I’m studying how changes in environmental parameters such temperature and resource availability modify the dynamics of benthic communities. Currently I’m paying special attention to the associations of microbial organisms with benthic invertebrates (bacteria/archaea-sponges; dinoflagellates-cnidarians). I’m interested in their relationship from the energetic point of view as well as the role of these associations in the benthic pelagic coupling and the biogeochemical cycles in coastal zones. Supervisors: Josep-Maria Gili and Mikel Zabala
Symposium GLOBEC-IMBER España celebrado del 28-30 marzo de 2007 en Valencia.-- 1 pageDiseases and... more Symposium GLOBEC-IMBER España celebrado del 28-30 marzo de 2007 en Valencia.-- 1 pageDiseases and mass mortalities are affecting an increasing number of marine species worldwide including many ecosystem engineers (Harvell et al., 2004, Coma et al., 2006). The increase of these strong disturbances has been linked with the serious decline in the conservation status of many species in marine ecosystems in response to global climate change (Hughes et al., 2003). Although, this is especially evident in bleaching events affecting coral reefs, temperate benthic communities are also been strongly affected by mass mortality events (Coma and Ribes 2003). Ecosystems engineer species such as gorgonian and sponges were among the most affected taxa, however, the main causes and consequences of these events are still unknown. Hypotheses about the main cause of these events focus on the occurrence of climatic anomalies. In relation to this, previous studies hypothesized that energetic constraints related to temperature and food availability may be the underlying mechanism. A combination of in situ observations and laboratory experiments allowed us to examine the role of these two factors on causing mass mortality events. The linkage between mass mortality and global warming supports current trend on frequency increase of these events which would induce profound changes in the present benthic community composition in littoral areas. We determined that the disappearance of gorgonians have strong consequences on hydrodynamic characteristics of the boundary layer as well as on nutrient transfer between the water mass and benthic communities dominated by suspension feeders. References: Harvell, C. D., R. Aronson, N. Baron, J. Connell, 13 others, 2004. The rising tide of ocean diseases: unresolved problems and research priorities. Front Ecol Environ 2, 375-382. Coma, R., C. Linares, M. Ribes, D. Diaz, J. Garrabou, E. Ballesteros, 2006. Consequences of a mass mortality event in populations of Eunicella singularis (Cnidaria: Octocorallia) in Menorca (NW Mediterranean). Mar Ecol Prog Ser 327, 51-60. Hughes, T.P., A. H. Baird, D.R. Bellwood, 14 others, 2003. Climate change, human impacts, and the resilience of coral reefs. Science 301, 929-933. Coma, R., M. Ribes, 2003. Seasonal energetic constraints in Mediterranean benthic suspension feeders: effects at diferent levels of ecological organization. Oikos 101, 205-21
34 pages, 10 figures, 2 tablesLa Mediterrània és una mar semitancada que actua com a conca d’evap... more 34 pages, 10 figures, 2 tablesLa Mediterrània és una mar semitancada que actua com a conca d’evaporació de l’aigua atlàntica que entra per Gibraltar. És una mar oligotròfica en conjunt, que acull una gran biodiversitat i presència d’espècies endèmiques. Les poques dades existents apunten que l’escalfament global es reflecteix a la Mediterrània amb una pujada del nivell del mar durant el segle passat i, en els últims 30 anys, un increment de la temperatura de l’aigua superficial d’uns 0,7 ºC, una progressiva salinització de les aigües mitjanes i profundes, i un enfortiment de l’estratificació. Els models prediuen que aquestes tendències s’han de mantenir. De fet, la referència més plausible a allò que espera a la Mediterrània la podem trobar en els períodes perllongats de fase positiva de l’oscil·lació de l’Atlàntic Nord (NAO) que ja hem tingut, i que han representat una disminució apreciable de la pluviometria i del vent, un escalfament de l’aigua superficial, i un allargament del p...
10th Sponge World Conference, 25-30 June 2017, Galway, Ireland.-- 1 pageThe contribution of DOM t... more 10th Sponge World Conference, 25-30 June 2017, Galway, Ireland.-- 1 pageThe contribution of DOM to sponge feeding is now well documented1, 2 and uptake of labile DOC occurs in both high (HMA) and low (LMA) microbial abundance sponge3. In contrast, considerable DON uptake and nitrate excretion are observed only in HMA species. We used in situ and laboratory techniques to measure the dissolved and particulate nitrogen fluxes mediated by HMA and LMA sponges and constructed a partial ni- trogen budget for 14 sponges species from four different oceanic areas: North-East Pacific, North Sea, North- West Mediterranean Sea, and the Red-Sea. Regardless of the oceanographic settings, HMA sponges exhibited high plasticity in their ability to use the available dissolved nitrogen compounds. Under normal oxygenated conditions, NH4+ levels are low and most of nitrate excreted by HMA sponges is derived from full oxidation of DON; when NH4+ concentrations are high, its uptake represent an addition to the nitrification rates. The ubiquity of nitrification among the different geographical zones and the high rates of nitrate production as- sociated with HMA sponges suggest that it represents a relevant process for energy income and potentially microbial production within these sponges. We discuss the energetic consequences of these results considering the contribution of full oxidation of the organic matter for the sponge holobionts and the consequences for nutrient cycling. Our data suggest that the HMA sponges are unique among the metazoans in their nutritional plasticity and their ability to take advantage of the entire range of reduced compounds available in the water, provide them with a relevant additional energy sourcePeer Reviewe
40th CIESM Congress: The largest Forum on Mediterranean and Black Sea Research, 28 October - 1 No... more 40th CIESM Congress: The largest Forum on Mediterranean and Black Sea Research, 28 October - 1 November 2013, Marseille, France.-- 1 page, 1 figureThe zooxanthellate coral Oculina patagonica can drive a compositional shift in Mediterranean shallow water benthic communities. We examined occurrence of the species on natural rocky reefs along the Iberian Peninsula coastline. Although the species was found on 70% of the explored locations, the distribution of the species exhibited a core area in the SE Iberian Peninsula, and progressively decreased to the northeast and to the southwest. This marked pattern of occurence in a coastline encompassing a 3°C temperature gradient provides an opportunity to determine the main factors that affect the O. patagonica invasive dynamics in the Mediterranean SeaPeer Reviewe
Symposium GLOBEC-IMBER España celebrado del 28-30 marzo de 2007 en Valencia.-- 1 pageDiseases and... more Symposium GLOBEC-IMBER España celebrado del 28-30 marzo de 2007 en Valencia.-- 1 pageDiseases and mass mortalities are affecting an increasing number of marine species worldwide including many ecosystem engineers (Harvell et al., 2004, Coma et al., 2006). The increase of these strong disturbances has been linked with the serious decline in the conservation status of many species in marine ecosystems in response to global climate change (Hughes et al., 2003). Although, this is especially evident in bleaching events affecting coral reefs, temperate benthic communities are also been strongly affected by mass mortality events (Coma and Ribes 2003). Ecosystems engineer species such as gorgonian and sponges were among the most affected taxa, however, the main causes and consequences of these events are still unknown. Hypotheses about the main cause of these events focus on the occurrence of climatic anomalies. In relation to this, previous studies hypothesized that energetic constraints related to temperature and food availability may be the underlying mechanism. A combination of in situ observations and laboratory experiments allowed us to examine the role of these two factors on causing mass mortality events. The linkage between mass mortality and global warming supports current trend on frequency increase of these events which would induce profound changes in the present benthic community composition in littoral areas. We determined that the disappearance of gorgonians have strong consequences on hydrodynamic characteristics of the boundary layer as well as on nutrient transfer between the water mass and benthic communities dominated by suspension feeders. References: Harvell, C. D., R. Aronson, N. Baron, J. Connell, 13 others, 2004. The rising tide of ocean diseases: unresolved problems and research priorities. Front Ecol Environ 2, 375-382. Coma, R., C. Linares, M. Ribes, D. Diaz, J. Garrabou, E. Ballesteros, 2006. Consequences of a mass mortality event in populations of Eunicella singularis (Cnidaria: Octocorallia) in Menorca (NW Mediterranean). Mar Ecol Prog Ser 327, 51-60. Hughes, T.P., A. H. Baird, D.R. Bellwood, 14 others, 2003. Climate change, human impacts, and the resilience of coral reefs. Science 301, 929-933. Coma, R., M. Ribes, 2003. Seasonal energetic constraints in Mediterranean benthic suspension feeders: effects at diferent levels of ecological organization. Oikos 101, 205-21
34 pages, 10 figures, 2 tablesLa Mediterrània és una mar semitancada que actua com a conca d’evap... more 34 pages, 10 figures, 2 tablesLa Mediterrània és una mar semitancada que actua com a conca d’evaporació de l’aigua atlàntica que entra per Gibraltar. És una mar oligotròfica en conjunt, que acull una gran biodiversitat i presència d’espècies endèmiques. Les poques dades existents apunten que l’escalfament global es reflecteix a la Mediterrània amb una pujada del nivell del mar durant el segle passat i, en els últims 30 anys, un increment de la temperatura de l’aigua superficial d’uns 0,7 ºC, una progressiva salinització de les aigües mitjanes i profundes, i un enfortiment de l’estratificació. Els models prediuen que aquestes tendències s’han de mantenir. De fet, la referència més plausible a allò que espera a la Mediterrània la podem trobar en els períodes perllongats de fase positiva de l’oscil·lació de l’Atlàntic Nord (NAO) que ja hem tingut, i que han representat una disminució apreciable de la pluviometria i del vent, un escalfament de l’aigua superficial, i un allargament del p...
10th Sponge World Conference, 25-30 June 2017, Galway, Ireland.-- 1 pageThe contribution of DOM t... more 10th Sponge World Conference, 25-30 June 2017, Galway, Ireland.-- 1 pageThe contribution of DOM to sponge feeding is now well documented1, 2 and uptake of labile DOC occurs in both high (HMA) and low (LMA) microbial abundance sponge3. In contrast, considerable DON uptake and nitrate excretion are observed only in HMA species. We used in situ and laboratory techniques to measure the dissolved and particulate nitrogen fluxes mediated by HMA and LMA sponges and constructed a partial ni- trogen budget for 14 sponges species from four different oceanic areas: North-East Pacific, North Sea, North- West Mediterranean Sea, and the Red-Sea. Regardless of the oceanographic settings, HMA sponges exhibited high plasticity in their ability to use the available dissolved nitrogen compounds. Under normal oxygenated conditions, NH4+ levels are low and most of nitrate excreted by HMA sponges is derived from full oxidation of DON; when NH4+ concentrations are high, its uptake represent an addition to the nitrification rates. The ubiquity of nitrification among the different geographical zones and the high rates of nitrate production as- sociated with HMA sponges suggest that it represents a relevant process for energy income and potentially microbial production within these sponges. We discuss the energetic consequences of these results considering the contribution of full oxidation of the organic matter for the sponge holobionts and the consequences for nutrient cycling. Our data suggest that the HMA sponges are unique among the metazoans in their nutritional plasticity and their ability to take advantage of the entire range of reduced compounds available in the water, provide them with a relevant additional energy sourcePeer Reviewe
40th CIESM Congress: The largest Forum on Mediterranean and Black Sea Research, 28 October - 1 No... more 40th CIESM Congress: The largest Forum on Mediterranean and Black Sea Research, 28 October - 1 November 2013, Marseille, France.-- 1 page, 1 figureThe zooxanthellate coral Oculina patagonica can drive a compositional shift in Mediterranean shallow water benthic communities. We examined occurrence of the species on natural rocky reefs along the Iberian Peninsula coastline. Although the species was found on 70% of the explored locations, the distribution of the species exhibited a core area in the SE Iberian Peninsula, and progressively decreased to the northeast and to the southwest. This marked pattern of occurence in a coastline encompassing a 3°C temperature gradient provides an opportunity to determine the main factors that affect the O. patagonica invasive dynamics in the Mediterranean SeaPeer Reviewe
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