Dr. María Martínez-Mena

María Martínez-Mena

Tenured scientist, since 2002

Background and former positions

Former jobs at the University of Murcia.
PhD in Biology, CEBAS-University of Murcia, 1995.
Master of Water Science and Technology, University of Murcia, 1991.
Degree in Biology, University of Murcia, June 1984.

Research interests

My research interests are related to:

  • Sustainable land management of agricultural and natural Mediterranean ecosystems for the adaptation and mitigation of global change,
  • soil erosion, degradation and desertification processes and the mechanisms operating at different spatial scales,
  • the effects of land use and management on the biogeochemical cycles, mainly that of organic carbon, and
  • soil protection and rehabilitation of semiarid areas.

Selected publications

Martínez-Mena, M. Garcia-Franco, N., Almagro, M., Ruiz-Navarro,A., Albaladejo, J., Melgares de Aguilar, J., Gonzalez, D., Querejeta, J.I. 2013. Decreased foliar nitrogen and crop yield in organic rainfed almond trees during transition from reduced tillage to no-tillage in a dryland farming system. European Journal of agronomy. 49, 149-157.

Garcia-Franco, N., Albaladejo J., Almagro, M., Martínez-Mena, M. 2015. Beneficial effects of reduced tillage and green manure on soil aggregation and stabilization of organic carbon in a Mediterranean agroecosystem. Soil & Tillage Research, 153, 66-75.

Almagro, M., de Vente, J., Boix-Fayós, C., García-Franco, N.,Melgares de Aguilar, J. González, D, Solé-Benet, A., Martínez-Mena, M. Sustainable land management practices as providers of several ecosystem services under rainfed Mediterranean agroecosystems. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 21, 1549-1557. 2016.

Almagro, M., Garcia-Franco, N., Martinez-Mena, M. 2017. The potential of reducing tillage frequency and incorporating plant residues as a strategy for climate change mitigation in semiarid Mediterranean agroecosystems. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 246, 210-220.

Martínez-Mena, M., Almagro, M., García-Franco, N., de Vente, J., García, E., Boix Fayos, C. 2019. Fluvial sedimentary deposits as carbon sinks: organic carbon pools and stabilization mechanisms across a Mediterranean catchment. Biogeosciences 16, 1035-1051.

Martínez-Mena, M., Carrillo-López, E., Boix-Fayos, C., Almagro, M., García Franco, N., Díaz Pereira, E., Montoya, I., de Vente, J. 2020. Long-term effectiveness of sustainable land management practices to control runoff, soil erosion, and nutrient loss and the role of rainfall intensity in Mediterranean rainfed agroecosystems. Catena, 187, 104352.

Bernardo Martin-Gorriza, José F.Maestre-Valero, María Almagro, Carolina Boix-Fayos, María Martínez-Mena. 2020. Carbon emissions and economic assessment of farm operations under different tillage practices in organic rainfed almond orchards in semiarid Mediterranean conditions. Scientia Horticulturae, 261, 108978.

Luján Soto, R., Martínez-Mena, M., Cuellar Padilla, M., de Vente, J. 2021. Restoring soil quality of woody agroecosystems in Mediterranean drylands through regenerative agriculture. Agriculture, Ecosystem and Environment 306, 107191.

Current research projects

DIVERFARMING: Crop diversification and low-input farming across Europe: from practitioners’ engagement and ecosystem services to increased revenues and value chain organization (2017-2021)

Reservas de carbono inorgánico y orgánico en sistemas perennes semiáridos; el papel de la cubierta vegetal (2020-2021)

Collaborative land-sea integration platform (COASTAL) (2018-2022)

El potencial de Depósitos sedimentarios como sumideros de Carbono: factores y mecanismos que favorecen su preservación en cuencas de Drenaje. Implicaciones para su gestión (DECADE) (2019-2022)