38986 research outputs found
Sort by
Preliminary observations of hunting behaviour by a freshwater threatened Leuciscidae
No full textFreshwater ecosystems host diverse fish species that employ various foraging strategies, including hunting, a behaviour more commonly documented in marine environments. This study focuses on the threatened Iberian chub, Squalius pyrenaicus, in the Vascão River, Portugal, a species known for its opportunistic feeding. Using an underwater camera, we observed 45 predatory events in which S. pyrenaicus employed two tactics: solitary pursuit and group hunting. In group hunting, individuals coordinated attacks, encircling and taking turns pursuing prey. While all attacks seem unsuccessful, one feeding event was recorded where two S. pyrenaicus individuals interacted to capture a prey fish. Our findings suggest that S. pyrenaicus may rely on rudimentary social behaviors during solitary and group hunting, potentially influenced by environmental factors. This is the first report of such behaviour in this species, underscoring the need for further research into social and cognitive aspects of freshwater fish predation, particularly in light of ecosystem threats like invasive species and climate change
Integrating Ecotoxicological Assessment to Evaluate Agricultural Impacts on Aquatic Ecosystems: A Case Study of the Lage Reservoir (Mediterranean Region)
Get PDFThis study analyzed the use of a toolbox to evaluate the impact of agricultural activity on the water quality/status classification of a hydro-agricultural reservoir (Lage reservoir, Southern Portugal). The framework integrated the quantification of a group of 51 pesticides and ecotoxicological endpoints with organisms from different trophic categories (the bacterium Aliivibrio fischeri, the microalga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, and the crustaceans Daphnia magna and Thamnocephalus platyurus) at two sampling points in the reservoir (Lage (L) and Lage S (LS)) between 2018 and 2020. Over the three-year study, we quantified 36 of the 51 pesticides analyzed in the Lage reservoir. Total concentrations increased successively from 0.95 µg L−1 to 1.99 and 2.66 µg L−1. Among these, the pesticides most frequently detected were terbuthylazine (100% of detection) and metolachlor (83% of detection), with maximum concentrations of 115.6 and 85.5 µg L−1, respectively. Samples from the LS site showed higher toxicity, where A. fischeri presented 30 min EC50 values of 39–51%. Microalgae growth was consistently inhibited, correlating with agricultural activity, mainly the application of herbicides and insecticides, while D. magna feeding rates revealed no inhibitory effects in the Lage samples. The results highlight that although the detected pesticide levels were below regulatory limits, they still induced toxic effects in the tested organisms. The potential ecological status of the reservoir was classified as moderate, and the integration of the proposal toolbox allowed refinement of the classification of water status. The results demonstrated that this integrated approach, combining multiple assessment methods, establishes a more robust water quality evaluation methodology, allowing it to be used as a tool complementary to the WFD methodology. This proposal not only identified existing pollution impacts but also enabled (1) early detection of the toxic effects of emerging contaminants to prevent ecological damage; (2) proactive management through specific actions to restore water status; and (3) improved sustainable water use.
Keywords: Alqueva project; bioassays; irrigation agriculture; water status classification; Water Framework Directiv
Última Lição
No full textEste livro reúne a Última Lição de alguns professores de áreas diversas, reconhecendo
a riqueza e multiplicidade do saber universitário. As ciências exatas, as
humanidades, as artes e as ciências sociais — cada uma com a sua linguagem,
os seus métodos e formas de compreender a realidade — contribuem para um
mesmo objetivo: compreender o mundo e, através do conhecimento, transformá-lo
Effectiveness of legislative tools to stop biological invasions: freshwater turtles’ invasion in Europe as a study case
No full textInvasive species pose significant threats to biodiversity, human health, and economic systems. Freshwater turtles are popular as pets, but when released or allowed to escape into the wild, they can become invasive. A prominent example is the red-eared slider Trachemys scripta, which is recognized as a globally invasive species. Legislative tools, such as the European Union Regulation 1143/2014 on the prevention and management of invasive alien species, aim to combat these threats. This framework includes the implementation of Commission Implementing Regulation 1141/2016, which banned the trade of listed invasive species, including T. scripta. This study evaluates the effectiveness of Regulation 1143/2014 on T. scripta invasion and its consequences on other freshwater turtle invasions, using data from the CITES database and the GBIF platform. While T. scripta imports into the EU ceased after 2016, the species continues to establish and expand in the wild. This suggests that the trade ban had minimal impact on already established populations, highlighting the need for additional measures to reduce and control its spread. Simultaneously, imports and records of other freshwater turtle species have risen, indicating a shift in trade dynamics. These species are increasingly being introduced, potentially exacerbating the biological invasion problem. Despite limitations inherent to CITES and GBIF data, our findings suggest that the current European legislation has not been effective in mitigating T. scripta invasions and may have unintentionally contributed to the introduction of other invasive turtles. We recommend that the European Union develop invasive species lists tailored to each biogeographic regions of Europe to enhance the effectiveness of legislation
Outcomes of the LIFE INVASAQUA project: An integrated approach for the prevention and awareness of aquatic invasive species in the Iberian Peninsula
No full textInvasive alien species (IAS) pose a growing threat to biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being, particularly in aquatic ecosystems worldwide. These species lead to severe environmental and economic impacts by altering habitats, disrupting ecological processes and outcompeting native species. In the Iberian Peninsula, IAS represent a major risk to its unique freshwater and estuarine ecosystems, which are particularly vulnerable to biological invasions due to their connection to human activities and high number of endemic species. Awareness of IAS and their impacts among the general public and stakeholders in Spain and Portugal remains limited, hindering effective management strategies and policies. The LIFE INVASAQUA project (2018–2023), co-funded by the LIFE Programme of the European Commission (LIFE17 GIE/ES/000515), aimed to support management, communication and the dissemination of information on aquatic IAS in the Iberian Peninsula. To achieve this, diverse partners were involved, including universities, research institutions, an environmental news agency and NGOs. Key actions included the production of governance tools such as strategic recommendations and IAS priority lists and communication resources such as a traveling exhibition for the public and codes of conduct for stakeholders. The project delivered 98 training activities to over 2,900 participants and engaged more than 430 institutions and 246,000 people through 598 public events in Spain and Portugal. LIFE INVASAQUA significantly enhanced public awareness and transnational collaboration, evidenced by improved communication, increased social media engagement, and positive shifts in public perception, as revealed by 7,078 records of a survey based on a questionnaire on the Iberian public’s perspectives. These outcomes foster strengthened IAS management frameworks and support implementation of relevant European and national regulations. The project’s long-term efforts focus on developing and replicating actions with the greatest audience reach and the highest impact on public perception of IAS issues. Lessons learned include the importance of sustained public engagement, the need for continued stakeholder collaboration, and the effectiveness of integrating educational campaigns with policy enforcement for sustained success in IAS management
Steps, Stages and Phases of Psychoteharpay as a Developmental process: On temporal Sequencing we can agree
Get PDFComunicação/Workshop apresentado no Congresso Internacional da SEPI sobre os passos, estádios, fases do processo psicoterapêutico considerado como um processo de desenvolvimento e que podem ajudar a compreender, conceptualizar o desenrolar da psicoterapia ao longo do tempo
A Utopia em Construção
Get PDFNum mundo em chamas, esta ideia de união, que assegurou três quartos de
século de paz e de prosperidade entre inimigos imemoriais, pode constituir
um verdadeiro farol civilizacional. Berço da democracia, a Europa pode dar
um sentido renovado à defesa da própria democracia, da solidariedade e do
primado da lei, amplificando nas palavras de Schuman uma visão mais extensa:
uma “fusão de interesses” que constitua – não apenas na Europa, mas à
escala global – “o fermento de uma comunidade mais vasta e mais profunda”
Viabilidade de um Consórcio Intermunicipal para a Gestão Integrada de Resíduos Sólidos: um Estudo Prospectivo
Get PDFEste trabalho prospectivo analisou a experiência do Consórcio Intermunicipal de Saneamento Ambiental (Consimares) na gestão de resíduos sólidos urbanos. A pesquisa avaliou o arranjo institucional e a governança do consórcio, utilizando uma metodologia com quatro dimensões (institucional e legal, governança colaborativa, estrutura técnica e ambiental) e 26 indicadores. Os resultados revelaram que, embora o consórcio esteja em pleno desenvolvimento, as dimensões institucional, técnica e ambiental foram classificadas como insatisfatórias, contrastando com a dimensão de governança colaborativa, considerada satisfatória. Até o momento, as ações mais concretas foram estudos e planejamento. Contudo, o licenciamento recente de uma Central de Tratamento de Resíduos pode servir como um fator catalisador para o fortalecimento do Consimares. A conclusão é que a efetivação deste empreendimento é fundamental para superar as deficiências identificadas, impulsionar a gestão de resíduos na região e concretizar os ganhos esperados em desenvolvimento intermunicipal
Portuguese Traditional Dry-Fermented Sausages Processed with Liquid Smoke Flavoring: How This Alternative Technology Affects Proteolysis and Biogenic Amines Profile
Get PDFTo avoid carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, liquid smoke flavoring
(LSF) is widely used by the meat industry, yet wood smoking remains a deep-rooted practice
among Portuguese traditional dry-fermented producers. In this study, the use of LSF was
compared with traditional smoking. In addition, two different ways of using LSF were
also tested: spraying and mixing (during seasoning). The profiles of amino acids (AA) and
biogenic amines (BA) were studied at pre-scheduled moments of processing and storage.
When compared to smoked products, LSF did not affect total AA content; however, when
mixed during seasoning, it inhibited the accumulation of arginine and lysine (precursors
of BA) in final products. The conventional smoking replacement, by mixing LSF during
seasoning, turned out to be critical to lessen BA of bacterial origin accumulation as well,
especially for putrescine, cadaverine and tyramine. The benefits of spraying LSF over
smoking were higher for final products than for storage, as differences between them
tended to fade with time (except for tyramine). These results also demonstrate that a
simple change in traditional dry-fermented sausage processing, such as mixing LSF during
product seasoning, significantly contributes to the safety of these products through the
reduction in undesirable BA
Um historiador da Cultura de Escola. Entrevista a Agustín Escolano
No full textEntrevista a Agustín Escolano Benito, detentor da cátedra Memória e Património da Educação da Universidade Europeia Miguel Cervantes, fundador do Centro Internacional de la Cultura Escolar (CEINCE)