Spatiotemporal dynamics of coastal Mediterranean ecosystems

This thesis investigates the formation of structures in marine ecosystems, focusing on two native species from the Mediterranean coasts: Posidonia oceanica and Paramuricea clavata. Both species are characterized by slow growth, a crucial role as keystone species in coastal ecosystems, and vulnerability to human activities. To analyze these systems, we employed mathematical models based on partial differential equations, which are well-suited for describing population dynamics when individual fluctuations are negligible and environmental conditions are homogeneous. Despite these simplifications, the results are consistent with previous observations and have practical implications for marine ecology.

Thesis supervisor: Damià Gomila

Jury:



- Gaetana Gambino, Università degli Studi di Palermo

- Maarten Eppinga, Universität Zürich

- Annalisa Iuorio, Università degli Studi di Napoli Parthenope