Although the global pandemic hardly impacted on my mobility plans, I was able to respond and adjust the research plan to achieve MEDIX objectives. Work was conducted through 5 Work Packages (WPs).
WP1 comprised qualitative and quantitative research about sex analysis for biological research that yielded 2 journal publications and other 3 underway. I have found that sex broadly affects the morphology, physiology, behavior, and distribution of organisms and population across taxa. I have also found how sex and climate change interacts in the response mechanisms of species and communities. Finally, I have conceptualized how sex can influence species interactions bringing examples from kelp forest ecosystems. To facilitate future integration of sex into marine biological research, I also synthesized current approaches, discussed methodological and logistical challenges, and laid out guidelines for future research.
WP2 was devoted to, a scenario analysis for identifying climate refugia in areas providing ecosystem services across future climate projections, and this led to two publications underway . I analyzed the change in species and functional diversity in five future scenarios at year 2050 and 2100 and for three projections of climate change (moderate, intermediate, and severe). I focused on marine megafauna (mammals, sharks and rays, bony fish, reptiles) in the Northeastern Pacific, and analyzed available data for the Mediterranean Sea. By analyzing the shift in functional diversity affecting ecosystem functioning I have identified areas with persistent ecosystem services provision.
WP3 drafted the baseline knowledge about priority species and habitat of conservation to apply the analysis in the Mediterranean, and drafted guidelines for climate-smart marine spatial planning. These research activities led to 3 journal publications and one underway.
In WP5, for the two-way training, I attended 2 graduate courses at Stanford Univ (7 units in total) plus 5 training workshops and more than 30 seminars, workshops, and multi-day conferences. I was invited to 10 international conferences and workshops, and attended 8 international conferences. I was invited to be part of the Editorial Board of npj Ocean Sustainability Journal, and I was Guest Editor in two Journals’ collections.
In WP6 was devoted to disseminating and communicating MEDIX results. I have based a series of co-learning activities on the innovative work about sex analysis in biological research with researchers at CNR ISMAR and with students, and communicated the results to promote a wider understanding and development of science towards gendered innovations taking part to the European Researchers’ Nights in 2022 and 2023. I have also worked with school students to improve their learning skills about climate change and the ocean. The modelling activities developed in WP2-3 supported the elaboration of the Marine Spatial Plans for Italy, whose first version was released in September 2022 for public consultation.
