Giacomo Bernardi

Giacomo Bernardi's laboratory research focuses on four main areas of research:

Speciation of fishes
We address this question using a variety of approaches: genomics of local adaptation, population genetics, phylogeography, phylogenetics, life history and ecological studies.

The genetics of Lessepsian Bioinvasions
With the opening of the Suez Canal, in 1869, there was an opportunity for Red Sea fishes to invade the Mediterranean Sea, these are called Lessepsian bioinvasions. Global climate change is increasing the rate of such invasions and we are trying to understand the genetics underlying such processes.

Coral Reef Management in Yap State, Micronesia
The Outer Islands of Yap State, FSM, represent a huge portion of the Pacific Ocean where people rely heavily on the fisheries for subsistence. Through their foresight, they decided to manage their resources and asked a group of researchers to monitor their reefs and give them information and tools to make informed decisions. Learn more about this project at the “One people One reef” website.

Long Term Ecological Research
For a number of years we have been involved with the Moorea Coral Reef Long Term Ecological Research program. We are working on long term monitoring of fish assemblages (e.g. this paper) and on the recruitment dynamics of fishes, primarily clownfishes and three-spot dascyllus.