Universidad de Murcia (UMU)

University of Murcia

Faculty of Biology
Department of Ecology and Hydrology
Ecology and Management of Coastal Marine Ecosystems Research Group

UMU group team has experience in studying coastal marine ecosystems, applying and evaluating ecological indicators to describe the ecological status of coastal areas and relate them to human activities. It has participated as partner leader or coordinator in 50 national and international projects at Galapagos islands, Atlantic archipelagos (Azores, Madeira, Canary islands and Cabo Verde), Antarctic and the Mediterranean, among them several European projects devoted to the analysis of ecological processes and socioeconomic implication of Marine Protected Areas (FP6 EMPAFISH) or the environmental management reform for sustainable activities (FP6 AquAgriS), or the MED program to to study Le rôle des Aires Marines Protégées dans la gestion durable d’Activités économiques, telles que la pêche artisanale et le tourisme, en harmonie avec l’identité culturelle des régions de Méditerranée Occidentale (AMPAMED).

On lagoons international projects has participate in NATO –CCMS Pilot Study “Ecosystem Modelling of Coastal Lagoons for Sustainable Management, and has produced more than 83 book chapters and 109 Isi publications on coastal lagoons and MPAs being in the top five authors on coastal lagoons. UMU is an institution devoted to providing higher education to the public looking for the creation, development and research into science, technology and culture through study and research and the transmission of such knowledge through education.

It has high extensive experience in hosting collaborative projects. Its EU and International Research Project Office (Operum) offers support to proposal preparation and submission of international projects as well as management and control of these projects once approved together with the Finance Unit. UMU, together with its neighbouring Polytechnic University of Cartagena, leads Campus Mare Nostrum, a consortium awarded the status of International Campus for Regional Excellence by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science.