University formation
February 2024
PhD in population ecology and biology, University of New Caledonia -- Thesis's title: Corals Living in Extreme Environmental Conditions: Implication on Physiological and Reproductive Traits.
Supervisor: Riccardo Rodolfo Metalpa, Institute for the Research and Development (IRD), Noumea.
March 2015
Master’s Degree in Marine Ecology -- Dissertation title: Effects of Temperature and pH on early-life stage of the gastropod Dendropoma cristatum: recruitment success, oxygen consumption and growth.
Supervisor: Prof. Marco Milazzo, University of Palermo, Italy
July 2012
Bachelor’s Degree in Marine Biology -- Dissertation title: Evaluation of the Ocean Acidification effects on vermetid reef and on molluscs community associated.
Supervisor: Prof. Marco Milazzo, University of Palermo, Italy
Publications
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Alessi C, Randall J C, Dumas M, Lemonnier H, and Rodolfo Metalpa R (2024) - Spawning window and fecundity in three Acroporid corals from the environmentally variable semi-enclosed lagoon of Bouraké. Coral Reefs 43, 1469–1482. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-024-02551-3
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Alessi C, Lemonnier H, Camp EF, Wabete N, Payri C, Rodolfo Metalpa R (2024) - Algal symbiont diversity in Acropora muricata from the extreme reef of Bouraké associated with resistance to coral bleaching. PLOSoNE 19(2): e0296902. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0296902.
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Briggs N. D., Page C. A., Giuliano C., Alessi C., Hoogenboom M., Bay L. , Randall C. J (2024) - Dissecting coral recovery: bleaching reduces reproductive output in Acropora millepora. Coral Reefs https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-024-02483-y.
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Comeau S., Cornwall C.E., Pupier C., De Carlo T.M., Alessi C., Threhern R., Mc Culloch M.T. (2019) – Flowdriven micro-scale pH variability affects the physiology of corals and coralline algae under ocean acidification. Scientific Report, 9: 1-12.
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Alessi C., Giomi F., Furnari F., Sará G., Chemello R., Milazzo M. (2019) – Ocean acidifiction and elevated temperature negatively impact recruitment oxygen consumption and calcification of the reef-building Dendropoma cristatum early life stages: Evidence from a manipulative field study. Science of the Total Environment, 693:133476.
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Milazzo M., Alessi C., Quattrocchi F., Chemello R., D’Agostaro R., Gil J.,Vaccaro A.M., Mirto S.,Gristina M., Badalamenti F. (2019). Biogenic habitat shifts under long term ocean acidification show nonlinear community responses and unbalanced functions of associated invertebrates. Science of the Total Environment, 667: 41-48
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Schoepf V., Cornwall C.E., Pfeifer S. M., Carrion S. A., Alessi C., Comeau S., McCulloch M. T. (2018). Impacts of coral bleaching on pH and Oxygen gradients across the coral concentration boundary layer: a Microsensor study. Coral Reef: 4, 37:1169-1180.
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Milazzo M., Fine M., La Marca C.E., Alessi C., Chemello R. (2017). Drawing the line at Neglected Marine Ecosystem: Ecol gy of Vermetid reefs in a changing ocean. In: Rossi S., Bramanti L., Gori A., Orejas C., Eds Marine Animal Forest. Springer, Cham pp. 1-23
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Milazzo M., Rodolfo Metalpa R., Bin S Chan V., Fine M., Alessi C., Thiyagaraj n V, Hall Spencer J.M., Chemello R. (2014). Ocean Acidification Impairs vermetid reef recruitment. Scientific Reports, 4:4189.
Posters
Alessi C., Pavy T., Santo M., Tardieu F. & C. (2019) – Sulu Reef Prosthesis, a new method to restore a degraded reef. Conference paper proceeding of the 5th Palawan Research Symposium, Palawan, 24-26 July 2019.
Alessi C., Cornwall C.E., Pupier C., McCulloch M. T., Comeau S. (2017) – Testing the influence of water motion and light on coral and coralline algal responses to ocean acidification. Proceeding of the European Coral Reef Symposium 2017, Oxford, 13-15 December 2017.
Miller C., Alessi C., Fitzpatrick S., Irebay Z., Hall E. R. (2016). Seagrass ameliorates coral physiological performance under OA. Proceedings of the 13th International Coral Reef Symposium, Hawaii, 19-24 June 2016.
Domina I., Chemello R., Alessi C., Toccaceli M., Milazzo M. (2015) - Preliminay analysis on intertidal community early responses to changespCO2 and temperature. Bio. Mar. Mediterr., 22 (1): 85 – 86. Proceedings of the 46th SIBM congress, Rome, 10-12 June 2015.
Alessi C., Chemello R., Domina I., Milazzo M. (2014) - Biodiversity and Vermetid reef: effects of ocean acidification on molluscan assemblages. Bio. Mar. Mediterr., 21 (1): 226 – 226. Proceedings of the 45th SIBM congress, Venice, 19-23 May 2014.
Awards and honours
2023 – Selected by L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science grant
2019 – Selected by James Cook University for AIMS@JCU grant
2016 – Selected by Coral Eye Ind. Reef Res. Outp. for a scholarship in The Coral Triangle;
2015 - Obtained the honor during Master’s thesis proclamation;
2015 - Selected by University of Palermo for an international fellowship of six months research in USA;
2011 – Selected by University of Palermo for a travel/study in the Red Sea;