Mariano Moreno de las Heras

I am a dryland eco-geomorphologist with a strong emphasis on applied research. My work is devoted to the integration of multidisciplinary knowledge derived from the geomorphological, hydrological and ecological disciplines for the study of Mediterranean and other dryland landscapes in the context of both land degradation and landscape rehabilitation. Overall my basic scientific enquires are broadly focused on the study of the role of landform-soil-water-plant interactions and the activity of highly erosive systems (gully systems, badlands) in structuring landscapes. My research applies a wide array of tools (ground-based field observation and experimentation, remote-sensing field monitoring, laboratory work, and mathematical modelling) at multiple scales (from pedon/plot and hillslope scales to broad catchment and landscape scales) for the analysis and characterization of the dynamics of landscape hydrological processes (e.g. runoff, soil erosion, soil moisture, water and sediment redistribution), soils (e.g. soil physical structure, biological activity, soil forming processes) and vegetation (e.g. vegetation structure and production, plant ecophysiology). Since 2003, I have continuously participated in a variety research projects in different research centres (Universidad de Alcalá, CIFOR-INIA and IDAEA-CSIC, Spain; The University of Newcastle, Australia; Durham University, UK) that have contributed to expand my experience over a broad range of landscapes, spanning both natural and human-made, reclaimed Mediterranean systems, as well as arid and semi-arid landscapes in Australia and southwestern USA.