Marc Macias-Fauria

I am an ecologist and biogeoscientist studying how climate, vegetation and animals interact within the Earth system. My research focuses particularly on Arctic, boreal and alpine environments and combines field observations, remote sensing and palaeoecological evidence across a wide range of spatial and temporal scales.

Research Area

The Biogeosciences Lab, which I lead, investigates how ecological processes interact with the Earth system, including feedbacks involving climate, biogeochemical cycles and geomorphology. Our research focuses on Arctic and alpine ecosystems and is systems-based, process-oriented and quantitative. We work across spatial and temporal scales, combining field observations, remote sensing and palaeoecological data as appropriate. We also aim to produce science that is useful for real-world applications and follow FAIR principles to support reproducibility and data reuse.

More information on our projects and publications is available on my SPRI profile: https://www.spri.cam.ac.uk/people/macias-fauria/.

Project Interests

I welcome enquiries from prospective PhD students interested in developing projects within the Biogeosciences Lab’s main research areas. These include spatially explicit ecology and remote sensing; interactions among climate, vegetation and large herbivores; sea-ice effects on Arctic biota; long-term Arctic biodiversity and palaeo-environmental change; and the resilience of high-latitude vegetation to climate change. Across these themes, I am particularly interested in process-based, quantitative research that connects ecological dynamics with the physical Earth system and may draw on field observations, remote sensing, diverse palaeoecological proxies, or modelling. Prospective students are encouraged to contact me with their own ideas for projects aligned with these broad areas.

For other ongoing projects, please visit my website.