MARIA PAZ ONDINA NAVARRET

Maria Paz Ondina Navarret is an Associate Professor in the Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology at the University of Santiago de Compostela, affiliated with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and the Institute of Agrarian Biodiversity and Rural Development (IBADER). She is actively involved in research groups COPEMOL (Conservation of Fish and Mollusks) and ACUIGEN (Genetics for Aquaculture and Conservation).

Her research focuses on malacology, particularly the ecology, distribution, and conservation of terrestrial and freshwater mollusks in the Iberian Peninsula. Key areas include the population dynamics of endangered species like Margaritifera margaritifera, host-parasite interactions with salmonid fish, genetic structure using SNPs, and faunistic surveys of gastropod communities in Galicia. She integrates field ecology, taxonomy, and molecular tools to inform conservation strategies.

Her recent publications highlight trends in genomic conservation, morphopathological studies of glochidiosis, and large-scale assessments of freshwater mussel populations. She emphasizes the importance of genetic lineages, recruitment failure, and habitat heterogeneity in conservation planning.

• 2022: Genomic approaches to conservation using SNPs in M. margaritifera
• 2019: Histopathology of glochidiosis in Atlantic salmon
• 2016: Temperature effects on senescence in endangered molluscs
• 2013: Conservation significance of NW Iberian populations

Maria Paz Navarret completed her PhD at the University of Santiago de Compostela in 1995 with a thesis on terrestrial gastropods of A Coruña and Pontevedra. She has contributed significantly to the understanding of molluscan biodiversity in northwestern Spain, with numerous publications in journals such as Scientific Reports, Journal of Fish Diseases, Aquatic Conservation, and Iberus.