DiSCourse Seminar with Alexandra Zachariadou
24 January 2025, 12:00 (CET), hybrid
Digital Science Center, Innrain 15, 1st floor, Open Space Area or Big Blue Button
DiSCourse - The Digital Science Seminar Series on:
Taxonomic and functional diversity of marine microbiota in multi-stressed coastal sites along the Hellenic Volcanic Arc
The Hellenic Volcanic Arc (HVA), which extends more than 500 km along the South Aegean Sea, consists of several active volcanic centers with the most important representatives being Methana, Santorini, Milos and Nisyros. The volcanic activity in the area, which locally shapes extreme conditions for the marine environment, combined with the intense anthropogenic influence, creates a unique ecosystem worth studying. Microorganisms provide a key tool for understanding the ecosystem's response to these simultaneous forces, due to their crucial role in global ecological processes and as the first recipients of major environmental changes. Using classical microscopy, remote sensing and visual survey data, and most importantly innovative technologies of DNA based identification, the aim of this research is to investigate the structure and function of marine microbial communities. Through this understanding, we can achieve not only the management and restoration of marine ecosystems but also enhance the resilience and services they provide.
Alexandra Zachariadou, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Alexandra Zachariadou is a PhD candidate at the University of Athens, specializing in marine microbial ecology. Her academic journey has encompassed a broad range of research topics within both terrestrial and marine ecology, with a focus on understanding the impact of human activities on biodiversity at various taxonomic levels. She is also an assistant researcher on the DiverSea Horizon Project, further contributing to her expertise in marine ecosystems. Currently, she is a visiting researcher at DiSC upon invitation of Luis Miguel Rodríguez-Rojas.