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Miguel G. MatiasFreshwater ecology & global change

MIGUEL G. MATIAS / RESEARCH IN PICTURES

Graphical abstracts

Ten recent journal papers, one idea at a time.

Original conceptual summaries. Follow each paper for its methods, results and qualifications.

2026 · Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Consistent diversity loss but divergent functional responses of freshwater biofilms to salinity and nutrient enrichment across climatic regions ↗

Salinity reduced bacterial diversity across three climatic regions, while whole-biofilm functional responses depended on regional context. — Salinity reduced bacterial diversity across three climatic regions, while whole-biofilm functional responses depended on regional context. Read the paper ↗

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2026 · Global Ecology and Biogeography

Hierarchical Modelling of Aquatic Species Distributions ↗

Hierarchical models combine broad climate with regional water conditions and watershed constraints to improve freshwater fish distribution modelling. — Hierarchical models combine broad climate with regional water conditions and watershed constraints to improve freshwater fish distribution modelling. Read the paper ↗

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2026 · Ecography

PondNet – towards a global network of experiments on the effects of climate change on aquatic ecosystems ↗

PondNet proposes a coordinated global pond experiment to test which climate-change responses generalise and which depend on local ecological context. — PondNet proposes a coordinated global pond experiment to test which climate-change responses generalise and which depend on local ecological context. Read the paper ↗

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2026 · Ecography

Thinking big: the case for experimental macroecology ↗

Experimental macroecology connects controlled tests and replication across contexts with large-scale ecological patterns and their underlying mechanisms. — Experimental macroecology connects controlled tests and replication across contexts with large-scale ecological patterns and their underlying mechanisms. Read the paper ↗

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2025 · Ecology

Repetition and order of exposure to salinization and nutrient enrichment drive freshwater microbial community responses ↗

The sequence and repetition of nutrient and salt exposure changed freshwater biofilm function; reversing the stressor order produced different outcomes. — The sequence and repetition of nutrient and salt exposure changed freshwater biofilm function; reversing the stressor order produced different outcomes. Read the paper ↗

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2025 · npj Biofilms and Microbiomes

Multiple stressors affect function rather than taxonomic structure of freshwater microbial communities ↗

Combined salt and nutrient stress reduced microbial carbon metabolism without significant changes in the measured bacterial taxonomic structure. — Combined salt and nutrient stress reduced microbial carbon metabolism without significant changes in the measured bacterial taxonomic structure. Read the paper ↗

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2025 · Oikos

Addressing grand ecological challenges in aquatic ecosystems: how can mesocosms be used to advance solutions? ↗

Connected and distributed mesocosm studies can move beyond measuring environmental impacts to testing mitigation and restoration approaches. — Connected and distributed mesocosm studies can move beyond measuring environmental impacts to testing mitigation and restoration approaches. Read the paper ↗

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2024 · Communications Earth & Environment

Global warming triggers abrupt regime shifts in island lake ecosystems in the Azores Archipelago ↗

Diatom records from five São Miguel lakes revealed a regional community shift around 1982 and a loss of regional diversity associated with warming. — Diatom records from five São Miguel lakes revealed a regional community shift around 1982 and a loss of regional diversity associated with warming. Read the paper ↗

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2024 · Communications Biology

Metabolic plasticity drives mismatches in physiological traits between prey and predator ↗

Species differed in metabolic plasticity across temperatures, changing relative movement and modelled predator–prey encounter rates. — Species differed in metabolic plasticity across temperatures, changing relative movement and modelled predator–prey encounter rates. Read the paper ↗

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2023 · BioScience

Future-proofing environmental DNA and trait-based predictions of food webs ↗

Coupling eDNA records with appropriately sampled traits and known interactions enables trait-based prediction of food webs across space and time. — Coupling eDNA records with appropriately sampled traits and known interactions enables trait-based prediction of food webs across space and time. Read the paper ↗

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