Robin P.M. Gauff
@robingauff.bsky.social
Marine ecologist focusing on Climate Change, invasive species and Urbanization.
Pinned
Robin P.M. Gauff
@robingauff.bsky.social
· Aug 22
our new paper shows that artif. tidepools increased biodiversity, but their community was distinct from natural habitats and prone to introduced species presence. We make the point that eco-eng. has no true value for restoration but they could be considered as marine green spaces akin to parks (3/3)
I love research that nuances
established ideas in socio-scoentifc contexts. A new one by @karencastro.bsky.social and @evanschwindt.bsky.social shows how shipwrecks can have both, positive and negative effects, challenging their wide deployment for recreation
doi.org/10.25260/EA.25.35.1.0.2388
established ideas in socio-scoentifc contexts. A new one by @karencastro.bsky.social and @evanschwindt.bsky.social shows how shipwrecks can have both, positive and negative effects, challenging their wide deployment for recreation
doi.org/10.25260/EA.25.35.1.0.2388
Pecios artificiales: Consecuencias no deseadas del hundimiento deliberado de buques para el buceo recreativo
| Ecología Austral
doi.org
September 11, 2025 at 8:34 AM
I love research that nuances
established ideas in socio-scoentifc contexts. A new one by @karencastro.bsky.social and @evanschwindt.bsky.social shows how shipwrecks can have both, positive and negative effects, challenging their wide deployment for recreation
doi.org/10.25260/EA.25.35.1.0.2388
established ideas in socio-scoentifc contexts. A new one by @karencastro.bsky.social and @evanschwindt.bsky.social shows how shipwrecks can have both, positive and negative effects, challenging their wide deployment for recreation
doi.org/10.25260/EA.25.35.1.0.2388
Embracing that eco-engineering helps little for ecol. restoration, but still increases biodiversity, lets us think differently and actually design beautiful marine urban green spaces with humans in mind. We could make these areas attractive for recreational activities and increase human wellbeing.
September 2, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Embracing that eco-engineering helps little for ecol. restoration, but still increases biodiversity, lets us think differently and actually design beautiful marine urban green spaces with humans in mind. We could make these areas attractive for recreational activities and increase human wellbeing.
our new paper shows that artif. tidepools increased biodiversity, but their community was distinct from natural habitats and prone to introduced species presence. We make the point that eco-eng. has no true value for restoration but they could be considered as marine green spaces akin to parks (3/3)
August 22, 2025 at 4:16 PM
our new paper shows that artif. tidepools increased biodiversity, but their community was distinct from natural habitats and prone to introduced species presence. We make the point that eco-eng. has no true value for restoration but they could be considered as marine green spaces akin to parks (3/3)
@louisefirth.bsky.social has written some excellent papers which discuss how greening could be prone to conflicts of interest and #greenwashing. I think some problems might be (willingly) overlooked by stakeholders… (2/3)
doi.org/10.1111/1365...
doi.org/10.1111/1365...
August 22, 2025 at 4:10 PM
@louisefirth.bsky.social has written some excellent papers which discuss how greening could be prone to conflicts of interest and #greenwashing. I think some problems might be (willingly) overlooked by stakeholders… (2/3)
doi.org/10.1111/1365...
doi.org/10.1111/1365...
#Ecoengineering increases species diversity by increasing habitat patchiness and complexity, this is well documented. Unfortunately this is linked to increasing #invasivespecies diversity in several
Eco-engoneered systems. 1/3
Eco-engoneered systems. 1/3
August 22, 2025 at 4:01 PM
#Ecoengineering increases species diversity by increasing habitat patchiness and complexity, this is well documented. Unfortunately this is linked to increasing #invasivespecies diversity in several
Eco-engoneered systems. 1/3
Eco-engoneered systems. 1/3
Did a night dive 🌌🤿 on Mediterranean sea grass yesterday evening and noticed that we were surrounded by … frogs!? Found out that scorpionfish sing at night, which is my favorite fish info of the moment 💙
Sound recording: www.facebook.com/share/v/14JG...
Article doi: doi.org/10.1242/jeb....
Sound recording: www.facebook.com/share/v/14JG...
Article doi: doi.org/10.1242/jeb....
August 14, 2025 at 8:34 AM
Did a night dive 🌌🤿 on Mediterranean sea grass yesterday evening and noticed that we were surrounded by … frogs!? Found out that scorpionfish sing at night, which is my favorite fish info of the moment 💙
Sound recording: www.facebook.com/share/v/14JG...
Article doi: doi.org/10.1242/jeb....
Sound recording: www.facebook.com/share/v/14JG...
Article doi: doi.org/10.1242/jeb....
While I think that #ecoengineering has some value to provide ecosystem services to humans, I am critical concerning its use for rehabilitation/impact compensation. For example it may increase the risk associated to introduced species. doi.org/10.1016/j.ma...
Redirecting
doi.org
July 15, 2025 at 9:47 AM
While I think that #ecoengineering has some value to provide ecosystem services to humans, I am critical concerning its use for rehabilitation/impact compensation. For example it may increase the risk associated to introduced species. doi.org/10.1016/j.ma...
Awesome presentation by Giada Riva on the absence of biotic homogenization at regional scale at the #ITRS #ITRS2025 This was one of the unexpected outcomes of the HERMES campaign and shows that we still have a lot to learn about marine urban #ecosystems
July 1, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Awesome presentation by Giada Riva on the absence of biotic homogenization at regional scale at the #ITRS #ITRS2025 This was one of the unexpected outcomes of the HERMES campaign and shows that we still have a lot to learn about marine urban #ecosystems
My talk on the #ITRS #ITRS2025 will be on friday 4th at 15:45. If you're not available at this time don't hesitate to talk to me during todays Icebreaker!
The HERMES campaign will feature in two presentations at the International Temperate Reefs Symposium #conference
I will present how some urban artificial habitats may have insular properties. The implications of this insight on understanding urban community assembly are huge! #ITRS #ITRS2025
I will present how some urban artificial habitats may have insular properties. The implications of this insight on understanding urban community assembly are huge! #ITRS #ITRS2025
June 30, 2025 at 10:24 AM
My favorite substrate so far was this abandoned fin with over 20 different Bryozoa species 🌈
June 22, 2025 at 3:17 PM
My favorite substrate so far was this abandoned fin with over 20 different Bryozoa species 🌈
Reposted by Robin P.M. Gauff
🧪 Mission @atlasea.bsky.social à la Station Marine d'Endoume – Jour 1 🌊
À peine la mission lancée, les premiers échantillons arrivent dès ce matin ! 🐚🪸🧬
Notre équipe collecte, trie et documente la biodiversité marine du littoral méditerranéen.
#BiodiversitéMarine #Échantillonnage
À peine la mission lancée, les premiers échantillons arrivent dès ce matin ! 🐚🪸🧬
Notre équipe collecte, trie et documente la biodiversité marine du littoral méditerranéen.
#BiodiversitéMarine #Échantillonnage
June 16, 2025 at 9:18 AM
🧪 Mission @atlasea.bsky.social à la Station Marine d'Endoume – Jour 1 🌊
À peine la mission lancée, les premiers échantillons arrivent dès ce matin ! 🐚🪸🧬
Notre équipe collecte, trie et documente la biodiversité marine du littoral méditerranéen.
#BiodiversitéMarine #Échantillonnage
À peine la mission lancée, les premiers échantillons arrivent dès ce matin ! 🐚🪸🧬
Notre équipe collecte, trie et documente la biodiversité marine du littoral méditerranéen.
#BiodiversitéMarine #Échantillonnage
The HERMES campaign will feature in two presentations at the International Temperate Reefs Symposium #conference
I will present how some urban artificial habitats may have insular properties. The implications of this insight on understanding urban community assembly are huge! #ITRS #ITRS2025
I will present how some urban artificial habitats may have insular properties. The implications of this insight on understanding urban community assembly are huge! #ITRS #ITRS2025
May 30, 2025 at 12:47 PM
The HERMES campaign will feature in two presentations at the International Temperate Reefs Symposium #conference
I will present how some urban artificial habitats may have insular properties. The implications of this insight on understanding urban community assembly are huge! #ITRS #ITRS2025
I will present how some urban artificial habitats may have insular properties. The implications of this insight on understanding urban community assembly are huge! #ITRS #ITRS2025
For the HERMES 2023 #fieldwork we spent hundreds of hours under water to measure ecosystem functions like photosynthesis, but also months in the laboratory to generate our #taxonomic dataset of 500 (!) species. This helped investigate biotic homogenization and island biogeography in urban habitats.
May 28, 2025 at 12:04 PM
For the HERMES 2023 #fieldwork we spent hundreds of hours under water to measure ecosystem functions like photosynthesis, but also months in the laboratory to generate our #taxonomic dataset of 500 (!) species. This helped investigate biotic homogenization and island biogeography in urban habitats.
In 2023 we conducted the Homogenization and Ecogeography on Regional scale in Manmade EcoSystems (HERMES) campaign which aimed to study biogeographic processes on regional scale along the whole Italian coast. We drove camper to sample urban and natural habitats on 33 sites in 2 months
May 28, 2025 at 7:55 AM
In 2023 we conducted the Homogenization and Ecogeography on Regional scale in Manmade EcoSystems (HERMES) campaign which aimed to study biogeographic processes on regional scale along the whole Italian coast. We drove camper to sample urban and natural habitats on 33 sites in 2 months
Together with the previous works on local adaptation, this might indicate that some NIS species invest energy in disturbance resistance. As these investments are costly, this renders them less competitive in less disturbed areas, maybe explaining why many NIS stay restricted to urban habitats.
A native mussel distributed along a gradient with lower abundance in the inner parts, while the invasive more resistant one did the opposite. Recruits matched this pattern for the native, but the invasive species recruits settled everywhere indicating post recruitment effects
doi.org/10.3389/fmar...
doi.org/10.3389/fmar...
Frontiers | Distribution of native and non-indigenous bivalves and their settlers along an urban gradient
Marine coastal habitats are often characterized by strong gradients of anthropogenic disturbance such as pollution, typically most severe at urban waterfront...
doi.org
May 22, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Together with the previous works on local adaptation, this might indicate that some NIS species invest energy in disturbance resistance. As these investments are costly, this renders them less competitive in less disturbed areas, maybe explaining why many NIS stay restricted to urban habitats.
A native mussel distributed along a gradient with lower abundance in the inner parts, while the invasive more resistant one did the opposite. Recruits matched this pattern for the native, but the invasive species recruits settled everywhere indicating post recruitment effects
doi.org/10.3389/fmar...
doi.org/10.3389/fmar...
Frontiers | Distribution of native and non-indigenous bivalves and their settlers along an urban gradient
Marine coastal habitats are often characterized by strong gradients of anthropogenic disturbance such as pollution, typically most severe at urban waterfront...
doi.org
May 22, 2025 at 8:14 AM
A native mussel distributed along a gradient with lower abundance in the inner parts, while the invasive more resistant one did the opposite. Recruits matched this pattern for the native, but the invasive species recruits settled everywhere indicating post recruitment effects
doi.org/10.3389/fmar...
doi.org/10.3389/fmar...
Even more striking, is that local adaptation of some Bryozoa to local pollution is present on such a tiny scale (<100m). This is shown by higher pollution accumulation of Entrance-->Inner transplants compared to inner control (red boxes), and lower LysoPE content (fitness marker, white arrow).
May 19, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Even more striking, is that local adaptation of some Bryozoa to local pollution is present on such a tiny scale (<100m). This is shown by higher pollution accumulation of Entrance-->Inner transplants compared to inner control (red boxes), and lower LysoPE content (fitness marker, white arrow).
The difference in community structure between areas of the same marina can be actually quite striking as demonstrated by our settlement plates. We were able to causally link community and pollution via a transplant experiment.
May 19, 2025 at 1:38 PM
The difference in community structure between areas of the same marina can be actually quite striking as demonstrated by our settlement plates. We were able to causally link community and pollution via a transplant experiment.
One of the main focuses of my research lays on how disturbance gradients (mostly pollution) results in different communities along these gradients in marine urban habitats and how invasive species capitalize on them.
doi.org/10.1016/j.sc...
doi.org/10.1016/j.sc...
May 19, 2025 at 1:34 PM
One of the main focuses of my research lays on how disturbance gradients (mostly pollution) results in different communities along these gradients in marine urban habitats and how invasive species capitalize on them.
doi.org/10.1016/j.sc...
doi.org/10.1016/j.sc...
We’re currently doing some field sampling in harbors and natural environments to test whether biotic homogenization happens on a temporal scale too! #fieldwork
April 26, 2025 at 11:46 AM
We’re currently doing some field sampling in harbors and natural environments to test whether biotic homogenization happens on a temporal scale too! #fieldwork
In a new paper, we simulated a strong heatwave in a harbor, which did ... nothing! The community was unchanged, as was the metabolome of a Bryozoan. The harbor community showed high resistance which is consistent with observations from other disturbances
doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106813
doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106813
April 10, 2025 at 8:37 AM
In a new paper, we simulated a strong heatwave in a harbor, which did ... nothing! The community was unchanged, as was the metabolome of a Bryozoan. The harbor community showed high resistance which is consistent with observations from other disturbances
doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106813
doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106813
In marine urban habitats #pollution leads to strong variation in envir. conditions , thus, to differences in community structure. However this can be masked by high intensity marine #HeatWaves favouring resistant species leading to small scale biotic homogenization.
doi.org/10.1016/j.je...
doi.org/10.1016/j.je...
March 25, 2025 at 12:37 PM
In marine urban habitats #pollution leads to strong variation in envir. conditions , thus, to differences in community structure. However this can be masked by high intensity marine #HeatWaves favouring resistant species leading to small scale biotic homogenization.
doi.org/10.1016/j.je...
doi.org/10.1016/j.je...
Climate change is affecting ecosystems worldwide, but remains difficult to study due to the difficulty of implementing in situ experiments. With our great team from @sbroscoff.bsky.social we constructed a system reliably simulating +3°C climate change on harbor communities doi.org/10.1007/s108...
Impact of in Situ Simulated Climate Change on Communities and Non-Indigenous Species: Two Climates, Two Responses - Journal of Chemical Ecology
Climate change constitutes a major challenge for marine urban ecosystems and ocean warming will likely strongly affect local communities. Non-Indigenous Species (NIS) have been shown to often have hig...
doi.org
March 22, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Climate change is affecting ecosystems worldwide, but remains difficult to study due to the difficulty of implementing in situ experiments. With our great team from @sbroscoff.bsky.social we constructed a system reliably simulating +3°C climate change on harbor communities doi.org/10.1007/s108...