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Introduce
      Renato’s research explores the role of the surrounding seascape in shaping the productivity of tropical reefs. His research explicitly incorporates space into resource assessments on tropical reefs, quantifying the ‘energetic footprint’ of animal biomass, links with non-reef habitats on the broader seascape, and determining mechanisms that maintain these links. His project advances the notion that a complete understanding of reef productivity should contemplate interacting internal and external pathways that connect photosynthesis to biomass production. His research focuses on a more ‘outward concept’ of tropical reef systems, combining methods from landscape, movement and reef ecology with mechanistic models from oceanography, food web and meta-ecosystems theory. These newly established links will hopefully pave the way to develop a predictive theory of biomass production on tropical reefs. Solving the ecosystem puzzle behind the production of biomass on tropical reefs has is critical at a time of global changes that threaten the very capacity of natural ecosystems to keep providing fisheries and other resources to humans. Ultimately, Renato hopes his research can contribute fundamental, but tangible, knowledge that may help to navigate tropical fisheries through the challenges of an ever-changing world.
 

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