Macarena is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Sevilla. During her PhD thesis, she mainly focussed on the invasion dynamic and vectors of introduction of small mobile marine epibenthic species, a poorly studied component of marine benthic ecosystems. She addresses this issue from a multidisciplinary approach (combining taxonomical, ecological, biogeographical, behavioural and physiological perspectives), thanks to the development of an extensive collaboration network with researchers from different countries and institutions. During her postdoctoral stages, she has focused on the development of innovative and standardized methodologies for monitoring marine bioinvasions at large-scale spatio-temporal patterns. Moreover she has spread her research to unravel the interplay of marine bioinvasions and other global change drivers, such as climate change, coastal urban sprawl and environmental pollution, especially plastic pollution. Currently, she is exploring the role of floating marine debris as a vector for the introduction and spread of non-indigenous species, with special focus on the functional ecology and connectivity patterns of transported species.
