Research

Research in my lab focuses on global change biology. We study the interaction between biodiversity and climate change and their effects on ecosystem functioning . We perform field and numerical experiments and data synthesis in marine and terrestrial ecosystems. 

Main areas of research are:

1. The effect of biodiversity loss on ecosystem functioning

   • Experiments in the Patagonian steppe revealed that plant species loss reduced primary production (Flombaum & Sala 08) and that the major mechanism was the complementary use of resources by different plant species (Flombaum & Sala 12). Yet, other mechanisms can also occur in natural ecosystems (Flombaum et al 14, 17). Compared to other drivers, biodiversity loss had a major role in primary production, but its effects were sensitive to the environmental conditions (Flombaum et al 17).

2. The effect of climate change on biodiversity

   • Climate change is expected to reduce marine primary production yet, our experiments reveal that picophytoplankton the dominant photosynthetic group in warm oligotrophic regions, are projected to increase in a warming future (Flombaum et al 13, 20). 

   • CAMBIA a latin american network for research on climate change and its impacts on biodiversity using the Andes mountain range as a model ecosystem (website)