MAIN PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS
Wildlife monitoring, population status assessment, population dynamics, modelling, statistics
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
- Sapienza University of Rome (2016-present)
- Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE-CNRS; 2016–present)
- Dolphin Biology and Conservation (2015–present): Member of the Board of Directors
EDUCATION
- Ph.D. candidate, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, in joint supervision with University of Montpellier (Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive lab): Modelling population dynamics in presence of hybridization (2016–present); Supervisors: Dr. Olivier Gimenez and Dr. Paolo Ciucci.
o Objectives: in collaboration with the two universities I produced a capture recapture model to estimate the relative
abundance of admixed individuals in widlife populations threatened by anthropogenic hybridization. I then applied it to the
genetic capture-recapture data on wolf x dog hybridization collected in the framework of the Life-EU project M.I.R.CO
(LIFE13 NAT/IT/000728). I am currently working on the production of a popoulation projection model that will help
understanding the impact of hybridization on the viability of wolf populations and identifying management solutions.
- Visiting researcher, Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Montpellier, France (2015–2016); Supervisor: Dr. Olivier
Gimenez
- Visiting scholar, Texas A&M University at Galveston, USA (2014); Host: Dr. Bernd Würsig
- M.Sc. Eco-biology, Sapienza University of Rome (2014); Supervisors: Dr. Paolo Ciucci, Dr. Giovanni Bearzi; Final score:
110/110 Cum Laude
- Exchange graduate student, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, USA (2011)
- B.Sc. Biological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome (2011)
PUBLICATIONS IN PEER-REVIEWED SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS
- Santostasi N.L., Ciucci P., Bearzi G., Bonizzoni S., Gimenez O. Assessing the dynamics of hybridization through a matrix
modeling approach. Ecological Modelling. (In Review)
- Santostasi N.L., Ciucci P., Caniglia R., Fabbri E., Galaverni M., Molinari L., Moretti F., Reggioni W., Gimenez O. 2019.
Abundance and uncertainty in individual status: Application to the estimation of hybrids prevalence in free ranging
populations. Ecology and Evolution.
- Santostasi N.L., Bonizzoni S., Gimenez O., Eddy L., Bearzi G. 2018. Short‐beaked common dolphins in the Gulf of Corinth
are Critically Endangered. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems.
- Santostasi N.L., Bonizzoni S., Bearzi G., Eddy L., Gimenez O. 2016. A robust design capture-recapture analysis of
abundance, survival and temporary emigration of three odontocete species in the Gulf of Corinth, Greece. PLoS ONE 11(12).
doi: 10.1371/journal. pone.0166650.
- Bonizzoni S., Furey N., Santostasi N.L., Eddy, L, Valavanis I, Bearzi G. Modelling dolphin distribution within an Important
Marine Mammal Area in Greece to support spatial management planning. Aquatic conservation, marne and freshwater
ecoststems.
- Bearzi G., Bonizzoni S., Santostasi N.L., Furey N.B., Eddy L., Valavanis V.D., Gimenez O. 2016. Dolphins in a scaled-down
Mediterranean: the Gulf of Corinth's odontocetes. Pp. 297-331 in Mediterranean Marine Mammal Ecology and Conservation
(G. Notarbartolo di Sciara, M. Podestà and B.E. Curry, eds). Advances in Marine Biology, Vol. 75, Academic Press, Oxford.
- Bearzi G., Casale P., Margaritoulis D., Bonizzoni S., Santostasi N.L. 2015. Observation of a leatherback sea turtle
Dermochelys coriacea in the Gulf of Corinth, Greece. Marine Turtle Newsletter 146:6-9.
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
- Santostasi N.L., Ciucci P., Canestrini M., Caniglia R., Fabbri E., Galaverni M., Molinari L., Moretti F., Reggioni W., Gimenez
O. 2018. A hidden Markov model to estimate prevalence of hybrids in free-ranging admixed populations. Oral presentation,
International Statistical Ecology Conference, St Andrews, UK, 2-6 July 2018.
- Santostasi N.L., Gimenez O., Ciucci P. 2017. The dark side of hybridization: quantifying prevalence of anthropogenic
introgression for conservation. Oral presentation, 7th Conference of the Italian Society of Evolutionary Biology, Rome, Italy,
28-31 August 2017.
- Santostasi N.L., Ciucci P., Canestrini M., Caniglia R., Fabbri E., Galaverni M., Molinari L., Moretti F., Reggioni W., Gimenez
O. 2017. Estimating prevalence of hybrids in free-ranging admixed populations: a capture-recapture multievent modelling
approach. Oral presentation, EURING 2017 Analytical Meeting & Workshop, Barcelona, Spain, 2-7 July 2017.
- Bearzi G., Bonizzoni S., Santostasi N.L., Eddy L., Gimenez O. 2016. Short-beaked common dolphins in the Gulf of Corinth
are Critically Endangered. Oral presentation, 1st International Workshop "Conservation and research networking on short-
beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) in the Mediterranean Sea". Ischia Island, Italy, 13-15 April 2016.
- Santostasi N.L., Bonizzoni S., Bearzi G., Eddy L., Gimenez O. 2016. Revised abundance estimates of striped and short-
beaked common dolphins in the Gulf of Corinth, Mediterranean Sea. Poster presentation, 30th Annual Conference of the
European Cetacean Society, Funchal, Madeira, 14-16 March 2016.
- Bonizzoni S., Bearzi G., Santostasi N.L., Furey N.B., Valavanis V.D., Würsig B. 2016. Dolphin depredation of bottom-set
fishing nets in the Gulf of Corinth, Mediterranean Sea. Oral presentation, 30th Annual Conference of the European Cetacean
Society, Funchal, Madeira, 14-16 March 2016.
- Santostasi N.L., Bearzi G., Bonizzoni S., Bosquez J., Ferreira Da Silveira M., Marcum E., Piwetz S., Würsig B. 2015.
Building a historic Texas bottlenose dolphin photo-identification catalog. Poster presentation, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic
Marine Mammal Symposium (SEAMAMMS), Virginia Beach, VA, USA, 27-29 March 2015.
- Santostasi N.L., Bonizzoni S., Bearzi G. 2015. Optimizing abundance estimates of striped dolphins in the Gulf of Corinth,
Greece. Poster presentation, 29th Annual Conference of the European Cetacean Society, Malta, 23-25 March 2015.
- Santostasi N.L., Bonizzoni S., Bearzi G. 2014. Striped dolphin abundance in the Gulf of Corinth, Greece: dataset simulations
help improve sampling design. Poster presentation, International Marine Conservation Congress, Glasgow, Scotland, 14-18
August 2014.
- Pearson H.C., Bearzi G., Bonizzoni S., Santostasi N.L. 2014. Understanding the social organization of an apex marine
predator to inform conservation practices: striped dolphins in the Gulf of Corinth, Greece. Poster presentation, International
Marine Conservation Congress, Glasgow, Scotland, 14-18 August 2014.
- Bonizzoni S., Santostasi N.L., Würsig B., Bearzi G. 2014. Bottlenose dolphin abundance in the Northern Evoikos Gulf,
Greece. Poster presentation, 28th Annual Conference of the European Cetacean Society, Liege, Belgium, 5-9 April 2014.
GRANTS
- Ph.D. grant, €40,914; Sapienza University of Rome (2016–ongoing)
- Scholarship for studying abroad, €15,480; Sapienza University of Rome (2015)
- Scholarship for studying abroad, €3,500; Sapienza University of Rome (2011)
REVIEWER EXPERIENCE (https://publons.com/author/1202846/nina-santostasi#profile)
- Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems
- Current Zoology
- Mammalian Biology
- African Journal of Marine Science
- Endangered Species Research
- PLOSONE
RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE
- Data analyst, EU project LIFE11NAT/IT/069 MEDWOLF: Best practices for wolf conservation in Mediterranean-type areas.
2017. Employer: Istituto di Ecologia Applicata (President Dr. Luigi Boitani; Project manager Dr. Paolo Ciucci).
o Production of a data bank of genotypes collected during the study
o Production of estimates of demographic parameters (population abundance and survival) of wolves in the area of
Grosseto, Italy
o Production of a technical report regarding the performed analyses
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
- Teaching assistant, workshop, Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Montpellier, France (19-23 March 2018)
“Modelling of individual histories with state uncertainty” (Instructors Dr. Roger Pradel, Dr. Rémi Choquet, Dr. Olivier Gimenez)
- Field guide, Marine Biology Field Course, Texas A&M University at Galveston, USA (2013–2014). "Research and
Conservation in the Gulf of Corinth, Greece: Dolphins, Fisheries, and Cultural Heritage" (Instructors Dr. Bernd Würsig, Dr.
Giovanni Bearzi)
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
- Visiting researcher, Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Montpellier, France (2015–2016). Supervisor: Dr. Olivier
Gimenez
o Data analysis (capture-recapture models; Population Viability Analysis)
o Manuscript and grant writing
- Research associate, Dolphin Biology and Conservation (2014–present). Supervisor: Dr. Giovanni Bearzi
o Data analysis (capture-recapture models and identification of optimal sampling strategies)
- Visiting scholar, Texas A&M University at Galveston (2014). Supervisor: Dr. Bernd Würsig
o Built a bottlenose dolphin photo-identification database with Adobe Lightroom 4
o Trained interns in photo-id data collection and analysis
o Developed a protocol for database management
- Research assistant, Ecology, behaviour, conservation and interactions with fisheries of striped dolphins, common dolphins
and common bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf of Corinth and in the Argolikos Gulf, Greece (2011–2014). Supervisor: Dr.
Giovanni Bearzi
o Assisted in systematic boat surveys, collected data, managed databases
o Assessment of fishing fleet (boat numbers, activity, name, plate, length, fishing gear)
- Intern, Common bottlenose dolphins in the Pelagie Islands Marine Protected Area, Lampedusa, Italy (2009). Supervisor: Dr.
Gabriella La Manna
LANGUAGES
- Italian: mother tongue
- English: proficient (TOEFL test score 106/120; 13 May 2011)
- French: proficient
REFERENCES
- Olivier Gimenez, Ph.D. Email: olivier.gimenez@cefe.cnrs.fr
Senior scientist, Biodiversity and Conservation Department / Biostatistics and Population Biology Team / Centre d’Ecologie
- Paolo Ciucci, Ph.D. E-mail: paolo.ciucci@uniroma1.it
Full Professor, Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
Fonctionnelle et Evolutive – UMR 5175
- Giovanni Bearzi, Ph.D. E-mail: giovanni.bearzi@gmail.com
Pew Marine Conservation Fellow
President, Dolphin Biology and Conservation, Italy
- Bernd Würsig, Ph.D. E-mail: wuersig@sbcglobal.net
Distinguished Professor (retired in 2018), Texas A&M University at Galveston, USA