Our research is mainly focused on biological and physical-chemical processes in transitional waters, from freshwater catchments to coastal marine

The Ecoreach is a research unit of the Marine Sciences Centre (CCMAR). Our research is mainly focused on biological and physical-chemical processes from catchment through transitional water/nearshore areas and on restoration techniques to face global change and major anthropogenic threats, including the degraded upstream areas, directly impacting to the quality of the marine downstream ecosystems.  We aimed to understand the natural variability of aquatic ecosystems (freshwater inflow, tides, upwelling, winds) and the ecologic impacts of human activities (fisheries, pollution, dams, NIS/alien species, jellyfish proliferations, acidification), particularly at plankton and macrobenthos of riverine, estuarine and coastal areas in order to improve their use as bioindicators and develop adequate mitigation/restoration actions. The mitigation/restoration actions are based on Environmental (Bio)technologies mainly based on the use of biota communities, biodegradable substracta and freshwater treatment to remove biofouling, liquid-liquid extraction procedures aiming the (bio)remediation of metals-containing effluents, such industrial effluents and acid mine drainages, a special threat to water bodies all over the World. The group has been coordinating several environmental volunteer monitoring actions in aquatic ecosystems in order to contribute together with the competent authorities APA –ARH to ensure an early detection of aquatic degradation.