Research Overview
Biological Invasions: theory, ecology and management
​
We consider Biological Invasions as one serious social and environmental problem, and we study it mostly by identifying introduced species, their vectors, and their effects on native communities. We contribute with ideas and research to improve the design of management decisions. Also, we consider Biological Invasions as a heuristic tool that helps us to better understand the evolution of the ecological interactions that shape flora and fauna assemblages worldwide.
Salt Marsh Ecology: Individuals, populations and communities
Patagonian salt marshes supply a variety of possibilities to conduct ecological research at many scales in space and time, from autoecology to synecology. Many species in this intertidal system remain virtually unknown to ecologists and there is much to research about in order to protect it and to make a sustainable use of it.
Eco-Taxo Interface
The incorrect use of Taxonomy in biological and ecological studies is more frequent than most people believe it is and, it creates many negative effects on Nature as well as on human societies and peoples’ life quality. GEAC encourages and promotes a variety of initiatives to understand the importance of this problem, including classes, scientific debate articles, and outreach activities.
Fouling Ecology
​
Fouling organisms form interesting luxuriant communities on harbor piles, ships, and floating structures used, for instance, in marine farming projects. To know the ecologic interaction shaping these communities is critical to prevent biological invasions but also to protect commercial initiatives with high impact in local and regional economy.
Historical Ecology
Although integrating History and Ecology is nothing new, this kind of integrative perspectives, and its emergent properties are currently more and more appreciated. Knowing the temporal variations of the environment we study, and how they were described throughout our history, is something that can make the difference between understanding right your study system or not. History supplies complementary methods and perspectives to Ecology, and it is always a challenge to integrate both disciplines.
Bio-architecture and Ecosystem Engineering
Intertidal environments are commonly inhabited by a number of ecosystem engineer organisms (plant, animals, native or not) that create, modify and/or even destroy the habitat. The use of inert artificial structures is one of the experimental methods we use to study and evaluate the effect of ecosystem engineers on native coastal communities and on the landscape as a whole.
