Resume of 2018 @UA

Published in 16/1/2019

University of Aveiro has published the resume of the year 2018 here. CESAM was an important player during the whole year and it was highlighted in February, April, June, July, August, November, and December. Additionally, in the edition of the magazine Research@UA, the research of CESAM was emphasized, namely the projects SmartBioR, AgroForWealth and SusPhotoSolutions as strategic projects, the project SmartGreenHomes, and the wrok of CESAM members Ana I. Miranda and her team, Rosa Freitas and her team, and Juan Bueno-Pardo and his team. This publication foccuses on the most important scientific highlights of the previous year (2017) and can be consulted here.

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H2020 HERA project has officially started

Published in 15/1/2019

On the 10-11th January, the kick-off meeting of the project HERA - Integrating Environment and Health Research: a Vision for the EU occurred in Paris. The CESAM members Ana Isabel Miranda (coordinator of the project at University of Aveiro) e Joana Ferreira, were there representing UA. The project HERA is financed by the European Commission and has more than 20 international partners. His main goal is to define priorities for the environment and health research agenda in the EU.

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Thesis paper by CESAM PhD student Camilo Carneiro highlighted in a journal’s cover

Published in 14/1/2019

The Icelandic subspecies of Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus islandicus), a long distance migratory wader and the focus of Camilo Carneiro’s PhD since 2015, was selected to be in the cover of the January 2019 issue of Journal of Avian Biology, highlighting the paper entitled “Faster migration in autumn than in spring: seasonal migration patterns and non?breeding distribution of Icelandic whimbrels Numenius phaeopus islandicus”. Journal of Avian Biology is an historical outlet for cutting edge ornithological research and is published by the Nordic Oikos Society, ranked 2nd in its area (Ornithology; IF = 2.49). It has been previously revealed, in a paper led by Dr. José A. Alves (CESAM member) and published in Scientific Reports, that Icelandic Whimbrels are able to fly non-stop between Iceland and West Africa in autumn, but in spring these migratory birds either embark on a second non-stop flight to their breeding grounds or cover this distance in two steps spending a few days in a stopover area, often in UK or Ireland. In this new publication such knowledge is consolidated, the migration routes, wintering and stopover sites are mapped, the seasonal differences in migration duration and speed are assessed with potential causes for these migratory patterns being discussed. The timing of arrival into the breeding sites can influence the subsequent breeding success of birds, particularly at high latitudes such as Iceland. For this reason most seasonal migrants migrate faster in spring than in autumn. However, in the case of Icelandic Whimbrels the pattern is reversed, with individuals migrating faster in autumn than in spring. Seasonal variation in wind patterns could explain the differences observed in this study and the stopover in spring might allow the appraisal of weather conditions closer to the breeding areas and/or allow individuals to improve their body condition in order to arrive at the breeding sites with reserves. Unravelling the carry-over effects and trade-offs undertaken by these birds in a climate change scenario is a focus of Camilo’s PhD thesis, within the doctoral program Biology and Ecology of Global Change at the University of Aveiro (CESAM/DBIO). The complete article here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jav.01938

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Researcher of CESAM joins two new European projects in the area of nanotechnologies

Published in 9/1/2019

Mónica Amorim,  researcher of CESAM is the principal researcher of the Portuguese team of two European projects recently approved under the Horizon 2020. Both projects will be developed in the area of nanotechnologies (NMBP-13-2018: "Risk Governance of nanotechnology" and NMBP-14-2018: Nanoinformatics: from materials models to predictive toxicology and Ecotoxicology”). The project “NANORIGO - Establishing a Nanotechnology Risk Governance Framework” has a total budget of 4.748.740 € and is coordinated by the Aarhus University, Denmark. This large consortium involves 29 partners of 15 European countries, besides Korea and USA. The project “NanoinformaTIX - Development and Implementation of a Sustainable Modelling Platform for NanoInformatics” has a total budget of 6.783.556 € and is coordinated by the Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC) in Madrid, Spain. This large consortium involves 36 partners of 20 European countries, besides China and e USA. The portuguese team is responsible for the activities related with hazard and risk assessment in the environment. The evaluation of the environmental impact using new omics tools will be one of the key points to explore, both in the hazard assessment and the implementation in a regulatory context. The researcher Mónica Amorim is also responsible in the project H2020-NMBP-12: “BIORIMA - BIOmaterial RIsk Management”, which started in 2017, hence the University of Aveiro continued the research in the area of nanotechnologies and its environmental impacts via international financing (H2020-NMBP-12-13-14), ensuring also the collaboration in large scientists’ networks and the international industry.

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Faculty of CESAM were present in debate on climate change in a school of Oliveira de Azeméis

Published in 7/1/2019

Faculty Henrique Queiroga and Paulo Silva, were invited to talk about climate change and its impacts in the oceans in a debate in Escola Básica e Secundária Ferreira de Castro, Oliveira de Azeméis. Prof. Henrique Queiroga talked about the causes of global warming and some of its impacts in marine ecosystems, namely in artic and tropical regions as well as in Portugal. Prof. Paulo Silva talked about the increase of the sea level, the consequences of coastal erosion in Portugal and the possible adaptation measures. This debate is included in the 1st stage of this school application to the Youth Parliament 2019. It was organized by students of the 12th grade and count with the presence of about 100 students from 7th to 12th grade.

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Seminar of the project LIFE REFOREST

Published in 7/1/2019

On the 16 January 2019 the seminar of the project LIFE REFOREST - Erosion prevention and flora REstauration of burnt FOREST areas through innovative fungal-technosol solution will occur at University of Aveiro. The participation is free of charge but registration is mandatory (esp.team.cesam@gmail.com) until 10 January.

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CESAM member highlights the urgency to protect wild songbirds in Nature journal

Published in 20/12/2018

The CESAM Post-Doc research fellow Jorge Sanchez Gutierrez together with José Masero (University of Extremadura, Spain) authored a correspondence in the renowned journal Nature highlighting the urgency for the new Spanish government to take quick measures to save wild songbirds that are captured with illegal trapping. Nature Correspondence are 'letters to the Editor' such as short comments on topical issues of public and political interest that are not usually peer-reviewed and so should not contain primary research data. In this correspondence entitled "Save Spanish songbirds from illegal trapping", the authors state “The Spanish government authorized the capture of 1,731,861 finches in 2013–18, presumably to provide a stock of captive-bred birds in case the ban on trapping was ever enforced. In May, the European Commission gave Spain a two-month deadline to stop finch trapping altogether. As of 1 June, just 8 of Spain’s 17 autonomous regions had suspended the trapping of goldfinches (Carduelis carduelis), greenfinches (Carduelis chloris), linnets (Carduelis cannabina), serins (Serinus serinus) and chaffinches (Fringilla coelebs). If the other regions fail to do the same, Spain could risk fines amounting to millions of euros”. The full correspondence can be read here.

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CESAM wishes all its members, collaborators and visitors a Merry Christmas!

Published in 17/12/2018

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CESAM is in the organization of the 15th Symposium on Bacterial Genetics and Ecology (BAGECO)

Published in 17/12/2018

CESAM members Newton Gomes and Francisco Coelho belong to the team of the 15th Symposium on Bacterial Genetics and Ecology (BAGECO) as co-chair and organizing committee, respectively. BAGECO will happen on the 26-30 May 2019 in Lisbon and is one of the main European conferences in genetics and ecology of bacteria with more than 30 years of tradition. The event will get together the leading scientists in the area to debate the most imperative questions of microbiology, microbial ecology, metagenomics and complementary disciplines. More information on the event here.

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CESAM is involved in a viability study for the construction of a breakwater in Vagueira beach

Published in 17/12/2018

Experts in  ocean wavesstudies, littoral currents, sedimentary dynamics of coastal zones and surf hydraulics, belonging to the National Laboratory of Civil Engineering and Universities of Aveiro and Lisbon, got together in the past 10 December in Vagos Main Hall, to start a study on the viability of the construction of a multifunctional detached breakwater in front of Vagueira beach. The CESAM researcher Paulo Baganha Baptista coordinates the work at UA and have the collaboration of the professor Paulo Silva, the researcher Peter Roebeling and the external collaborator Joaquim Pais Barbosa. This study was hired by the Portuguese Agency of Environment (APA) and will take 2 years. It will include the monitoring of the evolution of the sea bottom and of the nearby maritime zone, the simulation in models of the natural phenomena aiming to understand the efficiency of the breakwater and the comparative analysis of the costs and benefits. The study will focus on the efficiency of the breakwater in the reduction of seawalls overtoppings in the urban front and in the contribution to reduce beach erosion inverting the present tendency if possible. It is intended that the breakwater potentiates the increase of the sand in the beach and improves the sea conditions for the practice of surf, body-board and similar sports. Before the meeting, the technicians went to Vagueira beach to start the monitoring work concerned with the sedimentary evolution and the occurrence of overtoppings through the adherent defense in the present conditions. During this study they will collect more exact and detailed data on the variability of the beach and on the interactions between the waves, currents, the sedimentary changes and coastal structures.

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Work of CESAM members is considered relevant by the European Commission's Environment Directorate-General

Published in 14/12/2018

The article "An urban air quality modeling system to support decision-making: design and implementation"  authored by the doctorate Hélder Relvas and the faculty Ana Isabel Miranda was released this week in the newsalert of the European Commission's Environment Directorate-General "Science for Environment Policy". This way, their work may reach over 21 000 policymakers, academics and business people across Europe to assist in the development of effective, evidence-based policies. The article is focused in the development of a new computer model to help decisionmakers quickly assess proposed strategies to cut air pollution. The model uses artificial intelligence (AI) technology and innovatively considers the influence of public opinion in its assessment of emission reduction strategies. You can find the doccument here and the original article here. The newsalert "Science for Environment Policy" is a free service that provides news of the latest environmental research that has been specially selected by our independent scientific advisors. Readers gain a unique insight into the vital scientific issues relevant to current EU environmental policy. You can subscribe the doccument here.

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CESAM members publish their work on the effect of salinization in freshwater ecosystems

Published in 13/12/2018

Isabel Lopes and Cátia Venâncio, researchers from the Associated Laboratory CESAM and the Department of Biology at the University of Aveiro are authors of one of the 23 articles published in Philosophical Transactions B under the theme issue "Salt in freshwaters: causes, ecological consequences and future prospects". Salinization of freshwaters ecosystems is a growing and global threat. Within the climate change scenario, sea level rise will a major driver of increased salinity in low-lying coastal ecosystems. Increased salinity may cause a severe reduction in aquatic biodiversity, leading to the disruption of ecosystem processes and compromising the goods and services that freshwater ecosystems may provide. The research, entitled "Sensitivity of freshwater species under single and multigenerational exposure to seawater intrusion", evaluated the effects of salinity increase in several freshwater species representative of different trophic levels (algae, aquatic plants, crustaceans, insects, snails).  The results showed that salinity levels that will be easily find in low-lying freshwater ecosystems in the future may influence the resilience of several species, namely freshwater microcrustaceans. These microcrustaceans are important food sources for small fish and prevent the proliferation of microalgae. This might mean that even small increments in salinity may, indirectly, influence the resilience of the species more tolerant to salinity. This situation is even more concerning if we take into account that most of the studied organisms continue to show low tolerance with salinity rise even when exposed through several generations. This conclusion highlights the vulnerability of aquatic biota to salinization. This work was developed within the project SALTFREE – Prediction of salinization effects on coastal freshwater and soil ecosystems due to climate changes, financially supported by FCT. The work had as co-authors Bruno Branco Castro (Departamento de Biologia, Universidade do Minho), Rui Ribeiro (Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Universidade de Coimbra), Sara Antunes (Departamento de Biologia, Universidade do Porto), Nelson Abrantes (Departamento de Ambiente e Ordenamento, Universidade de Aveiro), Amadeu M.V.M. Soares (Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de Aveiro). The article can be read here.

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2nd European Mammal Atlas and Discover the mammals of Europe campaign

Published in 13/12/2018

Faculty Carlos Fonseca and Maria da Luz Mathias are the national coordinators of the 2nd European Mammal Atlas of EMMA - European Mammal Foundation together with the Dr. Luísa Rodrigues of ICNF - Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e Florestas. This project aims to update the information of the previous atlas which have the dataset finalised since 10 years ago. EMMA is also involved in the campaign DISCOVER THE MAMMALS OF EUROPE that supports people and organizations working on mammals conservation and research in Europe. More on this campaign here.

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Exhibition "Women in Limnology" at the University of Aveiro until 14 December

Published in 11/12/2018

CESAM hosts the exhibition "Women in Limnology" at the University of Aveiro. This exhibition is currently shown in the main entrance hall of the rectory building and will be there until 14 December. The exhibition highlights the role of women in Limnology throughout history giving an overview of the scientific life and findings, presenting profiles of women in limnology and reporting their main challenges in their career. Together with a series of pannels, the exhibition includes a short documentary film showing statements of female limnologists. The exhibition was created by the gender group of the Iberian Association of Limnology (AIL) resulting from the work of a team of 20 volunteers. The CESAM Post-Doctoral research fellow Ana Genua belongs to this Association and was responsible for planting the seed for this exhibition in Portugal.

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CESAM was present in the event "Our Atlantic Ocean for Growth and Well-Being", Mindelo, Cape Verde

Published in 30/11/2018

Faculty Marina Cunha was presented in the European Commission event  “Our Atlantic Ocean for Growth and Well-Being” that happened in Mindelo, Cape Verde, 21-22 November 2018. She presented the H2020 projects HERMES - Hotspot Ecosystem Research on the Margins of European Seas and HERMIONE - Hotspot Ecosystem Research and Man’s Impact on European Seas. This event included the signature of the Cooperation Agreement on Marine Research and Innovation that will allow the participation of Cape Verde in European Projects in the future. The picture shows a moment of the speaking session “Prime Minister’s Speakers Series”  with Cape Verde Prime Minister (Ulisses Correia e Silva) and the European Commissioner for Research and Innovation (Carlos Moedas).

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Campus+sustentável

Published in 3/12/2018

Considering the relevance of defining and implementing a strategy of sustainability, University of Aveiro (UA) formed a Mission Group for the Sustainable Development. Its objectives are create and develop several articulated processes in a System of Environmental Management able to be certified, using the NP EN ISO14001:2015 as a basis. More on the System of Environmental Management of UA here (website only available in Portuguese).

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CESAM member is guest editor of Marine Drugs

Published in 30/11/2018

The researcher Elisabete Maciel is guest editor of Marine Drugs (IF 4.379) on a special issue on “Lipid profiling (Lipidome) of marine organisms”. This special issue aims to provide a comprehensive lipidomics analysis of a great variety of marine organisms to identify lipid molecular species with add value and health-promoting properties for biotechnological applications as nutraceuticals, functional food or supplements in food and pharma industries.

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Project COCKLES present in the event Business2Sea

Published in 30/11/2018

COCKLES project (Co-operation for restoring cockle shelfisheries and its ecosystem services in the Atlantic Area) in which CESAM is partner, was represented in the event Business2Sea that happened on the 14-16 Novembre in Alfândega do Porto. The project was presented on the workshop "Valorisation" of Marine Resources" and was represented by the research fellow Luisa Magalhães that also participated in the final debate.

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Are you a PhD student and want to make a pitch on your work and win a prize?

Published in 23/11/2018

"Research Summit is coming (28-29, nov 2018), and will have a brand new set of exciting features, besides the interesting topics that will be intensively discussed in the 2 days of celebration of research at the UA. 6 slots of approximately half an hour each will be available for you to present your work in 4 minutes followed by a 2 minute short question slot. The jury will be a set of personalities deeply engaged in research in the different areas and will assess the best overall PhD pitch in each session (quality of presentation, quality of the work & impact).    The prizes per session will be exciting: - best pitch award of 300€ for usage inside your research unit for pursuing your objectives; - best pitch certificate; - mention and summary at the research@ua and news@ua; - your pitch public (if you allow) at the EDUA site in a special section.    What you have to do? Put together the best pitch you can about your PhD work and present it in English and in the highest impact possible.  The minimum set of information is: title and team (mentions to the research group are also accepted) research challenge(s)  research method and techniques available relevant result(s) current impact (conferences, fairs, journals, shows, etc)  classify the PhD in terms of the sustainable goals of UN in the presentation and following the instructions of an email that you will receive with your credentials and with the subject : Convite para participar num inquérito, and coming from : questionarios-noreply@ua.pt. *    No more than 5 slides using mandatorily template attached are required. [The template for the presentation is available on the INTRANET]    Are you eligible? You can apply if you have a valid registration at an active PhD at the university of Aveiro and have not defended the thesis prior to October 2018, inclusive.    To whom submit the work? Apply to edua@ua.pt  up to 23h59 of 25th of November of 2018 with the subject: research pitch - Research Summit    Thanks and hope for the best. Artur Silva, João Coutinho and António Teixeira"

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CESAM researcher was awarded with the prestigious SETAC FELLOW AWARD 2018

Published in 22/11/2018

Mónica Amorim, researcher of CESAM, was awarded the SETAC FELLOW 2018.The SETAC Fellows Award was created in 2010 to recognize members demonstrating BOTH (i) significant long-term scientific or science policy contributions and (ii) service and leadership within SETAC. The identification and appointment of Fellow status is intended to provide additional recognition of excellence and contributions of SETAC members to ecotoxicology, environmental chemistry, risk assessment and life cycle assessment. The hallmark of a SETAC Fellow is leadership within the professional and scientific arenas as well as SETAC.While there is no upper limit to the number of Fellows, no more than 1–2% of the membership hold this prestigious recognition.The group of SETAC Fellows constitutes a body that has demonstrated achievement in science or science policy and possesses institutional knowledge of the society. As such, they will serve as a sounding board for the SETAC World Council and may be asked to help lead select efforts. Further reading here.

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CESAM members are guest editors of Atmosphere

Published in 22/11/2018

Faculty Armando Costa Duarte and researcher Regina Duarte are guest editors of a special issue on the journal Atmosphere about Urban Atmospheric Aerosols: Sources, Analysis and Effects. This special issue are foccused on the urban areas once they are a very special case as far as a PM2.5 concentrations, composition, sources, and health effects are concerned. This way, this volume intends to value studies on the physico-chemical and toxicological characterization of urban PM2.5 in order to assess health effects and to establish efficient control strategies.

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CESAM went to a school in the National Sea Day

Published in 21/11/2018

To celebrate the National Day of the Sea CESAM researchers from MER Thematic Line went to Escola Básica dos 2.º e 3.º Ciclos da Gafanha da Nazaré to talk about the topic “What the sea gives to us and what we give to the sea”. This initiative aimed to promote ongoing research at CESAM fostering a more sustainable use of marine biological resources, its conservation and rehabilitation. More than 100 students divided by 6 classes of the 5th scholar year attended the talk. Both students and professors were strongly engaged to pursue these objectives and future joint actions are already being planned to make younger generations even more aware on the need to protect the ocean.

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CESAM members contribute for book on sustainable development of the ocean

Published in 21/11/2018

Several CESAM members contributed to the book SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE OCEAN: A NECESSITY. This book resulted from the international conference with the same name that occurred in november 2017 in University of Algarve. The conference intended to comemorate the work of Professor Mário Ruivo, a great biologist, oceanographer, humanist, democrate and a unique defensor of the ocean. This event was distinct from the others once it got together representatives of all the research centers working in sea sciences. Besides recollect the legacy of Prof. Mário Ruivo, his thought for the future was projected, resulting in a relevant debate of the hot topics in sea sciences. The result of this debate is the book that counts with the contribution of CESAM members Adelaide Almeida, Ana Hilário, Catarina Eira, Luís M. Pinheiro and Sílvia Monteiro. The boom is open access and can be downloaded here.

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CESAM researcher leads CYTEC network

Published in 20/11/2018

The CESAM researcher Rosa Freitas leads on of the approved CYTED networks for 2019. Only 21 networks were approved and of those only two are coordinated by Portuguese researchers. This network is included in the area of Sustainable Development and is related with the Evaluation of emergent contaminants in aquatic organisms. The network includes more that 40 members that come from several countries including Spain (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Barcelona; Instituto Espanol de Oceanografia - Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares), Mexico (Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Nordeste, S.C; Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Occident - Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social; Universidad Autónoma de San Luis), USA (University of California, Berkeley), Chile (Instituto Antártico Chileno), Brasil (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande) and Argentina (Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos - Centro Nacional Patagónico - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas).CYTED networks are clusters of research and development (R&D) formed by public or private entities and corporations from the member countries of the CYTED Programme, whose scientific or technological activities are related within a common area of ??interest and included in one of the Programme Areas. Their main objective is the exchange of knowledge between R&D groups and the strengthening of cooperation as a work method. The financing of the CYTED Programme’s purpose is the coordination activities of the thematic networks, which have a maximum limit of 30.000 euros per year. Financing includes the mobility of the member groups, the organization of workshops and courses and the issue of publications.CYTED - Programa Iberoamericano de Ciência e Tecnologia para o Desenvolvimento main objective is to contribute to the harmonious development of the Ibero-American region through cooperation mechanisms that seek scientific and technological results, transferable to production systems and social policies. 

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CESAM researchers are guest editors of Biomolecules - Lipids of Marine Algae

Published in 20/11/2018

CESAM researchers Rosário Domingues and Ricardo Calado, from the Department of Chemistry and the Department of Biology (respectively), as well as co-founders of the Marine Lipidomics Laboratory at the University of Aveiro have been invited to edit the Special Issue "Lipids of Marine Algae" to be published by the journal Biomolecules (MDPI group). The Special Issue "Lipids of Marine Algae" will address the  growing interest in the use of marine algae as a source of lipids with high nutritional value and  with bioactive properties, thus with potential application in various biotechnological and industrial uses (e.g., nutraceutical, cosmetic and pharmaceutical). Advancing the current knowledge of seaweeds lipidome will contribute to its whole valorization, being particularly relevant for the promotion of the sustainable use of these endogenous biological resources and promotion of Blue Bioeconomy.

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Celebration of National Sea Day in COBI

Published in 19/11/2018

On the 16 November it was celebrated the National Sea Day. A group of students from the 5th grade from  Escola João Afonso de Aveiro came to visit COBI - Biological Research Collection of Marine Invertebrates. COBI contains specimens from coastal to deep-sea environments collected under sampling programs of several Research Projects and is open to the public prior appointment.  

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Coffee with Science

Published in 15/11/2018

The event Coffee with Science that happened in Fábrica Centro de Ciência Viva on the 12 December 2018 counted with the presence of the researcher Bruno Nunes and was moderated by the professor Fernando Morgado. The former CESAM members Doctors Milene Matos and João Pedrosa were also present. This activity intended to show to the students the different professional paths highlighting factors identified as deciding aspects that took these researchers of Biology and similar areas to selected their present. Moreover it was also a goal to show to the students that there are many different paths but it is necessary to plan as soon as possible a carreer, otherwise they can loose unique opportunities. This event was organized by CESAM (Bruno Nunes from the Functional Biodiversity Research Group) in collaboration with the Biology Students Association and Department of Biology. 

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CESAM work on TiO2 nanomaterials in the journal Nanoscale

Published in 14/11/2018

Mónica Amorim, researcher of the Department of Biology and the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), from the research group of Ecology and applied Ecotoxicology - applEE, coordinated by Prof. Amadeu Soares, co-authored a paper published in Nanoscale journal: “Mechanisms of (photo)toxicity of TiO2 nanomaterials (NM103, NM104, NM105): using high-throughput gene expression in Enchytraeus crypticus”. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanomaterials (NMs) are among the most highly produced worldwide, estimates are around 60.000 tonnes per year. The applications go from the common use as sunscreens (UV protectors) to photocatalytic properties for soil remediation.  The effects of NMs in the environment are assessed using methods available in the legislation for the evaluation of substances (REACH: Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals), via the effect assessment of physiological endpoints in organisms, e.g. survival and reproduction in invertebrates. However, the assessment of the mechanisms of action of NMs and (sub-)cellular effects that precede the effects observed in the organisms is very important, since it may allow to earlier assess, as well as to potentiate the production of safer NMs for the environment (safety-by-design).  Hence, the development of techniques and methods that allow to explore the mechanistic effects, is a priority. This is precisely what was shown in the recently published article in Nanoscale, where a 44000 genes microarray was explored, a tool developed by UA team for a model species in ecotoxicology. "High-throughput gene expression was used to assess the molecular mechanisms, while also anchoring it to known effects at the organism level (i.e., reproduction). Results showed that the photoactivity of TiO2 (UV exposed) played a major role in enhancing TiO2 toxicity, activating transcription of oxidative stress, lysosome damage and apoptosis mechanisms. For non-UV activated TiO2, where toxicity at organism level (reproduction) was lower, results showed the potential for long-term effects (i.e., mutagenic and epigenetic)." The response to stress is usually activated, after a short period of time, in cells and with genetic precursors, hence representing the signalling of potential adverse effects that are apparent in the organism only later. The possibility to predict effects in an earlier stage is an aspect that deserves attention and has an enormous potential, this is one of the foccus of this research group. For further reading.

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Are you going to have a researcher contract?

Published in 12/11/2018

If yes, please pay attention!When you start your contract of researcher you are no longer an integrated member of CESAM!"Oh no! What should I do?"When you confirm the starting date of your contract with the UA human resources department you should send an email to cesam@ua.pt, directed to the Scientific Coordinator of CESAM, requesting that you want to be an integrated member of CESAM and indicating the starting date of the contract."And it is done?"No! If you have your CV updated in CESAM webpage, please indicate that in the e-mail. If not, briefly state how your research contributes to the strategy of CESAM and send a summarized CV."But why?"Because, according to the regulation of CESAM, if you are not a post-doc fellow you need to have a minimum scientific production to be an integrated member (Annex I of the regulation). Please note that all the researchers in CESAM go through this process!"And then?"Your request will be analysed and voted in one of the meetings of the Scientific Council Coordinating Commission of CESAM and you will be notified on the decision.

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CESAM member was elected Convenor of a working group of the International Organization for Biological Control

Published in 6/11/2018

Olga Ameixa, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow of the Department of Biology & CESAM was elected last September 13th, the Convenor of the working group “Benefits and Risks of Exotic Biological Control Agents” of the International Organization for Biological Control - West Palaearctic Regional Section (IOBC/WPRS) at the last group meeting in Ponta Delgada, Azores.IOBC-WPRS is a non-profit organisation founded in 1955 which encourages and promotes networking among scientists and other stakeholders in promoting feasible and environmentally safe methods of pest and pathogen control, fostering research and practical application, organisation of meetings, symposia as well as offering training and information. The working group “Benefits and Risks of Exotic Biological Control Agents” deals with hot issues which range from scanning new biological control agents, risk assessment or looking at the ecological problems posed by these. Olga Ameixa will engage this roll for the next 5 years until new elections.

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Visit to CESAM and ECOMARE of the selected teams for the program Blue Bio Value

Published in 7/11/2018

On the scope of the activities of the initiative Blue Bio Value, the first accelerator program that allows to escalate the marine solutions of a biological basis for applications in the global market in different sectors, using biotechnological innovation based in science and helping to face important social challenges, the scientific coordinator of CESAM Ana Lillebø, received, on the 26th of October in the University of Aveiro, some of the entrepeneur teams selected to participate on the first edition of this program. The visit intended to show some of the infrastructures, equipments and services that CESAM make available to the participant teams of the program Blue Bio Value. The use of these and other UA resources occurs in the scope of the protocol Blue Demonstrators Network to be soon celebrated between UA and Blue Bio Alliance - BBA. The final balance of this visit was clearly positive. In fact, all the participants were quite impressed with the available infrastructures of CESAM and with the existent diversity and analitical capacity, the technical support that may be done and the multidisciplinarity of the services that may be offered by this Associated Laboratory. During the visit it was highlighted that the infrastructures, equipments and services from UA are beyond CESAM and ECOMARE. Indeed, UA has unique treasures in the country that may be fundamental to accelerate business ideas. As an associate of BBA, CESAM (presently represented in the Executive Board by the researcher Ricardo Calado) will affirm its mission of promotion and revitalisation of a new national blue bioeconomy.

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CESAM Magusto

Published in 5/11/2018

  CESAM is organizing a Magusto! It will be on the 9th November, 16h30 on CESAM's meeting room (Building III, 5th floor). You need to bring 500 g of already sliced chestnuts that must be delivered until the day before.Confirm your participation until the 5th of November here.

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CLIMA 2018 has several CESAM faculty members in the scientific committee and wil have CESAM projects highlighted

Published in 20/11/2018

The V National Congress on Climate Change that will occurr in University of Algarve from the 22-23 November, will have the participation of the faculties Ana Isabel Miranda, Carlos Borrego, Fátima Alves and Myriam Lopes in the scientific committee. Moreover, the projects UNaLaB and Clair-City will be highlighted in this event. The main theme of this congress edition is the challenges as a consequence of the adaptation to climate change. This event has been increasingly growing as a reference in Portugal on the thematics of Climate Change. CLIMA 2018 is organized by APEA - Associação Portuguesa de Engenharia do Ambiente and University of Algarve.  More information can be read here.  

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National Hub of the Support Team for the Atlantic Action Plan

Published in 23/10/2018

The work developed by Professor Fátima Alves and her team allowed University of Aveiro to become, since July 2018, a National Hub from the Assistance Mechanism for the Atlantic Action Plan. The Atlantic Action Plan encourages Member States to work together in order to share information, costs, results and best practices, as well as generate ideas for further areas of cooperation of maritime activities. The Action Plan includes traditional activities, such as fisheries, aquaculture and tourism, together with emerging activities including offshore renewables and marine biotech. The Assistance Mechanism provides guidance and proactive support for public and private organisations, research institutions and universities, institutional and private investors from the Atlantic region wishing to engage in the implementation of the Atlantic Action Plan. The Assistance Mechanism for the Atlantic Action Plan is operating through five National Hubs which are based in Portugal, Spain, France, United Kingdom and Ireland, coordinated by a Brussels-based central management team. Among other activities, National Hub intends to: - advertise and inform interested parts about the Action Plan and maritime policy initiatives adopted by the European Comission, Member States and Regions; - promote network implementation and cooperation between interested parts; - maintain updated information about resources and funding opportunities available at a European, National and Regional level; - contribute in the monitoring of the Action Plan implementation progress, according to projects identification and good practices; - promote/support the organization of seminars and conferences, as well as to participate in national or Atlantic region events; - support the Communication Plan of the Assistance Mechanism; - keep a close relationship with national members of the Atlantic Strategy Group. Follow the activity of the national hub here.  

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Climate Change and Portuguese traditional soup (caldo verde)

Published in 22/10/2018

CESAM is organizing a cycle of talks foccused on climate change. At the end of the event, there will be the traditional Portuguese soup caldo verde for all. This event is co-organized by CESAM and Engineers Order of the Centre Region.

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Rewilding Europe funds the Projet Rewilding Western Iberia

Published in 2/11/2018

Rewilding Europe announced the donation of 2.6 million euros from the Endangered Landscape Programme (ELP) to finance the project “Scaling Up Rewilding in Western Iberia”. This project results from a partnership with the local organizations Rewilding Portugal, ATNatureza, University of Aveiro and Zoo Logical with Professor Carlos Fonseca as the UA coordinator. Rewilding Western Iberia will contribute to reinforce Vale do Côa as a wildlife corridor of 120.000 hectares, improving the connectivity between Serra da Malcata (south) and Canhão Fluvial do Douro (north).   The complite article can be read here [in Portuguese].  

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Workshop "Alien species in a changing world” programme available!

Published in 29/11/2018

CESAM is organizing a workshop on Alien Species | New date: 7th December; Amphitheatre of Department of Materials Engineering and Ceramics (DEMaC), University of Aveiro Programme 9h20 Opening Session              Ana I. Lillebø   9h30 Session I - Introduction of alien species in the context of global changes  Alien species at seagrass meadows and associated habitats: concerns and restoration measures to promote biodiversity              Ana I. Sousa  Invading the European seas: main pathways of introduction of alien species and their cumulative impacts              Heliana Teixeira              10h00 Flash presentations Studying the invasive Asian clam distribution patterns in a semi-artificial drainage catchmentJoana I. Santos, Tânia Vidal, Cristiana Mendes, Ana Ré, Fernando J.M. Gonçalves, Bruno B. Castro, Joana L. Pereira Ruditapes philippinarum (invasive) and R. decussatus (native) clam species under a scenario of global change: pharmaceutical contaminationÂngela Almeida, Vânia Calisto, Valdemar I. Esteves, Rudolf J. Schneider, Amadeu M.V.M. Soares, Etelvina Figueira, Rosa Freitas Can the historical contamination and gender influence the genotoxic responses of the crayfish Procambarus clarkii exposed to a penoxsulam-based herbicide?Ricardo Costa, Mário Pacheco, Sofia Guilherme Sustainable management and conservation of semi-natural meadows of the UA Campus and their provided ecosystem servicesDavid da Silva Alves, Paula Maia, Olga Ameixa Beautiful nightmare: a molecular view of the invasive plant Acacia longifoliaSara Vicente, Cristina Máguas, Helena Trindade   10h45 Coffee break   11h00 Session II - Invasive alien species: a growing problem for the environment and human wellbeing Direct and indirect effects of invasive alien plants in forest habitats: implications for management              Paula Maia Brave New World: on the prophecies of Charles Elton              João Carvalho   11h30 Flash presentations Post-fire plant invasions in Central Portugal forests: a perspective of the impacts and management needsJosé Cunha, Carlos Fonseca, Paula Maia Bioturbation and nutrient cycling of a native and an invasive clam occurring in sympatry in a coastal lagoonMarta Lobão Lopes, Joana Patrício Rodrigues, Daniel Crespo, Marina Dolbeth, Ricardo Calado, Ana I. Lillebø Influence of native and non-native forests in the recolonization and resilience of epigeal insect communities in the post-fireDiogo Nazaré, Miguel Martins, Henrique Pereira dos Santos, António Luís, Olga Ameixa  Influence of the halophyte Spartina versicolor invasion in the composition of insect communitiesMiguel Bastos, Ana I. Sousa, Ana I. Lillebø, Olga Ameixa The Berlengas black rat (Rattus rattus) and wild-rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus): relicts or aliens?Sofia Gabriel, Pedro Geraldes, Nuno Oliveira, Maria da Luz Mathias   12h15 Lunch   14h00 Session III - Prevention and mitigation of invasive alien species Underlying factors influencing Harmonia axyridis spread in the Iberian Peninsula              Olga Ameixa Management of aquatic invaders: lessons learnt from the Asian clam and the zebra mussel                        Joana Pereira   14h30 Flash presentations How can citizen science contribute to the prevention and control of the invasive species Procambarus clarkii?Inês C. Rosa, Dorinda Rebelo, Sofia Guilherme, Joana L. Pereira Invasive Plant Species control in Bussaco National Forest: successes, challenges and lessons learnt from the implementation of BRIGHTPaula Maia, Lísia Lopes, Rosa Pinho Feeding inhibition in Corbicula fluminea as a valuable endpoint to refine chemical control methods targeted at the fouling pestCarlos Silva, Bruno Branco Castro, Inês P.E. Macário, Bruno Oliveira, Fernando J.M. Gonçalves, Joana L. Pereira The use of the invasive Corbicula fluminea as a bioremediation agent of cyanobacterial bloomsInês P.E. Macário, Carlos Silva, António Anselmo, Daniela de Figueiredo, Fernando J.M. Gonçalves, Joana L. Pereira Taking advantage of the invasive bivalve Corbicula fluminea: potential as bioremediation agent of olive oil mill wastewatersAna Domingues, Ruth Pereira, Inês C. Rosa, João P. da Costa, Teresa Rocha Santos, Fernando J.M. Gonçalves, Joana L. Pereira Rodents as biocontrol agents against invasive plant species: Preliminary observations and prospects for future researchPhilippe Gil de Mendonça, Paula Maia   15h15 Discussion forum - Invasive alien species beyond the academy Participating entities: Invasoras.pt (Doutora Elizabete Marchante, Centre for Functional Ecology, Universidade de Coimbra) Administração do Porto de Aveiro (Eng.ª Maria Manuel Cruz)Associação Bioliving (Doutora Milene Matos)EDIA - Empresa de Desenvolvimento e Infra-estruturas do Alqueva, S.A. (Eng.ª Ana Ilhéu)Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e das Florestas (Eng. Paulo Carmo)Agrupamento de Escolas de Estarreja (Prof. Dorinda Rebelo)

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CESAM participation the Science Fair in Oliveira do Bairro

Published in 9/10/2018

The Science Fair in Oliveira do Bairro occurred from the 3rd to the 5th october. This event counted with the presence of several CESAM members with, at least, 3 demonstrations in different areas such as biochemistry, biology and environment. The researcher Vânia Calisto eas also invited to participate in the talk that happened in the last day of the event.

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Presentation of Habilitation of the researcher Célia Alves

Published in 12/10/2018

[Content only available in Portuguese] As Provas de habilitação para o exercício de funções de coordenação científica (Decreto-Lei n.º 124/99)” em Ciências e Engenharia do Ambiente de Célia dos Anjos Alves estão agendadas para os dias 10 e 11 de outubro, às 10h00, na Sala de Atos Académicos, no Edifício Central e da Reitoria da UA.

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CESAM in the International BioMarine Business Convention

Published in 2/10/2018

CESAM is representing the University of Aveiro from today to the 4th October in the Congress Center of Estoril (Lisbon) in the BioMarine Business Convention, together with Plataforma Tecnológica do Mar  and the Unidade de Transferência de Tecnologia (UATEC). CESAM is part of the demonstrations in the MyBlueEducation district where it is presenting some of the marine specimens with ecnomic value of the Biological Research Collection of Marine Invertebrates (COBI) of DBio & CESAM together with some videos relevant on  the research and projects in area of the sea.

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CESAM member is in the scientific committee of the IX Meeting of the Wild Iberian Ungulates

Published in 2/10/2018

Professor Carlos Fonseca is part of the scientific committee of the IX Meeting of the Wild Iberian Ungulates (IX Reunião dos Ungulados Selvagens Ibéricos) that will hapen on the 4-6 October in Sierra Nevada. He and his PhD student João Carvalho and MSc student Ana Figueiredo will make oral presentations in this event.

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CESAM joins LIS-Water as newest Member

Published in 1/10/2018

CESAM recently joined the network LIS-Water. LIS-Water is a non-profit centre of excellence under construction focused on public policies, regulation and management on water services and related water resources. This network intends to make a pivotal contribution for better water services and a better society. It responds to the challenges deriving from water being one of the top world priorities, recognised by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

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FAIRMODE was recognized by NATURE in its last editorial

Published in 27/9/2018

FAIRMODE (Forum for Air Quality Modelling in Europe) was metntioned in the last Editorial of the renowned journal NATURE. More specifically, it is stated that  “Scientists can also help to develop and provide well-tested modelling tools that local authorities can use to improve assessments of their specific circumstances, and to design action plans. The Forum for air quality modelling in Europe (FAIRMODE), a joint programme by scientists with the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and the European Environment Agency, is tasked with developing air-pollution models and is working to harmonize monitoring methods across the bloc. But as air-quality concerns continue to grow, the forum must liaise more with city leaders and health specialists to make sure they get the tools and data they need.”. FAIRMODE counts with the contribution of the researcher Alexandra Monteiro in the Management Committee as Chairman of the Planning Working Group.  

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Common approach for the protection and restorarion of the ecosystems exposed to fires

Published in 24/9/2018

[Content only available in Portuguese] No âmbito do projeto “EPyRIS - Estratégia conjunta para a proteção e restauração dos ecossistemas afetados por incêndios florestais”, foi realizada esta sexta-feira, dia 21 de Setembro, uma atividade que contou com a colaboração da Universidade de Aveiro e o ICNF, para a aplicação de medidas de estabilização de emergência após fogo. Esta atividade foi realizada na área afetada pelo incêndio em Loriga (Seia), no parque natural da Serra da Estrela, e assiste à instalação de um ensaio de campo, que tem como objetivo avaliar a eficiência das medidas de estabilização de emergência em áreas protegidas. A coordenação desta atividade foi feita pelo investigador Jacob Keizer. O projeto EPyRIS oferece uma estratégia de gestão conjunta que permite abordar efetivamente os riscos resultantes da ocorrência de incêndios florestais em espaços naturais do Sudoeste Europeu. Em particular, o projeto pretende consolidar, harmonizar e instrumentalizar critérios, procedimentos e contribuições do campo científico para sua utilidade na gestão. 

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CESAM researcher contributes to policy brief on deep-sea

Published in 24/9/2018

The researcher Ana Hilário recently contributed to the DOSI - Deep-Ocean Stewardship Initiative  policy brief on deep-sea. This document highights the unimagined biodiversity that exists in the deep ocean and the urgency to use a precautionary and ecosystem-based management approach to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of this biodiversity in marine areas beyond national jurisdiction. The policy brief can be consulted here.

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CESAM participates in the Final Conference of the project RECARE

Published in 21/9/2018

On the 27th September, in Brussels, will occur the final conference RECARE organized by the consortium of the project. This event targets decision makers to present the main results of the project on: effective measures for the prevention and remediation of soil threats and its adoption by land managers; European politic's impacts; and options for future answears in policies. This conference will be an excellent opportunity to discuss how RECARE results may inffluence the future European policies for soil protection. CESAM team coordinated by Jan Jacob Keizer was invited to present a Portuguese case study, in which solutions to mitigate the hidric erosion of the soil in burned areas were studied. The application of grounded forestry debris resulting from the the cut of eucaliptus trees (i.e. mulching) was the selected technique used by the agents as innovative measure to be tested in the scope of RECARE. The complete news can be seen here [In Portuguese].

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CESAM Fulbright holders

Published in 21/9/2018

The researcher Regina Duarte and the PhD student Libânia Queirós were two of the 31 people that were granted by the Fulbright Program in Portugal this year. The award cerimony occurred in the 11 july in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lisbon. Libânia Queirós will go in February to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University. Regina Duarte is already in the Old Dominion University where she gave a lecture entitled “A Primer on -Omics Strategy for Untargeted Profiling of Organic Aerosols: Lessons Learned and Future Challenges” in the scope of the seminar cycles organized by the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department of the hosted institution. More information on the Fulbright Program can be seen here.

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Participation of the project Cephs & Chefs in the Octopus Week in Quarteira

Published in 21/9/2018

The team of the INTERREG project Cephs and Chefs of CESAM, constituted by the researchers Cristina Pita, Silvia Monteiro and Fábio Matos joined the 3rd Edition of Octopus Week in Quarteira (Algarve, Portugal) that happened from 7-16 September. During 4 days, the organization and some of the restaurants associated to the event were interviewed, as well as stakeholders involved on the value chain associated with the octopus trap fishery of Fuzeta. The Octopus Seminar was held on the 14th of September, an initiative of the AEQV - Association of Entrepreneurs of Quarteira and Vilamoura and the Armalgarve Octopus Association. During the seminar, the Cephs and Chefs project was promoted and its objectives presented. Among the participants of the seminar were also present entities linked to the fishing sector of the octopus, research organizations (some partners of the Cephs and Chefs) and members of the Government of Portugal. In the discussion were addressed issues such as the octopus production in aquaculture, as well as, the ecological and socio-economic sustainability.

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Integrated European Long-Term Ecosystem, Critical Zone & Socio-Ecological Research Infrastructure

Published in 17/9/2018

On September 11th, the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) presented the 2018 ESFRI Roadmap on Large Scale Research Infrastructures during a half-day conference in Vienna. The ESFRI Roadmap identifies new Research Infrastructures (RI) of pan-European priority and, as announced previously, eLTER RI is among them. These new research infrastructures will be designed to meet the long term needs of European research communities.Inclusion on the ESFRI Roadmap is a significant achievement for the European ecosystem, critical zone and socio-ecological research communities. It paves the way for the further development and formalization of eLTER RI, the Integrated European Long-Term Ecosystem, Critical Zone & Socio-Ecological Research Infrastructure.When fully operational, eLTER RI will be a permanently funded and managed, distributed infrastructure of field sites covering European environmental zones. These field sites will be designed to support excellent science on the functioning of our life supporting systems (a whole-system approach, including studies of human-environment interactions and earth’s critical zone).The RI will provide a range of services to end users, including access to highly instrumented and expertly staffed sites and to their long-term environmental observation data. Additional services, such as data synthesis and modelling, support for research and technological development, and training programmes, will be provided via Topic Centres. The RI will also provide a range of outputs supporting policy and science users, such as information on European environmental trends.The next step in the process is to prepare a proposal for a Preparatory Phase Project (PPP), which will develop key components of eLTER RI such as the legal entity, governance structure, Head Office, Topic Centres, the standard observation programme, the physical network of LTER Sites and LTSER Platforms included in the RI and the services that the RI will offer to users. The requirements of a wide range of stakeholders will be considered in this process, for example, to take account of emerging strategies in European environmental monitoring.The eLTER ESFRI process is led by the German Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) in close cooperation with the Environment Agency Austria (EAA) and with support of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. 17 countries supported the eLTER RI ESFRI application politically and 161 research institutions in 27 countries signed the scientific MoU of the eLTER RI.ESFRI Chair, Giorgio Rossi presented the 2018 ESFRI Roadmap at the invitation-only meeting on 11th September. The coordinator of eLTER RI, Michael Mirtl, introduced the basic outline of eLTER. During the event, invited participants discussed about the prospects and challenges posed by the new Roadmap. This conference was part of a series of events marking the Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. It is organised by the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, in close cooperation with ESFRI and the European Commission.

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10th Portuguese Conference on Polar Sciences

Published in 18/10/2018

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The 10th Portuguese Conference on Polar Sciences will be hosted for the first time by the University of Aveiro, Portugal (25-26 October 2018). This meeting has been boosted by the Portuguese polar programme (PROPOLAR) yearly as forum where researchers working both in the Arctic and the Antarctica share their newest results. It has traditionally been an advanced venue for the discussion and triggering of fruitful national and international cooperation towards improved research in polar regions. The organizing committee welcomes all members of the Portuguese polar community to the Conference, as well as researchers, students and stakeholders interested in polar regions and their global importance. The meeting will include platform and poster sessions covering a wide range of topics within e.g. atmospheric sciences, biology, environmental sciences, geochemistry, geology, geography, social sciences, space sciences, all linked to polar research. Internationally renowned invited speakers will honor the event with plenary sessions that should be of great interest of all attendees. This conference will hold the IX Workshop APECS Portugal foccused on SCIENCE COMMUNICATION. The list of the speakers can be consulted here. 

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Ecology Day

Published in 14/9/2018

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CESAM will participate in the activities of the Ecology Day boosted by the Portuguese Society of Ecology Portuguese Society of Ecology (SPECO) that ohapens on the 14th September. This event intends to give more visibility to the Ecology that is done in Portugal, namely to the research and paths that this holistic science points towards sustainability. Several activities will occur in the national territory and CESAM will organize a seminar that will occur at 16:00 at the University of Aveiro. The seminar is about Ria de Aveiro as a LTER site "Management based in the biodiversity and services of the ecosystem". More details on this seminar may be  consulted in the annex.

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Challenges of the Portuguese Sea

Published in 24/9/2018

CESAM supports the VII Seminar "Challenges of the Portuguese Sea" which will take place in the maritime Museum in Ílhavo on the 20th October. This event will count with the presence of several speakers with national influence on the theme, including the researcher Ana Lillebo which will talk on the threats and vulnerabilities of the marine ecossystems and the Professor Fátima Alves which will be foccused in the Portuguese Sea management.

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BioMarine Business Convention 2018, Cascais, Portugal

Published in 10/9/2018

CESAM will participate in the BioMarine Business Convention 2018 to be held in Cascais, Portugal. This event will gather institutions, scientists,  companies (pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food, construction, aquaculture, etc) and other stakeholders interested in the Blue Economy. It will be an event where the latest developments regarding the ocean and the evolution and opportunities that Portugal offers for a sustainable blue economy will be shared. CESAM will be present as a demonstrator in the MyBlueCity. We will present several movies, related with marine research, advanced courses in marine sciences and infrastructures sea-related of the University of Aveiro together with some dissemination material regarding the training offer by the University related with marine sciences. Furthermore, CESAM will have an exposition of the biota of the deep-sea with economic value for the blue economy with the kind support of COBI - Biological Research Collection.

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IMPRINT+ gets to an end with impressive environmental results

Published in 11/9/2018

The project IMPRINT+, co-financed by the program Erasmus+ that has already been highlighted by the European Commission as an example of good practices in the area of environmental education, reached an end. This project focused on the promotion of living the life in an environmentally friendly way, giving tools to the youth to be active in the protection of the environment and in changing mentalities towards sustainability. Coordinated by the CESAM researcher Carlos Fonseca, the main goal of IMPRINT+ was to shown that leave a positive footprint in the planet is essential for all. Some of the impressive results of the project include the plantation of more than 19.000 trees, 10 ponds builded to house wildlife, and more than 200 activities of environmental educatiion done reaching more than 10.00 people. Moreover, around 200 portuguese young people participated in international exchange programs, in Portugal and abroad. The complete news can be seen here [in PT].  

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CESAM researcher participates in the UN Intergovernmental Conference on Oceans

Published in 10/9/2018

The CESAM Researcher Fátima Lopes Alves was invited, as expert, to join the National Delegation that participates in the "1st Intergovernmental Conference on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity Beyond Areas of National Jurisdiction".More details [in portuguese]: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=55514

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CESAM joins EurOcean as newest Member

Published in 3/8/2018

CESAM recently joined the network EurOcean - The European Centre for information on Marine Science and Technology. This network was established in 2002 and is an independent scientific non-governmental organisation whose membership comprises leading European marine research, funding and outreach organisations.

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Nomination of Professor and Researcher of CESAM to the scientific panel of the national strategy of adaptation to climate change

Published in 3/8/2018

[Only available in Portuguese] Autor de trabalhos científicos em áreas como a ecologia da fase larvar de invertebrados marinhos ou a conservação ambiental, Henrique Queiroga foi nomeado para o Painel Científico da Estratégia Nacional de Adaptação às Alterações Climáticas (ENAAC 2020). O professor do Departamento de Biologia e investigador do Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar (CESAM), vai poder contribuir com o seu saber para “Um país adaptado aos efeitos das alterações climáticas, através da contínua implementação de soluções baseadas no conhecimento técnico-científico e em boas práticas” (Resolução do Conselho de Ministros n.º 56/2015).  A frase anterior é uma transcrição da visão que o Conselho de Ministros estabeleceu para Estratégia Nacional de Adaptação às Alterações Climáticas (ENAAC 2020). A ENAAC 2020 pretende desenvolver uma perspetiva sistémica e integrada das ações de adaptação às alterações climáticas e de mitigação dos seus efeitos, as quais devem ser enquadradas de forma a promover o correto planeamento e desenvolvimento de uma sociedade e economia resiliente, competitiva e de baixo carbono. Para alcançar aquela visão, a ENAAC 2020 define três objetivos: melhorar o nível de conhecimento sobre as alterações climáticas, implementar medidas de adaptação e promover a integração da adaptação em políticas sectoriais. Henrique Queiroga foi nomeado em substituição de Henrique Cabral, professor da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, e é agora um dos 20 membros do Painel Científico. O professor da UA leciona Oceanografia Biológica, Ecologia Marinha e outras disciplinas na área das Ciências do Mar, e é atualmente coordenador do grupo de investigação em Ecologia Marinha e Estuarina do CESAM, tendo exercido no passado funções de vice-diretor deste Laboratório Associado. Na vertente do seu trabalho relacionada com projetos de conservação ambiental, especificamente no que respeita à gestão de áreas marinhas protegidas, coordenou a candidatura da Reserva Natural das Berlengas à Rede Mundial de Reservas da Biosfera (UNESCO, Programa Homem e Biosfera). Esta candidatura, suportada pela Câmara Municipal de Peniche, pelo Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e Biodiversidade e por vários grupos de utilizadores, foi aprovada pela UNESCO em julho de 2011. É autor ainda do estudo respeitante à estimativa da Capacidade de Carga Humana da Reserva Natural das Berlengas, e é membro do Conselho Estratégico desta área protegida. O docente e investigador é diretor de dois programas doutorais internacionais na área das ciências do mar oferecidos pela Universidade de Aveiro: Do*Mar - Ciência, Tecnologia e Gestão do Mar, em colaboração com universidades do norte de Portugal e da Galiza, e Ciências do Mar, em colaboração com um consórcio de 24 parceiros europeus. Henrique Queiroga tem ainda colaborado com a A3ES - Agência de Avaliação e Acreditação do Ensino Superior na avaliação e acreditação de licenciaturas, mestrados e doutoramentos na área das Ciências do Mar em Portugal. Notícia original aqui.

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Research project CEPHS & CHEFS celebrated in Vigo its second meeting

Published in 3/8/2018

[Only available in Portuguese] Realizou-se nos passados dias 5 e 6 de julho, a segunda reunião de coordenação do projeto CEPHS & CHEFS. Este encontro aconteceu na sede da Cooperativa dos Armadores de Pesca do Porto de Vigo (ARVI), e coincidiu com o festival gastronómico VIGO SEAFEST. O projeto, financiado pelo Programa de Cooperação INTERREG Espaço Atlântico (2017-2020), tem como objetivo transferir conhecimentos sobre a pesca e o consumo de cefalópodes (polvos, lulas e chocos) existente nos países do sul da Área Atlântica com grande tradição gastronómica de consumo (Portugal e Espanha) aos países do Norte (França, o Reino Unido e a Irlanda), onde estas espécies são pouco consumidas, mas, no entanto, capturadas. Com este objetivo, estabeleceu-se um consórcio representativo dos diferentes países: da Irlanda estão presentes a Universidade Internacional da Irlanda em Galway, o Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, a Organização de Produtores de Pescado do Sul e Oeste da Irlanda; do Reino Unido participam o Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) e a Atlantic Gate Ltd.; de França a Universidade de Caen - Normandia; de Portugal fazem parte a Universidade de Aveiro/CESAM, o Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera (IPMA) e a Associação de Armadores de Pesca da Fuzeta; de Espanha a Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, o Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo - Instituto Espanhol de Oceanografia, a empresa de novas tecnologias Quadralia e a Cooperativa dos Armadores do porto de Vigo (ARVI). Nesta reunião de coordenação discutiram-se as tarefas realizadas até ao momento e as iniciativas futuras. Os parceiros envolvidos na adaptação de receitas tradicionais existentes em Espanha e Portugal para os países da área do Atlântico Norte, participaram em iniciativas de confeção de pratos à base de polvo, lulas e chocos. Visitaram igualmente o mercado de Bueu, grandes superfícies com oferta destes produtos, e a fábrica Rosa dos Ventos, especializada no processamento do polvo. O consórcio participou igualmente no festival VIGO Seafest 2018 visitando o stand da OPPC-3, dedicado exclusivamente à divulgação de receitas de polvo, lulas e chocos, a fim de partilhar conhecimentos entre os chefs de cozinha. Na reunião foram apresentados os avanços nas diferentes tarefas do projeto, que para além da adaptação das receitas tradicionais incluí a avaliação das cadeias de valor no comércio destas espécies, a criação de novos produtos nos diferentes países e a avaliação integrada deste sector pesqueiro. Espera-se que entre os resultados do projeto esteja o desenvolvimento de novos produtos de cefalópodes em particular em França, Irlanda e Reino Unido e criação de um espaço para o turismo gastronómico em Espanha e Portugal, garantindo ao mesmo tempo um maior conhecimento sobre a sustentabilidade deste recurso pesqueiro e do sector.

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Team with CESAM member wins prize Inov.Ação Valorpneu

Published in 3/8/2018

[Only available in Portuguese] O projeto RObUST – Economia Circular Aplicada à Borracha de Pneus: Valorização Material, Química e Energética recebeu o Prémio Inov.Ação Valorpneu. A equipa deste projeto é composta por membros do Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde (REQUIMTE), a Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa e Universidade de Aveiro, sendo que um dos autores é o docente do CESAM Luis Tarelho. O Prémio Inov.Ação Valorpneu pretende valorizar “ideias verdes” interdisciplinares. A cerimónia de entrega de prémios decorreuno passado dia 21 de junho no MAAT – Museu de Arte, Arquitetura e Tecnologia em Lisboa. Os outros vencedores do evento podem ser consultados aqui.

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Ricardo Assunção was distinguished in an international workshop of mycotoxicology

Published in 3/8/2018

[Only available in Portuguese] Ricardo Assunção, bolseiro de pós-doutoramento no CESAM, foi distinguido com o prémio “Brigitte Gedek – Science Award” atribuído pela “Society for Mycotoxin Research”, no âmbito do 40º Workshop de Micotoxinas, que decorreu, dia 12 de junho, em Munique (Alemanha). Este prémio distingue contribuições científicas na área da micotoxicologia que se diferenciem pela qualidade excecional e é atribuído de forma bianual desde o ano 2000. Para a atribuição deste prémio foram tidos em conta os contributos alcançados por Ricardo Assunção na sua tese de doutoramento “Children exposure to multiple mycotoxins through food consumption: a holistic approach for risk assessment”, realizada no Departamento de Alimentação e Nutrição (DAN) do Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, em colaboração com o CESAM e a Universidade de Évora. Este trabalho teve como principais objetivos caracterizar a exposição das crianças portuguesas com idade inferior a 3 anos a múltiplas micotoxinas através da alimentação e determinar a bioacessibilidade das micotoxinas nos alimentos habitualmente consumidos pelas crianças. Os resultados desta investigação reforçam a importância da implementação de uma abordagem holística para a avaliação de risco de mistura de micotoxinas, em especial quando envolvidas populações vulneráveis como as crianças. As potenciais consequências da exposição intestinal a micotoxinas deverão ser ponderadas principalmente no que respeita às implicações no desenvolvimento de doenças intestinais. O prémio “Brigitte Gedek – Science Award” conta com o apoio da Professora Doutora Brigitte Gedek, professora aposentada de Bacteriologia e Micologia da Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, que esteve presente na cerimónia de entrega deste prémio. Este ano, para além do prémio atribuído a Ricardo Assunção, foi também distinguido o grupo de investigação do Professor Doutor Ludwig Niessen da Technische Universität München (Alemanha).

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A researcher from CESAM publishes book chapter on blue economy at Springer

Published in 3/8/2018

Ricardo Calado, a researcher from the Department of Biology & CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies), is the first author of a chapter from the most recent book of the "Grand Challenges in Biology and Biotechnology " Series, from Springer. The chapter "How to Succeed in Marketing Marine Natural Products for Nutraceutical, Pharmaceutical and Cosmeceutical Markets" from the book "Grand Challenges in Marine Biotechnology" evidences the quality and impact of the research made at CESAM regarding a strategy towards a blue bioeconomy. Marine ecosystems shelter organisms with unique survival skills that include the production of secondary metabolites of extreme biological importance and with a high commercial value for nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical companies. This chapter makes a review on how these marine natural products can be marketed, from the discovery and development stage until the marketing of the final product. Challenges arisen from this process are also highlighted and discussed in this chapter.    The chapter of about 100 pages is available here.

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Nomination of research fellow as a Management Committee Member to COST Action

Published in 3/8/2018

The CESAM researcher fellow, Bruna Oliveira, has been nominated as a Management Committee Member to COST Action CA17134 (Optical synergies for spatiotemporal sensing of scalable ecophysiological traits).

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Study presents potential indicators to map and value ecosystem services provided by insects

Published in 3/8/2018

A study coordinated by researchers from the Department of Biology & CESAM from the University of Aveiro, in collaboration with the University of Azores Biodiversity Group from cE3c, identify several potential indicators which can help to map and value ecosystem services provided by insects. The study entitled “Ecosystem Services Provided by the Little Things That Run the World” (DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.74847) was published has a book chapter in the book “Selected Studies in Biodiversity” (ISBN: 978-1-78923-233-2), published by IntechOpen. More than half of all described species are insects. The highest extinction risk and consequently biodiversity loss are predicted to occur in invertebrates, specifically insects, and these declines are expected to cascade onto ecosystem functioning and human well-being. Following the Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services (CICES), a total of 73 indicators, divided as 17 Provisional indicators, 27 Regulation and Maintenance indicators, and 29 Cultural indicators. Despite the lack of recognition of provisioning and cultural services, the indicators provided may help to raise awareness on the importance of the little things the run the world, in order to preserve traditional and technological uses of insects and their services. The results from this study will help to value and protect the “little things that run the world”, citing the famous ecologist Edward O. Wilson. Chapter available here. Book overview: download

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Results of CESAM's participative budget

Published in 3/8/2018

[Only available in Portuguese] Terminou no passado dia 22 de junho a votação para o Orçamento Participativo do CESAM. Esta iniciativa inédita teve como rpincipal objetivo promover uma maior participação e envolvimento dos investigadores juniores na atividade científica do CESAM através da valorização das suas atividades de investigação e capacidades de inovação e empreendedorismo.  17 candidat@s concorreram e 44 % dos membros integrados do CESAM foram às urnas. O projeto da Sara Vicente intitulado "Genetic variability in native and recently invaded ecosystems by Acacia longifolia: a global model species" foi o vencedor e será apresentado no dia 6 de julho inserido nas comemorações do Dia do CESAM.

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Nomination of researcher as a Management Committee Member to COST Action

Published in 3/8/2018

The CESAM researcher, Regina Duarte, has been nominated as a Management Committee Member to COST Action CA17136 (Indoor Air Pollution Network).

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CESAM contributes to worldwide celebrations of the WORLD OCEANS DAY

Published in 3/8/2018

CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies) was part of the international network of entities celebrating for the WORLD OCEANS DAY.  The WORLD OCEANS DAY (8th June 2018) was celebrated with open science talks from CESAM researchers on Climate Change and the Oceans - see more information on the event program here. Unfortunately, due to weather conditions, the bike ride to ECOMARE was cancelled... but the afternoon snack was not forgotten and the convivial spirit remained high!         

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AQUACROSS project presents its Information Platform

Published in 24/8/2018

19/06/2018 The AQUACROSS Information Platform aims to provide open access to a wide range of resources related to aquatic (freshwater, marine and coastal) ecosystems and biodiversity management at the European level. The primary focus is on data used in the various project Case Studies and Work packages, and resulting maps, model outputs and tools that can be used by and adapted to other regional studies. After almost three years, the AQUACROSS project  is still running and it is now at the stage of implementing its Assessment Framework to its case studies, including the Ria de Aveiro in Portugal. AQUACROSS aims to support EU efforts to enhance the resilience and stop the loss of biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems as well as to ensure the ongoing and future provision of aquatic ecosystem services. It focuses on advancing the knowledge base and application of the ecosystem-based management concept for aquatic ecosystems by developing cost effective measures and integrated management practices. AQUACROSS considers the EU policy framework (i.e. goals, concepts, time frames) for aquatic ecosystems and builds on knowledge stemming from different sources (i.e. WISE, BISE, Member State reporting, modelling) to develop innovative management tools, concepts, and business models (i.e. indicators, maps, ecosystem assessments, participatory approaches, mechanisms for promoting the delivery of ecosystem services) for aquatic ecosystems at various scales. It thereby provides an unprecedented effort to unify policy concepts, knowledge, and management concepts of freshwater, coastal, and marine ecosystems to support the cost-effective achievement of the targets set out by the EU 2020 Biodiversity Strategy. The project has already several outputs: Newsletter 1 (2016) Newsletter 2 (2017) Policy Brief: Managing biodiversity from local to global: an EU perspective Business Brief: The business benefits of engaging with the Sustainable Development Goals Deliverables and Publications AQUACROSS Information Platform

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CESAM researchers accepted to join EuroMarine Working Groups

Published in 2/8/2018

03-20-2018Marco Custódio and Elizabete Maciel, both researchers from DBIO / CESAM, were recently elected to join the EuroMarine Working Groups "Young Scientist" and "Research infrastructures", respectively. EuroMarine Young Scientist Working Group aims to have an active Young Scientist community engaging and exchanging with each other and the wider EM member network, providing inputs on the future direction of the network, as well as deriving maximum benefits from the current and future network activities and services. EuroMarine working group for research infrastructures (RIs) aims to improve our interactions and awareness of existing services, platforms, and opportunities that the RIs offer. RIs are set to play an important role in the research landscape over the coming decades, and become hubs for excellent science in Europe.

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Best poster at the 13th International Symposium on Enchytraeidae

Published in 2/8/2018

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13/06/2018 The best poster of the 13th ISE was awarded to the PhD student Rita Bicho, from the Stress Biology group of CESAM: “Bicho, R.C., Scott-Fordsmand, J.J., Amorim, M.J.B. (2018) Poster presentation. Enchytraeids as ecotoxicological models – overview of available tools – towards a systems toxicology approach.”. The conference took place in Versailles, France, 4 - 6 June 2018. More information on the event here.

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WORLD OCEANS DAY

Published in 2/8/2018

24/05/2018[Only available in Portuguese] O CESAM convida-o a celebrar o Dia Mundial dos Oceanos (8 de Junho) com um ciclo de palestras sobre os impactos das alterações climáticas nos ecossistemas e recursos marinhos,• O impacto do setor dos transportes nas alterações climáticas (Margarida Coelho, dem)• Influência das alterações globais na margem Ibérica: presente e futuro (Prof. Jesus Dubert, dfis)• Acidificação e aquecimento oceânico: ameaças ao desenvolvimento sustentável da maricultura de moluscos (Susana Galante-Oliveira, dbio)• O lixo marinho num cenário de alterações globais: novos desafios para os oceanos (Miguel Oliveira, dbio)seguido de passeio de bicicleta até ao ECOMARE (CEPAM) para visita e lanche.Esta atividade é organizada pela Linha Temática "Ecossistemas e Recursos Marinhos" (CESAM-MER) e tem o apoio das Plataformas Tecnológicas do Mar e da Bicicleta e Mobilidade Suave da Universidade de Aveiro, e está enquadrada no projeto integra@tec – Transferência de competências integradas e geradoras de inovação empresarial na Região Centro, cofinanciado pelo Centro 2020 – Programa Operacional Regional do Centro, através do FEDER – Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional.Inscreva-se em https://goo.gl/forms/nfruI8slN8rpvdaZ2 até dia 3 de Junho de 2018 (inscrição gratuita, mas obrigatória!)

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Susana Loureiro elected member of SETAC Europe Council academy

Published in 25/5/2018

05/24/2018Susana Loureiro, assistant professor at the Department of Biology and researcher at CESAM, was elected as member of the SETAC Europe Council academy at the SETAC Europe 28th Annual Meeting, which took place from May 13 to 17 in Rome.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=54602

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Research by CESAM members: Paper industry waste helps decontaminate water

Published in 23/5/2018

05/23/2018Waste from the paper industry may be the solution to remove the remains of drugs used by producers from aquaculture waters. At the University of Aveiro, a team of chemists with members from CESAM has been able to convert the sludge that results from these residues into a biochar, which, like a magnet, is able to attract and retain a wide range of toxic substances.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=54582

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CESAM at the celebrations of the 20 years of EXPO 98

Published in 23/5/2018

05/23/2018As part of the celebrations of the 20 years of Expo 98, the "Pavilhão do Conhecimento" dedicated a day to the ocean. CESAM was present with an exhibition entitled "By the sea" with specimens from the collection COBI (Biological Research collection) and mineral structures of the ocean floor.

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Publication of the book “Dragagens, Questões Ambientais e Monitorização”

Published in 24/8/2018

05/23/2018The book "Dragagens, Questões Ambientais e Monitorização",was published on April, 2018, with the seal of the UA publisher, in a joint initiative of the Administration of the Port of Aveiro (APA) and the University of Aveiro (UA), involving CESAM members. This book follows other initiatives of the University of Aveiro and the APA on this topic, namely the organization of the 1st Technical Dredging Course (2009) and the 2nd Technical Dredging Course (2013), as well as the publication of the book "Dredges , Fundamentals, Techniques and Impacts " in 2011. More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=54510

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Participative Budgeting of CESAM (OP@CESAM) - Funding opportunity for PhD students

Published in 18/5/2018

05/18/2018Dear CESAM PhD students:CESAM launches an initiative today thinking of you!The CESAM Participatory Budget (OP @ CESAM) aims to promote greater participation and involvement of junior researchers in the scientific activity of CESAM. The ideas/initiatives must be developed by CESAM doctoral students being in line with the research they carry out. Also, it must be within the framework of CESAM's I & I strategy and represent a contribution to the academic community and/or society.More information (regulation and application form) go to the CESAM Intranet.Present your ideas until next May 31 to the e-mail: cesam-op@ua.ptLet your imagination run wild! Only one idea will be chosen and financed with a maximum budget of € 10000. We count on your participation!

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CESAM research in the Supplement of Público newspaper "Perspetivas"

Published in 17/5/2018

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05/16/2018The report published in the supplement Perspetivas, distributed with the Público newspaper, highlights the relevance of the scientific research carried out by CESAM: "Research and innovation activities (I & I) developed by the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) are perfectly aligned and framed in the Intelligent Specialization of the Center Region, in which the University of Aveiro (UA) is inserted. "

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Prof. Rosário Domingues, member of CESAM, invited to the Portuguese Technical Commission of the IPQ for evaluation of Algae and Derivatives

Published in 17/5/2018

05/16/2018The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) has decided to establish a Technical Commission on the specification, classification, terminology and methods for the determination of algae (general) and algae products immediately derived or used in algae production processes (TC 454 - Algae and algae products). Considering the great importance that this theme has for the national market, the Portuguese Quality Institute (IPQ), the National Standardization Body, decided to create the Portuguese Technical Commission to follow up the work of the said commission (CEN / TC 454). Professor Rosário Domingues, an integrated member of CESAM, was invited to join this Technical Committee, which demonstrates the innovative and excellent character that the UA & CESAM have been developing in the field of marine biotechnology.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=54543&lg=pt

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Report on Research developed at CESAM in the “Teste Saúde” magazine (DECO Supplement)

Published in 17/5/2018

04-20-2018A report about CESAM research in the area of Health & Environment was published in the “Teste Saúde” magazine (edition 132 April/May).The report is focused on research developed by Sónia Rodrigues (DQ / CESAM), Isabel Henriques (DBIO / CESAM), Ricardo Calado & Fernando Ricardo (DBIO / CESAM), and Bruno Nunes (DBIO / CESAM), mainly on topics such as land rehabilitation, resistant bacteria and fish under watch.

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Five new pseudoscorpions discovered in Portugal by a researcher from CESAM

Published in 23/4/2018

19-04-2018Five new species of pseudoscorpion were discovered in caves at  Algarve, Alentejo, Penela and Leiria by the biologist Ana Sofia Reboleira, who at the time of baptizing one of the species, Occidenchthonius goncalvesi, honored Fernando Gonçalves, professor of the Department of Biology of the University of Aveiro ( UA). The findings add up to 49 new species described over the last decade by speleologist and researcher at the UA's Center for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM).

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Environmental protection in Antarctica under the scope of ReACT project

Published in 23/4/2018

18-04-2018The field work carried out in Antarctica under the scope of ReACT Project (Risk Assessment in Fildes Peninsula Improving Knowledge towards Environmental Protection ACTions in the Antarctica), led by Joana Luísa Pereira (CESAM), was successfully completed. The team involved in this mission, made up of Joana Luísa Pereira (CESAM and Dbio-UA), Guilherme Jeremias (DBio-UA) and Ruth Pereira (FCUP) is now returning to Portugal, where, together with the project team from several institutions of the SCTN (UA, FCUP, IST), will initiate the analysis of the collected samples. In spite of the limitations imposed by the weather conditions that reduced the time spent at the Chilean base, Julio Escudero, located on King George Island, the team was able to achieve the objectives proposed, namely the fulfillment of an extensive design of soil sampling and of lakes, which will allow the realization of a risk assessment to support future decisions to protect the study area. This will be the first time that an environmental risk assessment scheme has been implemented in polar regions, under another project funded by the Portuguese Polar Program, which has greatly contributed to Portugal's position in research in polar areas. Despite the shortened length of stay in Antarctica, and the demand for the work done, there were plenty of opportunities to observe the diversity, the deep beauty and grandeur of Antarctica's landscapes.

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Several entities in Portugal participate in the European project CEPHS AND CHEFS.

Published in 16/4/2018

16-04-2018The INTERREG project "Cephs and Chefs", funded by European funds, was launched last December, with the launching meeting in the Irish town of Galway. This project aims to create new markets and add value to cephalopods (octopus, squid and cuttlefish), as well as to evaluate these resources in different regions of the "Atlantic Area" (Spain, Portugal, France, United Kingdom and Ireland) in an integrated way and to support transnational cooperation between these regions. In Portugal and Spain, unlike the other countries of the "Atlantic Area", there is a strong tradition of consumption of cephalopods and a great investment in the investigation of these fishing resources. In order to promote the sustainable consumption of these species in the Atlantic region, Portuguese institutions, namely the University of Aveiro, the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) and the Association of Fisheries Manufacturers of Fuzeta (AAPF) collaborate with international partners such as the National University of Ireland Galway, the Galway Major Institute of Technology and the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organization CLG of Ireland, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Atlantic Gate Ltd. of the United Kingdom, the Université de Caen Normandie of France , the University of Santiago de Compostela, the Oceanographic Center of Vigo of the Spanish Institute of Oceanography, the company Quadralia and the Cooperative of Shipowners of the Port of Vigo (ARVI) of Spain. The next meeting of the project will take place in Vigo (Spain) during the month of July in the days prior to VIGO SEAFEST. This festival is a gastronomic event around the sea products and will be visited by representatives of the various entities involved in the project.

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New method for calculating the dispersal of marine larvae

Published in 11/4/2018

11/04/2018A new method was described by researchers from the Universities of Aveiro (UA), Melbourne, Vigo and Ghent, which allows to calculate the dispersal of larvae of various marine species, fundamental to understand the ecology of the species and, among other applications, to establish criteria for delimitation of protected marine areas.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=54120

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Frank Verheijen (CESAM, DAO, UA) will present UTILIZAÇÃO DE BIOCHAR PARA O MELHORAMENTO DE SOLOS at AgroIn 2018: EcoInovação, Estoril, 18th April 2018

Published in 11/4/2018

11/04/2018It is called Biochar, a type of coal produced from biomass, it allows to reduce the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, to improve the soil and to generate clean energy during its manufacture. Frank Verheijen, a soil specialist at the University of Aveiro and a pioneer in experiments with biochar on Portuguese farms, will explain how to take advantage of this coal that can revolutionize the management of soil erosion. The challenge is to combine productive, profitable and efficient farms with the conservation of natural resources. In short, we want SUSTAINABILITY with an economic rationale, and profitability with an environmental concern. Sustainable agricultural practices are essential for combating CLIMATE CHANGE and global warming. In a Mediterranean country, where cycles of droughts and concentrated rains intensify more and more, this is a reality that can not go by. But producing safe, quality and quantity food is only possible with the efficient use of resources. In this equation, INNOVATION makes all the difference. And it is precisely here that we want to pass this edition of AGROIN 2018: ECOINOVATIONhttp://www.vidarural.pt/agroin/

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Researchers at CESAM and QOPNA editors of Marine Drugs - Marine Lipids 2017

Published in 11/4/2018

03/04/2018The researchers Rosário Domingues, Pedro Domingues and Ricardo Calado, belonging to the Research Centers QOPNA and CESAM, Department of Chemistry and the Department of Biology, were invited editors of the Special Volume "Marine Lipids 2017" published by the prestigious magazine Marine Drugs (http:/www.mdpi.com/journal/marinedrugs/special_issues/marine_lipids_2017).The Special Volume "Marine Lipids 2017" published a total of 10 articles, which have to date more than 3,105 download and more than 13,650 views. This receptivity on the part of the scientific community of this Special Volume demonstrates the growing interest that exists in marine organisms as a source of lipids with high nutritional value and bioactive properties. These bioactive properties allow the application of these biomolecules in numerous industries, namely in the food, nutraceutical, cosmetic and pharmaceutical areas. Increasingly detailed knowledge of the lipid of marine organisms has allowed the discovery of new biotechnological applications for these biomolecules."Marine Lipids 2017" highlights the most innovative approaches to marine lipidomics as well as new discoveries about the lipidoma of marine organisms, and emphasizes potential forms of enhancement of these biomolecules. Due to the success of this special edition, "Marine Lipids 2017", will soon be published in e-Book format by the publisher MDPI (Switzerland), being agreed with the publisher the edition of new Special Volume on the same theme for 2019.Rosário Domingues, Pedro Domingues and Ricardo Calado founded and coordinate the only Laboratory of Marine Lipidics in the country, aiming to place the University of Aveiro at the forefront of the new Blue Bio-Economy, contributing to an intelligent and integral valorization of endogenous marine biological resources.

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Workshop "CESAM's Contribution to Sustainability and Food Security" | April 6, 2018, in the Amphitheater of Building III (Old Rectory), University of Aveiro

Published in 3/4/2018

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14/03/2018We would like to invite you to participate in the Workshop (WS) "Contribution of CESAM for Sustainability and Food Security", to be held on April 6, 2018, in the Amphitheater of Building III (Old Rectory) , intended for all potential academic and business stakeholders. This workshop will be constituted by 3 thematic sessions, with presentations of about 10 min (plus 5 minutes for discussion). At the end of the workshop, a Round Table will be organized to discuss the relevance of the topics covered, the funding opportunities and frameworks in the priority areas of the H2020 program and the RIS3 Center 2020 Intelligent Specialization Strategy.The purpose of this discussion is to promote the dissemination of knowledge generated in CESAM, the establishment of possible partnerships and the dissemination of funding opportunities in this area (Annex Program).Participation in WS is free but registration is mandatory at: https://goo.gl/forms/ov6RRikHzSi71SNx2Please confirm your participation until the 29th of March!We count on your presence!

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ECOMARE research explained in workshop

Published in 14/3/2018

06/03/2018Knowing slugs that steal chloroplasts from algae to produce their own photosynthesis, recreate ex situ coral reefs, life support systems for marine organisms, conservation of marine animal populations, rescue and rehabilitation of mammals, turtles and seabirds, socioeconomic impacts of invasive species were some of the topics covered in the first workshop - Research at ECOMARE that took place this weekend at the facilities of this research and technology transfer center of the University of Aveiro dedicated to the issues of the Sea.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=53783

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UA develops bivalve's 'detective'

Published in 14/3/2018

05/03/2018Through a simple chemical analysis of the shells and the tissues of bivalves, a team of biologists from CESAM found it possible to confirm exactly the geographical origin of the organisms traded. The test, carried out quickly and cheaply and safely, promises to facilitate the fight against the illegal trade that annually puts on the world market millions of tons of bivalves with risk to public health. In Galicia, where some of the largest bivalve producers are, they are already eyeing the bivalve 'detective' of the UA.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=53761

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Recipe for premium serradela: aquaculture integrated with fish production

Published in 14/3/2018

23/02/2018A study carried out by CESAM concludes that the production of serradela in aquaculture associated with the intensive production of fish originates more nutritious and more abundant earthworms, contributing to the elimination of the excess of particulate organic matter in the water that results from the fish production. The serradela is one of the main baits in fishing and is used for fish food in aquaculture. The conclusions are set out in the scientific article titled "Adding value to ragworms (Hediste diversicolor) through the bioremediation of a super-intensive marine fish farm" highlighted as "Feature Article" in the February "Aquaculture Environment Interactions" journal.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=53661

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A lesson given by Tropical bats: a varied diet is key to species diversification

Published in 14/3/2018

5/02/2018An important step was taken in understanding the ancestral but poorly understood relationship between food and species diversification through the study of the diet of South American noctilionoid bats. In the case of this bat, which divides into more than 200 species in an unparalleled diversity among mammals, the team assert that their varied diet is the key to explain the enormous genetic diversification. Until now, studies with birds and mammals have suggested that exclusively herbivorous feeding increases the rate of formation of new species. However, for omnivores - animals that include plant and animal products in their diet - there was no clear pattern: in some bats, a diversified diet seems to slow the rate of species formation, while in ungulate mammals such as deer or antelope, the opposite occurs. This study, recently published in the journal Ecology Letters, has elucidated the relationship between the type of diet and the formation of species. This research shows that in nytilionoid bats, a group of more than 200 species that inhabit the tropics of the New World, lineages with an omnivorous diet produce more long-term generations than lineages that feed strictly on plants or other animals.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=53464

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CESAM article selected for "Feature Article" of Aquaculture Environment Interactions

Published in 3/8/2018

20/02/2018The article is entitled "Adding value to ragworms (Hediste diversicolor) through the bioremediation of a super-intensive marine fish farm" and was developed under the scope of the PhD thesis of Bruna Marques, member of CESAM.This publication illustrates the group's strategic focus on developing innovative solutions for more sustainable aquaculture and for adding value to aquaculture products.http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/aei/v10/p79-88/

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FIRES in PORTUGAL: Before, During ... and After - 13 December at 17:30 - UA

Published in 24/11/2017

FIRES in PORTUGAL in 3Ds: D Before, D During ... and D After With the participation of: Celeste Coelho (DAO-UA), Paulo Fernandes (UTAD), Xavier Viegas (DEM-UC), Ana Isabel Miranda (DAO-UA), Jacob Keiser (DAO-UA) e Carlos Borrego (moderator) 13 December by 17:30 at Dept. of Environment-UA FREE ENTRANCE

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SmartBioR. This is the name of an innovative program in the context of the sustainable use of Marine Biological Resources presented by the University of Aveiro

Published in 21/2/2018

The University of Aveiro marks the Day of the Sea with the launch of a program for the Enhancement of Endogenous Marine Biological Resources - SmartBioR. The event was held at ECOMARE, Laboratory for Innovation and Sustainability of Marine Biological Resources of the University of Aveiro, and counted, among others, the presence of the Rector of the University of Aveiro Prof. Doctor Manuel António Assunção, Prof. Dr. Amadeu Soares, Director of the Biology Department of the University of Aveiro and responsible for the project, Prof. Dr. Rui Pedrosa, Vice-President of the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Dr. Isabel Damasceno, from Comissão de Coordenação e Desenvolvimento Regional do Centro and representatives from Grupos de Ação Costeira / Desenvolvimento Local de Base Comunitária, between Aveiro and Peniche coastal area, and the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA-ARH Centro).Coordinated by the University of Aveiro and developed in partnership with the Leiria Polytechnic Institute, the SmartBioR program aims at the sustainability, preservation and valorization of endogenous marine resources, using scientific knowledge of excellence and technological innovation for its monitoring and integrated management . To this end, we highlight the hiring of highly qualified human resources, holders of scientific knowledge that complement the valences, already consolidated, of the institutions involved. Research and innovation activities are organized according to the two ecosystems corresponding to the territorial action of the members of the consortium: Ria de Aveiro, site of natura 2000 network and special protection area of ​​the EU, by the University of Aveiro and Berlengas, UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and coastal areas along the Midwest region of Portugal, by the Leiria Polytechnic Institute.The University of Aveiro, reinforcing its mission of cooperation with society in the transfer of knowledge and technology, incorporates this idea by proposing, within the framework of SmartBioR, the development of products, processes and services that dynamize the value chains associated with resources endogenous marine ecosystems. Applications range from sustainable aquaculture, pharmaceutical, coastal management and fish stock management, to the protection of marine ecosystems.Contributing to the Conservation and Enhancement of Marine Biodiversity is a design of the University of Aveiro, which in recent years has created infrastructures and consolidated and reinforced research teams in the area of ​​the Sea.Video: https://www.dropbox.com/s/i9lt458q3tgv6dt/Video_apresentacao_SmartBioR.mp4?dl=0

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Enviphage project - Phages are an effective alternative to the use of antibiotics in aquaculture

Published in 21/2/2018

Enviphage project involving Researchers from AZTI, Biopolis S.L. (Spain), University of Aveiro (Portugal) and the Aguacircia Aquaculture Company (Portugal) concluded that phages are an effective alternative to the use of antibiotics in aquaculture. Use of natural bacteriophages, which do not affect the health of fish or that of consumers, becomes an interesting alternative to the use of antibiotics. Different research projects had obtained very promising results at laboratory level, but before being able to use bacteriophages at an industrial level, it was necessary to know about the impact of their use on the environment and the marine ecology. The results obtained during 2017 show that the bacteria community of the intestinal tract of the fish is not significantly affected following treatment with the selected phages. It has also been shown that this treatment does not modify the marine bacteria population in the tanks on the fish farm or in the river where the fish farm is located, so it has zero impact or very limited impact on the bacterial ecology. 

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Post-fire erosion mitigation work

Published in 21/2/2018

After the fires, the concern with rain and the possible contamination of the waters grows. One of the projects to stop soil erosion is being developed in CESAM. http://sicnoticias.sapo.pt/pais/2017-11-04-Cientistas-na-terra-queimada-de-Castanheira-de-Pera-1  

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University of Algarve organizes conference in honor of Professor Mário Ruivo

Published in 21/2/2018

The University of Algarve organizes a conference (November 13 and 14) in honor of Professor Mário Ruivo. In this way, it is intended to evoke the contribution of this marine biologist, honorary doctor by UAlg, for the development of marine sciences and technologies, with notable impacts at national and international level.Adopting one of the mottos of Professor Mário Ruivo, the conference has as its motto "Sustainable development of the oceans: a useful utopia".https://www.ualg.pt/pt/content/conferencia-homenagem-ao-professor-mario-ruivoAdelaide Almeida, Ana Lillebo, Catarina Eira, Cristina Pita and Luís Menezes Pinheiro are attending this event as CESAM members.

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José Alves (DBio/CESAM) appointed to the British Ornithologist’s Union meetings committee

Published in 14/11/2017

27/10/2017José Alves, researcher at DBio and CESAM, has recently been appointed to the British Ornithologist’s Union meetings committee. The BOU is an organization with more than 150 years experience in “Advancing ornithology” and publishes one of the top ornithological scientific journals, IBIS.As member of the meetings committee, José Alves will contribute towards the definition of priority international discussion topics regarding ecology, evolution and conservation of birds globally.The BOU organizes themed conferences a feature that results in the outputs from these meetings providing practical guidelines for researchers, conservationists and governmental institutions. In 2018, the BOU’s annual conference will take place in 27-28 March, titled: “21st century ornithology: challenges, opportunities and decisions”. These conferences provide ample support to Early Career Researchers with reduces rates, dedicated workshops (e.g. presentation skills, social media presence) and the possibility to present your research even if it is outside the conference topic. In November the BOU organizes the first ever general ornithology Twitter conference – a unique opportunity to be updated on the most recent studies in ornithology at a very low cost, both financial and ecological #BOU17TC  

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Project FOREST-IN promotes event on sustainable forest management and BioFORUM 2017

Published in 20/10/2017

17/10/2017The FOREST-IN project, coordinated by DBio and CESAM, organizes the international event "From theory to practice, hands-on for sustainable forest management", from 24 to 27 October, mainly for small forest owners and producers. The program includes a set of technical visits to various sites in the central region to demonstrate good forest management practices. On the last day of the program, BioFORUM 2017 will be held at the Centro Cultural da Branca, Albergaria-a-Velha, open to the general public.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=52108

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DAO/CESAM team participates in pilot station to minimize erosion of soils in burnt areas

Published in 12/10/2017

6/10/2017A DAO / CESAM team, coordinated by researcher Jacob Keizer, is involved in the creation of a pilot station in Castanheira de Pêra to study techniques that minimize soil erosion in areas affected by large fires. The techniques being proposed suggest the soils most affected by fires to be covered by caruma or crushed forest residues, and / or the creation of barriers to prevent erosion. Jacob Keizer considers that these measures are important to avoid soil and nutrients lost on slopes where it is necessary to ensure long-term productivity but also to prevent this material from being transported to the aquatic habitats downstream. This pilot station is a first step of the post-fire emergency measures and the 25 M € financial package launched by the Government to stabilize the soils of the area affected by the great fire of Pedrógão Grande. In addition to the Government and local authorities and organizations, four universities are involved in this project.Report in: https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/pais/travar-erosao-dos-solos-apos-os-incendios_v1031922

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Nanomaterials and Microplastics in the Environment - need for new test methods

Published in 4/10/2017

2/10/2017Mónica Amorim, researcher at DBio and CESAM, and part of the research group on ecology and applied ecotoxicology - applEE, coordinated by Amadeu Soares, also director of DBio, is co-author of an article published in the prestigious magazine "Nano Today" (5Y-IF: 19.2): "Nanomaterials to microplastics: Swings and roundabouts". The risks associated with new products are assessed before they enter into the market. However, long-term consequences are uncertain concerning the degradation products from their use, disposal at waste treatment plants, or when left in the wild, releasing microplastics and nanomaterials. It is therefore imperative to assess the long-term effects of plastics and other materials.More details: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1748013217303511     http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=51948

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UA participates in a Government project to protect the burning soils of Pinhal Interior

Published in 12/10/2017

26/09/2017The "Emergency Stabilization" of the areas destroyed by fire will start and the plan will be managed by the municipalities according to methods defined by four universities. In this group is an UA team, coordinated by Jacob Keizer, researcher from DAO and CESAM, which proposes that the most affected soils should be covered by caruma or crushed forest residues, preventing soil erosion.On 22 September, at the demonstration session organized by the ICNF, Jacob Keizer presented some of the criteria needed to choose the areas where emergency stabilization measures should be applied, as well as the monitoring plots managed by UA to evaluate the effectiveness of two emergency stabilization measures for the slopes.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=51891

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UA is a privileged choice Ministry of the Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries of Mozambique

Published in 27/9/2017

29/09/2017For the second consecutive year the University of Aveiro (UA) is a privileged choice of the Ministry of the Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries of the Government of Mozambique to provide specialized professional training in the area of ​​Maritime Spatial Planning.During two weeks - from September 25 to October 10 - the 2nd Edition of the "Intensive Course on Training and Capacity Building in Maritime and Coastal Space Planning and Maps: methods and techniques" will be held under the coordination of Fátima Alves and Lisa Sousa from DAO and CESAM, with colaboration of other Professors and Researchers from DAO/CESAM, University of Santiago de Compostela and Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA).More details in: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=51890&lg=pt

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PhD student awarded in Luxembourg

Published in 27/9/2017

18/09/2017Tamiris Costa, PhD student at DAO and CESAM, was awarded with the "From PhD to apps" prize at the 2017 Life Cycle Management conference held in Luxembourg from 3 to 6 September. The distinction recognizes the high potential that the work presented "Environmental impacts of biomass-to-energy conversion technologies: grate boilers and fluidized bed boilers" offers in support of decision-making.The paper addresses the environmental impacts of biomass energy conversion technologies: grids and fluidized beds. The use of forest biomass has great potential to contribute significantly to the production of electricity in Portugal and with substantially lower environmental impacts than current technologies.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=51809&lg=pt

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Work developed by UA researchers in the area of marine vertebrate conservation highlighted in Antena 1

Published in 23/8/2018

12/09/2017Catarina Eira is one of the next researchers to be interviewed on the "90 Seconds of Science" program. The Biologist and Researcher at DBIO and CESAM explains this Tuesday, September 12, just before 7:00 p.m., to the microphones of Antena 1, all the work her team has developed in the area of ?? cetaceans, seabirds and sea turtles conservation. The emission is available on: http://www.90segundosdeciencia.pt,More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=51723&lg=pt

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Sea slug species survives without food by retaining chloroplasts from algae

Published in 27/9/2017

7/09/2017A study published in the journal Scientific Reports (http://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-08002-0) by researchers Paulo Cartaxana and Sónia Cruz (DBio and CESAM), in co-authoring with the University of Copenhagen, shows that during periods of food shortage the photosynthesis of the cleptoplasts is important for the survival of Elysia viridis, a species of sea slug abundant on the Portuguese coast.A restricted group of sea slugs is able to digest the macroalgae it feeds while integrating chloroplasts into its own cells. The process is called kyptoplasty (from the Greek "kleptein" - steal) and the stolen chloroplasts are called "kleptoplasts".More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=51709

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Ecology Day in Portugal - 14th September

Published in 27/9/2017

6/09/2017CESAM, in collaboration with the DBIO, is associated to the celebrations of Ecology Day in Portugal, 14 September, promoting three initiatives:- Visit: UA Herbarium - an unforgettable journey through the flora of Portugal- Seminar: Marches of Baixo Vouga Lagunar (Ria de Aveiro) - its importance and changes consequences to the flora and fauna- Workshop: CESAM - Studies on the ecological heritage of the LTER site Ria de AveiroApplication forms:- Visit: https://goo.gl/forms/rjCWZXCCmIkWE9jA2- Seminar: https://goo.gl/forms/bnso6WCxsCDZRAmd2- Workshop: https://goo.gl/forms/L7lfjYKrF5vJi92v2Thank you so much for your participation!https://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=51722

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Merit of Prof. Casimiro Pio recognized with the title "Honorary Scientific Coordinator of CESAM"

Published in 23/8/2017

25/07/2017At its last plenary session (July 7), the CESAM Scientific Council decided, by acclamation, to award the Professor Casimiro Pio with the title of Honorary Scientific Coordinator of CESAM.This title represents the recognition, by the integrated members of CESAM, of the exemplary course of Prof. Casimiro Pio in the construction and scientific coordination of this UA Research Unit since its inception. Casimiro Pio was recognized by its integrated and inclusive management of CESAM, based on transparency. Under its coordination, the Center achieved the reputation of excellence in the national panorama of the Research Units in the area of ​​the Environment and the Sea.https://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=51386

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Carbon availability affects relevant microalgae activity in marine sediments

Published in 23/8/2017

24/07/2017Sónia Cruz and Paulo Cartaxana, from the DBIO and CESAM, and Jorge Marques da Silva, from the University of Lisbon, advance with important conclusions about the peculiar carbon metabolism in benthic diatoms. The researchers conclude that the availability of carbon in these microalgae limits their photosynthesis, although they contain mechanisms that increase the carbon concentration in a key enzyme of photosynthetic activity, and determines complex vertical migratory behaviors of these cells.This study gains particular relevance in the sense that the main source of inorganic carbon for plants and algae - CO2 - is produced and released by a number of human activities and leads to climate change.The revision paper was published in the journal “Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences" and can be consulted in http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/372/1728.More details: https://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=51395

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Member of CESAM participates in research on mysterious zone of fault Azores-Gibraltar

Published in 23/8/2017

24/07/2017 At Central Atlantic deep-sea, between the Azores and Gibraltar, there is a fault zone that results from the complex interaction between the African, Eurasian, and Iberian plates. It was in this seismic region, connecting the SWIM and Glória Faults, that took place an oceanographic expedition involving researchers from CESAM.More details: https://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=51326

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HALOFOOD Project highlighted in click emission

Published in 2/8/2018

20/07/2017Elisabete Maciel postdoctoral researcher at DBio and CESAM and coordinator of the HALOFOOD Project, whose purpose is to use lipidomics as a tool to search for the appropriate place in Ria where halophytes growth more efficiently to produce good quality food for human consumption and livestock nutrition taking into account their content in lipid bioactive compounds. Lipids have nutritional and health benefits, with the potential of halophytes used to range towards new applications.https://www.rtp.pt/play/p384/e298821/click  (after minute six)

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New species of bacteria described by biologists of the DBIO / CESAM pays tribute to Prof. António Correia

Published in 23/8/2017

14/07/2017A new species of bacteria, recently described by researchers from the DBIO and CESAM in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, was named Saccharospirillum correiae. The specific epithet correiae was attributed in honor of António Correia, a microbiologist and Professor at UA, who died in 2016. The bacterium is one of many new species that lives inside a common plant in the Ria de Aveiro, better known as white gram.This honor wants to remember and highlight the contribution given by António Correia in research and teaching in the field of microbiology in Portugal. It is also a tribute from the research group coordinated by António Correia, MicroLab.This study is available in the webpage do International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology: http://ijs.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/ijsem/10.1099/ijsem.0.001914More details: https://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=51311

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LTER site Ria de Aveiro (LTER-RAVE)

Published in 31/8/2017

12/07/2017LTER site Ria de Aveiro (LTER-RAVE) is part of the Portuguese Roadmap of Research Infrastructures of Strategic InterestIn alignment with the European Strategic Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI), set up in 2002, the national Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) launched a call for the Portuguese Roadmap of Research Infrastructures of strategic interest. LTER Portugal network was one of the selected RIs for Environmental Sciences (2014-2020), as part of a consortium termed PORBIOTA that includes PORBIOTA, LTER Portugal, ICOS Portugal and Azores BIOPORTAL.The LTER network is a Long-Term Ecological Research network of sites, on a large spatial scale, where long-term ecological investigation is practiced, with the main objectives of monitoring and storing relevant data in ecology, establishing links among institutions and researchers and promote the exchange of data and knowledge. This organized network of LTER sites first appeared in the United States of America in the 1980's. In 1993 an international network was developed (ILTER) and, more recently, the European network of LTER sites was created.The main objective of LTER-RAVE site is to contribute to the improvement of integrated management of coastal areas, from catchment to coast, involving the concepts of Science-policy-stakeholders interface. To achieve this objective research has been addressing a clear practical focus on: engagement of stakeholders at different levels; mapping and assessment of ecosystem processes and services using data and indicators available at national and European level; assessment of the impacts and emerging drivers of change; common frameworks and tools for the conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity and ecosystem services.Home Page ILTER : https://www.ilternet.edu/

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Click highlights research from the DBIO / CESAM on mercury levels in parturients

Published in 23/8/2017

8/07/2017The study, coordinated by Susana Loureiro, researcher at DBio and CESAM, in collaboration with the Hospital de Aveiro, analyzed the levels of mercury present in the placenta, umbilical cord and hair of 50 parturients. The samples revealed that in 6 percent of the cases, the pregnant women exceeded the limits set by the World Health Organization. This is one of the subjects that will be highlighted in the next issue of Click, the UA radio program transmitted on Saturdays after news of the 3:00 p.m. on Antena 1.More details in: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=51163

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Carlos Fonseca, DBIO / CESAM, member of the technical commission to analyze fires

Published in 12/7/2017

11/07/2017Carlos Fonseca, researcher in the area of ​​nature conservation, is member of the independent technical commission that will analyze the facts related to the fire that broke out on June 17 in Pedrógão Grande, Leiria, which resulted in 64 deaths. In a note on the Presidency's website, the President of the Republic pointed out that it was "an unprecedented legal or political experience" in the "constitutional experience" in Portugal. The commission will operate for a maximum period of three months.More details: http://expresso.sapo.pt/sociedade/2017-07-10-Escolhidos-os-membros-da-comissao-tecnica-para-analisar-incendioshttp://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=51224

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Dia do CESAM 2017

Published in 11/7/2017

7/07/2017A special thanks to all the collaborators who participated voluntarily in the organization of the CESAM Day lunch and to the Academic Association of the UA for the vailability of sound equipment! Your help was fundamental!Anabela PereiraJoana BarataDiana PatoiloNuno CostaBruna MarquesMarco CustódioDaniel JerónimoAnabela CavaleiroPatrícia SilvaFlávio SilvaCaroline FerreiraSandra FernandezNuno CordeiroAmélia RibeiroAldiro PereiraRui Marques

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Impacts of fires in the carbon cycle will be studied at CESAM

Published in 11/7/2017

5/07/2017UA project aims to quantify indirect effects of fires in pine forests.Is the carbon dioxide fixed by plants via photosynthesis following a fire in a pine forest still more significant than the carbon that is lost, for example, via wood degradation or erosion of the most superficial layers of the soil? The FIRE-C-BUDs project "Indirect effects of forest fires on fluxes and carbon balance", coordinated by Jan Jacob Keizer, aims to find an answer to this question and to quantify other indirect effects of fires in a pine forest.Mais informação: http://www.poci-compete2020.pt/noticias/detalhe/Proj16780-FIRE-C-BUDshttps://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=51076&lg=pt

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CESAM presentation on sustainable forestry at Encontro Ciência 2017

Published in 12/7/2017

5/07/2017On 4th july, Jan Keizer presented, in a broader perspective, the CESAM contribution to the topic sustainable forestry at the Encontro Ciência 2017.Presentation HERE.

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CESAM research in the Supplement of JN and DN "País Positivo"

Published in 11/7/2017

5/07/2017CESAM Research is highlighted again in the supplement of the DN / JN "País Positivo", in the July issue. This edition is focused on the contributions of CESAM to Environmental Sustainability: from the atmosphere to the deep sea.https://www.facebook.com/UACESAM/photos/a.344166479284372.1073741828.343748309326189/448414668859552/?type=3&theater

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"Deriva Litoral" won the first edition of the Film Festival "Paisagens"

Published in 3/8/2018

4/07/2017The film "Deriva Litoral - The Impact of Coastal Erosion in Portugal", performed by Sofia Barata and co-produced by the Fábrica Centro Ciência Viva and the University of Aveiro (UA), was awarded the "Documentário de longa metragem" in First edition of "Paisagens - Sever do Vouga International Film Festival". The festival had an international jury, and 30 films in competition from 20 different countries.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tQZRL7W8VA&feature=youtu.behttp://www.noticiasdeaveiro.pt/pt/44824/sever-do-vouga-filme-deriva-litoral-o-impacto-da-erosao-costeira-em-portugal-ve/

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DBIO/CESAM Researcher integrates European project on bio(nano)materials

Published in 11/7/2017

4/07/2017Mónica Amorim, researcher at DBIO/CESAM, is the principal researcher of the portuguese team for a recently approved European Project under Horizon 2020. The project will be developed in the area of ​​nanotechnology, advanced materials, biotechnology and production (NMBP12: "Development Of a reliable methodology for better risk management of biomedical biomaterials in Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products and / or Medical Devices ").The "BIORIMA - BIOmaterial RIsk Management" project is coordinated by the UK's Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) in Edinburgh and involves 43 partners from 13 European countries as well as partners from Brazil, China, Japan and the USA. The project has an overall funding of around eight million euros.More details: https://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=51069&lg=pt

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Opinion text of the CESAM researcher Alexandra Monteiro

Published in 11/7/2017

03/07/2017Because there is no fire without smokeAlready (almost) everything was said about the overwhelming forest fires of Pedrogão Grande and the associated dramas, from the number of deaths, to the destruction of lands, forest and materials. A drama that covers all aspects from the human, environmental, social and economic sides. These tremendous dimensions of tragedy hide lesser known but also disturbing aspects, as explained by Alexandra Monteiro, researcher of CESAM.Complete text: AQUI

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CESAM researchers discover solution to eradicate microplastics from the ocean

Published in 11/7/2017

27/06/2017CESAM researchers discover that the marine fungus Zalerion maritimum not only degradate microplastics as it does it quickly and efficiently. This is the first ecological solution, offered by the sea itself, ever discovered to combat microplastics in the ocean.More details:http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=50917   http://p3.publico.pt/actualidade/ambiente/23968/cientistas-portugueses-descobrem-fungo-que-come-microplasticos http://www.verportugal.net/vp/pt/062017/CienciaInvestigacao/8474/Universidade-de-Aveiro-descobre-no-mar-a-solu%C3%A7%C3%A3o-para-erradicar-os-micropl%C3%A1sticos.htm http://www.tvi24.iol.pt/tecnologia/universidade-de-aveiro/portugueses-descobrem-fungo-que-come-plastico-nos-oceanos http://lifestyle.sapo.pt/saude/noticias-saude/artigos/portugueses-descobrem-no-mar-a-solucao-para-erradicar-os-microplasticos http://www.terranova.pt/noticia/sociedade/universidade-de-aveiro-descobre-no-mar-solucao-para-erradicar-os-microplasticos http://portocanal.sapo.pt/noticia/126193 https://www.noticiasaominuto.com/pais/820919/solucao-para-fim-do-plastico-no-mar-pode-estar-num-fungo-que-vive-no-mar http://www.ojogo.pt/extra/lusa/interior/solucao-para-fim-do-plastico-no-mar-pode-estar-num-fungo-que-vive-no-mar-8592636.htmlhttp://www.dn.pt/lusa/interior/solucao-para-fim-do-plastico-no-mar-pode-estar-num-fungo-que-vive-no-mar-8592633.html http://www.destak.pt/artigo/305386-solucao-para-fim-do-plastico-no-mar-pode-estar-num-fungo-que-vive-no-mar http://www.correiodabeiraserra.com/universidade-de-aveiro-descobre-no-mar-a-solucao-para-erradicar-os-micro-plasticos/ http://www.cmjornal.pt/cm-ao-minuto/detalhe/solucao-para-fim-do-plastico-no-mar-pode-estar-num-fungo-que-vive-no-mar?ref=Bloco_CMAoMinuto http://www.ambientemagazine.com/universidade-de-aveiro-descobre-solucao-para-erradicar-microplasticos-no-mar/

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UA explains... how can forests resist to the fires?

Published in 12/7/2017

23/06/2017History repeats itself every year. Temperatures rise and the theme of the fires returns to the covers of newspapers and the openings of the news. The green that color our landscapes disappears and the ashes take over our forests. The question hangs in the air. Can our forest withstand so many fires? Yes they can. How? CESAM researcher Jan Jacob Keizer gives us some clues to get around this scourge.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=50894&lg=pt

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CESAM @ High-Level Event of Maritime Spatial Planning in Europe

Published in 27/6/2017

13/06/2017Fátima Lopes Alves, researcher at CESAM, is a guest speaker at the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE) to present the Portuguese experience of Integrated Management of Coastal and Marine Zones at the European Maritime Spatial Planning Conference - Addressing Land-Sea Interactions. The conference will aggregate experts from different Member States who will share the experiences of planning and governance of land-sea interface zones.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=50784&lg=pt

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Researchers from the DBIO / CESAM participate in another census of cetaceans in Europe

Published in 11/7/2017

9/06/2017First results of the SCANS III census show decrease of Boto in the Peninsula.Boto, a species of dolphin, was not observed in two thirds of the area sampled in the Iberian Peninsula under the SCANS-III cetacean census, coordinated and implemented (in the Peninsula area) by the Portuguese Society of Wildlife and ECOMARE - University Of Aveiro, which includes researchers from the DBIO / CESAM. The first results show a decrease in the Boto population in this area compared to data from previous studies.Mais informação em: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=50752

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Researchers from the DBIO / CESAM participate in another census of cetaceans in Europe

Published in 11/7/2017

9/06/2017First results of the SCANS III census show decrease of Boto in the Peninsula.Boto, a species of dolphin, was not observed in two thirds of the area sampled in the Iberian Peninsula under the SCANS-III cetacean census, coordinated and implemented (in the Peninsula area) by the Portuguese Society of Wildlife and ECOMARE - University Of Aveiro, which includes researchers from the DBIO / CESAM. The first results show a decrease in the Boto population in this area compared to data from previous studies.Mais informação em: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=50752

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Researchers from the DBIO / CESAM participate in another census of cetaceans in Europe

Published in 11/7/2017

9/06/2017First results of the SCANS III census show decrease of Boto in the Peninsula.Boto, a species of dolphin, was not observed in two thirds of the area sampled in the Iberian Peninsula under the SCANS-III cetacean census, coordinated and implemented (in the Peninsula area) by the Portuguese Society of Wildlife and ECOMARE - University Of Aveiro, which includes researchers from the DBIO / CESAM. The first results show a decrease in the Boto population in this area compared to data from previous studies.Mais informação em: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=50752

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Investigadoras do DBIO/CESAM estudam níveis de mercúrio em parturientes

Published in 11/7/2017

6/06/2017A study from University of Aveiro found high levels of mercury in women who have just given birth or in the placental tissues themselves. This unprecedented research, which focused for the first time in the country on the analysis of that toxic metal in the hair and blood of the parturients and in the respective placentas and umbilical cords, guarantees that there are women who present levels of mercury above the value recommended by the World Health Organization.Published online in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, the study carried out under the master's program of Ana Catarina Alves, coordinated by Susana Loureiro and Marta Monteiro, both from DBIO/CESAM, focused on half a hundred parturients, from nine municipalities of the district of Aveiro, from which samples of hair, placenta and umbilical cord were collected.More details: https://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=50698 http://www.tvi24.iol.pt/sociedade/estudo/maes-de-aveiro-tem-niveis-elevados-de-mercurio http://www.atlasdasaude.pt/publico/content/niveis-elevados-de-mercurio-em-parturientes-de-aveiro http://cidades.com.pt/index.php/concelhos/aveiro/item/2426-investigadoras-da-universidade-de-aveiro-estudam-niveis-de-mercurio-em-parturientes http://www.correiodabeiraserra.com/investigadoras-da-ua-detectaram-niveis-elevados-de-mercurio-em-mulheres-que-acabaram-de-dar-a-luz-e-nos-tecidos-da-placenta/ http://www.dn.pt/lusa/interior/estudo-revela-niveis-elevados-de-mercurio-em-parturientes-de-aveiro-8540225.htmlhttp://www.forum.pt/17931-investigadoras-da-ua-detetam-niveis-elevados-de-mercurio-em-parturienteshttps://www.jm-madeira.pt/nacional/ver/7300/Estudo_revela_niveis_elevados_de_mercurio_em_parturientes_de_Aveirohttp://www.jn.pt/nacional/interior/estudo-revela-niveis-elevados-de-mercurio-em-parturientes-de-aveiro-8540227.htmlhttps://mood.sapo.pt/parturientes-portuguesas-com-niveis-elevados-de-mercurio/ http://www.noticiasdeaveiro.pt/pt/44460/niveis-elevados-de-mercurio-detectados-em-parturientes-da-regiao-de-aveiro/

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Government Project for the prevention of soil contamination supported by Susana Loureiro, researcher at DBIO / CESAM

Published in 11/7/2017

5/06/2017Dyeing and paper companies will have to test soils from their facilities.Contamination assessment will become mandatory, according to a decree-law that the Government is finalizing. This novelty is in the draft of a new regime for the prevention of soil contamination, which the Government is finalizing. In the most serious cases, operators will have to submit plans to correct the detected problems. It is the first time that Portugal will have a law of this type.Susana Loureiro, Researcher at DBIO / CESAM and specialist in applied ecology, sees "with very good eyes" the proposal in which the Government is working. "Finally there will be a document of this type in Portugal", she emphasizes. In the preamble of the diploma, the Ministry of the Environment presents it as complementary to the determinations that already constitute the Basic Law of the Public Policy of Soils.More details: https://www.publico.pt/2017/06/05/sociedade/noticia/empresas-de-tinturaria-couros-e-papel-vao-ter-que-testar-solos-das-suas-instalacoes-1773810

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CESAM researchers support the European Commission in the implementation of the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive

Published in 11/7/2017

01/06/2017From 29 to 31 May, the UA hosted the first international meeting of the SIMNORAT project - Supporting Implementation of Maritime Spatial Planning in the Northern European Atlantic, which aims to support the implementation by the Member States of the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive (2014/89/EU).In Portugal, the University of Aveiro is the only institution that participates in the project. The members of the multidisciplinary team of CESAM are Fátima Lopes Alves (coordinator at UA), Filomena Martins, Carlos Costa, Adriano Quintela, Lisa Sousa, Márcia Marques and Margarida Ferreira da Silva.http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=50564

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Marine Ecosystems and Resources Seminar Series

Published in 2/8/2018

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30/05/2017The “Marine Ecosystems and Resources” thematic line (http://www.cesam.ua.pt/index.php?menu=76&language=eng&tabela=geral) is organising a Seminar Series addressing a broad range of themes related to the research developed by the Research Groups that integrate the line.The next talk on the "Marine Ecosystems and Resources Seminar Series” of CESAM will be on 7 June (Wednesday).The seminar "Phytoplankton, Photoperiods & (Ph)unctional Groups” by Dr. Douglas A. Campbell (Mount Allison University, Canada) will be held in the room 8.2.18 of the Biology Department on 7th of June, at 14.30h.

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Marine Ecosystems and Resources Seminar Series

Published in 2/8/2018

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30/05/2017The “Marine Ecosystems and Resources” thematic line (http://www.cesam.ua.pt/index.php?menu=76&language=eng&tabela=geral) is organising a Seminar Series addressing a broad range of themes related to the research developed by the Research Groups that integrate the line.The next talk on the "Marine Ecosystems and Resources Seminar Series” of CESAM will be on 7 June (Wednesday).The seminar "Phytoplankton, Photoperiods & (Ph)unctional Groups” by Dr. Douglas A. Campbell (Mount Allison University, Canada) will be held in the room 8.2.18 of the Biology Department on 7th of June, at 14.30h.

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Professor Fernando Gonçalves participates in the RTP2 Civil Society Program

Published in 4/7/2017

26/05/2017On May 26, Professor Fernando Gonçalves of DBio and CESAM participated in the program of RTP2 "Sociedade Civil", with the theme "Portuguese Rivers". The program was repeated on RTP2 and on RTP Africa and RTP International.

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Report about CESAM in the Supplement of JN and DN "País Positivo"

Published in 26/5/2017

25/05/2017CESAM highlihted in "Pais Positivo"."Pais Positivo", a supplent issue of Jornal de Notícias and Diário de Notícias, is a monthly publication that shows the best of our country. Working on core themes such as Health, Competitiveness, Sea Attractiveness, Quality of Life in the Interior, among many others. The "Pais Positivo" out for excellence and quality.https://www.facebook.com/paispositivo1/photos/pb.707237596018029.-2207520000.1495809024./1467731196635328/?type=3&theater

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Iberian study coordinated in Portugal by dBio & CESAM

Published in 2/8/2018

24/05/2017[Only available in Portuguese] Cientistas alertam para fármaco que pode colocar em risco abutres no paísA autorização do medicamento diclofenaco para uso pecuário em Portugal ameaça as populações de abutres. O alerta de um grupo de biólogos e ambientalistas portugueses e espanhóis vai ainda mais longe e antevê que, se o Governo autorizar o anti-inflamatório, também as populações de águias possam vir a sofrer danos irreparáveis. Coordenados em Portugal pela Universidade de Aveiro (UA), os cientistas já estão no terreno para apresentarem ao Governo as provas de que o medicamento que na década de 90 quase extinguiu o abutre no sul da Ásia pode trazer para Portugal um cenário igualmente negro para as aves.

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Professor Amadeu Soares invited to be member of the ACWA Advisory Council

Published in 25/5/2017

15/05/2017Amadeu Soares, director of the Department of Biology (DBio) at the University of Aveiro (UA) and vice-coordinator of the Center for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), was invited to be member of the Advancing Canadian Wastewater Assets (ACWA) Advisory Council. The University of Calgary’s ACWA Research Facility, embedded within the City of Calgary’s Pine Creek Wastewater Treatment Centre, bridges the research gap between bench/pilot-scale testing and applications used in full-scale municipal wastewater treatment plants. ACWA replicates real-world situations and enables research that cannot be performed elsewhere in the world.Members of the Council will play a crucial role in providing expert guidance to help to realize the potential of this world-class research facility.  More details: http://ucalgary.ca/acwa/ACWA: because everyone’s drinking water is someone else’s wastewater

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Innovative research with the participation of a CESAM biologist

Published in 16/5/2017

15/05/2017Scottish badgers 'alert' to environmental changeA new collaborative study between the Universities of Aveiro & CESAM (by the researcher Miguel Rosalino), Lisbon (cE3c), Uppsala (Sweden) and Oxford (WildCRU, UK) has shown that environmental preferences of Scottish badgers depend on the climatic context. These results reinforce the need to consider synergistic effects on the ecological response of species to environmental and anthropogenic changes in the planning, management and conservation of species.The study is available in the journal Diversity and Distributions (Silva, AP, Curveira-Santos, G., Kilshaw, K., Newman, C., Macdonald, DW, Simões, LG, & Rosalino, LM (2017). Climate and anthropogenic factors determine site occupancy in Scotland''s Northern-range badger population: implications of context-dependent responses under environmental change).More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=50316

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Nádia Santos and Cátia Santos among the Famelab finalists

Published in 11/5/2017

5/05/2017Nádia Santos and Cátia Santos, University of Aveiro (UA), are among the 12 finalists of FameLab, the most famous science communication contest in the world. The students, from the Master in Molecular Biotechnology and PhD in Biology (DBIO / CESAM), respectively, will be present in the national final that will take place on May 14, at 4:00 p.m., in the Pavilion of Knowledge - Centro Ciência Viva, Parque das Nações, Lisbon.More information: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=50338

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Carlos Fonseca, DBIO / CESAM - How does is the maternal love manifested in animas?

Published in 11/5/2017

5/05/5017The maternal instinct is not exclusive to the human species. Animals are good examples of tenderness, dedication and unconditional love of females towards their baby animals. Professor Carlos Fonseca, from DBIO/CESAM explains how does it manifest.More information: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=50329&lg=pt

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CESAM wins Scientia Mare Award

Published in 23/8/2017

26/04/2017CESAM won the Scientia Mare Award. Attributed by PwC Portugal, the Scientia Mare Award recognises the excellence and merit of this Ressearch Unit producing significant advances in the understanding of the aquatic environment or that promote blue innovation.The award was presented during the Execellens Mare 2017 Awards Ceremony on April 22 at the Figueira da Foz Arts and Entertainment Center.Vídeo of Gala Excellens Mare 2017.http://www.pwc.pt/en/issues/excellens-mare-awards/2017/videos.html More details: https://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=49958

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CESAM wins Scientia Mare Award

Published in 23/8/2017

26/04/2017CESAM won the Scientia Mare Award. Attributed by PwC Portugal, the Scientia Mare Award recognises the excellence and merit of this Ressearch Unit producing significant advances in the understanding of the aquatic environment or that promote blue innovation.The award was presented during the Execellens Mare 2017 Awards Ceremony on April 22 at the Figueira da Foz Arts and Entertainment Center.Vídeo of Gala Excellens Mare 2017.http://www.pwc.pt/en/issues/excellens-mare-awards/2017/videos.html More details: https://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=49958

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“No biochar benefit for temperate zone crop yields” says new report with CESAM contribution

Published in 26/4/2017

26/04/2017For years, biochar has been promoted as a soil additive to increase crop yields. A new study casts doubt on that view, finding that biochar only improves crop growth in the tropics, with no yield benefit at all in the temperate zone. The team of researchers, including from CESAM, gathered data from more than 1,000 empirical observations conducted around the world, each measuring the effect of biochar on crop yield. Then, they used meta-analysis, an advanced statistical technique that analyses many studies at the same time, to test whether the beneficial effect of biochar addition depends on geography.The report has been published, open access, in Environmental Research Letters.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=50223

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Mónica Amorim, Principal Researcher at DBio/CESAM, published in Natures’ Scientific Reports

Published in 26/4/2017

26/04/2017Mónica Amorim, Principal Researcher at DBio/CESAM, published in Natures’ Scientific Reports “Variation-preserving normalization unveils blind spots in gene expression profiling.”“(…) We have found that variation in gene expression is much larger than currently believed, and that it can be measured with available assays. Our results also explain, at least partially, the reproducibility problems encountered in transcriptomics studies. We expect that this improvement in detection will help efforts to realize the full potential of gene expression profiling, especially in analyses of cellular processes involving complex modulations of gene expression."For more information: http://www.nature.com/articles/srep42460

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Sessão pública de apresentação e discussão das candidaturas para o cargo de Coordenador Científico de CESAM

Published in 5/4/2017

6/04/2017A sessão pública de apresentação e discussão das candidaturas para o cargo de Coordenador Científico de CESAM realiza-se na próxima sexta-feira, dia 7 de abril, no anfiteatro do Departamento de Educação e Psicologia da Universidade de Aveiro, com o seguinte programa:10:00 - 10:30  Apresentação da candidatura de Henrique José de Barros Brito Queiroga10:30 - 11:00  Discussão da candidatura de Henrique José de Barros Brito Queiroga11:00 - 11:30  Pausa para café11:30 - 12:00  Apresentação da candidatura de Ana Isabel Lillebø Batista12:00 - 12:30  Discussão da candidatura de Ana Isabel Lillebø Batista

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Project of Rute Costa (CESAM/DBio) - colored rings on seagulls confirm successful bird rehabilitation

Published in 31/3/2017

28/03/2017It is one of the long-life rehabilitation seabird monitoring projects in Portugal. Since 2013 more than 130 wounded seagulls that have entered in the Marine Mammals Rehabilitation Center (CRAM) of Quiaios or ECOMARE were tagged with colored washers, a ringing technique that allows animals to be identified by sighting without recapture. This successful project, coordinated by Rute Costa, a biologist at CESAM/DBio, has already enabled seagulls to be followed from Morocco to northern Europe.More information in: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=49924  

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Project of Rute Costa (CESAM/DBio) - colored rings on seagulls confirm successful bird rehabilitation

Published in 31/3/2017

28/03/2017It is one of the long-life rehabilitation seabird monitoring projects in Portugal. Since 2013 more than 130 wounded seagulls that have entered in the Marine Mammals Rehabilitation Center (CRAM) of Quiaios or ECOMARE were tagged with colored washers, a ringing technique that allows animals to be identified by sighting without recapture. This successful project, coordinated by Rute Costa, a biologist at CESAM/DBio, has already enabled seagulls to be followed from Morocco to northern Europe.More information in: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=49924  

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Research study from José Alves (DBio/CESAM): Already on a diet thinking about summer?

Published in 30/3/2017

24/03/2017How is the transformation of coastal wetlands into rice fields in Portugal changing the diet of the birds that spend the winter there? Is this change damaging your migratory flights to northern Europe? The biologist José Alves from DBio/CESAM fears that this alterations may, in fact, affect the flight plans of these birds. This unprecedented study of wild birds was published in the latest issue of the Journal of Exeprimental Biology.More information on: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=49870Video of 35 thousand limosa limosa in the rice fields of the Tagus recorded in February 2017:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg_iafx6hqoVideo of a limosa limosa marked with colored washers and a satellite transmitter in Portugal in February of 2015 (named "Alcochete"), recorded last March 20 at its reproduction place in the Netherlands: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vt3knPo8egALink to the website of Limosa limosa tracking with transmitters where the position of the bird "Alcochete" can be seen: http://volg.keningfanegreide.nl/?lang=en

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UA publishes study on photodynamic therapy in blood disinfection

Published in 30/3/2017

23/03/2017Two research groups from the Departments of Chemistry and Biology/CESAM of UA, which have been working for 10 years on the development of alternative strategies to antibiotics, have published an article in Future Medicinal Chemistry. As widely promoted in the media, the number of bacteria multiresistant to the current antibiotics that threatens global public health is increasing. In fact, these bacteria are currently responsible for more than 700 000 annual deaths, a number which, if nothing is done, could increase to 10 million deaths by 2050.More information: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=49895

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Irina Gorodetskaya (CESAM/DFis) - Discovering the Atmospheric Rivers of Antarctica

Published in 29/3/2017

22/03/2017Irina returned a few days ago from Antarctica, an immense land of a mysterious white that touch her every times she returns there. Researcher at CESAM and Department of Physics, Irina Gorodetskaya has devoted the last years of her life to the study of the climate and water cycle at the southernmost point of the planet and, in particular, the role of atmospheric rivers in Antarctic precipitation. Among the collected data, she also brought in her eyes of the beauty of a stunning land.Detailed travel description in: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=49850

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UA receives a visit from Researchers of the Korean Maritime Institute (KMI)

Published in 20/3/2017

17/03/2017Dr. Jungho NAM, Director of KMI's Sea Policy Division, South Korea, and three Researchers from his team visited the University of Aveiro, under the scope of his collaboration with the DBio & CESAM, in the context of the operationalization of the concept of services provided by marine ecosystems in maritime spatial planning.The Marine Policy Division of this Institute conducts research in the areas of integrated coastal zone management, management and conservation of marine ecosystems, adaptation to climate changes, maritime spatial planning, among others, being responsible for the scientific based knowledge of support to the framework of the national marine and maritime policies.The purpose of the visit was to strengthen collaboration between the two institutions, in particular in the context of the ongoing research at the UA Research and Technology Transfer Centre dedicated to Sea issues, ECOMARE.Mais infiormação: https://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=49761

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CESAM pilot project monitors coastal erosion at Praia de Mira

Published in 21/3/2017

14/03/2017The University of Aveiro and the Municipality of Mira signed a cooperation protocol that will allow real-time monitoring of coastal erosion and return streams in Praia de Mira. Coordinated by CESAM, the pilot project of video-monitoring of the coastline will allow to recognize dangerous currents and the beach occupation rate and predict the erosion of the dunes.Named as Sea Floor Topography Ranging Technique (SeaRangTech), the project includes a prototype of relatively inexpensive coastal video monitoring, when compared to commercial solutions, fully assembled at UA. This system, as explained by Paulo Baptista, coordinator of SeaRangTech and Researcher at CESAM, "aims to obtain data on the beach morphology and hydrodynamics of the wave zone, with high temporal resolution, through the acquisition of information almost continuously in time, in a beach domain with several hundred meters in length."More information: https://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=49732

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Research study from Sónia Rodrigues (DQ/CESAM) published in a Tutorial Review

Published in 10/3/2017

10/03/2017Sónia Rodrigues, Researcher at DQ/CESAM, published in a Tutorial Review "Nanotechnology for sustainable food production: promising opportunities and scientific challenges" in the journal Environmental Science: Nano (IF 5.896).Full paper: http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2017/en/c6en00573j/unauth#!divAbstract

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Researcher at DFis and CESAM integrates expedition in Antarctica

Published in 20/2/2017

20/02/2017Irina Gorodetskaya, Researcher at DFis and CESAM, is aboard the research vessel Akademik Tryoshnikov on a mission in the Southern Ocean since 22/01/2017, participating in a project dedicated to the study of the role of precipitation in the Southern Ocean integrated in the team of the Swiss Polar Institute. Irina is working on her own Project (supported by the Portuguese Polar Program) on the atmospheric rivers in Antarctica.More details in:Expedition website: http://spi-ace-expedition.ch/Irina Blog: http://polarua.blogspot.pt/Masha Blog: http://circumantarctic.blogspot.pt/

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Ricardo Calado headed the team of editors responsible for the publication of Marine Ornamental Species Aquaculture

Published in 20/2/2017

Ricardo Calado, Principal Researcher at Departamento de Biologia & CESAM, headed the team of editors responsible for the publication of Marine Ornamental Species Aquaculture (Wiley-Blackwell). This book collects into a single work the most up-to-date information currently available on the aquaculture of marine ornamental species. In its 712 pages is possible to find the contribution of more than 50 leading scientists and experts on different topics relevant for the aquaculture of the most emblematic groups of organisms traded for reef aquariums (including the world famous Nemo and Dory, as well as threatened organisms such as corals and seahorses). Marine Ornamental Species Aquaculture is a key reference for scientists and academics in research institutes and universities, public and private aquaria, as well as for hobbyists. The culture of marine ornamental species is also analysed from a business oriented perspective, highlighting the risks and opportunities of commercial scale aquaculture of marine ornamentals.This book positions CESAM among the leading research centres addressing the aquaculture of marine ornamental species, simultaneously contributing to species diversification in marine aquaculture and the preservation and sustainable use of tropical coral reefs.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=49434

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CESAM/DBio researcher co-organizes the International Conference on Radar Aeroecology

Published in 15/2/2017

15/02/2017Dr. José Alves, CESAM/DBio, is one of the organizers of “1st International Conference on Radar Aeroecology: applications and perspectives”. The organizing team is composed by researchers from five other institutions: University of Amsterdam (the Netherlands), Swiss Ornithological Institute (Switzerland), University of Haifa (Israel), University of Exeter (UK) and Technosmart (Italy), whom will bring together biologists, meteorologists and aeroecologists from academic, conservation and governmental organisations, to explore how radar tracking can help addressing key questions regarding animal movement on the atmosphere and its implications for conservation and management, for example issues of fly-safety.Despite radars being used for decades to detect animal movement, only recently has computational power and technological advances for data analysis, unravelled the potential and opportunities for using radars on a large scale in applied and fundamental issues of aeroecology - see example here: http://enram.github.io/bird-migration-flow-visualization/viz/2/nl-be/index.htmlThis conference will bring together experts working with different radar technologies and different species (birds, insects, bats) to present state-of-the-art research on radar aeroecology and to discuss future challenges.The Conference is an initiative of ENRAM (European Network for the Radar surveillance of Animal Movement - www.enram.eu ) and will take place in Rome on the 23rd and 24th of February 2017.Conference website for more details: https://conferencedetails-enram.rhcloud.com/

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PRÍNCIPE VAI ACOLHER O 4º CONGRESSO INTERNACIONAL DE EDUCAÇÃO AMBIENTAL DOS PAÍSES E COMUNIDADES DE LÍNGUA PORTUGUESA

Published in 7/2/2017

Sob lema: A Terra é uma ilha – A Educação Ambiental como resposta às fragilidades e como contributo para viver nos seus limites, o IV Congresso de Educação Ambiental dos Países de Comunidades de Língua Portuguesa, visa a partir de uma pequena ilha de 142km de cerca de 10 mil habitantes, encontrar soluções ambientais aplicáveis no contexto planetário.Mais informações: http://www.ealusofono.org/index.php

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Henrique Queiroga, Professor of DBio/CESAM, interviewed in the Portugal Direct program of Antena 1

Published in 5/4/2017

26/1/2017Henrique Queiroga, Professor of DBio / CESAM, analise the relationship between marine protected areas on our coast and the way they are working (as a network or as isolated sites). This study, led by Henrique Queiroga, was carried out by UA researchers through the route of mussel larvae. The interview was broadcast on January 16, in the Portugal Direct program of Antena 1. Watch the interview podcast HERE.

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Alexandra Monteiro, DAO / CESAM Researcher, writes about particulate air pollution

Published in 25/1/2017

25/1/2017Can a sunny day be a health risk?Alexandra Monteiro, Researcher at DAO and CESAM, explains how the combination of the current atmospheric conditions and the common habit of lighting the fireplace at home to resist the cold weather can generate risk situations for all of us.These cold winter days (full of sun and little wind) are usually associated with weather conditions characterized by high atmospheric stability that favor the low dispersion of pollutants and their accumulation. If we add to these conditions large emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere we will have the ideal recipe for a serious problem of poor air quality with risks to human health.Several air quality stations throughout Portugal have measured particle concentrations well above the limit values ​​set by legislation for the protection of human health over the last few days. The peaks of particles recorded during the night-time suggest us that the cause and the emitting source comes from residential combustion, namely from our fireplaces. This high value is explained by the unrealistic and uncertified conditions in which this burning occurs (incomplete combustion, impurities fuel, etc.).There are several steps we can take without compromising our comfort. The first can start with the choice of biomass used in the firing, with options in the market, such as pellets, that allow the reduction of the emission of particles. The replacement or adaptation of the conventional fireplace by a certified installation is another. In addition, the choice of the most suitable days to light the fireplace will always be our decision (and the weather forecast).More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=49186&lg=pt

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Prof. Luis Menezes Pinheiro will be a speaker in a High-level discussion at the European Parliament

Published in 25/1/2017

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25/01/2017Prof. Luis Menezes Pinheiro, from Department of Geosciences and CESAM, was invited by the European Parliament’s Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal Areas Intergroup to be a speaker in the conference “International Ocean Governance. An agenda for the future of our oceans", which will take place on 30th January, from 15:00 to 17:00 at the European Parliament.In the context of the European Commission Communication on International Ocean Governance, the European Parliament’s Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal Areas Intergroup has taken the initiative to organize this conference in presence of Commissioner Karmenu Vella.This seminar will bring together representatives of the maritime communities, the European institutions, to reflect the next steps to develop a strong European position on international ocean governance.

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Workshop “Contribuições do CESAM para a valorização inteligente do mar”

Published in 25/1/2017

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24/01/2017January 27th, Amphitheater of Building III at University of Aveiro (Building of the former Rectory) On January 27th, will be held the Workshop "Contributions of CESAM for the intelligent valorization of the sea", aimed at all potential stakeholders in the academic and business world. This workshop will consist of 3 thematic sessions, each one with three to four presentations. At the end of the workshop, a Round Table will be organized to discuss the relevance of the covered topics and the funding opportunities and frameworks in the priority areas of the H2020 program, Mar2020 Operational Program and the RIS3 Intelligent Specialization Strategy of Center 2020.The purpose of this discussion is to promote the dissemination of knowledge created in CESAM in the area of ​​the Sea, the establishment of possible partnerships, and the dissemination of funding opportunities in this area (Program Here).

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Workshop “Contribuições do CESAM para a valorização inteligente do mar”

Published in 25/1/2017

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24/01/2017January 27th, Amphitheater of Building III at University of Aveiro (Building of the former Rectory) On January 27th, will be held the Workshop "Contributions of CESAM for the intelligent valorization of the sea", aimed at all potential stakeholders in the academic and business world. This workshop will consist of 3 thematic sessions, each one with three to four presentations. At the end of the workshop, a Round Table will be organized to discuss the relevance of the covered topics and the funding opportunities and frameworks in the priority areas of the H2020 program, Mar2020 Operational Program and the RIS3 Intelligent Specialization Strategy of Center 2020.The purpose of this discussion is to promote the dissemination of knowledge created in CESAM in the area of ​​the Sea, the establishment of possible partnerships, and the dissemination of funding opportunities in this area (Program Here).

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Deer: after extinction there are more than 3000 in the region of Serra da Lousã - Reintroduction program of DBIO/CESAM stopped extinction

Published in 25/1/2017

13/1/2017There are over 3000 deer living wild in the Serra da Lousã and surrounding areas. Descendants of about a hundred animals reintroduced in the mountain in the late 1990s, at a time when the species was extinct in Lousã since the mid-nineteenth century, the balance of reintroduction, coordinated by the Wildlife Unit (WLU) of the Department of Biology and CESAM at UA, makes this one of the greatest national and European successes among programs for the promotion and conservation of biodiversity.The biologists involved in this program ensure that "the deer is nowadays definitely an ex-libris of the entire Serra da Lousã, having a strong economic, hunting and tourist potential." Twenty years later, "the results obtained demonstrate that the deer reintroduction in Serra da Lousã was a success, not only for its biological and ecological sustainability, but also for the increase in the population number and distribution area," says Carlos Fonseca.More information in:http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=49097https://www.publico.pt/2017/01/13/ecosfera/noticia/na-serra-da-lousa-ha-mais-de-tres-mil-veados-programa-de-reintroducao-travou-extincao-do-animal-1758207

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Olga Ameixa analyse the effect of the saline contamination of the agricultural soils

Published in 5/9/2018

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19/12/2016Olga Ameixa, researcher at DBio and CESAM and coordinator of the RESTORE Project, evaluate the effect of climate changes on coastal areas, particularly on the effects of saline contamination of the soils of the “Baixo Vouga Lagunar” agricultural areas. This was one of the main issues highlighted in the Click emission of 17th of November, the UA radio program transmitted on Saturdays after the 3pm news on Antena 1, integrated in the program " Dias do Futuro ".http://www.rtp.pt/play/p384/e265262/click (after minute 8)

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Olga Ameixa analyse the effect of the saline contamination of the agricultural soils

Published in 5/9/2018

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19/12/2016Olga Ameixa, researcher at DBio and CESAM and coordinator of the RESTORE Project, evaluate the effect of climate changes on coastal areas, particularly on the effects of saline contamination of the soils of the “Baixo Vouga Lagunar” agricultural areas. This was one of the main issues highlighted in the Click emission of 17th of November, the UA radio program transmitted on Saturdays after the 3pm news on Antena 1, integrated in the program " Dias do Futuro ".http://www.rtp.pt/play/p384/e265262/click (after minute 8)

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Olga Ameixa analyse the effect of the saline contamination of the agricultural soils

Published in 5/9/2018

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19/12/2016Olga Ameixa, researcher at DBio and CESAM and coordinator of the RESTORE Project, evaluate the effect of climate changes on coastal areas, particularly on the effects of saline contamination of the soils of the “Baixo Vouga Lagunar” agricultural areas. This was one of the main issues highlighted in the Click emission of 17th of November, the UA radio program transmitted on Saturdays after the 3pm news on Antena 1, integrated in the program " Dias do Futuro ".http://www.rtp.pt/play/p384/e265262/click (after minute 8)

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Olga Ameixa analyse the effect of the saline contamination of the agricultural soils

Published in 5/9/2018

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19/12/2016Olga Ameixa, researcher at DBio and CESAM and coordinator of the RESTORE Project, evaluate the effect of climate changes on coastal areas, particularly on the effects of saline contamination of the soils of the “Baixo Vouga Lagunar” agricultural areas. This was one of the main issues highlighted in the Click emission of 17th of November, the UA radio program transmitted on Saturdays after the 3pm news on Antena 1, integrated in the program " Dias do Futuro ".http://www.rtp.pt/play/p384/e265262/click (after minute 8)

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A champion whimbrel capable of flying more than 5500 kilometres without stopping

Published in 21/3/2017

6/12/2016A paper published in the latest issue of the Scientific Report journal (Nature group), led by José Alves, a researcher at DBio and CESAM, revealed an unexpected strategy in which whimbrels fly for 5 days and 5 nights over 5500 kilometres over the North Atlantic, from Iceland to West Africa, without a single stop and reaching fastest speeds between 65 and 86 kilometres per hour. This feat is even more incredible if we consider that, in addition to not feeding or moisturizing, they do not glide during the whole trip. José Alves reveals the "surprising" and unknown proof of resistance of this bird.Original paper: http://www.nature.com/articles/srep38154More information in: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=48679http://www.wilder.pt/historias/jose-ficou-fascinado-com-a-resistencia-desta-ave/Porto Canal video HERE.

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PhD student from DBIO / CESAM nominated as SETAC ambassador

Published in 12/12/2016

5/12/2016Diogo Cardoso, a PhD student of the UA Doctoral Program Biology and Ecology of Global Changes, was nominated ambassador of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC). The nomination took place during the XIV Brazilian Congress of Ecotoxicology - ECOTOX 2016, which took place in Curitiba, Brazil.Diogo Cardoso has participated in several congresses organized by SETAC, under the scope of his scientific activities led by Susana Loureiro, Professor and Researcher at DBIO and CESAM, and Fred Wrona, Professor at the University of Calgary (Canada), in the research group applEE - Applied Ecology and Ecotoxicology.In this context, he was appointed a student ambassador of SETAC in ECOTOX 2016, and together with Blair Paulik, representative of the SETAC North American students, presented to the Brazilian students the importance of the tripartite activities of SETAC (academia-industry-governmental entities).Mais informações podem ser consultadas em:http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=48635http://globe.setac.org/2016/november/ecotox-student.htmle no vídeo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TmsZESNG4o

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PhD student from DBIO / CESAM nominated as SETAC ambassador

Published in 12/12/2016

5/12/2016Diogo Cardoso, a PhD student of the UA Doctoral Program Biology and Ecology of Global Changes, was nominated ambassador of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC). The nomination took place during the XIV Brazilian Congress of Ecotoxicology - ECOTOX 2016, which took place in Curitiba, Brazil.Diogo Cardoso has participated in several congresses organized by SETAC, under the scope of his scientific activities led by Susana Loureiro, Professor and Researcher at DBIO and CESAM, and Fred Wrona, Professor at the University of Calgary (Canada), in the research group applEE - Applied Ecology and Ecotoxicology.In this context, he was appointed a student ambassador of SETAC in ECOTOX 2016, and together with Blair Paulik, representative of the SETAC North American students, presented to the Brazilian students the importance of the tripartite activities of SETAC (academia-industry-governmental entities).Mais informações podem ser consultadas em:http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=48635http://globe.setac.org/2016/november/ecotox-student.htmle no vídeo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TmsZESNG4o

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Study published in Nature with the participation of José Alves, Biologist of the DBio / CESAM

Published in 24/11/2016

24/11/2016Nature’s press release: Animal behaviour: How shorebirds share parental care?When it comes to sharing parental responsibilities, birds adapt their behaviour to take shifts to look after their nests, but this behaviour varies widely between different species, finds a study published online in Nature this week. In most cases, this behaviour circumvents natural circadian rhythms governed by the 24-hour light–dark cycles. Instead, it seems that the shift patterns are driven by anti-predation strategies.The authors analyse data from 729 nests of 32 different shorebird species, monitored over a period of 20 years, to understand how these birds synchronize their daily schedules to take turns in incubating the eggs. Patterns vary widely between species, even under similar environmental conditions. The length of one parent’s incubation bout ranges from 1 to 19 hours, but similarities are observed in closely related species. The way in which the two parents synchronize their rhythms seems to be linked to how the birds fend off predators, the authors note. Birds that actively mob predators tended to have shorter incubation bouts, whereas those that rely on camouflage incubate for longer, presumably to avoid revealing the location of their nests to predators.The variation in synchronized social rhythms observed in these free-living animals is far more diverse than is seen under laboratory conditions and shows that social cues can have a stronger influence on certain behaviours than the circadian clock. More details in:http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=48390https://www.publico.pt/2016/11/24/ciencia/noticia/aves-turnos-parentais-nao-dependem-da-fome-ou-do-frio-mas-do-perigo-1752269Link for the original paper: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature20563

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Researcher at CESAM / DBio, co-authored a paper recently published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases

Published in 5/12/2016

23/11/2016Adelaide Almeida, Researcher at CESAM/DBio, co-authored a paper recently published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, a journal with an Impact Factor of 21.372 (5-Year Impact Factor: 19.297)The work “Photoantimicrobials—are we afraid of the light?” provide a Personal View about the abusive use of conventional antimicrobial drugs, which have been assumed as miraculous cure-alls for the past 80 years, causing increasing antimicrobial drug resistance. As alternative, the authors raise awareness of novel photoantimicrobial technologies that offer a viable substitute to conventional drugs in many relevant application fields, and could thus slow the pace of resistance development. The authors discussed photoantimicrobials (light-activated molecules that act locally via the in-situ production of highly reactive oxygen species) and their uses and prospects for adoption as mainstream clinical antimicrobials in the fight against conventional drug resistance.More details in: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=48566&lg=pFull paper: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(16)30268-7

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Researchers at CESAM/DAO, co-authored a Review paper listed in the Most Cited Atmospheric Research Articles

Published in 24/11/2016

23/11/2016Célia Alves and Ana Vicente, Researchers at CESAM/DAO, co-authored a Review paper listed in the Most Cited Atmospheric Research Articles published since 2011, extracted from ScopusThe paper “Research on aerosol sources and chemical composition: Past, current and emerging issues” provide a quantitative and predictive understanding of atmospheric aerosols, beginning with a historical perspective on the scientific questions regarding atmospheric aerosols over the past centuries, followed by a description of the distribution, sources, transformation processes, and chemical and physical properties as they are currently understood. This review outlines the major open questions and suggestions for future research priorities to narrow the gap between the present understanding of the contribution of both anthropogenic and biogenic aerosols to radiative forcing resulting from the spatial non-uniformity, intermittency of sources, unresolved composition and reactivity. More details in the full paper: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169809512003237

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International experts recommend more knowledge about marine recreational fisheries

Published in 13/2/2018

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21/11/2016A group of 40 international experts met last weekend in Vigo (Spain) and concluded that there is an urgent need to increase knowledge about recreational fishing on the Iberian Atlantic coast by collecting ecological, social and economic data related to this fishery. Experts also recommend the cration of bridges by administrations to strengthen relations between this sector, managers, professional fishing and science.The Director for Fisheries of the Government of Galicia, Juan Maneiro, inaugurated the 1st workshop on recreational fishing on the Iberian Atlantic coast, which took place on 11 and 12 November in Bouzas, Vigo, Spain. This workshop was attended by 40 experts, including Dr. Cristina Pita (CESAM / DAO), other scientists, members of different administrations, professional and recreational fishermen, representatives of ONGAs and other collectives.As a conclusion, the experts were in favour of promoting the association and training of recreational fishermen to promote initiatives of collaboration with scientists and to reduce conflicts with other users of the coastal ecosystems. They also recommended revising legislation (in Spain), harmonizing the data collection regime and increasing the participation of recreational fishermen in decision-making.This workshop was organized by Federación Gallega de Pesca Marítima Responsable y Náutica de Recreo, WWF-Espanha, Federación Gallega de Actividades Subacuáticas, International Forum for Sustainable Underwater Activities, and Universities of Santiago de Compostela, Minho e Aveiro, being supported by Xunta de Galicia, Confederación Española de Pesca Recreativa Responsable and Federación Galega de Confrarías de Pescadores.More information: www.taller.verdeprofundo.nethttp://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=48410&lg=pt

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International experts recommend more knowledge about marine recreational fisheries

Published in 13/2/2018

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21/11/2016A group of 40 international experts met last weekend in Vigo (Spain) and concluded that there is an urgent need to increase knowledge about recreational fishing on the Iberian Atlantic coast by collecting ecological, social and economic data related to this fishery. Experts also recommend the cration of bridges by administrations to strengthen relations between this sector, managers, professional fishing and science.The Director for Fisheries of the Government of Galicia, Juan Maneiro, inaugurated the 1st workshop on recreational fishing on the Iberian Atlantic coast, which took place on 11 and 12 November in Bouzas, Vigo, Spain. This workshop was attended by 40 experts, including Dr. Cristina Pita (CESAM / DAO), other scientists, members of different administrations, professional and recreational fishermen, representatives of ONGAs and other collectives.As a conclusion, the experts were in favour of promoting the association and training of recreational fishermen to promote initiatives of collaboration with scientists and to reduce conflicts with other users of the coastal ecosystems. They also recommended revising legislation (in Spain), harmonizing the data collection regime and increasing the participation of recreational fishermen in decision-making.This workshop was organized by Federación Gallega de Pesca Marítima Responsable y Náutica de Recreo, WWF-Espanha, Federación Gallega de Actividades Subacuáticas, International Forum for Sustainable Underwater Activities, and Universities of Santiago de Compostela, Minho e Aveiro, being supported by Xunta de Galicia, Confederación Española de Pesca Recreativa Responsable and Federación Galega de Confrarías de Pescadores.More information: www.taller.verdeprofundo.nethttp://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=48410&lg=pt

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Researcher of CESAM participates in a symposium in Korea

Published in 11/11/2016

11/11/2016Ana Lillebø, CESAM Researcher, was invited by the Korean Maritime Institute to participate in the '4th International Symposium and Workshop on Marine Ecosystem Services and Marine Spatial Planning & Management' held in Seoul.Asian countries have been establishing over the past decades legal and institutional mechanisms for sustainable development. Under this scope, for example, KMI (Korea Maritime Institute), in very close collaboration with PEMSEA (Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia), has organized international workshop on marine ecosystem services and its application to MSP since 2013.In this symposium, occurred between 27-28 October, invited experts from East Asian and western countries shared experiences and knowledge, and discuss issues and future direction to incorporate the ecosystem service-based marine spatial planning with clear benefits to the global society.

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Unprecedented research from DAO/CESAM studies the effect of biochar in vineyards

Published in 9/11/2016

08/11/2016A group of scientists from UA are trying to use biochar for the first time to combat soil erosion in a vineyard in Amoreira Gandara, Anadia. This unprecedented work intends to identify how this type of biomass-produced coal can improve water infiltration of the soil in vineyards.This research has been conducted by the 'Earth Surface Processes (ESP) team' (Earth Surface Process research team), a CESAM researchers team led by Jacob Keizer. This work is part of the project "Mediterranean Agricultural Soils Conservation under Global Change (MASCC)", funded by FCT under the ARIMNET program, with João Pedro Nunes as Main Researcher from the Portuguese team.With the incorporation of biochar in the soil, ESP team expects a reduction in the water flow by 10 to 50 percent and a reduction of 20 to 60 percent in the soil erosion. This percentages, according to the researchers, "mean that more water will be stored in the soil after rainfall, a fact that can benefit both the vineyard and the quality of watercourses".The study of the use of biochar in agricultural production in Portugal is now taking the first steps through an interdisciplinary team of researchers from DAO, DBio and CESAM.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=48160

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Publication from the departments of Biology, Physics and CESAM selected to be published by the Science for Environment Policy

Published in 9/11/2016

3/11/2016A publication from the UA department of Biology, Physics and CESAM, partnering with the University of Melbourne was selected to be published by the Science for Environment Policy, an information service provided by the European Commission’s Directorate-General Environment. This EU service carefully selects quality environmental research for evidence-based policy to connect researchers and policymakers, offering accessible summaries with the most up-to-date environmental research findings required to design and put into practice effective policies. http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/newsalert.htmThis study used the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis to investigate connectivity between the Berlengas and Arrábida MPAs in Portugal, both of which are part of the Natura 2000 network of protected sites in Europe. The chemistry of mussel shells was used to trace the dispersal routes for larval mussels, demonstrating that the Arrábida MPA is an important source population in the area. Results from this study support the measures in the 2005 management plan for the MPA, which prohibited trawling, dredging and bivalve harvesting to preserve its role as a nursery for many marine species. Direct measures of habitat connectivity can be a powerful tool to inform policymakers on the conservation and management of networks of protected areas in coastal marine ecosystems. Source: Gomes, I., Peteiro, L.G., Albuquerque, R., Nolasco, R., Dubert, J., Swearer, S.E. & Queiroga, H. (2016) Wandering mussels: using natural tags to identify connectivity patterns among Marine Protected Areas. Marine Ecology Progress Series. DOI: 10.3354/meps11753More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=48170

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FUEGORED 2016 international conference, 23 to 26 November, University of Aveiro

Published in 2/11/2016

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2/11/2016FUEGORED 2016 International Conference23 to 26 November 2016, University of AveiroThe FUEGORED 2016 International Conference will be held from 24 to 26 November 2016, at University of Aveiro, and includes two days of technical visits and one day of seminar for scientists to present their works and discuss their ideas on different topics related to post-fire land management and also the effects of post-fire on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.Please find the Presentations detailed program attached.All the information is available at the meeting's website: http://fuegored2016.web.ua.pt/

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UA Spin-off is one of 12 Portuguese funded by the European Program for SMEs

Published in 2/11/2016

28/10/2016Competition of SME Instrument Program received nearly 2000 applications from 40 countries.After being awarded by the seal of excellence of the European Commission, under Horizon 2020 Program, the spin-off DNA TRUSTAG, born at the University of Aveiro (UA), was funded with 50,000 euros in Phase 1 of the SME Instrument Competition within another area of ​​the same program. This spin-off was one of 12 Portuguese funded from almost 2,000 candidates from 40 countries.The European Commission's seal of excellence have already certificated the innovative nature and the commercialization potential of this technology developed in the Department of Biology and CESAM, with a registered patent with the support from the Technology Transfer Unit of UA (UATEC), and licensed by the DNA TRUSTAG company. Now it is funded through the same program of the Commission, the SME Instrument, dedicated to supporting SMEs, and after an application of the business plan to the security area of ​​this program.The technology that enables the production of unique DNA codes presented by this spin-off was one of the applications with best score in the context of a highly competitive competition. Newton Gomes and Francisco Coelho form the hands-on team of this spin-off.More details:http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=48060

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Researchers from UA study dispersion of sludge after the tragedy of Rio Doce

Published in 3/11/2016

21/10/2016Research of Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Center from Department of PhysicsBuilt to accommodate waste from the iron mines of the Mariana region, in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, the Fundão barrage rupture in 2015 caused one of the biggest environmental disasters in Brazil. The mud released by the disaster struck the Rio Doce and, and through this the Atlantic, with consequences that can only now be quantified. An important help to realize the real impact of the tragedy reached from the University of Aveiro, by satellite images analysis and by the development of a numerical model that simulates the spread of fluvial water in the Atlantic.This work, one of the first to be held on the tragedy of Rio Doce, involved researchers Renato Mendes and João Miguel Dias from Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Center from Department of Physics / CESAM in partnership with researchers Martin Marta-Almeida (former UA student and researcher), Fabiola Amorim from Federal University of Espirito Santo (also a former UA student and researcher) and Mauro Cirano from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.Since its publication in the Marine Pollution Bulletin, the most prestigious magazine on marine pollution, this joint work between Portuguese and Brazilian researchers was several weeks among the most read articles published by UA and was the most widely read from CESAM.More information: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=47997

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Jacob Keiser and Nelson Abrantes analyze the impact of fires

Published in 17/10/2016

14/10/2016Since the beginning of the year more than 160 thousand hectares of forest were consumed by fires, and the burned area more than doubled compared to 2015. After fighting the fires, with the temperature drop, it’s time to look at what's left. This was one of the main issues highlighted in the Click emission of 15th of October, the UA radio program transmitted on Saturdays after the 3pm news on Antena 1. In this edition, we hear the opinion of Jacob Keiser and Nelson Abrantes, experts of DAO and CESAM, on the impact of fires on land, water systems, biodiversity and ways to prevent erosion. More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=47939&lg=pt

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Portuguese Dolphins have the largest concentrations of mercury in Europe

Published in 22/11/2016

19/09/2016Dolphins in Portuguese coast have the highest levels of mercury in the body when compared to populations in the rest of the European coast. The amount of this highly toxic heavy metal, whose values present ​​in national populations of dolphins were investigated by a team of UA biologists, is only surpassed by the same species that live on the shores of the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas. This research gives an alert and says that we may be facing a "potential problem associated with mercury in the marine ecosystem in Portugal." Researchers point out that the main mercury and other chemical pollutants inlet by dolphins occurs by swallowing. Sylvia Monteiro, biologist at DBio/CESAM, points out that "some of the main prey of these dolphins are important commercial species, representing food often ingested by humans." Silvia Monteiro recalls that "there are already several studies showing that exposure to heavy metals affects the development and growth in neurological processes and reproductive success, and may cause mutagenic changes, immunosuppression and liver and kidney damage. "More details in: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=47676

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Work developed by DAO/CESAM researchers concerning forest fires and recovery of burning areas on published "Rede Rural Nacional" newsletter

Published in 22/11/2016

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16/09/2016The work "Scientific study on water erosion following forest fires", carried out by the CESAM Laboratory of Eco-Hydrology, was recently published in the Informative Sheet of the Rural Network journal - No. 70 - September 2016 - Special Forest. This is a special edition dedicated to good forest management practices.The team of the Eco-HydrologyLaboratory is presently conducting a scientific study, under field conditions, to test the effectiveness of the application of a layer of forest residues from the cutting of eucalyptus on recently burned soil as a protection action against water erosion.Newsletter: http://www.rederural.pt/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=archive&task=view&mailid=13&key=cFknVd8k&subid=1440-IwYimpDHim4t2W&tmpl=component&Itemid=224

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DBIO / CESAM leads European project of forestry education

Published in 15/9/2016

14/09/2016Management of sustainable forest is the aim of the most recent international partnership led by UA biologistsFOREST-IN: INovative and Educational INformation for the Sustainable FOREST Management by Smallholders is the new European project recently approved for DBIO, UA. The Community funding, which exceeds 320,000 euros, was obtained by the Erasmus + program, the European Commission financial instrument of Education. In this case, the forest education of all actors in the forestry universe, from small forest owners and technicians to large makers, will be the main focus of this mission that will last for three years.FOREST-IN project emerged from the need to create an agreement platform to unite the various forestry agents from Portugal, Spain and France, which usually face similar forest problems. In these countries, the predominance of private forest property, of small dimensions and mostly under the non-technical proprietary management, lead to the proliferation of practices that sometimes threaten the integrity and forest productivity and affect the ecosystem services as a whole, being urgent to share good practices and to promote forestry education.More information:http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=47643

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MARSH-C-LEVEL Project - Final Seminar at 29th September

Published in 22/11/2016

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13/09/2016UA researchers present conclusions of the project about sapal evolution in RiaWhat changes have occurred in the marshes of Baixo Vouga Lagunar (including juncal and caniçal) in the last decade? What is the importance of the marshes as a carbon sink? Will the carbon storage in the marshes of Baixo Vouga Lagunar be affected by the rise in sea level? These are the fundamental questions to which the project "MARSH-C-LEVEL - Role of the marshes of Baixo Vouga Lagunar in storing carbon as a service of the ecosystem: Effects of sea level rise" intends to respond. The conclusions will be presented at the final seminar of the project, on September 29, at 2:30 p.m., in the Municipal Library of Estarreja.More information about the project at:http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=47673    http://www.cesam.ua.pt/index.php?menu=95&tabela=projectosdetail&projectid=648&language=pt

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Documentary " Deriva Litoral" showed in Aveirense Theatre

Published in 13/9/2016

6/09/2016On 27th September, at 9:30 pm, the documentary "Deriva Litoral" of Sofia Barata with participation of CESAM and Departments of Environment and Planning, Civil Engineering, Physics, and Geosciences will be displayed in Aveirense Theatre.Don't lose it!!

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European Commission selects project IMPRINT +, led by DBIO / CESAM, as a reference in the Youth Entrepreneurship

Published in 6/9/2016

5/09/2016The project “Imprinting an ecological compensation reasoning on society by means of young citizens - IMPRINT+” was the only Portuguese project selected by the European Commission to integrate a working group on Education for Entrepreneurship. The project, led by the Department of Biology/CESAM, is part of the international strategic partnerships for the School Education, funded by the Erasmus + program.With less than a year, the IMPRINT + project has been positioning itself as a reference project in environmental education and in participatory citizenship in the various countries of the consortium. Now it was the European Commission, which finances the project through the Erasmus+ program, to recognize its relevance in the area of ​​Young Entrepreneurship.IMPRINT+ project aims to promote an environmentally responsible behaviour through games and educational competitions. The primary target audience is children and young people, but the messages are aimed at society as a whole, assuming the mobilizing power of the youngest people to behavioural changes. The innovative character of the project is related to its multidisciplinary approach and to the fact of combining the conservation of natural resources and environmental education with the green entrepreneurship.More details in: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=47564&utm_content=buffer8b52e&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=bu

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Lisbon Oceanarium establish partnership with the UA

Published in 5/9/2016

23/08/2016Partnership for the recovery, health and ecology of marine animalsThe University of Aveiro and the Lisbon Oceanarium signed a partnership agreement on 19th August, which will be valid for one year with possibility of renewal, consolidating the cooperation that already existed previously. The document provides a framework for cooperation in the field of marine science applied to rehabilitation, health and ecology of marine animals to be develop at the Center for Research and Rehabilitation of Marine Animals (CPRAM), an integrated unit of ECOMARE-Laboratory for Innovation and Sustainability of Marine Biological Resources, under UA responsibility.The involvement of the Lisbon Oceanarium in CPRAM activities will broaden the scope of the partnerships that make the ECOMARE possible and that have already involved the Portuguese Society of Wildlife, the Administration of the Port of Aveiro and the Municipality of Ílhavo.The EcoMare will enclose, in addition to CPRAM, the Center for Extension and Environmental and Marine Research (CEPAM) and a library of living organisms - Marine Invertebrates and Microbial Simbiontes Library, among other facilities.Mais informação em: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=47466

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Deriva Litoral - the impact of coastal erosion in Portugal

Published in 22/11/2016

26/07/2016" Deriva Litoral - the impact of coastal erosion in Portugal", a documentary co-produced and conducted by Fábrica Centro Ciência Viva and UA, will be presented in world premiere at the Film International Festival of Avanca, between July 27 and July 31. The premiere of this documentary is scheduled for July 30, at 17:00, in the Auditório Paroquial de Avanca.This documentary is based on interviews with researchers from the University of Aveiro, and brings together a wide range of real images, places and facts accompanied by scientific explanations. This is an analysis of the agents that are at the root of the problem and an exercise of reflection on future solutions. The film had the participation of Environment and Planning Department, Civil Engineering Department, Physics Department, Geosciences Department, University of Aveiro and CESAM.This production started from the winter 2013-2014, when the Portuguese coast was battered by heavy storms and prolonged sea waves. Coastal areas were reported for the worst reasons and, in recent years, there has been in Portugal a progressive advance of the sea, exposing the safety of people and properties - the Portuguese beaches are losing sand! For several factors. The information available did not seem to be enough for the understanding of all these phenomena. Make it better and accessible to all of us becomes essential now that scientific community debate the erosion problems and their causes.More details in: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=47357

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Study area covers the entire continental shelf of the European Atlantic

Published in 24/8/2016

21/07/2016Biologists at the University of Aveiro participate in aerial census of cetaceansBiologists at the University of Aveiro (UA), Department of Biology (DBIO) and the Center for Research and Rehabilitation of Marine Animals (CPRAM), participated in the cetaceans aerial census campaigns integrated in SCANS III project, held between the 6th and July 14, and attended by the biologists team of LIFE + project MarPro, coordinated by Catarina Eira, a researcher at the DBIO and CESAM, and by biologists of CPRAM-ECOMARE team.The study area covers the entire continental shelf of the European Atlantic from the Strait of Gibraltar to Norway. Simultaneously, they are operating three ships dedicated to monitoring offshore areas and seven aircraft that will sample the area of ​​the continental shelf. In this campaign and for the Iberian Peninsula were sampled 75 routes from the Strait of Gibraltar to the border with the South of France.During this work 376 sightings of cetaceans groups were made, totalling 3870 individuals, with six individual sightings of common turtles.For more information about the SCANS III, visit the official page of SCANS III project.http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=47326

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Air quality forecast system developed in collaboration with the UA integrates dispersion of dust coming from the desert

Published in 21/7/2016

19/07/2016Air quality forecast system is now more completeA dispersion forecasting module in the national territory of desert dust, coming from North Africa, was recently integrated in air quality forecasting system developed under a partnership between the Portuguese Environment Agency and the University of Aveiro (UA) – more precisely, the GEMAC research group of the Department of Environment and Planning. Accordingly, it is possible to make and integrate the forecasting of these natural events, so frequent in Portugal, allowing warnings to the population and avoiding health problems: http://previsao-qar.web.ua.pt/.In addition, summer and the desired sunny days can have a drawback: the quality of the air these days is not always the best ... Nonetheless, with the help of GEMAC Group of DAO/UA, it is possible to predict the quality of the air.The usefulness of this service, with benefits for the general population, could be of particular interest to the most sensitive groups. This is the case of children, the elderly, asthmatics and people with allergies, respiratory diseases or heart problems.More details in: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=47280&lg=pt

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HidroRia: an application to not run aground in the Ria de Aveiro

Published in 15/7/2016

14/07/2016HidroRia: an application to not run aground in the Ria de AveiroIt is possible to accurately predict the tides of the Ria de Aveiro. Developed at the University of Aveiro to facilitate fishermen navigation, sightseeing agents or any 'sailor' the estuary, the HidroRia application allows for the first time and through a smartphone, an updated forecast of the tides in real time for the main channels of the lagoon. The new app, whose predictions are made independently without access to mobile networks, will allow to avoid the frequent strandings due to increased tidal range and siltation of few channels, including those that access to marinas and fisheries.Developed by researchers João Miguel Dias, Ana Picado, Carina Lopes and Renato Mendes, the Center for Estuarine modeling and Coastal Department of Physics (DFIs) and CESAM, the HidroRia want to pay a service to users of the Ria de Aveiro that "face enormous difficulties of navigation through various channels of the lagoon."The predictions made by HidroRia application are based on current observations of tide performed in several permanent sampling stations distributed across the main channels of the lagoon and whose data were collected in the Hydrodynamics Monitoring project of Ria de Aveiro running by the Port of Aveiro. More details in:http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=47162&lg=pthttps://www.facebook.com/researchUA/?fref=ts

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CESAM Day 2016

Published in 22/11/2016

10/07/2016CESAM Day 2016CESAM Day was celebrated on 8 July with a shared lunch on the lawn space between the two DAO buildings. This year we had the presence of a Tai Chi instructor from the Confucius Institute of the UA to guide us in a 30 minute 'ZEN' session. The event was kindly sponsored by CAVE CENTRAL DA BAIRRADA and CAFÉ DEL ART.http://www.cavecentraldabairrada.com/http://www.cafedelart.com/

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CESAM Day 2016

Published in 22/11/2016

10/07/2016CESAM Day 2016CESAM Day was celebrated on 8 July with a shared lunch on the lawn space between the two DAO buildings. This year we had the presence of a Tai Chi instructor from the Confucius Institute of the UA to guide us in a 30 minute 'ZEN' session. The event was kindly sponsored by CAVE CENTRAL DA BAIRRADA and CAFÉ DEL ART.http://www.cavecentraldabairrada.com/http://www.cafedelart.com/

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CESAM researchers published in a special issue on fire effects

Published in 24/8/2016

5/07/2016CESAM researchers of the Eco-hydrological Lab, published 6 papers in a special issue on fire effects on Land Degradation & Development journal (Impact Factor: 8.145):Special Issue: Advances Towards an Integrated Assessment of Fire Effects on Soils, Vegetation and Geomorphological Processeshttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ldr.v27.5/issuetoc

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CASCADE Project Plenary meeting

Published in 24/8/2016

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28/06/2016The 5th Plenary meeting of the CASCADE Project took place May 24-28 at the EC’s Joint Research Centre in Ispra, Italy. The meeting covered research updates from all partners, plans for integration of results, and planning for the final year. In February 2017 there will be a final meeting in Matera, Italy, to share recommendations with stakeholders and policy makers, at both local and EU levels.CASCADE Project partners are completing experiments and modelling to obtain a better understanding of discontinuous shifts, or tipping points, in dryland ecosystems around the Mediterranean. The study sites in parts of dryland Portugal, Spain, Italy, Crete and Cyprus have been used to establish more precisely the details of changes to the soil and plant ecosystems due to forest fires, overgrazing and land abandonment.Research results are presented on the Information System CASCADiS as they become available: http://www.cascadis-project.eu/The Project Deliverables that have been completed may be viewed or downloaded from the project website: http://www.cascade-project.eu/index.php

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DNA TRUSTAG, an UA spin-off company founded by researchers from CESAM/DBio, received a Seal of Excellence by the EC

Published in 15/7/2016

27/06/2016The UA spin-off DNA TRUSTAG was awarded with the Seal of Excellence by the European Commission within the EU Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (SME instrument). The seal certifies the innovative character and commercialization potential of the technology developed by the CESAM researchers Newton Gomes and Francisco Coelho, in the Laboratory for Molecular Studies of Marine Environments (LEMAM). The technological platform of DNA TRUSTAG enables cost-effective and scalable production of unique DNA tags (impossible to forge), which generate reading signals similar to a barcoded label. The DNA tags are then used to mark and authenticate raw materials and a range of products directly in the production line. DNA TRUSTAG company was founded in January 2016 with the objective to help European and worldwide knowledge-based companies, to protect their intellectual property and fight against the attractiveness of a 'look-alike product' with a cheap price.More details in: https://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=47188&lg=pt

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Best Poster Award in Sciences for CESAM – Research Day 2016

Published in 27/6/2016

17/06/2016Rita Bicho was awarded the Best Poster Award in Sciences for the poster:Bicho, RC, Gonçalves, M., Amorim, MJB (2016) Development of novel tools for environmental health assessment - fast screening for long term effects.presented at the Research Day 2016, held at the University of Aveiro, Portugal, June 15, 2016.Rita is a PhD student at CESAM, and has been developing research in the area environmental health assessment in the Stress Biology Group (Ecotoxicogenomics Lab). She has recently published the work presented, e.g. Bicho R.C., Santos F.C.F., Goncalves M.F.M., Soares A.M.V.M., Amorim M.J.B. (2015) Enchytraeid Reproduction Test(PLUS): hatching, growth and full life cycle test-an optional multi-endpoint test with Enchytraeus crypticus. Ecotoxicology. 24, 5, 1053-1063.

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NanoFARM kick off meeting held at UA

Published in 22/11/2016

13/06/2016The kickoff meeting of the ERA NET SIIN NanoFARM project - Fate and Effects of Agriculturally Relevant Materials, was held at the University of Aveiro on 6 and 8 June. Susana Loureiro (UA coordinator, Department of Biology) and Sónia Rodrigues (Department of Chemistry) organized the meeting held at CESAM which was attended by partners from the Universities of Carnegie Mellon (Greg Lowry, NanoFARM coordinator), Kentucky (Jason Unrine) and Vienna (Frank von der Kammer). Researchers from NERC (Steve Lofts and Marianne Matzke) were also present as observers.The NanoFARM project aims to study the behavior of nanoagrochemicals in soils, and to relate these characteristics to the potential effects and risks to the environment. The project will last 36 months and intends to provide crucial information that will enable the use of nanotechnology in favor of sustainability of agricultural productivity, which is extremely necessary in the context of exponential growth of the world's population.Mais informação em: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=46739

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UA shows skills in the field of the sea at Oceans Business Week

Published in 22/11/2016

6/06/2016The University of Aveiro was present at the Oceans Business Week exhibition, which took place at the Lisbon Congress Center from 2 to 4 June, reporting on its research and development expertise in the area of ​​the sea and economy of the sea. This is an event organized by the AIP Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of the Sea and highly sponsored by the President of the Republic.The UA stand evidenced the UA institutional structures working in this field: Aveiro Institute for Marine Science and Technology (AIMARE), Technological Platform of the Sea, ECOMARE and CESAM – and their valences.On exhibition were a few specimens from the UA deep-sea research as examples of the wide range of UA research related to the sea.More information: https://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=46587

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RICH DEEP-SEA FAUNA ON POLYMETALLIC NODULES TARGETED FOR MINING

Published in 26/7/2016

2/06/2016By highlighting the importance of nodules for the deep-sea biodiversity, scientists involved in the JPI Oceans pilot action on the ecological aspects of deep-sea mining call for criteria for designating preservation zones to be based on robust scientific knowledge.An international group of researchers from Germany (Senckenberg am Meer), Belgium (Ghent University), France (Ifremer), and Portugal (MARE/IMAR-Azores and CESAM/University of Aveiro) has published their results  from a recent research campaign (SO-239, March-April 2015) onboard the new German research vessel SONNE in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCZ, Central Eastern Pacific) in Nature, demonstrating that polymetallic nodule fields are hotspots of abundance and diversity for a highly vulnerable abyssal fauna.The results of this study underlie the need for careful considerations of strategies for biodiversity conservation. Especially the CCZ area is recently of growing interest for industry because of the high concentration of polymetallic nodules present at abyssal depths. However being one of the remotest areas on earth, very little is known on its biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.The paper shows that the fauna associated with polymetallic nodules is more abundant and diverse than in areas without or only low nodule numbers, a pattern which is consistent across the four areas licensed for nodule exploration which have been visited during SO239. They also provided, for the first time, ecological data from one Area of Particular Environmental Interest (APEI, Number 3) established by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to be safeguarded from mining. Finally, they also report on the high impact and lack of recovery of fauna on 2 trawling tracks and experimental mining simulations up to 37 years old, suggesting that mining impacts may be long-lasting or even permanent. Based on these observations, the researchers argue that preservation zones within mining areas should be established in areas rich in nodules. More information:Nature articleProject website

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RICH DEEP-SEA FAUNA ON POLYMETALLIC NODULES TARGETED FOR MINING

Published in 26/7/2016

2/06/2016By highlighting the importance of nodules for the deep-sea biodiversity, scientists involved in the JPI Oceans pilot action on the ecological aspects of deep-sea mining call for criteria for designating preservation zones to be based on robust scientific knowledge.An international group of researchers from Germany (Senckenberg am Meer), Belgium (Ghent University), France (Ifremer), and Portugal (MARE/IMAR-Azores and CESAM/University of Aveiro) has published their results  from a recent research campaign (SO-239, March-April 2015) onboard the new German research vessel SONNE in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCZ, Central Eastern Pacific) in Nature, demonstrating that polymetallic nodule fields are hotspots of abundance and diversity for a highly vulnerable abyssal fauna.The results of this study underlie the need for careful considerations of strategies for biodiversity conservation. Especially the CCZ area is recently of growing interest for industry because of the high concentration of polymetallic nodules present at abyssal depths. However being one of the remotest areas on earth, very little is known on its biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.The paper shows that the fauna associated with polymetallic nodules is more abundant and diverse than in areas without or only low nodule numbers, a pattern which is consistent across the four areas licensed for nodule exploration which have been visited during SO239. They also provided, for the first time, ecological data from one Area of Particular Environmental Interest (APEI, Number 3) established by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to be safeguarded from mining. Finally, they also report on the high impact and lack of recovery of fauna on 2 trawling tracks and experimental mining simulations up to 37 years old, suggesting that mining impacts may be long-lasting or even permanent. Based on these observations, the researchers argue that preservation zones within mining areas should be established in areas rich in nodules. More information:Nature articleProject website

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Food Contaminants and Human Health - publicação de livro com participação de membros do CESAM

Published in 27/6/2016

15/05/2016As a result from ICFC2015 International Conference on Food Contaminants: challenges in chemical mixtures, the book “Food Contaminants and Human Health – challenges in chemical mixtures” is now available including some extended abstracts written by some invited speakers and also the abstracts presented at the conference.This Conference was organized by Paula Alvito and Ricardo Assunção, CESAM members from INSA, and Susana Loureiro (department of biology & CESAM, University of Aveiro) was one of the invited speakers, along with the participation of several other CESAM members, whose contributions are also available in this book.The book can be assessed through the repository of the National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge at http://repositorio.insa.pt//handle/10400.18/3214.

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LAUNCH OF THE GLOBAL SOIL BIODIVERSITY ATLAS WITH UA CONTRIBUTIONS

Published in 27/6/2016

05/05/2016The Global Soil Biodiversity Atlas is an effort by the Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative (GSBI) and the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission to raise awareness about the importance of soil biodiversity. It comprises 180 pages with amazing photos, maps, charts, statistics, and shared information that scientists, educators, policy makers, and non-specialists alike can use as a toolkit for knowing and understanding soil biodiversity globally. Key messages of the Atlas are:• Soil biodiversity is extremely diverse in shapes, colours, sizes and functions.• Soil biodiversity supports many services essential to human beings: plant growth, water and climate regulation, and disease control, among others.• Soil biodiversity is increasingly under threat due to several pressures acting on soils.• Interventions to reduce the impact of threats to soil biodiversity are available and should be widely adopted.• Policies to protect and value soil biodiversity are still at an early stage and need to be further developed.Out of the 94 authors from across the world, four are CESAM researchers at the UA. Ana Catarina Bastos and Susana Loureiro from the applied Ecology and Ecotoxicology R&D group (applEE) in the Biology Department, contributed with expertise on environmental biotechnology, including biomonitoring and bioremediation, as provisioning services of soil biodiversity. Frank Verheijen and Jacob Keizer from the Earth Surface Processes (ESP) lab in the Department of Environment & Planning, contributed with expertise about wildfire as a threat to soil biodiversity, and fire management as a way of benefiting soil biodiversity.  

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Ana Hilário, Researcher from CESAM/DBIO, gives training in Namibia in the Deep Sea Biology area

Published in 6/5/2016

05/05/2016Ana Hilário, UA Biologist, was in Namibia to participate in the organization of a workshop training and knowledge transfer in the area of ​​Deep Sea Biology, organized by Indeep, the international organization that emerged as a result of the "Census of Marine Life" aiming to share scientific knowledge between countries, particularly developing countries.The motivation for this workshop arose from the increasing pressure of mining companies to extract deep sea resources, which will most likely start to happen in the waters of African developing countries and Oceania. "The extraction of minerals from the deep sea is highly attractive to these countries for obvious economic reasons, but it may have excessive environmental costs if done in a not sustainable way," explains Ana Hilário. In many cases, "developing countries do not have the human resources with the necessary training to independently establish commitments between development and sustainability based on economic, social, cultural and ecological realities and priorities of each country."More information: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=46271

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Monica Amorim, CESAM/DBIO Researcher, participated in a meeting of the European Chemicals Agency

Published in 6/5/2016

05/05/2016Monica Amorim, researcher from CESAM/DBIO was invited to participate in the "Topical Scientific Workshop on New Approach Methodologies in Regulatory Science" held in ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) on 19 and 20 April in Helsinki, with industry, science and regulators participants.The researcher develops its work in the field of toxicogenomics, optimizing tools and results for risk assessment that allow the evaluation of chemical effects on the organisms genes, i.e., at the level of the mechanisms that precede apical effects. During this workshop it was discussed, for example, how this information can be integrate to be used use in risk assessment and chemicals legislation.ECHA has promoted the discussion of various topics under the (eco)toxicology scope, one of the strong research areas done in the Department of Biology, UA. In October 2015, the Researcher also participated in the "ECHA / EFSA Scientific Topical Workshop on Soil Risk Assessment" that promises to emphasize the "soil" on the European legislation agenda.More details in: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=46267&lg=pt

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Research work from CESAM/DBio team published in the journal "Fish and Fisheries"

Published in 4/7/2017

05/05/2016The work “Marine ornamental fish imports in the European Union: an economic perspective" coordinator by the CESAM/DBio Researcher Ricardo Calado, was recently published in the journal “Fish and Fisheries" (IF: 8.258) currently in the 1st position of 52 in the scientific field of JCR "Fisheries".This work intended to quantify, for the first time, the role of the import of ornamental marine fish for aquariums in the EU (Nemos, Dorys and company), as well as identify the main exporting and importing countries. This work intended to demonstrate that the EU, as an importer of these organisms, play a key role in maintaining this industry, which allows the livelihoods of many impoverished families in the Indo-Pacific area, having also additional responsibilities in promoting a sustainable industry that does not contribute to reefs destruction through the use of destructive fishing techniques such as fishing with cyanide.

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Mónica Amorim: UA Researcher of the month

Published in 22/4/2016

22/04/2016Mónica Amorim graduated in Biology (1997, Univ. Coimbra), MsC in Ecology (2000), and a PhD in Biology (2004, Univ. Aveiro, split grant between Portugal and Germany). During 2005-6 she worked partly in Belgium and in Portugal, since then as researcher in CESAM, UA.She has established a new international recognised high profile area – ecotoxicogenomics (less than 10 labs in the world) forming her own group, presently comprised by 9 researchers (6 PhD and 3 Post-Docs, all fully funded by FCT or EU, plus MsC and degree students). She already completed the supervision of 4 PhDs, 2 Post-Doc, 5 MsCs and several degree students.Major scientific achievements include high throughput tools based on the transcriptome assembly for soil ecotoxicology model species (Enchytraeus crypticus) i.e. microarray platform [such tools are only available for 2 other soil and 3 aquatic ecotox species]. No such genomic tools were available for soil species, hence this represents a major step forward and with results in terms of understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms to stress. Other molecular tools were also developed e.g. cellular energy allocation, lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, oxidative stress biomarkers. These are crucial tools to link responses at various levels of organization towards a systems biology approach.Besides the science activities she has been active in general international promotion of environmental sciences. She was SETAC Europe president (2014-15), the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry is probably the largest worldwide ecotoxicology society (>6000 members); chaired the SETAC Soil Advisory Group (2005-12); coordinates the Post-Graduation course "Practical approach to ecotoxicogenomics" since 2007-14; has been invited to evaluate grants (e.g. from FCT) and project proposals.More details in: http://www.ua.pt/research/page/21170Contact:Dr. Mónica AmorimDepartment of Biology & CESAMUniversidade de AveiroCampus Universitário de Santiago3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal

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Sunlight destroys antibiotic in marine aquaculture waters - Research from Department of Chemistry and CESAM

Published in 21/4/2016

21/04/2016It is called oxytetracycline (OTC) and is one of the antibiotics used in aquaculture to combat a wide variety of infections in fish. If until now the respective removal is made using the diffusion of ozone in the water - an expensive method, inefficient and hazardous compounds generator to health when it comes to saltwater - a team of researchers from UA found that, alternatively, the antibiotic can be effectively destroyed with a simple and free resource: sunlight.The use of antibiotics in national aquaculture has been decreasing in recent years (OTC is one of the few antibiotics authorized in the country for use in aquaculture), and producers are increasingly opting for preventive measures such as vaccination. However, throughout the world there are countries where the use of antibiotics is not as upper and controlled, which, according to the researchers, "increases the potential application of the method" proposed by UA.The work was conducted by PhD student Joanna Leal, under the supervision of Valdemar Esteves and Eduarda Santos, and published in the latest issue of Environmental Pollution, a publication of Elsevier which is a world reference in the field of chemistry applied.More information: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=46118  

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Ecosystem services provided by wetlands: Anthropogenic impacts and Environmental chemistry

Published in 21/4/2016

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20/04/2016Advanced WorkshopMay 2-6, 2016This one‐week post‐graduate workshop aims to provide knowledge on the environmental biogeochemical processes supporting the Ecosystem Services (ES) provided by wetlands. Moreover, emphasis will be put on ES assessment endpoints for Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) and also on wetlands management and restoration. The course is addressed to PhD students with a background in Biology, Natural and Environmental Sciences, Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Engineering or Ecology.Coordinator: Ana I. Lillebø (DBio & CESAM)Lecture topics• Types of wetlands, ES & Human well­‐being• Biogeochemical processes supporting wetland ES• ES assessment endpoints for Ecological Risk Assessment• Multiple stressors affecting wetlands ES• Wetlands management and restoration

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João Carvalho, UA Biologist, published in Nature an alert for invasive species

Published in 21/4/2016

19/04/2016João Carvalho, PhD student at Wildlife Unit of the Department of Biology and CESAM, in collaboration with a group of researchers from the University of Porto (UP), published in the latest issue of the prestigious journal Nature one article that exposes the inertia of the European Union face with alien species and alert to the need for cross-border cooperation in the control of wasp-Asian."The number of alien species identified in the European territory exceeds currently the thousands," says João Carvalho. One of the most publicized cases is the wasp-Asian (Vespa velutina nigrithorax). "This species currently occupies a significant area of ​​the Mediterranean Basin, a recognized biodiversity hotspot. Its potential ecological impacts are already recognized by the scientific community. In areas where beekeeping is assumed as an important source of income, the economic impacts of the Asian wasp may be especially severe, "says the researcher.The authors stress the importance of environmental awareness as a tool for conservation of other pollinating insects. The widespread fear of beekeepers and the consequent indiscriminate use of some selective traps are factors that can determine the decline of many other species of pollinators.The article can be found via the link: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v532/n7598/full/532177b.htmlMore information: https://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=46087

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João Carvalho, UA Biologist, published in Nature an alert for invasive species

Published in 21/4/2016

19/04/2016João Carvalho, PhD student at Wildlife Unit of the Department of Biology and CESAM, in collaboration with a group of researchers from the University of Porto (UP), published in the latest issue of the prestigious journal Nature one article that exposes the inertia of the European Union face with alien species and alert to the need for cross-border cooperation in the control of wasp-Asian."The number of alien species identified in the European territory exceeds currently the thousands," says João Carvalho. One of the most publicized cases is the wasp-Asian (Vespa velutina nigrithorax). "This species currently occupies a significant area of ​​the Mediterranean Basin, a recognized biodiversity hotspot. Its potential ecological impacts are already recognized by the scientific community. In areas where beekeeping is assumed as an important source of income, the economic impacts of the Asian wasp may be especially severe, "says the researcher.The authors stress the importance of environmental awareness as a tool for conservation of other pollinating insects. The widespread fear of beekeepers and the consequent indiscriminate use of some selective traps are factors that can determine the decline of many other species of pollinators.The article can be found via the link: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v532/n7598/full/532177b.htmlMore information: https://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=46087

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CESAM research invited to organize the British Ornithologists’ Union annual conference in 2017.

Published in 5/4/2016

5/04/2016Dr. José Alves, CESAM (DBio/UA) member since 2013, is one of the organizers of BOU’s annual conference: “From avian tracking to population processes”. The organizing team is composed by researchers from three other institutions: University of East Anglia (UK), University of Iceland and Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UK), whom will bring together ornithologists and ecologists from academic and conservation organisations, to explore how tracking individuals can help to address key questions about population processes and their implications for conservation and management.Given recent technological breakthroughs in miniaturization, animal tracking has become widespread with incredible new patterns being discovered in recent years. For example, the continuous flight of a migratory wader between Alaska and New Zeeland, traveling 11 000 km without stopping to rest, feed or hydrate. GPS tracking devices can be as light as 5 grams allowing to follow individuals of many species. This conference aims to go beyond patterns and focus on their consequences. Several topics will be covered, including:Dispersal and settlement decisions, trade-offs and fitness consequencesDemography and carry-over effectsPopulation dynamics and migratory connectivityEvolution and ontogeny of movement and migration strategiesConservation and management implications of movement behaviourThe British Ornithologists’s Union (BOU), founded in 1858 is one of the world's oldest and most respected ornithological organisations with an international membership stretching all continents. Under its motto “Advancing Ornithology”, it organizes themed conferences, provides research grants (particularly for Early Career Researchers) and publishes the highest ranking scientific journal in the field, IBIS.http://www.bou.org.uk/conference/tracking-and-populations-2017/

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Bacteria discovered by the UA in radioactive sludge has the potential medicine

Published in 5/4/2016

4/04/2016It is not just a new bacterial species discovered by an investigating team from the University of Aveiro (UA). The NL19 is a 'super' bacteria that survive in extreme environments, such as the former uranium mine Quinta do Bispo, in Viseu, where it was identified. Isolated from sludge with high concentrations of radioactive metals, UA scientists have discovered that NL19 produces antibacterial that can be used in medicine, veterinary and food industry. The study concerning how this bacterium can be used by the man in the production of other bioactive compounds is already in progress.Baptized by Molecular Biotechnology Laboratory team (LBM) from Department of Biology with the scientific name Pedobacter portucalensis, a new species of the genus Pedobacter, the discovery of NL19 rests like a glove to one of the group's goals: study and discovery of microorganisms able to help Science in the production of new antibacterials.In addition to the characterization of antibacterial produced by this new bacterium is also ongoing evaluation of the important biotechnological potential that the microorganism has as a producer of antifungals, antivirals and anticancer, and other bioactive compounds. The work is being developed by PhD student Claudia Covas and with the collaboration of the postdoctoral researcher Tania Caetano and Pedro Domingues, researcher from Department of Chemistry at UA.More information: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=45855

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Researcher of CESAM will participate and co -chair two thematic sessions on MSEAS 2016 conference

Published in 22/11/2016

29/03/2016Dr. Cristina Pita, Researcher of CESAM, will participate in MSEAS Conference 2016 (Understanding marine social- ecological systems: including the human dimension in the ecosystem Ratings Integrated), held in Breste (France) from 30 May to 3 June) and co-chair two Thematic Sessions.The conference MSEAS addresses the theme of Integration and Multiple Evaluation OSU THE SEA, including: fishing, Renewable Energy, Coastal Development, Oil and Gas, Transportation and Conservation. A special emphasis will be given to methodological and empirical challenges involved in the inclusion of human dimensions in ecosystem integrated assessment. The conference has a global character, with special focus on regions that have developed Integrated Management Policies for the sea in recent decades.http://www.ices.dk/news-and-events/symposia/MSEAS/Pages/MSEAS.aspxDr. Pita chairs the thematic sessions:A: Identifying needs for managing multiple ocean use sectors  – policy, management and industry needsThis theme session will seek to identify the needs that arise from current and projected policy, management and industry developments in the marine domain. D:  Participatory assessment processes: opportunities and challengesTheme session D will investigate how the ways in which integrated (socio-ecological) assessments are/can be included in decision-making processes may determine the use/usefulness of the tools/information provided.

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CESAM team participated in JRC Technical Report

Published in 5/4/2017

25/03/2016Jacob Keizer and Frank Verheijen, researchres at CESAM/DAO, participated in a JCR Technical.  This report presents the result of WP2 of the RECARE project. One of the objectives of WP2 (Base for RECARE data collection and methods) is to provide an improved overview of existing information on soil threats and degradation at the European scale. The report is written by a group of experts from the RECARE team, coordinated by Bioforsk. In total, 60 persons were included in the process of writing, reviewing and editing the report. Eleven soil threats were identified for the report. These soil threats are soil erosion by water, soil erosion by wind, decline of organic matter (OM) in peat, decline of OM in minerals soils, soil compaction, soil sealing, soil contamination, soil salinization, desertification, flooding and landslides and decline in soil biodiversity.

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Viruses can replace antibiotics in fighting pathogenic bacteria - Research of Applied Microbiology and Environmental Laboratory at UA

Published in 8/4/2016

22/03/2016It is one of the cause of urinary infections. The bacteria is called Enterobacter cloacae, and until now has been controlled by use of antibiotics. But the prescription can come to change. A team of researchers at the University of Aveiro (UA) managed to eliminate these bacteria with use of phage therapy. Harmless to human beings and cheaper to apply than antibacterials, this therapy uses the action of specific virus that only destroy the bacteria. The work opens the door to a future where the harmful bacteria to human health, many of which resistant to antibiotics, can be disposed of quickly, effectively and without side effects. "Our research proves that cloacae Enterobacter, one of the bacteria most frequently responsible for urinary infections, can be inactivated by phages [virus that only destroy bacteria and are harmless to human health]," said Adelaide Almeida, Researcher at the Laboratory Applied and Environmental Microbiology of UA and CESAM and coordinator of the work published in the last issue of Virus Research. More information: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=45818          http://mundoportugues.pt/article/view/63786

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Viruses can replace antibiotics in fighting pathogenic bacteria - Research of Applied Microbiology and Environmental Laboratory at UA

Published in 8/4/2016

22/03/2016It is one of the cause of urinary infections. The bacteria is called Enterobacter cloacae, and until now has been controlled by use of antibiotics. But the prescription can come to change. A team of researchers at the University of Aveiro (UA) managed to eliminate these bacteria with use of phage therapy. Harmless to human beings and cheaper to apply than antibacterials, this therapy uses the action of specific virus that only destroy the bacteria. The work opens the door to a future where the harmful bacteria to human health, many of which resistant to antibiotics, can be disposed of quickly, effectively and without side effects. "Our research proves that cloacae Enterobacter, one of the bacteria most frequently responsible for urinary infections, can be inactivated by phages [virus that only destroy bacteria and are harmless to human health]," said Adelaide Almeida, Researcher at the Laboratory Applied and Environmental Microbiology of UA and CESAM and coordinator of the work published in the last issue of Virus Research. More information: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=45818          http://mundoportugues.pt/article/view/63786

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Fatima Lopes Alves, Professor at DAO / UA selected as 'expert' to collaborate on study of the European Commission on Marine Protected Areas in the Atlantic Area

Published in 22/3/2016

22/03/2016Fatima Lopes Alves, Professor in the Department of Environment and Planning (DAO) at UA and CESAM Researcher, was invited to join the team of 'Experts' in the European Commission study on 'Cooperation between North and South - the transatlantic dimension of Protected Marine Areas' (Cooperation with Northern and Southern Transatlantic Dimension - Protected Marine Areas).The European Commission has set up a new project to promote cooperation between managers of Protected Marine Areas (PMAs) in the countries of the Atlantic Basin. The study will take place over two years and aims to stimulate the exchange and sharing of good management practices, to improve the effective management of PMAs in coastal areas and offshore Atlantic space. This project aims to promote a broader transatlantic cooperation, centred on a new, comprehensive concept of 'Atlanticism', resulting from the growing importance of Africa and Latin America as key actors in the Atlantic space. The European Union is strongly committed to promoting this broader approach in the transatlantic dialogue, and selected the PMA as a pilot study of this new initiative of the European environmental policy. The project will also contribute to the EU's commitments in the fight against global loss of biodiversity, support for adaptation to climate change, and meet the EU's internal policies on the environment, regional cooperation and maritime dimension. The project will contribute to a strategic approach to EU (Atlantic Basin), in relations between the North-South and South-South.

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FRANK VERHEIJEN: UA RESEARCHER OF THE MONTH

Published in 21/3/2016

21/03/2016"Physical Geography is the study of the interactions between the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. I am a physical geographer (MSc) from the University of Amsterdam, located a few meters below sea level in the large delta that forms most of The Netherlands. My MSc research focused on interactions between plant species and soil water repellency, in the drylands of southeast Spain. For my PhD I moved to soils formed in the glacial sediments of the low hills of southeast England (Cranfield University) to study how soil organic matter may provide on-farm economic benefit. Since then, during the last ten years, I helped to design and test a harmonised EU soil monitoring system in a 38 partner project. I moved to the old floodplains of the river Thames in London (Queen Mary University of London) to study the effects of a wildfire on the recovery of an organic soil in a Scottish peatland. I moved to the southern foothills of the Alps in Italy to work at the European Commission Joint Research Centre, where I led a small team in publishing a major EU report on biochar (2010) that identified positive, negative and unknown effects. Finally, I moved close to a drowned river valley in Portugal (University of Aveiro) to push for more scientific discovery of those unknown effects."More details in: http://www.ua.pt/research/page/20986Contact:Dr. Frank VerheijenDepartamento de Ambiente e Ordenamento & CESAMUniversidade de Aveirotelefone: 234 370200 (ext. 22608)e-mail: verheijen@ua.pt       URL: http://www.cesam.ua.pt/frankverheijenBiochar Investigation Network of Portugal

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The Do*Mar doctoral programme

Published in 17/3/2016

17/03/2016The Do*Mar is an international doctoral programme offered by a consortium of Portuguese and Galician Universities and Research Institutes: Universities of Aveiro, Minho, Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vigo, Santiago de Compostela and Coruña, the Instituto Español de Oceanografia and the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas. The School of Biology of the St. Andrews University (Scotland), the Station Biologique de Roscoff of the Université Pierre et Marie Curie (France) and the Instituto de Oceanografia of the Universidade de São Paulo (Brasil) are associated members of the consortium.Do*Mar has a duration of 3 years and has 4 curricular branches: i) Ocean Observation and Global Change; ii) Sustainable Use of Marine Resources; iii) Integrated Management of the Sea; and iv) Technological Progress, Engineering and Business Management. This doctoral programme requires a compulsory co-supervision by a professor or researcher at a Portuguese partner and at a non-Portuguese partner. Therefore, a mandatory mobility period and placement at a non-Portuguese institution is involved (minimum 6 months, maximum 24 months). Candidates that successfully complete the programme will receive a joint diploma issued by the Portuguese and Galician universities. A dual diploma may be issued if the mandatory away stay is in one of the associated partners.More details in: http://www.campusdomar-pt-domar.net/

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PhD Examination - David Filipe Ramos Silva

Published in 10/3/2016

10/03/2016Type: PhD Examination Date: 30-03-2016 2:30 pmLocal: Auditório do Edifício Central e da Reitoria, Universidade de AveiroStudent Name: DAVID FILIPE RAMOS SILVACourse: PROGRAMA DOUTORAL EM CIÊNCIAS E ENGENHARIA DO AMBIENTE (3º CICLO)Theme: Valorização das cinzas de combustão de biomassa na calagem e reciclagem de nutrientes no solo. 

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UA Biologists launch "Atlas dos pelos dos mamíferos terrestres ibéricos"

Published in 9/3/2016

9/03/2016Book will presented on March 10, at 5 pm, at the Library of the University of AveiroOne of the characteristics of terrestrial mammals is to have the body covered with hair. If we know what to look for and we use the right microscopic techniques we can see something amazing and surprising: the coating hair of each species has unique morphological characteristics. During 16 months biologists at the University of Aveiro (UA) observed and photographed more than 200 microscopic preparations, cross-sections and cuticular impressions of 67 species of land mammals of the Iberian Peninsula. A meticulous and patient work now published in the book "Atlas dos pelos dos mamíferos terrestres ibéricos" whose launch takes place March 10 at 5 pm in the Library of the AU.José Vingada , professor at the University of Minho and president of the Portuguese Society of Wildlife, has borne the presentation of the project at a ceremony , in addition to the authors , will be present Amadeu Soares, director of the Department of Biology AU. More details in://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=45693

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Advanced Course on Biomarkers - SETAC Summer School

Published in 30/8/2016

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9/03/2016II Edition 30 May - 3 June 2016This one-week course held at DBio & CESAM (University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal) aims to provide knowledge about using biomarkers and their advantages (and disadvantages) to assess the ecologically relevant impact of stressors in the environment. Moreover, the ecological relevance and ranges of applicability of biochemical tools will be shown for particular classes of pollutants by linking their biochemical effects with alterations at higher levels of biological organization. Furthermore, the practical use of a biomarker approach in distinct taxa will be demonstrated, showing the usefulness of this set of tools independently from the analyzed ecosystem. This new approach has been successfully used by staff members of this course in soil ecotoxicology, freshwater ecotoxicology, marine ecotoxicology, wildlife ecotoxicology, biomonitoring, characterization of drug toxicity and nanotoxicology. The course is composed by theoretical lectures, by the presentation and discussion of several of our own case studies, and by a strong complementary practical component, during which test procedures will be demonstrated and students will have the opportunity to handle real techniques and procedures. The course is targeted to scientists, PhD and MSc students (with a background in Biology, Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Chemistry, or related fields) and other professionals involved in decision-making and environmental management. All lectures and training sessions will be held in English.CoordinatorsDr. Bruno Nunes, DBio & CESAM, University of Aveiro, PortugalDr. Carlos Gravato, DBio & CESAM, University of Aveiro, PortugalTeaching staffDr. Carla Quintaneiro, DBio & CESAM, University of AveiroDr. Inês Domingues, DBio & CESAM, University of AveiroProf. Dr. Alberto Teodorico Correia, CIIMAR, University Fernando PessoaDr. Miguel Santos, CIIMAR, University of PortoPlease find the event flyer and Registration Form attached.

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Advanced Course on Biomarkers - SETAC Summer School

Published in 30/8/2016

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9/03/2016II Edition 30 May - 3 June 2016This one-week course held at DBio & CESAM (University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal) aims to provide knowledge about using biomarkers and their advantages (and disadvantages) to assess the ecologically relevant impact of stressors in the environment. Moreover, the ecological relevance and ranges of applicability of biochemical tools will be shown for particular classes of pollutants by linking their biochemical effects with alterations at higher levels of biological organization. Furthermore, the practical use of a biomarker approach in distinct taxa will be demonstrated, showing the usefulness of this set of tools independently from the analyzed ecosystem. This new approach has been successfully used by staff members of this course in soil ecotoxicology, freshwater ecotoxicology, marine ecotoxicology, wildlife ecotoxicology, biomonitoring, characterization of drug toxicity and nanotoxicology. The course is composed by theoretical lectures, by the presentation and discussion of several of our own case studies, and by a strong complementary practical component, during which test procedures will be demonstrated and students will have the opportunity to handle real techniques and procedures. The course is targeted to scientists, PhD and MSc students (with a background in Biology, Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Chemistry, or related fields) and other professionals involved in decision-making and environmental management. All lectures and training sessions will be held in English.CoordinatorsDr. Bruno Nunes, DBio & CESAM, University of Aveiro, PortugalDr. Carlos Gravato, DBio & CESAM, University of Aveiro, PortugalTeaching staffDr. Carla Quintaneiro, DBio & CESAM, University of AveiroDr. Inês Domingues, DBio & CESAM, University of AveiroProf. Dr. Alberto Teodorico Correia, CIIMAR, University Fernando PessoaDr. Miguel Santos, CIIMAR, University of PortoPlease find the event flyer and Registration Form attached.

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CESAM/UA, Universidade de Southampton and CCMAR / Universidade do Algarve biologist takes his research to England Parliament

Published in 8/3/2016

8/03/2016Rui Vieira, 29, a PhD student at School of Ocean and Earth Sciences (University of Southampton), Departamento de Biologia & CESAM, Universidade de Aveiro, and CCMAR/Universidade do Algarve, hailing from Marinha Grande (Portugal), attended Parliament to present his biological research to a range of politicians and a panel of expert judges, as part of SET for Britain on Monday 7 March.Rui’s poster on research about fisheries impact on deep-sea ecosystems will be judged against dozens of other scientists’ research in the only national competition of its kind. Rui was shortlisted from hundreds of applicants to appear in Parliament.On presenting his research in Parliament, he said, “science and society should, more than ever, be linked. SET for Britain is an excellent opportunity to bring our work to the society and policy-makers. I hope to contribute to change a bit the way we look at marine ecosystems, particularly the deep sea, which we still know very little about, but also to exchange some ideas with MPs about this issue.”The Parliamentary and Scientific Committee runs the event in collaboration with the Royal Society of Biology, the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Institute of Physics, The Physiological Society and the Council for Mathematical Sciences, with financial support from Essar, the Clay Mathematics Institute, Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), the Institute of Biomedical Science, the Bank of England and the Society of Chemical Industry.

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CESAM/UA, Universidade de Southampton and CCMAR / Universidade do Algarve biologist takes his research to England Parliament

Published in 8/3/2016

8/03/2016Rui Vieira, 29, a PhD student at School of Ocean and Earth Sciences (University of Southampton), Departamento de Biologia & CESAM, Universidade de Aveiro, and CCMAR/Universidade do Algarve, hailing from Marinha Grande (Portugal), attended Parliament to present his biological research to a range of politicians and a panel of expert judges, as part of SET for Britain on Monday 7 March.Rui’s poster on research about fisheries impact on deep-sea ecosystems will be judged against dozens of other scientists’ research in the only national competition of its kind. Rui was shortlisted from hundreds of applicants to appear in Parliament.On presenting his research in Parliament, he said, “science and society should, more than ever, be linked. SET for Britain is an excellent opportunity to bring our work to the society and policy-makers. I hope to contribute to change a bit the way we look at marine ecosystems, particularly the deep sea, which we still know very little about, but also to exchange some ideas with MPs about this issue.”The Parliamentary and Scientific Committee runs the event in collaboration with the Royal Society of Biology, the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Institute of Physics, The Physiological Society and the Council for Mathematical Sciences, with financial support from Essar, the Clay Mathematics Institute, Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), the Institute of Biomedical Science, the Bank of England and the Society of Chemical Industry.

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Special issue of “International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health” edited by CESAM member

Published in 3/3/2016

3/03/2016Mónica Amorim, Researcher of CESAM, was the guest editor of the special Issue "Environmental Fate and Effect of Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials" published in the “International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health”http://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph/special_issues/environmental_fateThis Special Issue published already 15 papers and focused on the effects of NMs in biological systems and their risk assessment in the environment and complex media.See the editorial: Amorim, M.J.B. The Daunting Challenge of Ensuring Sustainable Development of Nanomaterials. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2016, 13, 245. http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/13/2/245

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CESAM Researchers published feature article in the journal "Mammalian Biology"

Published in 3/3/2016

3/03/2016Mongoose is the prominent species in the latest number of Mammalian Biology journal. The Photography is from Tania Barros, CESAM Researcher, and refers to one of the studies as part of its doctoral thesis supervised by Prof. Carlos Fonseca, held at the University of Aveiro, which culminated in this publication. ”Mitochondrial demographic history of the Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon), an expanding carnivore in the Iberian Peninsula” is the featured article in the March Editions of Mammalian Biology journal and had the participation of researchers from the University of Aveiro, University of Montpellier and the University Evora. By mitochondrial DNA analysis, the authors detected that the distribution of genetic diversity in the Iberian population reflects a pattern of historical diversity of subpopulations of southern Iberian Peninsula, as well as the presence of long-distance migrants from several southern source populations that had dispersed to colonize the center and north of the territory. Other tools used in this study also allowed a better understanding of the relationship between the genetic diversity of the Egyptian mongoose standards with its rapid expansion in the Iberian Peninsula in recent years, being mainly influenced by changes in land use and climate variations.This work was supported by numerous institutions, including the Foundation for Science and Technology, National Museum of Natural History in Paris, INIAV, IP, INIAV, IP., ICNF, FENCAÇA, ANPC and CNCP.More details:http://www.journals.elsevier.com/mammalian-biology/http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/16165047/81/2http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1616504715000968

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Biologist of UA/CESAM is coordinator of the Wildlife Unit

Published in 2/3/2016

2/03/2016Carlos Fonseca reappointed in the National Commission for Trophy Homologation Carlos Fonseca, Researcher of DBio, University of Aveiro (UA), was reappointed by the Secretary of State for Forestry and Rural Development, Amândio Torres, to the National Commission for Trophy Homologation (NCTH). Carlos Fonseca is coordinator of the Wildlife Unit in Aveiro Academy and has devoted much of his work to the monitoring of populations of ungulates (deer, roe deer, wild boar, ibex, deer and mouflon) in Portugal.This reappointment is also the public recognition of the Researcher and Lecturer at the UA, for his extensive work at national and international level in the management of hunting resources, including populations of species of large game and their habitats.More details in: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=45597

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UA provides technical training in Angola in the planning area and sea management

Published in 8/2/2016

8/02/2016Fátima Lopes Alves, Professor of Department of Environment and Planning and Researcher of CESAM, was in Luanda (Angola) to enable the technical body of various Angolan ministries in the area of ​​planning and integrated management of ocean and coastal zone. The invitation came from the German institution GIZ and from the Commission of the Benguela Current, responsible for international project MARISMA.The large marine ecosystems of Benguela Current (BCLME) extend along the coast of Angola, Namibia and South Africa. The MARISMA project - Spatial Management and Governance) is a regional initiative funded by Germany (through GIZ) to the Commission of the Benguela Current with a duration of five years (08/2014 - 04/2020). This project is directed to the present Commission Benguela Current, to its member States Angola, Namibia and South Africa and other stakeholders in the governance and management of the marine environment, including marine biodiversity and natural resources of BCLME. The main focus of the project is to develop, at different levels, technical and technological capacity to implement and institutionalize the "Planning of the Marine Area" and to identify the Biological Marine Areas and Ecologically Significant in this region of Africa.Fatima Lopes Alves belonged to the core of coordination responsible for preparing the Maritime Spatial Planning Plan in Portugal, promoted by the Ministry of Environment and Territory Planning (2008 - 2011) and was responsible at UA for the TPEA project - Transboundary Planning in the European Atlantic, financed by DG MARE (CE 2012-2014).

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Study led by researcher Ana Claudia Dias from the Department of Environment and Planning and CESAM reveals that the cork industry helps mitigate climate change

Published in 3/2/2016

1/2/2016The use of cork products, in addition to being trendy and serve the national economy, contributes to remove atmospheric gases with greenhouse effect. The results of the study coordinated by the University of Aveiro (UA), the first in the country to quantify the carbon footprint of the cork industry, leaves no doubt as to the ecological powers of the cork oak and the ecosystem that surrounds it: for each cork ton produced, more than 73 tons of carbon dioxide are captured, equivalent to the emissions of that gas released to go about 450,000 kilometers by car."This work has given the cork sector information and tools that enable support decision-making with respect to practices that can optimize the carbon footprint of the sector and strengthen the role of industry as an important element in mitigating climate change," says Ana Cláudia Dias.More details in: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=45245

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Opinion of Frank Verheijen and Ana Catarina Bastos published in Nature - CESAM researchers defend changes of transnational soils policy

Published in 7/1/2016

7/01/2016As the end of the International Year of Soils approaches, UA researchers argue, in a Nature Correspondence, for transnational soil policiesSoils form the nexus of the rock-water-air-life interface on our planet. The way that soils are managed has important implications for the ecosystems that they literally support. At the same time, soil management plays a crucial role beyond its physical boundaries in regulating the quality of our water and air, including climate change, human health and food security. Nevertheless, the main reason why transnational soil policy lags behind policies for air and water is a persistent idea that soil ‘do not move’ and therefore should be dealt with locally only, as discussed in a recent Nature opinion paper by Luca Montanarella of the European Commission Joint Research Centre. UA and CESAM researchers Frank Verheijen (DAO) and Ana Catarina Bastos (DBio) co-authored a Nature correspondence where they present a case for the transnational reach of soils. They call for the ‘local only’ argument to be buried and urge policy makers to include soils to effectively deal with global challenges.More details in: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=45020

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Opinion of Alfredo Rocha, Researcher at the Department of Physics and CESAM - The Science of Climate Change - The Conference of Paris ... and then?

Published in 11/12/2015

10/12/2015Alfredo Rocha, Climatology expert at the University of Aveiro, explains what is at stake at the Conference on the United Nations Climate Change, taking place in Paris, and leaves a certainty, "the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gas effect will increase during coming decades and climate changes will be felt over a longer period". The damage is done but our immediate action could mitigate the trend.The Climate Change Conference of the United Nations 2015 (cop21) runs between November 30 and December 11, 2015 in Paris. The main objective of this conference is to reach an international agreement on reducing emissions of greenhouse gases to be implemented by 2020 in order to limit to + 2°C the increase in average global temperature at the earth's surface in 2100 relative to its value in the pre-industrial era. This limit is a value above which irreversible changes occur in the environment and a larger and longer dependence on mitigation technologies such as bioenergy and the capture / storage of carbon.More details in: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=44788&lg=pt

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Research team from dbio-CESAM at UA in the EU HORIZON 2020 project NanoFASE

Published in 10/12/2015

10/12/2015NanoFASE- Nanomaterial Fate and Speciation in the Environment is a new EU HORIZON 2020 project coordinated by Dr. Claus Svendsen (NERC-CEH) that started on the 1st of September 2015. NanoFASE has marked the start of a 4-year collaboration in Oct. 2015, with a kick-off meeting, gathering representatives from many of our 42 partners. Over the course of 3 days, NanoFASE scientists from many disciplines got to know each other. The consortium mapped out how the highly diverse contributions will smoothly integrate in order to elucidate the environmental fate and speciation of engineered nanomaterials across the full value chain.From UA, the research team coordinated by Susana Loureiro, researcher at CESAM-dbio, will be in charge of the bioaccumulation and kinetics in key soil and aquatic organism, with a straight collaboration with the Vriej Universiteit in Amsterdam (Prof. Kees van Gestel). At the applEE- applied Ecology and Ecotoxicology R&D group, aquatic and terrestrial mesocosms will be carried out to evaluate the biotic and abiotic fate of nanomaterials within food chains

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Researcher at the Department of Environment and Planning and CESAM in Paris for the future of the planet

Published in 14/12/2016

3/12/2015Fatima Alves participates in World Climate ConferenceFatima Lopes Alves, Professor in the Department of Environment and Planning (DAO) and Researcher of CESAM, participates in World Climate Conference which, in Paris from November 30 to December 11, will try to finish with a new global agreement to limit climate change and global warming. Invited by the Coastal & Marine Union (EUCC Atlantic), the UA Researcher participates in events related to Oceans and Coastal Zone Management on 3 and 4 December.More details on:http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=44522http://www.diarioaveiro.pt/noticias/docente-da-ua-participa-na-cimeira-do-clima-em-paris  

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"Soils have an essential role to play in discussions on Climate Change" - Opinion of Jan Jacob Keizer, researcher of CESAM

Published in 7/12/2015

2/12/2015On 5th December 2015 as the World Soil Day, Jan Keizer, Researcher at CESAM and RECARE project coordinator in Portugal, evaluate the work already done under the scope of the greatest European Union project concerning prevention and remediation of soil degradation in Europe. The DAO and CESAM expert in erosion ensures that scientists continue to work to find out solutions to protect our soils.Researchers from RECARE (including a team from the University of Aveiro) are working with local people at 17 case studies spread across Europe to apply solutions to save the soil. Low-tech but scientifically based interventions, are taking place to change the soil protection and the lives of those affected. More details in:http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=44552 

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IMPRINT + Project raises awareness for the environmental impact of everyday actions and their compensation importance

Published in 3/5/2016

19/11/2015Sustainable development has become a global concern in the last decades. Younger European generations have been raised aware of global environmental issues, but have not been engaged in actively contributing to those ‘global problems’ through stepwise local actions. Youngsters are not aware of their potential as active citizens and their role in the sustainability desired by modern societies. And in fact, young citizens could be a major force of imprinting sustainability concepts in society.IMPRINT+ aims at the promotion, at a transnational level, of an ecological reasoning based on the changing power of local community and on the participation, empowerment and entrepreneurship of young European citizens. A training methodology involving both students and educators will be implemented, stressing the concept that each person has an ecological footprint that should be (over)compensated, if the ecological, social and economical balance is to be achieved. As a result of the training of youngsters and educators, and of a strong IT-based dissemination strategy, the project foresees the engagement of a much wider audience.IMPRINT+ is a transectorial project that brings together 6 partners from 5 countries, each with different experiences and perceptions. The project’s methodology will be based on establishing the state-of-the-art approaches regarding education for sustainability, IT technologies and ecological footprint compensation. The project will start with an integrative research that will enable the project team to consolidate already existing knowhow in the above-mentioned areas and better define the project’s innovative edge within its context of use. It will also help the team establish a roadmap that will reinforce the project’s up-to-date nature in the long run. More details in: https://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=44299

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BLUE SOCIETY PHOTO CONTEST - "YOUR OCEAN, YOUR FUTURE"

Published in 2/11/2015

2/11/2015Take part in the Blue Society Photo Contest on the theme “Your Ocean, Your Future”. Let your imagination and creativity run wild to present us, through one picture, your positive view on the role the Ocean plays or could play in our daily lives, whether or not you live near it.You can enter photos in 6 categories:- Ocean and transport- Ocean and food- Ocean and health- Ocean, tourism and leisure- Ocean and energy- Ocean, a place to livePrizes include 6 Blade 200QX drone cameras and the chance to have your work exhibited at the European Parliament!This contest aims to use photography to highlight the services and resources provided by the Ocean, as well as the opportunities it offers, and to foster commitment towards a sustainable management of seas and oceans.I WANT PARTICIPATE!This contest is opened to all photographers, either amateurs or professionals. All photos will be compiled into on online gallery on the Blue Society Facebook page.Your participation in this contest does not prejudice your own copyright on the pictures submitted.Read the complete contest rules here.More details here.

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Best poster award in international meeting for CESAM researchers

Published in 29/9/2015

29/09/2015The study "Risk assessment of Portuguese children dietary exposure to co-occurring mycotoxins in processed cereal-based foods", developed under the MYCOMIX project, was awarded the best poster by Moniqa Association. The Moniqa Association is an interdisciplinary international network which includes members from various areas of food safety, inter alia, laboratories, public institutes, industry, research centers and universities.This award was under the 5th Moniqa International Conference "Food and Health - Risks and Benefits" on "Innovative Technologies for Food Quality and Safety Management", organized by Moniqa Association and held between 16 and 18 September in Porto. These results were recently submitted for publication in international scientific journal and the poster was presented by Ricardo Assunção, PhD student of the Department of Food and Nutrition at the National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge & CESAM.The collaboration between CESAM researchers belonging to the Biology Department and the National Health Institute Dr. Ricardo Jorge, under the MYCOMIX project, relates to the preliminary assessment of the risk associated with the presence of food contaminants (single mycotoxins or in mixtures) in milk flour cereal consumed by children.

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Census of Deer Population - Montesinho (Lombada) 2015

Published in 15/2/2016

29/09/2015Wildlife Unit - Wildlife Research UnitThe 8th edition of the census of Deer Population  will be held on 2 and 3 October, under the scope of the monitoring of these species in the National Hunting Zone of Lombada (Montesinho Natural Park). This activity is organized by the Unit of Wildlife, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro (UVS, DBIO-UA), in collaboration with the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forestry (ICNF) and the Agrarian School of the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (ESA-IPB). On 1st October, Thursday, at 6:30 pm, an information session will be held in the Auditorium Dionysius Gonçalves, in ESA-IPB. The number of places is limited to 32 people. Please confirm your participation in the debriefing session and population census until Wednesday, 30 September to the following contacts: John Santos (joaovalente@ua.pt) or Rita Torres (rita.torres@ua.pt).

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Marina Cunha, biologist at UA and CESAM, among the authors of the document “Delving Deeper: Critical challenges for 21st century deep-sea research”

Published in 22/9/2015

02/09/2015European report calls for more investigation of the deep seaPrepared by a group of scientists, including Marina Cunha, biologist at UA and CESAM, the report entitled "Delving Deeper: Critical challenges for 21st century deep-sea research" identifies priorities for research of the sea at depths higher than 200 meters in order to strengthen the management and future exploitation of living and non-living resources. Requested by the European Marine Board (EMB), the report was released on September 1st, during the 14th Symposium of Deep Sea Biology, which is taking place in Aveiro.The report may be downloaded here.More information:  http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=43455 http://www.publico.pt/ciencia/noticia/investiguese-a-serio-o-mar-profundo-e-a-economia-azul-saira-a-ganhar-diz-relatorio-1706318

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DBio/CESAM activity illustrates SIC program "Nature laboratories"

Published in 27/8/2015

27/8/2015Dia 30 de agosto, às 12h10, no espaço BBC Vida selvagemThe activity performed by some of the many research groups of CESAM and Department of Biology (DBIO), University of Aveiro (UA) illustrates the program "Nature laboratories", to be exhibited soon in SIC in the BBC Wildlife space. Since animal and plant biodiversity, through the deep sea, the nanoparticles to microbial resistance to antiobiotics, starting with examples of rehabilitation work of marine mammals, this program presents five examples of work performed in the Department of Biology, University of Aveiro. Follow the odyssey of these UA biologists, and how their findings contribute to protect the world we live in.See a small sample of what will be this program: https://vimeo.com/134003333

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Professor of Department of Physics (UA) analyze the problem of drought in Portugal on RTP Information and Porto Canal

Published in 22/9/2015

24/08/2015Jose Castanheira, expert in meteorology and climate and Director of the Master in Meteorology and Physical Oceanography at UA, was in a daily program of the Porto Canal and participated in a debate in the Special Edition program of the RTP information to analyze the problem of hydrological drought in Portugal.     Vídeos in:https://video-mxp1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hvideo-xfp1/v/t42.1790-2/11959882_930064250383733_1475060151_n.mp4?efg=eyJybHIiOjM2NywicmxhIjoxOTcwfQ%3D%3D&rl=367&vabr=204&oh=c51c6beeaf3634a05955d0a48273e2a9&oe=55DC4D81     https://video-mxp1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hvideo-xpa1/v/t43.1792-2/11832391_690552087712463_562243687_n.mp4?efg=eyJybHIiOjE1MDAsInJsYSI6MzE2NH0%3D&rl=1500&vabr=300&oh=16df07180f008ea228001bcfc5f2176a&oe=55DC53FB

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School Fund “BIO Somos Todos” attributes return-to-school grants for children with most original environmental or social projects

Published in 25/8/2015

20/08/2015After winning the double international award Terre de Femmes last April, the UA biologist Milene Matos reinforces her intention of returning to the public the premium that resulted from the public vote, in the form of educational opportunities. After the closing of applications for a master's grant, in partnership with UA, the biologist now announces the creation of the School Fund “BIO Somos Todos” to contribute to the promotion of environmental and social awareness in Portuguese children under 14 years. It consists in a return-to-school grant of 200 euros for children in the 1st cycle and 250 euros for children of the 2nd cycle to make it easier for families.Until September 13, the children will have to present a project to develop throughout the school year to help the environment or their community, and the grant will be given to the most original proposal(s).More information in: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=43391&lg=pt

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Barbara Cartagena Matos, Biology student at UA, awarded with a Fulbright Grant

Published in 21/8/2015

30/07/2015Barbara Cartagena Matos, master's student in Biology at University of Aveiro (UA), is one of ten Portuguese scientists who, during the year 2015/2016, will be funded by the US to continue its research projects in some of the most prestigious universities and research centers in the United States, under the program of scholarships awarded annually by the Fulbright Commission.She had already studied Crickets in Finland, woolly monkeys in the Amazon, dolphins in Rio de Janeiro, and whales in the Atlantic, and now she cannot wait for 2016 to go to Alaska to study the eating habits of sea otters in the Sitka area. From April to September the biologist will be at the "most wonderful and unique natural laboratory" that the planet has available to scientists in Nature.With a duration of between four to nine months, Fulbright Research scholarships intended to researchers from all fields of knowledge, provided they are graduated, have good knowledge of English and a project accepted by the host institution.More details in: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=43327

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Taking charge of air quality control in Europe’s smart, green cities

Published in 30/7/2015

30/07/2015A COST funded network of European spin-offs, SMEs, agencies, research centres and universities, including UA through IDAD, is working on developing cheaper and energy efficient sensors for air quality control in Europe’s future smart cities.Air pollutants in the EU are still estimated to reduce life expectancy by eight months and are directly linked to climate change. EuNetAir network is now trying to develop affordable, low-power sensors to assess indoor and outdoor air quality and eventually reduce greenhouse gases and other toxic pollutants. The COST Action will also look into environmental sustainability and ways of better managing green buildings at low carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.COST Story: http://www.cost.eu/media/cost_stories/EuNetAir

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Research work developed at Department of Biology and CESAM distinguished in international conference

Published in 22/7/2015

22/7/2015Cátia Venâncio, a doctoral student in the Department of Biology, was awarded with the prize for best poster at the 10th Iberian and 7th Iberoamerican Conference on Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, held in Vila Real from 14 to 17 July, with a work that intended to evaluate the effects of increased salinity due to sea water intrusion, on the growth of four species of fungi, over several generations: Pleurotus sajor cashew, Phanaerochaete chrysosporium, Rhizopus oryzae, and Trametes versicolor.This work was developed under the project SALTFREE - Prediction of salinization effects on coastal freshwater and soil ecosystems due to climate changes.More details in: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=43270

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Researcher of CESAM / Department of Biology at UA turns international award into the public Prize " UA – BIO Somos Todos"

Published in 15/2/2016

14/7/2015Milene Matos, researcher of CESAM / Department of Biology at UA, who won last year the international award "Terre de Femmes", decided to reverse this award to the public again through educational opportunities. Through a partnership between the UA and the promotional project of natural values ​​and sustainability " UA – BIO Somos Todos", coordinated by Milene Matos, the prize will ensure a grant corresponding to the fees of a Masters course at UA for two years. The Prize "UA – BIO Somos Todos" aims to contribute to the promotion and development of scientific research in the field of sustainability in its three components: environmental, economic and social. Specifically, it will distinguish a proposal for the master's level research work in the area of ​​sustainability, which stands out "by its innovative character, public utility, environmental benefits and potential for replication."More details in: http://www.diarioaveiro.pt/noticias/biologa-transforma-premio-recebido-em-bolsa-de-estudohttp://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=43154https://www.facebook.com/biosomostodos?fref=tshttp://www.jornaldamealhada.com/noticias/show.aspx?idioma=pt&idcont=4275&title=milene-matos-origina-premio-na-universidade-de-aveiro

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Researchers from the Dep. of Mechanical Engineering and CESAM / Department of Chemistry at UA develop graphene tea to decontaminate heavy metals containing water

Published in 20/8/2015

13/7/2015At first glance they look like tea bags. And they actually are. But they do not serve to make infusions but to decontaminate water contaminated with potentially toxic metals. Inside the bags, there is no leaves or flowers but graphene oxide. This graphene environmental application, developed by researchers from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and CESAM /Department of Chemistry at UA, promises to help to solve the global problem of water contaminated with toxic metals that is daily released on aquatic systems. In fact the most advanced and expensive decontamination processes cannot achieve removal rates as high as those obtained by this infusion.In addition to the ease of synthesis and low production cost, this system can be applied in locations without specific infrastructures for decontaminating waters.More details in: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=43179http://www.cienciahoje.pt/index.php?oid=60185&op=allhttp://www.publico.pt/ciencia/noticia/cha-de-grafeno-extrai-metais-pesados-da-agua-1702039http://diariodigital.sapo.pt/news.asp?id_news=781680

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First account on the diversity of the Ophryotrocha genus marine worms (Annelida, Dorvilleidae) from a mammal-fall in the deep-Atlantic Ocean with the description of three new species

Published in 30/7/2015

13/07/2015The CARCACE project research team of CESAM analyzed, for the first time, the Ophryotrocha worms assemblage associated with a mammal-fall in the deep-Atlantic Ocean. Specimens were collected from the bones of degrading cow carcasses deployed in the Setúbal canyon at approximately 1000 m depth. Using morphological characters and phylogenetic analyses based on the nuclear gene H3 performed on 31 Ophryotrocha species, the project research reported the presence of five different species, described three new species and extended the distribution of O. scutella. The results, published in Systematics and Biodiversity journal,substantially increase the number of deep Atlantic species in the genus Ophryotrocha and highlight the remarkable unknown diversity and biogeographic patterns hidden behind unstudied deep-sea habitats.More details: https://uaonline.ua.pt/  http://www.tvi24.iol.pt/tecnologia/https://video-fra3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hvideo-xfa1/v/t42.1790-2/11738984_911120612278097_1796851999_n.mp4?efg=eyJybHIiOjQ0OCwicmxhIjo2NTN9&rl=448&vabr=249&oh=2958ce34e55cda7bfd058f255cc23ba8&oe=55A8E0DE/

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CESAM/UA biologists participate in cetacean census in the Portuguese coast

Published in 26/6/2015

25/06/2015In the air census campaign for cetaceans held between 18 and 19 June, several species were seen by researchers and PhD students of DBio. Among these species are fin whales, minke whales, sperm whales, pilot whales, Risso's dolphin, ziphius, beaked whales, striped dolphin, and common and bottlenose dolphins. The Mission took place between 50 and 200 Nautical miles along the national coast and occurred in the framework of the Cooperation Protocol established by the LIFE + MARPRO between the Portuguese Air Force, UA, and Portuguese Wildlife Society. In the whole researchers saw 698 individuals belonging to those species.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=42893

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Ana Lillebø publishes book in the field of management of coastal waters and lagoons

Published in 19/6/2015

19/06/2015Ana Lillebø, Assistant Researcher at the CESAM & Department of Biology, published the book Coastal Lagoons in Europe: Integrated Water Resource Strategies and gave an interview to the IWA Water Wiki. The book focuses on integrated management strategies seen in a land-sea and science-policy-stakeholder perspective. This book is one major result of the EU-FP7 LAGOONS research project (http://lagoons.web.ua.pt), coordinated by Ana Lillebø. The recommendations deriving from the project are presented in the book in an overall pan-European perspective. The book also contain key issues that should be considered by scientists, decision makers and managers in management of coastal lagoons. 

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Mónica Amorim completes one year as president of SETAC Europe

Published in 11/6/2015

11/06/2015Monica Amorim, researcher at CESAM and Department of Biology (DBio) at University of Aveiro, celebrates one year as president of SETAC (Society of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology) to Europe, one of the ecotoxicology societies with more expression worldwide. In her message on the online newspaper SETAC–Globe (http://globe.setac.org/2015/may/setac-europe-past-president.html), Monica Amorim refers as one of the fundamental aspects of her mandate the creation of SETAC Europe Certification of Environmental Risk Assessors Program (http://www.certification.setac.eu/?contentid=956), which accounts with some courses taught at the University of Aveiro.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=42768  

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Clara Grilo co-editor and e co-author of the book “Handbook of Road Ecology”

Published in 11/6/2015

9/06/2015The book "Handbook of Road Ecology", released this month by Wiley Blackwell, brings together some of the leading researchers, academics and professionals in the field of road infrastructure. The challenge of the book, which has Clara Grilo, a post-doc researcher at CESAM/UA, as co-editor and co-author, is to improve the ecological sustainability of linear infrastructure that have negatively affected many animal populations and landscapes.More details in: http://handbookofroadecology.org

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CESAM develops drone to monitor forests health condition

Published in 24/6/2015

08/06/2015It is the first time that a drone is prepared to monitor the health condition of forests. Developed at the University of Aveiro, this technology coupled with the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) allows the evaluation of the impact degree of various stress factors in a forest area, caused by the lack of water or nutrients, or caused by diseases or insects and fungi attack. This project aimed primarily to change the paradigm of the monitoring of forests, which is time consuming when performed by technicians in the field, being already thought to be at the service of agricultural applications.The project coordinator, Jan Jacob Keizer, CESAM researcher was in RTP2 Civil Society program explaining the LUNA project.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=42317   http://www.pcguia.pt/2015/04/universidade-de-aveiro-desenvolve-um-drone-de-monitorizacao-da-saude-das-florestas/

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Director of CESAM considered an outstanding reviewer of Atmosferic Environment journal

Published in 7/9/2018

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04/06/2015Atmospheric Environment is the international journal for scientists in different disciplines related to atmospheric composition and its impacts. The journal publishes scientific articles with atmospheric relevance of emissions and depositions of gaseous and particulate compounds, chemical processes and physical effects in the atmosphere, as well as impacts of the changing atmospheric composition on human health, air quality, climate change, and ecosystems.

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Director of CESAM considered an outstanding reviewer of Atmosferic Environment journal

Published in 7/9/2018

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04/06/2015Atmospheric Environment is the international journal for scientists in different disciplines related to atmospheric composition and its impacts. The journal publishes scientific articles with atmospheric relevance of emissions and depositions of gaseous and particulate compounds, chemical processes and physical effects in the atmosphere, as well as impacts of the changing atmospheric composition on human health, air quality, climate change, and ecosystems.

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Director of CESAM considered an outstanding reviewer of Atmosferic Environment journal

Published in 7/9/2018

download file

04/06/2015Atmospheric Environment is the international journal for scientists in different disciplines related to atmospheric composition and its impacts. The journal publishes scientific articles with atmospheric relevance of emissions and depositions of gaseous and particulate compounds, chemical processes and physical effects in the atmosphere, as well as impacts of the changing atmospheric composition on human health, air quality, climate change, and ecosystems.

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Director of CESAM considered an outstanding reviewer of Atmosferic Environment journal

Published in 7/9/2018

download file

04/06/2015Atmospheric Environment is the international journal for scientists in different disciplines related to atmospheric composition and its impacts. The journal publishes scientific articles with atmospheric relevance of emissions and depositions of gaseous and particulate compounds, chemical processes and physical effects in the atmosphere, as well as impacts of the changing atmospheric composition on human health, air quality, climate change, and ecosystems.

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Director of CESAM considered an outstanding reviewer of Atmosferic Environment journal

Published in 7/9/2018

download file

04/06/2015Atmospheric Environment is the international journal for scientists in different disciplines related to atmospheric composition and its impacts. The journal publishes scientific articles with atmospheric relevance of emissions and depositions of gaseous and particulate compounds, chemical processes and physical effects in the atmosphere, as well as impacts of the changing atmospheric composition on human health, air quality, climate change, and ecosystems.

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Director of CESAM considered an outstanding reviewer of Atmosferic Environment journal

Published in 7/9/2018

download file

04/06/2015Atmospheric Environment is the international journal for scientists in different disciplines related to atmospheric composition and its impacts. The journal publishes scientific articles with atmospheric relevance of emissions and depositions of gaseous and particulate compounds, chemical processes and physical effects in the atmosphere, as well as impacts of the changing atmospheric composition on human health, air quality, climate change, and ecosystems.

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Milene Matos awarded double prize Terre de Femmes

Published in 24/6/2015

28/05/2015Project “Promotion of the Natural, Historical and Cultural heritage of Mata Nacional do Buçaco, a project of the biologist of the University of Aveiro, is the winner of the Terre the Femmes public prize 2015 - the Grand Prix International for Portugal and Public Choice Award Winner.Milene has dedicated her energy to the Mata do Bussaco, focusing her PhD on studying this national heritage. In her research that spanned more than six years, she scientifically demonstrated the importance of the Mata's plant and animal heritage for the entire surrounding region. She contributed to developing the strategy to protect and improve biodiversity and works as a volunteer with the Mata do Bussaco Foundation (FMB). After earning her PhD in 2011, she worked on promoting the Mata do Bussaco through environmental awareness programmes that have welcomed more than 200,000 visitors.  More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=42057http://boasnoticias.pt/noticias_Bi%C3%B3loga-portuguesa-ganha-duplo-pr%C3%A9mio-internacional_23061.html?page=0http://www.terredefemmes.org/en/

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CESAM study finds heavy metals harmful to health in domestic biofuels

Published in 11/6/2015

13/05/2015Zinc, lead, iron and arsenic are some of heavy metals discovered by a CESAM/UA team in the particles emitted during the burning of various types of domestic pellets for sale in the national market. Enhancers of multiple respiratory diseases and cancer triggers, the high contents of metals identified result from the use, in the manufacture of pellets, of waste wood from furniture and building industry containing paint or adhesiv which have been treated with biocides to prevent infestation. More details in: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=42454

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Atmospheric Research's top 5 downloaded articles is headed by CESAM paper

Published in 28/5/2015

Atmospheric Research's top 5 downloaded articles: New discoveries, comprehensive reviews and critical insights all make the list of articles published in 2014 that attracted the highest number of full-text downloads from ScienceDirect.- Research on aerosol sources and chemical composition: Past, current and emerging issues  - Review: Cloud invigoration by aerosols-Coupling between microphysics and dynamics   - The global distribution of mineral dust and its impacts on the climate system: A review   - Climate change impact assessment on urban rainfall extremes and urban drainage: Methods and shortcomings    - WRF simulations of urban heat island under hot-weather synoptic conditions: The case study of Hangzhou City, China

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JPI Oceans publishes its first Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA)

Published in 22/9/2015

08/05/2015The Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) of JPI Oceans is published. The SRIA presents ten Strategic Areas, developed and agreed by JPI Oceans (with the support of CSA Oceans) as strategic priorities for marine and maritime research in Europe.     1. Exploring Deep Sea Resources     2. Technology and Sensor Developments     3. Science Support to Coastal and Maritime Planning and Management       4. Linking Oceans, Human Health and Wellbeing       5. Interdisciplinary Research for Good Environmental Status        6. Observing, Modelling and Predicting Oceans State and Processes       7. Climate Change Impact on Physical and Biological Ocean Processes     8. Effects of Ocean Acidification on Marine Ecosystems        9. Food Security and Safety Driving Innovation in a Changing World      10. Use of Marine Biological Resources through Development and Application of BiotechnologyActions within the Strategic Areas will vary in size, scope and duration. Specific actions in the cross-cutting fields of research infrastructures, science-policy interactions, and human capacity building are also identified as being necessary to address the overall vision. 

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UA develops the first drone monitoring the health of forests

Published in 25/6/2016

29/04/2015Research from departments of Planning and Environment, Chemistry, Biology and ESTGAIt is the first drone prepared to monitor the state of health of forests. Developed at the University of Aveiro (UA) this technology coupled with the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) allows the evaluation of the the degree of impact of various stress factors in the forest, either those caused by lack of water or nutrients, or those caused by diseases or insects and fungi attacks. This project, which initially aims to change the paradigm of the monitoring of forests, being time consuming when performed and made by technicians in the field, is already thought to be at the service of farms.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=42317

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Biology researchers at the UA / CESAM published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ( PNAS )

Published in 15/1/2016

29/04/2015Limestone structures formed by microalgae of coral were discoveredThe discovery of limestone structures formed by unicellular algae, well-known by living in symbiosis with corals, brings an entirely new perspective on the ecology of these organisms. They are dinoflagellates of the genus Symbiodinium .This finding is reported in an article signed by five researchers from the UA and a colleague from Sydney University of Technology published in the journal " Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA" (PNAS) .More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=42281

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CESAM Member amongst 30 most cited in Europe in the Toxicology area

Published in 22/9/2015

21/02/2015Amongst the 30 most cited reseachers in Europe in the Toxicology area, whithin the publications from 2005 to 2011, in the Lab Times journal ranking, build from ISI Web of Knowledge data, we can find Amadeu Soares, Director of Department of Biology and Vice-Director of CESAM in number 29.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=41638  

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COST action FA1405 “Using three-way interactions between plants, microbes and arthropods to enhance crop protection and production“

Published in 16/2/2015

CESAM post-doc, Ana Cristina Esteves, appointed as Management Committee substitute of the COST action FA1405 “Using three-way interactions between plants, microbes and arthropods to enhance crop protection and production“. Crop plants interact with both arthropods and microorganisms, including pests that reduce yields (in Europe up to 20% annually) and mutualists that promote yield. Direct and indirect interactions between microorganisms and arthropods on crops can strongly modify their impacts on yield. For instance, herbivores and pathogens can facilitate each other, causing additional yield loss. On the other hand, beneficial microorganisms can induce defenses that protect plants against herbivores. There is thus potential to enhance crop production and reduce pesticide use if we can better predict and manage Crop-Arthropod-Microorganism (CAMo) interactions to our advantage. Currently, knowledge of CAMo interactions is limited due to historical separation of the involved research fields. This COST Action will therefore combine existing expertise on CAMo interactions in Europe, from basic and strategic research to agri-R&D companies, and form an interdisciplinary platform and incubator for research on mechanisms, impacts and utilization of CAMo interactions on crop yield. The COST Action will also strengthen the careers of both female and young researchers, connect the newest research in the field with its applied use, and develop new monitoring and management support systems and CAMo-based applications.  http://www.cost.eu/COST_Actions/fa/Actions/FA1405

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European Geosciences Union - Outstanding Student Poster (OSP) Awards 2014 - Tiago Abreu

Published in 16/2/2015

The 2014 Outstanding Student Poster (OSP) Awards is awarded to Tiago Abreu for the poster entitled: Influence of nonlinear waves on sandbar migrations using Monte Carlo simulations (Abreu, T.; Figueiredo, F.; Silva, P. A.). Tiago Abreu is a recent PhD postgraduate student in Civil Engineering in the specialty of Hydraulics, Water Resources and Environment obtained at the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of the University of Coimbra, Portugal. At this moment, he works as adjunct professor in the Civil Engineering Department of the Polytechnic of Porto (IPP) – School of Technology (ISEP), Portugal. He is also full member of the Associated Laboratory CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies) and his research focuses on coastal sediment dynamics. The presentation at the EGU 2014 explored the ability of practical sediment transport models, recognized to capture the interaction between non-linear waves and undertow currents, to predict sandbar migrations.

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L’Oréal Portugal for Women in Science Award to CESAM member

Published in 22/9/2015

29-01-2015 Vânia Calisto is one of the three scientists awarded with the L’Oréal Portugal for Women in Science Award, with her work on water decontamination. http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=41373 http://www.lorealmulheresnaciencia.com.pt

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Do*Mar doctoral programme - call for Do*Mar / FCT scholarships is open. Deadline: 6th March 2015

Published in 28/1/2015

28-01-2015 The Do*Mar is an international doctoral programme offered by a consortium of Portuguese and Galician Universities and Research Institutes: Universities of Aveiro, Minho, Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vigo, Santiago de Compostela and Coruña, the Instituto Español de Oceanografia and the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas. The School of Biology of the St. Andrews University (Scotland), the Station Biologique de Roscoff of the Université Pierre et Marie Curie (France) and the Instituto de Oceanografia of the University of São Paulo (Brasil) are associated members of the consortium.  Do*Mar has a duration of 3 years and has 4 curricular branches: i) Ocean Observation and Global Change; ii) Sustainable Use of Marine Resources; iii) Integrated Management of the Sea; and iv) Technological Progress, Engineering and Business Management. This doctoral programme requires a compulsory co-supervision by a professor or researcher at a Portuguese partner and at a non-Portuguese partner. Therefore, a mandatory mobility period and placement at a non-Portuguese institution is involved (minimum 6 months, maximum 24 months). Candidates that successfully complete the programme will receive a joint diploma issued by the Portuguese and Galician universities. A dual diploma may be issued if the mandatory away stay is in one of the associated partners. If you plan to apply to any of the Portuguese universities of Do*Mar:Continue in this web site, which provides information on the structure of the doctoral programme and on the application procedures to the Portuguese grant programme.If you want to know more about Do*Mar and the Campus do Mar initiative:If you want to know more about Do*Mar, the Galician grant programme and the Campus do Mar initiative go to http://campusdomar.es/phd-in-marine-science-technology-and-management-domar/?lang=es. Additional Details: http://www.campusdomar-pt-domar.net/

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Do*Mar doctoral programme - call for Do*Mar / FCT scholarships is open. Deadline: 6th March 2015

Published in 28/1/2015

28-01-2015 The Do*Mar is an international doctoral programme offered by a consortium of Portuguese and Galician Universities and Research Institutes: Universities of Aveiro, Minho, Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vigo, Santiago de Compostela and Coruña, the Instituto Español de Oceanografia and the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas. The School of Biology of the St. Andrews University (Scotland), the Station Biologique de Roscoff of the Université Pierre et Marie Curie (France) and the Instituto de Oceanografia of the University of São Paulo (Brasil) are associated members of the consortium.  Do*Mar has a duration of 3 years and has 4 curricular branches: i) Ocean Observation and Global Change; ii) Sustainable Use of Marine Resources; iii) Integrated Management of the Sea; and iv) Technological Progress, Engineering and Business Management. This doctoral programme requires a compulsory co-supervision by a professor or researcher at a Portuguese partner and at a non-Portuguese partner. Therefore, a mandatory mobility period and placement at a non-Portuguese institution is involved (minimum 6 months, maximum 24 months). Candidates that successfully complete the programme will receive a joint diploma issued by the Portuguese and Galician universities. A dual diploma may be issued if the mandatory away stay is in one of the associated partners. If you plan to apply to any of the Portuguese universities of Do*Mar:Continue in this web site, which provides information on the structure of the doctoral programme and on the application procedures to the Portuguese grant programme.If you want to know more about Do*Mar and the Campus do Mar initiative:If you want to know more about Do*Mar, the Galician grant programme and the Campus do Mar initiative go to http://campusdomar.es/phd-in-marine-science-technology-and-management-domar/?lang=es. Additional Details: http://www.campusdomar-pt-domar.net/

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Research of UA biologists Newton Gomes and Francisco Coelho develops DNA codes for brands to combat counterfeiting

Published in 20/8/2015

13/01/2015Newton Gomes and Francisco Coelho, UA biologists have developed DNA codes for brands, an innovative technology that can be applied to any product to test the respective authenticity and help combat counterfeiting. The codes can be applied on any surface and inserted into any product, being unique molecular tags cheap and easily to produce, and impossible to forge, unlike all the methods currently used by the market to identify and authenticate products. The technology is already prototyped and being promoted and valued by the University of Aveiro Technology Transfer Unit.This project was highlighted in the program Exame Informática of SIC Notícias: https://video-mxp1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hvideo-xfp1/v/t42.1790-2/11870022_927326860657472_1727126559_n.mp4?efg=eyJybHIiOjMzNiwicmxhIjo1MTJ9&rl=336&vabr=187&oh=0f5f89aba825ac81b1c700f673dd8b22&oe=55D5AECEMore details in:http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=41283http://p3.publico.pt/actualidade/ciencia/15290/biologos-de-aveiro-desenvolvem-codigo-de-adn-para-impedir-contrafaccao-de-http://www.boasnoticias.pt/noticias_Portugueses-criam-c%C3%B3digo-de-barras-feito-de-ADN_22177.html?page=0http://www.rtp.pt/noticias/ciencias/marcas-de-produtos-ja-podem-ter-codigo-de-adn-exclusivo_n796327

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UA participates in a study on road accidents with wild animals

Published in 15/1/2015

http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=41262

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Wind & Biodiversity Project presents results in UA

Published in 15/1/2015

Results of the project will be presented to the public on January 15th in the Sala de Atos of the Rectory, University of Aveiro (UA), from 10h00.   http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=41304&lg=pt

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Projet from CESAM/UA is a finalist Green Project Awards

Published in 15/1/2015

http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=41264

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Top ecology journal Molecular Ecology highlights publications by members of DBio & CESAM

Published in 15/1/2015

Molecular Ecology journal continues to be among the most influential journals in ecology and evolution, and published approximately 450 papers during 2014. The editors of Molecular Ecology write an editorial article in the beginning of each year noting the most relevant contributions that have been published. The present editorial (January 2015) highlights two papers that have been published by members of DBio & CESAM (Miguel Leal and Ricardo Calado). One of these works uses quantitative molecular methods to estimate ingestion and digestion of prey items by photosynthetic corals and anemones. Among the main findings of this investigation, the authors found that corals digest their prey much more slowly than previously believed, as they take up to 10 days to digest their prey, which somehow similar to the digestion time observed in terrestrial insects, particularly spiders. The other publication uses molecular methods to note, for the first time, that photosynthetic corals feed on phytoplankton. As symbiotic corals harbour microalgae (dinoflagellates) in their tissues, scientists thought these corals did not eat phytoplankton. The use of molecular tools has great potential to study trophic interactions, and has been one of the key research topics developed by Miguel Leal and Ricardo Calado in DBio & CESAM. References:Leal, M. C., Ferrier‐Pagès, C., Calado, R., Thompson, M. E., Frischer, M. E., & Nejstgaard, J. C. (2014). Coral feeding on microalgae assessed with molecular trophic markers. Molecular ecology 23:3870-3876Leal, M. C., Nejstgaard, J. C., Calado, R., Thompson, M. E., & Frischer, M. E. (2014). Molecular assessment of heterotrophy and prey digestion in zooxanthellate cnidarians. Molecular ecology 23:3838-3848

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Project ClimAdaPT.Local

Published in 7/1/2015

Researchers of CESAM/UA paticipate in national project that will develop Municipal Strategies for Climate Change Adaptation – Project ClimAdaPT.Local CESAM researchers and teachers from the Departamento de Ambinte e Ordenamento (DAO) are part of the National Project Local Strategies for Adaptation to Climate Change, financed by the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism (EEAFM/EEA grants), and the Carbon Fund during 18 months. The project, in which the University of Aveiro is partner through the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), was selected for funding under the Program AdaPT. The project’s national coordinator is Professor Filipe Duarte Santos, PhD, from Fundação Faculdade de Ciências of the University of Lisbon (FCUL/CCIAM). The project ClimAdaPT.Local aims at supporting the development and incorporation of climate change adaptation at the municipal level, through the establishment of 23 Municipal Adaptation Strategies and training of technicians from the local authorities. The partnership is formed by CCIAM consortium (FCUL), CEDRU, WE CONSULTANTS, ICS (UL), Quercus, FCT-UNL, CESAM (AU), CIBIO, cCHANGE and the municipalities of Cascais, Sintra and Almada. Besides, ClimAdaPT.Local is associated with 26 municipalities covering all Intermunicipal Communities and Metropolitan Areas of Portugal’s mainland and the two Autonomous Regions. The coordination of CESAM research team will be in charge of Professor Fatima Lopes Alves, PhD., teacher at DAO and integrated member of CESAM. The UA team also includes three national experts in the areas of Energy and Environment - Prof. Dr. Carlos Borrego (DAO); Coastal zones - Prof. Dr. Carlos D. Coelho (DECivil) and Water Resources - João Pedro Nunes (CESAM). More information at: http://www.apambiente.pt/index.php?ref=x171

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CESAM – UA students receive international award

Published in 2/10/2014

Prizes were awarded by International Humic Substances Society (IHSS) and the competition intended to reward young graduate students doing their PhD thesis Joana Leal presented her work "Does light-screening by Humic Substances completely explain their retardation effect on contaminants photo-degradation?"; João T.V. Matos presented a comunication entitkled “Natural organic matter in urban atmospheric aerosols: profiling the water soluble components using comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography".

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CESAM – UA students receive international award

Published in 2/10/2014

Prizes were awarded by International Humic Substances Society (IHSS) and the competition intended to reward young graduate students doing their PhD thesis Joana Leal presented her work "Does light-screening by Humic Substances completely explain their retardation effect on contaminants photo-degradation?"; João T.V. Matos presented a comunication entitkled “Natural organic matter in urban atmospheric aerosols: profiling the water soluble components using comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography".

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CESAM helps to unravel the collapse of the Larsen-B Ice Shelf in Antarctica

Published in 28/5/2015

26/09/2014The warm ocean currents are not the responsabile for the collapse of floating ice shelves. In fact, the warming of ice surface and its melting are that factor that makes water to infiltrate into the massive ice structure, destabilizing it to the final collapse. This conclusion was obtained by an international team of researchers from the United States, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Canada and the UK, who have brought to the light of day a new view on the dynamics of the Antarctic ice floating platforms. This study, which included the participation of researchers from CESAM, was published this month in Science and gives as an example the catastrophic disintegration in 2002 of the Larsen B ice shelf floating off the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, an event that proved the team to be associated with changes in air temperature and consequent melting ice. More details:http://www.cienciahoje.pt/index.php?oid=59271&op=all      http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=39910

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CESAM researcher contributes to the jaguars conservation in Brazil

Published in 27/8/2014

27/08/2014How is the jaguar Panthera onca perceived by local communities along the Paraguai River in the Brazilian Pantanal?Rapid habitat conversion, hunting as a retaliatory response to livestock depredation and, potentially, lack of knowledge regarding the species’ ecological role are the main factors influencing conservation of the Near Threatened jaguar Panthera onca in the Pantanal wetland of Brazil. The CESAM study highlights the environmental education programmes and ecotourism as the better strategies to reduce livestock losses and to minimize the perception that jaguars are dangerous in all situations.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=39564

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CESAM team found heavy metals in Porto urban gardens and pastures

Published in 25/7/2014

22/07/2014The levels of cadmium, copper, lead and zinc in urban gardens soils and pastures situated in the Porto area exceed the maximums set by the European Union for the presence in agricultural areas of heavy and potentially toxic metals. The findings, which are extensible to urban gardens of the rest of the national territory, belong to a team of researchers from the University of Aveiro & CESAM that indicate the need for assessment of soil quality and risk to public health from ingestion of the products concerned.News published in the various media:http://www.publico.pt/local/noticia/metais-pesados-detectados-em-hortas-urbanas-e-pastagens-do-grande-porto-1663708   http://www.jn.pt/paginainicial/pais/concelho.aspx?Distrito=Porto&Concelho=Porto&Option=Interior&content_id=4038470&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+JN-ULTIMAS+(JN+-+Ultimas)   http://portocanal.sapo.pt/noticia/32527/   http://www.cienciahoje.pt/index.php?oid=58996&op=all   http://www.tvciencia.pt/tvcnot/pagnot/tvcnot03.asp?codpub=35&codnot=85   http://www.rtp.pt/noticias/index.php?article=754325&tm=2&layout=123&visual=61   http://www.rtp.pt/noticias/index.php?article=754324&tm=8&layout=123&visual=61   

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CESAM paper in the cover of ES&T Letters

Published in 13/4/2015

Analysis of phosphate oxygen isotopes and satellite images of transatlantic Saharan dust particles shows that a series "hot spots" scattered across the Western Sahara enriches Saharan dust particles with phosphorus. These phosphorus-enriched particles fertilize the oligotrophic waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the P-depleted rain forests of America.

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Bioatlas project highlighted in the COMPETE web page

Published in 11/9/2014

22/07/2014The project Bioatlas aims to be a digital platform for decision support, which innovatively combines the technology of geographic information with scientific research. The project brings together a set of information and technical-scientific knowledge about biomass energy, not available in an integrated and organized way, representing an investment with medium and long-term impacts on energy efficiency.The project, supported by the COMPETE programme under the Collective Actions, has an eligible investment of 477000 euros and involves as partners the Inteli (promoter), the ENERGYIN - Pole of competitiveness and energy technology, the University of Aveiro (throught the CESAM ) and AREANATejo.project web page: http://www.bioatlas.pt/

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CESAM & DBio works distinguished in Spain

Published in 22/7/2014

17/07/2014The University of Aveiro received awards for best oral presentation, best poster and 2nd best student poster at the XVII Congress of the Iberian Association of Limnology held in Santander, Spain, 6-11 of July. The conference was focused in the theme 'Understanding the resilience of aquatic ecosystems: a basis for a sustainable future'.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=39282

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UVS validates innovative technique able to estimate metabolite concentrations of stress hormones in fecal matter

Published in 22/7/2014

11/07/2014A study from the Wildlife Unit (UVS) of the Department of Biology & CESAM of the University of Aveiro has validated, for the first time, the use of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in the assessment of concentrations of metabolites of stress hormones in fecal matter, using deer feces as a model.The study, recently published in “Ecological Indicators” journal opens a new field of application for NIRS technology and has important implications for the monitoring of wildlife as it improves the efficiency and reduces the time and cost of conventional analytical techniques.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=39180&lg=en

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CESAM researcher, Isabel Henriques, appointed as national representative of the COST action 'New and emerging challenges and opportunities in wastewater reuse (NEREUS)'

Published in 9/7/2014

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09/07/2014Wastewater reuse is currently considered globally as the most critical element of sustainable water management. Water scarcity, foreseen to aggravate, pushes for maximum utilization of non-conventional water. Although reuse is accompanied by a number of benefits, several potential drawbacks still puzzle scientists. The applied treatments fail to completely remove microcontaminants, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and/or their genes (ARB&Gs). Knowledge on the actual effects of reuse with regard to these aspects is currently not consolidated. This Action will answer critical questions through a European multidisciplinary network, structured in interactive Working Groups (WGs), to achieve: a) identification of the microbiome and mobile antibiotic resistome in treated wastewater, b) assessment of the potential for uptake/transmission of microcontaminants and ARB&Gs in crops, c) determination of effect-based bioassays required for wastewater reuse, d) identification of efficient/economically viable technologies able to meet the current challenges and, e) development of a relevant risk assessment and policy framework. The Action will establish criteria on technologies/assessment methods for wastewater treatment and suggest new effluent quality criteria to overcome current barriers and safeguard the reuse practice. The Action will have a major impact on the enhancement of sustainable wastewater reuse in light of current challenges at technological, economical and societal level.More details about this COST action: http://www.cost.eu/domains_actions/essem/Actions/ES1403

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CESAM researcher, Glória Pinto, appointed as national representative of the COST action 'Non-native tree species for european forests - experiences, risks and opportunities (NNEXT)'

Published in 9/7/2014

09/07/2014The management of tree species non-native to European geographical regions has a long tradition within forestry management practice. Their introduction to Europe (initially focussed on growing tree species) dates back to the 18th century when enormous demands were being made on natural resources to sustain the on-going industrialization of Europe. Today issues of biomass production and C sequestration as well as the question of whether these species could increase the adaptive capacity of forests to long-term climate change patterns have fuelled a growing interest in non-native tree species in Europe. In order to determine their fullest potential (and associated management options, but also assess associated risks and challenges) the need for a communication platform - allowing for discussions with stakeholder groups from within and beyond European borders; is argued.More details about this COST action: http://www.cost.eu/domains_actions/fps/Actions/FP1403

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CESAM researcher, Artur Alves, appointed as national representative of the COST action 'A global network of nurseries as early warning system against alien tree pests (Global Warning)'

Published in 22/7/2014

08/07/2014The international trade in live plants is a major pathway for the introduction of invasive tree pests and pathogens, resulting in environmental and economic damage. Many recently introduced pests and diseases were not known to be harmful, or unknown to science, and were not regulated before they invaded, indicating that the current system to identify harmful species does not provide sufficient protection from invasions by alien pests and pathogens. A novel way of identifying potentially harmful organisms for regulation is by monitoring European trees planted in regions that export plants to Europe. The Action will 1) establish a global network of scientists and regulators in countries where sentinel nurseries could be established from seed or where there are botanical gardens or arboreta with exotic trees, 2) develop common protocols for the monitoring and identification of pests and 3) explore ways to regulate the establishment of such nurseries and the use of data collected through them. This Action will also bring together detailed information about the international trade in trees and the environmental value of native trees in Europe. The Action will produce written, electronic and workshop outputs, as well as at least five short-term scientific missions per year.More details about this COST action: http://www.cost.eu/domains_actions/fps/Actions/FP1401

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ERASMUS Intensive Programme: "MultI-Risk Assessment and Mitigation in Europe"

Published in 8/7/2014

University of Aveiro, 13-26 July 2014Europe is threatened by recurring natural disasters caused by hazards such as earthquakes, landslides, floods and forest fires that cause hundreds of deaths and injuries and hundred millions of Euros economic losses each year. Moreover damages are often the combined effects of concurrent natural and maninduced hazards successively triggered by a sort of cascading effect. For this reason, in response to growing awareness of the economic and social significance of natural disasters, research on integrated analysis of different risk sources (i.e. multi-risk analysis) have been developed in the last decade as an up-todate approach to support adequate land planning and management policies.Hence, the MIRAME Erasmus Intensive Programme (IP) will be the 2nd edition of a 2-week higher education course focusing on hazards and vulnerability data collection/management, integration of multiple hazards scenarios, and optimization of multi-risk assessment procedures.

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CESAM team published in the prestigious journal ‘Critical Reviews in Microbiology’

Published in 17/6/2014

17/06/2014The prestigious journal ‘Critical Reviews in Microbiology’ published a revision of the state of the art of bacterial collagenases by Ana Sofia Duarte, António Correia and Ana Cristina Esteves.Being involved in the degradation of the extracellular matrices of animal cells, bacterial collagenases are important virulence factors in a variety of pathogenic bacteria. These enzymes are among the most versatile proteases ones and have technological applications in health, food and even in the leather industries.Nonetheless, there was until now a lack of scientific consensus for a proper and well-defined classification of these enzymes and a vast controversy regarding their correct cataloging. This review fulfils this gap presenting a new classification guide for bacterial collagenases, thus constituting   a strong contribute for an accurate and straightforward classification of these enzymes.See article here.

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CESAM team published in the prestigious journal ‘Critical Reviews in Microbiology’

Published in 17/6/2014

17/06/2014The prestigious journal ‘Critical Reviews in Microbiology’ published a revision of the state of the art of bacterial collagenases by Ana Sofia Duarte, António Correia and Ana Cristina Esteves.Being involved in the degradation of the extracellular matrices of animal cells, bacterial collagenases are important virulence factors in a variety of pathogenic bacteria. These enzymes are among the most versatile proteases ones and have technological applications in health, food and even in the leather industries.Nonetheless, there was until now a lack of scientific consensus for a proper and well-defined classification of these enzymes and a vast controversy regarding their correct cataloging. This review fulfils this gap presenting a new classification guide for bacterial collagenases, thus constituting   a strong contribute for an accurate and straightforward classification of these enzymes.See article here.

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Documentary on Biodiversity on TV (RTP2)

Published in 30/7/2014

09/06/2014 Four videos about the Biodiversity of the Ria de Aveiro and the surrounding area, produced by the University of Aveiro (UA) within the CESAM Project 'do Ar à Água'.  Videos:Viajantes do Ar: https://vimeo.com/100140108   Nascer na Ria: https://vimeo.com/100150805   A Cegonha-branca: https://vimeo.com/100150808   A Ria por Dentro: https://vimeo.com/100150807

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CESAM project highlighted in Expoforest 2014

Published in 4/6/2014

22/05/2014Expoforest, held from the 21st to 23rd  May 2014, in São Paulo, Brazil , is a forestry trade fair focused on machinery, equipment, supplies and technology focused on the production of wood from planted forests and, in particular, eucalyptus.GeoAtributo, the current coordinator of the LUNA project in which CESAM participates, is present at the Fair,  focusing on the innovative scheme developed within this project.The LUNA (ALow-flying UNmanned Aerial forest monitoring system) is an information system, fed by various sources using different types of sensors equipped on unmanned aerial vehicles, which allow obtaining accurate, dynamic and relevant information monitoring plant growth, pests and diseases, emergence of invasive species, as well as the occurrence of early mortality of trees. This system is under development, involving research institutions and private companies, with a strong emphasis on scientific development and innovation .

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CESAM young biologist wins European award for nature conservation

Published in 4/6/2014

22/05/2014Milene Matos, researcher in CESAM, has just won a European award by EUROPARC Federation in cooperation with the Alfred Toepfer Foundation, entitled "Alfred Toepfer Natural Heritage Scholarships", which aims reward young conservationists proven in the field of nature conservation, particularly in protected areas of Europe. This is the first time that this award is given to a Portuguese conservationist.Additional details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=38419

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DBIO & CESAM researcher elected president of SETAC Europe 2014-2015

Published in 4/6/2014

21/05/2014Mónica Amorim took over as president of SETAC (Society of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology) for Europe on May 14, 2014. SETAC is one of the ecotoxicology societies with higher expression in the world, with more than 2,200 members in Europe amongst scientists from academia, industry and government. SETAC-Europe has a leadership composed of 15 elements, derived in equal parts from academia, industry and government agencies in several countries in Europe.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=38533

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Phage therapy on TV

Published in 26/5/2014

20/05/2014TV show "Mentes que brilham" presents interview with the Project IR, CESAM member Adelaide Almeida.http://portocanal.sapo.pt/um_video/eVh6HvL8ESwnlRBLlaug  

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TPEA Project Showcase at the European Maritime Day 2014

Published in 16/5/2014

16/05/2014During the Celebration of the European Maritime Day (19 and 20 May), in Bremen, Germany, will be promoted the public presentation of the results of the 'Transboundary Planning in the European Atlantic (TPEA)' project, in which CESAM participates. TPEA project, co-funded by DG MARE, is developing a commonly-agreed approach to cross-border Maritime Spatial Planning in the European Atlantic region and examines critical elements of the planning process in the context of legal and policy frameworks, participatory approaches and technical considerationsestablishment of the Maritime Spatial Policy.More details: http://www.dgpm.mam.gov.pt/Pages/not_tpea.aspx

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CESAM research highlighted in the daily newspaper 'Publico'

Published in 23/4/2014

23/04/2014An article in the newspaper 'Público' highlights the importance of trophic cascades associated with temporary organic sources on the ocean, like logs of wood or animal carcasses, to study marine communities.The Chemeco (EU) and Carcace projects (FCT), the latter coordinated by the CESAM researcher Ana Hilario, are referred as case studies of ecosystems constituted in the ocean from deposited organic matter.Article: http://www.publico.pt/ciencia/noticia/troncos-de-arvores-atirados-ao-fundo-do-mar-ganham-vida-a-2300-metros-de-profundidade-1633209?page=-1#/0 

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Cocktails of pesticides are harming the soils health

Published in 30/4/2014

14/04/2014Cocktails of pesticides, used in agriculture to fight pests, are causing harmful effects on organisms that regenerate the terrestrial ecosystem and, therefore, are undermining the health of Portuguese soils. This is the main conclusion drawn by team of CESAM biologists that examined the effects of mixtures of pesticides, used on a large scale throughout Europe, in organisms that are damaged by the chemicals action. Without them, and consequently without the crucial role they have in organic matter decomposition and redistribution of nutrients, agricultural soils can not stay healthy.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=38014

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CESAM team studies the mitigation of soil erosion that occurs after forest fires

Published in 23/4/2014

01/04/2014UA in the largest European project on soil degradation in EuropeNobody knows what  is the health state of Portuguese soils. For certain, the variety and intensity of threats are enormous. Among the culprits, desertification and land impermeabilization  appear to head a long list of phenomena. To assess for the first time the state of the national soil, identifying and studying phenomena that affect them and develop innovative solutions to prevent, in the long term, the country's south region - mainly - to become an arid desert, a team of researchers from the UA have rolled up their sleeves. The mission of Portuguese scientists is part of RECARE project, the EU largest project aiming for the prevention and remediation of soil degradation in Europe, is officially launched on April 1 and has a multidisciplinary team of researchers from 27 European organizations.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=37876

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Project RECARE joins the local population and agents in the initiative "Planting Caramulo"

Published in 15/4/2014

28/03/14On March 22, 2014, CESAM researchers participated in the 'Planting Caramulo' initiative, sponsored by the city of Viseu in conjunction with other local and regional entities.Agents and local communities joined forces in a voluntary movement to plant 10,000 trees (mountain oak and birch) to restore some of the public lands that were affected by large forest fires that consumed more than 9,000 acres of forest in the Caramulo mountain range during the summer of 2013. These fires triggered not only the loss of human lives but also large environmental and socioeconomic impacts. In the joint area of St. John 's and Mount Mosteirinho' Parishes, one of the areas of study of the RECARE project around 600 trees were planted with great enthusiasm despite adverse weather conditions.The initiative was a huge success, with more than 1,000 volunteers and local organizations, schools and citizens associations, thus  demonstrating awareness of the local actors to direct and indirect impacts of forest fires and the need to implement solutions to rehabilitate burned areas and mitigate soil degradation.Additional information: http://www.cm-tondela.pt/plantarocaramulo/ ou http://cmtv.sapo.pt/atualidade/detalhe/dez-mil-arvores-plantadas-no-caramulo.html

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Researchers from UA propose new solution to inactivation of drug resistant bacteria in sewage

Published in 28/3/2014

25/03/2014A multidisciplinary team from the University of Aveiro, including CESAM members, has been working on new applications of scientific methods used in other areas in order to seek a solution to the resistance of bacterial strains to various antibiotics. One such method, named photodynamic therapy has been tested in the treatment of hospital sewerage, where multidrug-resistant bacteria are frequently found, and according to studies conducted, so far it has shown to be much more effective than other conventional approaches.Additional information; http://www.cienciahoje.pt/index.php?oid=58390&op=all

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CESAM article highlighted in 'Global Medical Discovery'

Published in 12/3/2014

12/03/14The CESAM article 'Nucleic acid changes during photodynamic inactivation of bacteria by cationic porphyrin' published in 'Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry' journal has selected by Global Medical Discovery as a key scientific article contributing to excellence in biomedical research.Link: http://globalmedicaldiscovery.com/key-scientific-articles/nucleic-acid-changes-photodynamic-inactivation-bacteria-cationic-porphyrins/

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CESAM researchers publish about animals with chloroplasts in the journal of the Royal Society

Published in 25/3/2014

11/03/14A team of researchers of CESAM published a paper in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, a journal of high scientific impact, concerning the research on 'kleptoplasts', the name given to chloroplasts in the tissues of a non-photosynthetic host.The article updates the state-of-the-art on kleptoplast photophysiology, focusing on the comparative analysis of the responses to light of the chloroplasts when in their original, macroalgal cells, and when sequestered in animal cells and functioning as kleptoplasts.Abstract of the article here.

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Where's the squirrel?

Published in 15/4/2014

06/03/14The little red squirrel had settled all over the country for many centuries. The disappearance of forests and woods where it used to roam have led to its scarcity. A while back there were news of its return, but where does it walk now? That's what a study of CESAM/UA intends to find out. Rita Gomes Rocha created the red squirrel project in Portugal with the aim to better understand this species, their behavior patterns and identify factors that may influence its expansion. The data will be the subject of study within her postdoctoral work at UA.News at PÚBLICO: http://www.publico.pt/local/noticia/onde-esta-o-esquilo-e-o-que-investigadora-da-universidade-de-aveiro-tenta-descobrir-1627258#/2  Ciência Hoje: http://www.cienciahoje.pt/index.php?oid=58382&op=all

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UA biologists discover the wild world of the planet

Published in 28/2/2014

28/02/2014Biology and genetics, management and conservation of animal populations, study of ecosystems and biodiversity are some of the areas that the Wildlife Unit of UA/CESAM embraced within and outside the country. Coordinated by the biologist Carlos Fonseca, the Unit has fifty researchers, divided between the national territory, several European countries, Brazil, Bolivia, Cape Verde and Mozambique, contributing all to a harmonious relationship between humankind and the environment.Interview:  http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=37493

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Research of CESAM developed to help consumers

Published in 21/2/2014

21/02/2014A team of biologists of CESAM developed a novel traceability test that, through a microbiological examination of fish mucus, determine the provenance of the product. The test is ready to be used by any saltwater fish farming.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=37403

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CESAM researchers appointed as national representatives of the COST action 'Connecting European connectivity research'

Published in 19/2/2014

19/02/2014Successful prediction of pathways of storm runoff generation and associated soil erosion is of considerable societal importance, including off-site impacts such as water quality and the provision of related ecosystem services.The key benefit of this Action will be to establish connectivity as a research paradigm. The Action will permit transfer of current understanding into useable science, by developing it’s conceptual basis and transferring it into a series of monitoring and modelling tools that will provide the platform for indices that will inform holistic management of catchment systems.More details about Action: http://www.cost.eu/domains_actions/essem/Actions/ES1306

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Research Game, an online game addressed to students from 10 years old coming from all European Schools

Published in 21/2/2014

18/02/2014The RESEARCH GAME project, with participation of CESAM/UA, aims at developing a new teaching approach and pedagogical strategy for learning a methodology useful in all the subjects of the scientific research, and also to promote and apply creative and innovative thinking. The use of new technologies and the game (Game Based Learning) will make a discipline more appealing and engaging for students of new generations. The Project has created an Internet-based educational game to develop an understanding of research work and to teach best practices.For more info please read the Game Rules. Details: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2rzBGBugZgUFi9Wxjp3JBw www.researchgame.eu/platform/  http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=37376

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CESAM work highlighted in 'Chemistry World' web platform

Published in 14/2/2014

14/02/2014Shining a light on hospital wastewaterResearchers in Portugal looking to find new ways to inactivate multidrug resistant-pathogenic bacteria have found an alternative to the traditional expensive and often ineffective methods for treating hospital effluent.Hospital wastewater has the potential to be a threat to public health as it can contain bacteria that may facilitate resistance transfer to other species within sewage treatment plants. As Adelaide Almeida, who led the study at the the University of Aveiro explains, ‘some pathogenic bacteria are more concentrated in hospital wastewaters and some of these strains are resistant to antibiotics, such as vancomycin-resistant enterococci and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.’Almeida’s team has shown that photodynamic inactivation (PDI) can effectively inactivate multidrug resistant-pathogenic bacteria. PDI uses a nontoxic photosensitiser, in this case a cationic porphyrin, which absorbs energy from visible light and transfers it to other surrounding molecules, creating highly cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) that inactivate microbial cells.More details: http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2014/02  

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CESAM presents platform for protection of oil spills impacts

Published in 4/2/2014

03/02/2014João Miguel Dias, professor in the Department of Physics and researcher of CESAM, presented the main conclusions of the recent meeting of the international project "SPRES-Oil Spill Prevention and Response at Local Scales", held at the UA. In this event, an operational platform that integrates features of forecasting in real time, oil spills at local level and results of risk analysis was presented.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=37114

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SPRES project meeting "Aveiro Site Seminar", University of Aveiro January 29-30

Published in 28/2/2014

29/01/2014Meeting discusses prevention and impact of oil spills in the Ria de AveiroCompanies and national authorities with jurisdiction and lagoon areas with responsibility for preventing and acting in the case of oil spills in the Ria de Aveiro, are expected at the meeting of the SPRES (Oil Spill Prevention and Response at Local Scales) international project taking place at the UA, 30 January in the Rectory Building. The "Aveiro Site Seminar", aims for the development of predictive real time models for the behavior of oil spills in estuarine areas through a partnership involving Portuguese, Spanish, French and British entities.Additional details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=37081

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CESAM researcher, Nelson Abrantes, appointed as national representative of the COST action 'Climate Change Manipulation Experiments in Terrestrial Ecosystems: Networking and Outreach'

Published in 7/2/2014

23/01/14Many climate change manipulation experiments have been carried out in recent decades. However, several challenges still exist or have emerged which limit our understanding of ecosystem functioning under future climate change. These include inadequate representation of biomes, artifacts, incomparable experiments, poor representation of relevant scenarios, in particular extreme events, lack of research communication sharing of results and lack of good data for modeling.This Action will develop a network for the experimental climate change research community brining experimentalists and modelers together in order to provide solutions to these recurrent challenges.More details about the Action: http://www.cost.eu/domains_actions/essem/Actions/ES1308

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'Critters for your point and risk' Exhibition

Published in 13/1/2014

09/01/2014Exhibition from January 10 to February 9, at Cine-Teatro Messias 'Critters for your point and risk': scientific illustrations by Milene MatosThe researcher of UA and CESAM responsible by the Educational Service of the Buçaco Forest Foundation, Milene Matos, exposes a set of scientific illustrations of his own in Cine-Teatro Messias, Mealhada. The set includes color  and black and white illustrations, using various techniques, of several species of Portugal and of the world. The work may be visited from January 10 to February 9.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=36861

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UA in 2013: the youth and energy of 40th

Published in 13/1/2014

02/01/2014Summary of what happened at the University of Aveiro in 2013: http://academia.web.ua.pt/ano_em_revista2013/

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Documentary "Viajantes do Ar"

Published in 23/1/2014

19/12/2013Produced by the University of Aveiro, with the support of COMPETE, the documentaries aim to reveal aspects of biodiversity of the Ria de Aveiro. F​four documentaries, with about 20 minutes each, were produced:     - Viajantes do Ar:    - Nascer na Ria;    - A Cegonha-branca;    - A Ria por Dentro. More details: http://www.pofc.qren.pt/Media/Noticias/entity/Ja-ouviu-falar-do-projeto-%e2%80%9cDo-Ar-a-agua%e2%80%9d

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Biochar work was a topic in 'Biosfera' on RTP2

Published in 21/2/2014

02/12/2013CESAM work, in collaboration with the Bairrada wine station, on the use of biochar to improve techniques of agricultural production and to mitigate global changes.See TV show: http://www.rtp.pt/play/p1053/e136275/biosfera-xi

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CESAM's project wins Honorable Mention Green Project Awards 2013'

Published in 22/1/2014

01/11/2013The project entitled "Photodynamic Therapy for inactivation of microorganisms in wastewater: an effective, low cost and low environmental impact technology, received an honourable mention in the category "Research and develpoment" on the 6th edition of the Green Project Awards Portugal 2013.Additional details: http://greensavers.sapo.pt/2013/10/29/green-project-awards-portugal-todos-os-nomeados-com-lista/  http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=36096

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Research on CESAM reveals air quality in school classrooms can be harmful for the children

Published in 23/1/2014

25/10/2013The air quality in the classrooms of several 1st cycle  schools in  Lisbon is "very worrying for the health of children." This is conclusion of a study by a team of researchers from the University of Aveiro (UA) that, for a year, monitored the air in classrooms of 14 schools in the Portuguese capital. More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=35844

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CESAM researcher recommends coral growth in aquariums to use for medical purposes

Published in 11/9/2014

08/10/13A study in UA argues that the pharmaceutical industry should adopt a new strategy in the manufacture of new drugs based on compounds synthesized by corals. Instead of investing in the expeditions to capture marine organisms and the synthesis of the respective molecules in the laboratory, the UA researchers pointed out aquaculture coral as the most efficient and sustainable option.Additional detais: http://saude.sapo.pt/noticias/saude-medicina/biologo-de-aveiro-defende-criacao-de-corais-em-aquario-para-produzir-medicamentos.html

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CESAM researchers discuss about 'Post-Fire Erosion Mitigation Techniques'

Published in 8/10/2013

04/10/13What to do after a forest fire in order to minimize soil erosion? The answer will be given by CESAM researchers during the workshop 'Post-Fire Erosion Mitigation Techniques' to be held at the Center for Environmental Education of Folgosinho, in Gouveia, on 26th and 27th of October.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=35660&lg=pt

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CESAM researcher, Artur Alves, appointed as national representative of the COST action 'Sustainable control of grapevine trunk diseases'

Published in 26/9/2013

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26/09/13This Action aims to develop a network of European expertise to improve understanding of Grapevine trunk diseases (GTD) by acquiring knowledge on occurrence of pathogens, vine-pathogen interaction, ecology of wood-inhabiting microorganisms, and to develop new management protocols and biocontrol approaches. This knowledge will be promoted in an effort to increase knowledge and awareness of the problem by disseminating information to end-users and authorities in the viticulture sector, and to the general public.More details about this COST action: http://www.cost.eu/domains_actions/fa/Actions/FA1303

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Alfredo Rocha on tv show ‘Sociedade Civil’ (RTP2) on “Climate change

Published in 26/9/2013

25/09/13Alfredo Rocha on tv show ‘Sociedade Civil’ on 'Climate change - will it modify agriculture in Portugal?'http://www.rtp.pt/play/p1043/e120637/sociedade-civil-viii

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Biochar: A 'miracle' to soil and climate revealed at the University of Aveiro

Published in 25/9/2013

25/09/13The CESAM team, coordinated by the researcher Frank Verheijen and in cooperation with the projects VITAQUA and CLIMAFUN, is running the first experiment with biochar in agricultural production in the Portuguese territory. Biochair is a product with the potential to increase productivity, while contributing to mitigation and climate change adaptation.In the demarcated region of Bairrada, the UA researchers are studying the use and impact of biochar on vineyards; experiences will take place throughout the crop year of 2013. The first results indicate that, in addition to positive effects on soil nutrients, biochar improves the infiltration and retention of water in the land, essential factors to face drought and erosion.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=35555

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FECIEX 2013 Iberian Prize to CESAM member Carlos Fonseca

Published in 26/9/2013

19/09/13The coordinator of the Wildlife Unit (DeBio/CESAM), Carlos Fonseca, was awarded the "Iberian Prize FECIEX 2013," which distinguishes persons and / or institutions that have stood out for their work in favor of hunting, nature, and the strenghtening of the Iberian relations in these fields, in recent years. The prize will be delivered in Badajoz, in the largest fair on hunting, fishing and nature of the peninsula and one of the largest in Europe, on the 19th of September.This is also an award that recognizes the University of Aveiro, through the Wildlife Unit, Department of Biology, as an institution of recognized value in the area of natural resources.More details:http://www.efe.com/efe/noticias/portugal/estremadura/biologo-portugues-carlos-fonseca-sera-premiado-feciex-badajoz/6/60019/2126043http://www.abc.es/agencias/noticia.asp?noticia=1494236http://www.badajozonline.tv/2013/09/12/el-biologo-luso-carlos-fonseca-recibira-el-premio-iberico-de-la-caza-feciex/http://www.hoy.es/v/20130913/badajoz/feciex-presentara-coleccion-taxidermia-20130913.htmlhttp://arronchesemnoticias.blogspot.pt/2013/09/feciex-2013-feira-da-caca-pesca-e.htmlhttps://sites.google.com/site/unidadevidaselvagem/  

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CESAM researcher, Regina Duarte, appointed as national representative of the COST action 'Emergence and Evolution of Complex Chemical Systems'

Published in 19/9/2013

19/09/13This COST Action aims to establish Europe as a world-leader in the emerging area of complex chemical systems, by bringing together these research fields. Main objectives are to develop far-from-equilibrium self-assembly and self-replicating systems, self-assembling and reproducing compartments, and the use of information-rich molecules in these contexts. The approach to these subjects is inherently multidisciplinary and will only be possible by combining the expertise of different theoretical and experimental research groups around EuropeMore details about this COST action: http://www.cost.eu/domains_actions/cmst/Actions/CM1304

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The role of water in local and regional development under discussion at the 5th Aqua Forum

Published in 23/1/2014

17/09/13The role of water in local and regional development is the focus of the 5th Aqua Forum, taking place 17-20 of September in various locations in the region of Aveiro. This meeting brings together the regions and entities participating in the European project Aqua-Add - 'Deploying the added value of water in local and regional development'. The UA, through CESAM, is a partner in this project.More details:http://www.aqua-add.eu/docs/Aqua_add_NL5.pdf

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Sustainable fishing in national TV (RTP2) show 'Sociedade Civil'

Published in 25/9/2013

12/09/13 Ana Marçalo, from CESAM and DBio participated in the tv programme Sociedade Civil, on September 11, under the theme 'sustainable fishing'. In this show the Biologist presented the Good Practice Handbooks for the several Portuguese fishing methods, published under the scope of the project Life+ MARPRO - Protected Marine Species Conservation in Portugal. Watch the show: http://www.rtp.pt/play/p1043/e128242/sociedade-civil-viii

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Jan Keizer is the researcher of the month

Published in 19/9/2013

10/09/13Jan Keizer has mainly been working on hydrology and soil erosion (sensu latu), with a special focus on post-fire erosion. His research team, recently coined as “earth surface processes team” (www.cesam.ua.pt/teamsite), currently comprises 24 people.Read more: http://www.ua.pt/research/PageText.aspx?id=17417

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Biological Carbon can be an ally to farmers in fighting climate change

Published in 20/9/2013

09/09/13 Research in CESAM, conducted in cooperation with the Bairrada wine Station shows that the biological carbon (biochar) can be an important ally to help the agricultural sector to address the adverse effects of climate change. This work was highlighted in the RTP program 'Bom Dia Portugal' of August 30, 2013.http://www.rtp.pt/noticias/index.php?article=677053&tm=8&layout=122&visual=61

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Smoke from forest fires has carcinogenic particles

Published in 10/9/2013

09/09/13The smoke from forest fires is highly dangerous to public health. The alert from CESAM refers the dangers arising from the mix of gases and particles emitted by fires. The latter, ultrathin in their nature, have a enormous capacity to penetrate into the alveoli carrying out carcinogenic compounds, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The study, led by researcher Célia Alves, also concludes that, in addition to the human health damage, forest fires smoke contributes significantly to climate change.

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Researcher of DBIO and CESAM integrates an European project on nanotechnology

Published in 24/1/2014

09/09/13Mónica Amorim, researcher at the Department of Biology and CESAM, in the area of ​​ nanomaterials toxicology, is the principal investigator of the Portuguese team of an European Project recently approved under the 7th Framework Programme (FP7).The project "Sustainable SUN-Nanotechnologies," will begin later this year, in the area of nanotechnology, and has an overall budget of about eleven million. Coordinated by the University ca 'Foscari Venice, Italy, it is a "Large-scale Integrating Collaborative Project" and involves 35 partners from 16 European countries.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=35370  

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SIC highlights environmental impacts of fires

Published in 9/9/2013

05/09/13The research work done by a CESAM team about the environmental impacts of forest fires, respecting soil erosion and contamination of watersheds was highlighted in SIC.http://sicnoticias.sapo.pt/pais/2013/09/05/impactos-ambientais-dos-incendios

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Researchers from University of Aveiro and CESAM describe findings in environmental research

Published in 24/1/2014

Published in Life Science Weekly, August 20th, 2013 According to news originating from Aveiro, Portugal, changes in the transcription of selected genes in fish can be used as indicators of the sublethal impact of metals. In this study, head kidney cells of Sparus aurata (Gilthead sea bream) were exposed to copper in vitro to evaluate steroidogenic andimmune functions by measuring changes in gene transcription of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and in cytokines, respectively. Paper: Teles M., Castillo J., Pacheco M., Santos M.A., Tort L. (2013) IN VITRO EXPOSURE TO COPPER INDUCED CHANGES IN IMMUNE AND STEROIDOGENIC GENE EXPRESSION IN SPARUS AURATA HEAD KIDNEY CELLS. Fresenius Environmental Bulletin, 22(2), 357-361.

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Sea Life KC Aquarium joining efforts to end cyanide fishing

Published in 27/8/2013

02/08/13The Sea Life Kansas City Aquarium is joining a new effort to end a poisonous and destructive form of fishing called cyanide fishing. Any new fish headed to 49 Sea Life Aquariums across the world will now be tested for cyanide poisoning at Portugal's University of Aveiro.More details: http://www.kctv5.com/story/22980609/sea-life-kc-aquarium-joining-others-to-end-form-of-fishing-thats-destroying-environment

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CESAM aims to reduce soil erosion after forest fires

Published in 9/9/2013

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01/08/13The substantial reduction of the erosion level of forest soils after the occurrence of a fire is the primary goal of mulching, a technique that is being studied in Portugal for the first time by a research team of the University of Aveiro.The innovative method that the UA, through CESAM researchers, wants to introduce in Portugal, is the distribution of a layer of crushed forest residues (mulch) in the soils consumed by fire. Initially mulch reduces soil loss and subsequently, through its own decomposition, is incorporated in the forest ecosystem.News on website Ciência Hoje: http://www.cienciahoje.pt/index.php?oid=58234&op=allNews on UA on-line: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=35275 <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/video/embed?video_id=565497700173725" width="352" height="288" frameborder="0"></iframe>

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CESAM researchers aid to end illegal fishing with cyanide

Published in 23/1/2014

29/07/13Cyanide fishing is a method employed to capture marine fish alive on coral reefs. This are shipped to markets in Southeast Asia for human consumption, as well as to supply the marine aquarium trade worldwide. CESAM researchers have now developed a methodology to indicate if live reef fish are collected using cyanide. This is a strategy that may discourage importing companies from dealing with unreliable suppliers and shift the legal pressure from impoverished fishermen to those truly profiting from this illegal and destructive activity. More details in SIC: http://sicnoticias.sapo.pt/pais/2013/07/27/investigadores-de-aveiro-querem-acabar-com-pesca-com-cianeto News on website Ciência Hoje: http://www.cienciahoje.pt/index.php?oid=58217&op=all

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CESAM researchers warn about contamination in urban gardens.

Published in 23/1/2014

23/07/13Researchers did not discourage agriculture in cities, but point out the risk to human health that may be present. Urban gardens are becoming increasingly popular,and as such, were, for the first time, evaluated by the researchers from the department of Chemistry and CESAM. Based on samples collected in the area of Porto, the results showed that levels of some metals, such as cadmium, copper, lead and zinc, exceeded the values recorded in natural areas away from contamination sources - such as roads and airports - but also exceeded the maximum values imposed by the EU.More details: http://www.crup.pt/en/imprensa-e-comunicacao/recortes-de-imprensa/6290-hortas-urbanas-investigadores-alertam-para-contaminacao

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Most dowloaded Atmospheric Research paper from ScienceDirect

Published in 9/9/2013

28/08/13 The most downloaded article from ScienceDirect in the last 90 days belongs to CESAM members: Calvo AI, Alves C, Castro A, Pont V, Vicente AM, Fraile R (2013) Research on aerosol sources and chemical composition: Past, current and emerging issues. http://www.journals.elsevier.com/atmospheric-research/most-downloaded-articles

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RICTA 2013 PhD PRIZE for CESAM member

Published in 9/9/2013

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05/07/13CESAM researcher Cátia Gonçalves, has received the RICTA 2013 PhD prize, for her PhD thesis entitled "Contribution of Biomass combustion to air pollutant emissions", presented on the 1st Iberian Meeting on Aerosol Science and Technology, held in Evora (July 2-3).

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Biochar in portuguese agricultural soils

Published in 24/7/2013

27/06/13Frank Verheijen and Ana Catarina Bastos coordinate an innovative interdisciplinary joint initiative between research teams lead by Jacob Keizer and Susana Loureiro. Researchers also have the assistance of additional CESAM members. In cooperation with the VITAQUA and CLIMAFUN  projects (funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and the FEDER-COMPETE programme), CESAMs team has begun the first task involving the incorporation of biochar in portuguese agricultural soils.Biochar has shown potential to improve the productivity of agricultural soils and simultaneously sequester carbon, thus contributing to adaptation and mitigation of climate change. In the Bairrada wine region, Frank Verheijen and Jacob Keizer are assessing the feasibility of using biochar in vineyards to improve infiltration and water retention in the soil, essential in combating stress and water erosion. This study relies on the monitoring of hydrological processes and soil water stress on vines, by the team lead by Gloria Pinto. However, it is necessary to ensure that the quality and function of the soil  are not compromised by addition of biochar. In this sense, Ana Catarina Bastos and Susana Loureiro teams' work focuses on selection, adaptation and optimization of ecotoxicological tests using model species for the ecological risk assessment of biochar, as well as its potential use in processes remediation in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.The enormous interest of the general public on this issue is demonstrated by the publication of an article in the national weekly newspaper EXPRESSO (06/22/13 edition).

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Wildlife Unit

Published in 1/8/2013

01/07/13The Wildlife Unit (UVS), of DBIO of UA, integrates various aspects of animal ecology, including the study of the dynamics of animal populations and their habitats, conservation, recovery and monitoring of natural areas and biodiversity, application of geographic information systems to the management of natural resources, population genetics, environmental education and dissemination and communication of science, including the results of research in animal ecology and biodiversity.Link to the UVS movie: http://videos.ua.sapo.pt/26rnjYzZGMryjvweWMY3

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CESAM researchers participate in a project with IPMA

Published in 9/9/2013

A group of researchers of CESAM, constituted by Jesús Dubert, Rita Nolasco and João Lencart, participates in the IMPROVE project 'Inner shelf hydrographic and biological processes controlling invertebrate population in the Portuguese coast, using decapods as models', which is coordinated by the Portuguese Institute of Ocean and Atmosphere (IPMA).The overall aim of this proposal is to increase the understanding of oceanographic and biological processes of importance for recruitment of invertebrate larvae in coastal upwelling systems, like the Portuguese west coast. The purpose is to couple biological models to inner shelf circulation models to understand and potentially forecast recruitment variability of decapod populations in the areas of their distribution.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=34687&lg=pt

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CESAM article published by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Published in 29/7/2013

20/06/13UA researchers modify the genetic code of a living being by the first time.A team of  CESAM researchers broke one of the sacred rules of biology, that the genetic code is unchangeable. These researchers found that the pathogenic fungus "Candida albicans" uses a different genetic code of other living beings and managed to understand how this fungus changed it. With the new knowledge, they have artificially altered the genetic code of the fungus "Candida albicans". The investigation has now been published in the North American "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences" (PNAS).More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=34725&lg=en

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Review article in Aquaculture

Published in 29/7/2013

19/06/13Gisela Dionsío, a PhD student at the University of Aveiro and University of Lisbon recently published a review article in the journal Aquaculture on the importance of sea slugs culture. A growing interest on these organisms as been observed in the last decades due to their use for biomedical and photobiological (related with sea slug and cloroplast symbiosis, see photo) studies, bioprospection of new marine molecules with anti-tumoral, anti-cancer and anti-HIV bioactivities and marine aquarium trade. The present review summarizes the major issues impairing the culture of sea slugs and presents relevant biological and ecological data that can assist on the development of suitable culture protocols. The team, led by Dr. Ricardo Calado, will continue to develop future work on key species for both bioprospection of new compounds, and the use of these animals as models in climate change scenarios. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0044848613002524

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University of Aveiro in the creation of Portuguese Branch of Campus do Mar

Published in 29/7/2013

11/06/13In order to foster technological development and the birth of innovation projects in the area of the Sea, the Campus do Mar aims to unite and empower the higher education institutions that have established collaborative agreements individually with the University of Vigo, Campus do Mar lead partner. More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=34516&lg=pt

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Opinion article by Prof. Henrique Queiroga

Published in 11/9/2014

11/06/13Long-term cooperation to achieve excellence in marine sciences in PortugalTo establish cooperation activities with international partners; to develop doctoral programs and other training opportunities; create and renew infrastructure and equipment and diversify financing options to accommodate the specifics of marine research.These are the strategies pointed out by Prof.  Queiroga to achieve a concerted plan with long-term established goals, for science, technology and management of the sea in Portugal, in the opinion article published on World Oceans Day, celebrated on 8 June.Full article: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=34545&lg=pt

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Opinion article by Prof. Henrique Queiroga

Published in 11/9/2014

11/06/13Long-term cooperation to achieve excellence in marine sciences in PortugalTo establish cooperation activities with international partners; to develop doctoral programs and other training opportunities; create and renew infrastructure and equipment and diversify financing options to accommodate the specifics of marine research.These are the strategies pointed out by Prof.  Queiroga to achieve a concerted plan with long-term established goals, for science, technology and management of the sea in Portugal, in the opinion article published on World Oceans Day, celebrated on 8 June.Full article: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=34545&lg=pt

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Life support system to study effects of climate change and pollution

Published in 29/7/2013

31/05/13 CESAM researchers have developed a life support system that allows studying the effects of climate change and pollution on benthic organisms in coastal regions. The scientific community has been alerting for the potential adverse effects on marine ecosystems that may result from interactions between climate change and pollutants of human origin. However, there is an uncertainty on the consequences, on marine organisms, of the various climate change scenarios in conjunction with the increasing levels of pollutants in the environment. The major obstacle in this area of research relates to the difficulty in simulating scenarios of climate change and pollution in natural environments. A team involving researchers from the Universities of Aveiro, Coimbra, Porto and Algarve built and validated a life support system ("Experimental life support system") to simulate scenarios of climate change and contamination in marine sediments. The aim is to use communities of organisms associated with sediment as a model, so can figure out the combined effects of climate change and pollution. Unlike existing equipment to laboratory simulations, this system can be replicated by researchers all over the world, since it is constructed from materials which are commercially available. Besides design and construction of the equipment, the researchers used advanced techniques of molecular biology and ecotoxicology to validate the system for future studies with model organisms and organisms associated with sediment. The work, published in the journal Global Change Biology, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.12227/abstract , one of the most quoted worldwide in the area of climate change, is part of the doctoral studies of Francisco Coelho and was coordinated by Newton Gomes, assistant researcher in CESAM/Department of Biology at the University of Aveiro.

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Researchers discover a new class of ionic liquids

Published in 1/8/2013

27/05/13A new class of ionic liquids, originating from mandelic acid derivatives and low toxicity was recent discovery by a research team of the University of Aveiro (UA). This work made the cover of the last edition of the ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering, was the result of a study "Imidazolium and Pyridinium Ionic Liquids from Mandelic Acid Derivatives: Synthesis and Bacteria and Algae Toxicity Evaluation". More details: http://www.cienciahoje.pt/index.php?oid=57728&op=all

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CESAM researcher appointed as national representative of the COST action "The transfer of engineered nanomaterials from wastewater treatment & stormwater to rivers"

Published in 1/8/2013

17/05/13Susana Loureiro, researcher of CESAM and DBio, was appointed as national representative of the ENTER - Engineered Nanomaterials from wastewater treatment & stormwater to rivers - COST action. This Cost Action (2013/17) aims the clarification of the following issues: (i) which and (ii) what amounts of Engineered NanoMaterials (ENMs) are released to rivers, (iii) how persistent are they and (iv) to what extent do they cause in situ toxicity? The reasons for these knowledge gaps are a lack of suitable analytical methods, insufficient databases on usage and release, and the absence of comprehensive monitoring networks. ENTER will help to advance scientific knowledge on release and fate of ENMs in the urban water cycle and to communicate expert knowledge in an appropriate manner to the non-scientific community.More details about this COST action: http://www.cost.eu/domains_actions/essem/Actions/ES1205

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Prof. Carlos Fonseca awarded by the Portuguese Federation of Hunting

Published in 27/2/2018

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15/05/13The FENCAÇA-Portuguese Federation of Hunting - has distinguished Carlos Fonseca (from CESAM and DBIO) and his team, with Prize "Research on Hunting". The award ceremony,which for the first time has highlighted the work of a Portuguese researcher, took place on May 12, in Santarem, during the XXI Hunting Meeting of the 25th International Fair of Hunting and Guns, an exhibition that brought together more than 600 hunters.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=34243

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Prof. Carlos Fonseca awarded by the Portuguese Federation of Hunting

Published in 27/2/2018

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15/05/13The FENCAÇA-Portuguese Federation of Hunting - has distinguished Carlos Fonseca (from CESAM and DBIO) and his team, with Prize "Research on Hunting". The award ceremony,which for the first time has highlighted the work of a Portuguese researcher, took place on May 12, in Santarem, during the XXI Hunting Meeting of the 25th International Fair of Hunting and Guns, an exhibition that brought together more than 600 hunters.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=34243

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Most cited paper in the Atmospheric Environment Journal 2010-2011

Published in 1/8/2013

15/05/13CESAM members of Atmospheric Quality Research Line were awarded with the most cited paper in 2010-2011 of the Atmospheric Environment Journal, from Elsevier for the paper "Characterisation of PM10 emissions from woodstove combustion of common woods grown in Portugal".More information:http://www.journals.elsevier.com/atmospheric-environment/news/congratulations-to-our-top-cited-authors-atmosenv/

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CESAM collaborates in a study on eutrophication in coastal areas

Published in 1/8/2013

14/05/13The main results and conclusions of a study on trophic processes in the Portuguese coastal waters, sponsored by SIMRIA, will be presented on May 14th in the amphitheater of the Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro. This work was coordinated, in CESAM, by João Serôdio, professor and researcher of CESAM and DBIO.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=34218

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Scientific expedition in Tejo for undergraduate students

Published in 18/7/2014

13/05/13A Portuguese caravel, 150 young students and five trips in the Tagus estuary.These trips aim to encourage children and teenagers to look at the research on the oceans and seabed, and at the Portuguese maritime heritage as one of the greatest values of the country. On board, scientists from the University of Aveiro (UA), in collaboration with researchers from the Centre for Oceanography, University of Lisbon, will surprise the "little" sailors with what science contributes to the knowledge of the seas.Organized by the UA and EurOcean Foundation, the trips will be held on 13, 14 and 15 May.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=34190

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Professor Carlos Borrego awarded with Scientific Merit Medal of Aveiro

Published in 15/5/2013

10/05/13Carlos Borrego, professor and director of the Department of Environment and Planning of the University of Aveiro and former Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, was awarded the Medal for Scientific Merit of the Aveiro Municipality. This award has a special meaning, in the current year that marks  40th anniversary of the University of Aveiro, 35 years of the Department of Environment and Planning, and 20 years of the Institute for Environment and Development (IDAD) which is also directed by the professor.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=34116

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UA study reveals the impressive mushrooms diversity on Buçaco

Published in 9/5/2013

26/04/13After making the first scientific study of the fauna of the Buçaco Forest and perform a thorough inventory of the flora, the research team from CESAM and Biology Department reveals the wide variety of mushrooms existing in this ecosystem.The study, conducted in the framework of the project Life + BRIGH, identified 115 species, thus making an outstanding contribution to the field of mycology in Portugal.Additional details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=33990

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Scientific performance of the University of Aveiro on Leiden ranking

Published in 26/4/2013

26/04/13The scientific performance of the University of Aveiro (UA) stands out compared to other Portuguese universities. UA is in place 133 in Europe, accounting for all scientific areas, according to CWTS rankings published by the University of Leiden. It is the second consecutive year that the Leiden ranking sets the UA in front of the Portuguese Universities. In the "Natural Sciences and Engineering" area, the UA appears in place 69 of the European universities.More details: http://www.cienciapt.net/pt/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=108015&Itemid=279Leiden Ranking: http://www.leidenranking.com/ranking

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Atlantic Area - First edition of the Compendium of projects

Published in 12/4/2013

12/04/13The compendium provides detailed information on all projects (including those with CESAM/UA participation as: Portonovo; EcosalAtlantis and SPRES) and Atlantic regions and also highlights on the Programme strategy with the ambition to make a qualitative leap in cooperation and economic diversification, to enhance the many facets of maritime heritage and to strengthen synergies between cities and regions.

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Domestic fireplaces are responsible for 30% of the atmospheric pollution in Portugal

Published in 26/4/2013

26/03/13Burning wood in domestic equipments representes a considerable source of emmission of pollutants  into the atmosphere, with a consequent deterioration of air quality.Conclusions drawn by researchers of CESAM alert for the danger that this increasing trend poses to public health.More details: http://noticias.universia.pt/ciencia-tecnologia/noticia/2013/03/26/1013297/queimas-domesticas-causam-30-cento-da-poluico-atmosferica-em-portugal.html

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Euronews: Ria de Aveiro under the microscope

Published in 26/3/2013

25/03/13Two journalists from EuroNews Television were in Aveiro (19-20 march) to make a documentary (coproduction between EuroNews and the European Commission) about LAGOONS project.In the EURONEWS webpage you can choose any of the 12 broadcasting languages, including Portuguese and Spanish for listening interviews, in the language that they were originally recorded.The documentary is available here.

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CESAM researcher elected vice-president of SETAC Europe

Published in 25/3/2013

22/03/13Mónica Amorim, researcher in CESAM and Biology Department, was elected vice-president of Society of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology (SETAC) in Europe. Mónica Amorim will take office in Glasgow, during the SETAC Europe Annual Congress, between May 12 to 16, 2013http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=33653

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Prof Amadeu Soares recognised by SETAC-Europe Environmental Education Award

Published in 14/5/2013

19/03/13The SETAC-Europe Environmental Education Award 2013 was assigned to Amadeu Soares, director and professor at the Department of Biology of the University of Aveiro, and vice-chairman of CESAM. This award is atributed to cientists with a relevant contribution in the development and promotion of interdisciplinary activities related to knowledge dissemination in the environmental area and to the substantial contribution for the education on the subject, in particular in the higher education field.This prize will be awarded at a ceremony to be held in Glasgow, under the SETAC Europe Annual Congress, between 12 and 16 May.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=33630&lg=pt

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UA launches research institute, technology platform and chair, with the sea as the main drive

Published in 25/2/2013

22/02/13The mission of Aveiro Institute for Marine Science and Technology (AIMare) is the coordination and aggregation of scientific expertise of the University of Aveiro in the coastal management and marine research areas, promoting synergies with the private and public sectors related to the sea.The Sea Technology Platform, meanwhile, intends to merge entrepreneurs, teachers and researchers in a network of expertise to value sea products and services and promote a culture of entrepreneurial cooperation of scientific and technological base.The two new structures of the UA, focused on research and the sea economy, were launched on 22 February.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=33332

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Interview with Graham Pierce, newly appointed for the Cátedra CGD do Mar

Published in 25/2/2013

22/02/13http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=33347&lg=pt (portuguese only)

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Researcher at UA finds traces of psychiatric medicines in wastewater treatment plant in Aveiro

Published in 21/3/2013

18/02/13Psychiatric drugs found in the final effluent wastewater treatment plants  ...Does it seems strange? In fact, a researcher at the University of Aveiro, from the Associated Laboratory CESAM, found the antiepileptic carbamazepine concentrations on the order of micrograms per liter, enough to suspect chronic effects - arising from long exposures - in aquatic organisms.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=33276

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CESAM participates in discovery of mud volcanoes and gas hydrates in the Algarve offshore

Published in 13/5/2013

More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=33220&lg=pt

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CESAM Biologist reveals: there are too many organic tin compounds present in domestic dust

Published in 25/2/2013

01/02/13A team of researchers from CESAM / UA discovered the presence of levels of organic tin compounds in dust collected in Portuguese homes that are unsafe for human health. Traditionally used in paints to cover the hulls of ships and used on wallpaper, foams, silicones, PVC, and in various products of daily use, such as clothes or toys, organic tin compounds interfere with the hormonal functioning, are carcinogenic, diminish the effectiveness of the immune system and promote obesity.Additional details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?c=33116 and http://www.cienciahoje.pt/index.php?oid=56864&op=all

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Interview with CESAM researcher Sofia Reboleira

Published in 23/1/2013

23/01/13Sofia Reboleira is a biologist and a specialist in subterranean fauna of CESAM. In recent years she has discovered several subterranean new species, unchartered by science, such as pseudoscorpions, arachnids and crustaceans. The discoveries of this biologist, many of which in portuguese caves, have decisively contributed to the strengthening of the Portuguese biological heritage .Read the interview

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2012: year of the international consolidation of the UA

Published in 4/2/2013

Throughout the year 2012, several international assessments, expressed in rankings, demonstrated the good performance of the University of Aveiro. Besides the international visibility, many research projects in various areas are highlighted.Balance of the events that marked the year 2012 at the University of Aveiro:http://academia.web.ua.pt/ano_em_revista2012/

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CESAM researcher integrates the Environment Policy Advisory Group of DG Environment of EC

Published in 14/1/2013

Susana Loureiro, researcher in the Department of Biology and CESAM, integrated in December 2012 the Science for Environment Policy Scientific Content Advisory Group of  the Directorate General of Environment of the European Commission (EC). The invitation to join this group came under its previous participation in the European project Nomiracle (FP6) and the work that performed for the evaluation of environmental toxicity on non-target organisms.The Science for Environment Policy Scientific Content Advisory Group review studies proposed for inclusion in the News Alert to assess their suitability for the service. The Group's expertise from across a range of policy and science themes helps ensure that high quality, policy relevant research is featured in the News Alert. see: http://ec.europa.eu/environmen.....

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CESAM researcher awarded with Luiz Saldanha / Ken Tenore 2012 grant

Published in 8/1/2013

08/01/13Maria da Luz Fernandes, researcher at DAO and CESAM, was awarded with a grant Luiz Saldanha / Ken Tenore 2012, in the area of Sea Strategy and Policies. For three months, she will integrate the team of specialists of the Collaborative Institute for Oceans, Climate, and Security of the University of Massachusetts, Boston, under the scientific supervision of Robbin Peach, from that institution, and Fatima Lopes Alves, researcher of DAO.    

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Interview with CESAM PhD student Roberto Martins

Published in 8/1/2013

08/01/13Roberto Martins is a biologist and researcher at CESAM. He is currently completing his PhD on Marine Biology namely on the identification and characterisation of organisms that inhabit the depths of the Portuguese continental shelf.Read the interview.

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Ana Sofia Reboleira, CESAM researcher, discovers another species

Published in 4/12/2012

03/12/12The new pseudoscorpion genus Lusoblothrus of the family Syarinidae was described from a cave in the Algarve region, southern Portugal, to accommodate L. aenigmaticus.This discovery emphasizes the relevance of the Algarve region as a hotspot for relictual hypogean fauna within the Iberian Peninsula.

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Susana Loureiro is the Research of the month of the UA

Published in 4/12/2012

03/12/12Susana Loureiro is a researcher at the department of Biology and CESAM. She has received her Ph.D in Biology, in 2004 by the University of Aveiro and her research activity focuses on Ecotoxicology, Environmental Contamination and Risks.Nowadays she is the coordinator of three projects financed by FCT (through national funding and FEDER/COMPETE) and she is the WP leader for Ecotoxicology of the FP7 EU project NanoFATE.Interview: http://www.ua.pt/research/PageText.aspx?id=16268

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'Biosfera' highlights CESAM research

Published in 4/12/2012

23/11/12CESAM research on soil erosion (then, 'land degradation') risk assessment following wildfires was highlighted in the RTP2 programme 'Biosfera', edition of November 20, 2012.Link: http://www.rtp.pt/programa/tv/p24778/c99663

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ECOSAL ATLANTIS project in the Ria de Aveiro

Published in 4/12/2012

15/11/12In the framework of the ECOSAL ATLANTIS project, under the activity 'Biodiversity and Eco-Tourism',  were implemented islands in the Santiago da Fonte salt pan, in order to support the breeding birds of the Ria de Aveiro ecosystem.Site: http://ecosal-atlantis.ua.pt/

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Understanding Antibiotic Resistance Using Crystallography and Computation by CESAM researchers

Published in 4/3/2013

14/11/12Scientists at the University of Bristol, together with collaborators at the University of Aveiro, Portugal, have solved the structure of an enzyme that breaks down carbapenems, antibiotics 'of last resort' which, until recently, were kept in reserve for serious infections that failed to respond to other treatments. This study was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.More details: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121109111519.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily%2Fplants_animals%2Fmicrobiology+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Plants+&+Animals+News+--+Microbiology%29

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Prof. Carlos Fonseca renamed by the National Commission on Trophies Certification

Published in 30/10/2012

29/10/12The National Commission on Trophies Certification (Hunting), which operates under the responsibility of the National Forestry Authority, includes in its composition ten personalities of recognized scientific and technical merit, including Carlos Fonseca. This member of CESAM and professor of DBio is author of several scientific papers in the areas of Wildlife Ecology and Management and Conservation and Management of Animal Populations and Ecosystems.More details: https://www.ua.pt/uaonline/detail.asp?c=25161

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CESAM paper is one of the most downloaded in the "Atmospheric Environment"

Published in 26/10/2012

25/10/12CESAM paper "Indoor and outdoor characterisation of organic and inorganic compounds in city centre and suburban elementary schools of Aveiro, Portugal" figures on the list of most downloaded articles of the journal "Atmospheric Environment". This study investigated pollutant concentrations in and outside school buildings at different locations (city centre and suburban) in Aveiro, Portugal, between April and June 2010. This article is of the utmost importance as pollutants inside school buildings may affect children's health and influence learning performance and attendance.

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Paper published by CESAM's researchers is Editors' Choice in Biomedcentral

Published in 18/10/2012

16/10/2012Published on  October 15th it has already been accessed by 1100 people, and originated several press releases, including a german newspaper and the scientific blog, science 20.The study, which will be published on «BMC Evolutionary Biology» is focused on guppies (Poecilia reticulata), those small fishes that are usually present in home aquariums. The sexual behaviour of this species is the main question under study, and the results presented have already given raise to some controversy, originating several comments as soon as it was published online.Additional details:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/12/185/abstracthttp://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcevolbiol/http://www.themunicheye.com/news/Promiscuous-female-guppies-have-the-upper-hand-2208http://www.science20.com/catarina_amorim/how_female_promiscuity_can_be_smart_move_evolution-95169#commentshttp://www.cienciahoje.pt/index.php?oid=55603&op=all

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CESAM develops project for topographic monitoring

Published in 16/10/2012

15/10/12A  research team of CESAM has developed a topographic characterization system much faster, cheaper and effective than the traditional method.The developed 'integrated system for high-resolution topographic monitoring' maintains the high accuracy of the method performed on foot. The system integrates a GPS and a laser distance meter, allowing all data to be received in a synchronization unit of information from which the data are processed; the systems may also operate anywhere in the globe.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=24966

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CESAM alerts for antibiotic resistant bacteria in the Vouga Basin

Published in 30/10/2012

15/10/12There are places in the Vouga Basin contaminated with antibiotic-resistant bacteria with high clinical relevance. The discovery of bacterial strains resistant to cephalosporins of third-generation, an antibiotic type used in most Portuguese hospitals, was made by a team of researchers of CESAM and DBio. Researchers do not know yet whether the identified strains cause infections in humans, but have already verified that they can transfer to pathogenic bacteria, without antibiotic resistance, the characteristic to render them immune to antibiotics. This scenario is even more alarming because the resistant bacterial communities were found in water used for irrigation farming and fishing.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=25034 and http://www.cienciapt.net/pt/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=107319&Itemid=279Paper download: here

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European project on ocean governance and integrated management of coastal areas with participation of CESAM

Published in 16/10/2012

28/09/12Portugal and four other member states with Atlantic front (Spain, France, Ireland and UK) won a project entitled 'European Planning cross the Atlantic' launched by the European DGMare.The project, which begins in November, will last 18 months and has an overall budget of one million euros. The ultimate goal is to present a set of recommendations to the European Union in order to effectively contribute to the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Action Plan of the Integrated Maritime Policy and the European Recommendation on Integrated Coastal Zone Management.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/detail.asp?c=24935

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CESAM work awarded in the 4th International Conference on Engineering for Waste and Biomass Valorisation

Published in 15/10/2012

09/10/12The work of CESAM PhD student, David Silva, entitled Contributions of the ash from forest biomass combustion in the recycling of nutrients to the soil was awarded as the best poster of the 4th International Conference on Engineering for Waste and Biomass Valorisation, held this year in Porto, between 10 and 13 September.The management of the ash resulting from the thermochemical conversion of forest biomass to energy it is an issue with relevance at the environmental, economic and public health level. The ash produced in industrial thermal units, using eucalyptus bark and branches and other forest residues as solid fuel, has different final destinations, including the landfill. In recent years, new environmental directives strongly penalize this management option. Therefore, it is urgent to study sustainable alternatives, such as the valorisation of the biomass ash on the agricultural and forestry soils.

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Earthworms genetic alterations from exposure to contaminated environments

Published in 18/12/2013

28/09/12The research work of Joana Lourenço, a CESAM researcher, was awarded in the international symposium 9th ISEG - 2012. In this study, and for the first time, it was identified earthworms genetic alterations caused by exposure to contaminated soil with radioactive elements and metals, including the identification of an oncogene first described in these organisms.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=9644

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Prof. Marina Cunha integrates the editorial board of 'Scientific Reports'

Published in 26/9/2012

26/09/12Marina Cunha, researcher of CESAM, integrated the editorial board of the journal 'Scientific Reports'. Invited by Nature Publishing Group, the owner of the 'Nature' journal, the researcher is now part of the editorial board for the area of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.Online and open access, Scientific Reports provides rapid publication and high visibility of research – for all areas of science.

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Deer population census - Lousã 2012

Published in 25/9/2012

download file

25/09/12Under the guidance of members from CESAM and Wildlife Unit of UA (DBio), about thirty volunteers participated in the 8th deer population census on Lousã Mountains. This event had the collaboration of the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forestry, Lousã Municipality and other local entities. During the mornings of Saturday (22/09) and Sunday (23/09), dozens of males, females and young deer were observed in the mountain ridges and through woods and pine forests.

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Ocean University of China visits the University of Aveiro

Published in 11/9/2012

11/09/12The Ocean University of China (OUC), a major Asian reference in the area of marine research, intends to enhance the collaboration with the University of Aveiro (UA) and the Campus do Mar. The delegation from OUC and Campus Sea visited the UA in the begining of September, and recognised the relevant lines of CESAM's marine research, and its significant impact both at national and international level. At the end of the visit the delegation reinforced the interest on the cooperation between Portuguese and Chinese researchers, in order to promote the advancement of marine science.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/detail.asp?c=24789

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CESAM PhD student awarded in the International Congress of Aquaculture

Published in 12/9/2012

10/09/12The PhD student of CESAM, Miguel Costa Leal, received the prize for the best poster presented by a student in the International Congress of aquaculture, AQUA2012, held in Prague, Czech Republic.The work entitled "Culture of the tropical sea anemone Aiptasia pallida: biomass production, propagation rates and fatty acid profile" is focused on the production of tropical sea anemones. The addressed issues are related to the most conducive environmental conditions for the cultivation of this anemone and tropical nudibranchs with high interest for ornamental purposes and for the production of bioactive compounds with high pharmaceutical potential.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/detail.asp?c=24802

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NanoFATE project highlighted in the journal 'International Innovation'

Published in 10/9/2012

10/09/12The NanoFATE project, funded by the European Commission (FP7), is a multidisciplinary project with 12 partners from 9 countries, which was designed to improve and implement the knowledge and methodologies for a more accurate and consistent environmental risks related to the presence of nanoparticles (NPs). In this context it will be assessed the fate and distribution of NPs which are produced and used in large scale and whose recycling is not an option, such as those present in fuels, personal care products and antibacterial compounds.At the two-year mark NanoFATE has delivered some significant information and, for that reason, the project has now highlighted in the 'International Innovation' journal, published on 6 August (http://www.research-europe.com/magazine/REGIONAL/EF13/index.html). In this edition, the project coordinator, Dr Claus Svendsen, presents the possible environmental problems inherento t NPs, the scientific collaboration established within the consortium, and the results obtained so far.

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CESAM project highlighted in Portuguese media

Published in 14/9/2012

07/09/12The  Carcace project (Colonization of mammal carcasses in the deep Atlantic Ocean ) of CESAM's researcher Ana Hilario was highlighted in the journal 'Visão Junior' - September 2012.The project's main objective is to assess deep-sea community response to intense pulses of organic falls and their importance as sulphide-rich habitat islands at the Atlantic Ocean deep-sea floor. For this purpose, during last year, two mammal carcasses were deployed in two sites where cetaceans naturally occur, the Setubal canyon and the Sao Jorge Channel. Recently, ROV Luso captured the first images of what remains of this organic matter deposit.News in the 'Publico' neswpaper: http://ecosfera.publico.pt/noticia.aspx?id=1560294

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1st edition of the PhD programme DO*Mar starts in September

Published in 4/9/2012

31/08/12The PhD programme  in Marine Science, Technology and Management (DO*Mar) was born within the Campus do Mar International Campus of Excellence, as a result of the initiative of the three Galician universities and those from the North of Portugal (Aveiro, Minho and Tras os Montes e Alto Douro), the Higher Council of Scientific Research (CSIC) and the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO), to create an International Postgraduate School of Excellence that offers PhD programmes with a global vision and multiannual planning. This international and cross-border programme will start in September and intends to attract many overseas students, who consider the institutional grouping created around the Campus do Mar as their preferred destination for a Master’s degree and/or PhD degree.The Registration period is now opened!More details: http://campusdomar.es/?page_id=2361

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João Serôdio is the Research of the month of the UA

Published in 4/9/2012

30/08/12João Serôdio, currently Assistant Professor at the Department of Biology and member of the CESAM, is the the Research of the Month of the University of Aveiro.João Serôdio received his Ph.D in Biology (Ecology and Biosystematics), in 1999 by the University of Lisbon. Currently he is coordinating a Marie Curie Action IRSES (International Research Staff Exchange Scheme), financed by FP7. The project is entitled SYMBIOCoRe- Synergies through Merging BIOlogical and biogeochemical expertise in COral Research, involving universities and research institutes from 6 countries and foreseeing the mobility of 35 researchers, 9 of them from the Department of Biology. Interview: http://www.ua.pt/research/PageText.aspx?id=15840

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Invertebrates community discovered in the world’s deepest cave

Published in 27/8/2012

01/08/12The CESAM researcher Sofia Reboleira integrated the expedition to world’s deepest cave, Krubera-Voronja in Western Caucasus in 2010. This expedition revealed an interesting subterranean community, living below 2000 meters and represented by more than 12 species of arthropods, including several new species for science. The results were recently published in the International Journal of Speleology.News: http://ecosfera.publico.pt/noticia.aspx?id=1557255 and http://www.cienciapt.net/pt/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=106985&Itemid=279

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O regresso dos bichos - VISÃO/SIC Report

Published in 27/8/2012

28/07/12The report VISÃO Portugal 'O regresso dos bichos', a partnership SIC/Vision, highlighted the work of the researchers of the Wildlife Unit of the Department of Biology and CESAM.With the desertification, the rural exodus and the abandonment of fields, many animals recouped its territory and slowly reconstruct their colonies, habitats and ecosystems. CESAM researchers described the behavior of some of the studied animals: Egyptian mongooses, otters and bucks. More details: http://visao.sapo.pt/o-regresso-dos-bichos-reportagem-multimedia=f677375

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Endangered fish and Short-toed Eagle observed in Buçaco by CESAM researchers

Published in 27/8/2012

30/07/12A small fish endangered and endemic (exclusive) of the Iberian Peninsula was observed in the water lines within the National Forest of Bussaco by CESAM researchers, belonging to the Wildlife Unit of the Department of Biology of the University of Aveiro, who are in charge of monitoring Buçaco´s wildlife. This was not the only notable observation in Buçaco during fieldwork last week. The Short-toed Eagle, a species with status 'near threatened' was also observed in the Mata sky.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/detail.asp?c=24605

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CESAM paper featured in Environmental Research Web site

Published in 27/8/2012

28/07/12A reseach team of International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis and Portugal's University of Aveiro used Google Insights for Search to analyse corn (maize) planting and harvesting data in the US state-by-state and week-by-week.The results of this work, published in Environmental Research Letters, highlight the future potential of using Web search data to derive planting dates in countries where the data are sparse or unreliable, once sufficient search volumes are realized, as well as the potential for monitoring in real time the response of farmers to climate change over the coming decades. News: http://environmentalresearchwe.....news/50121

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CESAM Research highlighted in the framework of colaboration with "Campus do Mar"

Published in 19/7/2012

18/07/12To know the biodiversity and functioning of sea bed inhabitants, and to find out the impact that activities such trawling, undersea mining, and the abundance of waste have over them, is the purpose of the Professor of the new Campus do Mar PhD Program (DO*MAR) which will be taught from next academic year 2012-2013 and will lead to a qualification endorsed by 6 universities, Marina Ribeiro da Cunha, also researcher and professor of the Department of Biology and CESAM of the University of Aveiro.Interview: http://campusdomar.es/?post_type=noticia&p=2499

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Book for children on Buçaco Forest

Published in 19/9/2013

09/07/12The CESAM researcher responsible for the educational service on Bussaco Forest Foundation, Milene Matos, is one of the authors of a book for children published recently by Editions Flushing with support of the Biology Department of the UA. In "Os Duendes na Mata do Bussaco" co-authored by Lídia Dias, the researcher was responsible the scientific review and illustrations.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/detail.asp?c=24409

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CESAM researchers discover four new species to science

Published in 30/10/2012

05/07/12The Researchers of the CESAM Ana Rodrigues, Victor Quintino e Roberto Martins discovered four new species of Polychaetes in samples collected along the Portuguese Continental Shelf. The species belong to the Lumbrineridae family and were named as Lumbrineris lusitanica, distributed along the western and southern Portuguese shelf; L. pinaster e L. luciliae more restricted to the southern shelf and Gallardoneris iberica also distributed mainly along the southern areas of the shelf. The genus Gallardoneris was only known for the Pacific being this the first time to be referred for the Atlantic. The work was developed in cooperation with Luis Carrera-Parra from ECOSUR, México – an international recognized specialist for the taxonomy of the Lumbrineridae family. The results from this research appeared in the international journal Zootaxa.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/detail.asp?c=24419&lg=ptSIC Notícias: http://sicnoticias.sapo.pt/vida/article1644113.ece

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CESAM participates in the study about the EPAL vulnerabilities

Published in 4/5/2012

24/04/12There is now a broad scientific consensus that climate change caused by the intensification of the anthropogenic greenhouse effect has already had impacts on the natural environment and that those impacts will be worse over the century. One of the most vulnerable sectors to climate change in countries of southern Europe is the water resources sectorIn the context of the project "ADAPTACLIMA-EPAL", CESAM researchers participate in the study to provide to the Empresa Portuguesa das Águas Livres (EPAL) an adaptation strategy in the medium and long term to reduce the vulnerabilities of their activities to climate change.More details: http://siam.fc.ul.pt/adaptaclima-epal/?id=home&lang=pt e http://www.cienciahoje.pt/index.php?oid=53946&op=all

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Leiden ranking highlights the good performance of UA

Published in 16/4/2012

16/04/12According to the criteria of Leiden ranking, the UA is the Portuguese university that achieves a higher impact with their scientific output  in the period 2011/2012, repeating the top position in the Times Higher Education ranking made in October last year. Moreover, the Leiden ranking highlights the good performance of Portuguese universities, even in the international context.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/detail.asp?c=23722&lg=pt

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Land underground insect discovered by CESAM researcher

Published in 12/4/2012

12/04/12The largest underground insect in Europe has been discovered in Algarve by the Portuguese biologist of CESAM Sofia Reboleira. Known as ‘peixinhos-de-prata' ou 'traças-dos-livros, the insect has the scientific name of Squamatinia Algharbica and "has the distinction of being the largest underground insect in Europe and the second largest silverfish in the world." More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/detail.asp?c=23687

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Electronic Tongue developed at CESAM

Published in 23/1/2013

03/04/12The electronic Tongue, developed by the researcher Alisa Rudnitskaya, allows, within five to ten minutes, for  the detection of organic and inorganic compounds, such as transition metals, in food, without using laboratory and technical expertise. The analysis is used to rapidly detect if these compounds exceed the human body tolerated levels.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/pub/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=9604 and http://www.cienciahoje.pt/index.php?oid=53749&op=all

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CESAM researcher appointed as national representative of the COST action "Biochar as option for sustainable resource management "

Published in 20/5/2013

03/04/12This COST Action connects scattered European Biochar research to enable quick implementation of intelligent material flow management systems, to maintain or improve soil quality while efficiently sequestering carbon in the long-term.Thus, this COST action (2012/16) aims at coordinating European Biochar research, bringing together researchers, stakeholders and potential users from EU and candidate countries. Four working groups will focus on (i) Biochar production and characterisation, (ii) land use implementation, (iii) economic analysis including life cycle assessment and (iv) environmental impact assessment. More details about this COST action: http://www.cost.eu/domains_actions/fa/Actions/TD1107

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Researchers of CESAM facilitate the search of bioactive compounds

Published in 4/4/2012

06/02/12Researchers of CESAM recently published in PLoS ONE a paper on bioprospection of marine invertebrates that may help other investigators to redirect the research of new bioactive compounds for taxonomic groups or untapped geographical sources.More details: http://www.cienciahoje.pt/index.php?oid=53351&op=all

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Researchers of CESAM facilitate the search of bioactive compounds

Published in 4/4/2012

06/02/12Researchers of CESAM recently published in PLoS ONE a paper on bioprospection of marine invertebrates that may help other investigators to redirect the research of new bioactive compounds for taxonomic groups or untapped geographical sources.More details: http://www.cienciahoje.pt/index.php?oid=53351&op=all

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Scientist of CESAM helps to uncover 4 species of insects in the deepest cave on Earth

Published in 24/2/2012

23/02/12These primitive insects have no wings or eyes, and were discovered almost two km deep in the deepest cave on Earth. The four new insect species, never before seen by human eyes, were found by Ana Sofia Reboleira, researcher of CESAM and DBio, in the cave Krubera-Vorónia with 2191 meters deep, located in the region of Abkhazia near the Black Sea.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/detail.asp?c=23198 and http://www.cienciahoje.pt/index.php?oid=53199&op=all

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Cover page with photograph taken by CESAM member

Published in 26/6/2012

22/02/12The cover page of the latest issue of Invertebrate Systematics (vol. 25, No. 5 of 2012) is an underwater photograph by Carlos J. Moura, a member of CESAM. This was taken at a depth of 10 meters in Berlengas archipelago. The marine animal represented - Lafoea dumosa - is a morphologically simple colonial invertebrate of the class Hydrozoan, Phylum Cnidaria.The paper entitled "Polyphyly and cryptic diversity in the hydrozoan families and Lafoeidae Hebellidae (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa)", authored by several members of CESAM, was published in this issue of Invertebrate Systematics and presents a genetic and morphological study applied to hydrozoans. The most relevant findings include the discovery of new species and the revealation of profound errors of nomenclature and taxonomic organization.

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CESAM participates in international project on the degradation of Mediterranean ecosystems

Published in 1/3/2012

17/02/12CESAM researchers will participate in an international project involving 14 research institutions from nine European countries on factors and measures to prevent the degradation of ecosystems driest in Europe. The project "CASCADE - Catastrophic Shifts in drylands: How can we Prevent ecosystem degradation" is funded by the 7th FP of the European Union, and the Serra do Caramulo will be the Portuguese case study.The aim of CASCADE is to obtain a better understanding of sudden ecosystem shifts that may lead to major losses in biodiversity and ecosystem services, and to define measures that can be used to prevent such shifts. The focus of CASCADE is explicitly on drylands as being one of the most fragile and threatened ecosystems in South Europe.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/detail.asp?c=23132

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Researchers of CESAM/UA help to protect the Iberian red deer

Published in 18/9/2012

13/02/12Under the joint efforts for the implementation of a genetic analysis on the population of Iberian deer, agreed in 2010, among UA and the Spanish universities of Cordoba and Extremadura, Carlos Fonseca, researcher of CESAM/UA, has presented to members of the National Commission on Certification of Trophies, at the end of January, the procedure used in Spain and the genetic test results carried out so far.The goal is to officially incorporate the test application in Portugal during the approval process of trophies and thus helping to preserve the genetics of Iberian red deer.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=23103

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Paper published by CESAM's researchers distinguished by Global Medical Discovery

Published in 8/1/2013

08/02/12The paper published by CESAM's researchers "Novel gene cassettes and integrons in antibiotic-resistant bacteria isolated from urban wastewaters," reporting the diversity of mechanisms of antibiotics resistance in wastewater, was recently honored as of special interest by Global Medical Discovery.More details: http://www.cienciahoje.pt/index.php?oid=53119&op=allPaper download: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0923250811001872

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Members of CESAM develop innovative technical analysis on food quality

Published in 14/2/2012

07/02/12A team of researchers of UA, which included members of CESAM, developed an innovative method for assessing the level of microbiological and chemical contamination of solid food which is more effective, fast, simple and cheap than the normal procedures.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=23045

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Marie Curie action on corals research coordinated by CESAM

Published in 14/2/2012

08/02/12 João Serôdio, member of CESAM and professor of DBio, will coordinate a Marie Curie action IRSES (International Research Staff Exchange Scheme) funded by the EU-FP7 People Programme. The project SYMBIOCoRe (SYnergies through Merging Biological and Biogeochemical expertise in Coral Research) involves universities and research institutes from six countries, providing the mobility of 35 researchers.The main objective of the project is the formation of a multidisciplinary network, bringing together several skills to improve the understanding of the key role of the symbiosis between an animal species (cnidarian) and a unicellular microalgae (zooxantela) in the long-term maintenance of diversity and productivity of coral reefs.Additional details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/detail.asp?c=23011&lg=pt

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CESAM researcher reveals unknown world in Antarctic waters

Published in 8/1/2013

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05/01/12Hydrothermal vents and their communities of organisms, located at 2340 meters depth, along the east coast of Antarctica, revealed a new world  that reconfigures what is known about this type of ecosystems. The paper co-authored by the researcher of CESAM, Ana Hilario, was published online in the journal "PLoS Biology" and has been highlighted in national and international media.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/detail.asp?c=22799&lg=ptNews in "Público" newspaper: http://www.publico.pt/Ciências/expedicao-submarina-revela-mundo-desconhecido-junto-da-antarctida---1527656News in "DN" newspaper: http://www.dn.pt/inicio/ciencia/interior.aspx?content_id=2221642

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Published in 17/1/2012

30/12/11The prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis and wheeze in children have increased since 2006. A study by researchers of CESAM, recently published in "Revista Portuguesa de Pneumologia", identifie the risk factors associated with respiratory diseases.More details: http://www.cienciahoje.pt/index.php?oid=52365&op=all andhttp://uaonline.ua.pt/detail.asp?lg=pt&c=22733

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Paper in the most cited list in the journal "Progress in Oceanography"

Published in 22/12/2011

14/12/11This paper is a review of the Iberian Upwelling Ecosystem dynamics, written by several researchers of Portuguese and Spanish institutions, in which are discussed the main features of the circulation, and the challenges and questions that must be addressed in order to arrive at a satisfactory understanding and predictive capability for the system as a whole. Relvas P., Barton E.D., Dubert J., Oliveira P.B., Peliz A., da Silva J.C.B., Santos A.M.P. Physical oceanography of the western Iberia ecosystem: Latest views and challenges (2007) Progress in Oceanography, 74 (2-3), pp. 149-173.

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New IPCC report on risk management and adaptation to climate change

Published in 14/2/2012

21/11/11The  Summary  for  Policymakers  of  the  Special  Report  on Managing  the  Risks  of  Extreme  Events  and  Disasters  to  Advance  Climate  Change  Adaptation (SREX) was approved on 18/11/11 by member governments of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).The report examines how disaster risk management and adaptation to climate change can reduce exposure and vulnerability to weather and climate events and thus reduce disaster risk, as well as increase resilience to the risks that cannot be eliminated.

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CESAM's researcher is the author of one of the most downloaded papers in the European Journal of Wildlife Research

Published in 9/12/2011

15/11/11The paper by Prof. Carlos Fonseca and co-authors entitled "Habitat selection and abundance of common genets Genetta genetta using camera capture-mark-recapture data", and published in European Journal of Wildlife Research, is amongst the ten most downloaded papers published during 2010. This paper emphasizes that  the use of camera capture-mark-recapture data technique is  a  reliable  method  for  assessing  average  genet density over large spatial scales and for monitoring future changes in genet numbers.    

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Researcher of CESAM publishes an innovative paper on domestic cat in PLoS ONE

Published in 14/2/2012

10/11/11Domestic cats ranging freely in natural areas are a conservation concern due to competition, predation, disease transmission or hybridization with wildcats. This conclusion results from a pioneering study conducted by the researcher of CESAM Joaquim Ferreira, in collaboration with other researchers from CBA/FCUL and EBD/CSIC (Spain). The article was recently published in PLoS ONE (http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0025970), which is the largest open-access peer-reviewed journal, available only online.Aditional information: http://www.cienciapt.net/pt/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=105077&Itemid=279

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UA is the best Portuguese University in the World Ranking

Published in 14/11/2011

07/10/11The Times Higher Education ranking lists the world’s top universities for 2011-2012 and places the University of Aveiro as the Portuguese best positioned university.This ranking employs several indicators designed to capture the full range of university activities, from teaching to research to knowledge transfer. Those elements are brought together into five headline categories: Teaching - the learning environment (30% of the overall ranking score); Research - volume, income and reputation (30%); Citations - research influence (30%); Industry income - innovation (2.5%); and International outlook - staff, students and research (7.5%).

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Berlengas as Biosphere Reserve of UNESCO

Published in 14/2/2012

30/06/11In order to promote sustainable development of the archipelago of Berlengas, the Municipality of Peniche prepared a proposal successfully approved to the UNESCO to include the Reserva Natural das Berlengas in the international network of Biosphere Reserves.Beyond the recognition of the high value of the natural heritage of Berlengas, the approval of this proposal demonstrates a public recognition about the problems of conservation and development, as well as the existence of specific operations to meet these constrains.The proposal had the scientific coordination of Prof. Henrique Queiroga (CESAM/UA) and was elaborated by the Institute for Environment and Development of CESAM/UA, the School of Tourism and the Sea Technology (Peniche), the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, the Institute for Nature Conservation and Biodiversity and municipality of Peniche.News on the daily newspaper PUBLICO (edition of 30/06/11): http://ecosfera.publico.pt/noticia.aspx?id=1500751

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World Meteorological Organization awards paper of CESAM researcher

Published in 14/2/2012

20/06/11The World Meteorological Organization has awarded scientists for outstanding contributions in the field of meteorology, climatology, hydrology and related sciences. The prizes awarded include the WMO IMO Prize, the Norbert Gerbier-MUMM International Award and the WMO Research Award for Young Scientists.Norbert Gerbier-MUMM Award for carbon-climate linksThe Norbert Gerbier-MUMM International Award winners selected for 2012 are Drs C. Yi, D. Ricciuto, R. Li, J. Wolbeck, X. Xu, M. Nilsson, C. Pio and 144 other authors. Their paper, “Climate control of terrestrial carbon exchange across biomes and continents”, was published in Environmental Research Letters in 2010, Volume 5. The authors came from 116 academic institutes in six continents. The paper examines relationships between climate and the carbon exchange of land-based ecosystems to predict future levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide.Link to paper: http://iopscience.iop.org/1748-9326/5/3/034007

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CESAM team wins award of UATEC Empreende+ contest

Published in 14/2/2012

24/01/11The project "EcoBioSys" of CESAM graduate students Flávio Silva and João Sousa won the UATEC Empreende+ award in the category of Young Innovative Entrepreneurship. The EcoBioSys project introduces a new process for biological treatment of waste and effluents, which offers return on investment by additional production of high value-added byproducts (microbial polymers).  Considering the legal restrictions on effluents discharge, this project focuses on the need for treatment by several industries (dairy processing, breweries, wineries, agro-based, pulp and paper, etc.) to treat their residues in a sustainable way. The main goal of the EcoBioSys start-up enterprise is to develop a pilot-scale unit at industrial environment, starting from a patent to be registered.More details: http://uaonline.ua.pt/detail.asp?c=19573

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Researchers from CESAM awarded on National Innovation BES Contest

Published in 27/10/2011

25/10/10 "FishCare" developed by researchers from CESAM and Department of Biology of the UA was one of five winning projects of the National Innovation BES Contest, in the Ocean Economy category. Coordinated by the researchers Ricardo Calado and Newton Gomes, FishCare project aims to develop and adapt molecular tools that will allow the anticipation and detection of diseases that affect different marine fish species produced in intensive and semi-intensive aquaculture. Additionally, the project intends to validate reliable molecular methodologies for the traceability of national aquaculture products, in order to enable the creation of a certification of origin (e.g. bream and sea bass from Ria de Aveiro).

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Investigador do CESAM nomeado para o Comité Português para a Biodiversidade

Published in 31/5/2011

Henrique Queiroga, docente do Departamento de Biologia da Universidade de Aveiro e membro do Laboratório Associado CESAM - Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar, foi nomeado para o Comité Executivo do Comité Português para a Biodiversidade.O comité Português para a Biodiversidade foi criado debaixo da alçada da UNESCO, no seguimento da designação, pela Assembleia-Geral das Nações Unidas, do ano de 2010 como Ano Internacional da Biodiversidade.O Comité Executivo tem por missão coordenar as actividades a desenvolver, a nível nacional, no âmbito do Ano Internacional para a Biodiversidade.Será dado particular destaque a actividades que visem educar e sensibilizar a opinião pública para a necessidade da conservação da Biodiversidade, bem como para aquelas que possam contribuir para o preenchimento de lacunas que existam no nosso conhecimento sobre a Biodiversidade e para as que dinamizem uma sua utilização sustentável, prosseguindo desta forma os objectivos traçados pela Década das Nações Unidas da Educação para o Desenvolvimento Sustentável (2005-2014).Henrique Queiroga é professor de ecologia marinha e estuarina e de Oceanografia Biológica. Foi membro do Conselho de Administração do CESAM - Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e Marinha durante vários anos.Co-autor de um relatório de consultoria encomendado pelo Governo Português para a formulação de políticas ambientais e metas a serem implementadas e cumpridas durante o Quadro de Referência Estratégico Nacional para 2007-2013, este investigador é membro do Conselho Consultivo Internacional do Instituto de Pesquisa Costeira e Planeamento (Klaipeda, Lituânia) e árbitro de projectos apresentados ao National Science Foundation (E.U.A.) e da Fundação Internacional para a Ciência.Investigador Principal ou membro da equipa de vários projectos nacionais e internacionais de investigação sobre a ecologia marinha, Henrique Queiroga participou também em programas de monitorização ambiental em águas costeiras. É ainda editor de dois livros e autor de 30 artigos em importantes revistas internacionais na área de Biologia Marinha, árbitro de várias revistas líderes nas áreas de zoologia e ecologia marinha, e membro da organização ou comitês científicos, de seis de conferências internacionais.

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Europe dominates alternative quality-of-life index

Published in 1/2/2010

According to the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme "Global Change" Journal, issue 74 (Winter 2009, "News", page 8), Portugal stands in the in the world top 10 index as one of the countries with best quality of life. Every year the UN publishes the Human Development Index (HDI) that since the 1990's has been an immediate and iconic country-by-country snapshot of wellbeing, standard of living and quality of life. But this index was reviewed by Professor Chuluun Togtokh from the national University of Mongolia, that added the carbon dioxide emissions per capita of the index thus considering the countries that had contributed the most to global warming and consequently had the largest impact on the livelihoods of those in other countries, particularly in the developing world - the countries most affected by climate change.

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UA is a partner in the publication of the first portuguese open-acess scientific journal

Published in 5/1/2010

Publicada pela primeira vez em Junho de 2005, a «Wildlife Biology in Practice» (WBP) é a primeira revista portuguesa em formato Open-Acess. Editada pelo Laboratório Associado CESAM e pelo Departamento de Biologia da UA, pela Sociedade Portuguesa de Vida Selvagem e pelo Departamento de Biologia da UM, esta publicação conta já com 112 173 artigos descarregados até Janeiro deste ano e está indexada em 12 bases de dados internacionais. Actualmente, está em avaliação pelo ISI Thompson para atribuição de um “Impact Factor”, métrica que reflecte o impacto que os artigos publicados numa revista têm na Comunidade Científica internacional. Já com quatro números publicados em oito volumes, a WBP foi criada com um conceito editorial em forte expansão, apostando nas novas tecnologias digitais que permitem o acesso a um maior número de potenciais leitores possível. O balanço destes primeiros quatro anos de existência não podia ser melhor, segundo o Prof. Amadeu Soares, do CESAM/Departamento de Biologia da UA. «Os números falam por si. Em apenas quatro anos, a WBP já publicou 49 artigos, provenientes de 17 países (EUA com 13 artigos, seguido de Portugal com nove e Espanha com oito, tendo em 2008 sido visitada por cerca de 13 mil investigadores, uma média de 30 visitas por dia, num total de 60 517 páginas visualizadas. Os visitantes são provenientes de 52 países com especial destaque para Portugal, EUA, Brasil, Reino Unido e Canadá». Integrando artigos que abordam as temáticas relacionadas com técnicas, gestão, conservação, educação, censos populacionais, fisiologia e doenças em vida selvagem, interacção Homem – vida selvagem e ordenamento e gestão de recursos faunísticos e dos seus habitats, a publicação está indexada em 12 bases de dados - «Scopus», «PkP – Public Knowledge Project», «EBSCO A-to-Z», «MedBioWorld», «Ulrich’s Periodicals Directory», «Td–Net – Swiss Academy of sciences», «Open J-Gate», «New Jour – Electronic Journals and Newsletters», «DOAJ – Directory of Open Access Journals», «OAIster», «Scholar Google» e «Zoological Records». A WBP surge, ainda, nas buscas dos principais motores de busca, encontrando-se referenciada e incluída nos catálogos online de dezenas de bibliotecas universitárias internacionais, no ISI Master Journal List e na capa da brochura do Public Knowledge Project (PKP). A revista pode ser consultada em http://socpvs.org/journals/index.php/wbp

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NATO finances research project in CESAM

Published in 5/1/2010

A Organização do Tratado do Atlântico Norte (NATO) acaba de anunciar o financiamento de um projecto de investigação do Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar (CESAM) da UA, que visa a remediação de áreas mineiras de extracção de urânio e de fosfatos. Este projecto, a iniciar em Fevereiro deste ano, conta com a parceria de instituições académicas e empresariais de Portugal, Alemanha, Tunísia e Marrocos. O projecto, que irá ser levado a cabo por uma equipa de ecotoxicologistas, químicos, microbiólogos e fisiologistas vegetais, coordenada por Ruth Pereira, investigadora auxiliar do CESAM, durante os próximos três anos, visa estudar comunidades bacterianas, resistentes a metais e radionuclídeos, que vivem em simbiose com as raízes de plantas tolerantes a estes contaminantes. O objectivo desta investigação é o de explorar as interacções entre plantas e bactérias resistentes para favorecer a reflorestação de zonas mineiras abandonadas, onde outrora foi levada a cabo a exploração de urânio e de fosfatos. Desta forma, pretende reduzir-se a mobilidade dos contaminantes e simultaneamente a toxicidade dos solos. Assim, através da reflorestação das zonas mineiras, entre outras medidas de remediação, prevê-se a reposição de alguns dos serviços ecológicos fornecidos pelos ecossistemas afectados. A investigação levada a cabo neste projecto será aplicada em campo, sobretudo em áreas mineiras localizadas na Tunísia (Sfax) e Marrocos (Beni-Mellal), com a estreita colaboração de empresas mineiras destes dois países e ainda de Portugal. O projecto aposta também na formação intensiva de jovens investigadores, de todos os países participantes, de forma a promover as mesmas possibilidades de acesso ao conhecimento, e no reforço das relações entre os países da NATO e os países do «Diálogo Mediterrâneo». Colaboram também neste projecto outros professores e investigadores do Departamento de Biologia da UA e da unidade de investigação CESAM, nomeadamente os professores Fernando Gonçalves e Sónia Mendo, os investigadores auxiliares Newton Gomes e Isabel Lopes e alguns membros do IMAR – Coimbra Interdisciplanary Centre. Mais informaçoes sobre o projecto ESTA NOTÍCIA NOS MEDIA: DIÁRIO DE NOTÍCIAS FÁBRICA DE CONTEÚDOS

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CESAM's researchers reveal true toxic potential of polutants in freshwater

Published in 5/1/2010

Através de um inovador trabalho de investigação financiado pelo 6º Programa Quadro para Investigação da União Europeia, um grupo de investigadores do Laboratório Associado CESAM e do Departamento de Biologia da UA veio demonstrar que os modelos utilizados para avaliação toxicológica dos poluentes resultantes das actividades antropogénicas não conseguem prever adequadamente os efeitos das misturas de químicos em ecossistemas aquáticos. A importância destas conclusões mereceu destaque, recentemente, no serviço noticioso da Direcção Geral do Ambiente da União Europeia numa das suas publicações sobre ambiente. Desenvolvido no âmbito do projecto integrado NoMiracle, que conta com 38 parceiros de 17 países, este projecto permitiu à equipa de investigação do CESAM testar dois químicos poluentes - o cádmio e o carbendazim - de entre a enorme variedade de stressores a que são expostos os organismos vivos. Enquanto o cádmio é um metal proveniente dos resíduos industriais e dos efluentes das minas, o fungicida carbendazim é utilizado na agricultura. De forma a estudar o efeito da mistura destes dois químicos em condições variáveis de oxigénio dissolvido na água, foi desenvolvido trabalho experimental com pulgas de água (Dáfnias) tendo-se verificado que os efeitos dos poluentes eram potenciados. Estes resultados contrariam os modelos tradicionais de avaliação de misturas em sistemas aquáticos segundo os quais a toxicidade da combinação de dois stressores será igual à soma da toxicidade individual de cada stressor ou igual ao modelo de acção independente, onde a probabilidade de toxicidade causada por um stressor é independente da probabilidade de toxicidade do stressor co-existente. O serviço noticioso «Science for Environment Policy» tem por objectivo dar visibilidade às aplicações que a investigação científica pode ter na resolução dos problemas ambientais. Cobrindo 20 temas no domínio do ambiente, com cerca de 9 mil subscritores, o serviço é gerido pela Unidade de Comunicação de Ciência da Universidade de Bristol, no Reino Unido, e financiado Programa Quadro para Investigação da UE. Já por várias vezes o trabalho de investigadores do CESAM foi divulgado pelo «Science for Environment Policy». No espaço de um ano foram quatro as referências feitas por este conceituado serviço noticioso sobre ambiente. Em Novembro de 2007 era noticiado um estudo no domínio da poluição atmosférica em ambiente urbano, desenvolvido no Departamento de Ambiente e Ordenamento. Do mesmo Departamento, é divulgado um estudo em Fevereiro deste ano, sobre a sustentabilidade da indústria do papel. Em Setembro de 2008, surge esta referência à investigação em ecossistemas aquáticos, desenvolvida no Departamento de Biologia. Finalmente, em Novembro de 2008, mereceu destaque um trabalho que envolveu investigadores do Departamento de Biologia e da Universidade do Porto (laboratório associado CIMAR), sobre o risco de espécies exóticas para os rios portugueses. Para mais informações, consultar: http://www.cesam.ua.pt/susanaloureiro http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/research_alert_en.htm ESTA NOTÍCIA NOS MEDIA: NOTÍCIAS RTP CIÊNCIA HOJE VISÃO ONLINE JORNAL DE NOTÍCIAS O PRIMEIRO DE JANEIRO CORREIO DA MANHÃ NOTÍCIAS DA MANHÃ DIÁRIO DAS BEIRAS DIÁRIO DE AVEIRO DIÁRIO DIGITAL IOL DIÁRIO PORTUGAL ZONE NEWSTIN

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CESAM's research activity in Serra da Lousã, is highlighted in regional newspapers

Published in 5/1/2010

As já “famosas” actividades de estudo de conservação e gestão de vida selvagem, levadas a cabo pelo investigador do CESAM, Prof. Doutor Carlos Fonseca, são uma vez mais alvo de destaque na imprensa, desta vez no periódico Diário das Beiras. O recente curso sobre métodos de censo e dinâmica populacionais de grandes herbívoros é o mote para o artigo em que à Serra da Lousã é atribuído o epíteto de “Laboratório Vivo” da Universidade de Aveiro. NOTÍCIA COMPLETA

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CESAM's research on mud vulcanoes in the Gulf of Cádiz highlighted in National Geographic

Published in 5/1/2010

O trabalho de investigação que o Laboratório de Ecologia Marinha e Ambiental (LEME) da UA está a levar a cabo nos vulcões de lama do Golfo de Cádiz mereceu destaque, esta Quarta-feira, 10 de Dezembro, na edição online da National Geografic. Os estudos desenvolvidos permitiram revelar uma extraordinária diversidade de Frenulata (20 espécies diferentes). Duas novas espécies foram já descritas - Bobmarleya gadensis e Spirobrachia tripeira – e só no último cruzeiro pelo menos mais três espécies novas foram descobertas, incluindo a “Medusa worm” referida na National Geographic News. O estudo da ocorrência de vulcões de lama, fontes frias, libertação de hidrocarbonetos e hidratos de gás no Golfo de Cádis começou há cerca de uma década e apesar de até agora terem sido focados essencialmente aspecto geológicos e/ou geofísicos, em 2000 deu-se início a uma amostragem biológica que desde então tem sido continuada. Durante os últimos três anos especial atenção foi dada ao estudo dos Siboglinideos presentes nos vulcões de lama. Para além do material colhido em campanhas anteriores, diversas campanhas realizadas de 2006 a 2009 no âmbito do projecto HERMES (www.eu-hermes.net) e também do programa TTR (Training Through Research) permitiram novas recolhas de material fresco. Siboglinidae é uma família de poliquetas endémica de ecossistemas quimiossintéticos e alguns dos seu membros – os Vestimentiferos - tornaram-se emblemas da investigação realizada nestes ecossistemas. Os Frenulata, apesar da sua importância ecológica e evolutiva, devido ao seu pequeno tamanho e dificuldade de colheita, têm sido muito menos estudados. O trabalho implementado pelas investigadoras da UA, Marina Cunha, Ana Hilário e Clara Rodrigues, em colaboração com membros do Departamento de Geociências, nomeadamente com o investigador, Luís Pinheiro, nos vulcões de lama do Golfo de Cadiz revelou uma extraordinária diversidade de Frenulata (20 espécies diferentes) e apresenta uma oportunidade única para estudar este elusivo grupo de animais. Duas novas espécies foram descritas - Bobmarleya gadensis e Spirobrachia tripeira – e só no último cruzeiro (TTR17) pelo menos mais três espécies novas foram descobertas. O artigo da National Geografic pode ser lido em http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/12/081209-medusa-worm.html ESTA NOTÍCIA NOS MEDIA: DIÁRIO DE NOTÍCIAS

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Stimulation of Research Award from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundatio

Published in 5/1/2010

O investigador do CESAM, Juan António Añel, da Linha da Qualidade da Atmosfera, grupo de Meteorologia e Climatologia, foi distinguido com o prémio de Estímulo à Investigação, atribuído pela Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian. O projecto de investigação premiado tem por título ‘’Sinais de alteração climática na largura da região tropical e na intensidade da circulação de Brewer-Dobson’’, e insere-se no âmbito dos estudos sobre a tropopausa e o acoplamento troposfera-estratosfera que têm vindo a ser realizados já há alguns anos, pelos membros do grupo deMeteorologia e Climatologia, sob a coordenação do Prof. Dr. José M. Castanheira

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Published in 30/12/2008

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