Laminaria ochroleuca Bachelot de la Pylaie canopy effect on intertidal understorey benthic assemblages in northern Portugal

Dissertação de mest., Biologia Marinha, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 2010

The fish fauna of Ampère Seamount (NE Atlantic) and the adjacent abyssal plain

An inventory of benthic and benthopelagic fishes is presented as a result of two exploratory surveys around Ampe`re Seamount, between Madeira and the Portuguese mainland, covering water depths from 60 to 4,400 m. A total of 239 fishes were collected using different types of sampling gear. Three chondrichthyan species and 31 teleosts in 21 families were identified. The collections showed a vertical zonation with little overlap, but indications for an affinity of species to certain water masses were only vague. Although most of the species present new records for Ampe`re Seamount, all of them have been known for the NE Atlantic; endemic species were not found. The comparison with fish communities at other NE Atlantic seamounts indicates that despite a high ichthyofaunal similarity, which supports the ‘‘stepping stone’’ hypothesis of species dispersal, some differences can be attributed to the local features of the seamounts.

Benthic biotope index for classifying estuarine habitats

An integration of sediment physical, chemical, biological, and toxicity data is necessary for a meaningful interpretation of the complex sediment conditions in the marine environment. Assessment of benthic community is a vital component for that interpretation, yet their evaluation is complex and requires a large expenditure of time and funds. Thus, there is a need for new tools that are less expensive and more understandable for managers. This paper presents a benthic biotope index to predict from physical and chemical variables the occurrence of macrobenthic habitats, applied to Sado Estuary, as a case of study.

Water framework directive implementation: intercalibration exercise for biological quality elements: a case study for the south coast of Portugal

This work summarises the Intercalibration Exercise (IE) required for the Common Implementation Strategy of the Water Framework Directive (WFD; 2000/60/EC) that was carried out in Portugal, and applied to a coastal region. The WFD aims to achieve good ec ological status for all waters in the European Community by 2015. The Ecological Status of a water body is determined us ing a range of Hydromorphological and Physico-Chemical Quality Elements as well Biological Quality Elements (BQE ). In coastal waters, the Biological Elements include Phytoplankton, Other Aquatic Flora and Benthic Inverteb rate Fauna. Good cooperation with the other Member States allowed the IE to proceed without a complete da ta set, and Portugal was ab le to intercalibrate and harmonise methods within the North Ea st Atlantic Geographica l Intercalibration Group for most of the BQE. The appropriate metrics and corre sponding methods were agreed under the framework of the RECITAL (Reference Conditions and Intercalibra tion) project, funded by the Port uguese Water Institu te, INAG. Some preliminary sampling was undertaken, but not su fficient to establish the Reference Conditions. The study area was a coastal lagoon in the southern part of Portugal. The focus was on the Phytoplankton Quality Element, but other BQE were also taken into account. Two sampli ng stations in Ria Formosa coastal lagoon were considered in this exercise: Ramalhete a nd Ponte. The metrics adopted by the Intercalibration Exercise groups were applied enabli ng the classification for the two sta tions of Good/High Status for the majority of the BQE parameters.

Effects of environmental conditions on planktonic abundances, benthic recruitment and growth rates of the bivalve mollusc Ruditapes decussatus in a Portuguese coastal lagoon

Controlling environmental parameters for the early stages of marine invertebrates have received little attention, particularly in field studies. This study involves measurement of abundances and growth rates of the bivalve Ruditapes decussatus Linnaeus 1758 during its planktonic larval and early benthic life stages in a coastal lagoon: Ria Formosa, Portugal. Measured abundances were compared with tidal amplitude, water temperature, salinity, wind velocity and direction, and a food availability indicator 2chlorophyll a). Data were obtained on abundance and prodissoconch length of the larvae, measured two tothreetimes perweek,and ofpost-larval stagesindividuals thathadsettled inartificial collectors over10months.Larval and juvenile cohorts were identified using size-frequency distributions and larval ages estimated by larval shell growth lines.

A fauna do Novo Mundo e o dealbar da alimentação científica na Europa

As preocupações médicas com o equilíbrio alimentar remontam à Antiguidade, mas apenas a partir do século XVII o assunto começou a ser questionado de modo mais científico e preciso. Dois médicos holandeses de renome, Luís Nunes (1553-1645) e Willem Piso (1611-1678), estudaram esta questão e legaram-nos tratados de inquestionável relevância historiográfica. Destacamos, em particular, Ichtyophagia sive de piscium esu commentarius (“Ictiofagia ou comentário sobre uma alimentação piscívora”, Antuérpia, 1616) e De Indiae utriusque re naturali et medica. Libri quatuordecim (“Sobre a Índia e sua história natural e médica”, Amesterdão, 1658). A defesa de uma dieta que inclua o consumo de peixe é transversal aos dois textos, pois ambos fundam um discurso inaugural em defesa de hábitos alimentares equilibrados numa época de profundas mudanças históricas e culturais impostas pelo contacto com as realidades do exótico Novo Mundo. Esta influência é sobretudo evidente na obra de Piso, especialmente nas suas descrições de espécies de peixes endémicas do Brasil.

Ecologic zonation model of the benthic foraminifera and thecamoebians of Guadiana river estuary and application in paleoenvironmental reconstruction

Tese de doutoramento, Ciências do Mar ( Processos de Ecossistemas Marinhos), Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 2012

Dynamics of production and mortality of Aurelia SP. in thau lagoon, northwerstern Mediterranean

Dissertação de mestrado, Biologia Marinha, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 2015