Sandra Brucet

Sandra Brucet

Universitat de Vic - Universitat Central de Catalunya

Experimental Sciences & Mathematics

I obtained my PhD in Biology in 2003 at University of Girona. After that I was a postdoc at the University of Oslo (2006) and the National Environmental Institute of Denmark (2006-2008). From 2009 to 2012, I worked as a research scientist at the European Commission-Joint Research Centre (Italy). I passed European Commission full competitions for Research Administrators (AD5 and AD7). In 2013, I was awarded a Marie Curie Intra European Senior Fellowship to work at the University of Aarhus (Denmark) for two years. In 2013, I was also a Visiting Scientist at the Middle East Technical University, Turkey. In September 2015, I was appointed ICREA Research professor at University of Vic and I am heading the Aquatic Ecology Research Group (GEA).


Research interests

Our research focuses on the response of aquatic ecosystems and their biodiversity to global changes (e.g. eutrophication, habitat destruction, climate change). We use the organisms’ size structure, in combination with taxonomical approaches, to assess biodiversity and ecosystem processes. We are also interested in basic and applied aspects of ecological theories relating organisms’ body size, metabolism and temperature. Our research includes the whole trophic structure from phytoplankton to fish. We focus on different aquatic ecosystems (lakes, rivers, ponds) and use complementary approaches such as experiments, latitudinal comparisons and models. Ultimately, we aim to apply our research results to solving problems related with the conservation of aquatic ecosystems. We also pay particular attention at transferring our knowledge into European policies and platforms (e.g. Water Framework Directive, Biodiversity Strategy, IPBES) and the general public.

Selected publications

– Bartrons M, Mehner T, Argillier C, Beklioglu M, Blabolil P, Hesthagen T, Holmgren K, Jeppesen E, Krause T, Podgornik S, Volta P, Winfield I & Brucet S 2020. ‘Energy-based top-down and bottom-up relationships between fish community energy demand or production and phytoplankton across lakes at a continental scale‘. Limnology & Oceanography. 65, 4, 892 – 902.

– Sgarzi S, Brucet S, Bartrons M, Arranz I, Benejam L & Badosa A 2020, ‘Factors Influencing Abundances and Population Size Structure of the Threatened and Endemic Cyprinodont Aphanius iberus in Mediterranean Brackish Ponds‘. Water, 12(11), 3264. *Editor’s Choice Article*

– Beklioğlu M, Bucak T, Levi EE, Erdoğan S, Özen A, Filiz N, Bezirci G, Çakıroğlu AI, Tavşanoğlu ÜN, Gökçe D, Demir N, Özuluğ M, Duran M, Özkan K, Brucet S & Jeppesen E 2020, ‘Influences of climate and nutrient enrichment on the multiple trophic levels of Turkish shallow lakes‘. Inland Waters. 10, 2, 173 – 185.


Selected research activities

PONDERFUL project: Pond ecosystems for resilient future landscapes in a changing climate. Funded by EU H2020, Call: H2020-LC-CLA-2019-2. Total Fund: 6,993,407€. Project Main Coordinator: S Brucet (consortium of 18 partners). 2020 – 2024.

Contract: Restoring temporary ponds in L’Albera, Alt Empordà. Funded by Andrena Foundation. Budget: 6000€. PIs: L Benejam/S Brucet. 2020.

SizeEcoFun project: Size-based approaches to understand impacts on river ecosystem functioning. Funded by Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology. Program I+D+i Retos. 54821€. PIs: S Brucet /L Benejam. 2019 – 2021.

FISHSIZE project: Analysing size-density relationships of aquatic communities in response to strength of predator-prey interactions and resource subsidy (DFG Me 1686/7-1), German Research Foundation. (233,550 €). PIs: T Mehner / S Brucet. 2016 – 2021.

Invited talkMediterranean temporary ponds, biodiversity refuges that need protection: a case study. International symposium ‘Temporary wetlands future in drylands under the projected global change scenario’. Baeza, Spain. 2020.