My research career is centred on the study of ecology and management of freshwater ecosystems. My main interests are in improving our knowledge on how perturbations affect freshwater biodiversity, identify the key factors behind its decline and proposing cost-effective ways for addressing its conservation through novel approaches.

Over the last 10 years I have worked on making the implementation of systematic approaches to conservation planning in freshwater ecosystems easier and more accessible. I have focused on demonstrating new ways of addressing the especial needs of freshwater ecosystems (e.g., ecosystem processes) and led the development of novel approaches to enhancing the capacity of systematic conservation planning to identify priority areas that protect freshwater biodiversity.

I am currently a Ramon y Cajal Research Fellow at the CTFC, where I am working on implementing systematic methods for informing decision making in environmental problems such as the prioritisation of monitoring of threatened species, monitoring for early detection of invasive species or the investment of limited conservation efforts. I am also interested in integrating ecosystem services in landscape planning as a way to identify new conservation opportunities through co-benefits that arise from the need to maintain some of these services (carbon retention or water purification).

I completed my PhD at the University of Huelva in 2008 on the development a fish-based index to evaluate the ecological status of Mediterranean rivers and help implement the European Water Framework Directive in these systems. I then moved to Australia where I spent 6 years (2009-2014) on two postdoctoral positions at the University of Queensland and the Australian Rivers Institute (Griffith University).

I have published 57 manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals of high impact factor (Nature, Global Change Biology, Conservation Letters or Journal of Applied Ecology among others). I have also written 6 book chapters and participated in 42 presentations to conferences. I collaborate with NGOs and societies trying to implement conservation on the ground. I have been involved in the process of identifying freshwater protected areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bhutan or India with WWF and Canada with WCS.

Hermoso, V. (2017). Freshwater ecosystems could become the biggest losers of the Paris Agreement. Global Change Biology (in press). DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13655

Hermoso, V., Januchowski-Hartley, S.R., Linke, S., Dudgeon, D., Pètry, P., McIntyre, P. (2017). Optimal allocation of Red List assessments to guide conservation of biodiversity in a rapidly changing world. Global Change Biology (in press). DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13651.

Hermoso, V., Clavero, M., Villero, D, Brotons, Ll. (2017). EU's conservation efforts need more strategic investment to meet continental commitments. Conservation Letters, 10: 231-237.

Hermoso, V., Abell, R., Linke, S., Boon, P. (2016). The role of Protected Areas for freshwater biodiversity conservation: challenges and opportunities in a rapidly changing world. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 26: 3-11.

Hermoso, V., Clavero, M., Villero, D, Brotons, Ll. (2015). Continental targets for EU conservation. Nature, 528: 193.

Hermoso, V., Pantus, F., Olley, J., Linke, S., Mugodo, J., Patrick Lea, P. (2015). Prioritising catchment rehabilitation for multi objective management: An application from SE-Queensland, Australia. Ecological Modelling, 316: 168-175.

Hermoso, V., Cattarino, L., Kennard, M.J. & Linke, S. (2015). Catchment zoning for freshwater conservation: refining plans to enhance action on the ground. Journal of Applied Ecology, 52: 940-949.

Hermoso, V., Filipe, A.F., Segurado, P., Beja, P. (2015). Filling gaps in a large reserve network to address freshwater conservation needs. Journal of Environmental Management, 161: 358-365.