Ecology and Paleoecology of Continental Aquatic Environments

History

Researchers

Research Lines

The research lines address various aspects of the dynamics and functioning of continental aquatic systems, necessary to reconstruct their environmental evolution during the Holocene. To this end, work is being carried out on the development of current models on the population dynamics of the different biological groups present (which will serve as the proxy records from which past changes will be inferred), their interspecific relationships, and their relationship with environmental variables. Likewise, efforts are made to understand the environmental dynamics of water bodies and the processes leading to the preservation of biological remains in sediments (actuotaphonomy). The combination of ecological and paleolimnological approaches, with a multidisciplinary focus, is key to obtaining a more complete understanding of the patterns and processes of ecological changes in shallow lakes at different temporal scales.

We currently distinguish the following lines and sub-lines:

Actuotaphonomy

  • Fidelity and preservation of mollusks, ostracods, and diatoms. Comparison between lotic and lentic systems. Determination of the vertical extent and dynamics of the taphonomically active zone (TAZ).

  • Experimental taphonomy

Paleolimnology

  • Analysis of multiple biological indicators (diatoms, pollen, plant macroremains, non-pollen palynomorphs, ostracods, mollusks, sedimentary charcoal particles) in sediment cores.

Paleoclimatology

  • Quantitative or semi-quantitative estimates of temperature and precipitation based on fossil pollen records from the Holocene. These climatic reconstructions constitute an important contribution to the knowledge of climatic patterns that operated at a regional scale during the Holocene, and allow the validation of climate simulations (past-present-future) derived from general atmospheric circulation models.

Aerobiology

  • Study of the composition and dynamics of wetland plant communities and recording of phenological variations of indicator species in response to changes in environmental conditions (anthropic impact and climate change) based on the analysis of atmospheric pollen.

  • Other sub-lines: Pollen production and transport of native species of high conservation value; Urban air quality and its relationship with allergies.