Fabio Blanco Murillo

@szn.it

Integrative Marine Ecology
Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn

My career began at the university of Alicante focusing on the ecological impacts of desalination plants on benthic assemblages. However, seagrasses caught my attention (and passion) and my research has focused mostly on them since then, from gene expression to long-term meadow-scale variation. My interest is to unravel the effects of human (and natural) environmental stressors on marine plants, with the aim of using this knowledge to better preserve this unique marine ecosystems.

I am currently working with Dr. Procaccini group on the effects of marine heat waves on Posidonia oceanica rhizosphere.

EDUCATION

- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Marine Sciences and Applied Biology (Universidad de Alicante, Spain) and in Interdisciplinary Environmental Sciences (Universidad de Playa Ancha, Chile) (2020-2024). Project entitled “Desalination discharge effects on seagrasses: unravelling mechanisms and novel biomonitoring tools” (Cum Laude), supervised by Prof. Jose Luis Sánchez Lizaso (UA) and Dr. Claudio A. Sáez (UPLA) and developed in collaboration with the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (thesis in .
- Specialist course in Geoinformation Analyses. University of Basque country (UPV) (2020).
- Master’s Degree in Analyses and Management of Mediterranean ecosystems (graduated with distinction), UA (2018-2019).
- Degree and Bachelor in Marine Sciences (graduated with distinction), UA (2014-2018).

RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS

Environmental Science, Aquatic Science, Plant Science

Scopus Publications

123

Scholar Citations

Scholar h-index

Scholar i10-index

Scopus Publications

Evaluating physico-chemical and biological impacts of brine discharges for a sustainable desalination development on South America's Pacific coast
Iván Sola, Constanza Santana-Anticoy, Roderick Silva-García, Gabriela Pérez-Hernández, Jeniffer Pereira-Rojas, Fabio Blanco-Murillo, María José Díaz, Claudio A. Sáez, and Fernanda Rodríguez-Rojas
Elsevier BV

The evolutive role of shoot apical meristems in the adaptation of angiosperms to life at sea and the jump to potential environmental biotechnology applications
Fabio Blanco-Murillo, Lázaro Marín-Guirao, Fernanda Rodríguez-Rojas, Iván Sola, Estela Carbonell-Garzón, José Luis Sánchez-Lizaso, and Claudio A. Sáez
Elsevier BV

The halotolerant white sea anemone Anthothoe chilensis, highly abundant in brine discharges zones, as a promising biomonitoring species for evaluating the impacts of desalination plants
Gabriela Pérez-Hernández, Daniela Morales, Jeniffer Pereira-Rojas, María José Díaz, Fabio Blanco-Murillo, Iván Sola, Consuelo Rámila, Christian González, Kerina González, José Luis Sánchez-Lizaso,et al.
Elsevier BV

Metabolic responses to desalination brine discharges in field-transplanted Posidonia oceanica: Advances for the development of specific early warning biomarkers
Fabio Blanco-Murillo, Lázaro Marín-Guirao, Iván Sola, Estela Carbonell-Garzón, Fernanda Rodríguez-Rojas, José Luis Sánchez-Lizaso, and Claudio A. Sáez
Elsevier BV

Transcriptomic profiles and diagnostic biomarkers in the Mediterranean seagrasses Posidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa reveal mechanistic insights of adaptative strategies upon desalination brine stress
Fernanda Rodríguez-Rojas, Camilo Navarrete, Consuelo Rámila, Patricio Tapia-Reyes, Paula S.M. Celis-Plá, Christian González, Jeniffer Pereira-Rojas, Fabio Blanco-Murillo, Pablo Moreno, Catalina Gutiérrez-Campos,et al.
Elsevier BV

Evaluating the extent and impact of the extreme Storm Gloria on Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows
Candela Marco-Méndez, Núria Marbà, Ángel Amores, Javier Romero, Mario Minguito-Frutos, María García, Jordi F. Pagès, Patricia Prado, Jordi Boada, José Luis Sánchez-Lizaso,et al.
Elsevier BV

Desalination brine effects beyond excess salinity: Unravelling specific stress signaling and tolerance responses in the seagrass Posidonia oceanica.
Fabio Blanco-Murillo, Lázaro Marín-Guirao, Iván Sola, Fernanda Rodríguez-Rojas, Juan M. Ruiz, José Luis Sánchez-Lizaso, and Claudio A. Sáez
Elsevier BV

An outbreak of the invasive macroalgae Rugulopteryx okamurae in Alicante Bay and its colonization on dead Posidonia oceanica matte
Marc Terradas-Fernández, Carolina Pena-Martín, Miguel Valverde-Urrea, Alicia Gran, Fabio Blanco-Murillo, Laura Leyva, Eleuterio Abellán-Gallardo, Esther Beresaluze, Andrés Izquierdo, Yoana del Pilar-Ruso,et al.
Elsevier BV

A risk assessment on Zostera chilensis, the last relict of marine angiosperms in the South-East Pacific Ocean, due to the development of the desalination industry in Chile
Fabio Blanco-Murillo, María José Díaz, Fernanda Rodríguez-Rojas, Camilo Navarrete, Paula S.M. Celis-Plá, José Luis Sánchez-Lizaso, and Claudio A. Sáez
Elsevier BV

Desalination effects on macroalgae (part A): Laboratory-controlled experiments with Dictyota spp. from the Pacific Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
Pamela T. Muñoz, Fernanda Rodríguez-Rojas, Paula S. M. Celis-Plá, Américo López-Marras, Fabio Blanco-Murillo, Iván Sola, Céline Lavergne, Fernando Valenzuela, Rodrigo Orrego, José Luis Sánchez-Lizaso,et al.
Frontiers Media SA
Desalination brines from direct seawater intake that get discharged to coastal areas may produce stress responses on benthic marine communities, mostly due to its excess salinity, and especially on sessile organisms; in this context, macroalgae have been understudied in desalination ecotoxicological investigations. In this study, we assessed the short- and long-term cellular tolerance responses in two brown species of the macroalgae genus Dictyota through controlled laboratory conditions. Dictyota kunthii was collected from the eastern Pacific Ocean (average salinity, ~34 psu), whereas Dictyota dichotoma was from the Mediterranean Sea (average salinity, ~37 psu). Each macroalgae species was exposed for up to 7 days to two conditions with increased salinity values: +2 and +7 psu above their natural average salinity. Photosynthetic parameters and oxidative stress measurements were determined. The results showed that, in both Dictyota species, high salinity values induced reduced photoinhibition (Fv/Fm) but increased the primary productivity (ETRmax) and light requirement (EkETR) especially after 7 days. Conversely, the photosynthetic efficiency (αETR) decreased in hypersalinity treatments in D. dichotoma, while there were no changes in D. kunthii. The reactive oxygen species hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was greater at high salinity values at 3 days for D. dichotoma and after 7 days in D. kunthii, while lipid peroxidation decreases under hypersalinity with time in both species. Despite the evident H2O2 accumulation in both species against hypersalinity, it did not produce oxidative damage and important impairment in the photosynthetic apparatus. These results contribute to understanding the tolerance strategies at the cellular level of Dictyota spp., which may be considered as potential candidates for biomonitoring of desalination impacts in the field.

Desalination effects on macroalgae (part b): Transplantation experiments at brine-impacted sites with Dictyota spp. from the Pacific Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
Pamela T. Muñoz, Fernanda Rodríguez-Rojas, Paula S. M. Celis-Plá, Américo López-Marras, Fabio Blanco-Murillo, Iván Sola, Céline Lavergne, Fernando Valenzuela, Rodrigo Orrego, José Luis Sánchez-Lizaso,et al.
Frontiers Media SA
Desalination residual brines are mostly discharged to marine environments, which can produce osmotic stress on sensitive benthic organisms. In this investigation, we performed transplantation experiments nearby desalination plants using two brown macroalgae species from a cosmopolitan genus: Dictyota kunthii (Chile) and Dictyota dichotoma (Spain). Parameters related to photosynthetic activity and oxidative stress were evaluated at 3 and 7 days for D. kunthii, and 3 and 6 days for D. dichotoma; each at 2 different impacted sites and 1 control. We observed that brine exposition at both impacted sites in Chile generated a marked stress response on D. kunthii, reflected in a decrease of primary productivity (ETRmax), light requirement (EkETR), and an excessive thermal dissipation (NPQmax), especially at 7 days. In D. dichotoma, similar impaired photosynthetic activity was recorded but only at the highest brine influence site during day 3. Regarding oxidative stress, both species displayed high levels of H2O2 when exposed to brine-influenced sites. Although in D. kunthii H2O2 content together with lipid peroxidation was higher after 3 days, these returned to baseline values towards day 7; instead, D. dichotoma H2O2 levels increased only at day 6. This easy and practical approach has proven to provide valuable data to address potential impacts of brine discharges at global scale coastal ecosystems.

Spatiotemporal Trends Observed in 20 Years of Posidonia oceanica Monitoring along the Alicante Coast, Spain
Fabio Blanco-Murillo, Santiago Jimenez-Gutierrez, Joaquín Martínez-Vidal, Juan Eduardo Guillén, and Jose Luis Sánchez-Lizaso
MDPI AG
Posidonia oceanica meadows, known to be valuable marine ecosystems, have been reported to be in decline as a result of human activities in recent decades. However, it is still controversial if this decline is a global phenomenon or it is caused by specific disturbances related to human development at a local scale. In order to evaluate changes in P. oceanica meadows, in this study, monitoring data obtained at 14 stations along the Mediterranean coast near Alicante, Spain, over a 20-year period were analyzed. Field data were obtained through the citizen science project POSIMED, which had the aim of carrying out annual monitoring of both shallow and deep P. oceanica meadows along the coast near Alicante and determining whether their ecological status was changing over time. The percentage cover of living P. oceanica and dead matte and shoot density data were used to assess the ecosystem status and to determine whether there had been an overall regional decline in seagrass over the 20-year period. Both cover and density data showed a significant positive trend at most locations. However, the amount of dead matte was noted to slightly increase with time while six shallow and one deep station showed a negative P. oceanica cover trend, indicating that in certain locations meadow regression might be taking place. Shoot density decreased with depth and increased with the amount of rock cover; its correlation with the dead matte percentage was unclear, which probably means that a range of different factors can result in the presence of dead plants. These results support the idea that local disturbances are the cause of seagrass decline in the Mediterranean, thus demonstrating the need for management plans that focus on local stressors of P. oceanica meadows at specific locations. Long-term, large-scale monitoring allows the ecosystem status in the western Mediterranean to be assessed; however, local disturbances can also affect specific locations.

Posidonia oceanica L. (Delile) meadows regression: Long-term affection may be induced by multiple impacts
Fabio Blanco-Murillo, Yolanda Fernández-Torquemada, Aurora Garrote-Moreno, Claudio A. Sáez, and Jose Luis Sánchez-Lizaso
Elsevier BV

Application of salinity thresholds in Spanish brine discharge regulations: Energetic and environmental implications
Rubén Navarro Barrio, Iván Sola, Fabio Blanco-Murillo, Yoana del-Pilar-Ruso, Yolanda Fernández-Torquemada, and José Luis Sánchez-Lizaso
Elsevier BV

RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS

Evaluating Physico-Chemical and Biological Impacts of Brine Discharges for a Sustainable Desalination Development on South America’s Pacific Coast
I Sola, C Santana-Anticoy, R Silva-Garca, G Prez-Hernndez, ...
Journal of Hazardous Materials, 137464 2025

The evolutive role of shoot apical meristems in the adaptation of angiosperms to life at sea and the jump to potential environmental biotechnology applications
F Blanco-Murillo, L Marn-Guirao, F Rodrguez-Rojas, I Sola, ...
Science of the Total Environment 955, 176917 2024

The halotolerant white sea anemone Anthothoe chilensis, highly abundant in brine discharges zones, as a promising biomonitoring species for evaluating the impacts of
G Prez-Hernndez, D Morales, J Pereira-Rojas, MJ Daz, ...
Desalination 581, 117612 2024

Metabolic responses to desalination brine discharges in field-transplanted Posidonia oceanica: Advances for the development of specific early warning biomarkers
F Blanco-Murillo, L Marn-Guirao, I Sola, E Carbonell-Garzn, ...
Desalination 576, 117395 2024

Evaluating the extent and impact of the extreme Storm Gloria on Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows
C Marco-Mndez, N Marb, Amores, J Romero, M Minguito-Frutos, ...
Science of The Total Environment 908, 168404 2024

Desalination discharge effects on seagrasses: unravelling mechanisms and novel biomonitoring tools
F Blanco Murillo
Universidad de Alicante 2024

Desalination brine effects beyond excess salinity: Unravelling specific stress signaling and tolerance responses in the seagrass Posidonia oceanica.
F Blanco-Murillo, L Marn-Guirao, I Sola, F Rodrguez-Rojas, JM Ruiz, ...
Chemosphere 341, 140061 2023

An outbreak of the invasive macroalgae Rugulopteryx okamurae in Alicante Bay and its colonization on dead Posidonia oceanica matte
M Terradas-Fernndez, C Pena-Martn, M Valverde-Urrea, A Gran, ...
Aquatic Botany 189, 103706 2023

An outbreak of the invasive macroalgae Rugulopteryx okamurae in Alicante Bay and its colonization on dead Posidonia oceanica matte
M Terradas, C Pena-Martn, M Valverde Urrea, A Gran Garca, ...
Elsevier 2023

A risk assessment on Zostera chilensis, the last relict of marine angiosperms in the South-East Pacific Ocean, due to the development of the desalination industry in Chile
F Blanco-Murillo, MJ Daz, F Rodrguez-Rojas, C Navarrete, ...
Science of the Total Environment 883, 163538 2023

Desalination effects on macroalgae (part b): Transplantation experiments at brine-impacted sites with Dictyota spp. from the Pacific Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
PT Muoz, F Rodrguez-Rojas, PSM Celis-Pl, A Lpez-Marras, ...
Frontiers in Marine Science 10, 1042799 2023

Desalination effects on macroalgae (part A): Laboratory-controlled experiments with Dictyota spp. from the Pacific Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
PT Muoz, F Rodrguez-Rojas, PSM Celis-Pl, A Lpez-Marras, ...
Frontiers in Marine Science 10, 1042782 2023

Posidonia oceanica L.(Delile) meadows regression: long-term affection may be induced by multiple impacts
F Blanco-Murillo, Y Fernndez-Torquemada, A Garrote-Moreno, CA Sez, ...
Marine Environmental Research 174, 105557 2022

Spatiotemporal Trends Observed in 20 Years of Posidonia oceanica Monitoring along the Alicante Coast, Spain
F Blanco-Murillo, S Jimenez-Gutierrez, J Martnez-Vidal, JE Guilln, ...
Water 14 (3), 274 2022

Application of salinity thresholds in Spanish brine discharge regulations: Energetic and environmental implications
RN Barrio, I Sola, F Blanco-Murillo, Y del-Pilar-Ruso, ...
Desalination 501, 114901 2021

Red para la Planificacin, Seguimiento, Mejora de una actividad docente interuniversitaria en el Grado de Ciencias del Mar: Prcticas UA-Vigo
Y Del-Pilar-Ruso, M Terradas, AA Ramos-Espl, F Gimenez-Casalduero, ...
Universitat d’Alacant. Institut de Cincies de l’Educaci 2020

Influence of the change of trawling otter boards on demersal species' catches
F Blanco Murillo, J Snchez Lizaso
Frontiers in Marine Science 6, 12 2019

Evolucin y estado actual de las praderas de Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile en la provincia de Alicante (Mediterrneo occidental)
F Blanco Murillo
2018

Metabolic and Transcriptomic Responses to Desalination Brines In Transplanted Posidonia Oceanica: Environmental Biotechnology Advances for Developing Specific Early Warning
F Blanco Murillo, L Marin-Guirao, I Sola, E Carbonell-Garzn, ...
Available at SSRN 4632476

MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS

Evolucin y estado actual de las praderas de Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile en la provincia de Alicante (Mediterrneo occidental)
F Blanco Murillo
2018
Citations: 2