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PCB Adds New Research Group from UB’s Department of Ecology

By 15 de May de 2008November 18th, 2020No Comments
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 15.05.2008

PCB Adds New Research Group from UB’s Department of Ecology

This month, the Freshwater Ecology and Management (FEM) research group, which is headed by University of Barcelona (UB) Professor of Ecology Narcís Prat, takes up residence in the Barcelona Science Park (PCB). The FEM group specialises in the ecology of continental aquatic ecosystems (lakes, rivers etc), their management, and the design and application of water-quality and climate-change indicators. Their new facilities are located on the first floor of the Philosophy Building and will be dedicated primarily to driving current project work, although the group would also like to branch out into new projects.


Current projects of note include SOSTAQUA (Technological Developments Towards Self-Sustainable Water in the Urban Cycle), which is part of the Ingenio 2010 initiative and has the backing of the Catalan Ministry of the Environment through the CENIT programme (2006-2009); the European project MIRAGE (Mediterranean Intermittent River Management), which studies the temporary rivers of various countries in the Mediterranean region; the FUCARA project, examining the ecological functionality and quality of the rivers in Ecuador’s Andean high plateau; and the RICHABUN project, which studies the patterns of richness characterising aquatic insects with the support of the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science. In addition, a number of group members work with other research groups throughout Spain on competitively funded projects in the palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of climate and/or manmade changes, using aquatic insects as indicators.

According to Narcís Prat, the new facilities–which have been specially designed to meet the group’s needs—will provide his team with a more extensive space in which to do their work, conduct meetings with other research groups, and facilitate stays by researchers from other countries. In addition, FEM will employ the facilities to make use of two new software programmes developed by the group, one on the restoration of riverbanks (APR) and the other on the calculation of biological indices (MAQBIR).

The FEM team consists of four UB professors and two researchers currently working in the Department of Ecology. It will shortly add two more researchers, who will be attached directly to the PCB, and two technicians. The group also counts on the participation of the Aquatic Ecosystems Unit of IRTA in Sant Carles de la Ràpita, the Centre for the Study of Mediterranean Rivers (CERM) in Manlleu, and a member of the Catalan Water Agency. Together they work on joint projects and act as advisors on doctoral theses in common research areas.

Taking both an applied and a basic research perspective, the group has always centred its research efforts on environmental and water-quality studies; the management, maintenance and conservation of water ecosystems; and the biodiversity of aquatic invertebrates. One of its activities, enjoying the collaboration of the Diputació of Barcelona, has been to devise a database on the quality of river water in the province of Barcelona over the past fourteen years. The database can be found online at www.ecostrimed.net

Narcís Prat is Professor of Ecology at the UB and he works with the Catalan Water Agency on elements of the Sustainable Water Plan. Currently, Prat sits on CUSA (Council for the Sustainable Use of Water) and serves as an expert appointed by the Government of the Generalitat of Catalonia to the Drought Round Table. He is also a member of the Technical and Monitoring Committees studying how to remove toxic sediments from the Flix reservoir and what the risk may be to the environment. In addition, Prat provides expertise to the Spanish Observatory on Sustainability.