SENIOR LECTURER
GEOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SALAMANCA UNIVERSITY
Research
I completed my doctoral thesis at USAL on reconstructing the past Mediterranean climate using micropaleontological approaches. During my postdoctoral research at ETH Zurich, I developed a strong background in biogeochemistry, specializing in the study of the carbon cycle, its reservoirs and fluxes, using organic carbon and radiocarbon (Carbon-14) as tools to answer essential questions related to change climate and the global carbon cycle.
The greatest relevance and contribution of my scientific production lies in addressing multidisciplinary research questions on different time scales by merging observational, analytical, and modeling approaches. Much of my research focuses on evaluating the origin and fate of organic matter in the continent-ocean continuum. To do this, I use the radiocarbon (14C) technique in different materials as well as in molecular compounds (CSRA-Compound Specific Radiocarbon Analyzes) and I place special emphasis on the development and application of innovative analytical techniques.
With my current major project, PASSAGE, I am particularly interested in 1) understanding the influence of different organic matter transport processes in the continent-ocean continuum to better evaluate the spatiotemporal integrity of derived climate records and its corresponding climatic interpretation, and 2) elucidating the influence of hydrodynamic processes (e.g. lateral transport by deep currents) on the preservation and fidelity of climatic signals in marine sediments. I then use this information and new knowledge to re-evaluate the accuracy and reliability of the paleoclimatic information.
I am the Head of the Biogeoscience Laboratory (BIG- https://passage.usal.es/index.php/big-biogeoscience-laboratory/) focused on the study of terrestrial and marine biomarkers, used in Earth and Marine Sciences to inform on climate change and environmental conditions.
Current Projects (Principal investigator)
PASSAGE: Provenance and transport pathways of marine proxy-bearing particles, funded by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No. 101039348).
PALEOIGLOO: PALEOtemperatura y CO2 a escala Glacial-InterglaciaL durante el OligocenO
Past Projects (Principal investigator)
TRAMPOLINE: Temporal Relationships AMong PrOxy signaLs In mariNe sEdiments (TRAMPOLINE)
Rosetta Stone: Deciphering the Paleoclimate Rosetta Stone Particle-by-Particle
Publications
Alonso, B., Ercilla, G., Juan, C., López-González, N., Cacho, I., Francés, G., Palomino, D., Bárcenas, P., Yenes, M., Nespereira, J., Ausín, B., Mata, P., & Casas, D. Contourite stratigraphic models linked to the light intermediate versus dense deep Mediterranean water flow regime variations (Alboran Sea, SW Mediterranean). Marine Geology, 465, 107147, 2023.
Ausín, B., Bossert, G., Krake, N., Paradis, S., Haghipour, N., Durrieu de Madron, X., Alonso, B., & Eglinton, T. Sources and Fate of Sedimentary Organic Matter in the Western Mediterranean Sea. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 37, 2023.
Lattaud, J., Eglinton, T. I., Tallon, M., Bröder, L., Erdem, Z., & Ausín, B. Grain size controls on long-chain diol distributions and proxy signals in marine sediments. Frontiers in Marine Science, 9, 2022. C:3
Ausín, B., Bruni, E., Haghipour, Eglinton, T.I.: The influence of lateral transport on sedimentary alkenone paleoproxy signals, Biogeosciences, 19, 613–627, 2022.
Cutmore, A., Ausín B., et al. Abrupt intrinsic and extrinsic responses of Southwestern Iberian vegetation to millennial-scale variability over the past 28 ka. Journal of Quaternary Science, 2021.
Ausín, B., Sarnthein, M., and Haghipour, N.: Glacial-to-deglacial reservoir and ventilation ages at the southwest Iberian continental margin, Quaternary Science Reviews, 255, 106818, 2021.
, , , , , Ausín, B, et al. (2021). Control mechanisms of Primary Productivity revealed by calcareous nannoplankton from Marine Isotope Stages 12 to 9 at the Shackleton Site (IODP Site U1385). Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology, 36, e2021PA004246
Ausín, B., Bruni, E., Haghipour, N., Welte, C., Bernasconi, S.M., Eglinton, T.I.: Controls on the abundance, provenance and age of organic carbon buried in continental margin sediments, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 558, 116759, 2021.
Sarnthein, M., Küssner, K., Grootes, P. M., Ausín, B., Eglinton, T., Muglia, J., Muscheler, R., Schlolaut, G. (2020), Plateaus and jumps in the atmospheric radiocarbon record – Potential origin and value as global age markers for glacial-to-deglacial paleoceanography, a synthesis, Climate of the Past, 16, 1-25, 2020.
Sierro, F.J., Hodell, D.A., Andersen, N., Azibeiro, L.A., Jimenez‐Espejo, F.J., Bahr, A., Flores, J.A., Ausin, B., Rogerson, M., Lozano‐Luz, R., Lebreiro, S. and Hernandez‐Molina, F.J. (2020), Mediterranean Overflow over the last 250 ky. Freshwater forcing from the tropics to the ice sheets. Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology. Accepted Author Manuscript. doi:10.1029/2020PA003931
Thomas, D.J., Röhl, U., Childress, L.B., and the Expedition 378 Scientists. Expedition 378 Preliminary Report: South Pacific Paleogene Climate. International Ocean Discovery Program. https://doi.org/14379/iodp.pr.378.2020, 2020
Luz, L.G., Santos, T.P., Eglinton, T.I., Montluçon, D., Ausín, B., Haghipour, N., Sousa, S.M., Nagai, R., Carreira, R.S. Contrasting late-glacial paleoceanographic evolution between the upper and lower continental slope of the western South Atlantic. Climate of the Past 16, 1245-1261, 2020.
Ausín, B., Hodell, D.A., Cutmore, A., Eglinton, T.I. The impact of abrupt deglacial climate variability on productivity and upwelling on the southwestern Iberian margin. Quaternary Science Reviews 230, 106139, 2020.
Guitián J, Phelps, S., Polissar, P.J., Ausín, B., Eglinton, T.I., Stoll, H.M. Midlatitude Temperature Variations in the Oligocene to Early Miocene. Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology 34, 1328-1343, 2019.
Ausín, B., Magill, C., Haghipour, N., Fernández, Á., Wacker, L., Hodell, D., Baumann, K.-H., Eglinton, T.I.. (In)coherent multiproxy signals in marine sediments: Implications for high-resolution paleoclimate reconstruction. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 515, 38-46, 2019.
Ausín, B., Haghipour, N., Wacker, L., Voelker, A.H.L., Hodell, D., Magill, C., Looser, N., Bernasconi, S.M., Eglinton, T.I.: Radiocarbon age offsets between two surface dwelling planktonic foraminifera species during abrupt climate events in the SW Iberian margin, Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology, 34, 63-78, 2019.
Luz, L.G., Ausín, B., Haghipour, N., Eglinton, Carreira, R.S. Alkenones Isolation from Lipid Fraction of Marine Sediments in the Southeastern Continental Brazilian Slope. Revista Virtual de Química, 11, 364-377, 2020.
Hernández-Almeida, I., Ausín, B., Saavedra-Pellitero, M., Baumann, K.H., Stoll, H.M.: Quantitative reconstruction of primary productivity in low latitudes during the last glacial maximum and the mid-to-late Holocene from a global Florisphaera profunda calibration dataset, Quaternary Science Reviews, 205, 166-181, 2019.
Haghipour, N., Ausín, B., Usman, M.O., Ishikawa, N., Wacker, L., Welte, C., Ueda, K., Eglinton, T.I.: Compound-Specific Radiocarbon Analysis by Elemental Analyzer–Accelerator Mass Spectrometry: Precision and Limitations, Analytical Chemistry, 91, 2042-2049, 2019.
Hernández-Almeida, I., Ausín, B., Saavedra-Pellitero, M., Baumann, K.H., Stoll, H.M.: A dataset of modern and fossil distribution of coccolithophore species Florisphaera profunda in the world׳s ocean, Data in Brief, 22, 826-829, 2019.
Magill, C.R., Ausín, B., Wenk, P., McIntyre, C., Skinner, L., Martínez-García, A., Hodell, D.A., Haug, G.H., Kenney, W., Eglinton, T.I.: Transient hydrodynamic effects influence organic carbon signatures in marine sediments, Nature Communications, 9, 4690, 2018
Ausín B, Zúñiga D, Flores JA, Cavaleiro C, Froján M, Villacieros-Robineau N, Alonso Pérez F, Arbones B, Santos C, de la Granda F, Castro CG, Abrantes F, Eglinton TI, Salgueiro E.: Spatial and temporal variability in coccolithophore abundance and distribution in the NW Iberian coastal upwelling system, Biogeosciences, 15, 245-262, 2018
Balestra B., Grunert P., Ausín B., Hodell D., Flores J.A., Alvarez-Zarikian C.A., Hernandez-Molina F.J., Stow D., Piller W.E., Paytan A. Coccolithophore and benthic foraminifera distribution patterns in the Gulf of Cadiz and Western Iberian Margin during Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 339, Journal of Marine Systems, 170, 50-67, 2017.
Ausín B, Hernández-Almeida I, Flores JA, Sierro FJ, Grosjean M, Francés G, Alonso B.: Development of coccolithophore-based transfer function in the Western Mediterranean Sea: a sea surface salinity reconstruction for the last 15.5 kyr. Climate of the Past, 11, 1635-1651, 2015
Ausín B, Flores JA, Sierro FJ, Cacho I, Hernández-Alemida I, Martrat B, Grimalt JO.: Atmospheric patterns driving Holocene productivity in the Alboran Sea (Western Mediterranean): A multiproxy approach. The Holocene, 25, 583-595, 2015.
Ausín B, Flores JA, Bácena MA, Sierro FJ, Cacho I, Hernández-Alemida I, Gutierrez-Arnillas E, Francés G, Martrat B, Grimalt JO.: Coccolithophore productivity and surface water dynamics in the Alboran Sea during the last 25 kyr. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 418, 126-140, 2015.
Fernández Castro B, Anderson L, Marañón E, Neuer S, Ausín B, González Dávila M, Santana Casiado JM, Cianca A, Santana R, Llinás O, Rueda MJ, Mouriño Carballido B.: Regional differences in modelled net production and shallow remineralization in the North Atlantic subtropical Gyre. Biogeosciences, 24, 2831-2846, 2012.
