Oscar
Godoy Del Olmo
The Mediterranean Ecology and Synthesis Laboratory (MESSY) aims to understand the processes that maintain biodiversity and its links to ecosystem functioning. To achieve this, we combine detailed field observations and process-based experiments with ecological theory and advanced modelling approaches. This integration of theory, modelling, and experimentation is not restricted to any particular taxonomic group.
Our research focuses primarily on Mediterranean-type ecosystems, which combine complex evolutionary histories with exceptionally high biodiversity under continuously changing environmental conditions. These systems provide an ideal natural laboratory for advancing our understanding of how biodiversity is maintained in a rapidly changing world. The knowledge and modelling tools developed through this research are also applied to other ecosystems, including marine and coastal communities in the Atlantic Ocean, as well as temperate grasslands and forests.
Recognising the profound impacts of human activities on natural ecosystems, we develop scientific knowledge and innovative approaches to support the conservation, management, and restoration of ecological communities.
The laboratory also provides scientific evidence to promote the development of biotechnology-based solutions for ecosystem restoration and regeneration.
