The effect of conservation measures on the spatial and temporal variation of rocky fish assemblages in the Arrábida Marine Park

Marine protected areas (MPAs) have been widely proposed for conservation purposes and as a tool for fisheries management. The Arrábida Marine Park is the first MPA in continental Portugal having a management plan, fully implemented since 2009. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of protection measures on rocky reef fish assemblages and target invertebrates through before-after and control-effect (no-take vs. fished areas) underwater visual surveys and analysis of landings trends. Second, we used surveys before, during and after implementation of the management plan to understand fishers‟ preferences for fishing grounds and adaptation to the new rules, and evaluated the reserve effect through analysis of both ecological responses and fishing effort density. Third, we identified the main oceanographic drivers influencing the structure of reef fish assemblages and predicted the community structure for the last 50 years, in light of climatic change. Overall results suggest positive responses in biomass but not yet in numbers of some commercial species, with no effects on non-target species. The reserve effect is reinforced by the increase in landings of commercial species, despite increased fishing effort density in some areas, especially with octopus traps. Fishing grounds are mainly chosen based on the distribution of target species and associated habitats, but distance to port, weather conditions and safety also influence fishers‟ choices. Moreover, different fisheries respond differently to the protection measures, and within each fishery, individual fishers show distinct strategies, with some operating in a broader area whereas others keep preferred territories. Our results also show that wind stress and temperature are the main oceanographic drivers for rocky reef fish assemblages, with tropicalization of assemblages and polewards movements of species over the last 50 years consistent with temperature trends. We believe this study provides significant lessons for marine conservation and management of coastal systems.

'Reserve effect' within a temperate marine protected area in the north-eastern Atlantic (Arrabida Marine Park, Portugal)

Benefits of marine protected areas depend on local ecological and socio-cultural aspects which are critical to the success of the protection measures. In particular, before-after comparisons are indispensable to disentangle the effects of protection from those of different physical and ecological characteristics among areas. Using underwater visual surveys, we assessed whether biomass and abundance of temperate reef fish assemblages and target invertebrates increased inside a no-take area in the Arrabida Marine Park (Portugal) 3 to 4 yr after its establishment. Data were compared to a previous study, conducted 10 yr before protection was effective. Control-effect comparisons after reserve establishment showed a positive response of legal-size demersal fish and below legal-size target invertebrates. The first evidence of protection was found in biomass but not in numbers. Non-target groups and below legal-size demersal fish had a significant interaction among reserve and habitat complexity indices for either density or biomass, suggesting a lack of a reserve effect. Before-after comparisons revealed non-significant patterns of increase in numbers of target species compared to non-target ones. The most important commercial species showed the largest increase in density after protection was established. Significantly higher abundances and proportionally heavier individuals of these species were also found inside the reserve in the control-effect comparisons. These findings are reinforced by an increasing trend in landings which are consistent with the early detection of a reserve effect.

On-line diagnostics of transformer winding insulation failures, by Park`s vector approach

This paper presents a non-invasive approach for diagnosing winding insulation failures in three-phase transformers, which is based on the on-line monitoring of the primary and secondary current Park's Vector. Experimental and simulated results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed technique, for detecting winding inter-turn insulation faults in operating three-phase transformers.

Coupling anchovy eggs and hydrodynamic model as an assessement tool for estuarine ecohydrological management

Nitrate and urban waste water directives have raised the need for a better understanding of coastal systems in European Union. The incorrect application of these directives can lead to important ecological or social penalties. In the paper this problem is addressed to Ria Formosa Coastal Lagoon. Ria Formosa hosts a Natural Park, important ports of the southern Portuguese coast and significant bivalve aquaculture activity. Four major urban waste water treatment plants discharging in the lagoon are considered in this study. Its treatment level must be selected, based on detailed information from a monitoring program and on a good knowledge of the processes determining the fate of the material discharged in the lagoon. In this paper the results of a monitoring program and simulations using a coupled hydrodynamic and water quality / ecological model, MOHID, are used to characterise the system and to understand the processes in Ria Formosa. It is shown that the water residence time in most of the lagoon is quite low, of the order of days, but it can be larger in the upper parts of the channels where land generated water is discharged. The main supply of nutrients to the lagoon comes from the open sea rather than from the urban discharges. For this reason the characteristics and behaviour of the general lagoon contrasts with the behaviour of the upper reaches of the channels where the influence of the waste water treatment plants are high. In this system the bottom mineralization was found to be an important mechanism, and the inclusion of that process in the model was essential to obtain good results.

Incipient turn-to-turn winding fault diagnosis of power transformers by the on-load exciting current Extended Park`s Vector Approach

This paper presents the application of the on-load exciting current Extended Park's Vector Approach for diagnosing incipient turn-to-turn winding faults in operating power transformers. Experimental and simulated test results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed technique, which is based on the spectral analysis of the AC component of the on-load exciting current Park's Vector modulus.

Transformers on-load exciting current Park`s vector approach as a tool for winding faults diagnostics

This paper presents the development of a new approach for diagnosing the occurrence of inter-turn short-circuits in the windings of three-phase transformers, which is based on the on-line monitoring of the on-load exciting current Park's Vector patterns. Experimental and simulated results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed technique for detecting winding inter-turn insulation faults in operating three-phase transformers.

Diagnóstico de avarias em transformadores trifásicos em serviço através da análise do Vector de Park das correntes de excitação em carga

Devido ao seu custo e importância estratégica, os transformadores de potência constituem um componente vital dos sistemas de produção, transmissão e distribuição de energia eléctrica. A sua fiabilidade constitui assim um factor crucial no funcionamento dos sistemas eléctricos de energia. Não admira, pois, que sobre estes equipamentos recaiam grandes preocupações relativamente à sua manutenção e, consequentemente, ao desenvolvimento de métodos capazes de fornecerem um diagnóstico completo e fiável do seu estado de funcionamento. Para o efeito, torna-se porém indispensável possuir um conhecimento detalhado acerca das avarias susceptíveis de ocorrerem nos transformadores, bem como dos mecanismos específicos que lhe estão subjacentes.

Detection of trasformer intermittent winding faults by the on-load exciting current Park`s vector approach

This paper presents the application of the on-load exciting current Park's Vector Approach for diagnosing permanent and intermittent turn-to-turn winding faults in operating power transformers. First, an experimental investigation of the behaviour of the transformer under the occurrence of both permanent and intermittent winding faults is presented. Finally, experimental test results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed diagnostic technique, which is based on the on-line monitoring of the on-load exciting current Park's Vector patterns.

Composition, temporal and spatial patterns of very-nearshore larval fish assemblages at the Arrábida marine park

Tese dout., Ciências do Mar, Universidade do Algarve, 2006

Repply to: Brito, A.C., Brotas, V., Caetano, M., Coutinho, T.P., Bordalo, A.A., Icely, J., Neto, J.M., Serôdio, J., Moita, T. (2012) "Defining phytoplankton class boundaries in Portuguese transitional waters: an evaluation of the ecological quality status according to the Water Framework Directive" [Ecological Indicators 19, 5-14]

We write to comment on the recently published paper “Defining phytoplankton class boundaries in Portuguese transitional waters: an evaluation of the ecological quality status according to the Water Framework Directive” (Brito et al., 2012). This paper presents an integrated methodology to analyse the ecological quality status of several Portuguese transitional waters, using phytoplanktonrelated metrics. One of the systems analysed, the Guadiana estuary in southern Portugal, is considered the most problematic estuary, with its upstream water bodies classified as Poor in terms of ecological status. We strongly disagree with this conclusion and we would like to raise awareness to some methodological constraints that, in our opinion, are the basis of such deceptive conclusions and should therefore not be neglected when using phytoplankton to assess the ecological status of natural waters.

Ecological tools for the management of cyanobacteria blooms in the Guadiana River watershed, Southwest Iberia

Strong water demand for irrigation, energy and drinking water production is responsible for an increasingly regulation of freshwater flow patterns and watersheds. In this context, the construction of dams allows water storage but seriously restricts freshwater flow downstream. Due to scarcity of freshwater resources, reservoir water management often promotes high hydraulic residence. This may cause strong impacts on biological components of aquatic ecosystems, influencing the development of cyanobacteria blooms and aggravating their harmful impacts.

Assessment of reserve effect in a marine protected area: the case study of the Professor Luiz Saldanha Marine Park (Portugal)

Dissertação de mest., Biologia Marinha (Ecologia e Conservação Marinhas), Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Univ. do Algarve, 2011

Ecological genetics in the North Atlantic: environmental gradients and adaptation at specific loci

The North Atlantic intertidal community provides a rich set of organismal and environmental material for the study of ecological genetics. Clearly defined environmental gradients exist at multiple spatial scales: there are broad latitudinal trends in temperature, meso-scale changes in salinity along estuaries, and smaller scale gradients in desiccation and temperature spanning the intertidal range. The geology and geography of the American and European coasts provide natural replication of these gradients, allowing for population genetic analyses of parallel adaptation to environmental stress and heterogeneity. Statistical methods have been developed that provide genomic neutrality tests of population differentiation and aid in the process of candidate gene identification. In this paper, we review studies of marine organisms that illustrate associations between an environmental gradient and specific genetic markers. Such highly differentiated markers become candidate genes for adaptation to the environmental factors in question, but the functional significance of genetic variants must be comprehensively evaluated. We present a set of predictions about locus-specific selection across latitudinal, estuarine, and intertidal gradients that are likely to exist in the North Atlantic. We further present new data and analyses that support and contradict these simple selection models. Some taxa show pronounced clinal variation at certain loci against a background of mild clinal variation at many loci. These cases illustrate the procedures necessary for distinguishing selection driven by internal genomic vs. external environmental factors. We suggest that the North Atlantic intertidal community provides a model system for identifying genes that matter in ecology due to the clarity of the environmental stresses and an extensive experimental literature on ecological function. While these organisms are typically poor genetic and genomic models, advances in comparative genomics have provided access to molecular tools that can now be applied to taxa with well-defined ecologies. As many of the organisms we discuss have tight physiological limits driven by climatic factors, this synthesis of molecular population genetics with marine ecology could provide a sensitive means of assessing evolutionary responses to climate change.

Ecological niche modeling, cytogenetics and phylogeography of the genera Geomalacus and Letourneuxia (Gastropoda, Pulmonata) from the Iberian-Moroccan region

First described more that 150 years ago, the systematics of the genera Geomalacus and Letourneuxia (Arionidae, Gastropoda, Pulmonata) is still challenging. The taxonomic classification of arionid species is based on extremely labile characters such as body size or color that depends both on diet and environment, as well as age. Moreover, there is little information on the genetic diversity and population structure of the Iberian slugs that could provide extra clues to disentangle their problematic classification. The present work uses different analytical tools such as habitat suitability (Ecological Niche Modeling - ENM), cytogenetic analysis and phylogeography to establish the geographical distribution and evolutionary history of these pulmonate slugs. The potential distribution of the four Geomalacus species was modeled using ENM, which allowed the identification of new locations for G. malagensis, including a first report in Portugal. Also, it was predicted a much wider distribution for G. malagensis and G. oliveirae than previously known. Classical cytogenetic analyses were assayed with reproductive and a novel use of somatic tissues (mouth and tentacles) returning the number of chromosomes for the four Geomalacus species and L. numidica (n = 31, 2n = 62) and the respective karyotypes. G. malagensis and L. numidica present similar chromosome morphologies and karyotypic formulae, being more similar to each other than the Geomalacus among themselves. We further reconstructed the phylogeny of the genera Geomalacus and Letourneuxia using partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and the nuclear ribosomal small subunit (18S rRNA), and applied an independent evolutionary rate method, the indicator vectors correlation, to evaluate the existence of cryptic diversity within species. The five nominal species of Geomalacus and Letourneuxia comprise 14 well-supported cryptic lineages. Letourneuxia numidica was retrieved as a sister group of G. malagensis. G. oliveirae is paraphyletic with respect to G. anguiformis. According to our dating estimates, the most recent common ancestor of Geomalacus dates back to the Middle Miocene (end of the Serravallian stage). The major lineage splitting events within Geomalacus occurred during the dry periods of the Zanclean stage (5.3-3.6 million years) and some lineages were confined to more humid mountain areas of the Iberian Peninsula, which lead to a highly geographically structured mitochondrial genetic diversity. The major findings of this are the following: (1) provides updated species distribution maps for the Iberian Geomalacus expanding the known geographic distribution of the concerned species, (2) unravels the cryptic diversity within the genera Geomalacus and Letourneuxia, (3) Geomalacus oliveirae is paraphyletic with G. anguiformis and (4) Letourneuxia numidica is sister group of G. malagensis.

Birdwatcher profile in the Ria Formosa Natural Park

Dissertação de mestrado, Economia do Turismo e Desenvolvimento Regional, Faculdade de Economia, Universidade do Algarve, 2015