Análise de selecção de áreas de caça por uma população de francelho (Faco naumanni) na planície de Évora

Em Portugal, apesar de haver registos históricos da reprodução desta espécie um pouco por todo o país, o francelho (Falco naumanni, Fleischer 1818) desapareceu de quase todo o território nacional estando actualmente restrito à região do Alentejo. Em 2005, 80% da população encontrava-se nas ZPE´s de Castro Verde e Vale do Guadiana (62% e 18% da população nacional, respectivamente (Catry et al. 2005). Ao longo dos últimos anos têm vindo a ser desenvolvidos trabalhos de investigação com o objectivo de conhecer as necessidades ecológicas da espécie nas diferentes colónias, de forma a tentar conciliar a prática de uma agricultura economicamente viável com a conservação de uma espécie que está dependente das práticas agrícolas tradicionais. Os conflitos entre conservação e alteração das práticas agrícolas levam a desafios na gestão deste tipo de habitats. A população de francelho da ZPE Évora, após um período de 12 anos de ausência da espécie como reprodutora na região, tem vindo a aumentar em número de casais reprodutores, desde 1995. A distribuição da espécie na ZPE de Évora, a sua evolução e os principais factores que afectam a sua reprodução foram por nós estudados no ano de 2007. Foi ainda analisada a disponibilidade de habitat de caça para o francelho na área que envolve a principal colónia de Évora de modo a poderem ser sugeridas medidas de gestão adequadas à sua conservação. Concluiu-se que a manutenção de áreas de caça e a conservação dos locais de nidificação existentes e a criação de novos locais passa inevitavelmente pela sensibilização e informação dos proprietários sobre as medidas a aplicar. O recurso a instrumentos de financiamento neste sentido será primordial; ABSTRACT: In Portugal, although there are historical records of the reproduction of this species all over the country, the lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni) disappeared from almost all the national territory being currently restricted to the Alentejo region. In 2005, 80% of the population was in Castro Verde and Vale do Guadiana SPA (62% and 18% of the national population, respectively) (Catry et al. 2005). Over the past few years have been developed research in order to meet the ecological needs of the species in the different colonies, trying to reconcile the practice of an economically viable agriculture and the conservation of a species that is dependent on traditional farming practices. The conflicts between conservation and changing farming practices lead to challenges in managing this type of habitat. The lesser kestrel population of the Évora SPA, after a 12 year absence of the species as breeding in the region, has being increasing in the number of breeding pairs, since 1995. The distribution of the species in the SPA of Évora, its evolution and the main factors affecting their reproduction were studied in 2007. It was also analyzed the availability of hunting habitat for the kestrel in the area surrounding the main colony of Évora so that appropriate management measures can be suggested to their conservation. It was concluded that maintaining hunting areas and conservation of existing nesting sites and the creation of new local inevitably passes through the awareness and information of the owners on the measures to be implemented. The use of financial instruments and the in this direction will be paramount.

Favourable areas for expansion and reintroduction of Iberian lynx accounting for distribution trends and genetic diversity of the European rabbit

Although on a local scale Iberian lynx distribution is determined by the availability of prey rabbits, recent modelling analyses have uncovered broad-scale disagreements between these two species’ distribution trends. These analyses showed also that the lynx had become restricted to only a fraction of the rabbit’s genetic diversity, and that this could be jeopardising its survival in the face of environmental hazards and uncertainty. In the present paper, a follow-up was carried out through the building of lynx and rabbit distribution models based on the most recent Spanish mammal atlas. Environmental favourability values for lynx and rabbit were positively correlated within the lynx’s current distribution area, but they were negatively correlated within the total Spanish area where lynx used to occur in the 1980’s. Environmental favourability for rabbits was significantly higher where lynx maintains reproductive populations than where it recently disappeared, indicating that rabbit favourability plays an important role and can be a good predictor of lynx persistence. The lynx and rabbit models were extrapolated to predict favourable areas for both species in Spain as well as in Portugal, on the original scale of the distribution data (10x10 km) and on a 100 times finer spatial resolution (1x1 km). The lynx and rabbit models were also combined through fuzzy logic to forecast the potential for lynx occurrence incorporating information on favourable areas for its main prey. Several areas are proposed as favourable for lynx expansion or re-introduction,

Relationship between biomarkers of cartilage in serum and degenerative joint disease in lusitanian horses

Cartilage degradation biomarkers are a potential tool for early diagnosis of degen- erative joint disease (DJD). In young horses, Coll2-1 and Coll2-1NO2 have been studied in serum and reported to be useful in the assessment of joint disease. Fib3-2 has been described to be higher in serum of humans with osteoarthritis but has not been assessed in horses. The aim of the current study was to evaluate biomarkers’ changes with age, sex, and exercise and correlate them with DJD. Blood collection and radiographic examination were performed in 51 Lusitanian horses. Moreover, inertial sensor-based detection of lameness was used to assess pain together with sub- jective examination. Females presented significantly higher concentrations of Coll2- 1 (P5.015) and Coll2-1NO2 (P5.014) compared to males. We found significant influence of high level of work in lower concentration of Coll2-1 (P5.001) and sig- nificant influence of sex in concentration of Coll2-1NO2 (P5.030). There was no influence of sex, age and work on Fib3-2. All biomarkers were increased in the DJD group (n535) compared to healthy controls (n516). This difference was significant for Coll2-1 (P5.015). When sorted by sex and age groups, significant difference in Coll2-1 between disease and healthy controls disappeared in old horses and females. Coll2-1 is a good marker of cartilage degradation in horses with DJD, being more specific in young horses and males. Fib3-2 may be further explored to help identify disease in particular cases.

Juniperus navicularis - a study of Portuguese population structure and fitness

Juniperus navicularis Gand. is a dioecious endemic conifer that constitutes the understory of seaside pine forests in Portugal, areas currently threatened by increasing urban expansion. The aim of this study is to assess the conservation status of previously known populations of this species located on its core area of distribution. The study was performed in south-west coast of Portugal. Three populations varying in size and pine density were analyzed. Number of individuals, population density, spatial distribution and individual characteristics of junipers were estimated. Female cone, seed characteristics and seed viability were also evaluated. Results suggest that J. navicularis populations are vulnerable because seminal recruitment is scarce, what may lead to a reduction of genetic variability due solely to vegetative propagation. This vulnerability seems to be strongly determined by climatic constraints toward increasing aridity. Ratio between male and female shrubs did not differ from 1:1 in any population. Deviations from 1:1 between mature and non-mature plants were found in all populations, denoting population ageing. Very low seed viability was observed. A major part of described Juniperus navicularis populations have disappeared through direct habitat loss to urban development, loss of fitness in drier and warmer locations and low seed viability. This study is the first to address J. navicularis conservation, and represents a valuable first step toward this species preservation.

Benthic nematode assemblage composition and diversity during a natural recovery process of Zostera noltii seagrass beds,

In 2008, the stable seagrass beds of the Mira estuary (SW Portugal) disappeared completely; however, during 2009, they have begun to present early symptoms of natural recovery, characterised by a strongly heterogeneous distribution. This study was designed to investigate the spatial and temporal variability patterns of species composition, densities and trophic composition of the benthic nematode assemblages in this early recovery process, at two sampling sites with three stations each and at five sampling occasions. Because of the erratic and highly patchy seagrass recovery and the high environmental similarity of the two sampling sites, we expected within-site variability in nematode assemblages to exceed between-site variability. However, contrary to that expectation, whilst nematode genus composition was broadly similar between sites, nematode densities differed significantly between sites, and this between-site variability exceeded within-site variability. This may be linked to differences in the Zostera recovery patterns between both sites. In addition, no clear temporal patterns of nematode density, trophic composition and diversity were evident.

Assessment of environment, land management, and spatial variables on recent changes in montado land cover in southern Portugal

Montado decline has been reported since the end of the nineteenth century in southern Portugal and increased markedly during the 1980s. Consensual reports in the literature suggest that this decline is due to a number of factors, such as environmental constraints, forest diseases, inappropriate management, and socioeconomic issues. An assessment on the pattern of montado distribution was conducted to reveal how the extent of land management, environmental variables, and spatial factors contributed to montado area loss in southern Portugal from 1990 to 2006. A total of 14 independent variables, presumably related to montado loss, were grouped into three sets: environmental variables, land management variables, and spatial variables. From 1990 to 2006, approximately 90,054 ha disappeared in the montado area, with an estimated annual regression rate of 0.14 % year-1. Variation partitioning showed that the land management model accounted for the highest percentage of explained variance (51.8 %), followed by spatial factors (44.6 %) and environmental factors (35.5 %). These results indicate that most variance in the large-scale distribution of recent montado loss is due to land management, either alone or in combination with environmental and spatial factors. The full GAM model showed that different livestock grazing is one of the most important variables affecting montado loss. This suggests that optimum carrying capacity should decrease to 0.18–0.60 LU ha-1 for livestock grazing in montado under current ecological conditions in southern Portugal.

Relationship between biomarkers of cartilage in serum and degenerative joint disease in Lusitano horses

Introduction: Cartilage degradation biomarkers are a potential tool for early diagnosis of degenerative joint disease (DJD). In young horses, Coll2-1 and Coll2-1NO2 have been studied in serum and reported to be useful in the assessment of joint disease. Fib3-2 has been described to be higher in serum of humans with osteoarthritis but was never assessed in horses. The aim of the current study was to evaluate biomarkers’ changes with age, sex and exercise and correlate them with DJD. Material and Methods: Blood collection and radiographic examination were performed in 51 Lusitanian horses. Moreover, inertial sensor-based detection of lameness was used to assess pain together with subjective examination. Results: Females presented significantly higher concentrations of Coll2-1 (p = 0.015) and Coll2-1NO2 (p = 0.014) compared to males. We have found significant influence of high level of work in lower concentration of Coll2-1 (p = 0.001) and significant influence of sex in concentration of Coll2-1NO2 (p = 0.030). There was no influence of sex, age and work on Fib3-2. All biomarkers were increased in the DJD group (n= 35) compared to healthy controls (n = 16). This difference was significant for Coll2-1 (p = 0.015). When sorted by sex and age groups, significant difference in Coll2-1 between disease and healthy controls disappeared in old horses and females. Discussion/ Conclusion: Coll2-1 is a good marker of cartilage degradation in horses with DJD, being more specific in young horses and males. Fib3-2 may be further explored to help identify disease in particular cases.

City & Spectacle: A Vision of Lisbon Before the 1755 Great Earthquake

City & Spectacle: a vision of pre-earthquake Lisbon consists of a virtual recrea on of the city of Lis- bon on the eve of the great earthquake of 1 November 1755, giving shape to a laboratory model for research into the city’s history. As its star ng point the project has the virtual recrea on of one the most emblema c of spaces from 18th century Lisbon, the Royal Opera House, which disappeared during the 1755 earthquake. The recrea on of the Opera House was developed in the scope of the commemora- ons of the 250th anniversary of the 1755 catastrophe as an a empt to restore this space of the highest ar s c quality to memory and to return it to the inventory of the Portuguese heritage of architectural history.1 Using Second Life® technology it was possible to put forward a model of both the struc- ture and interiors of the Opera House as well as its anima on combined with a small piece of the opera presented at the inaugura on of the building in April 1755. The public presenta on of this virtual model at the conference 1755: Catástrofe, memória e arte (1755: catastrophe, memory and art), which took place at the Centro de Estudos Compara- stas, Universidade de Lisboa, led to a debate on the study and cri cal analysis of documentary sources and their selec on and applica on on recrea ons using virtual world technology. It also emphasized the need to extend the research on pre-earthquake Lisbon.