people

My research interests lie at the interface of limnology, palaeoecology and biogeography on questions related to how dynamics between biotic communities and their physical environment change through time. I’m fascinated in using aquatic communities such as diatoms and foraminifera with complementary geochemical and hydrological reconstructions from aquatic ecosystems that receive the influence of catchment, and climate and anthropogenic forcings across the aquatic continuum: from high-mountain lakes to river deltas.

As a biologist and environmental scientist by training, I’m also motivated by fundamental and applied questions of socio-ecological systems, particularly how human legacies explain whole-ecosystem trajectories: lake-basin and coastal-marine environments. I use data across spatial (local to continental) and temporal (decades to millennia) scales, involving quantitative multivariate analyses, geospatial and time series modelling.

I’m deeply interested in fostering open data, facilitate the exchange of ideas and skill sets, and team science to inform inform current climatic and sustainability issues using paleosciences. I’m co-leading and participating in different international research projects (see projects) in which I strive to apply these community mobilization aspects.

I am a biologist and environmental scientist currently pursuing a PhD at IRTA’s Marine and Continental Waters Programme, supervised by Dr. Rosa Trobajo. My research focuses on the taxonomy, ecology, and biogeography of diatoms, and how climate and environmental change impact their diversity. I use microscopy and DNA-metabarcoding to monitor diatom communities as bioindicators.

My work is part of applied monitoring initiatives such as the Catalan Water Agency (ACA) program, which assesses freshwater quality across Catalonia, and the CONACAN project, the first to study diatom communities on the Canary Islands (La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife).

My PhD research at the IRTA Marine and Continental Waters program aims to bridge the gap between paleoecology and agroecology. As part of the DECISION and DELTAPULSE projects - under the supervision of Dr. Xavier Benito - I will investigate the anthropogenic and natural forcings on the Ebro delta aquatic ecosystems over the last 12,000 years. Specifically, I will examine the impact rice farming had on the delta’s ecology by studying foraminifera and diatom responses to ‘pre’ and ‘post’ human settlement conditions.

With a MSc in Paleontology Paleoclimatology, and Paleoenvironments from the Université de Lille (France), I have a background in Holocene paleoenvironmental reconstructions of coastal environments, and a strong interest in quantifying natural vs anthropogenic impact on ecosystems since the Younger Dryas. I am eager to be part of this research initiative, which aims to use multi-proxy paleoenvironmental datasets to provide scientifically-informed background conditions for protection and conservation efforts in the Ebro Delta.