Francesco Polazzo

Postdoctoral Researcher

I have a background in global change ecology, and during my PhD with Andreu Rico, I have investigated the effects of multiple stressors on food web complexity and community stability. My PhD had a strong empirical focus, and I have performed multiple outdoor freshwater pond mesocosm experiments, as well as smaller, indoor, microcosm experiments to try to understand fundamental ecological processes. Particularly, I focused on how pulse disturbances can affect multiple dimensions of ecological stability (such as resistance, recovery, invariability, and resilience), and network complexity using weighted and unweighted metrics.

In November 2022, I moved to the University of Zurich as a postdoctoral researcher, under the supervision of Frank Pennekamp and Owen Petchey. My postdoc project focuses on understanding the role of response diversity in determining ecological stability in competitive and trophic communities under multiple environmental drivers. To address the topic, I will use series of theory-grounded microcosm experiments involving communities of ciliates.

Research Interests

  • Ecological stability
  • Species interactions and food webs
  • Community ecology
  • Multiple stressors

Experience

University of Zurich
2022 - present Postdoctoral researcher Advisors: Prof. Owen Petchey and Dr. Frank Pennekamp

Education

Universidad de Alcalá
PhD in Ecology
Title: Effects of multiple stressor on community stability Advisors: Andreu Rico
Alcalá de Henares (Madrid), Spain
Granted September 2022

University of Trieste
Master’s degree in Global Change Ecology
Title: Alpine lakes as indicators of global change: two examples from North-Italy. Trieste, Italy
Granted March 2018

University of Trieste
Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences and Technologies
Title: Hydraulic strategies and drought survival of co-occurring Pinus nigra trees in the Karts: any evidence for genotypic differences? Trieste, Italy
Granted September 2015