Bertarelli-Annual-Report-2024-LR - Flipbook - Page 28
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Bertarelli Foundation
Clara Diaz
PhD Student (graduated 2023)
University of Plymouth, UK
Student: Multi-scale
oceanographic modelling
“Mesophotic coral ecosystems
are truly amazing, hosting so
much diversity; yet they are
already threatened by human
activities, revealing the urgent
need to study and protect these
ecosystems which have still to
reveal their secrets.”
Clara’s PhD research focuses on the distribution
and diversity of Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems
(MCEs) in the Chagos Archipelago. In particular,
she is assessing the threats that MCEs face in
the climate change context and the differences
in species composition throughout the
depth gradient to determine the role these
deeper reefs may play in supporting shallowwater reefs. Clara is also investigating the
environmental drivers of MCE diversity and
distribution within the archipelago.
PhD Graduates
2023
Dannielle Eager
PhD Student (graduated 2023)
University of Plymouth, UK
Student: Remote sensing for
MPA management (Phase I)
“ With limited anthropogenic
impacts, the Chagos
Archipelago provides an
optimum site to study
the relationship between
oceanography and biological
communities. Our research
demonstrated that
understanding the spatial
variability of biota around
topographic features is vital
to improve the e昀케ciency and
e昀케cacy of marine spatial plans.”
Dannielle began her PhD in 2019 using
fisheries acoustics to identify and quantify
pelagic biomass around seamounts
and atolls in the Chagos Archipelago in
relation to oceanographic processes.
Elucidating the physical drivers behind
schooling fish at these topographic
features is vital to improving long-term
conservation strategies and effective
spatial management. Using data collected
from three scientific cruises to the region,
temporal differences in fish distributions
and behavioural was found to be triggered
by climatic events. This demonstrates
the significance of climate change on
pelagic forage fish in the Archipelago and
how seamounts and atolls can act as vital
refuges during adverse conditions.
