eLab AVES MARINAS

El eLab de Aves Marinas se centra en el estudio de diferentes aspectos de la ecología y el comportamiento de estos depredadores marinos con el objetivo final de mejorar el conocimiento de los factores ecológicos y evolutivos relacionados con su distribución en el mar y sus estrategias de búsqueda de alimento. En particular, los objetivos principales del laboratorio son:

1. Determinar el efecto de la variabilidad ambiental sobre la distribución de las aves marinas a lo largo de todo el año.
2. Investigar el efecto de las actividades humanas sobre las estrategias de búsqueda de alimento de las aves marinas.
3. Examinar las relaciones entre aspectos individuales y el comportamiento en mar abierto.
4. Establecer estrategias de conservación de estas especies mediante la caracterización de áreas marinas importantes.

Estos temas se abordan con un enfoque pluridisciplinar, combinando estudios de campo a largo plazo, uso de instrumentos electrónicos de seguimiento remoto, censos desde embarcaciones,  aplicación de marcadores intrínsecos y caracterización del hábitat mediante datos de satélite.

Equipo

El eLab de Invasiones Biológicas está integrado actualmente por un Investigación del CSIC (Manuela González Forero), un investigador contratado del Programa Talent Hub en la EBD (Joan Navarro), un investigador postdoctoral (Francisco Ramírez), un investigador predoctoral (Joan Giménez) y un técnico del CSIC perteneciente al LAST-EBD (Isabel Afán). En los últimos años, este equipo de investigación ha publicado numerosas publicaciones en revistas del SCI en temas relacionados con la ecología de aves marinas y otros depredadores marinos. El laboratorio está financiado por proyectos nacionales e internacionales y colabora  con investigadores de diferentes centros de investigación internacionales.

 

2. DESCRIPCIÓN ENGLISH

 

eLab BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS

 

Invasion by alien species is a major component of global change, causing important impacts on the biodiversity and ecosystem services and human well-being. From an applied point of view, concern over biological invasions and their impactshas prompted a plethora of research on factors determining alien species establishment, abundance and spread in recipient regions. This knowledge is fundamental to prevent situations where the risk of invasion is particularly high. From a theoretical point of view, the phenomena of biological invasions are considered grand experiments to understand aspects regarding biogeography, community species assemblages, population dynamics and evolutionary forces. 

The main objective of the invasion biology eLab is to deepen on the multifaceted causes and consequences of biological invasions, a key component of global change. The ultimate goal is to improve our knowledge of the factors that influence the success and impacts of invasions by plants and vertebrates (mainly birds and fishes). Particulalry, the most important lab aims are:

1. To study habitat, landscape,climatic factors and species ecological traits influencing invasion success. For this purpose we also describe past invasions and their invasion patterns through time, as well as potential distribution areas in the future in the face of climatic changes and changes in land-use.
2. To understand the resistance of native communities and species to invasion including herbivory resistance for plants, and organism physiological and immunological status for vertebrates.
3. To investigate mechanisms of impact at different spatial scales and at different levels of ecological complexity. For example, the impacts of alien flowering on native plant-pollinator species or the mechanisms involved in the decline of native fish species in invaded water masses.

 

Team

The eLab in biological invasions has two professors of research (Pepe Tella and Montserrat Vilà), two Ramon & Cajal fellows (Miguel Clavero and Nacho Bartomeus)  and a associated researcher in University Pablo de Olavide (Martina Carrete). The eLab also holds a variable number of PhD and postdocs grantholders and postgraduates students. In the last 5 years, the research team has published on average more than 25 SCI papers per year in topics related to the biogeography, species traits, ecosystem resistance to invasion and the impacts of non-native species mainly plants, birds and fishes on biodiversity and ecosystem services. This research provides the background for the analysis of risks of invasion. The team is funded by regional, national and international projects (7th EU Framework programs, COST actions) and has well established collaborations with ecologists from all continents. The team has a strong commitment to junior research training, outreach (e.g. many TV and radio interviews, publications for the general public) and service both at the national and international level (e.g. CITES, IUCN, NEOBIOTA working groups).