Research

Trained as a marine geologist, I began my scientific career focusing on coastal research, particularly examining the sedimentological and morphodynamic processes affected by human activities such as shipping route maintenance and the disposal of dredged material. Since 2005, I changed my research focus from the coastal area to the deep sea, where I study ecosystems dominated by cold-water corals. Using ROV video footage for habitat mapping, I investigate the spatial distribution, diversity, and vitality of cold-water coral ecosystems. These are controlled by a range of environmental factors and are increasingly threatened by human activities and climate change, making it critical to understand and assess the impacts on these vulnerable marine ecosystems.

Another key area of my research involves exploring the long-term development of these deep-sea ecosystems since the late Quaternary, with a particular focus on the climate-induced environmental changes that controlled their proliferation. In this context, I apply a wide array of sedimentological and palaeoceanographic methods to analyse ocean floor sediments (including "MeBo" drill cores), primarily from sites in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.