Abstract:
During my doctoral research, I investigated the biological mechanism behind scleractinian coral morphogenesis. Despite the importance of coral reef growth, the role of intrinsic forces has been often overlooked in the past, prioritising the effect of environmental factors. My thesis addresses these gaps by reviewing coral clonal growth research and modelling effort and advancing our knowledge by developing a generalized numerical model to predict coral morphologies using few key parameters. Moreover, I explored the role of genetic forces in governing growth of deep sea coral species and the emergence of whole-colony integrative mechanism coordinating branching colonies. These findings provides insights into coral growth, emphasizing the importance of intrinsic biological factors in predicting growth forms and advancing our ability to succesfully model these clonal organisms.

Bio:
Eleonora is a PhD candidate specializing in the growth patterns and integration processes of colonial corals. Her research focuses on coral morphogenesis, particularly the mechanisms of clonal growth and the development of predictive models for coral morphologies. By exploring both shallow-water and deep-sea corals, she aims to understand the role of intrinsic biological factors and mechanisms in shaping coral colonies. Under the supervision of Prof. Carlos Duarte she is involved in multidisciplinary projects that combine experimental and modeling approaches. Prior to her PhD at KAUST, she earned her MSc in Marine Biology from the University of Pisa (Italy), after completing her BSc in Biology from the University of Insubria (Italy).