Functional Ecology of Aquatic Ecosystems and Paleolimnology

Research lines

Researchers

History

Continental aquatic ecosystems (lakes, lagoons, reservoirs, and rivers) represent only 0.26 percent of the planet's water and occupy approximately 3 percent of the Earth's surface; yet, they are the most altered ecosystems on the planet. The modifications or alterations they undergo (or have undergone) are caused by both natural and anthropogenic forcings and include diverse transformations that impact various aspects of their functioning and the different facets contributing to biodiversity, often leading to the loss of habitats, species, and ecosystem services. Our research group aims to understand and analyze the changes that have occurred at different levels of the organization of aquatic ecosystems due to human intervention and natural forcings, with a particular focus on those affecting the functioning and dynamics of lakes.

Various human activities have produced profound transformations in aquatic ecosystems. These involve, for example, the disruption and alteration of nutrient cycles such as phosphorus, nitrogen, or carbon; the introduction of exotic species and contaminants; alterations to water flow and hydrological regimes; overexploitation of resources; and the removal of key species or functional groups, among others. These alterations generate changes in the availability of nutrients, prey, or resources; in predation/grazing patterns; and in community structure and taxonomic and functional diversity, ultimately affecting various ecological processes and functional responses of aquatic systems.

Furthermore, the sustained pressure of a forcing over time can cause regime shifts in an ecosystem. This means the functioning, structure, and dynamics of an ecosystem and its self-regulation mechanisms are reconfigured, transitioning from one particular state to a new and different one. An example is the eutrophication of a lake, which involves the shift from an oligo/mesotrophic state to a eutrophic one. Although regime shifts are abrupt ecosystem phenomena, when the forcing operates gradually, paleolimnology becomes an excellent tool for establishing the functional changes that have occurred across different temporal scales (decades, centuries, millennia).

Our research group was formed with the motivation to understand changes in the organization and functional responses of aquatic ecosystems due to climate change and land use. In particular, we are interested in understanding changes in the functioning of aquatic systems related to: 1) nutrient processing, including carbon; 2) the carbon storage capacity and carbon transfer pathways in shallow lakes; 3) the forcings that induce regime shifts in lakes, the types of regime shifts, and the associated dynamics that have taken place during the Anthropocene; and 4) the effects of these forcings on both taxonomic and functional biodiversity and their impact on the dynamics of lacustrine systems. Understanding these aspects of wetland functioning will enable the design of strategies for their management, sustainable use, conservation, and restoration.

Throughout our journey as a group, we have formed and continue to be part of various national institutional networks and international research collaborations:

Additionally, our research group maintains inter-institutional links within the country and abroad, cooperating interdisciplinary on various research projects with:

  • Dr. Horacio Zagarese, Aquatic Ecology Laboratory, Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús, Argentina.

  • Dr. María Eugenia Llames, Aquatic Ecology Laboratory, Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús, Argentina.

  • Dr. Francisco E. Córdoba, Instituto de Ecorregiones Andinas (INECOA, CONICET-UNJu), Instituto de Geología y Minería, Universidad Nacional de Jujuy, Argentina.

  • Dr. Andrea Lami, CNR-Istituto di Ricerca sulle Acque (IRSA), Verbania, Italy.

  • Dr. Simona Musazzi, CNR-Istituto di Ricerca sulle Acque (IRSA), Verbania, Italy.

  • Dr. Simon Belle, Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden.