I have developed my research at the intersection of ecotoxicology and evolutionary ecology, focusing on 1) the impact of sublethal chemical concentrations in the function and structure of aquatic communities, and 2) integrating evolutionary principles to understand species interactions, eco-evolutionary population dynamics, and biodiversity responses under chemical pollution and realistic chemical mixtures, as well as enhancing the ecological realism of environmental risk assessment tools.
Ongoing Project Nature-Based Systems Mission for Aquatic Biodiversity Enhancement: Reducing Pharmaceutical Products Pollution in Urban and Rural Environments" (Biodiversa+), leading a work package evaluating how nature-based solutions mitigate the ecological risks of pharmaceutical pollutants in wastewater.
Publications 1. López-Valcárcel, M.E., del Arco, A., Araújo, C.V.M., & Parra, G. (2025). Reduced avoidance behaviour in Daphnia magna due to agrochemical-induced vulnerability. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. 2. del Arco, A., & Becks, L. (2024). Virophage infection mode determines ecological and evolutionary changes in a host-virus-virophage system. ISME. 3. del Arco, A., Fischer, M., & Becks, L. (2024). Evolution of exploitation and replication of giant viruses and virophages. Virus Evolution.
I am interested in joining a project focused on assessing the effects of contaminants on biodiversity and new ecosystems, and the ways they affect extinction rates and risk. My group and I have expertise in assessing aquatic population vulnerability under pollution stress.