Research lines

General research context

We have a broad interest in animal diversity and in how natural and human factors shape all aspects of animal life. We are also committed to finding ways to address the global biodiversity crisis, both for the intrindic value of biodiversity and for the various benefits it provides to humans, known as ecosystem services. The current biodiversity crisis is a result of multiple human impacts, being water abstractions,  wastewater outflows, and biological invasions three major contributors in river basins. We define a biological invasion as the successful establishment of a non-native or translocated native species in a region where it has not coevolved with the resident biological community. River basins are important management units. Any change occurring on land has potential to affect water resources, and vice versa, given the physical, chemical and ecological interdependencies between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. 

The management of water resources and biological invasions pose significant challenges for governments globally. Pollution and invasions can threaten species, habitats and ecosystem processes and may have costly economic and health consequences for humans. Many countries still lack adequate wastewater management, and implementing new water treatments can enhance the value of treated water, especially in water-scarce regions due to overuse and climate change. The impact of wastewater treatment outflows on wildlife, livestock, and humans can be influenced by changes in species composition due to biological invasions and habitat degradation, yet this question has not been extensively studied. To address this challenge, we adopt a One Health approach, recognizing the significance of human-altered freshwaters as sources of pathogens, toxicants, and medically relevant insects.

Our research focuses on tolerant species in human modified freshwater habitats, with emphasis on fish, their parasites, and mosquito larvae. Insufficiently treated wastewaters introduce a complex mixture of nutrients and pollutants, including microbes, metals, nitrogen, and phosphorus. When water quality deteriorates, fish predation often declines leading to a surge in mosquito populations, which raises public health concerns.  Tolerant species may replace sensitive species in this and other ecological roles in altered freshwaters, generating socio-ecological conflicts. By studying the ecological role of tolerant species in human-modified food webs, we aim to generate broad-scale ecological knowledge, refine environmental risk assessments, and propose tolerant species for restoration actions based on Nature-Based Solutions. Find below our specific research interests and a word cloud showcasing the keywords from titles and abstracts of our studies.