My research focus is seagrass eco-physiology and molecular responses of seagrasses to stress. We investigate the impacts of climate change, including increased water temperature alongside fluctuations in CO2 and nutrients. I study ecological relationships between seagrasses and microbial communities (microbiome), as well as interactions with other organisms (e.g., Foraminifera). Mapping seagrass meadows is an important part of our work. We use near and remote sensing techniques to survey deep and shallow habitats. We're deeply engaged in exploring biotechnological applications of seagrasses and spearheading a project on seagrass restoration (rewilding) to foster blue carbon stocks. We are interested in using seagrass restoration as a platform that will not only help us mitigate some of the climate changes, but specifically will enhnace biodiversity at the local restoration (hence, the relevent to this call)
Marine Biology
Ecosystems support all life on Earth. The healthier our ecosystems are, the healthier the planet - and its people. The benefits of healthy seagrass meadows include reduced erosion of nearby shorelines, enhanced blue carbon sequestration, and enhanced biodiversity. Due to these benefits, seagrass restoration efforts worldwide are included in the UN's "decade of restoration". These efforts include restoring meadows in sites that were known historically to have seagrasses but have also "rewilding" seagrasses in sites that probably never had seagrasses. We are looking to partner with other projects in both land and ocean that are using rewilding to enhance local biodiversity