelagic ecosystem, I seek to gather the broad picture (holistic approach) and attempt to describe general patterns and their mechanisms.
Size spectra as synthetic indicators of community structure and functioning, as well as the effect of climate forcing on them, have been the core of my early research. Non-linear interactions in the aquatic microbiome and developing a global diversification model in the deep time are the core of my present research.
Earlier in my carrier, I have applied time-series and spatial numerical analyses to detect changes in the size composition and relate them with the environmental conditions across different regions. Now, with the technological developments, I have broaden my interest into analysing the metagenomic diversity in the aquatic microbial realm and delving potential non-linear interactions among components of the microbiome networks to better understand community structuring and functioning. I have also developed a diversification model in the deep time which focuses on community aggregated properties and tracks modelled plate tectonics and paleoclimate to constrain the time and pace for diversification.
I am interested in testing ecological theories and seeking for mechanisms explaining empirical patterns.
My approach falls in the community & ecosystem ecology.
Summary of research lines
Since the beginning of my career, I participate in empirical and modelling projects focused on understanding the role of functional traits (especially individual size) on community structuring and functioning from unicellular plankton to fishes. Currently, I am involved in projects dealing with (1) modelling deep-time diversification, (2) understanding the role of plankton community dynamics on sustainable biofuel production from phytoplankton and (3) unveiling the role of body size on aquatic community structuring.
More specifically, my contributions focus on community structuring, diversity maintenance and functioning in the pelagic ecosystem. In the past five years I have broaden my interest on diversification in deep time: what we observe today is the result of millions of years of evolution.
I like simple theories with far reaching implications.
Thus, even if I keep in mind the complexity and non-linear dynamics of the pelagic ecosystem, I seek to gather the broad picture (holistic approach) and attempt to describe general patterns and their mechanisms.
Size spectra as synthetic indicators of community structure and functioning, as well as the effect of climate forcing on them, have been the core of my early research. Non-linear interactions in the aquatic microbiome and developing a global diversification model in the deep time are the core of my present research.
Earlier in my carrier, I have applied time-series and spatial numerical analyses to detect changes in the size composition and relate them with the environmental conditions across different regions. Now, with the technological developments, I have broaden my interest into analysing the metagenomic diversity in the aquatic microbial realm and delving potential non-linear interactions among components of the microbiome networks to better understand community structuring and functioning. I have also developed a diversification model in the deep time which focuses on community aggregated properties and tracks modelled plate tectonics and paleoclimate to constrain the time and pace for diversification.
I am interested in testing ecological theories and seeking for mechanisms explaining empirical patterns.
My approach falls in the community & ecosystem ecology.
Summary of research lines
Since the beginning of my career, I participate in empirical and modelling projects focused on understanding the role of functional traits (especially individual size) on community structuring and functioning from unicellular plankton to fishes. Currently, I am involved in projects dealing with (1) modelling deep-time diversification, (2) understanding the role of plankton community dynamics on sustainable biofuel production from phytoplankton and (3) unveiling the role of body size on aquatic community structuring.
Monitoring
Monitoring the sea in an effective manner is still an issue in current biological oceanography.
With the increasing anthropogenic forcing and partly related climate change, improving monitoring techniques is prioritary.
I am interested in combining new tools to better observe the sea.
I have dealt with ZooSCAN, FlowCAM and isotope datasets to explore the plankton trophic structure. Now I deal with metabarcoding and metagenomic data to explore microbial network structuring and functioning.
In the future I would like to analyse in-situ image data to explore interactions in metazoa.
Collaborating
From the exchange of knowledge and experiences with other researchers,
I seek to think better and learn more.
Thinking in group and reasoning out loud is better than thinking alone.
I have worked in very dynamic teams, with great expertise and variety of research topics.
From each of the teams and their members I have learned something new.
My greatest motivation in research is to think out of the box by collaborating with people from research fields that rarely talk to each other
If you think that we can collaborate, do not hesitate to contact me:
[email protected] My CV
I seek to think better and learn more.
Thinking in group and reasoning out loud is better than thinking alone.
I have worked in very dynamic teams, with great expertise and variety of research topics.
From each of the teams and their members I have learned something new.
My greatest motivation in research is to think out of the box by collaborating with people from research fields that rarely talk to each other
If you think that we can collaborate, do not hesitate to contact me:
[email protected] My CV