Marco Abbiati, PhD, Professor

Date of Birth: August 22^nd 1958

Current position: Full Professor in Ecology

Address:

Laboratorio di Ecologia Marina

Università di Bologna in Ravenna

Via S Alberto 163

I-48100 Ravenna (Italy)

Phone: +39 0544 937311

Fax: +39 0544 937411

e.mail: marco.abbiati@unibo.it

Academic qualifications

Research interests:

• Adaptive strategies of populations of benthic invertebrates to natural and anthropogenic stressors
• Ecology of subtidal benthic habitats, focussing on processes affecting the spatial and temporal organisation of faunal assemblages
• Population genetics and population dynamics of the gorgonian Corallium rubrum
• Biodiversity and conservation of coastal habitats
• Development and implementation of experimental methodologies for ecological studies using scientific diving techniques
• Assessment of anthropogenic impacts in the marine environment

Fellowship

Affiliations

Italian Society of Marine Biology (1988 – )

Italian Society of Ecology (1988 – )

Italian Zoological Society (1989 – 2004)

Italian Association of Oceanography and Limnology (2006 –

International Society for Reef Studies (1991 –  2004)

Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom (1991 –)

Collaborations

Biology Institute, University of Oslo

Center of Marine Biotechnology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA

Centre d'Estudis Avancats de Blanes (CSIC), Girona, Catalunya

Department of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Science, Tel Aviv University, Israel

Dipartimento di Biologia, University of Pisa, Italy

Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche e Ambientali, University of Lecce, Italy

Departamento de Biología Marina, Institut de Ciències del Mar (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain

Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, Plymouth

Laboratory of Morphology and Ecology of Marine Invertebrates, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow

Publications:

2011

·         Ponti M., Fava F., Abbiati M. (2011) Spatial-temporal variability of epibenthic assemblages on subtidal biogenic reefs in the northern Adriatic Sea. Marine Biology 158 (7): 1447-1459. DOI: 10.1007/s00227-011-1661-3

·         Ponti M., Casselli C., Abbiati M. (2011) Anthropogenic disturbance and spatial heterogeneity of macrobenthic invertebrate assemblages in coastal lagoons: the study case of Pialassa Baiona (northern Adriatic Sea). Helgoland Marine Research 65 (1): 25-42. DOI 10.1007/s10152-010-0197-0

2010

·         Costantini F, Taviani M, Remia A, Pintius E, Shembri PJ, Abbiati M 2010. Live colonies of Corallium rubrum from the Mediterranean deep-sea: a preliminary genetic characterisation. Marine Ecology, DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0485.2009.00333.x

·         Abbiati M., Mistri M., Bartoli M., Ceccherelli V.U., Colangelo M.A., Ferrari C.R., Giordani G., Munari C., Nizzoli D., Ponti M., Rossi R., Viaroli P. (2010) Tradeoff between conservation and exploitation of the transitional water ecosystems of the northern Adriatic Sea. Chemistry and Ecology 26(Supplement): 105-119. DOI: 10.1080/02757541003693193

2009

·         Abbiati M, Costantini F, Fauvelot C, 2009 Conservation of coralligenous reefs: effective larval dispersal, scales of connectivity and resilience. In: Proceedings of the 1st Mediterranean symposium on the conservation of the coralligenous and other calcareous bio-concretions, C. Pergent-Martini & M. Brichet edits., UNEP-MAP-RAC/SPA, pp28-33

·         Abbiati M, Airoldi L, Costantini L, Fava F, Ponti M, Virgilio M, 2009. Spatial and temporal variation of assemblages in mediterranean coralligenous reefs. In: Proceedings of the 1st Mediterranean symposium on the conservation of the coralligenous and other calcareous bio-concretions, C. Pergent-Martini & M. Brichet edits., UNEP-MAP-RAC/SPA, pp 34-40.

·         Bertasi F, Colangelo MA, Colosio F, Gregorio G, Abbiati M, Ceccherelli VU, 2009. Comparing efficacy of different taxonomic resolutions and surrogates in detecting changes in soft bottom assemblages due to coastal defence structures. Marine Pollution Bulletin 58: 686-694.

·         Fauvelot C, Bertozzi F, Costantini F, Airoldi L, Abbiati M 2009. Lower genetic diversity in the limpet Patella caerulea on urban coastal structures compared to natural rocky habitats. Marine Biology, 141: 773-788

·         Ponti M, Pasteris A, Guerra R, Abbiati M 2009 Impacts of maintenance channel dredging in a Northern Adriatic coastal lagoon. II: effects on macrobenthic assemblages in channels and ponds. Estuarine Coastal And Shelf Science, 865: 143-150

·         Virgilio M, Fauvelot C, Costantini F, Abbiati M, Backeljau T, 2009. Phylogeography of the common ragworm Hediste diversicolor (Polychaeta: Nereididae) reveals cryptic diversity and multiple colonization events across its distribution. Molecular Ecology 18: 1980-1994

2008

·         Fontana G, Ugland KI, Gray JS, Willis TJ, Abbiati M, 2008. Influence of rare species on beta diversity estimates in marine benthic assemblages Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 366: 104-108

·         Sangiorgio F, Basset A, Pinna M, Sabetta L, Abbiati M, Ponti M, Minocci M, Orfanidis S, Nicolaidouc A, Moncheva S, Trayanova A, Georgescu L, Dragan S, Beqiraj S, Koutsoubas D, Evagelopoulos A, Reizopoulou S, 2008. Environmental factors affecting Phragmites australis litter decomposition in Mediterranean and Black Sea transitional waters Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 18: S16-S26

·         Ponti M, Pinna M, Basset A, Moncheva S, Trayanova A, Georgescu LP, Beqiraj S, Orfanidis S, Abbiati M, 2008. Quality assessment of Mediterranean and Black Sea transitional waters: comparing responses of benthic biotic indices Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 18: S62-S75

2007

·         Costantini F., Fauvelot C, Abbiati M, 2007. Genetic structuring of the temperate gorgonian coral (Corallium rubrum) across the western Mediterranean Sea revealed by microsatellites and nuclear sequences. Molecular Ecology, 16: 5168-5182

·         Costantini F, Fauvelot C, Abbiati M, 2007. Fine-scale genetic structuring in Corallium rubrum (L): evidences of inbreeding and limited effective larval dispersal. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 340: 109-119

·         Colosio F, Abbiati M, Airoldi L, 2007. Effects of beach nourishment on sediments and benthic assemblages. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 54 :1197-1206

·         Bulleri F, Branca MG, Abbiati M, Airoldi L, 2007. Development of reproductive structures in the introduced green alga, Codium fragile ssp. tomentosoides, in the northern Adriatic Sea. European Journal of Phycology, 42: 137 – 144

·         Bertasi F, Colangelo MA, Abbiati M, Cecchereli VU, 2007. Effects of an artificial protection structure on the sandy shore macrofaunal community: the special case of Lido di Dante (Northern Adriatic Sea). Hydrobiologia, 586: 277-290

2006

·         Virgilio M, Backeljau T, Abbiati M, 2006. Phylogeographic patterns of Hediste diversicolor (Polychaeta: Nereididae) along the North Adriatic coast of Italy: the importance of small scale genetic structuring. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 326:157-165.

• Costantini F, Abbiati M, 2006. Development of microsatellite markers for the Mediterranean gorgonian coral Corallium rubrum (Linnaeus, 1759). Molecular Ecology Notes, 6: 521-523
• Virgilio M, Abbiati M, 2006. Temporal changes in the genetic structure of intertidal populations of Hediste diversicolor (Polychaeta: Nereididae) Journal of Sea Research, 56: 53-58.
• Bulleri F, Airoldi L, Branca GM, Abbiati M, 2006. Effects of the introduced green alga, Codium fragile ssp. tomentosoides, on recruitment and survival of mussels. Marine Biology, 148: 1213-120.
• Basset A, Sabetta L, Fonnesu A, Mouillot D, Do Chi T, Viaroli P, Giordani G, Reizopoulou S, Abbiati M, Carrada GC, 2006. Typology in Mediterranean transitional waters: new challenges and perspectives. Aquatic Conservation of Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 16: 441-455.
• Virgilio M, Airoldi L, Abbiati M, in press. Distribution and dynamics of assemblages in a Mediterranean coralligenous reef and relationships with surface orientation. Coral Reefs, 25: 265-272
• Bulleri F, Abbiati M, Airoldi L 2006. The colonisation of artificial human-made structures by the invasive alga Codium fragile ssp. tomentosoides in the north Adriatic Sea (NE Mediterranean). Hydrobiologia, 555: 263-269

2005

·         Airoldi L, Bacchiocchi F, Cagliola C, Bulleri F, Abbiati M, 2005. Impact of recreational harvesting on assemblages in artificial rocky habitats. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 299: 55-66.

• Ponti M, Giaquinta S, Abbiati M, 2005 Pialassa Baiona Lagoon, Ravenna. In: Giordani G, Viaroli P, Swaney DP, Murray CN, Zaldivar JM, Marshall Crossland JI (Eds) Nutrient fluxes in transitional zones of the Italian coast. LOICZ, Texel, the Netherlands: 41-48.
• Virgilio M, Maci S, Abbiati M, 2005. Comparisons of genotype-tolerance responses in populations of Hediste diversicolor (Polychaeta: Nereididae) exposed to copper stress. Marine Biology, 147: 1305-1312.
• Airoldi L, Abbiati M, Beck MW, Hawkins SJ, Jonsson PR, Martin D, Moschella P S, Sundelöf A, Thompson R C, Åberg P, 2005. An ecological perspective on the deployment and design of low-crested and other hard coastal defence structures. Coastal Engeneering, 52:1073-1087.
• Moschella PS, Abbiati M, Åberg P, Airoldi L, Bacchiocchi F, Bulleri F, Dinesen GE, Frost M, Gaçia E, Granhag L, Jonsson P R, Satta MP, Sundelöf A , Thompson RC, Hawkins SJ, 2005. Low crested coastal defence structures as artificial habitats for marine life: using ecological criteria in design? Coastal Engeneering, 52: 1053-1071.

2004

• Ponti M, Abbiati M, 2004. Quality assessment of transitional waters using a benthic biotic index: the case study of the Pialassa Baiona (northern Adriatic Sea). Aquatic Conservation of Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 14: S31-S41.
• Basset A, Abbiati M, 2004. Challenges to transitional water monitoring: ecological descriptors and scales. Aquatic Conservation of Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 14: S1-S3.
• Virgilio M, Abbiati M, 2004. Allozyme genotypes and tolerance to copper stress in Hediste diversicolor (Polychaeta: Nereididae). Marine Pollution Bulletin, 49: 978-985.
• Virgilio M, Abbiati M, 2004. Habitat discontinuity and genetic structure in populations of the estuarine species Hediste diversicolor (Polychaeta: Nereididae). Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 61: 361-367.

2003

• Virgilio M, Baroncini N, Trombini C, Abbiati M (2003). Relationships between sediments and tissues contamination and allozymic patterns in Hediste diversicolor (Polychaeta: Nereididae) in the Pialassa lagoons (North Adriatic sea). Oceanol. Acta, 26 (1): 85-92.
• Abbiati, M, 2003. ‘Introduction to topic 3 “Effects of human activities in altering genetic characteristics and gene flow in the marine environment” (2). In Hiscock, K. et al. (eds): Electronic conference on ‘Genetic Biodiversity in Marine Ecosystems – Measurement, Understanding and Management’ - Summary of discussions, pp 31-34. Flanders Marine Institute, Oostende, Belgium.
• Viard F, Abbiati, M, 2003. ‘Summary of discussion on topic 3 “Effects of human activities in altering genetic characteristics and gene flow in the marine environment” (2). In Hiscock, K et al. (eds): Electronic conference on ‘Genetic Biodiversity in Marine Ecosystems – Measurement, Understanding and Management’ - Summary of discussions, pp 49-50. Flanders Marine Institute, Oostende, Belgium.

2002

• Ponti M, Abbiati M, Ceccherelli VU, 2002. Drilling platform wrecks as artificial reefs: preliminary description of macrobenthic assemblages of the “Paguro” (Northern Adriatic). ICES journal of Marine Science, 59: 316-323.

2001

• Abbiati M & Basset A, 2001 – Ecological research and conservation of coastal ecosystems. Aquatic Conservation of Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 11: 233-234.
• Santangelo G & Abbiati M, 2001 - Red coral: conservation and management of an overexploited Mediterranean species. Aquatic Conservation of Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 11: 253-259.

2000

• Cognetti G, Lardicci C, Abbiati M & Castelli A, 2000 - The Adriatic Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea. In C Sheppard (Ed): Seas at the Millennium - An Environmental Evaluation, Vol. 1, pp.267-284. Elsevier Science Ltd., London

1988

• Maltagliati F, Camilli L, Biagi F & Abbiati M, 1998 – Genetic structure of Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus (L., 1758) (Crustacea: Nephropidae), from the Mediterranean Sea. Scientia Marina, 62 (Supl. 1): 91-99.
• Mattison G, Abbiati M, Dando PR, Fitzsimons MF, Pratt SM, Southward AJ& Southward EC, 1998 - Microbial ecology of submarine caves with hydrothermal sulphidic springs at Cape Palinuro, Italy. Microbial Ecology, 35: 58-71.
• Benedetti-Cecchi L, Airoldi L, Abbiati M & Cinelli F, 1998 - Spatial variability in the distribution of sponges and cnidarians in a sublittoral marine cave with sulphur- water springs. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the U.K., 78: 43-58.
• Gamenick I, Abbiati M & Giere O, 1998 - Field distribution and sulphide tolerance of Capitella capitata (Annelida: Polychaeta) around shallow water hydrothermal vents off Milos (Aegean Sea). A new sibling species? Marine Biology, 130: 447-453.

1997

• Corriero G, Santangelo G & Abbiati M, 1997 - Sponges inhabiting a Mediterranean red coral population. P.S.Z.N.I: Marine Ecology, 18: 147-155.

1996

• Benedetti-Cecchi L, Airoldi L, Abbiati M & Cinelli F, 1996 – Exploring the causes of spatial variation in an assemblage of benthic invertebrates from a submarine cave with sulphur springs. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 208: 153-168.
• Abbiati M & Maltagliati F, 1996 - Allozyme evidence of genetic differentiation between populations of Hediste diversicvolor (Polychaeta: Nereididae) from the Western Mediterranean. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the U.K., 76: 637-648.
• Benedetti-Cecchi L, Airoldi L, Abbiati M & Cinelli F, 1996 - Estimating the abundance of benthic invertebrates: a comparison of procedures and variability between observers. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 138: 93-101.
• Southward AJ, Kennicutt MC, Alcalà-Herrera J, Abbiati M, Airoldi L, Cinelli F, Bianchi CN, Morri C & Southward EC, 1996 - On the biology of submarine caves with sulphur springs: appraisal of ¹³C/¹²C ratios as a guide to trophic relations. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the U.K., 76: 262-285.

1993

• Santangelo G, Abbiati M, Giannini F & Cicogna F, 1993 - Red coral fishing trends in the western Mediterranean sea during the period 1981-1991. Scientia Marina, 57: 139-143.
• Abbiati M, Santangelo G & Novelli S, 1993 - Genetic variation within and between two Tyrrhenian populations of the Mediterranean alcyonarian Corallium rubrum. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 95: 245-250.
• Lardicci C, Abbiati M, Crema R, Morri C, Bianchi CN & Castelli A, 1993 - The distribution of polychaetes along environmental gradients: an example from the Orbetello Lagoon, Italy. P.S.Z.N.I: Marine Ecology, 14: 35-52.

1992

• Abbiati M, Buffoni G, Caforio G, Di Cola G & Santangelo G, 1992 - Harvesting, predation and competition effects an a red coral population. Nedherland Journal of Sea Research, 30: 219-228.
• Abbiati M & Castelli A, 1992 - Platynereis nadiae sp. n. (Polychaeta: Nereididae) from Italian coasts. Zoologica Scripta, 21 (2): 151-155.
• Abbiati M & Maltagliati F, 1992 - Genetic population structure of Neanthes succinea (Polychaeta: Nereididae). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the U.K., 72: 511-517.

1991

• Abbiati M, Buffoni G, Di Cola G & Santangelo G, 1991 - Red coral population dynamics: stability analysis and numerical simulation of time evolution of perturbed states. In O Ravera (Ed.): Terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems: Perturbation and Recovery, pp. 219-228, Ellis Horwood Limited.
• Abbiati M, Bianchi CN, Castelli A, Giangrande A & Lardicci C, 1991 - Distribution of Polychaetes on Hard Substrates of the Midlittoral-Infralittoral Transition Zone, Western Mediterranean. Ophelia Suppl. 5: 421-432.

1989

• Santangelo G & Abbiati M, 1989 - A Study on a Coastal Red Coral Population. 2nd Technical consultation on red coral resources of the Western Mediterranean and their rational exploitation. FAO Fish. Rep., 413: 67-72.

1987

• Abbiati M, Bianchi CN & Castelli A, 1987 – Polychaete vertical zonation along a littoral cliff in the western Mediterranean. P.S.Z.N.I: Marine Ecology, 8 (1): 33-48.