About Joan
I鈥檓 a biologist and deep-sea explorer interested in community and macroecological patterns, from local ecosystems to global patterns. My research explores how different facets of biodiversity鈥攂oth taxonomic and functional鈥攁re structured in space and time, and how they are shaped by energy availability, environmental stress, and species interactions. I鈥檓 particularly focused on deep-sea ecosystems, especially chemosynthetic habitats like hydrothermal vents, whale falls, sunken wood, and cold seeps. These unique environments serve as natural laboratories to test ecological hypotheses and understand how human activities may alter biodiversity and ecosystem function. I鈥檓 also passionate about discovering and describing new deep-sea communities, including vents, seeps, and organic falls.
Contact Joan
joanmanel.alfaro-lucas@plymouth.ac.uk