I completed my PhD in April 2011 at the University of Vigo (Spain). The PhD focused on the ecology of transitional waters having the main aim on the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). This Directive was launched in 2000 and it establishes a framework for European Community action in the field of water policy, focusing on river management basins. On the one hand, I dealt with both fresh and brackish waters because of my work on transitional waters; thus, I got a comprehensive understanding of the aquatic ecosystems. I was directly involved in the implementation of the WFD in the Mediterranean geographic area; so, I developed international relationships and collaborations because of the international nature of this Directive. Furthermore, I carried out ecological models that related environmental variables (temperature, salinity, nutrients etc) with biological descriptors (composition, diversity etc from invertebrate fauna) having the main focus on the water quality.
Additional to my PhD, I was working as Postdoctoral Fellow at the Institute for Applied Ecology (IAE, University of Canberra) under the supervision of Dr. Fiona Dyer. This experience allowed me to familiarize with Australian rivers, Bayesian Networks and climate change. I was involved in the project “Predicting water quality and ecological responses to a changing climate: informing adaptation initiatives” funded by the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF). In this project, we developed a framework to assess the effects of climate change on water quality and freshwater ecosystems. In particular, I was responsible for defining the structure of the ecological response models and developing methods for defining ecological response thresholds.
Recently, I obtained a postgraduate in GIS and Spatial Planning (University of Porto, 2014). My next goal is to include this versatile tool in
my studies of ecology.
I prefer to define myself as a multidisciplinary researcher. I have worked always in aquatic ecology but I have crossed frontiers between transitional waters, rivers and lakes. I am open to any subject which allows me to improve my knowledge on aquatic and other ecosystems.
Additional to my PhD, I was working as Postdoctoral Fellow at the Institute for Applied Ecology (IAE, University of Canberra) under the supervision of Dr. Fiona Dyer. This experience allowed me to familiarize with Australian rivers, Bayesian Networks and climate change. I was involved in the project “Predicting water quality and ecological responses to a changing climate: informing adaptation initiatives” funded by the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF). In this project, we developed a framework to assess the effects of climate change on water quality and freshwater ecosystems. In particular, I was responsible for defining the structure of the ecological response models and developing methods for defining ecological response thresholds.
Recently, I obtained a postgraduate in GIS and Spatial Planning (University of Porto, 2014). My next goal is to include this versatile tool in
my studies of ecology.
I prefer to define myself as a multidisciplinary researcher. I have worked always in aquatic ecology but I have crossed frontiers between transitional waters, rivers and lakes. I am open to any subject which allows me to improve my knowledge on aquatic and other ecosystems.