Alessandro Piazza

PhD student in Earth, Life, and Environmental Sciences (STVA) at the BiGeA department, diver and marine ecologist.

Thesis title: "Omics and integrative technologies to enhance restoration and conservation of marine animal forests"

Supervisor: Prof. Federica Costantini; Co-Supervisor: Prof. Marina Antonia Colangelo

I study marine biodiversity at various levels of organization, ranging from the genetic structure of populations to community analyses. To achieve this, I use integrated approaches that combine traditional methods, such as morphological identification under a stereomicroscope and photo-identification, with molecular techniques like barcoding and metabarcoding. My interests span from port environments, where I monitor non-indigenous species using artificial structures, to deeper ecosystems, focusing on communities associated with gorgonians, sponges, and corals.