OceanExpert ID : 69640
PhD Student Lucía RODRÍGUEZ-ARIAS
PhD Student
Marine Ecology
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas - Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes
C. Acces Cala St. Francesc, 14
17300 Blanes Girona
Spain
Nationality
Spain
Email(s)
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MSc Oceanography and Coastal Management
ECOP (Early Career Ocean Professional)
Biological Oceanography, Marine Ecology
Marine and Coastal Engineering
I am currently conducting my PhD at the Center for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC) and the University of Barcelona (UB). The doctoral thesis project focuses on documenting the impact of storm - both extreme and frequent low-intensity - on coastal vegetation and the ecosystem services dependent on these habitats. The primary objective is to investigate the role of vegetation in sediment retention in coastal systems and evaluate its capacity to act as physical protection barriers. The experimental design encompasses a wide range of coastal ecosystems to assess the importance of plant species in both emergent and submerged ecosystems, aiming to identify consistent patterns in sediment accumulation and stabilization by vegetation.
Since starting my PhD in 2022, I have engaged in national and international collaborations. Over these two years, I have conducted several collaborative campaigns:
- At the Instituto Hidrográfico de Cantabria (IH, Santander) under the supervision of Inés Mazarrasa, focusing on studying the seagrass meadows of Zostera marina.
- At the University of Cádiz (UCA), guided by Fernando G. Brun, focusing on Zostera noltii meadows in the Bay of Cádiz.
- In summer 2024, I will conduct an international research stay at the Kristineberg Center (Seagrass Ecology Lab, Gothenburg, Sweden) under the supervision of Eduardo Infantes, involving hydrodynamic flume experiments to simulate various conditions and evaluate the role of coastal vegetation in providing protection services.
- International collaborations linked with University of Florida and NCF- Nature Conservation Foundation (India).
My research employs a combination of methodologies. My research employs a combination of methodologies to investigate coastal vegetation's role in sediment retention and barrier formation. Fieldwork involves using a GNSS RTK antenna and drone imagery with orthophotos for precise ground elevation measurements and spatial data, focusing on vegetation patch size, canopy height, species identity, functional traits, species richness, coverage, and shoreline proximity. Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMM) analyze these factors' influence on sediment accumulation. Hydrodynamic flume experiments simulate various conditions to evaluate vegetation's protective role. Laboratory analyses include Loss on Ignition (LOI) for organic matter, grain size analysis with a Mastersizer 2000, and environmental DNA (eDNA) for biodiversity assessment. Additionally, temperature, salinity, and turbidity measurements are conducted to understand coastal ecosystem transitions.
Mediterranean Sea - Eastern Basin
North Atlantic Ocean
Baltic Sea
- Strong diving skills
- Coastal Oceanography: Knowledgeable in coastal processes and dynamics, including sediment transport, wave action, and tidal influences on coastal ecosystems.
- Statistical Analysis: Experienced with Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMM) and multivariate analysis using R Studio for environmental data analysis and visualization.
Catalan
English
French
Italian
Spanish
