Marisol Felip Benach

Associate Professor at the Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences of the University of Barcelona, and researcher at the Biogeodynamics and Biodiversity Research Group (CREAF - CSIC, UB), member of SGR Grupo de Ecología de los Cambios Ambientales (GECA), and of the LTER-Aigüestortes Node. Director of the High Mountain Scientific Station (ECAM, Vielha-UB).

 

My research activity has been focused on the study of high mountain lakes for more than 30 years and has accumulated a long experience and knowledge in the ecology and biodiversity of their microbial communities. The study of the functional diversity of microbial plankton at different spatial and temporal scales, and the evidence that global biogeochemical processes require an understanding of the biology of organisms and the interactions that take place in microbial food webs, have been the focus of my research.

 

The value of integrating teaching in Evolutionary Ecology and research has meant a progressive change in the line of research, shifting away from the more functional view of the system and moving towards understanding the diversification of strategies as a driver of the evolution of microorganisms. In recent years, my research has been taking advantage of the most advanced molecular techniques to characterise microbial biodiversity and function, and the usefulness of diatoms as model organisms.