Understanding and modelling hydrological and soil erosion processes in burnt forest catchments

Forest fires implications in overland flow and soil erosion have been researched for several years. Therefore, is widely known that fires enhance hydrological and geomorphological activity worldwide as also in Mediterranean areas. Soil burn severity has been widely used to describe the impacts of fire on soils, and has being recognized as a decisive factor controlling post-fire erosion rates. However, there is no unique definition of the term and the relationship between soil burn severity and post-fire hydrological and erosion response has not yet been fully established. Few studies have assessed post-fire erosion over multiple years, and the authors are aware of none which assess runoff. Small amount of studies concerning pre-fire management practices were also found. In the case of soil erosion models, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and the revised Morgan–Morgan–Finney (MMF) are well-known models, but not much information is available as regards their suitability in predicting post-fire soil erosion in forest soils. The lack of information is even more pronounced as regards post-fire rehabilitation treatments. The aim of the thesis was to perform an extensive research under the post fire hydrologic and erosive response subject. By understanding the effect of burn severity in ecosystems and its implications regarding post fire hydrological and erosive responses worldwide. Test the effect of different pre-fire land management practices (unplowed, downslope plowed and contour plowed) and time-since-fire, in the post fire hydrological and erosive response, between the two most common land uses in Portugal (pine and eucalypt). Assess the performance of two widely-known erosion models (RUSLE and Revised MMF), to predict soil erosion rates during first year following two wildfires of distinctive burn severity. Furthermore, to apply these two models considering different post-fire rehabilitation treatments in an area severely affected by fire. Improve model estimations of post-fire runoff and erosion rates in two different land uses (pine and eucalypt) using the revised MMF. To assess these improvements by comparing estimations and measurements of runoff and erosion, in two recently burned sites, as also with their post fire rehabilitation treatments. Model modifications involved: (1) focusing on intra-annual changes in parameters to incorporate seasonal differences in runoff and erosion; and (2) inclusion of soil water repellency in runoff predictions. Additionally, validate these improvements with the application of the model to other pine and eucalypt sites in Central Portugal. The review and meta-analysis showed that fire occurrence had a significant effect on the hydrological and erosive response. However, this effect was only significantly higher with increasing soil burn severity for inter-rill erosion, and not for runoff. This study furthermore highlighted the incoherencies between existing burn severity classifications, and proposed an unambiguous classification. In the case of the erosion plots with natural rainfall, land use factor affected annual runoff while land management affected both annual runoff and erosion amounts significantly. Time-since-fire had an important effect in erosion amounts among unplowed sites, while for eucalypt sites time affected both annual runoff and erosion amounts. At all studied sites runoff coefficients increase over the four years of monitoring. In the other hand, sediment concentration in the runoff, recorded a decrease during the same period. Reasons for divergence from the classic post-fire recovery model were also explored. Short fire recurrence intervals and forest management practices are viewed as the main reasons for the observed severe and continuing soil degradation. The revised MMF model presented reasonable accuracy in the predictions while the RUSLE clearly overestimated the observed erosion rates. After improvements: the revised model was able to predict first-year post-fire plot-scale runoff and erosion rates for both forest types, these predictions were improved both by the seasonal changes in the model parameters; and by considering the effect of soil water repellency on the runoff, individual seasonal predictions were considered accurate, and the inclusion of the soil water repellency in the model also improved the model at this base. The revised MMF model proved capable of providing a simple set of criteria for management decisions about runoff and erosion mitigation measures in burned areas. The erosion predictions at the validation sites attested both to the robustness of the model and of the calibration parameters, suggesting a potential wider application.

Extension of electrochemically active sites in SOFCs and SOECs

Solid oxide fuel (SOFCs) and electrolyzer (SOECs) cells have been promoted as promising technologies for the stabilization of fuel supply and usage in future green energy systems. SOFCs are devices that produce electricity by the oxidation of hydrogen or hydrocarbon fuels with high efficiency. Conversely, SOECs can offer the reverse reaction, where synthetic fuels can be generated by the input of renewable electricity. Due to this similar but inverse nature of SOFCs and SOECs, these devices have traditionally been constructed from comparable materials. Nonetheless, several limitations have hindered the entry of SOFCs and SOECs into the marketplace. One of the most debilitating is associated with chemical interreactions between cell components that can lead to poor longevities at high working temperatures and/or depleted electrochemcial performance. Normally such interreactions are countered by the introduction of thin, purely ionic conducting, buffer layers between the electrode and electrolyte interface. The objective of this thesis is to assess if possible improvements in electrode kinetics can also be obtained by modifying the transport properties of these buffer layers by the introduction of multivalent cations. The introduction of minor electronic conductivity in the surface of the electrolyte material has previously been shown to radically enhance the electrochemically active area for oxygen exchange, reducing polarization resistance losses. Hence, the current thesis aims to extend this knowledge to tailor a bi-functional buffer layer that can prevent chemical interreaction while also enhancing electrode kinetics.The thesis selects a typical scenario of an yttria stabilized zirconia electrolyte combined with a lanthanide containing oxygen electrode. Gadolinium, terbium and praseodymium doped cerium oxide materials have been investigated as potential buffer layers. The mixed ionic electronic conducting (MIEC) properties of the doped-cerium materials have been analyzed and collated. A detailed analysis is further presented of the impact of the buffer layers on the kinetics of the oxygen electrode in SOFC and SOEC devices. Special focus is made to assess for potential links between the transport properties of the buffer layer and subsequent electrode performance. The work also evaluates the electrochemical performance of different K2NiF4 structure cathodes deposited onto a peak performing Pr doped-cerium buffer layer, the influence of buffer layer thickness and the Pr content of the ceria buffer layer. It is shown that dramatic increases in electrode performance can be obtained by the introduction of MIEC buffer layers, where the best performances are shown to be offered by buffer layers of highest ambipolar conductivity. These buffer layers are also shown to continue to offer the bifunctional role to protect from unwanted chemical interactions at the electrode/electrolyte interface.

Análise do risco associado à rotura da barragem de Fernandilho. Modelação hidrodinâmica da onda de cheia

As cheias provocadas por roturas de barragens constituem eventos catastróficos que podem conduzir a perdas consideráveis de vidas humanas e de bens materiais. Para melhorar a segurança, em relação a este risco potencial, torna-se necessário avaliar a segurança da população e das estruturas, existentes ou a construir, e estimar a extensão dos danos em caso de acidente. Neste estudo, após a indicação da legislação em vigor, apresenta-se uma descrição sumária do modelo DamBreak. Descrevem-se as equações básicas que definem o modelo de formação da brecha e que caracterizam o processo de formação da cheia. Também se referem as equações de Saint-Venant, as quais caracterizam o processo de propagação da cheia. De seguida é feita uma descrição da barragem de Fernandilho, do leito do Barranco d

Uma abordagem de matabolómica no estudo comparativo do metabolismo de glucose e galactose no patogénico humano Streptococcus pneumoniae

Dissertação mest., Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade do Algarve, 2010

Estimação em pequenos domínios com modelos espaciotemporais de nível área

Tese dout., Métodos Quantitativos Aplicados à Economia e à Gestão, Universidade do Algarve, 2009

Transporte de crustáceos vivos a bordo em ambiente refrigerado

Dissertação mest., Biologia Marinha, Universidade do Algarve, 2008

Estudo morfosedimentar da península de Cacela

Tese de mest., Estudos Marinhos e Costeiros, Faculdade de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente, Univ. do Algarve, 2000

Produção de um agente de controlo biológico recorrendo a subprodutos da indústria agro-alimentar

Dissertação de mest., Biologia Molecular e Microbiana, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Univ. do Algarve, 2011

Diminuição do pico de cheia na rede de drenagem de águas pluviais através do sistema de aproveitamento de água da chuva

Dissertação de mest., Engenharia de Recursos Hídricos, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Univ. do Algarve, 2010

Estratégias de controlo da poluição das águas subterrâneas pelos nitratos de origem agrícola

Tese de dout., Ciências Agrárias, Faculdade de Engenharia de Recursos Naturais, Univ. do Algarve, 2003

Metodologia para o estudo hidráulico e sedimentológico em pontes. Aplicação à Ribeira de Oeiras, entre as localidades de Corte de Pão e Água e de Morena, concelho de Mértola

A erosão localizada nas fundações de pilares e encontros é uma das causas de rotura em pontes, podendo conduzir a perdas consideráveis de vidas humanas e bens materiais. Para avaliar este tipo de fenómenos, em estruturas existentes ou a construir e ainda estimar os danos provocados pela alteração da secção transversal do leito, é proposta uma metodologia para o estudo hidráulico e sedimentológico. Este estudo foca os níveis atingidos pela cheia, o risco de a obra ser galgada durante o seu tempo de vida útil e a erosão a que esta está sujeita junto dos pilares e encontros.

Avaliação da espectroscopia de infravermelho para determinação de características físico-químicas da carne suína

Dissertação de mest., Tecnologia de Alimentos, Instituto Superior de Engenharia, Univ. do Algarve, 2013

Screening for biological activities with application in aquaculture in halophytes from the Algarve coastline

Infectious diseases often hamper the production of aquatic organisms in aquaculture systems, causing economical losses, environmental problems and consumer safety issues. The conventional way aquaculture producers had to control pathogens was by means of synthetic antibiotics and chemicals. This procedure had consequences in the emergence of more resilient pathogens, drug contamination of seafood products and local ecosystems. To avoid the repercussions of antibiotic use, vaccination has greatly replaced human drugs in western fish farms. However there is still massive unregulated antibiotic use in third world fish farms, so less expensive therapeutic alternatives for drugs are desperately needed. An alternative way to achieve disease control in aquaculture is by using natural bioactive organic compounds with antibiotic, antioxidant and/or immunostimulant properties. Such diverse biomolecules occur in bacteria, algae, fungi, higher plants and other organisms. Fatty acids, nucleotides, monosaccharides, polysaccharides, peptides, polyphenols and terpenoids, are examples of these substances. One promising source of bioactive compounds are salt tolerant plants. Halophytes have more molecular resources and defence mechanisms, when compared with other tracheophytes, to deal with the oxidative stresses of their habitat. Many halophytes have been used as a traditional food and medical supply, especially by African and Asian cultures. This scientific work evaluated the antibiotic, antioxidant, immunostimulant and metal chelating properties of Atriplex halimus L., Arthrocnemum macrostachyum Moric., Carpobrotus edulis L., Juncus acutus L. and Plantago coronopus L., from the Algarve coast. The antibiotic properties were tested against Listonella anguillarum, Photobacterium damselae piscicida and Vibrio fischeri. The immunostimulant properties were tested with cytochrome c and Griess assays on Sparus aurata head-kidney phagocytes. J. acutus ether extract inhibited the growth of P. damselae piscicida. A. macrostachyum, A. halimus, C. edulis, Juncus acutus and P. coronopus displayed antioxidant, copper chelating and iron chelating properties. These plants show potential as sources of bioactive compounds with application in aquaculture and in other fields.

Testes com novos fármacos no tratamento do parasita de peixes Amyloodinium ocellatum

O Amyloodinium ocellatum é um parasita dinoflagelado que aparece em aquaculturas por todo o mundo, infectando as brânquias e o tegumento dos peixes. Esta parasita é particularmente relevante na aquacultura mediterrânica onde os surtos causam perdas consideráveis. Apesar de já terem sido experimentados vários tratamentos, nenhum deles se revelou efectivo na erradicação do parasita e ainda alguns dos químicos utilizados podem ter importantes efeitos nocivos sobre o ambiente. Deste modo, o objectivo deste estudo foi testar novos fármacos para impedir o desenvolvimento e/ou eliminar o parasita em peixes já infectados. Os fármacos utilizados neste estudo foram endoperóxidos, uma recente classe de antimaláricos. Na primeira parte deste estudo realizaram-se ensaios in vitro onde se testaram os efeitos de diferentes concentrações (0,1mM; 1 mM; 2mM e 2,5mM) dos fármacos NAD17, NAD19, LCD93 e LCD67A sobre a divisão dos tomontes. Às 24 e 48 horas de exposição a 0,1mM NAD19 e 1mM LCD93, os tomontes observados não tinham entrado em divisão. Na segunda parte realizou-se um ensaio in vivo no qual os fármacos foram administrados a juvenis de dourada (Sparus aurata) a uma concentração de 10μmol/kg através de tratamento oral. No ensaio in vivo avaliou-se o possível efeito profiláctico dos fármacos na infecção através da análise da abundância e prevalência do parasita, da eficácia dos fármacos e dos efeitos do parasita e do tratamento na fisiologia e no eixo do stress dos animais infectados através de análises enzimáticas e de parâmetros bioquímicos do sangue. As medições realizadas ao plasma sanguíneo e às brânquias de douradas com diferentes níveis de infecção de A. ocellatum revelaram que não existe diferença significativa entre os controlos e os endoperóxidos para a dose testada. Será necessário realizar mais ensaios para obter conclusões sobre o efeito dos endoperóxidos no controlo do parasita de peixes A. ocellatum.

Interrelationship between two variants of the Circulifer tenellus complex and Spiroplasma citri: the causal agent of stubborn disease

Tese de Doutoramento, Ciências Naturais, Unidade de Ciências e Tecnologias Agrárias, Universidade do Algarve, 1992