Ramon y Cajal Fellow (Area of Ecology)
Ph.D. in Marine Sciences, 2011, University of Cádiz
B.Sc. in Marine Sciences, 2004, University of Cádiz
Research Interests:
I started my scientific career studying the effects of massive algal blooms on the biogeochemistry and community composition of coastal sediments. During this time, I gained the skills to use, adapt and develop microsensors and analytical procedures. I also developed and patented a method for the determination of nitrite and nitrate.
In 2012, I obtained a competitive postdoctoral grant and moved to Revsbech’s lab at Aarhus University, Denmark. My project consisted on the use of the recently developed STOX sensor for the measurement of net community metabolism in Oxygen Minimum Zones. I developed methodologies to measure respiration rates using high-resolution sensors and studied the distribution of oxygen in the Pacific OMZs. My research in OMZs led to the discovery of a previously unknown oxygen cycle in the poorly understood Secondary Chlorophyll Maximum of the Pacific OMZ. The results from these studies showed for the first time the presence of aerobic metabolisms within what was considered anoxic conditions in the OMZ.
My development of techniques and methods to measure oxygen concentrations and metabolism is leading me to be regularly invited to participate in international oceanographic cruises and to increase my collaborations. I also participate in the Oxygen Data Platform to create the Global Ocean Oxygen Atlas (GO2AT), led by the Global Ocean Oxygen Network (GO2NE) from UNESCO.
I have been also involved in the development of sensors (O2, H2, combined H2-H2S and CO2) and their applications in microbial ecology. These new sensors were used for studying different microbial environments such as microbial mats or methanogenic biofilms.
Current Projects:
- EMEGE: Impacts of heat waves in shallow coastal environments: effects on microbial communities and the release of greenhouse gases 〈FEDER-UCA18-107225〉
- MICROBAHIA: Microecology and biogeochemistry of tidal flats in the Bay of Cádiz: Physical forcing by tidal cycle and photoperiod
- MAMBO: Microbial Metabolism in the oxic-anoxic boundary
