Matteo ZUCCHETTA

Qualifica
Docente a contratto
E-mail
matzuc@unive.it
Fax
041 528 1494
SSD
ECOLOGIA [BIO/07]
Sito web
www.unive.it/persone/matzuc (scheda personale)

Researcher at the Institute of Polar Sciences (CNR-ISP)
His research focuses on ecosystem-based assessment of coastal, transitional and polar aquatic ecosystems, integrating field data, ecological modelling and Earth Observation.

Main research interests:

Spatial ecology, Species Distribution Models and environmental drivers
Analysis of spatial patterns of plant and animal species in coastal and transitional waters, with particular emphasis on the role of biotic and abiotic drivers. Development and application of Species Distribution Models using advanced statistical and geostatistical approaches and ecological modelling.

Remote sensing, Earth Observation and AI for coastal and transitional ecosystems
Use of Earth Observation data for habitat mapping and monitoring of coastal and transitional ecosystems, including seagrass meadows and other key habitats, and for the detection and quantification of anthropogenic pressures (e.g. boating activity, anchoring, coastal uses). Development of remote-sensing workflows and machine-learning / computer-vision approaches to derive ecological indicators and pressure metrics supporting environmental assessment and management.

Nekton community ecology and functional approaches in transitional waters
Analysis of nekton communities in lagoons and coastal systems to assess ecosystem functioning and ecological integrity. Structural/taxonomic approaches are coupled with functional metrics (functional guilds, functional diversity, secondary production) to evaluate community functioning and responses to multiple pressures, including climate change and fisheries.

Development and application of ecological indicators for policy support
Design, testing and application of ecological indicators for the assessment of ecological status of aquatic ecosystems, with specific reference to European environmental policies (Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC; Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC; Marine Strategy Framework Directive 2008/56/EC). Co-development and application of fish-based indicators and contribution to monitoring frameworks supporting environmental management and climate-change impact assessment.