Humans have profoundly impacted Earth's ecosystems to the extent that we have generated a new geological era - the Anthropocene. Despite an ancient and profound link between humans and the sea, one of the main attributes of this era is the human impact on marine ecosystems. The sea provides us with food and also with multiple benefits related to cultural heritage, sense of place and well-being. All these services are essential for our subsistence as a planetary society, however, mainstream models for development coupled with climate change effects are pushing marine ecosystems towards their resilience limits, compromising their ability to contribute to society well- being.

My past research has focused on the assessment of changes in ecosystem components and functions due to human impacts, while my future research line aims to develop ecosystem services models that balance social and ecological research to encompass human-nature non-linear interactions. My research focus on 3 main axes: 1) the quantification and evaluation of ecological integrity of marine benthic ecosystems; 2) understanding the mechanistic link between marine ecosystem functioning and ecosystem service supply; 3) assessment of links and feedbacks in marine and coastal socio-ecological systems. I ambition to contribute to a sustainable future transition in marine and coastal areas by producing knowledge on the relationship between biodiversity, ecosystem functions and services provided by these ecosystems.

My current research activity is work-package leader of H2020 project MaCoBioS. This project aims to ensure efficient and integrated management and conservation strategies for marine and coastal ecosystems to face climate change.