Jacob González-Solís is a professor, head of the seabird ecology research group at the University of Barcelona, and principal investigator of the AMPLIAMAR project. He specializes in the biology and conservation of seabirds and ocean ecosystems. His research focuses particularly on movement ecology, interactions with fisheries, and the impact of human activities on the marine environment. He combines fieldwork with advanced remote tracking techniques (GPS, sensors), as well as isotopic, molecular, microbiological, and contaminant analyses to understand the processes affecting seabird populations and contribute to the conservation of marine ecosystems.
In his lecture, he will present the nationwide project AMPLIAMAR, funded by the Fundación Biodiversidad, whose main goal is to compile GPS telemetry data of seabirds and human activities in order to identify the most important areas for these birds and thus help protect marine biodiversity.
Thanks to the collaboration of 25 research teams and NGOs from 10 different countries, AMPLIAMAR has collected more than 3,000 GPS tracks of foraging and migratory trips from 24 seabird species that cross or feed in Spanish waters during different phases of their annual cycle. The project has also expanded GPS tracking of little-known or sensitive species such as the Manx shearwater and the Madeiran storm-petrel in the Canary Islands, the European shag in Galicia, and Audouin’s gull in the Alboran Sea.
AMPLIAMAR is applying standardized analysis tools to GPS trajectories to define key biodiversity areas, assess overlaps with human threats and the Spanish Network of Marine Protected Areas, and propose its expansion to enhance marine conservation.
