Dr Giulia La Bianca

Dr Giulia La Bianca

Benthic ecologist

Dr Giulia La Bianca is part of the benthic team in the DEAL project, (=DEcentrAlised Learning for automated image analysis and biodiversity monitoring). She focuses on using artificial intelligence to accelerate species ID from underwater footage. Her work ensures high-quality standards in identifying benthic epifauna from images, with her identification skills primarily centred on marine benthic epifauna of the Northeast Atlantic.

Giulia is interested in the application of observational and modelling methods to map the distribution of marine organisms, and trial new methods that can improve our understanding of the link between marine fauna and their functional importance to society. Her expertise lies in benthic ecology, deep-sea fauna ID, habitat suitability modelling, and assessing ecosystem services.

She completed her doctoral degree at the University of Plymouth (UK), where she explored innovative techniques to map the distribution of deep-sea ecosystem services. Her research has taken her on extensive research cruises across both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Selected Publications

  • Niner, H.J., Rees, S.E., La Bianca, G., McQuaid, K.A. and Howell, K.L., 2024. A risk assessment for the remote ocean: the case of the South East Atlantic. Frontiers in Marine Science10, p.1168686.
  • La Bianca, G., Rees, S., Attrill, M.J., Lombard, A.T., McQuaid, K.A., Niner, H.J., van Rein, H., Sink, K.J. and Howell, K.L., 2023. A standardised ecosystem services framework for the deep sea. Frontiers in Marine Science10, p.1176230.
  • Howell, K.L., Bridges, A.E., Graves, K.P., Allcock, L., La Bianca, G., Ventura-Costa, C., Donaldson, S., Downie, A.L., Furey, T., McGrath, F. and Ross, R., 2022. Performance of deep-sea habitat suitability models assessed using independent data, and implications for use in area-based management. Marine Ecology Progress Series695, pp.33-51.
  • Morgera, E., McQuaid, K., La Bianca, G., Niner, H., Shannon, L., Strand, M., Rees, S., Howell, K., Snow, B., Lancaster, A.M.S. and Sauer, W., 2023. Addressing the ocean-climate nexus in the BBNJ agreement: strategic environmental assessments, human rights and equity in ocean science. The International Journal of Marine and Coastal Law38(3), pp.447-479.
  • Strand, M., Ortega-Cisneros, K., Niner, H.J., Wahome, M., Bell, J., Currie, J.C., Hamukuaya, H., La Bianca, G., Lancaster, A.M., Maseka, N. and McDonald, L., 2022. Transdisciplinarity in transformative ocean governance research—reflections of early career researchers. ICES Journal of Marine Science79(8), pp.2163-2177.