Leonardo Mena-Rivera

Leonardo Mena-Rivera is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Oxford, specializing in biogeochemistry of freshwater ecosystems. His current research under the ERC consolidator grant project River emissions of greenhouse gases from warming landscapes (RIV-ESCAPE) investigates greenhouse gas fluxes from Arctic river catchments, with emphasis on organic matter reactivity using advanced analytical techniques.

Research Focus: His work integrates mass spectrometry, stable isotope probing, and sequencing to explore:

• Carbon and nitrogen cycling dynamics in aquatic systems
• Impacts of climate warming on Arctic biogeochemistry
• Groundwater-surface water interactions in volcanic lakes
• Water resource sustainability in tropical and polar regions

Publication Trends: Recent articles (2019-2025) demonstrate strong emphasis on:

• Arctic greenhouse gas emissions under climate change
• Innovative tracer methods for hydrological processes
• Organic matter characterization in freshwater ecosystems
• Water quality assessments in Costa Rican and Arctic environments

His interdisciplinary approach bridges field observations, laboratory analytics, and environmental monitoring.

Grants & Projects: Actively funded through the ERC consolidator grant for RIV-ESCAPE, focusing on mechanistic drivers of CO₂/CH₄ emissions from warming river systems.