XLI CICLO | Mazzetti Martina

I am a PhD candidate in Ecology and sustainable management of environmental
resources at the University of Tuscia, where my research focuses on marine insular seascape ecology in Mediterranean archipelagos. I hold an MSc in Marine Biology and Ecology and a BSc in Biological Sciences, with a strong background in benthic ecology, underwater research and biodiversity monitoring. My research interests lie in the structure and functioning of marine benthic communities, with particular emphasis on insular and coastal ecosystems, submerged caves and habitats of conservation concern. I am especially interested in understanding how environmental gradients, habitat complexity and anthropogenic pressures shape biodiversity patterns across spatial scales. A key component of my work integrates traditional ecological approaches with innovative tools, including environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding. I have extensive field experience in marine sampling, both from vessels and underwater, and solid laboratory skills in taxonomic identification and molecular analyses. Through my research, I aim to contribute to the assessment, monitoring and conservation of Mediterranean marine biodiversity, supporting evidence-based management strategies in a
rapidly changing environmental contexts.

This PhD project aims to enhance theunderstanding of marine biodiversity  patterns in the Pontine Archipelago, a Mediterranean area of high ecological value that remains poorly characterized. An integrative methodological framework will be employed, combining environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding with conventional underwater visual census techniques, including photo-quadrats and video transects, to assess the composition, structure and spatial organization of marine biologicalcommunities. Biodiversity patterns will be analyzed across spatial and seasonal gradients in relation to environmental drivers and anthropogenic pressures, with the objective of detecting early signals of ecosystem alteration. Particular focus will be placed on the identification of sensitive indicator and sentinel species, as well as on the early detection of non-indigenous taxa and shifts in community composition.Over the three-year project  duration,standardized seasonal sampling will be conducted, followed by molecular data processing using advanced bioinformatic pipelines and quantitative analyses.
Comparative evaluation of eDNA and visually derived datasets will allow the assessment of their complementarity and effectiveness for marine monitoring. The project aims to generate robust scientific evidence to support biodiversity
assessment, ecosystem-based management and conservation strategies in Mediterranean marine environments.

Cardone, F., Mazzetti, M., Cesaretti, A., Cimmaruta, R. and Gravina, M.F. (2022). FirstSpeleological and Biological Characterization of a Submerged Cave of the Tremiti Archipelago Geomorphosite (Adriatic Sea). Geosciences, 12, 213.

Paglia, G., Bergamin, L., Buccolini, M., Carabella, C., Cerrone, F., Chiocci, F.L., d’Arrielli, R., Esposito, G., Federico, D., Mancinelli, V., Marassich, A., Mazzetti, M., Mecacci, S., Nolè, C., Piattelli, V., Romano E., Salvati, E. and Miccadei, E. (2021). A multidisciplinary approach to the study of insularenvironments: the 1st  Summer School on Geomorphology, Ecology, and Marine Biology in the Tremiti Islands (Southern Adriatic Sea, Puglia, Italy). Journal of Maps, 16, 1-9.