Gerald Hechter Taranto

Early-career Researcher

Gerald has worked with us in the past with the position of Early-career Researcher in the team.

Autobiography

I am a PHD student at the Okeanos Institute, University of the Azores. I began my scientific studies in Italy where I graduated in Biology at the University of Rome "La Sapienza". I then joined the international master program "Erasmus Mindus Marine Biodiversity and Conservation" graduating with greatest distinction at the University of Ghent. I first moved to the Azores to prepare my master theses on seamounts ecosystems. Currently, my PHD work focuses on habitat-structuring deeps-sea cold-water corals, in particular on coral species considered ecologically important and vulnerable.

Research interest

My research focuses on the description of biodiversity patterns of deep-sea communities both in space and time. In particular on how environmental heterogeneity, anthropogenic pressures and community-assembly processes influence the distribution of deep-sea organisms. One of the objectives of my work is to provide sound policy advice that can be of use to define marine conservation strategies that are essential to ensure healthy oceans both for present and future generations.

Publications

Trends in Ecology & Evolution
Democratizing deep-sea research for biodiversity conservation
Oct, 2025
4 team members involved
Deep Sea Research Part I Oceanographic Research Papers
Spatial distributions, environmental drivers and co-existence patterns of key cold-water corals in the deep sea of the Azores (NE Atlantic)
Mar, 2023
19 citations Rising
3 team members involved
Zenodo
MapGES 2019: Summer 2019 cruise on board of N/I Arquipélago
Mar, 2020
1 citations
4 team members involved
Biological Conservation
A global assessment of seamount ecosystems knowledge using an ecosystem evaluation framework
Dec, 2013
77 citations Rising
2 team members involved
Biogeosciences
Seamount physiography and biology in the north-east Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea
May, 2013
47 citations
2 team members involved

Cruises

iMAR 2021

Integrated assessment of the distribution of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem along t...

Total of 2 crew members and 12 collaborators

Blue Azores 2018

Blue Azores Program: Expedition 2018

Total of 4 crew members and 1 collaborators

MapGES 2018

Mapping deep-sea biodiversity and “Good Environmental Status” in the Azores

Total of 2 crew members and 2 collaborators

NICO Leg 12 2018

RV Pelagia cruise 64PE441: Rainbow hydrothermal vent, southern MAR, and Terceira...

Total of 1 crew members and 4 collaborators

Terceira 2021

RV Pelagia cruise 64PE488: Terceira Island 2021

Total of 1 crew members and 7 collaborators

Terceira 2019

RV Pelagia cruise 64PE456: Terceira Island 2019

Total of 1 crew members and 4 collaborators

MapGES 2023 RV Arquipélago

Mapping deep-sea biodiversity and “Good Environmental Status” in the Azores

Total of 13 crew members and 1 collaborators

iAtlantic

MapGES

MapGES2

MapGES 2024 MT Physeter

Mapping deep-sea biodiversity and “Good Environmental Status” in the Azores

Total of 13 crew members and 1 collaborators

MapGES2

MarinePlan

MapGES 2024 RV Arquipélago

Mapping deep-sea biodiversity and “Good Environmental Status” in the Azores

Total of 13 crew members and 2 collaborators

CoralFISH 2010

CoralFish cruise to Condor, Voador and Banco Açores 2010

Total of 3 crew members and 7 collaborators

BIOMETORE 2015

BIOMETORE 2015 to the Great Meteor Complex seamounts

Total of 2 crew members and 5 collaborators

MIDAS 2016

Investigation of Field Protocols for Deep Sea Mining Monitoring and Environmenta...

Total of 3 crew members and 8 collaborators

MIDAS

DeepWalls 2020

DeepWalls Project: Summer 2020 survey with submersible LULA1000

Total of 3 crew members and 3 collaborators

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Location

Institute of Marine Sciences — Okeanos, University of the Azores

Departamento de Oceanografia e Pescas — Universidade dos Açores

Rua Prof. Doutor Frederico Machado, No. 4
9901-862 Horta, Portugal

Contact

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