Special Session 17

The life history of an organism is its pattern of survival and reproduction, along with the traits that directly affect survival and the timing or amount of reproduction. It includes growth rate, age and size at sexual maturity, the temporal pattern of reproduction, sex ratio of offspring, feeding behaviour. All aspects having a particularly strong effect on the general fitness of a living organism as marine fish. Life history trait trends of different species within a community and their variations are useful to understand the status of an ecosystem.
In recent decades, the methodological and technical approaches applied to different themes on the life cycle of fish are constantly evolving. The aim of this Special Session is to provide contributions that deal with innovative approaches in terms of methodologies and tools suitable for improving knowledge on the historical trait of fish life. Contributions highlighting the effects of anthropogenic activities on the life history trait patterns of fish species in a given ecosystem are also welcome.

Letizia Sion, is associate professor in Ecology of the University of Bari Aldo Moro. Chair of Ecology (Science and management of maritime activities), Ecology (Sciences of the Health Professions of Prevention) at the University of Bari Aldo Moro. She carries out research at the Department of Biology. Her research themes regard the life strategies and population dynamics of deep-water species, the community ecology and biodiversity from the continental shelf to the slope as well as the stock assessment of demersal resources in the Mediterranean Sea. Expert of Mediterranean ichthyofauna as well as on deep-water biological resources with the main interest in life cycles and reproduction strategies of Chondrichthyes. Her research activity is also focused on age reading/validation in fish (otoliths, spines, vertebrae etc.); reproductive biology in fish; statistical analysis, LFDs analysis; fish tagging. She is a member of the Italian Society of Ecology, Italian Society of Marine Biology. LS has (co)-authored more than 80 scientific publications in national and international ISI journals and reviewer for international ISI journals.

Mauro Sinopoli is a researcher at Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (Palermo branch). It deals with the study of the effects of anthropogenic activities on marine ecosystem using mainly fish species as models. Its activities concern the effects of fishery on epipelagic species, the study of the effects of fishery on food wed of demersal species in Marine Protected Areas and the study of climate change using coastal wrasse as models. It also developed a focus on the effect of the presence of alien algae on food webs and communities in hard bottom systems.

Francesca Capezzuto holds a PhD in Environmental Science and she is a researcher in Ecology at the Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro. Chair of Ecology, Didactics of Ecology, Didactics of Natural Sciences. Supervisor of more than 30 theses among Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree and PhD. Former member of “Biosciences and Biotechnologies” PhD panel. Her research themes regard life strategies and population dynamics of deep-sea species; biodiversity and community ecology of deep-sea ecosystems and their conservation; assessment and management of biological marine resources. She has (co)-authored more than 50 scientific publications in congress proceedings, national and international ISI journals and she is a reviewer for international ISI journals.

Angela Carluccio earned a a Ph.D in Environmental Science and she is member of the Ecology research group at the Department of Biology (University of Bari) since 2012. Her main research activities are focused on ecology and community structure, population dynamics, fish and fishery biology, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. In the framework of national and international projects she was involved in biological sampling, trawl surveys conducted as a part of fishery stock assessment in the Ionian Sea, deep-sea habitat exploration with low impact video system and data analysis. The results of her works have been published in international and national ISI journals and in congress proceedings.