PhD, student
Name: Alice Mirasole
Nationality: Italian
Email: alicemirasole@gmail.com

Alice Mirasole, born in Mazzarino in 1988, graduated in Biology (bachelor’s degree) in 2010  and in Marine Ecology (Master’s degree) in 2013 at the University of Palermo. During her bachelor’s degree, she spent one year (2008-2009) at the University of Picardie “Jules Verne” in France, through an Erasmus program. In 2013, after graduation, she earned a professional qualification as Biologist.

Currently, Alice is a PhD student in Earth and Marine Science at the University of Palermo, carrying out a thesis entitled “Study of the structural and functional organization of fish assemblages in a submarine shallow CO₂ vent”, with the aim to investigate the effects of high CO2/low pH on community and trophic structure of ichthyofauna. In particular, the focus of her project is evaluating the responses of fish assemblages to pH reduction by analysing community structure, trophic organization, reproductive success and carbonate structures. Moreover, as in CO₂ vents concentration and bio-availability of several trace elements, also toxic ones, may increase due to direct input from the vents and/or to peculiar pH and Eh conditions, another aim is the evaluation of trace element bioaccumulation and biomagnification in soft tissues.

During her second PhD year, she will spend six months in the Southern Seas Ecology Laboratories at the University of Adelaide (Australia) to analyse fish otolith microstructure (shape analysis) and microchemistry (trace elements and stable isotopes) to reconstruct ambient conditions experienced during various life-history phases and habitat use of coastal Mediterranean fish species sampled in a Sicilian shallow CO2 vent.

 Latest conference contributions:

• Mirasole A, Vizzini S (2014). Study of the trophic and functional organization of fish assemblages in submarine shallow CO₂ vents. X Incontro dei Dottorandi in Ecologia e Scienze dei Sistemi Acquatici, Palermo, 7-10 Aprile
• Mirasole A, Gianguzza P, Badalamenti F, Bonaviri C (2013). Dinamica dell’ecosistema roccioso dell’AMP “Isola di Ustica” nell’ultimo cinquantennio attraverso la conoscenza dei veterani del mare. XXIII Congresso della Società Italiana di Ecologia, Ancona, 16-18 Settembre