Валенсуэла Алехандро

Dr. Alejandro Valenzuela is a zooarchaeologist specialized in the study of long-term human–animal interactions in island ecosystems. His research integrates zooarchaeological analysis with biomolecular and quantitative approaches, including ancient DNA, geometric morphometrics, and radiocarbon modelling, to investigate processes such as species introductions, extinctions, and livestock management in past societies.

His work focuses primarily on the Western Mediterranean, particularly the Balearic Islands, where he explores how cultural and ecological dynamics shaped insular biodiversity through time. His research has contributed to refining the chronology of key historical and prehistoric processes, including the extinction of endemic species, the introduction and translocation of domestic animals, and the transformation of island ecosystems during major cultural transitions such as the Iron Age and the Roman period.

Dr. Valenzuela obtained his PhD in Archaeology from the University of Barcelona in 2015 and currently holds a Ramón y Cajal research position at the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB). He has previously held competitive fellowships including a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (Paris). His work bridges archaeology, ecology, and evolutionary biology, contributing to a deeper understanding of long-term socio-ecological dynamics and their relevance for biodiversity conservation.